EP3903612B1 - Protective mask for mouth and nose - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mouth and nose protector with a mask for covering a person's mouth and nose at the same time, the mask consisting of a blank of a flat filter medium.

A mask is a face covering that covers part or all of a person's face. In order to reduce the transmission of pathogens through secretion droplets, face half masks are used, particularly in the medical and nursing sector, which consist of one or more paper or fleece layers that can be attached to the back of the head or behind the ears with ribbons or rubber bands. Since the mask covers the mouth and nose at the same time, these half masks are also referred to as mouth-nose protection.

The mask of a typical mouth and nose protection consists of a cut of a flat filter medium, whereby the filter medium can consist of one or more layers of paper or plastic fleece. Additional devices are usually provided on the mask of a mouth and nose protector, which are intended in particular for holding and positioning the mask on the head. For example, a flexible metal bracket is often provided in the middle at the upper edge of the filter material blank of the mask. With this, the mouth and nose protection can be pressed against the bridge of the nose and shaped so that the mouth and nose protection is flush with the face. On the side edges of the mouth and nose protection mask, there are typically straps or elastics with which the mouth and nose protection is attached to the back of the head or behind the ears when worn.

Mouth and nose protectors are divided into different type classes depending on the filter performance, and the higher the filter performance, the greater the breathing resistance typically becomes. Particularly high demands are placed on those embodiments that are intended to meet the standards for respiratory protection masks (FFP-1, FFP-2, FFP-3 or BFE 98).

Examples of masks can be found in the documents, for example U.S. 4,248,220A , U.S. 2006/130841 A1 and U.S. 6,474,336 B1 .

The highly variable facial anatomy of the different users of mouth and nose protection poses a particular challenge. There is therefore a need for mouth and nose protection that which can also adapt well to a wide variety of facial anatomies so that the mouth and nose protection fits snugly on the face on all sides. This is important to prevent unfiltered air from flowing in or out at the edges of the face mask. There is also a need for mouth and nose protection that delivers the highest possible filter performance with the lowest possible breathing resistance.

According to the invention, a mouth and nose protector with a mask for covering the mouth and nose of a person at the same time is therefore proposed, the mask consisting of a blank of a flat filter medium, which is characterized in that the blank between the upper edge of the mask and the bottom edge of the mask is horizontally zig-zag folded and forms at least 5 folds, each of which has a fold back lying on the outside of the mask and two fold flanks extending from the fold back, with the height of the fold flanks rising both from the upper edge of the mask and decreases from the bottom edge of the mask towards the center of the mask.

Because the mask has at least five folds with a fold back lying on the outside of the mask, there are at least four fold backs on the inner side of the mask, which results in a total of at least nine fold backs, between which the filter material extends over the fold flanks . This results in a relatively large filter area provided by the mouth and nose protector according to the invention, and this relatively large filter area offers a significantly lower breathing resistance than a comparable mouth and nose protector with a smaller filter area overall.

The provision of this large filter surface with a good fit at the same time is made possible by the fact that the height of the fold flanks decreases both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask towards the middle. Due to this special design, the mouth and nose protector according to the invention adapts optimally to the respective anatomy of the face when worn and ensures that the mouth and nose protector can fit flush on all sides.

A fold in the sense of the present invention consists of a fold back and two fold flanks starting from the fold back. The back of the fold runs on each horizontal bend in the zigzag-folded filter medium, and the respective fold flanks extend between a fold back on the outside and the two next next fold backs on the inside. The height of these fold flanks is the distance between the two fold backs between which the respective fold flank extends. Because the pleated back over parallel to the cut of the filter medium, the height of a fold flank is constant throughout

The zigzag fold of the mask is aligned horizontally. This means that the ridges of the folds extend horizontally between the upper edge and the lower edge of the mouth and nose protector. The terms top and bottom here refer to the situation when wearing the mouth and nose protector, with the top edge running over the nose and the bottom edge running over the chin or under the chin.

The mask has an inside and an outside. The inside of the mask is the side that faces the face when wearing the mouth and nose protector. The outside of the mask is the side that faces outwards when wearing the mouth and nose protector. If you count the ridges from the top and bottom edge of the mask to the middle, then - depending on how the zigzag fold is aligned - the odd-numbered ridges point inwards, i.e. towards the face, and all the even-numbered ridges point outwards , or the other way around.

In certain embodiments, the mask is formed from a substantially rectangular blank of filter media. In principle, however, other cut geometries can also be considered, such as a hexagonal or even octagonal cut, as long as it is ensured that the mask provided is large enough to cover the mouth and nose at the same time.

According to the invention, the mask has at least 5 folds, each of which has a fold back lying on the outside of the mask. If the number of ridges on the inner mask and the number of ridges on the outer side of the mask are taken together, the sum total is at least 9 ridges per mouth and nose protector according to the invention.

In certain embodiments, the folded blank forms 6 to 12 folds, each of which has a fold back lying on the outside of the mask and two fold flanks emanating from the fold back, with the height of the fold flanks varying both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask Mask decreases towards the center of the mask. In particular embodiments, the folded blank forms 6 to 10 such folds. In particular embodiments, the folded blank forms 7 to 9 such folds.

In a specific embodiment, 9 folds are provided with the back of the folds lying on the outside of the mask. In a further special embodiment, 7 folds are provided with the back of the folds lying on the outside of the mask. In further special embodiments, which are particularly suitable for children, for example, 5 or 6 folds are provided with the back of the folds lying on the outside of the mask.

In preferred embodiments, the number of ridges on the outer side of the mask is 1 greater than the number of ridges on the inner side of the mask.

So that the chin area of the face can be well enclosed, in certain embodiments the number of folds counted from the lower edge of the mask to the middle is 1 greater than the number of folds counted from the upper edge of the mask to the middle.

In a specific embodiment, the number of folds with the back of the folds facing out counted from the top edge of the mask to the center is 4 and the number of folds counted from the bottom edge of the mask to the center is 5. In another specific embodiment, the number of folds is with the back of the pleats facing outward counted from the top edge of the mask to the middle 3 and the number of pleats counted from the bottom edge of the mask to the middle 4.

According to the invention, the height of the fold flanks decreases both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask towards the center. In certain embodiments, the height of each fold flank decreases compared to the previous fold flank.

In alternative embodiments, the two fold flanks of a first fold have the same height, and the two fold flanks of the following fold have a lower height than the fold flanks of the fold, as a result of which the folds form several consecutive isosceles triangles in which the height of the limbs of equal length decreases inward from both the top and bottom edges.

In certain embodiments, the height of each pleat decreases from the top and/or bottom edge toward the center. In certain embodiments, the first two folds at the top and/or bottom edge are of the same size and only the height of all the folds that follow in the direction of the center of the mask gradually decreases.

The filter medium from which the blank of the mask is made is preferably a plastic fleece made of a synthetic polymer or a glass fiber fleece. A plastic fleece made of polypropylene, polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene is particularly preferred.

The term fleece is to be understood here in such a way that it is a structure made of fibers that are not systematically crossed or intertwined, as is the case with weaving, warp-knitting, knitting or braiding. The webs used according to the invention are flexible and foldable, foldable in this context meaning that stable fold backs are formed during folding, which do not spontaneously unfold again without mechanical action.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the mask consists of a layer of filter medium. In alternative embodiments, the filter medium consists of two, three, four, five or more layers. In some multi-layer embodiments, all layers consist of the same fleece material. In alternative embodiments, the layer on the outside of the mask and/or the layer on the inside of the mask are made of a material that differs from the material of the other layer(s).

The thickness of the fleece layer(s) is preferably chosen to be as small as possible in order to save material, to keep the breathing resistance low and to enable a multi-layer structure. The thickness of the fleece material is preferably in the range from 0.1 to 1.0 mm, particularly preferably in the range from 0.1 to 0.8 mm.

In certain embodiments, the decrease in the height of the fold flanks is defined such that the height of a fold flank from the upper or lower edge towards the center is 8 to 32% less than the height of the preceding fold flank. In certain embodiments, the percent decrease value increases from both the top and bottom edges toward the center.

For example, the decrease in height from the first fold flank to the second fold flank can be in the range of 8 to 10%, the decrease from the second fold flank to the third fold flank in the range of 18 to 24% and the decrease from the third fold flank to the fourth fold flank in the range from 25 to 32%.

In a specific embodiment, the height of the first fold flank is in the range from 19 to 21 mm, the height of the second fold flank is in the range from 17 to 19 mm, and the height of the third fold edge in the range of 13 to 15 mm and the height of the fourth fold edge in the range of 9 to 11 mm.

In the embodiments in which the two fold flanks of a first fold have the same height and the two fold flanks of the following fold have a lower height than the fold flanks of the first fold, as a result of which the folds form several consecutive isosceles triangles in which the If the height of the leg of the same length decreases both from the upper and the lower edge towards the middle, the percentage values given above refer to the decrease in the height of the leg of the same length in a fold in relation to the height of the leg of the same length in the preceding fold.

Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the decrease in the height of the legs of the same length of one of the folds is reduced by 8 to 32% relative to the height of the legs of the same length of the preceding fold.

Again, in certain embodiments, the percent decrease value may increase from the edges toward the center. In some embodiments, for example, the decrease in the height of the legs of the same length of a second fold in relation to the height of the legs of the same length in a first fold is in the range of 8 to 10%, the decrease in the height of the legs of the same length in a third fold in relation to the height of the legs of the same length of the second fold in the range of 18 to 24% and the reduction in the height of the equal-length side of the fourth fold in relation to the height of the equal-length side of the third fold in the range of 25 to 32%.

In certain embodiments, there is a small crease in the middle of the mask and the two larger creases following up and down are the same size. And the two larger folds that follow up and down are also the same size.

In other embodiments, the two pleats that meet in the middle of the mask are the same size, and the two major pleats that follow up and down are also the same size, and the two major pleats that follow that, up and down, are also the same size.

In order to fix the folding of the mask, an adhesive bond, seam or ultrasonic welding is provided on the vertically running lateral edges of the mask. When putting on and wearing the mask, the folded filter medium of the mask remains on the side edges gathered, while the fold can be spread open in the area between the lateral edges in order to adapt the mask to the physiognomy of the user's face.

In a preferred embodiment, a flexible nose piece is arranged on the upper horizontal edge of the mask, which can consist, for example, of a dimensionally stable, flexible plastic or metal. The nose clip is preferably guided at the upper edge of the mask in a horizontally running tunnel which is formed by the outer edge of the uppermost fold flank being sewn, glued or welded to the fold flank following towards the center of the mask.

In a preferred embodiment, a nose pad is arranged on the upper horizontal edge of the mask, which can consist of a foam, for example. The nose pad is preferably sewn, glued or welded to the mask at the outermost fold flank.

A rubber band or a strap for fastening the mouth and nose protector to the head is preferably arranged on the vertically running lateral edges of the mask. The height of this attachment is such that it can be attached either to the back of the head or to the ears.

The band or rubber at the top edge of the mask is preferably sewn, glued or welded to the side edges of the mask. Preferably, the band or elastic at the lower edge of the mask is guided through a horizontally running tunnel, which is formed by the outer edge of the lowermost fold flank being sewn, glued or welded to the fold flank following towards the center of the mask. As a result, the mask is gathered when worn on the chin or below, and thus closes tightly there.

In certain embodiments, a stiffening strip is provided in the center of the mask. The stiffening strip can be sewn, glued, sprayed, welded to the filter media of the mask, or inserted into a pocket or tunnel formed by the fold. The stiffening strip is used to reinforce the central area of the mask so that it does not come too close to the face surface, especially when inhaling. For this purpose, the stiffening strip extends from the center of the mask horizontally in both directions to the lateral edges at least over 70%, at least over 80%, at least over 90% of the mask width or even over the entire mask width.

The stiffening strip can be provided on the outside of the mask or on the inside of the mask. In certain embodiments, a stiffening strip is applied to both the inside and the outside of the mask, and the way the stiffening strip is attached to the inside can differ from the way the stiffening strip is attached to the outside.

For stiffening strips which are sprayed on, stiffening material (preferably a plastics material) is applied by spraying in a layer thickness in the range 0.1 to 1.0 mm onto the area of the mask to be stiffened. Particularly preferred plastic materials here are polypropylene, polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

In certain embodiments, the stiffening strip consists of a separate plastic strip that is sewn, welded or glued on. Strips made of polypropylene, polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene are particularly preferred here. The material used here is preferably more rigid than the material of the filter medium of the mask due to its material composition or due to its greater material thickness.

In certain embodiments, the fold flanks of a fold lying in the middle of the mask or the two adjoining fold flanks of two adjacent folds in the middle of the mask are sewn, glued or welded together, whereby greater rigidity is achieved in this area. In other embodiments, the fold flanks of a fold in the middle of the mask or the two adjoining fold flanks of two adjacent folds in the middle of the mask are sewn, glued or welded to form a tunnel into which a stiffening strip is inserted. In these cases, the stiffening strip is preferably made of plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene, or metal.

In particular embodiments, the two middle folds are of the same size and their fold backs are sewn, glued or welded to the fold flanks of the folds following in each case to the outside. If the two innermost folds are then folded outwards, a pocket forms into which a stiffening strip can be inserted. This pocket can then be closed by sewing, welding or gluing so that the stiffening strip is permanently held therein. In these cases, too, the stiffening strip is preferably made of plastic, such as polypropylene, polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene, or metal. Different filter performances can be achieved in particular through the selection of the filter material used and/or through the selection of the number of filter material layers used. In certain embodiments, the mouth and nose protector according to the invention meets the standards according to FFP-1, FFP-2, FFP-3 or BFE 98.

The present invention also includes a method for producing a mouth and nose protector of the type described above, in which method a blank of a flat filter medium is folded horizontally in a zigzag between the upper edge of the later mask and its lower edge, so that at least five folds are formed, each of which has a fold back lying on the outside of the mask and two fold flanks emanating from the fold back, the height of the fold flanks extending both from the upper edge of the later mask and from its lower edge to the center of the mask decreases towards

The various features of the special embodiments of the mouth and nose protector according to the invention, which have been described in detail above, can then be formed by further process measures.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Darstellung einer Draufsicht auf eine bestimmte Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Mund-Nase-Schutzes im entfalteten Zustand,

Figur 2:

eine schematische Darstellung einer Draufsicht auf die Maske der Ausführungsform von Figur 1 ohne Nasenbügel und Gummibänder,

Figur 3:

eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch eine bestimmte Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Mund-Nase-Schutzes,

Figur 4:

eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch die Maske der Ausführungsform von Figur 3 ohne Nasenbügel, Nasenpolster, Verstärkungsstreifen und Gummibänder und

Figur 5:

eine schematische Darstellung eines Querschnitts durch die Maske einer Ausführungsform, bei der ein Verstärkungsstreifen in einer mittigen Faltentasche vorgesehen ist.

Individual features of the present invention are illustrated on the basis of the appended figures. show here

Figure 1:

a schematic representation of a top view of a specific embodiment of a mouth and nose protector according to the invention in the unfolded state,

Figure 2:

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a top view of the mask of the embodiment of FIG figure 1 without nose clip and rubber bands,

Figure 3:

a schematic representation of a cross section through a specific embodiment of a mouth and nose protector according to the invention,

Figure 4:

a schematic representation of a cross-section through the mask of the embodiment of FIG figure 3 without nose bridge, nose pads, reinforcement strips and rubber bands and

Figure 5:

Figure 12 is a schematic representation of a cross-section through the mask of an embodiment in which a reinforcement strip is provided in a central gusset pocket.

In figure 1 a specific embodiment of a mouth and nose protector 1 according to the invention is shown highly schematically, which has a mask made of a filter medium that is folded horizontally several times. Between two fold backs 3, 3 'a fold flank 4 extends whose Height is defined by the distance between the fold back 3 on one side and the fold back 3' on the other side. The height of the fold flanks decreases both from the top edge 6 of the mask and from the bottom edge 10 of the mask towards the center 5 of the mask. A nose clip 7 is arranged at the upper edge 6 of the mask, and rubber bands 8, 9 are provided both at the upper edge 6 and at the lower edge 10 of the mask for fastening the mouth and nose protector 1 to the head.

In the figure 1 illustrated embodiments has a stiffening strip 14 in the middle 5 of the mask. This is used to reinforce the middle area of the mask so that it does not come too close to the face surface, especially when inhaling. For this purpose, the stiffening strip 14 extends along the back of the fold in the center 5 of the mask in both directions to the lateral edges over almost the entire width of the mask in the horizontal direction.

figure 2 FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a plan view of the mask 2 of the embodiment of the mouth and nose protector 1 from FIG figure 1 without nose clip and rubber bands.

In figure 3 a cross section through a further embodiment of a mask 2 is shown schematically. The multiply folded blank of the filter medium extends between the upper edge 6 and the lower edge 10 of the mask 2 and in the process forms fold backs 3 on the outside of the mask 2 . Fold backs 3` are also formed on the inside of the mask 2. The fold flanks 4 extend between two consecutive fold backs 3, 3` on the outside and inside.

At the in figure 3 In the illustrated embodiments, a stiffening strip 14 is welded on the outside of the mask onto the fold flanks meeting in the center 5 of the mask 2 . This serves to reinforce the central area of the mask 2 in such a way that it does not come into too close contact with the face surface, particularly when inhaling. For this purpose, the stiffening strip 14 extends from the center 5 of the mask in both directions to the lateral edges over almost the entire width of the mask in the horizontal direction.

figure 4 12 is a schematic representation of a cross-section through the mask of the embodiment of FIG figure 3 without nose bridge, nose pad, reinforcement strips and elastic bands. In this representation it is easy to see that the two fold flanks 4, 4`, which meet in the first fold on the fold back 3 on the outside, have the same height, and the two fold flanks, which on the fold back of the following fold on the Meet outside, compared to the fold flanks of the first fold 3 have a lower height, whereby several consecutive isosceles triangles are formed, in which the height of the legs of equal length decreases both from the top and from the bottom inwards.

In the embodiment shown here, the first fold back 3` on the inside of the mask can be sewn, welded or glued to the lower edge 10 (see arrow) in such a way that the two fold flanks of the first fold form a tunnel through which a rubber band can be attached the mask can be pulled through the head. In the same way, the first fold back 3` on the inside of the mask can be sewn, welded or glued to the upper edge 6 (see arrow) on the other side in such a way that the two fold flanks of the first fold form a tunnel into which the Nose clip can be incorporated and/or through which an elastic band can be pulled to attach the mask to the head.

In figure 5 a cross section through a further embodiment of a mask 2 is shown schematically, which basically has the same folding as the embodiment of FIG figure 4 . However, the further processing differs here. The multiply folded blank of the filter medium extends between the upper edge 6 and the lower edge 10 of the mask 2 and forms several fold backs 3, 3', 3", 3‴ on the outside of the mask 2. However, here the fold backs of the two innermost folds are connected or glued to the flanks of the folds that follow outwards via a seam 16. If the two innermost folds are then folded outwards, a pocket 13 is formed, into which a stiffening strip 14 can be inserted Pocket 13 may then be closed by sewing, welding or gluing so that stiffening strip 14 is permanently retained therein.

Reference list:

1

Mouth and nose protection

2

mask

3, 3`

wrinkle back

4, 4`

fold edge

5

center of the mask

6

top edge of the mask

7

nose clip

8th

Elastic band at the top

9

Elastic band at the bottom

10

lower edge of the mask

11

Outside

12

Inside

13

Bag

14

stiffening strips

15

nose pads

16

seam

Claims (13)

1. Mouth-nose protection (1) with a mask (2) for simultaneously covering the mouth and nose of a person, wherein the mask (2) consists of a blank of a flat filter medium, characterized in that the blank is horizontally zigzag-pleated between the upper edge of the mask and the lower edge of the mask and forms at least 5 pleats, which each have a pleat edge (3) lying on the outside of the mask (2) and in each case two pleat flanks (4, 4') extending from the pleat edge (3), characterized in that the height of the pleat flanks (4, 4') decreases both from the upper edge (6) of the mask (2) and from the lower edge (10) of the mask (2) towards the center (5) of the mask (2).
2. Mouth-nose protection according to claim 1, wherein the blank forms 6 to 12 pleats, each of which has a pleat edge lying on the outside of the mask and in each case two pleat flanks extending from the pleat edge, wherein the height of the pleat flanks decreases both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask towards the center of the mask.
3. Mouth-nose protection according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein in the direction towards the center of the mask the height of each pleat flank is less than that of the preceding pleat flank.
4. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the two pleat flanks, of a first pleat, have the same height, and the two pleat flanks, of the subsequent pleat, have a lower height compared to the pleat flanks of the first pleat, whereby the pleats form a plurality of successive isosceles triangles in which the height of the equal-length legs decreases both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask towards the center of the mask.
5. Mouth-nose protection according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the blank of the filter medium of which the mask consists is substantially rectangular.
6. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the filter medium consists of non-woven plastic or non-woven glass fiber.
7. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the filter medium consists of a non-woven plastic material made of polypropylene, polyethylene or polytetrafluoroethylene.
8. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the height of a pleat flank in the direction from the edge to the center is 8 to 32% less than the height of the preceding pleat flank or than the height of the pleat flank of the preceding pleat.
9. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the pleats are fixed by an adhesive, a seam, or an ultrasonic welding provided on the vertically extending lateral edges of the mask.
10. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a flexible nose clip (7) is arranged at the upper edge of the mask.
11. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one rubber band or ribbon (8, 9) for fastening the mouth-nose protection to the head is arranged at the lateral edges of the mask.
12. Mouth-nose protection according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein mouth-nose protection meets the standards FFP-1, FFP-2, FFP-3 or BFE98.
13. Mouth-nose protection according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the blank of the flat filter medium, which is horizontally zigzag pleated between the upper edge of the mask and the lower edge of the mask, forms 5 or 6 pleats, which each have a pleat edge lying on the outside of the mask and in each case two pleat flanks extending from the pleat edge, the height of the pleat flanks decreasing both from the upper edge of the mask and from the lower edge of the mask towards the center of the mask.

Images