DIY PAPR from a Dinosaur Costume Blower

thingiverse

Personal Protective Equipment Respirators (PPEs) provide maximum protection, even if they are more challenging to manufacture and result in fewer units being produced, but these reduced quantities can offer enhanced safety, exactly where it matters. Positive pressure filtration minimizes the need for a precise fit and seal; commercial models don't seal; instead, they vent positive air pressure and exhalation. This leads to decreased operator fatigue, improved protection, and less mask irritation and bruising. Commercial units generally start at $600 and up. This improvised respirator utilizes a $9 dinosaur costume blower to draw air through a commercial off-the-shelf respirator filter and pressurize a hood crafted from homemade Tyvek with a clear face shield fashioned from a document cover. I'm currently working on an alternative model that involves 3D-printing the entire blower, but it requires refinement and doesn't perform as well as the dinosaur blower yet. I've included a remix of the 3M bayonet filter mount by waagstrom, available on Thingiverse. The only modification I made was to extrude a hole through the center in Tinkercad to remove the exhalation flap valve support. The hood and its support are still under development. PAPR2-Gaskets is a pattern for creating gaskets that can be cut out from 1/8in craft foam or rubber gasket material. Initially, I used these rings as a stack of flexible couplers for the motor shaft.