Respiratory protection

Abstract

A respiratory protector for a stoma of a person with a laryngectomy or a tracheotomy is provided. The respiratory protector is provided with at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) and at least one outlet (12), so that an airflow will enter the trachea of ​​the person through the inlet from the surrounding environment of the person during use. The respiratory protector also includes a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) (3) and an air filter (4), so that when the airflow reaches the outlet (12) through the inlet (7, 8, 9) during use, the airflow will pass through the HME (3) and the air filter (4). The respiratory protector has a housing, which includes an upper part (1a) and a lower part (1b). At least one inlet (7, 8, 9) is arranged in the upper part (1a) of the housing, and at least one outlet (12) is arranged in the lower part (1b) of the housing. The HME (3) and the air filter (4) are surrounded by the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of respiratory protectors for stomas of laryngectomized or tracheotomized persons, the respiratory protectors having at least one inlet and at least one outlet such that an airflow passes from the person's surroundings through the inlet to the outlet and into the person's trachea in use, the respiratory protectors comprising a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) and an air filter such that the airflow passes through the HME and the air filter when the airflow passes through the inlet to the outlet in use. Background Art

[0002] A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening through the front surface of the neck into the windpipe. The opening is called a tracheostomy. A tracheostomy tube may be provided to extend between the tracheostomy and the windpipe. A tracheostomy is performed, for example, when there is a malfunction in the nervous system or respiratory tract that results in an inability to get enough air, such as due to injury or disorder. Poor lung capacity or the need for respiratory therapy may also necessitate a tracheostomy.

[0003] Laryngectomy is a surgical procedure, for example, for the treatment of cancer, which involves removing the larynx or larynx and forming a tracheostomy. The result of this operation is that the trachea is no longer connected to the pharynx, but is transferred to a tracheostomy. After this operation, normal nasal function will not be possible. In subjects with normal respiratory function, the mucosal lining of the nose and nasal cavity plays an important role in regulating the air inhaled. Complex passages and abundant blood supply help to increase both the temperature and humidity of the inhaled air, so that the difference between these parameters and those of the lung surface is minimal. Before the exhaled gas is released to the atmosphere, some heat and humidity are usually captured from the exhaled gas. The mucosal lining of the nasal passage is also used to remove particulate matter, such as fine dust particles, pollutants and microorganisms from the inhaled air, and the role of cilia is to send mucus and any particles from the lungs.

[0004] When a patient has undergone a laryngectomy, virtually all inspired air enters the lungs via the tracheostomy, and the nose is virtually not involved in the inhalation process. Exhaled air can pass through the tracheostomy, or, in the case of a voice prosthesis that has been fitted, the stoma can be blocked so that the exhaled air is diverted via the voice prosthesis into the pharynx and mouth, thereby enabling the patient to speak. It is desirable to control the exhaled airflow by means of a tracheostomy valve. In these situations, the valve can be arranged to remain open during breathing but can also be closed to divert the airflow, by slightly increasing the exhaled airflow.

[0005] In this regard, filter devices, respirators, have been developed to enable the moistening of the inhaled air, the removal of small particles and bacterial material from said inhaled air. This is similar to the function of the nose. However, there are a number of complications involved in the manufacture of such devices. First, users of such devices require good moistening and removal effects while keeping dimensions of the device, such as the surface area, as small as possible. Secondly, the moistening and removal effects require a large surface area without creating too much resistance to the device. These criteria are contradictory, as the careful reader will have recognized. In addition, a person with a laryngectomy must place his finger or thumb on these devices when he wants to speak, thereby obstructing the airflow through the device and the stoma through the tracheal wall, which can cause undue contamination of the filter because unclean material is transferred from the user's finger to the filter.

[0006] US 5,666,950 describes a device for filtering air to be breathed through a tracheostomy. The device comprises a pre-filter with electrostatic fibers, a first layer formed of activated carbon and a second layer formed of a hydrophilic material. The use of activated carbon provides for filtration of small particles and absorption of gases with a limited increase in the resistance to airflow through the device. However, the antimicrobial effect of the electrostatic filter can be negatively affected by the user's finger or thumb, as it is unreasonable to require a completely bacteria-free state of the finger or thumb, which means that the filter can become contaminated over time. Furthermore, the device according to US 5,666,950 only achieves approximately 50% of the antimicrobial effect, as the surface area of ​​the electrostatic filter is limited to the surface area of ​​the opening that is in communication with the surrounding environment while providing sufficient resistance on the device.

[0007] US 5,487,382 describes an artificial nose having a housing and a hydrophilic filter disc, the artificial nose also comprising a cap that can be moved up and down to open / close a window in the housing. The artificial nose according to US 5,487,382 must be actively moved from an open position to a closed position and from a closed position to an open position, and has a very limited antibacterial effect.

[0008] US 8,505,537 describes a respiratory protector for a stoma of a person with a laryngectomy or tracheotomy. The respiratory protector is provided with a closing member which can be activated to close the communication between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet. The closing member is a member of the flexible cover or a member attached to the flexible cover. The elasticity of the flexible cover allows the flexible cover to be pressed inwardly to fit tightly with a closing surface such as a closing rib. The closing effect is obtained when the flexible cover is pressed against the closing rib.

[0009] Therefore, an improved respirator would be advantageous, in particular one that provides the patient with the possibility to close the respirator with less force, such as during speech. It would also be advantageous to obtain a respirator that provides a tactile confirmation of the closed state of the respirator, i.e. the open or closed state. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a respirator that allows an increased filtering effect and an excellent wetting effect, while still providing a small respirator with a satisfactory resistance on the respirator. It would also be advantageous to provide a respirator that is easy to move from the open state to the closed state, which also provides the patient with the possibility to keep the respirator closed, such as during speech, without undue contamination of the filter by placing a finger or thumb on the opening during the entire speech process. Summary of the invention

[0010] The present invention therefore seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide an improved breathing protector of the type mentioned. To this end, the breathing protector has a housing comprising an upper part and a lower part, wherein at least one inlet is provided in the upper part of the housing and at least one outlet is provided in the lower part of the housing, and wherein a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) and an air filter are surrounded by the housing. The upper part of the housing is provided with a closing member which can be activated to close the communication between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet via a closing valve proximal to the air filter.

[0011] Advantageous features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a breathing protector according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a breathing protector according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0015] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a breathing protector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

[0016] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a breathing protector according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following description focuses on an embodiment of the invention which is suitable for a respirator and in particular for use at a stoma of a laryngectomized or tracheotomized person, wherein the stoma communicates with the person's trachea. However, the invention is not limited to this application but can be applied to other technical fields, such as those in which it is desirable to remove particulate matter from an airflow while also moistening the airflow and providing the possibility of shutting off the airflow.

[0018] In the present invention Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiment shown in the figure, a respirator is provided. The respirator is used for stomas of people with laryngectomy or tracheotomy. The respirator has at least one inlet and at least one outlet, so that airflow passes from the surrounding environment of the person through the inlet to the outlet and enters the trachea of ​​the person during use. The respirator includes a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) 3 and an air filter 4, so that when the airflow passes through the inlet to the outlet during use, the airflow will pass through the air filter 4 and the HME 3.

[0019] The air filter 4 is capable of filtering particulate matter. In one embodiment, the air filter 4 is an electrostatic filter.

[0020] Respiratory protection, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, there is a housing. The housing comprises an upper part 1a and a lower part 1b. The upper part 1a of the housing has at least one inlet 7, 8, and the lower part of the housing has at least one outlet 12. The HME 3 and the air filter 4 of the respirator are surrounded by the housing. Therefore, when air passes through the stoma in which or above the respirator is arranged from the surrounding environment, the air enters via at least one first inlet 7, 8 of the upper part 1a of the housing, passes through the air filter 4 and the HME 3, and enters the patient's trachea through at least one outlet 12 of the lower part 1b of the housing. Since the air filter 4 and the HME 3 are surrounded by the housing, it can be ensured that the contamination of the air filter 4 is minimized, thereby extending the effective filtering effect time of the respirator, because the user's fingers and neck are prevented from contacting the air filter 4.

[0021] Further references Figure 1, the lower part 1b of the housing may have a housing which may house the HME 3. Thus, the HME 3 may be arranged in the lower part 1b of the housing. The air filter 4 may be arranged in the upper part 1a of the housing. Thus, the air filter 4 may cover the at least one inlet 7, 8. Thus, when air from the surroundings passes through the stoma in or above which the breathing protector is arranged, the air enters via the at least one inlet 7, 8 of the upper part 1a of the housing, passes through the air filter 4 and the HME 3, and enters the patient's trachea through the at least one outlet 12 of the lower part 1b of the housing.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the upper part 1a of the housing is arranged outside the air filter 4, and the air filter 4 can be attached to the edge 5, held by the edge 5 or integrated with the edge 5. The upper part 1a of the housing is also provided with a closing member 6. The closing member 6 is not a part that is integrated with the upper part 1a of the housing, but is separated from the upper part 1a of the housing. Therefore, the closing member 6 is a separate closing member 6. The closing member 6 is preferably arranged centrally in the upper part 1b of the housing and can be enabled to close the communication between the at least one inlet 7, 8 and the at least one outlet 12. The closing member 6 is located on the far side of the air filter 4, i.e. away from the user. Therefore, the closing action can be achieved by enabling the closing member 6 instead of blocking the air flow by keeping a finger on the air filter 4 of the respirator. Therefore, the air filter 4 can be free from improper contamination from a finger. When the patient wants to speak, the closure of the respirator is activated by the patient. Furthermore, with the proposed respirator in which the closure member 6 is a separate closure member 6 located in an opening in the upper part 1 b of the housing, the opening in the housing will form a guide edge for the fingers, which will help to correctly position the fingers during closing.

[0023] The closing member 6 is preferably made of a hard, non-flexible material to prevent the closing member 6 from deforming and, on the contrary, to enable the closing member 6 to react immediately to the applied force. The applied force enables the closing member 6 to be activated to close the communication between the at least one inlet 7, 8 and the at least one outlet 12. Therefore, the closing action of the breathing protector can be achieved by applying a small force. The upper part 1b of the housing is preferably also made of a hard, non-flexible material that prevents the upper part 1b of the housing from deforming. This can protect the internal structure of the breathing protector and can further prevent any unnecessary pressure from being applied to the air filter 4. In addition, it forms a secure and sealed snap fit that is conducive to the manufacture of the device.

[0024] like Figure 1As shown, the housing of the breathing protector also contains a shut-off valve 10, which is arranged above the lower part 1b of the housing, wherein a first opening 11 is provided between the shut-off valve 10 and the lower part 1b of the housing. The shut-off valve 10 is therefore arranged above the HME 3, i.e. the distal end of the HME 3, but below the air filter 4, i.e. the proximal end of the air filter. Therefore, when air enters the trachea from the surrounding environment through the stoma, the air first enters the housing via at least one first inlet 7, 8 of the upper part 1a of the housing, passes through the air filter 4, passes through the first opening 11, then passes through the HME 3 and enters the trachea through at least one outlet 12 of the lower part 1b of the housing. The closing member 6 is activated by a force applied in the proximal direction, i.e. in the direction toward the user. The force in the proximal direction then moves the shut-off valve 10 in the same proximal direction until the shut-off valve 10 reaches the shut-off valve seat 2, after which the shut-off valve 10 seals against the shut-off valve seat 2 and closes the communication between at least one inlet 7, 8 and at least one outlet 12.

[0025] In one embodiment, the closing member 6 is connected to a closing valve 10 . Figure 1 The illustrated closing member 6 is connected to the shut-off valve 10 by passing through the air filter 4. The closing member 6 is then provided with a projection 13. The projection 13 is arranged in the center of the closing member 6 and extends in the proximal direction. At the proximal end of the projection 13, the projection 13 is provided with a hook, which can be snap-fitted into an opening 14 in the shut-off valve 10 at the proximal end of the air filter 4. The air filter 4 is sealingly fixed to the shut-off valve 10 and the closing member 6. In this way, the filtering effect provided by the air filter 4 can be maintained at a high level while allowing a reliable closing mechanism of the breathing protector to be realized. In addition, the breathing protector can be closed by activating the closing member 6, which activates the shut-off valve 10, without squeezing the air filter 4.

[0026] Therefore, the closing member 6 is arranged to cooperate with the closing valve 10 during activation to close the communication between at least one inlet 7, 8 and at least one outlet 12 of the housing of the breathing protector. The closing effect can be obtained when the closing valve 10 closes the first opening 11. The proposed embodiment provides a breathing protector that is configured to be higher than the diameter, which produces a more compact design. A more compact design may be advantageous because it is generally accepted by a wider user group. In addition, the proposed embodiment provides the patient with the following possibility: for example, during speech, the breathing protector is closed with less force. The structure of the disclosed breathing protector with a closing member 6 that can be accessed from the outside provides a unique and clearly defined closure, while still providing a breathing protector with an air filter 4. The structure of the breathing protector provides a tactile confirmation of the closed state of the breathing protector, that is, the open or closed state.

[0027] The lower part 1 b of the housing is provided with a shut-off valve seat 2 surrounding said HME 3. The structure of the shut-off member 6 and the shut-off valve 10 allows that when the shut-off member 6 is pressed proximally, i.e. towards the user of the respirator, the shut-off valve 10 is pressed downwards and inwards to fit tightly with the shut-off valve seat 2 of the lower part 1 b of the housing. A shut-off effect is obtained when the shut-off valve 10 is pressed against the shut-off valve seat 2, so that the first opening 11 is closed and no air is allowed to pass through the first opening 11. Instead of blocking the air flow by holding a finger on the filter of the filter respirator, the shut-off effect is achieved by pressing down the shut-off member 6, the air filter can be protected from undue contamination by fingers.

[0028] In one embodiment, if Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the closure member 6 is provided with at least one inlet 9. Since air can flow into the respirator through a greater number of inlets, the filtration area provided by the air filter 4 can be increased, thereby providing a respirator with a larger inlet surface area. This in turn can reduce the resistance to airflow through the device, improving the overall function of the respirator, thereby making the device tolerable for the user when breathing heavily.

[0029] The air filter 4 is arranged in a three-dimensional structure relative to the first opening 11. Therefore, the filtering effect provided by the air filter 4 is obtained in more than one dimension. In this way, the filtering effect can be obtained in a large surface area, while still providing the possibility of keeping the respirator small in size. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the respirator from being bulky for the person wearing the respirator, while still providing the maximum filtering effect. The term "three-dimensional structure" is not intended to be limited to a number of sheets or layers, but is intended to illustrate a three-dimensional structure in contrast to a two-dimensional structure such as a planar sheet or layer. Therefore, the thickness of such a planar sheet or layer is not considered a three-dimensional structure in this regard.

[0030] according to Figure 1In the embodiment disclosed in, the air filter 4 is arranged in a three-dimensional structure relative to the first opening by sandwiching the air filter 4 between the edge 5 and the lower / proximal housing part 1b. The edge 5 can have a generally circular or annular shape. Therefore, the air filter 4 then covers the cross-sectional area of ​​the edge 5, that is, extending from the outer edge of the edge 5 to the opposite outer edge of the edge 5. The air filter 4 can therefore be arranged to enclose the shut-off valve 10 in the housing so that the air filter 4 will have a larger surface area than the area of ​​the first opening 11 between the shut-off valve 10 and the lower part 1b of the housing. In this regard, the term surface area is not intended to include the pores of the air filter 4, but only the outer area of ​​the air filter 4, that is, the peripheral area of ​​the air filter 4. The effective area is used to define the surface area of ​​the air filter 4 including the pores. In this way, the effective area of ​​the air filter 4 can be increased by a three-dimensional structure without increasing the pressure drop on the air filter 4, while being limited only by the cross-sectional area of ​​the edge 5 in terms of the size of the respiratory protector. This increase in the effective area, while the effective area is limited only by the cross-sectional area of ​​the edge 5, provides a high filtration efficiency such as greater than 95%.

[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention, the air filter 4 is pleated, folded, bent, arched or otherwise configured to have a three-dimensional structure to provide a maximized filtering effect in a respirator of smaller size.

[0032] The material of the HME 3 should include flow channels therein and should have an open structure in which the flow channels are freely oriented. The material may include paper, foamed plastics, fillers made of different fibers, or a combination thereof. It may also be impregnated with a hygroscopic substance. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the holes or voids in the material do not have any particular orientation so that the breathing air can easily pass through the material in multiple directions to achieve the desired deflection.

[0033] In an advantageous embodiment, the material of the HME 3 may be HME foam. In such an embodiment, the HME 3 may additionally serve as a return spring for the closing valve 10. The elasticity of the HME foam allows the closing valve 10 to return to the open state of the breathing protector when the pressure on the HME foam ceases. Thus, the user may press the closing member 6 to close the first opening 11 via the closing valve 10. Then, when the user wants to speak, the user may put the breathing protector into the speaking mode / state, and when the user wants to stop speaking and return the breathing protector to the breathing mode / state simply release the pressure on the closing member 6.

[0034] In the embodiment described above, a respiratory protector for a stoma of a person whose larynx has been removed or whose trachea has been cut has been described. The respiratory protector is constructed to have at least one inlet 7, 8, 9 and at least one outlet 12, so that in the use of the airflow, the ambient environment of the person will pass through the inlet to reach the outlet 12 and enter the trachea of ​​the person. Even if it is not specifically disclosed, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the inlet and outlet can be divided into an increasing number by only dividing the specific inlet and outlet that have been disclosed. In addition, the respiratory protector includes an HME 3 and an air filter 4, so that when the airflow passes through the inlet 7, 8, 9 to reach the outlet 12 in use, the airflow will pass through the HME 3 and the air filter 4. Similarly, according to the above disclosure, the respiratory protector includes a closing member 6, which can be enabled to close the communication between the at least one inlet 7, 8, 9 and the at least one outlet 12.

[0035] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for humidifying and filtering out bacterial matter during breathing through a stoma of a person with a larynx cut or tracheotomy. The method comprises passing air from the surrounding environment through a respirator into the trachea of ​​the person, the respirator having a housing having an upper portion 1a including at least one inlet 7, 8 and a lower portion 1b including at least one outlet 12. The respirator comprises a HME 3 and an air filter 4. The method filters out bacterial matter by passing the air through the air filter 4. The surface area of ​​the air filter 4 is larger than the area surrounded by the at least one inlet 7, 8. Thereafter, the method comprises humidifying the air as it passes through the HME 3.

[0036] On the other hand, the present disclosure provides a method for closing a respiratory protector for a stoma of a person with a laryngectomy or a tracheotomy. The respiratory protector has a housing, which includes an upper part 1a and a lower part 1b. The upper part 1a of the housing is provided with at least one inlet 7, 8, and the lower part 1b of the housing is provided with at least one outlet 12, so that the airflow passes through at least one inlet 7, 8 from the surrounding environment of the person in use to reach at least one outlet 12 and enter the trachea of ​​the person. The respiratory protector includes a HME 3 and an air filter 4. The air filter 4 surrounds at least one inlet 7, 8, so that when the airflow passes through at least one inlet 7, 8 to reach at least one outlet 12 in use, the airflow will pass through the HME 3 and the air filter 4. The upper part 1a of the housing also includes a closing member 6 connected to a closing valve 10, and the closing valve 10 is arranged above the lower part 1b of the housing, i.e., the distal end of the lower part 1b of the housing. Then a first opening 11 is provided between the closing valve 10 and the lower part 1b of the housing. The method comprises closing the first opening 11 by pressing the closing member 6 onto the lower part 1 b of the housing.

[0037] The elements and components of the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented physically, functionally and logically in any suitable manner. In fact, the function can be implemented with a single unit, with multiple units or as a part of other functional units. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented with a single unit, or can be distributed between different units physically and functionally.

[0038] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific form set forth herein. On the contrary, the present invention is limited only by the appended claims, and other embodiments except the above-mentioned specific embodiments may also fall within the scope of these appended claims.

[0039] In the claims, the term "comprises / comprising" does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. In addition, although listed separately, multiple devices, elements or method steps may be implemented by, for example, a single unit or process. In addition, although individual features may be included in different claims, these features may be advantageously combined, and being included in different claims does not mean that the combination of features is not feasible and / or disadvantageous. In addition, singular references do not exclude plural cases. The terms "one", "a", "first", "second", etc. do not exclude the majority. The figure marks in the claims are provided only as illustrative examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.

Claims

1. A respiratory protector for a stoma of a person with a laryngectomy or tracheotomy, the respiratory protector having at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) and at least one outlet (12), so that in use an airflow will pass from the person's surroundings through the at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) to the at least one outlet (12) and into the person's trachea, the respiratory protector comprising a heat and moisture exchanger (3) and an air filter (4), so that when the airflow passes through the at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) to the outlet (12) in use, the airflow will pass through the heat and moisture exchanger (3) and the air filter (4), wherein The breathing protector comprises a housing comprising an upper part (1a) and a lower part (1b), wherein the at least one inlet (7, 8) is arranged in the upper part (1a) of the housing, the at least one outlet (12) is arranged in the lower part (1b) of the housing, and wherein the heat and moisture exchanger (3) and the air filter (4) are surrounded by the housing, wherein the upper part (1a) of the housing is provided with a closing member (6) which can be activated to close the communication between the at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) and the at least one outlet (12) via a closing valve (10) at the proximal end of the air filter (4), Characterized in that the closing member (6) is separate from the upper part (1a) of the housing and is located in an opening of the upper part of the housing.

2. A breathing protector according to claim 1, wherein: The heat and moisture exchanger (3) is arranged in the lower part (1b) of the housing.

3. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The air filter (4) is arranged in the upper portion (1a) of the housing.

4. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The air filter (4) is an electrostatic filter.

5. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The closing member (6) is provided with at least one inlet (9).

6. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The closing member (6) is made of a non-flexible material.

7. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The upper portion (1a) of the housing is made of a non-flexible material.

8. The breathing protector according to claim 1, wherein: The closing member (6) is connected to the closing valve (10) arranged at the distal end of the lower part (1b) of the housing, wherein a first opening (11) is provided between the closing valve (10) and the lower part (1b) of the housing.

9. A breathing protector according to claim 8, wherein: The closing member (6) is provided with a protrusion (13) arranged in the center of the closing member (6), and the protrusion (13) is provided with a hook at the proximal end of the protrusion (13), wherein the hook of the protrusion (13) is snap-fitted into an opening (14) in the closing valve (10).

10. A breathing protector according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The closure member (6) is arranged to cooperate with the shut-off valve (10) during activation to close the communication between the at least one inlet (7, 8, 9) and the at least one outlet (12) of the housing of the breathing protector.

11. A breathing protector according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The heat and moisture exchanger (3) comprises a heat and moisture exchanger foam.

12. A breathing protector according to claim 11, wherein The HME foam is configured to act as a return spring for the shut-off valve (10).

13. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The air filter (4) is arranged in a three-dimensional structure so as to obtain a filtering effect in more than one plane.

14. A breathing protector according to claim 13, wherein: The air filter (4) is pleated, folded, bent or curved to provide a three-dimensional structure.

15. A breathing protector according to claim 1 or 2, comprising an edge (5) having the periphery of the lower part (1b) of the housing, the air filter (4) being attached to the edge (5), whereby the air filter (4) then covers the cross-sectional area of ​​the edge (5), whereby the air filter (4) is arranged in a three-dimensional structure.

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