Face masks having an elastic and polyolefin thermoplastic band attached thereto by heat and pressure

• US 6,332,465 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Xue, Jianxian, Casar, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISS JR, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/324,412
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.14, 128/205.27, 128/206.12, 128/206.19, 128/206.21, 128/206.28, 128/207.11, 128/205.25, 128/206.13, 442/181, 442/182, 442/184, 442/204, 442/306, 428/222
• US Class Current: 128/207.11
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1146 obtained by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1161 Means for fastening to the user's head
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/084 Means for fastening gas-masks to heads or helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 23/025 the filter having substantially the shape of a mask surgical face masks A41D13/11
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/10 using hot gases (e.g. combustion gases) or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/106 using flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/532 Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5326 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/712 the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2009/00 Use of rubber derived from conjugated dienes, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/00 Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/4835 : Masks

Abstract

A filtration face mask 10 that comprises a mask body 20 and a band 30. The mask body is adapted to cover the nose and mouth of a wearer and that comprises polyolefin containing fibers. The band 30 comprises an elastic constituent and a fibrous thermoplastic constituent. The fibrous thermoplastic constituent has a melting point of about 250° C. or less and is a polyolefin or a substituted polyolefin. The band is attached to the mask body by heat and pressure at securement points 23.

Claims

1. A filtration face mask that comprises:

a mask body that is adapted to cover a mouth and nose of a wearer and that comprises polyolefin containing fibers; and

a band that comprises an elastic polyisoprene constituent and a fibrous thermoplastic constituent, the fibrous thermoplastic constituent having a melting point of about 250°

C. or less and being selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, substituted polyolefins, and combinations thereof, the elastic polyisoprene constituent and the thermoplastic constituent being knitted, woven, or braided together, the band being attached to the mask body by the application of heat and pressure.

2. The face mask of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic constituent comprises polypropylene.

3. The face mask of claim 1, wherein the band comprises a braided band.

4. The face mask of claim 3, wherein the band comprises a triaxial braided band.

5. The face mask of claim 3, wherein the elastic constituent is an elastic thread and the thermoplastic constituent is a thermoplastic yarn.

6. The face mask of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic yarn is braided around the elastic thread.

7. The face mask of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic constituent has a melting point of about 225°

C. or less.

8. The face mask of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic constituent is present at about 20 to 80% by weight of the band.

9. The face mask of claim 8, wherein the thermoplastic constituent is present at about 20 to 50% by weight of the band.

10. The face mask of claim 1, wherein when worn by a user, the mask body has an inner surface oriented toward a user'"'"'s face and an outer surface oriented away from a user'"'"'s face, the mask body includes a filtering layer which is made of a thermoplastic material.

11. The face mask of claim 10, wherein the filtering layer comprises polypropylene.

12. The face mask of claim 1, wherein when worn by a user, the mask body has an inner surface oriented toward a user'"'"'s face and an outer surface oriented away from a user'"'"'s face, the outer surface comprising a thermoplastic material.

13. The face mask of claim 12, wherein the outer surface comprises a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, and nylons.

14. The face mask of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polypropylene.

15. A method of making a filtering face mask, which method comprises:

(a) providing a mask body that is adapted to cover a nose and mouth of a wearer and that comprises polyolefin-containing fibers;

(b) providing a band that comprises a combination of an elastic polyisoprene constituent and a fibrous thermoplastic constituent, the combination providing a knitted, woven, or braided band, the thermoplastic constituent having a melting point less than 250°

C. and comprising a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and substituted polyolefins; and

(c) welding the band to the mask body at the desired point.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a band that comprises a combination of an elastic constituent and a thermoplastic constituent comprises providing a band of thermoplastic yarn braided around the elastic thread.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a band that comprises a combination of an elastic constituent and a thermoplastic constituent comprises providing a band of polyisoprene thread and polypropylene yarn.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of welding the band to the mask body at the desired point comprises welding the band to the mask body by ultrasonic welding.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the band is welded to the mask body at a weld strength that exceeds 4 pounds.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the band is welded to the mask body at a weld strength that exceeds 5 pounds.