WO2018025004A1

WO2018025004A1 - Face mask

Info

Publication number: WO2018025004A1
Application number: PCT/GB2017/000114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Samuel GUO
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (Brands) Limited
Priority date: 2016-08-02
Filing date: 2017-07-21
Publication date: 2018-02-08
Also published as: GB201613309D0; GB2552674A

Abstract

A mask comprises a face covering (2), formed to provide tubing (3) along two opposite portions thereof, with elongated flexible means (4) having ends attached through the two separate opposite portions. Said flexible means is detached from the covering for a substantial distance from the termini of the tubing to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer. The portions of the covering are slidably connected to said flexible means. Each portion of tubing has an aperture (5) at a portion thereof, through which the flexible means is accessible by being pulled therethrough to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer.

Description

FACE MASK

The present disclosure relates generally to face masks, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to face masks with loops.

A wide range of protective face masks are available. Most face masks have a panel intended to cover a user's mouth and nostrils. The panel serves as a filter to prevent undesirable contaminants and pathogens from being inhaled by the wearer. Usually the panel is a fibrous filtering material with microscopic openings that is sandwiched between two air-permeable outer layers. The fibrous filtering material may filter contaminates while the two outer layers protect the fibrous filtering material. The two outer layers may be formed from a polymer-based fabric.

Various means are known to hold the panel in place over the user's mouth and nostrils. Most commonly, the panel is held in place with tie straps or earloops. For example, U.S. Pat. No.4,941,470, granted Jul. 17, 1990 to Hubbard et al., discloses a face mask having a fabric panel held in place by a pair of earloops. The earloops are fabricated from a layer of elastically deformable heat malleable material. Each of the earloops are attached to the fabric panel on one side thereof with a heat formed seal. That is, the earloops and the fabric panel are bonded together by applying heat to the juncture of the free ends of the earloops and the fabric panel.

Users of face masks of the type disclosed in the patent above are dissatisfied with the "one size fits all" approach. For some people the earloops are too tight. For some people the earloops are too loose. Either situation causes discomfort, including headaches and ear pain. Plus in some cases the user is distracted from the task being performed because the constant need to readjust the mask. In some instances, wearers may unwisely choose not to wear the face masks because of the discomfort / distraction caused thereby. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the issues outlined above. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a mask comprising a face covering, formed to provide tubing along two opposite portions thereof, with elongated flexible means having ends attached through the two separate opposite portions, said flexible means being detached from the covering for a substantial distance from the terminii of the tubing to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer, the

l portions of the covering being slidably connected to said flexible means, characterized in that each portion of tubing has an aperture at a portion thereof, through which the flexible means is accessible by being pulled therethrough to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer.

The mask of the invention has found to be particularly advantageous in that it offers flexibility in operation / wearing for a user. The user can wear the mask of the invention with the flexible means being used as ear straps or as head straps. Such flexibility accommodates the preferences of the individual user. Further it permits for a huge range of adjustment for users of any size; particularly users having smaller / larger heads / ears.

This flexibility has been found to greatly reduce / eliminate the discomfort / distraction caused by the wearing of the mask in use. As such the mask adoption rate (and associated safety for the user) has been found to be greatly increased.

The face covering is preferably dimensioned to fit over a user's mouth and most preferably over a moth nose when used.

The face covering may be soft. Namely it is un-moulded / not pre-formed into any shape. In use the soft face covering covers the mouth and nose of a user whilst adapting to the shape of the user's face (especially the mouth and nose areas).

The face covering may be moulded. A preferred moulding comprises a cup shape. The face covering is preferably formed to maintain the cup-shaped profile in a size sufficient to cover the mouth and nose of a user with a certain space reserved between the central part of the mask and the mouth and nose for comfortable use. For example, a cup that can be used with comfort has a diameter of approximately 8 to 15 cm and the height of the convex portion is approximately 5 to 8 cm. The face covering preferably comprises multiple layers made of unwoven cloths. Such cloths generally comprise polyester and / or polypropylene. The outer layer(s) of the face covering may comprise a non-woven material or a woven cloth.

It is preferable to provide a nose grip at the nose portion of the face covering. The nose grip is intended to be easily deformed to the various shape of nose to ensure close contact of the face mask to the nose part of the user, thus providing better airtightness This nose grip generally comprises a piece / strip of a metal such as aluminum.

The elongated flexible means have a function to secure the mask body 2 onto the face to ensure close contact to the face with a certain degree of tightness to allow the air to pass only through the mask and prevent intrusion of the air from the periphery of the mask. In consideration of this point, natural or synthetic rubber is generally used as the main material for the elongated flexible means. The preferable modulus of elasticity is 0.1 to 3 mm²/g. The elongated flexible means are preferably formed to be cylindrical or elliptical in their cross section. This shape of the elongated flexible means is intended to eliminate the pain to the ears / head when the face mask is used. The elongated flexible means have the linear length of 15 to 40 cm.

As the material of the elongated flexible means, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, fluorovinylidene, or silicone resin can be used.

Preferably the tubing comprises an extension of the face covering. The face covering is rolled over and secured (e.g. by stitching) to form the tubing. Alternatively the tubing may comprises a separate member which is attached to the face covering. Such a separate member may comprise a plastics material comprising the tubing. The separate member may be attached to the face covering by any means, e.g. by gluing. In use it has been found that it is facile to adjust the face mask of the invention from a first arrangement in which it is intended to be worn (and attached) around a head of a user and a second arrangement in which it is intended to be worn (and attached) around the ears of a user.

This is preferably achieved as follows, Staring from the head arrangement, in which the elongated flexible means, extends along the tubing, the elongated flexible means is preferably grasped by a user through the aperture and pulled therefthough. In doing so the orientation of the elongated flexible means is altered so that it such wearing (attachment) around the ears of a user. To return to the ear arrangement, the elongated flexible means is grasped and pulled along the axis of the tubing. In doing so the elongated flexible means is pulled back though the aperture so that it extends along the tubing.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of using a mask according to the first aspect of the invention comprising wearing on a user's face. The invention shall be described with reference to the following drawings in which:- Fig 1 shows a plan view of a device according to the invention.

Fig 1 shows a mask (1) according to the invention. The mask (1) comprises a face covering (2), formed to provide tubing (3) along two opposite portions thereof. Elongated flexible means (4) having ends attached through the two separate opposite portions, are detached from the covering for a substantial distance from the terminii of the tubing (3) to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer.

The portions of the covering (2), are slidably connected to said flexible means (4).

Each portion of tubing (3) has an aperture (5) at a portion thereof, through which the flexible means (4) is accessible by being pulled therethrough to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer. Staring from the head arrangement, in which the elongated flexible means (4), extends along the tubing (3), the elongated flexible means is preferably grasped by a user through the aperture (5) and pulled therefthough. In doing so the orientation of the elongated flexible means (4) is altered so that it such wearing (attachment) around the ears of a user.

To return to the ear arrangement, the elongated flexible means (4) is grasped and pulled along the axis of the tubing (3). In doing so the elongated flexible means (4) is pulled back though the aperture (5) so that it extends along the tubing (3).

Claims

1. A mask comprising a face covering, formed to provide tubing along two opposite portions thereof, with elongated flexible means having ends attached through the two separate opposite portions, said flexible means being detached from the covering for a substantial distance from the terminii of the tubing to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer, the portions of the covering being slidably connected to said flexible means, characterized in that each portion of tubing has an aperture at a portion thereof, through which the flexible means is accessible by being pulled therethrough to provide loops for engagement over the head of the wearer.

2. A mask according to claim 1, wherein the face covering is moulded into a cup shape.

3. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the face covering comprises multiple layers made of unwoven cloths.

4. A mask according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the mask comprises a nose grip at the nose portion of the face covering.

5. A mask according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubing comprises an extension of the face covering. The face covering is rolled over and secured (e.g. by stitching) to form the tubing.

6. A method of using a mask according to any one of the preceding claims comprising application to and / or wearing on a user's face.