JP7386756B2 - mask - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mask.

A mask to be worn on the face includes a mask body that at least partially covers the wearer's face, and a pair of ear pieces (or ear hooks) each coupled to the mask body, that is, holds the mask body in a predetermined position. A pair of members that can be hung over each ear of the wearer is known.

In recent years, various mask configurations have been studied from the viewpoint of improving mask functionality and wearing comfort, as well as from the viewpoint of ease of manufacturing and handling. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mask including a mask main body and an ear hook connected to the mask main body, in which the ear hook is joined to each of both end regions, and the mask is A mask is disclosed that is configured such that both ear hooks joined to both end regions of the main body are housed within the outer shape of the main body, and has a connecting portion that connects both ear hooks to each other within the outer shape of the mask main body. .

Patent No. 5762803

When using the mask disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to separate the two ear hook parts connected at the connecting part and open them laterally before wearing the mask. Grasp the hook with both left and right hands and pull. Here, in order to grasp the ear hook, it is necessary to insert a finger between the ear hook and the main body, and to pinch and lift the ear hook between the finger and other fingers. For example, insert your thumb between the ear hook and the main body, place your other fingers on the ear hook, pinch the ear hook between your thumb and fingers, and lift the ear hook. Therefore, it is difficult to separate the ear hook portion without touching the main body. Therefore, in situations where it is not possible to maintain sufficient hand hygiene, the hygiene of the mask may be compromised when the ear hooks (or ear pieces) of the mask are separated and opened to the side before being put on. be.

In view of the above, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a mask that can be worn in good sanitary conditions.

A first aspect of the present invention is a mask comprising a mask body and a pair of ear pieces coupled to the mask body, wherein the pair of ear pieces are separable from each other before use. and arranged on the outer surface side of the mask main body, each of the pair of ear members is provided with a knob protruding from the edge of the mask main body in plan view, and when starting to use, the knob is pinched. By pulling, the pair of ears are separated from each other.

In the first aspect, a knob portion is provided in which a pair of ear members protrudes from the edge of the main body. Therefore, the user can pinch or hold the ear material at a position away from the main body. Thereby, the operation of separating the pair of ear pieces from each other (separation operation), which is performed before wearing the mask, can be performed without or almost without touching the main body. Furthermore, the operation (deployment operation) of opening the separated ear material laterally (laterally outward) can also be performed without or almost without touching the main body. Therefore, the hygiene of the mask is not compromised in the preparation stage before putting on the mask, and the wearer can wear a mask that maintains good hygiene.

When performing the above separation and unfolding operations, depending on the user's actions, the user's hands may touch the main body to some extent. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pair of ear members are arranged on the outer surface of the main body, so even if the user's hand touches the main body, the user's hand will only touch the outer surface of the main body, and the user's hand will touch the outer surface of the main body. The possibility of touching the inside is small. The inner surface of the mask (the surface that faces the wearer's face when worn) is the surface on which it is particularly important to maintain sanitary conditions, so at least eliminating or reducing the contact between this inner surface and the hands will ensure that the hands are safe during the separation and deployment operations. Even if you touch the main body, you can effectively maintain the sanitary state of the mask.

In a second aspect of the present invention, the mask has a vertical direction corresponding to an up-down direction of the wearer's face and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the grip portion is attached to the pair of ear pieces. are provided at the bottom of each.

According to the second aspect, since the grip portion is provided on the lower side of the ear material, the user can pinch the grip portion with a natural motion without strain. For example, place the mask on a stand etc. so that its lateral direction runs along the left and right directions of your body, and its upper and lower directions run along the front and back directions of your body, respectively, and then gently slide it toward the ear tabs. Without changing the shape (posture) of your hands, put your thumbs on the back side of the picking part (inner side of the ear material or the side facing the main body) and your other fingers on the front side of the picking part (on the side facing the ear material). The knob can be pinched by placing it on the outer surface side.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a lateral length from a lateral edge of the mask to a position where the knob most protrudes from an edge of the mask main body is a lateral length of the mask. It is 45 to 90% of 1/2 of the size.

According to the third aspect, the most protruding portion of the tab of the ear material is at a predetermined position in the lateral direction with respect to the mask. Therefore, the left and right hands can pinch the knob without interfering with each other's movements, and there is no need for large force or complicated movements when lifting the ear material, separating it from each other, and opening it laterally. .

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the maximum longitudinal length of the portion of the knob protruding from the edge of the mask body is 5 to 15 mm.

According to the fourth aspect, since the protruding portion of the knob has a predetermined length from the edge of the main body, a sufficient area for the user to pinch the knob can be secured.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, the knob has a curved outline.

According to the fifth aspect, the portion protruding from the main body is difficult to break. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt when the outline of the knob comes into contact with the hand during the separation/deployment operation before wearing or when the ear material is hung on the ear during wearing.

A sixth aspect of the present invention further includes an auxiliary member disposed on the outer surface of the mask main body, and the pair of ear members are each coupled to a side portion of the mask main body via the auxiliary member. .

According to the sixth aspect, since the pair of ear pieces are each coupled to the main body via the auxiliary material, the mask can be configured without directly coupling the ear pieces and the main body. Therefore, the joint between the main body and the auxiliary material and the joint between the ear material and the auxiliary material can be formed separately. That is, each joint can be formed separately in a manner compatible with the materials of the two parts to be directly joined. As a result, an unbreakable indirect bond can be formed between the ear material and the main body without impairing the function or wearing comfort of the members, and a mask that is both firm and comfortable to wear can be obtained.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a mask that can be worn under good sanitary conditions can be provided.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mask according to one embodiment of the present invention, seen from the outside. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mask shown in FIG. 1 seen from the inside (face side). 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of how to use the mask shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mask shown in FIG. 3 after a pair of ear members are each opened laterally. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 5. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the selvedge material. It is a figure which shows the modification of the knob part of an ear material. It is a figure which shows the modified example of an ear material. FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view and a cross-sectional view of a portion where an auxiliary material is provided, in a modified example of the present embodiment, in a state before the start of use of the mask. FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view and a cross-sectional view of a portion where the auxiliary material is provided, after the ear material is opened laterally.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding configurations may be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof may be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic to help understand the invention.

(Basic configuration of mask)
A mask according to one form of the invention may be a mask capable of covering the wearer's face, more specifically at least the wearer's nose and mouth. The mask according to this embodiment has the function of preventing foreign objects from reaching the face and preventing droplets generated from the wearer from scattering, and is also called a sanitary mask or a surgical mask. .

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a mask 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a view of the mask 100 viewed from the outside, that is, the side that does not face the face when worn and is exposed to the outside. Moreover, FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the mask seen from the inside (face side).

As shown in FIG. 1, a mask 100 according to the present embodiment includes a mask body 10 that is placed in front of the wearer's face when worn and can cover mainly the wearer's nose and mouth, and a mask body 10 that is coupled to the mask body 10. A pair of ear members 20, 20 are provided. The mask body 10 has a vertical direction D1 corresponding to the vertical direction of the wearer's face when worn, and a horizontal direction D2 orthogonal to the vertical direction D1. In the form of FIG. 1, the mask main body 10 has a rectangular plan view shape having long sides in the lateral direction D2, but the plan view shape of the mask main body 10 is not limited to what is illustrated.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mask main body 10 has a pleat structure 15 formed by a plurality of folds (pleats) arranged in the vertical direction D1. The pleats of the pleat structure 15 are formed by folding the sheet constituting the main body 10 along a fold line along the transverse direction D2. Then, with the plurality of folds formed, the side portions (horizontal direction D2 ends) of the mask main body 10 are joined and fixed. Therefore, when using the mask 100, by widening the folds of the pleat structure 15 in the vertical direction D1, the center in the horizontal direction D2 is curved to protrude toward the outer surface of the mask 100, so that it conforms to the three-dimensional shape of the face. It can be deformed into any shape. The specific configuration of the pleat structure 15 is not particularly limited, and may be a known configuration formed on the mask body.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pair of ear members 20, 20 are arranged on the outer surface side of the main body 10. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the ear members 20 may have an annular (or closed band-like) shape or a shape including a ring in plan view. When worn, the ear piece 20 can be hung on the ear by placing the wearer's ear inside the ring of the ear piece 20, that is, into the central opening 29 of the ear piece 20. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the ear members 20 is composed of a rectangular annular sheet as a whole. Since the ear material 20 is in the form of a sheet, when the ear material 20 is hung on the ear when worn, the surface can come into contact with the back of the ear, thereby reducing discomfort and pain.

The pair of ear members 20, 20 may be configured as a continuous sheet that is separably coupled to each other at the center in the lateral direction D2. Although the type of connection of the separable connection portions 28 of the pair of ear members 20, 20 is not particularly limited, it is preferable that the connection is separable by pulling with the user's normal force. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, it may be formed as a perforation. Further, the joint portion 28 may be formed by weakening the boundary between the pair of selvedges 20, 20 or making it easier to apply stress by reducing the thickness of the sheet or by other means. Alternatively, the joint portion 28 may be formed by forming a pair of ear materials 20, 20 independently, slightly overlapping them at the center in the lateral direction D2, and releasably joining them with an adhesive, heat seal, etc. good.

The mask body 10 may have a multilayer structure in which a plurality of layers are laminated. For example, the structure may include at least three layers in which an outer layer and an inner layer sandwich an intermediate layer that has an enhanced ability to trap foreign substances (dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses, etc.). Each layer constituting the main body 10 preferably includes a fiber-containing layer such as a nonwoven fabric, a woven fabric, or a knitted fabric, and more preferably includes a nonwoven fabric. Examples of the nonwoven fabric include spunbond nonwoven fabric, spunlace nonwoven fabric, meltblown nonwoven fabric, air-through nonwoven fabric, and point bonded nonwoven fabric. Further, it is preferable that a melt-blown nonwoven fabric that may contain fine fibers is used for the intermediate layer. Further, the fibers constituting the fiber-containing layer are preferably resin fibers, and examples of the resin type of the resin fibers include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, and the like. The outer and inner layers may have a basis weight of 15 to 50 g/m ² . The basis weight of the intermediate layer with high foreign matter trapping properties may be 10 to 100 g/m ² , preferably 15 to 50 g/m ² .

The ear material 20 may be made of a stretchable material, preferably a material with higher stretchability than the main body 10. Moreover, the selvage material 20 may have elasticity at least in the lateral direction D2, and may have elasticity in both the longitudinal direction D1 and the lateral direction D2. The elasticity in the vertical direction D1 and the elasticity in the horizontal direction D2 may be the same or different. When the stretchability in the vertical direction D1 and the stretchability in the horizontal direction D2 are different, it is preferable that the stretchability in the horizontal direction D2 is higher than the stretchability in the vertical direction D1. When worn, the ear material 20 is hung over the ear of the wearer and is pulled mainly in the lateral direction D2. Therefore, by having elasticity at least in the lateral direction D2, the main body 10 can be better fixed in position in front of the face, and the burden that the ear material 20 exerts on the ear can be reduced.

The ear material 20 may include a stretchable fiber-containing sheet and/or a stretchable or elastic film. Examples of the fiber-containing sheet include nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, etc. Among these, it is preferable to use nonwoven fabrics because of their good feel and breathability. Examples of the nonwoven fabric include air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, spunlace nonwoven fabric, needle punched nonwoven fabric, chemical bond nonwoven fabric, and the like. Further, the fibers contained in the nonwoven fabric are preferably resin fibers, and examples of the resin type of the resin fibers include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, and the like.

The ear material 20 may include a single layer of the above-mentioned stretchable fiber-containing sheet or stretchable film, or may include a plurality of the above-mentioned stretchable fiber-containing sheets and/or stretchable films laminated. For example, it may be constructed by laminating a fiber-containing sheet and a stretchable film. When the fiber-containing sheet has stretchability, the stretchability is expressed because the fiber-containing sheet contains stretchable fibers, for example, because the fiber material itself has stretchability or because the fibers are crimped fibers. It's fine. Alternatively, elasticity may be expressed by a predetermined physical structure, for example, by having irregularities on the surface. Furthermore, the selvedge material 20 may be formed by sandwiching a thread-like rubber between fiber-containing sheets that may or may not have elasticity. If the fiber-containing sheet has low or no elasticity, the fiber-containing sheet can be attached from both sides with the rubber thread stretched.

More specifically, for the ear material 20, a single layer nonwoven fabric such as a stretchable air-through nonwoven fabric, a stretchable spunbond nonwoven fabric, a stretchable spunlace nonwoven fabric, a stretchable needle punched nonwoven fabric, a stretchable chemical bonded nonwoven fabric, etc. can be used. . Furthermore, a material made of multiple layers of nonwoven fabric such as spunbond/meltblown/spunbond can be used. Furthermore, laminate sheets such as nonwoven fabric/stretch film, nonwoven fabric/stretch film/nonwoven fabric (for example, spunbond/stretch film/spunbond, air-through/stretch film/air-through, etc.) can be used. When the ear material 20 is formed from multiple layers, the layers may be bonded together using a stretchable or non-stretchable hot-melt nonwoven fabric (a nonwoven fabric whose fibers soften or melt when heated and can be bonded to other members). The basis weight of the selvedge material 20 may be 20 to 150 g/m ² . Further, the thickness of the ear material 20 may be 100 to 3,000 μm.

The pair of ear members 20, 20 are respectively coupled to the side portions of the outer surface of the main body 10 (ends in the lateral direction D2). That is, the outer portions of the pair of ear members 20, 20 in the lateral direction D2 are joined to the main body 10, and the other parts are not joined to the main body 10. When starting to use the mask 100 according to this embodiment, before wearing the mask 100, the separable connection between the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 is released, and the ear pieces 20, 20 are separated from each other (separation operation (also referred to as), the portions of the ear members 20, 20 that are not joined to the main body 10 are opened laterally in the lateral direction D2 (also referred to as an unfolding operation).

(Separation and unfolding operation of ear material)
FIG. 3 shows a state in which the mask 100 shown in FIG. 1 is about to be used. Further, FIG. 4 shows a sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 3. At the beginning of use, the user can pinch or grasp the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 with each hand and pull them in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. As a result, first, the separable coupling portion 28 can be uncoupled. If the joint portion 28 is composed of a perforation formed along the boundary line between the pair of selvage materials 20, 20, the perforation is broken and both selvage materials 20, 20 are separated along the boundary line. can be separated. Thereafter, the user can open the pair of ear members 20, 20 outward in the lateral direction D2 in the direction shown by the arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4 while holding the pair of ear members 20, 20, respectively.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the pair of ear members 20, 20 are opened outward in the lateral direction D2 from the state shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 6 shows a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the pair of selvedges 20, 20 are opened, the selvedges 20, 20 are turned over, that is, the selvedges 20, 20 face the main body 10 in a state before use. The old side is exposed. The ear members 20, 20 are mainly arranged on the outside of the main body 10 in the lateral direction D2, and the entire outer surface of the main body 10 is exposed. Such an operation of separating and expanding the ear material is performed in preparation for wearing the mask 100. That is, after the user separates and unfolds the ear material to form the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the user can wear the mask 100 himself or have another person wear it.

It should be noted that while the mask 100 is being worn, that is, when the ear pieces 20, 20 are opened laterally and hung on the ears, the ear pieces 20, 20 are pulled toward the wearer's ears. The parts of the materials 20, 20 connected to the main body 10 are pressed toward the wearer's face. Here, in this embodiment, since the pair of ear members 20, 20 are respectively coupled to both sides of the outer surface of the main body 10, while the mask 100 is being worn, a part of the ear members 20 is attached to the outside of both sides of the main body 10. (FIG. 6), that is, both sides of the main body 10 are placed between the ear material 20 and the wearer's face, so that the both sides of the main body 10 are placed between the ear material 20 and the wearer's face. I was pushed towards him. Thereby, the gap between the main body 10 and the face can be reduced on both sides of the mask main body 10, and the functions of the mask, such as the function of blocking foreign objects and the function of preventing droplets emitted by the wearer from scattering, can be improved. In addition, since the ear pieces 20 are not arranged on the inside (face side) of both sides of the main body, the ear pieces 20 do not come into contact with the wearer's face on both sides of the main body 10 while wearing the body. You can also get a feeling of wearing it.

Further, a mark 18 that allows the outer and inner surfaces of the main body 10 to be distinguished may be formed on the main body 10 by embossing, printing, sewing, or the like. The form of the mark 18 is not limited as long as it can be visually recognized by the user. The mark 18 may be a letter, a number, a symbol, a figure, a logo, etc., as shown in FIG. 1 and the like.

(Ear material and picking part)
The pair of ear pieces 20, 20 are provided with knobs 25, 25 that can be pinched by the user when separating the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 from each other and opening them outward in the lateral direction D2. The knobs 25, 25 protrude from the edge of the main body 10 in plan view, and the user can use the knobs to perform the above-mentioned operation of separating the pair of ear members 20, 20 from each other and deploying them laterally. This can be done by pinching 25 and 25.

Since the knobs 25, 25 protrude from the edge of the main body 10 in a plan view, the user can pinch or grasp the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 at a position away from the main body 10. Thereby, the separation and/or unfolding operation of the ear material can be performed without touching the main body 10, or the area in which the user touches the main body 10 can be reduced. Therefore, the user can pinch the knobs 25, 25 without or hardly touching the main body 10 in the preparation stage before putting on the mask. Similarly, the pair of ear members 20, 20 can be separated and expanded without touching the main body 10 or almost without touching the main body 10. Therefore, even in a situation where the user cannot take sufficient care of hand hygiene, a mask 100 in good hygiene can be prepared.

Furthermore, since the ear piece 20 has the knobs 25, 25, the user can adjust the ear piece 20 by holding the knobs 25, 2 when or after hanging the ear piece 20 on the wearer's ear. It can be done easily. That is, the position may be adjusted by holding the knobs 25, 25 and shifting the ear material 20 in the circumferential direction of the ear material 20 relative to the ear, or by pulling the ear material 20 toward the rear side. The tension of the ear material 20 can be adjusted by loosening it.

Furthermore, in the mask 100 according to this embodiment, the pair of ear members 20, 20 are arranged on the outer surface side of the main body 10. That is, the knobs 25, 25 that are pinched by the user are also arranged on the outer surface side of the main body 10. Depending on the situation in which the mask 100 is used and/or the user's actions, the user's hands may come into contact with the mask body 10 when pinching the knobs 25, 25; may be limited to the outer surface of the mask body 10. As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the contact between the hand and the inner surface where hygiene is particularly desired (the surface facing the wearer's face when worn). Even if someone touches the mask 100, the hygiene of the mask can be ensured.

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged plan view of one ear member 20 of the mask 100. As described above, the ear material 20 is provided with the knob portion 25 that protrudes from the edge of the main body 10 in plan view. The size of the knob 25 is not particularly limited as long as the user can pinch it with his/her fingers. However, the maximum length a in the longitudinal direction D1 of the portion of the knob 25 protruding from the edge of the main body 10 is preferably 5 to 15 mm, more preferably 8 to 15 mm. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the length a is the length in the vertical direction D1 from the edge of the main body 10 to the apex 25s of the protruding portion of the knob 25. By setting the length a within the above range, it becomes easy for the user to pick up the knob 25, and it becomes easy for the user to reliably lift the ear piece 20 and separate the ear pieces 20, 20, and the mask 100 It does not interfere with the user wearing the device, and also reduces the discomfort that may be caused by the knob 25 touching the face or ears while the device is being worn.

A protruding portion of the knob 25 that protrudes from the edge of the main body 10 in plan view may have a convex shape in a direction away from the main body 10. In that case, the outline of the protruding portion of the knob 25 may be curved or linear. However, if the outline is curved, the angular parts are reduced, so the tabs 25 are less likely to break, and when handling the mask 100 (when separating and unfolding the ear pieces 20, 20, and when putting on the mask 100) ), when a hand or face touches the edge of the knob 25, it is unlikely to cause discomfort.

When the protruding portion of the knob 25 has a curved outline, the radius of curvature at the apex 25s of the protruding portion may be 5 to 20 mm. By having the radius of curvature within the above range, the shape of the knob 25 becomes such that the user can easily pinch it with his/her fingers.

The position of the knob 25 is also not particularly limited. It is preferable that the lateral direction D2 length (b) up to the apex 25s of the portion is 45 to 90% of the length c, which is 1/2 of the lateral direction D2 length of the entire mask 100, and more preferably 65 to 80%. preferable. By setting the length b to 45% or more of the length c, the distance from the separable joint 28 between the selvedges 20, 20 becomes too far, making it impossible to smoothly separate and deploy the selvedges 20, 20. prevent. On the other hand, by setting the above-mentioned length b to 90% or less of the above-mentioned length c, when the left and right knobs 25, 25 are respectively picked with both hands, the hands do not come too close and interfere with each other's hands. There is no.

Note that when the outline of the most protruding part of the knob 25 does not have the apex 25s and includes a part parallel to the edge of the main body 10, that is, it includes a part where the distance from the edge of the main body 10 is constant. In some cases, such as the forms shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 9, which will be described later. In that case, the length b is from the edge of the mask 100 in the lateral direction D2 to the center of the lateral direction D2 of a portion parallel to the edge of the main body 10 (a portion where the distance from the edge of the main body 10 is constant). length.

The knob 25 may protrude from the lower end of the main body 10 in plan view, or may protrude from the upper end. Further, a knob protruding from the lower end of the main body 10 may be provided on the lower side of the ear piece 20, and another knob protruding from the upper end of the main body 10 may be provided on the upper side of the ear piece 20. However, as shown in FIG. 7, if the knob 25 protrudes from the lower end of the main body 10 in plan view, the user can separate and unfold the ear pieces 20, 20 with a natural movement. For example, when the user prepares to wear the mask 100, the mask 100 is placed on a horizontal plane in front of the user's body, with its vertical direction D1 along the up and down direction of the body and its lateral direction D2 along the left and right directions of the body. It can be placed like this. Therefore, if the user naturally extends both hands toward the knobs 25, 25 of the ear pieces 20, 20 with the backs of the hands facing up, the user can place the thumbs on the knobs without changing the shape (posture) of the hands. The knobs 25, 25 can be pinched by placing the other fingers on the lower side above the knobs (FIG. 3).

Furthermore, due to the structure of the human body, it is easy to move (open) both arms from the front center of the body to the sides. Therefore, after pinching the knobs 25, 25 protruding from the lower end of the main body 10 as described above, the user pulls the ear pieces 20, 20 in opposite directions to separate them, and expands them outward in the lateral direction D2. It is also easy to perform the following actions. At this time, there is no need to change the way in which the knobs 25, 25 are pinched (change the shape or direction of the hand).

When the user grasps the knobs 25, 25 of the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 and opens them outward in the lateral direction D2 as described above, for example, when the user lifts up the mask 100, the outer surface of the mask 100 touches the ears. The inner surface (face side) of the mask 100 faces the user who has opened the masks 20, 20, and the inner surface of the mask 100 faces away from the user. Therefore, the mask 100 according to this embodiment is suitable for being worn by another wearer. That is, after the user opens the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 outward in the lateral direction D2 (FIGS. 5 and 6), the user holds the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 while wearing the mask 100. Once the mask main body 10 is placed at a desired position on the wearer's face, the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 can be hung on the wearer's ears without changing the way the mask 100 is held. Can be done. Therefore, the mask 100 according to the present embodiment can be suitably used when a person who has difficulty wearing a mask by themselves, such as a child or a sick person, wears a mask.

As shown in FIG. 7, the ring of the ear material 20 includes an adhesive part 22 that is adhered to the mask body 10 and extends along the vertical direction D1, and a hook part 24 that is placed behind the ear when worn. , it may have an upper transition part 23 that transitions from the adhesive part 22 to the hook part 24 on the upper side, and a lower transition part 26 that transitions from the adhesive part 22 to the hook part 24 on the lower side. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the ear material 20 has a rectangular annular shape as described above, and more specifically, the adhesive portion 22 and the hook portion 24 each extend in the longitudinal direction as a whole, An upper transition section 23 and a lower transition section 26 each extend generally along the lateral direction. The knob portion 25 may be formed at the lower transition portion 26 or at a connecting portion between the hook portion 24 and the lower transition portion 26.

(Modified example)
FIG. 8 shows a modification of the knob 25. The shape of the knob 25 is not particularly limited as long as it protrudes from the edge of the main body 10 and can be pinched by the user, and if it is formed so as not to inhibit the elongation of the ear material when worn. Not done. The knob 25 may have a shape in which the slope of the tangent to the contour changes continuously, as shown in FIG. 7, or the slope of the tangent to the contour changes continuously, as shown in FIG. It may also have a shape that includes a portion that does not. More specifically, the shape may include a portion having a constant distance from the edge of the main body 10, or the shape may include a substantially rectangular shape. The ring of the ear material 20 includes an adhesive part 22 that is adhered to the mask main body 10 and extends along the vertical direction D1, a hook part 24 that is placed behind the ear when worn, and a hook part 24 from the adhesive part on the upper side. It may have an upper transition part 23 that transitions to the upper transition part 23 and a lower transition part 26 that transitions from the adhesive part 22 to the hook part 24 on the lower side.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the knob 25 may be provided with a high-rigidity portion 25r with increased rigidity so that the user can easily pinch the knob. The highly rigid portion 25r can be formed by additionally applying resin, embossing, pasting a highly rigid material, or the like. Further, in order for the user to recognize the knob 25, the knob 25 may be provided with a mark 25c having a color different from the color of the ear material 20, as shown in FIG. 8(c). The mark 25c may be formed by printing or by pasting a sheet with a small area.

Furthermore, FIG. 9 shows a modification of the pair of ear members 20, 20. Also in the example shown in FIG. 9, similarly to the example shown in FIG. It has a hook part 24 arranged at the rear, an upper transition part 23 that transitions from the adhesive part 22 to the hook part 24 on the upper side, and a lower transition part 26 that transitions from the adhesive part 22 to the hook part 24 on the lower side. It's fine. Further, the knobs 25, 25 are provided in the lower transition part 26. However, in the example shown in FIG. 9, compared to the example shown in FIG. located in a remote location. In other words, the knob 25 is located near the center of one ear member 20 in the lateral direction D2.

Moreover, in the example shown in FIG. 9, the shape of the ear members 20, 20 as a whole is also different from the example shown in FIG. 1 and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 9 as well, the ear members 20 and 0 are each composed of an annular sheet having an opening 29 in plan view. However, each ear material 20 is not rectangular and annular, but is rounded compared to the example shown in FIG. 1 and the like. More specifically, the upper transition portion 23, the hook portion 24, and the lower transition portion 26 are all formed in an arc shape. In the selvage material 20 having a shape including such an arc, the knob portion 25 is located near the center of the selvage material 20 in the lateral direction D2, so that the soft appearance impression due to the rounded shape as a whole is not hindered.

As in the example shown in FIG. 9, from the viewpoint of improving the visual impression when the ear materials 20, 20 each have a more rounded shape, from the edge of the mask 100 in the lateral direction D2, The lateral direction D2 length to the most protruding position of the knob 25 (in this example, the lateral direction D2 length to the lateral direction D2 center of the most protruding part of the knob 25) b is the lateral direction of the entire mask 100. It is preferably 55 to 65% of the length c, which is 1/2 the length of D2.

(Auxiliary material)
In the mask 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pair of ear members 20, 20 are connected to both sides of the main body 10 via auxiliary members 30, 30, respectively. The auxiliary materials 30, 30 may not be provided.

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the mask 100 where the auxiliary material 30 is provided. FIG. 10(a) is a partial plan view, and FIG. 10(b) is a sectional view taken along the line III--III in FIG. 10(a). Further, FIG. 11 shows a view after the ear material 20 is opened outward in the lateral direction D2 from the state shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10(a) is a partial plan view, and FIG. 10(b) is a sectional view taken along the line IV--IV in FIG. 10(a). In the example of FIGS. 10 and 11, the main body 10, the ear material 20, and the auxiliary material 30 are arranged in this order. In FIGS. 10 and 11, illustration of the pleat structure 15 (FIG. 1, etc.) of the mask body 10 is omitted.

The auxiliary material 30 is provided between the main body 10 and the ear material 20 to indirectly connect the main body 10 and the ear material 20. More specifically, the main body 10 and the auxiliary material 30 are joined at the first joint B1, the ear material 20 and the auxiliary material 30 are joined at the second joint B2, and the main body 10 and the auxiliary material 30 are joined at the second joint B2. is not directly connected to. The first joint part B1 and the second joint part B2 are, for example, means for joining opposing surfaces of members by applying pressure and/or heat, such as heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, non-heating embossing, etc. It can be formed by Among these, it is preferable to use heat sealing because reliable bonding is possible.

When the joint is formed by heat sealing or the like, the joint may include a plurality of welded parts. The welded portion may be continuous or discontinuous in the longitudinal direction D1 and/or the lateral direction D2 at the joint. Note that the shape of the welded portion of the joint is not particularly limited as long as it can form a joint that can maintain sufficient strength. The welded portion may be formed in a shape narrower than its length, that is, in a linear shape (straight or curved) or in a dot shape (a shape that can be visually recognized as a dot). More specifically, the plan view shape of the welded portion may be any shape such as a rectangle, a quadrilateral such as a rhombus, a polygon other than a quadrangle, a circle, an ellipse, or the like.

As described above, the main body 10 has the function of blocking the intrusion of foreign substances and preventing the scattering of droplets generated by the wearer.On the other hand, the ear material 20 is attached to the wearer's ear when worn. It has the function of holding 10. Therefore, the main body 10 and the ear material 20 are usually made of different materials, and the ear material 20 is preferably made of a material with relatively high elasticity. Therefore, in the conventional configuration in which the main body 10 and the ear material 20 are directly joined, when force is applied to the mask 100 due to the ear material 20 being pulled, the main body 10 cannot follow the elongation of the ear material 20. , there is a possibility that the bonding cannot be maintained and the two parts peel off from each other.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the first joint B1, which is the joint between the main body 10 and the auxiliary material 30, and the second joint B2, which is the joint between the ear material 20 and the auxiliary material 30, can be formed separately. . That is, by including the first joint part B1 and the second joint part B2, the force related to the joint is dispersed, and the selvedge material 20 becomes difficult to peel off. Furthermore, each joint can be formed in a format that suits the characteristics of the two members to be directly joined. Furthermore, as the material for the auxiliary material 30, a material that can optimize both the bonding with the main body 10 and the bonding with the ear material 20 can be selected. Thereby, the indirect connection between the main body 10 and the ear material 20 becomes difficult to break, and as a result, it is possible to obtain a mask that is difficult to break even when force is applied.

As described above, before wearing the mask 100 of this embodiment, the pair of ear pieces 20, 20 are separated from each other by pinching and pulling the knobs 25, 25 provided on the pair of ear pieces 20, 20, respectively. , each opening laterally. A large force is likely to be applied to the mask 100 during such separation and deployment operations of the ear members 20, 20. However, according to this embodiment, even when the ear materials 20, 20 are separated and expanded at the beginning of use, they are not easily peeled off from the main body 10, and it is possible to start wearing the ear materials in a good condition.

The auxiliary member 30 may be formed from a material that does not have or has little elasticity, or is preferably formed from a material that has some degree of elasticity. Further, the auxiliary member 30 may be formed from a material whose shape can be irreversibly deformed when a force is applied thereto. The auxiliary material 30 may also include a stretchable nonwoven fabric of the type described above similar to the selvage material 20, but the stretchability of the auxiliary material 30 is preferably smaller than that of the selvedge material 20 at least in the lateral direction D2. . Further, the elasticity of the auxiliary material 30 is preferably greater than the elasticity of the main body 10 at least in the lateral direction D2.

By providing the elastic auxiliary material 30, even when the selvage material 20 is pulled, the difference between the elongation of the main body 10 and the elongation of the auxiliary material 30, and the difference between the elongation of the selvage material 20 and the elongation of the auxiliary material 30 can be reduced. The differences can be suppressed. Therefore, the first joint B1 between the main body 10 and the auxiliary material 30 and the second joint B2 between the selvage material 20 and the auxiliary material 30 are both difficult to break, and as a result, the joint between the main body 10 and the selvage material 20 is bonds are less likely to break. Note that the basis weight of the auxiliary material 30 may be 5 to 100 g/m ² . Further, the thickness of the auxiliary material 30 may be 100 to 1,000 μm.

The auxiliary material 30 may be a sheet-like member extending along the vertical direction D1 of the mask 100, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The length of the auxiliary material 30 in the vertical direction D1 is preferably the same as the length of the mask 100 in the vertical direction D1 (the length of the main body 10 in the vertical direction D1), but it is shorter than the length of the mask 100 in the vertical direction D1. You can. Further, on one side (either left or right side) of the mask 100 in the lateral direction D2, the outer end 31 of the auxiliary material 30 in the lateral direction D2 is located further inward in the lateral direction D2 than the outer end 11 of the main body 10 in the lateral direction D2. Although it may be located at the outer edge of the main body 10, it is preferable that it is aligned with the outer end 11 of the main body 10 in the lateral direction D2, as shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b).

The length (width) W of the auxiliary material 30 in the lateral direction D2 is preferably 15 to 35 mm, although it depends on the overall size and configuration of the mask 100 and the size, shape, and material of the main body 10 and the ear material 20. By setting the length of the lateral direction D2 within the above range, the area of the first joint part B1 and the second joint part B2 can be secured sufficiently, while the auxiliary material 30 can be easily separated and deployed at the beginning of use. Or, it does not interfere with wearing, nor does it interfere with the functions of the main body 10 and the ear material 20.

As shown in FIG. 10, the auxiliary material 30 is arranged on the outer surface side of the main body 10. Therefore, even while the mask 100 is being worn, there is a low possibility that the auxiliary material 30 itself will come into contact with the wearer's face, and the good feeling of wearing the mask 100 of this embodiment is not hindered.

Further, as described above, the ear material 20 in this embodiment can function to press both sides of the main body 10 toward the wearer's face, but the auxiliary material 30 disposed on the outer surface side of the main body 10 also at least Partially, together with the ear material 20, it can function to press the main body 10 toward the face. Thereby, the gap between both sides of the main body 10 and the face can be further reduced, and the function of the mask 100 can be improved.

10 Mask main body 11 Lateral outer end of mask main body 15 Pleated structure 20 Ear material 21 Lateral outer end of ear material 22 Adhesive part 23 Upper transition part 24 Hook part 25 Knob part 25s Apex of protruding part of the pick part 25c Mark 25r Height Rigid part 26 Lower transition part 28 Separable joint part 30 Auxiliary material 31 Lateral outer end of the auxiliary material 100 Mask B1 First joint part B2 Second joint part

Claims (5)

The mask body,
A mask comprising a pair of ear members coupled to the mask main body,
Before use, the pair of ear members are separably connected to each other and placed on the outer surface of the mask main body,
Each of the pair of selvedges is provided with a knob for separating the pair of selvedges from each other by pinching and pulling at the beginning of use,
In the mask, the grip portion has a convex contour that protrudes from an edge of the mask main body in a plan view and protrudes from a linear contour of the ear material. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the knob has a curved outline with an inflection point. having a vertical direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the wearer's face and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction,
The pair of ear materials includes an adhesive part that is adhered to the mask body and extends along the longitudinal direction, a hook part that is placed behind the ear when worn, and a connection from the adhesive part to the hook part on the upper side. an upper transition part that transitions, and a lower transition part that transitions from the adhesive part to the hook part on the lower side,
The extending direction of the upper transition part is inclined downward from the lateral direction, and the extending direction of the lower transition part is inclined downward from the lateral direction,
In plan view, the upper transition part does not protrude from the upper edge of the mask body, and the lower transition part protrudes from the lower edge of the mask body,
The mask according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the knob portions are provided at the lower transition portions, respectively. having a vertical direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the wearer's face and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction,
In a state before starting to use, the pair of ear members are directly connected to each other in a separable manner at the lateral center,
According to any one of claims 1 to 3 , the knob part is a part for separating the pair of ear members from each other and opening them laterally outward by respectively pinching and pulling them at the time of starting use. mask. having a vertical direction corresponding to the vertical direction of the wearer's face and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction,
The lateral length from the lateral edge of the mask to the most protruding position of the knob from the edge of the mask main body is 1/2 of the lateral length of the mask. 5. The mask according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , which is between 45 and 90%.

Images