CZ20002003A3 - Protective object with transparent shield - Google Patents

Abstract

The protective article (100) is a shield (110) and a mask (120). The mask (120) comprises a central portion (126) having a pair of opposed edges, an upper portion (128) coupled to the edge of the center portion (126), the bottom portion (130) attached to the second edge of the central portion (126). At least center, top or the lower portion (126, 128, 130) is formed of a filter cloth. The shield (110) is flexible and transparent and has an upper and lower edge (111, 116), wherein the lower edge (116) is provided at least with one projection (118). The shield (110) is sized to cover part of the user's face that is not covered by the mask (120). Shield (110) is adapted to be attached to the mask (120) and to move between the first position in which it is positioned the lower edge (116) of the shield (110) and the lower edge of the protrusion (118) lies in front of the central portion (126) of the mask (120), and the second a position in which the lower edge of the protrusion (118) engages mask (120) such that at least a portion of the lower edge (116) of the shield (110) lies behind the central portion (126).

Description

Protective object with transparent shield

Technical field

The invention relates to a protective article having a transparent shield attached to a mask.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Face masks fall into two categories.

The first category includes loosely mounted masks designed to protect the patient from infection particles expelled by the mask user.

The second category includes tight-fitting masks, also known as respirators, designed to protect the wearer of the mask from inhalation of particulates or toxin from the ambient air by passing inhaled air through the filter. In a medical setting, these respirators also protect patients from particles ejected by the wearer of the mask.

It is also desirable to protect the face of the user (and especially the eyes thereof) from dripping, sprinkling or splashing of body fluids such as blood or saliva, which may be encountered during surgery, trauma surgery or patient wards. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Φ · φ · φ · · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · jsou · infection. For this purpose, masks are used, combined with transparent plastic shields.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective article consisting of a shield and a mask.

The mask comprises (i) a central portion having a pair of opposing edges, (ii) a first portion attached to the edge of the central portion, and (iii) a second portion attached to the second edge of the central portion.

At least the central, upper or lower part is formed of a filter substance.

The shield is flexible and transparent and has an upper and a lower edge, the lower edge being provided with at least one projection. The shield is sized to cover a portion of the user's face that is not covered by the mask.

The shield is adapted to be attached to the mask and to be movable between a first position in which the lower edge of the shield and the lower edge of the projection lie in front of the central portion of the mask and a second position in which the lower edge of the projection engages the mask. a portion of the lower edge of the shield lies behind the central portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper edge of the shield and the lower edge of the shield are substantially arcuate. The lower edge of the shield may also be provided with a plurality of protrusions. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower edge of the shield comprises a centrally located and arcuate shaped cut-out portion lying between a pair of projections.

The shield is preferably attached to the mask at external corners at the lower edge of the shield. In one preferred embodiment, the shield is attached removably to the mask at one of the outer corners, and in another preferred embodiment the shield is attached removably at both outer corners.

The mask may be in the form of a respirator. It may also be provided with a nose clip. The shield is preferably provided with an anti-fog coating and an anti-reflection coating, for example a coating comprising inorganic metal oxide particles. The shield and / or mask may be provided with an anti-glare strip, wherein the shield may be adapted to be attached to a user's head.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided another protective article comprising a mask as described above and a shield adapted for use with the mask.

The shield is flexible and transparent and has an upper and a lower edge, and is sized to cover a portion of the user's face not covered by the mask.

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The shield is adapted to attach to the mask and is adapted to be movable between a first position in which the lower edge of the shield lies in front of the central portion of the mask and a second position in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the shield lies behind the central portion.

The upper edge of the shield and the lower edge of the shield may be substantially arcuate.

The present invention provides a protective article consisting of a mask and a shield that is adapted to be used together with the mask, wherein the user can adjust and adjust the shield to occupy a variety of different positions relative to the mask. Thus, when mounted, the shield may be positioned such that it is bent in accordance with the face of the user, thereby providing good protection against liquid splashing, including protection of the side portions of the face of the user. The shield's adaptability also provides comfort when worn.

If the protective article is not worn and used by the user, the shield can simply be moved to a different position that allows the shield to be flat when the mask is also folded to a flat state. Thus, the protective article of the invention can be easily stored and transported.

In the case of respirators, shields that are removable at one or more attachment points allow the user to attach the respirator to the face without interfering with the shield, thereby achieving good adhesion. The user can also check for good adhesion every time he puts on • φ · 9

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Φ φ respirator, even without shielding it. The user can then attach the shield and place the shield in a suitable position for better adhesion and coverage.

Due to the removable attachment of the shield to the mask, the shield can be easily removed if necessary. In addition, in the event of a shield being damaged, the user may dispose of the damaged shield and easily replace it with another shield which attaches to the same part of the mask without the need to remove the entire protective article (i.e. mask and shield).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in more detail by way of examples of specific embodiments thereof, the description of which will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of a protective article of the present invention worn by a wearer on the face;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the protective article of Fig. 1 in a flat configuration;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the protective article of Fig. 1, showing the open configuration of the protective article ready for use, with the shield shown in a first position;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the protective article of Fig. 1 showing the open configuration of the protective article;

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9 9 9 9 9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 ready for use, the shield being shown in the second position;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of an alternative arrangement of the device for attaching the shield to the protective article of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the protective article of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the protective article shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8a shows an alternative embodiment of a shield with a plurality of protrusions at its lower edge;

Fig. 8b shows another alternative embodiment of a shield with protrusions on its shaped lower edge; and Fig. 8c shows yet another alternative embodiment of the shield without protrusions at its lower edge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the figures of Figures 1 to 4, the protective article 100 is provided with a shield 110 and a mask 120.

The shield 110 is flexible and transparent, covering a portion of the user's face that is not covered by the mask 120, including the side portions of the face. This shield 110 protects the eyes ♦ φ

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Suitable materials for forming the shield 110 include polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate), polycarbonate, alkyldiglycol carbonate, polyacrylates (e.g., polymethyl acrylate), polystyrene, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, cellulose acetate butyrate, and the like, including mixtures and layers thereof.

Typically, the shield 110 is in the form of a foil or strip. The shield 110 is preferably provided with an anti-fog coating or an anti-reflective coating comprising, for example, inorganic metal oxide particles such as silica particles.

Examples of suitable coating compositions and methods for their application are described, for example:

a) U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,186 (Scholz et al.) entitled " Coating Composition Having Anti-Reflective and Anti-Fogging Properties;

b) U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,333 (Lange et al.) entitled " Silica Coating;

c) International Patent Application WO 96/18691 (Scholz et al.) entitled "Coating Composition Having Anti-Reflective and Anti-Fogging Properties; and

d) in International Patent Application WO 97/23571 (Scholz et al.) entitled "Coating Composition Having Anti-Reflective and Anti-Fogging Properties," tt tttttt ttt tttt tt tttttt * tt tttt tttt ttt tt tt tttt tttttt tt tttt ttt ttt ttt ttt tt ttt all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the shield, mask or both the shield and mask may be provided with a dark band to reduce the possibility of glare.

The mask 120 has a central portion 126, an upper portion 128 and a lower portion 130, at least one of which is formed of a filtering substance. The upper portion 128 of the mask 120 is attached to the central portion 126 at the upper edge 127, while the lower portion 130 is attached to the central portion 120 at the lower edge 129 of the mask 120. The upper portion 128 of the mask 120 is provided with a nose clip 136 to assist in shaping the mask 120 and adapting it to the facial features of the user.

The outer corners 112 and 114 of the lower edge 116 of the shield 110 are attached to the front of the mask 120 at the attachment points 122 and 124 of the mask attachment 120. Attachment means for attaching the mask 120 to the user's head, such as flexible headband 132 and 134 or ear loops ( not shown) attach the mask 120 at these attachment points 122 and 124 of the mask attachment 120. Alternatively, the shield 110 may be attached to the user's head at other locations or locations other than said attachment means.

The shield 110 may be attached to the mask 120 either firmly or removably, with removable attachment being more preferred. In addition, this connection may be the same or different at both ends. Methods of fixed permanent attachment include ultrasonic welding, the use of adhesives, thermal bonding, the use of clips, rivets or sewing. Examples of a suitable 99 99

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99 99 99 · 99 99 removable connections include hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners or repositionable adhesive clips.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of another type of shield attachment 110 that may be either permanent or removable. The shield 110 is provided with a slot 200 located at the outer corner 112 of the lower edge 116 of the shield 110. The mask 120 is provided with a pin 205 disposed at a mask attachment point 122. The slot 200 of the shield 110 is disposed over the pin 205 of the mask 120. This arrangement of the slot 200 and the pin 205 may be fixed, or the slot 200 of the shield 110 may be snapped onto the pin 205 of the mask 120 and removed therefrom, allowing the shield 110 to be removable. Of course, other methods and other points of attachment of the shield 110 to the mask 120 are also applicable.

The protective article 100 of the present invention is shown in a flat folded configuration of Figure 2.

The shield 110 has a substantially arcuate upper edge 111 of the shield 110 and an arcuate lower edge 116 of the shield 110 having a shape approaching a circular annular section with rounded corners. The substantially arcuate upper edge 111 of the shield 110 and the substantially arcuate lower edge 116 of the shield 110 facilitate folding of the shield 110 without folds around the wearer's face when the protective article 100 is mounted on the wearer's face, as shown in FIGS. 4, thereby ensuring a very clear visibility during use of the protective article 100.

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In a flat folded configuration, the security article 100 of the present invention is substantially flat, with the lower edge 116 of the shield 110 overlapping the front portion of the central portion 126 of the mask 120, thereby facilitating storage and packaging.

When the protective article 100 is opened to a ready-to-use configuration as shown in Figure 3, the lower edge 116 of the shield 110 continues to extend beyond the front portion of the central portion 126 of the mask 120. In this first position, the shield 110 lies upward. from the center portion 126 of the mask 120 in a substantially solid state, at substantially the same angle as the center portion 126 of the mask 120. The shield 110 bends without folds, following the curvature of the mask 120.

If the mask 120 is positioned to cover the wearer's nose and mouth, and when attached to the wearer's head by attachment means such as flexible headband 132 and 134 or ear loops (not shown), the shield 110 protects those portions of the face A shield 110 overlapping the central portion 126 of the mask 120 prevents liquids from penetrating the protective article 100 of the present invention by spraying them upwardly below the lower edge 116 of the shield 110.

When the protective article 100 is in an open configuration, whether ready for use or mounted on a user's face, the shield 110 is adapted to move to the second position as shown in Figure 4. 116 of the shield 110 moves beyond the central portion 126 of the mask 120, resulting in the shield 110 " 44 "

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44 44 444 44 44 bends towards the face of the user while still maintaining a substantially rigid and rounded configuration.

This second position is supported by arranging the protrusions 118 at the lower edge 116 of the shield 110. These protrusions 118 engage the mask 120 beyond the central portion of the upper edge 127 of the mask 120, thereby allowing the user to adjust and bend the shield 110 relative to his face. At the lower edge 116 of the shield 110, a plurality of protrusions 118 may be provided to provide adjustability of the shield 110 for optimum visibility and comfort.

In the second position, the shield 110 then engages both the upper portion 128 of the mask 120 and the central portion 126 of the mask 120, thereby preventing liquids from entering the protective article 100. The lower edge 116 of the shield 110 may also be shaped to facilitate adhesion to the user's face.

An alternative embodiment of the protective article 160 of the present invention is shown in the figures of Figures 6 and 7, with a differently arranged shield 150 attached to the mask 120. This shield 150 differs from the shield 110 shown in Figs. 4, in that the upper edge 157 of the shield 150 and the lower edge 158 of the shield 150 are not arcuate. In addition, the protrusions 155 at the lower edge 158 of the shield 150 are formed as resilient flexible and pointed tabs extending outwardly from the lower edge 158 of the shield 150.

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FIG. 6 shows a front view of the protective article 160 in its flat folded configuration in which the shield 150 is positioned in its first position.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the protective article 160 in its open position for use, with the shield 150 positioned in its second position.

In the aforementioned second position of the shield 150, the lower edge 158 of the shield 150 and the protrusions 155 at the lower edge 158 of the shield 150 lie behind the central portion 126 of the mask 120 resting on top of the upper portion 128 of the mask 120. (not shown), engaging the central portion of the upper edge 127 of the mask 120, whereby the shield 150 is locked in place relative to the user's face. Although two projections 155 are shown in the figures, only one or more of these projections 155 may also be used. In addition, the size, shape, and location of the projections 155 may also vary to provide the desired position of the shield 150.

The shield 150 is attached near its lower outer corners 152 and 153 to the mask 120 at the outer edges 122 and 124 of the mask 120 in a manner similar to the first embodiment of the present invention described above. All features of the shield 150 relating to materials and function are the same as those described above for shield 110.

Another alternative arrangement of the present shield is shown in Figures 8a, 8b, and 8c.

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The shield 210 in FIG. 8a has a substantially arcuate lower edge 216 that is provided with a plurality of protrusions 218, and further has a substantially arcuate upper edge 211. The protrusions 218 are disposed between the two outer corner attachment regions 212 and 214. The plurality of protrusions 218 increases the customizability of the shield 210.

The shield 310 in FIG. 8b has a contoured lower edge 316 provided with two protrusions 318, and also has a substantially arcuate upper edge 311. The protrusions 318 are located between the two outer corner attachment regions 312 and 314.

The shield 410 of FIG. 8c has an inverted V-shaped lower edge 416 that has no protrusions, and also has a substantially flat upper edge 411. Two outer corner attachment areas 412 and 414 are also provided.

A variety of flat-collapsible mask designs may be combined with the aforementioned shield design to form protective articles. For example, the mask may be in the form of a respirator. Examples of usable respirator shapes are shown and described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 612,527 entitled "Flat-Folded Personnel Respirators Protective Equipment and Processes for Preparing Same by the Applicant as Applicant of the Invention, which solution is incorporated herein by reference .

The shape of the flat foldable mask may vary. Similarly, the shape of the upper and lower portions of the mask may vary. Both the upper portion and the lower portion must be shaped so that they can be attached to the central portion as described above. Shape of all unattached edge parts top and bottom * 9 »9 9999 • * ···

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The portion 99 may also vary according to the requirement of a straight shape up to a curved shape to achieve good adhesion to the user's face. Changing the shape of the attachment portions can improve the conformability of the respirator to the shape of the user's face.

The filter substance contained in the mask or respirator in at least the top, center or bottom may be formed from a variety of woven or nonwoven materials. For example, it may take the form of a monolayer or multilayer configuration, and may be provided with an inner or outer scrim layer. Examples of suitable filter materials include microfibrous fabrics, fibrous thin fabrics, carded or staple fibers, solution blown fibrous fabrics, or combinations thereof.

The mask may also be provided with a reinforcing member. Advantageously, the center portion of the mask may be provided with this reinforcing member.

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Claims (10)

Claims indicating P A T Ε N T O 1. A protective article, comprising: (a) a mask comprising (i) a central portion having a pair of opposing edges, (ii) a first portion attached to the edge of the central portion, (iii) a second portion attached to the second edge of the central portion, and wherein at least the central, first or second and (b) a flexible transparent shield having an upper and a lower edge and sized to cover a portion of a user's face not covered by the mask, the lower edge of the shield having at least one protrusion, the shield attached to the mask; and adapted to be movable between a first position in which the lower edge of the shield and the lower edge of the projection lie in front of the central portion of the mask and a second position in which the lower edge of the projection engages the mask so that at least a portion parts. Ftp ftft ftft ftft ftft ftft ftft 9 9 9 9 ftft ftftft ft 99 • «9 9 9 9 ftft · ftft · 99 99 Protective article according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper edge of the shield and the lower edge of the shield are substantially arcuate. The protective article of claim 1, wherein the lower edge of the shield is provided with external corners, the shield being attached to the mask at these outer corners. The protective article of claim 3, wherein the shield is detachably attached to the mask at one of the outer corners. Protective article according to claim 1, characterized in that the mask is provided with a respirator. 6. A flexible transparent face shield for a user's face, characterized in that it is configured to be used with a mask, the mask comprising a central portion having a pair of opposing edges, a first portion attached to the edge of the central portion, and a second portion attached to the mask. a second edge of the central portion, wherein at least the central, first or second portion is formed of a filter substance, the shield has an upper and a lower edge, the lower edge being provided with at least one protrusion, the shield is sized to cover a portion of the user's face not covered by the mask; And the shield is adapted to attach to the mask, and is adapted to be movable between a first position in which the lower edge of the shield and the lower edge of the projection lie in front of the central portion of the mask and the second a position in which the lower edge of the projection engages the mask such that at least a portion of the lower ocher and the shield lies behind the central part. Shield according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper lower edge of the shield is substantially arcuate. θζ edge of shield a Shield according to claim 6, characterized in that the lower edge of the shield is provided with external corners, the shield being adapted to be attached to the mask at these outer corners. Shield according to claim 6, characterized in that it is adapted to be removably attached to the mask at one of the outer corners. 10. A protective article comprising: (a) a mask comprising (i) a central portion having a pair of opposing edges, (ii) a first portion attached to the edge of the central portion, (iii) a second portion attached to the central portion, and wherein: at least central, first or formed of a filtering substance, and (b) a flexible transparent shield having an upper and a lower edge and sized to cover a portion of the user's face not covered by the mask, the shield being secured to the mask and adapted to be to move between a first position in which the lower edge of the shield lies in front of the central portion of the mask and a second position in which at least a portion of the lower edge of the shield lies beyond the central portion.