Molded fiber disposable face mask having enhanced nose and chin filter-seals

• US 4,616,647 A
• Filed: 08/13/1984
• Issued: 10/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Parmelee Industries, Inc (Shelby Group International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Parmelee Industries, Inc (Shelby Group International, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCreadie, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US06/635,632
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.29, 128/206.12, 128/206.13, 128/206.14, 128/206.19, 128/206.28, 128/207.11, 128/206.24, 128/206.25
• US Class Current: 128/206.19
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1146 obtained by moulding

Abstract

A disposable face mask is made up of molded fibrous sheet material which is formed to define a generally cup-shaped main body having two spaced, generally parallel, integral, interior nose portions filter-seals which are strategically located to engage opposed sides of the nose of the wearer. The mask body also desirably has an elongated, integral interior chin portion filter-seal which is positioned to engage the face underneath the wearer'"'"'s chin. The nose and chin filter-seals cooperate to prevent passage of contaminated air beneath the peripheral edge of the mask and the user'"'"'s face. The elongated nose filter-seals are especially effective in preventing passage of contaminated air along paths of travel which extend from the nose bridge encompassing part of the mask to the user'"'"'s nostrils of mouth. The same is true of the chin filter-seal. The nose and chin portions preferably interconnect to form a continuous filter-seal around the periphery of the mask. In one embodiment, a groove comprised of crushed fibrous material delineates the elongated nose filter-seals from the remaining interior surface areas of the mask and assists in maintaining the generally cup shape of the mask.

Claims

1. In a disposable face mask adapted to filter air breathed by a user through either his nostrils or mouth, said mask being fabricated of integral porous sheet material molded to a configuration adapted to fit over the wearer'"'"'s mouth and under his chin with an upper narrowed, channel-defining segment configured to accommodate the wearer'"'"'s nose, the peripheral edge of the mask being of generally keyhole shaped configuration with the narrow channel segment terminating in an inverted V-edge which is adapted to fit over the bridge of the user'"'"'s nose and complementally engage the wearer'"'"'s cheeks on each side of his nose, the remaining peripheral edge of the mask being of generally semicircular shape and adapted to complementally fit against the wearer'"'"'s face along the sides of his cheeks and beneath his chin, the improvement of which comprises:

a generally U-shaped region integral with the interior of the channel-defining segment of the mask adjacent the periphery of said V-edge and having opposed, elongated, outwardly diverging legs presenting permeable nose filter-seals adapted to contact the wearer'"'"'s nose on opposite sides thereof and provide a seal against leakage of air between the nose filter-seal and the face of the wearer,

said nose filter seals being of substantially the same thickness as the remaining inward areas of the mask and presenting generally planar elongated surface portions configured to lie in flat engagement with the wearer'"'"'s face across the transverse width of each of the nose filter-seals when the latter are in normal compression against the wearer'"'"'s face; and

a U-shaped area of the channel-defining segment inboard of the U-shaped region thereof being compressed to a degree greater than the compression of said nose filter-seals when the latter are in normal compression against the wearer'"'"'s face to define a U-shaped groove complemental with said U-shaped region and having leg portions and separating said nose filter seal portions from the remaining inwardly lying areas of the mask, each of said nose filter-seals having an inboard edge defining an outboard side of the respective leg section of said groove, said leg sections of the groove terminating in proximal relationship to the outer terminal ends of the nose filter-seal leg portions and defining opposed, diverging passageways open to the interior of the mask when the latter is fitted in place over the wearer'"'"'s face for the discharge of air flowing through said nose filter-seal portions toward the wearer'"'"'s nose and mouth, the remaining portions of said channel-defining segment inboard of said U-shaped region spaced from the wearer'"'"'s face a distance such that when said mask is fitted to the wearer air may flow freely through said nose filter seals at any path transverse to the entire length thereof and travel along an unobstructed path transverse to respective longitudinal axes of said nose filter-seals and directly to the wearer'"'"'s nose,

said groove-defining U-shaped area of the channel-defining segment being cooperable with said nose filter-seal leg portions to maintain the normal shape of the mask.

2. The invention of claim 1;

and a permeable, generally C-shaped chin filter-seal region integral with the interior of the mask adapted to contact the wearer'"'"'s face under his chin and having end sections terminating above the chin to an area adjacent the mouth and provide a seal against leakage of air between the chin filter-seal and the face of the wearer,

said chin filter-seal region being of substantially the same thickness as the remaining inward areas of the mask and presenting an elongated portion adapted for flat engagement with the wearer'"'"'s face when in normal compression against the latter; and

the sheet material making up the mask being provided with a substantially C-shaped groove complemental with and disposed inwardly of said chin filter-seal and separating said chin filter-seal region from the remaining inward areas of the mask, said groove having leg sections terminating in proximal relationship to the outer terminal ends of said chin filter-seal region thereby defining a passageway for the discharge of air flowing through said chin filter-seal toward the wearer'"'"'s nose and mouth.