Dispensing assembly and method for producing single piece face mask

• US 20040121107A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: O&M Halyard, Inc. (Owens and Minor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Naveen, Willis, Jeffrey M., Bell, Daryl Steven, Amante, Michael Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/43
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2300/32 using hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1161 Means for fastening to the user's head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/00 Surgical drapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 23/025 the filter having substantially the shape of a mask surgical face masks A41D13/11
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/00 Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents dispensing means incorporated in removable or non-permanently secured container closures B65D47/00; for shops, stores, offices, bars, or the like A47F1/04; showcases or show cabinets with dispensing arrangements A47F3/02; magazines for screws or nuts in combination with spanners, wrenches or screwdrivers B25B23/06; for use in connection with the handling of sheets, webs, or filamentary material B65H
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/82 Separable, striplike plural articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 including aperture

Abstract

A method of producing a plurality of face masks is provided. The method includes the step of providing a continuous web that is of the same material throughout. A plurality of body portions are stamped from the continuous web so that each of the plurality of face masks has one body portion. A plurality of left extension portions are stamped from the continuous web so that each of the body portions has one left extension portion integrally attached thereto. A plurality of right extension portions are stamped from the continuous web so that each of the body portions has one right extension portion integrally attached thereto. A dispenser assembly for dispensing face masks is also provided. The assembly includes a core and a roll of face masks that are rotatably disposed on the core. As least one of the face masks includes a body portion and left extension portion that is integrally attached to the body portion. A right extension portion is integrally attached to the body portion.

Claims

1. A method of producing face masks, comprising:

providing a continuous web of material; and

die cutting a plurality of face masks from said continuous web of material, said face masks comprising a body portion, a left extension portion integrally attached to said body portion, and a right extension portion integrally attached to said body portion.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising die cutting an aperture in said left extension portion, and die cutting an aperture in said right extension portion.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising:

providing a second web of material made of a different material than said continuous web of material; and

attaching said second web of material to said continuous web of material.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising die cutting a perforation between each face mask such that said plurality of face masks are disengaged from one another by tearing said perforation between said face masks.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising:

die cutting a right punch out member in said right extension portion such that at least one perforation exists between said right punch out member and said right extension portion; and

die cutting a left punch out member in said left extension portion such that at least one perforation exists between said left punch out member and said left extension portion.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, comprising die cutting at least three face masks across a width of said continuous web of material.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said continuous web of material comprises a plurality of layers.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said plurality of layers comprise different materials.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body portion, said left extension portion, and said right extension portion are extensible and retractable in at least one direction.

10. A method of producing a plurality of face masks, comprising:

providing a continuous web of the same material;

stamping a plurality of body portions from said continuous web such that each face mask has one body portion;

stamping a plurality of left extension portions from said continuous web such that each of said body portions has one left extension portion integrally attached thereto; and

stamping a plurality of right extension portions from said continuous web such that each of said body portions has one right extension portion integrally attached thereto.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

stamping an aperture in each of said left extension portions; and

stamping an aperture in each of said right extension portions.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

providing a second web of material different from said continuous web of material; and

attaching said second web of material to said continuous web of material.

13. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein one of said left extension portions from one of said face masks is proximate to one of said right extension portions from another of said face masks and further comprises a perforation between said left and right extension portions so that said face masks are disengaged from one another by tearing said perforation between two face masks.

14. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

stamping a right punch out member in said right extension portion such that at least one perforation exists between said right punch out member and said right extension portion; and

stamping a left punch out member in said left extension portion such that at least one perforation exists between said left punch out member and said left extension portion.

15. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said continuous web of material comprises a plurality of layers.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said plurality of layers comprise different materials.

17. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said body portion, said left extension portion, and said right extension portion are extensible and retractable in at least one direction.

18. A dispenser assembly for dispensing face masks, comprising:

a housing;

a core carried by said housing; and

a roll of face masks rotatably disposed on said core, at least one of said face masks comprising;

a body portion;

a left extension portion integrally attached to said body portion;

a right extension portion integrally attached to said body portion.

19. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said roll of face masks is a continuous web of material having said face masks disposed therein.

20. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said roll of face masks has one of said left extension portions of one of said face masks proximate to one of said right extension portions of another of said face masks and further comprises a perforation between said right and left extension portions so that said face masks are disengaged from one another by tearing said perforation between said face masks.

21. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said roll of face masks has a length and a width so that three of said face masks are disposed across the width of said roll of face masks.

22. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said left extension portion of each face mask comprises an aperture therethrough, and said right extension portion of each face mask comprises an aperture therethrough.

23. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein each of said left and right extension portions comprise punch out members.

24. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said core is cylindrical in shape.

25. The dispenser assembly of claim 18, wherein said roll of face masks are dispensed from said core by pulling a leading face mask from said roll of face masks and disengaging said leading face mask from a trailing face mask.

26. The dispenser assembly of claim 19, wherein said roll of face masks are dispensed from said core by disengaging one of said face masks from said continuous web of material.

27. A roll of face masks, comprising a continuous web of material having a plurality of face masks disposed therein, at least one of said plurality of face masks has a body portion and a left extension portion integrally attached to said body portion and a right extension portion integrally attached to said body portion.

28. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein each face mask body portion comprises said left extension portion and said right extension portion integrally attached to said body portion.

29. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, comprising a perforation disposed between said face masks for disengaging said face masks from one another by tearing said perforation between said face masks.

30. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein said continuous web of material has a length and a width, and wherein three different face masks of said plurality of face masks are located across the width of said roll of face masks.

31. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein each of said left and right extension portions comprise an aperture.

32. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein each of said left and right extension portions comprise punch out members.

33. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein said continuous web of material is rolled into a substantially cylindrical shape having a substantially cylindrical cavity extending there-through.

34. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 27, wherein said continuous web of material comprises material located between said plurality of face masks.

35. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 30, wherein said plurality of face masks are located in three rows across said width of said continuous web, and wherein all of said plurality of face masks are evenly spaced along said length of said continuous web.

36. The roll of face masks as set forth in claim 30, wherein said plurality of face masks are located in three rows across said width of said continuous web, and wherein at least one of said rows is staggered along the length of said continuous web with respect to the other of said rows.