Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Face mask covering a breathing passage
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-17
2003-11-11
Lo, Weilun (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Face mask covering a breathing passage
C128S205270
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644314
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to faces masks having improved comfort characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Wearing protective face masks of various configurations has become standard procedure in the health care and other related fields. The use of a face mask is important to protect both the patient and the health care practitioner. In addition, many industrial applications also require wearing protective face masks.
A vast array of face mask configurations are know to those skilled in the art. Exemplary face masks are described and shown, for example, in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,802,473; 4,969,457; 5,322,061; 5,383,450; 5,553,608; 5,020,533; and 5,813,398.
Much effort has been expended on developing face masks having improved filtration and/or sealing characteristics. For example, the molded mask illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,567 is especially configured to improve the seal around the edges of the mask. Pleated face mask designs have also been configured to improve the fit of the face mask, thereby attempting to reduce the passage of liquids and/or aerosols between the periphery of the mask and the wearer's face. Other designs sought to improve the seal around the wearer's face by using fluid-impervious flaps as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,608, and foam or adhesive tape placed around the periphery of the mask as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,270.
Improvements in filtration and sealing characteristics of a mask do not necessarily result in increased comfort and fit of the mask. While some advances have been made, improvement is still desirable with respect to comfort enhancing features of face masks. For instance, a primary complaint of wearers of face masks is that use of the mask for extended periods of time results in abrasion across the face at the contact points between the face mask and the wearer's skin, and more particularly, along the periphery of the mask. Such abrasion leads to chaffing and redness accompanied by discomfort. Thus, there exists a need for a face mask that maintains barrier properties while providing improved comfort to the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
The present invention relates to a face mask that provides enhanced comfort to the wearer while maintaining its barrier properties. The invention is not limited to any particular style or configuration of face mask, and includes rectangular masks, pleated masks, duck bill masks, cone masks, trapezoidal masks, etc. It should be appreciated that the benefits of the present invention can be incorporated into a variety of face mask configurations.
In accordance with the invention, the mask portion of the face mask includes at least one material having stretch and recovery characteristics so that the mask portion overall is extensible and retractable in one or more directions. A mask portion that is extensible and retractable in at least two directions is able to stretch across the face of the wearer from ear to ear and from nose to chin. This ability to extend and retract creates a better seal around the periphery of the mask portion and a more comfortable fit for the wearer.
The mask portion may be sized to fit over the nose, mouth, and/or cheeks of the wearer as desired. For example, with a generally rectangular mask, the mask portion has a top edge and a bottom edge, with the top edge adapted to fit over the nose and cheeks of the wearer and the bottom edge adapted to extend under the chin of the wearer. The mask portion may be a composite of several layers, at least one of which imparts the desired extensible and retractable characteristics to the mask portion.
The mask portion may include an outer layer, a layer having stretch and recovery characteristics (the “stretch and recovery” layer), a filtration layer, and an inner layer. The layers of the mask portion may be constructed from various conventional materials. For example, the inner layer and the outer layer may be a nonwoven material, such as a spunbonded, meltblown, or coform nonwoven web or a bonded carded web. The nonwoven material may be a necked material or a reversibly necked material. The inner layer and the outer layer may be made of the same material or different materials. The filtration layer may be a meltblown nonwoven web, and may more particularly be an electret. The filtration layer may alternatively be an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. In some embodiments, the filtration layer may have stretch and recovery characteristics, eliminating the need for an additional stretch and recovery layer. The layers of the composite may be joined by various methods, including adhesive bonding, stitchbonding, thermal bonding, or ultrasonic bonding, provided that the resulting composite is extensible and retractable.
The stretch and recovery layer may be one or a combination of suitable materials, such as a necked nonwoven web, a reversibly necked nonwoven web, and elastic materials including an elastic coform material, an elastic meltblown nonwoven web, a plurality of elastic filaments, an elastic film, or any combination thereof.
In some embodiments, resilient strips of material may be attached to and extend along each edge of the extensible and retractable mask portion for use in securing the mask to the wearer's face and to provide an enhanced fluid seal between the periphery of the mask portion and the wearer's face. The strips may be made of a material that is extensible and retractable to enhance the fit and comfort of the extensible and retractable mask portion.
The present invention may include any manner of element, such as ear loops, a continuous loop, surgical-style tie fasteners, or other elements for securing the mask to the face of the wearer. The securing element may be constructed of extensible and retractable material if desired. Where the mask incorporates resilient edge strips, the tie fasteners, ear loops, or other suitable securing elements may be attached to the respective resilient edge strips adjacent to each side of the mask portion.
A face mask in accordance with the present invention can incorporate any combination of known face mask features. For example, the mask portion may include an elongated malleable member disposed to allow configuring the top edge to closely fit the contours of the nose and cheeks of the wearer. Likewise, the face mask may have any configuration of an eye shield or visor. Further, the face mask may include a beard cover disposed to completely contain the beard of the wearer.
An extensible and retractable filtration composite particularly suited for face mask applications is also within the scope of the present invention. The filtration composite may be a composite of multiple layers or a composite of multiple materials in a single layer. In a multiple layer composite embodiment, the composite may include an outer nonwoven web layer, a stretch and recovery layer (which may be a filtration layer as well), and an inner nonwoven web layer. The stretch and recovery layer may be any material that possess sufficient stretch and recovery characteristics to impart the desired degree of “extensible and retractable” to the composite overall, including an elastic coform material, an elastic meltblown nonwoven web, a plurality of elastic filaments, an elastic film, or a combination thereof. The layers of the composite are joined such that the stretch and recovery layer imparts its properties to the overall composite.
DEFINITIONS
As used herein, the term “nonwoven fabric or web” means a web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable repeatable manner as in a knitted fabric. Nonwoven fabrics or webs have been formed from various processes such as, for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, and bonded carded web processes. The basis weight of nonwoven fabrics is usuall
Dority & Manning P.A.
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Lo Weilun
Mitchell Teena
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