US20170079343A1

US20170079343A1 - Separable face mask structure

Info

Publication number: US20170079343A1
Application number: US14/862,166
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih-Chun Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-09-23
Filing date: 2015-09-23
Publication date: 2017-03-23

Abstract

A separable face mask structure is wearable on a face of a human body and includes a face mask to which a lower edge of an openable closure member is coupled by a stitching line. The face mask includes a coupling structure, which includes a plurality of magnetic elements respectively arranged in the interiors of counterpart portions of the main body and the interiors of attraction-attaching portions of the openable closure member so that the main body and the openable closure member comprises can be magnetically attached to each other to form hermetical closure therebetween. At least one open space is selectively formed between the main body and the openable closure member so that by releasing the magnetic elements of the attraction-attaching portions on two opposite side edges of the openable closure member allows the open space to provide communication between the human face and the external space.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a face mask, and more particularly to one that provides multiple functions for multiple uses through a separable coupling measure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The common environment in which people are living is generally full of air pollution and disease-transmitting bacteria. Face masks and mouth masks are commonly used in various applications, such as taking exercise, transportation, and working.
Face masks are generally used by people who are taking exercise for the purpose of warm keeping and sunburn protection, and also for blocking pollutants, such dirt, dust, and automobile exhaust. Mouth masks are often used in other applications, generally for blocking or reducing the influence of bacteria.
Wearing the face mask or mouth mask is generally uncomfortable due to ventilation being poor that results in localized rise of temperature and humidity. Although certain products that are currently available in the markets have been improved in this respect by modifying the material used and the structural arrangement involved so that the discomfort caused by wearing a mask is alleviated. However, for people who need to wear the mask for a long while and do activities that consume a great amount of physical strength and energy, it is often necessary to replenish water and food. This can only done by taking off the mask. Thus, it is desired to provide a face/mouth mask that allows for replenishment of resources without being taken off and this is the purpose of the development of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a separable face mask structure, which is wearable on a face of a human body. The face mask is generally made up of a main body operable in combination with an openable closure member. The main body has two opposite side edges provided with a plurality of counterpart portions. The openable closure member is provided with a plurality of attraction-attaching portions. A plurality of magnetic elements is respectively at opposite side edges of the main body and those of the openable closure member so that the face (mouth) mask is provided with a coupling structure. The openable closure member has a lower edge that is coupled by a stitching line to the main body. The coupling structure allows for quick release of magnetic attraction between the openable closure member and the main body, or alternatively for quick formation of hermetical attachment and sealing therebetween, so that an open space is selectively provided for communication between the face of the user and the external space.
With such an arrangement, the drawbacks of the prior art can be overcome and quick replenishment of water and food or ventilation of air can be achieved without taking off the face (mouth) mask.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a face mask according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a use condition of the face mask of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the face mask according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, in an enlarged form, showing a coupling structure of the face mask of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a face mask according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion of the face mask according to said another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, in an enlarged form, showing a coupling structure of the face mask according to said another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a use condition of a face mask according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described as follows, with reference being had to the attached drawings, in order to expound and enhance understanding of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1-7, the present invention provides a separable face mask structure, which is wearable on a face (31) of a user, wherein a face mask (1) comprises a main body (11) and an openable closure member (12). The openable closure member (12) has a lower edge (13) that is fixed, by means of a stitching line (14), to the main body (11). A coupling structure (2) is composed of a plurality of magnetic elements (211, 221) respectively mounted inside a plurality of attraction-attaching portions (21) of the openable closure member (12) and a plurality of counterpart portions (22) of the main body (11), where the plurality of counterpart portions (22) and the plurality of attraction-attaching portions (21) are arranged to correspond to each other so that the main body (11) and the openable closure member (12) are attachable to each other through magnetic attraction. At least one open space (3) is formed between the main body (11) and the openable closure member (12) so that when the plurality of magnetic elements (221) that is arranged on the inside surfaces of the plurality of attraction-attaching portions (21) arranged along two opposite side portions of the openable closure member (12) are released or detached, the open space (3) allows the face (31) of the user to contact and communicate with the external space (32).
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the stitching line (14) is formed by sewing the lower edge (13) of the openable closure member (12) to extend to leftward and rightward ends thereof thereby showing a horizontally arranged configuration, whereby the distance between the attraction-attaching portions (21) arranged at a left side and a right side of the openable closure member (12) may correspond to the distance between the counterpart portions (22) of the main body (11). Thus, the plurality of magnetic elements (211) arranged in the interiors of the attraction-attaching portions (21) and the plurality of magnetic elements (221) arranged in the interiors of the counterpart portions (22) may provide therebetween magnetic attraction so as to have the main body (11) and the openable closure member (12) magnetically attached to each other or detached from each other to form the open space (3), which allows the face (31) of the user inside the face mask (1) to communicate with the external space (32) for contacting and replenishing water directly or using for example a drinking straw (4).
Further referring to FIG. 4, the counterpart portions (22) of the main body (11) may be arranged, as illustrated in the drawings, to be of identical structures at the left side and right side of the main body (11) and the openable closure member (12). Further illustration given below will be referred to just one of the two sides. The counterpart portions (22) are divided into a first section (5) of the counterpart portions, a second section (51) of the counterpart portions, and a third section (52) of the counterpart portions, while the openable closure member (12) is provided with a first segment (53) of the attraction-attaching portions, a second segment (54) of the attraction-attaching portions, and a third segment (55) of the attraction-attaching portions. When the openable closure member (12) is attached and is hermetically closed on the main body (11), the first segment (53) of the attraction-attaching portions is set corresponding to and mating the first section (5) of the counterpart portions; the second segment (54) of the attraction-attaching portions is set corresponding to and mating the second section (51) of the counterpart portions; and the third segment (55) of the attraction-attaching portions is set corresponding to and mating the third section (52) of the counterpart portions and as such, hermetical attachment and sealing can be achieved in such a sequence through magnetism.
Referring to FIGS. 5-7, another embodiment is illustrated, in which the coupling structure (2) is embodied in a mouth mask (7). The mouth mask (7) similarly comprises a main body (11) and an openable closure member (12) and the main body (11) and the openable closure member (12) are coupled to each other by means of a stitching line (14) arranged along a lower edge (13). The main body (11) is similarly provided, on left and right sides thereof, with counterpart portions (22), where the counterpart portions (22) are divided into a first section (56) of the counterpart portions and a second section (57) of the counterpart portions. The openable closure member (12) is provided on left and right sides with counterpart portions (22), which are divided into a first segment (58) of the attraction-attaching portions and a second segment (59) of the attraction-attaching portions. To conduct an operation of detaching the openable closure member (12) from the main body (11), the magnetic attraction between the second segment (59) of the attraction-attaching portions and the second section (57) of the counterpart portions and between the first segment (58) of the attraction-attaching portions and the first section (56) of the counterpart portions is released sequentially so as to complete detachment therebetween, or in an opposite process, to have them hermetically attached to each other, both being readily accomplished with hands applying proper forces thereto.
Referring to FIG. 8, a further embodiment is illustrated. In the instant embodiment, illustration is given with reference to a face mask (1). The face mask (1) of this embodiment similarly comprises a main body (11) and an openable closure member (12). The openable closure member (12) has left and right edges (6) that are fixed by means of stitching lines (14). The main body (11) is provided, at a lower edge (13) thereof, with a coupling structure (2) with respect to the openable closure member (12). The main body (11) comprises counterpart portions (22) and the openable closure member (12) comprises attraction-attaching portions (21). A plurality of magnetic elements (211, 221) is respectively arranged in the interiors of these portions so that an open space (3) may be selectively formed at the lower edge (13) of the face mask (1) to allow a face (31) of a user to communicate with the external space (32). This provides additional flexibility of the arrangement of the coupling structure (2).
In summary, the present invention provides a number of counterpart portions (22) and a number of attraction-attaching portions (21) and a corresponding number of magnetic elements (211, 221). These numbers can be modified according to an actual product and do not need to exactly follow the description given herein. However, the lengths of the plurality of attraction-attaching portions (21) and the counterpart portions (22) are preferably identical so that a multi-stage arrangement may be achieved in releasing or closing the coupling structure (2), whereby the area for communication between a face (31) of a user inside the open space (3) and the external space (32) may be selectively changed, allowing for replenishment of for example water and food to be conducted without taking off the face/mouth mask (1) or for ventilation of air.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A separable face mask structure, which is wearable on a face of a human body, comprising:

a face mask, which comprises a main body and an openable closure member, the openable closure member having a lower edge that is coupled by a stitching line to the main body; a coupling structure, which comprises a plurality of magnetic elements arranged in the interiors of a plurality of attraction-attaching portions of the openable closure member and a plurality of counterpart portions of the main body in such a way that the plurality of counterpart portions and the plurality of attraction-attaching portions correspond, in position, to each other so that hermetical sealing is selectively formed between the main body and the openable closure member through magnetic attraction; and at least one open space, which is formed between the main body and the openable closure member so that the open space allows the face of the human body to communicate with an external space by releasing the plurality of magnetic elements arranged in the interiors of the plurality of attraction-attaching portions of opposite side portions of the openable closure member.

2. The separable face mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of attraction-attaching portions is arranged on a left side and a right side of the openable closure member.

3. The separable face mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the stitching line is formed by sewing the lower edge to extend opposite ends in a horizontally-arranged configuration.

4. The separable face mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of attraction-attaching portions and the counterpart portions have identical lengths so as to allows for releasing the plurality of attraction-attaching portions in a section by section manner and allows for change of an area of the open space for communication between the face of the human body and the external space.

5. The separable face mask structure according to claim 1, wherein the face mask is selectively embodied as a mouth mask.

6. A separable face mask structure, which is wearable on a face of a human body, comprising:

a face mask, which comprises a main body and an openable closure member, the openable closure member having left and right edges that are coupled by stitching lines to the main body; a coupling structure, which comprises a plurality of magnetic elements arranged in the interiors of a plurality of attraction-attaching portions of the openable closure member and a plurality of counterpart portions of the main body in such a way that the plurality of counterpart portions and the plurality of attraction-attaching portions correspond, in position, to each other so that hermetical sealing is selectively formed between the main body and the openable closure member through magnetic attraction; and at least one open space, which is formed between the main body and the openable closure member so that the open space allows the face of the human body to communicate with an external space by releasing the plurality of magnetic elements arranged in the interiors of the plurality of attraction-attaching portions of the lower edge of the openable closure member.

7. The separable face mask structure according to claim 6, wherein the face mask is selectively embodied as a mouth mask.