JP6846726B1 - Air sterilizer for masks by ultraviolet irradiation, masks using it, and full face masks - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air sterilizer using an air sterilizer by ultraviolet irradiation, a mask using the air sterilizer, and a full face mask which can be easily fixed to an ordinary mask by a simple method in order to surely prevent infection of a virus or the like. To do. An air sterilizer for a mask having an air flow section for circulating air between a breathing space B located near at least one of a nose or a mouth and the outside world О, the air flow section is an independent intake section. By providing an air sterilization unit 5 for sterilizing air in both the intake unit and the exhaust unit, it is possible to sterilize not only the intake air but also the exhaled air. The air sterilizer consists of an outer portion 3 and an inner portion, and can be detachably connected by sandwiching a mask body 7 between the two, and by fixing to the mask 71 or the bag material 7, a mask or a full face mask can be used. Is easily obtained. [Selection diagram] FIG. 13

Description

The present invention relates to an air sterilizer by ultraviolet irradiation fixed to a mask, a mask using the air sterilizer, and a full face mask.

In order to prevent infection against viruses and bacteria, especially to prevent droplet infection, not only medical workers and food workers, but also allergic patients such as pollinosis and many people in places where people gather when an infectious disease is prevalent. You will need to wear a mask. Most of these masks are disposable ones made of non-woven fabric, and masks made of non-woven fabric are provided with various filters inside to prevent particles such as pollen from passing through, but the gap between the filters is about 0.1 μm. Since it is much larger than the virus, some are spread by Brownian motion and trapped in the fibers of the filter, but many pass through.

On the other hand, ultraviolet rays have the effect of sterilizing nucleic acids of viruses and bacteria by destroying and killing genetic information by chemical changes. Ultraviolet rays include A wave (UVA: 315-400 nm), B wave (UVB: 280 to 315 nm), and C wave (UVC: 100 to 280 nm) from the longest wavelength, and the ultraviolet rays that reach the ground thanks to the ozone layer. Is limited to A wave and B wave, but 300 nm or less is particularly effective for sterilization. The most powerful C wave (UVC) has come to be artificially created and used as a sterilizer, and recently, by using a small LED, not only A wave and B wave but also a powerful sterilizer can be easily obtained. be able to.

According to the sanitary mask system of Patent Document 1, the mask portion covering the nose and mouth and the air sterilizer are airtightly connected by a connecting hose, whereby the ultraviolet light emitting diode in the air sterilizer is irradiated and sterilized. By breathing the air from the mask through the connecting hose, it is possible to inhale only the air that has been sterilized by influenza, new corona virus, etc., which cannot be captured by a normal mask filter.

However, in this sanitary mask system, since the mask part and the air sterilizer must be connected by a connecting hose, it lacks portability, and if the connecting hose is disconnected, it will not function. Further, since the exhaled breath is directly discharged to the outside from the exhaust port having the exhaust valve provided in the mask space, if the person himself / herself is infected with a virus or the like, the infection will be spread to the surroundings.

On the other hand, in the safety mask with purple illumination of Patent Document 2, a lighting device such as an LED that generates ultraviolet rays by a surface fastener or the like is detachably fixed to the surface of a general mask, and when the power is turned on, the mask becomes At the front, ultraviolet rays are emitted from the lighting device and sterilized air can be breathed. In this mask, unlike Patent Document 1, the mask portion and the air sterilizer are not connected by a connecting hose, so that the mask is excellent in portability and there is no need to worry about the hose coming off. In addition, the exhaled breath is also sterilized by UV irradiation on the front of the mask.

It is said that it is safe because the back side of the mask is covered with a material that protects the UV rays from reaching the face, but since the UV rays are exposed to the front side, people nearby It is dangerous to see the light directly or touch it with your hands. Further, in order to sterilize the air spreading on the front surface of the mask surface, it is necessary to attach many LEDs to the front surface on the entire surface of the mask, and it is necessary to take sufficient safety measures.

Japanese Patent No. 6124965 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-139478

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and the problem thereof is air sterilization by ultraviolet irradiation, which can be easily fixed to an ordinary mask or bag material by a simple method in order to surely prevent infection of a virus or the like. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, a mask using the apparatus, and a full-face mask.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention of the air sterilizer for masks by ultraviolet irradiation according to claim 1 allows air to flow between the breathing space located in the vicinity of at least one of the nose and the mouth and the outside world. in the mask having an air circulation unit, wherein the air circulation unit is composed of a separate air intake and exhaust unit, air mask to both the exhaust portion and the suction portion provided air sterilizing unit for sterilizing air by ultraviolet radiation The sterilizer consists of an outer part and an inner part, and the outer part and the inner part are detachably fixed by sandwiching a mask body between them, and the intake part and the exhaust part are formed from a zigzag or spiral tube. Therefore, one of the intake portion and the exhaust portion is an outer portion and the other is an inner portion .

The invention of the air sterilizer for a mask by irradiation with ultraviolet rays according to claim 2 is the above-mentioned mask having an air flow portion for circulating air between a breathing space located near at least one of the nose and the mouth and the outside world. The air flow section consists of an independent intake section and exhaust section, and the mask air sterilizer provided with an air sterilization section that sterilizes the air by irradiating ultraviolet rays on both the intake section and the exhaust section has an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer part and the inner part are detachably fixed with a mask body sandwiched between them, and one end of an intake part and an exhaust part is connected to the outer part, and the other part of the intake part and the exhaust part. The end is connected to an air reservoir, and the air reservoir is provided with an air sterilizing section by irradiation with ultraviolet rays .

The invention according to claim 3 has an intake valve and an exhaust valve for preventing backflow in an intake portion and an exhaust portion in the air sterilizer for a mask by irradiation with ultraviolet rays according to claim 1 or 2. The intake valve is provided at a position close to the breathing space, and the exhaust valve is provided at a position far from the breathing space.

The invention according to claim 4 is the mask provided with the air sterilizer for a mask by ultraviolet irradiation according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the mask body has a fixing portion to the face to cover the nose and mouth. It is a feature.

The invention according to claim 5 is the mask main body according to claims 1 to 4 , wherein the mask main body is a full-face mask made of a bag material made of a transparent plastic film covering the entire face, and at least one ultraviolet ray. It is characterized by providing an air sterilizer for masks by irradiation.

The air sterilizer for a mask by ultraviolet irradiation of the present invention comprises an intake part and an exhaust part in which an air flow part that circulates air between the breathing space located near at least one of the nose or the mouth and the outside world is independent. Therefore, the intake air and the exhaled air (exhaust) circulate without being mixed, and fresh air can always be sucked. Both the intake unit and the exhaust unit are provided with an air sterilization unit that sterilizes the air by irradiating ultraviolet rays. As a result, not only inhalation but also exhaled exhaled air can be sterilized, so even if oneself is infected with a virus or the like, one's own exhaled air does not infect the surroundings.

In addition, since the air sterilizer by ultraviolet irradiation consists of an outer part and an inner part, both are detachably fixed, so even when using it by attaching it to the mask body, if the mask body is sandwiched between the separated two parts, it can be connected. It is easy to use and can be easily replaced with another mask.

Furthermore, since the intake and exhaust sections consist of zigzag or spiral tubes, the air sterilization section performs air sterilization over a long distance, and the exposure time to the air sterilization section in each space becomes longer. , More reliable sterilization is performed, and by setting either one of the intake portion and the exhaust portion as the outer portion and the other as the inner portion, a compact mask can be obtained by sandwiching and fixing the mask body between the two.

According to the invention of claim 2, an air reservoir portion is provided separately from the mask, one end of the intake portion and the exhaust portion is connected to the outer portion, and the other end of the intake portion and the exhaust portion is connected to the air reservoir portion. By providing an air sterilization section by irradiating ultraviolet rays in the air reservoir, the intake and exhaust are once stored in the air reservoir and sterilized, and the intake section and exhaust section are lengthened to prolong the exposure time to ultraviolet rays. It can be taken and sterilized reliably. In addition, since a large high-power sterilizer can be used rather than being attached to a mask, sterilization can be performed reliably.

According to the invention of claim 3 , by providing an intake valve and an exhaust valve for preventing backflow in the intake portion and the exhaust portion, the intake portion is not mixed with exhaled air and the exhaled air does not always return to the breathing space. You can breathe fresh air. Further, since the intake valve is provided at a position close to the breathing space and the exhaust valve is provided at a position far from the breathing space, the intake valve operates even with a weak force when inhaling, and the space from the breathing space to the intake valve is reached. Even if the exhaled air is mixed, the force to exhale the exhaled air is relatively strong and operates even if it is located far away, and the air pressure from the breathing space to the exhaust valve becomes relatively high, so that the backflow from the exhaust valve is blocked.

According to the invention of claim 4, the mask body used in the air sterilizer for masks by ultraviolet irradiation has a fixing portion to the face to cover the nose and mouth, that is, a string to be hung on the ear. It can be used for a general mask having a fixed portion such as, and no special one is required, and it can be easily used if there is an air sterilizer by ultraviolet irradiation of each of the above inventions.

According to the invention of claim 5, since the mask body used for the air sterilizer for masks by ultraviolet irradiation is a full face mask made of a bag material made of a transparent plastic film covering the entire face, it is an ordinary mask or face shield. As in the case, the side of the face and the head are not exposed, and a high degree of safety against virus infection can be maintained. Further, unlike a general mask, it is not necessary to provide an intake portion and an exhaust portion in the vicinity of at least one of the nose and the mouth, so that at least one air sterilizer for a mask by irradiation with ultraviolet rays can be provided, in other words, for a mask. Since a plurality of air sterilizers can be provided, a large amount of more sterilized air can be sucked and exhausted.

Exploded view of the air sterilizer according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. Exploded view seen from the side of the air sterilizer of the first embodiment Exploded view of the outer and inner parts of the air sterilizer of the first embodiment as viewed from the rear Exploded view of the air collecting member and the outer portion of the air sterilizer according to the first embodiment as viewed from the front. The schematic diagram which shows the internal structure of the air sterilizer having an intake valve and an exhaust valve of Embodiment 1. Comparative view due to the difference in the shape of the air inlet / outlet on the outer side of the air sterilizer of the first embodiment. Assembly drawing of the air sterilizer of the first embodiment with a mask attached Schematic view of the air sterilizer of the second embodiment as viewed from the front (outside). Schematic view of the air sterilizer of the second embodiment as viewed from the rear (inside). Schematic view of the air sterilizer of the second embodiment as viewed from the side Schematic view of the mask provided with the air sterilizer of the third embodiment as viewed from above. Schematic view of the mask provided with the air sterilizer of the third embodiment as viewed from below. Schematic diagram of wearing a mask provided with the air sterilizer of the first embodiment Schematic diagram of wearing a full face mask provided with the air sterilizer of the first embodiment Schematic diagram of a mask provided with the air sterilizer of the first embodiment and a full face mask.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the air sterilizer of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present invention, its applications or its uses.

When breathing through the mask, in the conventional mask, various filters are provided inside to prevent particles such as pollen from passing through, but the gap between the filters of a general non-woven mask is about 0.1 μm. It is much larger than the above and can only capture droplets of 5 μm or larger. Some viruses are spread by Brownian motion and trapped in the fibers of the filter, but many pass through. The N95 standard mask captures 95% or more of particles of 0.3 μm, but it feels stuffy when used for a long time.

The present invention has a bactericidal effect by destroying the genetic information possessed by a virus or bacterium with an air sterilizer (specifically, an ultraviolet irradiation device) so that the virus or bacterium cannot be propagated and killed, instead of capturing the virus or bacterium with a filter. Specific examples of the air sterilizer are shown in Embodiment 1 (FIGS. 1 to 7), Embodiment 2 (FIGS. 8 to 10), and embodiment 3 (FIGS. 11 to 12). Further, FIGS. 13 to 15 show an example in which a mask body (mask, full face mask) provided with the air sterilizer of the first embodiment is attached. Needless to say, the mask main body (mask, full face mask) provided with the air sterilizer having the second and third embodiments and other essential configurations may be used.

The essential configuration of the mask air sterilizer A of the present invention is common to each of the embodiments described below, and is an air flow unit 1 (collectively referred to as an intake unit and an exhaust unit) including an independent intake unit 11 and an exhaust unit 12. It is preferable that the air sterilizer is composed of an outer portion 3 and an inner portion 4 because the air sterilizer is detachably connected to the mask. Further, it is more preferable to provide the intake valve 21 and the exhaust valve 22.

(Embodiment 1)
Explaining the overall configuration of the air sterilizer A of the first embodiment, the outer portion 3 and the inner portion 4 are detachably connected by the inner / outer connecting member J, and the air collecting member 8 is fixed in front of the outer portion 3. The air sterilization unit 5 is installed on the inner surface of the air collecting member 8 and is irradiated with ultraviolet rays toward the internal sterilization space I formed together with the outer portion 3. It is more preferable that the air sterilization unit 5 is individually provided in both the intake unit 11 and the exhaust unit 12, but the sterilization space I can also be sterilized at one place as in the first embodiment (FIG. 5, FIG. 6). Then, the external filter 61 and the internal filter 62 are attached to the finally assembled air sterilizer A.

The sterilizer A is made of either or both of resin and metal, but in the case of resin, acrylic, polycarbonate, vinyl chloride, Teflon (registered trademark), etc., which have strong weather resistance against ultraviolet rays, are preferable, and other When a resin is used, at least the inner surface thereof may be coated with an ultraviolet resistant paint such as a fluororesin or a silicon resin. Since metal is not easily deteriorated by ultraviolet rays, it can be used without particular limitation, but aluminum, stainless steel, copper, titanium and the like are used due to its light weight, rust prevention, workability, durability and the like.

Since it is effective to use ultraviolet rays for sterilization in an air sterilizer, an LED or CCLF (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) is used as the ultraviolet irradiation device. Although LEDs are small, lightweight, and have high output, they can irradiate only in one direction, so many chips are required to sterilize a large area. On the other hand, CCLF can sterilize a wide area because it can irradiate in all directions. As ultraviolet rays, C wave is strong (a bactericidal effect 1000 times or more that of A wave), so that it can be processed in a short time, which is preferable, but both A wave and B wave are effective. It is preferable that the ultraviolet irradiation device is detachable by being screwed into the main body as the irradiation device replacement portion 51 from the apex of the air collecting member 8 so that the ultraviolet irradiation device can be easily replaced.

Since the air collecting member 8 has three outer joint legs 81 protruding from the air collecting member 8 and having some elasticity, the air collecting member 8 can be fitted and fixed to the outer locking portion 32 of the outer portion 3. An air flow section 1 is formed between the air collecting member 8 and the outer portion 3 to allow air to enter and exit from the outside, and the center protrudes outward in a parabola shape to change the direction of the air at an acute angle inside. It is introduced into the air inlet / outlet 31 of the outer side portion 3. At that time, the ultraviolet rays emitted from the air sterilizing unit 5 (ultraviolet irradiation device) installed inward in the expanded sterilizing space I sterilize the air.

Although one LED is used in the figure, a plurality of small LEDs may be scattered and used. The LED is connected to the external battery by a cable. The external battery is preferably a small one used for smartphones. The ON / OFF switch may be provided by an external battery or in the middle of the cable. As described above, CCLF (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) may be used instead of the LED. In addition, it is preferable to attach an external filter 61 and an internal filter 62 in order to prevent the irradiated ultraviolet rays from leaking to the outside, and the filter is made of a woven fabric or non-woven fabric made of chemical fibers or natural fibers, and a commercially available product is used. can do.

The outer portion 32 and the inner portion 4 are connected and fixed by the inner / outer connecting member J. The outer diameter portion of the outer portion connecting portion J1 of the inner / outer connecting member J is inserted into the outer locking portion 32 which is the inner diameter portion of the air inlet / outlet 31 of the outer portion 3 and is fixed by the frictional force of both. Alternatively, the outer locking portion 32 and the outer connecting portion J1 may be threaded and screwed together.

The inner joint legs J2 of the inner / outer connecting member J are elastically fixed to air holes 41 provided on the bottom surface of the inner portion 4 in a circumferential shape (six in FIG. 3), and are centered from the outer portion. The air that has passed through is obstructed by the shielding portion 42 of the inner portion 4 and bent into the air hole 41 to pass through. Therefore, even if the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the air sterilizing portion 5 leak from the outer portion 3, the shielding portion 42 blocks the air. Because it is done, it is excellent in safety.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the internal structure of an air sterilizer having an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and illustrates an air flow. (A) shows the whole, and (b) shows the detailed structure which enlarged the installation part of the valve of the internal / external connection member. If the inspiration and exhaust (exhalation) do not separate and pass through the same space, if you do not breathe slowly and greatly, the exhaled air will mix with the newly inhaled inspiration before it is discarded, and the oxygen concentration will drop and you will be stuffy. Become. In the present embodiment, the upper part of the figure is an intake unit 11 and the lower part is an exhaust unit 12. The air sucked by breathing reaches the sterilization space I that spreads in the inner central part through the intake space IS (also corresponding to the intake part 11) from the outer peripheral gap between the air collecting member 8 and the outer part 3. , Since it is sucked into the inside from the air inlet / outlet 31, it bends at an acute angle. At this time, the air collides with each other or collides with the inner wall to cause convection and the inflow speed decreases, so that the ultraviolet rays are irradiated for a relatively long time (small arrow IR). After that, the air is disturbed by the shielding portion 42 of the inner frame member 4 connected by the inner / outer connecting member J, passes through the surrounding air holes 41, and is sucked into the nose opening. On the other hand, when exhaled, the air flows in the opposite direction, is sterilized in the sterilization space I, passes through the exhaust space ES (corresponding to the exhaust portion 11), and passes through the outer peripheral gap between the air collecting member 8 and the outer portion 3. Released in the absence of viruses and bacteria.

Here, the intake valve 21 and the exhaust valve 22 are attached to the inside of the internal / external connecting member J. The upper half of FIG. 5B is the intake portion 11, the lower half is the exhaust portion 12, and the intake valve 21 is provided at a position close to the breathing space B of the intake portion, and the exhaust valve 22 is provided at a position far from the breathing space B. (The valves are indicated by broken lines and open toward the center), so even with a weak force when inhaling, the inspiratory valve operates because it is nearby, and even if exhaled air is mixed in the space from the breathing space to the inspiratory valve. It's the smallest. On the other hand, the force to exhale the exhaled air is relatively strong and operates even if it is located far away, and the air pressure is relatively high due to the air accumulated from the breathing space to the exhaust valve, so that the backflow from the exhaust valve is blocked.

In this figure, the exhaust part has a larger space capacity, but basically the space capacity on the intake side connected to the nose, which has a smaller suction force than the mouth, is made smaller, and the exhaust side directly connected to the mouth with a large discharge By increasing the space capacity of the air and discharging it all at once, effective suction and discharge can be performed.
The exhaust valve 22 is opened toward the intake side so as not to be mixed with the intake side at the air inlet / outlet 31, thereby shielding the exhaust toward the intake side. If a shielding wall (not shown) is provided inside the sterilization space I so as to surround the intake valve according to the open state, it is possible to further prevent intake and exhaust from being mixed.

FIG. 6 is a comparison diagram based on the shape of the air inlet / outlet 31 of the outer portion 3, and a part thereof is not shown and omitted in order to make the inside easier to see. In (a), the air inlet / outlet 31 is formed to the back with the same inner diameter, and in (b), the air inlet / outlet 31 is narrowed in a stepwise manner toward the inside, so that the air flowing in from the outside is air. When entering the inside from the entrance / exit 31, the sterilization space I narrows from the expanded state and hits the step, causing turbulence, longer air retention time, longer exposure time to ultraviolet rays, and sterilization. The effect is improved. Further, by providing a reflective material such as aluminum foil or sheet or aluminum vapor deposition or coating film inside the air sterilizer A (air collecting member 8, outer portion 3, inner wall portion of inner / outer connecting member J), ultraviolet rays are more diffusely reflected. The UV exposure time to the air can be increased.

By covering the air collecting member 8 and the outer portion 3 with the outer filter 61 and the inner portion 4 with the inner filter 62, it is safe because it is possible to shield the air collecting member 8 and the outer portion 3 without leaking ultraviolet rays to one's face or surroundings in case of emergency. Excellent in sex. As the material of the filter, a commercially available UV-cut non-woven fabric or woven fabric can be used. It is also possible to capture pollen, dust, etc. according to the gaps in the filter, but if it becomes too fine, the amount of air in and out may decrease, which may make it difficult to breathe. Air holes may be provided. In particular, if the surface portion of the outer filter 61 has a large elasticity, it can be covered over the air collecting member 8 and the outer portion 3, which is preferable. Each filter can be easily attached by covering the fixing grooves 33 and 43 on the side surface and fastening with a rubber band R, and can be removed by washing or the like.

FIG. 7 is an assembly drawing showing the mask 7 of the first embodiment, in which the air sterilizer described above is attached to a general mask covering the nose and mouth. The mask body (the part of the non-woven fabric or cloth that covers the nose and mouth) 71 is sandwiched between the outer part 3 and the inner part 4 and attached, but a hole is made according to the outer diameter of the outer part connecting part J1 of the inner / outer connecting member J. It is preferable to open and sandwich it. Since the air sterilizer is small and lightweight, it will not be torn or lose its shape even with a general mask on the market when it is attached, and there is no discomfort such as being heavy even when it is put on the ear.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a state in which the mask 71 is hung on the ear with the fixed portion 73 (ear hook) and attached to the face. In this figure, electricity is supplied by connecting an external battery (not shown) from the air sterilizer 5 (ultraviolet irradiation device) with a cable 52. Since the breathing space B (nose and mouth) is connected to the air flow path, the sterilized air is inhaled, and the exhaled breath is also sterilized and goes out, so the person is infected. However, the possibility of discharging not only droplets but also bacteria and viruses themselves to the outside is reduced. By simply wearing it on a general mask in this way, it is possible to further protect against bacterial and viral infections.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the full face mask 72 attached. The full face mask is preferably made from a transparent plastic film (polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl chloride, etc.) that is relatively thick according to the size of the face, but a bag material 7 such as a transparent garbage bag around us can be used instead. It is the easiest and most effective to do. To attach the air sterilizer A, a hole is made in the bag material 7 according to the outer diameter of the outer connection portion J1 of the inner / outer connecting member J, the outer portion 3 is aligned with the hole on the outside, and the inner / outer portion 4 is connected. The outer connecting portion J1 of the connecting member J is inserted into the hole, fitted to the outer locking portion 32 of the outer portion 3, connected and fixed, and the air sterilizer A is attached to the bag material 7. Since it is not a mask that covers only the nose and mouth, the air sterilizing part 5 may be provided in any part of the bag material 7, and may be provided not only in one place but also in a plurality of places.

The mask 71 shown in FIG. 13 can protect only the nose and mouth, and cannot prevent infection from the mucous membrane of the eye, which is one of the sources of infection. In addition, you may be infected because the droplets on your face or hair may get infected by sticking to your hands, or even if you are wearing a mask, if you do not wear it properly, the droplets may get inside through the gaps in the mask. Formal protective clothing and masks, although not reassuring for those who have to deal with harsh conditions, such as healthcare professionals, caregivers, emergency personnel, and police officers, who often come into close contact with people. In many cases, a sufficient number of masks are not available at the site where the infection has spread rapidly. In such a case, it can be easily made from the garbage bags around us, so it is useful to load it in an ambulance or police car because it does not take up much space and does not cost much.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view in which the mask 71 and the full face mask 72 are simultaneously attached, and in the embodiment FIG. 14, the mask 7 is provided so as to fit inside the bag material 7. With the full face mask alone, when a thin bag material is used, there is a possibility that the air sterilizer A will be subjected to a load such as centrifugal force when moving around, and the bag surface may be torn. Since the device A can be fixed in front of the face by the mask 71 worn on the ear by the fixing portion (ear hook) 73, it is possible to prevent the bag material 7 from being torn, and it is more effective to breathe directly in and out of the mouth. Can be done.

(Embodiment 2)
8 to 10 show the air sterilizer A of the second embodiment. The intake portion 11 corresponding to the outer portion 3 is a zigzag-shaped tube, and the exhaust portion 12 corresponding to the inner portion 4 is a spiral tube. Although both are larger than the first embodiment, the lengths from the inlet to the outlet of the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe are overwhelmingly long, although they are large enough to be fixed to the mask. Therefore, the exposure time of air by ultraviolet rays in the air sterilizer A becomes long, so that more perfect sterilization can be performed.

A tube is formed in a zigzag shape from the inlet of the intake portion 11 shown in FIG. 8, and is sucked as intake air from the outlet of the intake portion in the center of FIG. On the other hand, the exhaust unit 12 is fixed so as to wrap around the outlet of the intake unit, and the exhaled exhaled air is exhausted from the outlet facing the outside through the spiral tube (air as shown by the arrow in the figure). Moves). The air sterilization unit 5 is individually provided in both the intake unit 11 and the exhaust unit 12 (actually, the air sterilization unit 5 is fixed inside the tube and cannot be seen from the outside, but is colored for explanation). The air sterilization unit 5 may be provided at at least one of the colored portions in the intake portion and the exhaust portion, respectively, and the effect of irradiating ultraviolet rays is highest when the air sterilization unit 5 is provided somewhere in a zigzag-shaped corner. Although there are differences in the effects, the installation location does not have to be the location shown in the figure.

The intake portion 11 is separated as the outer portion 3 and the exhaust portion 12 is separated as the inner portion 4, but as shown in FIG. 10, the mask main body 7 is sandwiched between them so that they can be detachably connected and fixed. As long as the fixing method is an existing detachable fixing method, the method does not matter. The intake valve 21 is provided near the outlet of the intake unit 11, and the exhaust valve 22 is provided near the outlet of the exhaust unit 12. In other words, even with a weak force when inhaling, the intake valve operates because it is nearby, and even if exhaled air is mixed in the space from the breathing space to the intake valve, it is minimal. On the other hand, the force to exhale the exhaled air is relatively strong and operates even if it is located far away, and the air pressure is relatively high due to the air accumulated from the breathing space to the exhaust valve, so that the backflow from the exhaust valve is blocked.

The same materials as those in the first embodiment are used for the air sterilizer, the intake portion, and the exhaust portion used in the second embodiment. If the intake unit 11 and the exhaust unit 12 are zigzag or spiral tubes as in the present embodiment (the intake unit may be spiral and the exhaust unit may be zigzag), either exhalation or inspiration. In addition, since the residence time of air is increased, the exposure time due to the irradiated ultraviolet rays is long and the bactericidal effect is enhanced. By providing a reflective material such as an aluminum foil or a sheet or an aluminum vapor deposition or a coating film in the tube in order to improve the effect, the ultraviolet rays can be reflected more diffusely and the exposure time to the air can be extended. In this embodiment as well, the specifications of the full face masks of FIGS. 14 and 15 can be used in the same manner.

(Embodiment 3)
11 and 12 show the air sterilizer A of the third embodiment. The same ultraviolet irradiation LED or the like as in other examples can be used, but the feature of this embodiment is that the mask portion and the air sterilization portion 5 are separated and connected by the intake portion and the exhaust portion. For example, by fixing the air sterilization unit 5 to the waist portion with a belt and making it independent, a large LED or a plurality of LEDs can be used for the air sterilization unit 5, or a large CCLF (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) that can irradiate in all directions is also used. Therefore, the ultraviolet irradiation ability can be enhanced. The air sterilization unit 5 is fixed to the irradiation device exchange unit 51 and screwed into the container so that the air sterilization unit 5 can be easily exchanged.

The mask portion is separated into an outer portion 3 and an inner portion 4, and can be detachably connected and fixed by sandwiching the mask body 7 between them. As the fixing method, an existing method such as cutting a screw and screwing or fitting and fixing with a hook is used. An intake unit 11 and an exhaust unit 12 are connected to the outer portion 3 and connected to the air sterilizer A. Tubes made of a material (for example, silicone rubber or fluororubber) that is flexible so that the face can be easily moved and has excellent ultraviolet resistance are used for the intake portion and the exhaust portion. Further, it is preferable that aluminum is laminated or vapor-deposited so that the outside is not irradiated with ultraviolet rays. As a result, the ultraviolet rays are diffusely reflected in the tube to extend the ultraviolet exposure time of the air, and the bactericidal effect can be further enhanced.

The air sterilization section 5 is formed of one container, and the inside is divided into an intake reservoir 91 coupled to the intake section 11 and an exhaust reservoir 92 coupled to the exhaust section 12 by a partition 93. An exhaust valve 22 is provided at a portion where the exhaust portion 12 is connected to the exhaust reservoir 92 so that the exhausted exhaled air does not flow back. An exhaust valve 23 is provided at the exhaust port, and when the discharged exhaled air in the exhaust reservoir 92 accumulates and the pressure rises above the atmosphere, the valve opens and is discharged. There is no valve on the intake side, and when breath is inhaled from the mask portion, the pressure in the intake reservoir 91 drops and air enters from the outside.

Air sterilization units 5 are individually installed in both the intake reservoir 91 and the exhaust reservoir 92, and sterilize the air accumulated in the container by irradiating ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays are diffusely reflected inside the container by aluminum or the like, and further, the ultraviolet rays are diffusely reflected into the tube of the intake portion 11 to sterilize the intake air. Electricity is supplied to the air sterilizer 5 from a battery (not shown) mounted on the outside of the cheerful atmosphere. Of course, in this embodiment as well, it is used not only for the mask 71 already described but also for the full face mask shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

With the air sterilizer of the present invention, it is possible to easily sterilize not only inspiration but also exhaled breath by simply attaching it to a commonly used mask. In addition, if it is attached to a transparent bag material, it can be used as a substitute for simple protective clothing, etc., which is extremely useful and highly industrially applicable.

1 Air flow section 11 Intake section 12 Exhaust section
2 valve 21 intake valve
22 Exhaust valve 23 Exhaust valve 3 Outer part 31 Air inlet / outlet
4 Inner part 41 Air hole 42 Shielding part
5 Air sterilizer 6 Filter 61 External filter 62 Internal filter 7 Mask body, bag material
71 Mask 72 Full face mask 8 Air collecting member 9 Air reservoir)
A Air sterilizer B Breathing space I Sterilization space IR Ultraviolet irradiation J Inside / outside connection member O Outside world IS Intake space ES Exhaust space

Claims (5)

In a mask having an air flow section for circulating air between a breathing space located near at least one of the nose or the mouth and the outside world, the air flow section comprises an independent intake section and an exhaust section, and the intake section is composed of an independent intake section and an exhaust section. An air sterilizer for a mask provided with an air sterilizing part for sterilizing air by irradiating ultraviolet rays on both the outer part and the exhaust part consists of an outer part and an inner part, and the outer part and the inner part have a mask body between the two. The intake portion and the exhaust portion are formed of a zigzag-shaped or spiral-shaped tube, and the intake portion and the exhaust portion are characterized in that one of the intake portion and the exhaust portion is an outer portion and the other is an inner portion. Air sterilizer for masks by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. In a mask having an air flow section for circulating air between a breathing space located near at least one of the nose or the mouth and the outside world, the air flow section comprises an independent intake section and an exhaust section, and the intake section is composed of an independent intake section and an exhaust section. An air sterilization section is provided on both the exhaust section and the exhaust section to sterilize the air by irradiating with ultraviolet rays.
The air sterilizer for masks is composed of an outer part and an inner part, and the outer part and the inner part are detachably fixed by sandwiching a mask body between them, and the outer part has an intake part and an exhaust part. An air sterilizer for a mask by ultraviolet irradiation, characterized in that one end is connected, the other ends of the intake portion and the exhaust portion are connected to an air reservoir, and the air reservoir is provided with an air sterilizer by ultraviolet irradiation. The intake portion and the exhaust portion are provided with an intake valve and an exhaust valve for preventing backflow, and the intake valve is provided at a position close to the breathing space and the exhaust valve is provided at a position far from the breathing space. The air sterilizer for a mask by irradiation with ultraviolet rays according to claim 1 or 2. The mask provided with the air sterilizer for a mask by ultraviolet irradiation according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the mask body has a fixing portion to the face to cover the nose and mouth. The mask body according to claims 1 to 4 is made of a bag material made of a transparent plastic film covering the entire face, and is provided with an air sterilizer for a mask by at least one ultraviolet irradiation. A full face mask equipped with an air sterilizer for masks.

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