FR2853497A1 - Protective face mask to prevent transmission of pathogens incorporates pocket containing substrate impregnated with active antiseptic substance - Google Patents

Abstract

The mask (1) has a pocket on its inner or outer surface containing an absorbent substrate or plate (10, 12), e.g. of cellulose, textile or foam, that the wearer can impregnate with an active antiseptic substance from a container. The substrate can have an outer impermeable surface by which it is stuck or otherwise attached to the mask's inner surface, or it can be inserted in a fold in the material of the mask. The antiseptic substance can be held in a supple flat container that forms, together with the substrate, an assembly attached to the back of the mask or inserted in a pocket on its rear surface. The container holds a dose of a substance that can be released onto the substrate by a simple manual action to tear or break one of its walls. The substance, which can be in liquid, gel, paste or solid form, can also be held in a number of mini- or micro-containers.

Description

The present invention relates to a mask

  active for single use or not for protection against the transmission of pathogenic elements to and from the airways of the user.

  The inter-human transmission of infections passes by various ways: manual, digestive and others and by the respiratory way through the ENT sphere.

  The mask, object of the present invention, provides protection for this respiratory tract and prevents the transmission of pathogenic elements to the exterior of an infected user.

  The use of masks, firstly reusable, then single-use is an imperative, particularly in the health sector (surgical operations, resuscitation services, medico-technical services performing invasive therapies), but also in the industrial world ( clean rooms, food industry, etc.) In this application which aims to protect the individual from inhaling particles and infectious and pathogenic elements, the mask has a purely mechanical effect of filtering and covering the area of inspiration and expiration. This filter acts both by avoiding the passage and reception of undesirable elements in suspension in the inspired air stopped by the filter, but also avoids the emission in particular during speech, during sneezing and during oral respiration of potentially contaminating particles and elements suspended in the expired air and transported in so-called Pfluge droplets.

  The purpose of the mask according to the invention is to provide an active parameter to the barrier and purely mechanical filter effect of a conventional mask.

  To this end, the invention relates to an active mask for protection against the transmission of pathogenic elements to and from the airways of the user, characterized in that it consists of a mask support in which is integrated or placed inside or outside an impregnation substrate on which is spread by an action of the user a product with antiseptic active principle from a reserve in which it is stored , preferably protected from air and light.

  The mask uses a product with an antiseptic active principle which is characterized by the following general properties: being effective against pathogens by its composition, 15. ensuring the widest and most effective diffusion possible in the confined environment of the upper airways (nose and mouth) bounded by the mask, keep these properties intact until the time of use of the mask, be free from any toxicity with regard to the respiratory tract, even within the framework of a prolonged inhalation of by the properties of the active elements and their concentration in the dose, 25. ensuring prolonged diffusion at an effective concentration.

  The mask according to the invention has the advantages of protecting the user from viral and bacteriological contamination, but also of avoiding contamination of other people.

  It is simple in structure and can be mass produced at low cost, predestining it for single use.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given by way of example and accompanied by the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front of a mask of the surgeon type worn by one person; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the same mask equipped with the diffuser substrate attached to the rear face; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rear of the same mask equipped with the diffuser substrate placed in a receptacle of the pocket or pouch type; Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a rigid mask worn by a person; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rear of the mask shown in Figure 4 equipped with the diffuser substrate attached to its rear face; Figure 6 is a perspective view from the rear of the mask shown in Figure 4 equipped with the diffuser substrate placed in a receptacle of the pocket or pouch type.

  Although only two types of mask are shown in the figures, the present invention relates to all existing masks, but of course more particularly to those which do not present a cartridge in the manner of gas masks.

  The first type of mask is the flexible mask 25 shown in Figures 1 to 3, called "surgeon mask" 1. In Figure 1, this mask 1 is shown in use, worn by a person 2. It is placed in front of its nose and mouth and covers the bottom of his face in order to protect his respiratory tract and / or to avoid any contamination originating therefrom.

  The mask 1 consists of a covering strip 3 of generally rectangular shape whose lateral sides 4 and 5 are each closed by a hem 35 6 and 7 allowing the passage of links 8 and 9, for example in the form of loops, possibly adjustable or elastic, to pass behind the ears or the head to hold the mask against the face. There are also versions with longitudinal hems allowing the ties to pass behind the head where they can, for example, be adapted elastically or be assembled by a knot to hold the mask against the face.

  According to the invention, the rear or front face of the mask is filled by any means with an impregnation substrate or with a diffuser substrate 10 of generally flat shape having two main faces and a certain thickness.

  The impregnation substrate 10 is added by gluing, welding, heat sealing, transfer, sewing or any other means on the structure of the rear face of the mask 1.

  It can also be integrated into the structure of the mask, for example being immobilized between two layers or two folds during manufacture or any other way of integrating it into the structure of the mask. The impregnation substrate 10 can also be produced by local mechanical, thermal, chemical or other treatment of the structure of the mask at its front or rear face, for example by deposition, flocculation or local coating of an absorbent layer over an area limited to the appropriate place.

  Furthermore, one can imagine placing it or sliding it into a receptacle 11 of the pocket or pouch type or between two consecutive folds of the mask 1 30 and possibly immobilizing it by closing the pouch by covering its entry slit or to immobilize it between two folds by two heat-sealing segments or any other means.

  This impregnation substrate 10 is for example in the form of a plate 12, preferably flexible, of an impregnation material. It preferably, but not necessarily has an impermeable external face, that is to say impermeable to the diffusion of the antiseptic product, the material of which will be impregnated during its use, this to avoid losses towards the outside of the mask.

  As regards the material of the impregnation substrate or diffusing substrate 10, it may be any material or any light and absorbent material, for example a material based on cellulose, absorbent paper of the blotting type or the like, a woven or non-woven textile material, a felt, a foam-like foam material or any other suitable material.

  Figures 4, 5 and 6 show the use of such a diffuser substrate on a rigid or semi-rigid mask 13 enveloping the lower face of the type shown, that is to say in the form of a shell. 14 held against the face by elastic ties or cords 8 and 9 passing behind the head or behind the ears.

  Due to the convex convex shape of the mask 13 in front of the nose-mouth area, the techniques and the means for attaching the diffuser substrate 10 or integrating it will be adapted or chosen accordingly.

  According to another characteristic of this invention, is located in front of this support, attached to or integrated into it in the form of a pouch, a tablet, a container for example flexible and flat or any other functional form or physical, a tight reserve of a liquid, gel or pasty antiseptic product, capable of evaporating or of diffusing into the volume of air comprised between the rear face of the mask and the surface of the face covered by the mask .

  For the whole, it can also be a sandwich formed by two layers of absorbent material containing or enclosing a cushion, a layer of a gel, a slice, a perforated or permeable flat sachet, a membrane, and any other physical form trapping a liquid or gel inside a container or a pouch, a cell or any other closed container that can be broken or fractured manually.

  It can also be a plurality of minibeads or microbeads containing the antiseptic product embedded in a flexible absorbent support. These balls are made of breakable or brittle material so as to obtain the escape of the liquid or of the gel by simple direct manual crushing or through a support made of absorbent material.

  It can also be a slice of a pasty or semi-solid material cut from a block and enclosed in a suitable sealed package.

  It can also be a working packaging with a heat-sealed lid on a perimeter layout.

  The diffuser substrate can even be removable, that is to say be impregnated with antiseptic product at the time of its manufacture or at the time of its use and then introduced into the structure of the mask at the appropriate place.

  For this purpose, one can consider a waterproof pouch containing the impregnated substrate which is opened at the time of use and which is placed in the mask. One can also consider a special external packaging grouping a waterproof flexible bag 30 containing the antiseptic product between two layers of a material or two different absorbent material (s), the flexible bag opening under the pressure of the fingers.

  This external packaging is placed in a receptacle, a pocket, one or two folds, a doubling of folds, or other conformation or deformation in the structure of the mask on the side of its internal face.

  One can also imagine that before using the mask, the user impregnates the impregnation substrate 10, whether or not attached to the front or rear face 5 of the mask, using a bottle, a tube , aerosol spray or any other container containing the antiseptic product.

  The antiseptic product can be in different physical forms: liquid, emulsion, gel, paste and even solid.

  It is a product with antiseptic properties consisting of a basic product or a complex antiseptic complex suitably dosed, pure or supported by a preferably volatile vehicle or vector, for example of the solvent, water or hydraulic complex type. , well tolerated by the human body and free from any toxicity to the respiratory tract.

  The antiseptic properties of the base product or the mixture can be supplemented or replaced by a pathogenic growth inhibitor product.

  As regards the solid form, mention may be made, for example of porous blocks, granules, powders, or any composition or combination of these forms or liquids loaded on microporous supports.

  Since the antiseptic products are most of the time relatively fragile, it can advantageously be provided to avoid any degradation that the reserve 30 of antiseptic product is designed to keep it protected from air and light.

  As can be seen from the description above, the mask fitted with its diffusing substrate proves to be particularly simple and therefore easy and quick to manufacture in large quantities, making it particularly suitable for single use.

Claims (18)

  1. Active mask for protection against the transmission of pathogenic elements to the airways 5 of the user and originating therefrom, characterized in that it consists of a mask support (1, 13) in which is integrated or placed inside or outside an impregnation substrate (10) on which is spread by an action of the user a product with an antiseptic active principle from a reserve in which it is enclosed .   2. Active mask according to claim 1 characterized in that the impregnation substrate (10) has an impermeable outer face.   3. Active mask according to claim 1 characterized in that the external face of the impregnation substrate (10) is bonded or otherwise attached fixed on the internal face of the mask (1, 13).   4. Active mask according to claim 1 20 characterized in that the impregnation substrate is placed inside a pocket or a receptacle (11) or one or more folds formed in the structure of the mask.   5. Active mask according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the impregnation substrate (10) forms with a flat reserve of antiseptic product a diffusion assembly attached to the rear face of the mask (1, 13) or inserted into a receptacle (11) present on this rear face 30.   6. Active mask according to the preceding claim characterized in that the reserve is a flat and flexible container.   7. Active mask according to the preceding claim 35 characterized in that the reserve is a package containing a dose of product releasable on the substrate by a simple manual action.   8. Active mask according to the preceding claim 5 or 6 or 7 characterized in that at least one wall of the reserve can be broken, broken or fractured by pressure from the fingers.   9. Active mask according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 8 characterized in that the reserve is a plurality of mini-containers or micro-containers.   10. Active mask according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the reserve is free and independent of the substrate (10).   11. Active mask according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diffusion assembly is free and is placed after impregnation outside the mask in a receptacle (11) provided on or in the structure of the mask .   12. Active mask according to claim 5 characterized in that the diffusion assembly is a sandwich of two absorbent parts between which is maintained a flat and flexible packaging acting as a reserve for a dose of antiseptic product.   13. Active mask according to claim 25, characterized in that the antiseptic product comprises an antiseptic base and a volatile product and in that its physical form is liquid, gel, pasty or solid.   14. Active mask according to claim 30, characterized in that the substrate (10) is a cellulosic or textile absorbent material.   15. Active mask according to the preceding claim characterized in that the substrate (10) is solid in the form of a microporous support.   16. Active mask according to claim 1 characterized in that the impregnation substrate (10) is produced by local treatment of the structure of the mask (1, 13).   17. Active mask according to the preceding claim characterized in that the local treatment is a deposit or a coating or a mechanical, thermal or chemical treatment.   18. Active mask according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reserve comprises a conditioning means making it possible to keep the product with antiseptic active principle protected from air and light.