Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants – Head or face protector
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-04-10
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3733)
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Head or face protector
C128S858000, C002S009000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to the field of protective devices, and more particularly to a device for protecting the face of a wearer.
Protective devices allow people to live and work in a world that contains many dangerous conditions. For example, medical and dental care professionals are exposed to hazardous infectious pathogens on a daily basis. With the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other deadly diseases, the protection of these professionals from nasal and oral emissions, blood, and the like has become more critical than ever. Because each person's face includes regions of thin and penetrable membranes (e.g., eyes, nose, and mouth), this area is especially susceptible to contamination, and accordingly, should be afforded special protection from airborne contaminants and particulates.
Many face masks and protective devices have been developed in order to provide protection for the facial region. Typically, the devices designed to protect against splashed or sprayed liquids or other materials include a filter medium covering the nose and mouth of a wearer and may also incorporate a visor extending up from the filter medium to shield the wearer's eyes. In such devices, the bottom portion of the wearer's face is covered by the filter medium while the eyes and upper portion of the wearer's face are covered by a separate but attached plastic visor. One advantage of such devices is their integrated nature—one device fulfilling two separate functions.
However, such devices still do not solve all of the problems inherent in facial protection devices. Liquids are frequently sprayed or splashed towards the facial region of a wearer that may sometimes penetrate the layers of a facial mask or filtering medium subjecting the wearer to exposure. Masks and media have been developed which are somewhat successful in solving this problem by utilizing an increased number of layers or merely layers of thicker or treated material. However, such masks may not provide adequate protection for some operating environments and may prove uncomfortable to a wearer. Additionally, extra layers of thicker or treated materials add expense to the production of masks and can be impractical in an environment where disposable masks are required or preferred.
Devices incorporating a plastic visor to cover the upper portion of a wearer's face also fail to protect the wearer's skin exposed beneath the mask, for example, the neck region, from potentially hazardous fluids. This limitation has resulted in the misuse of such devices reducing their effectiveness; for example, a user may wear two devices simultaneously with the mask portions layered and one device upside down so that the inverted visor covers the region below the wearer's chin.
Accordingly, there is a need for an economical integrated device which can effectively shield a wearer from splashing or sprayed liquids and maintain wearer comfort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing disadvantages, and others, of prior art construction and methods.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved design for a device for protecting the face of a wearer. Additional 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.
In accordance with the objects and purposes of the present invention, a device is provided for protecting the face of a wearer. The device includes a gas pervious mask body having dimensions to fit over the nose and mouth of the wearer. A shield, for example a transparent plastic member, may be coupled to the gas pervious mask and is dimensioned to extend over the eyes of the wearer and also to cover the gas pervious mask. The shield is preferably constructed of a liquid-impermeable and lightweight material. The mask component of the device may comprise any conventional mask body. For example, the mask may comprise a single layer of material, multiple layers of material, and multiple combinations of different materials. Various examples of the mask component are set forth in the following description.
The mask also includes devices for attaching to the face of the wearer. Any manner of conventional attaching devices are within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the mask may include at least one strap for securing about the wearer's head. Alternatively, the mask may include straps extending from the top and bottom edges of the body for being tied around the wearer's head. In an alternative embodiment, the mask may include loops for being fitted over the ears of a wearer. A vast number of attaching devices are well known to those skilled in the art and any manner of such device may be incorporated in the present invention.
The mask may also be configured as any number of conventional masks. For example, in one particular embodiment, the mask may be formed as a generally rectangular mask body and have a number of lateral pleats formed therein to allow the mask to conform to the nose and mouth of the wearer. Alternatively, the mask may be formed as a cup or cone shaped mask body, or may be formed from two trapezoidal panels sealed along three edges. Various configurations and shapes of the mask are well known to those skilled in the art and any and all such conventional masks are within the scope and spirit of the invention.
The shield component is preferably coupled or attached to the gas pervious mask at bonding areas. In one embodiment, bonding areas are located on the side edges of the mask. Alternatively, the bonding area may be located on the central front portion of the mask and the attaching straps of the mask may be connected with the outer side edges of the shield. In both configurations, the shield is flexible enough to also conform to the face of the wearer in generally the same manner as the mask conforms to the face.
In an alternative embodiment, a strip of plastic film or the like may be attached between the shield and the mask generally above the nose and mouth of the wearer. This strip acts as a vapor barrier to prevent moisture vapors from rising between the outside of the mask and the inside of the shield, which would have a tendency to fog the inside of the shield.
The shield itself can take on various configurations and shapes depending on use of the device. For example, it may be preferred to define a bottom edge of the shield with an arcuate shape so as to allow for more freedom of movement of the wearer's head. Also, the shield may incorporate lobe portions that extend above and behind the ears of the wearer. These lobes would cause the mask to conform around the sides of the wearer's head and thus protect the peripheral area of the wearer's eyes. In an alternative embodiment, the shield may also comprise two separate shield portions attached to the mask in an overlying fashion. This embodiment may allow for more flexibility and movement of the shields.
It should be appreciated that a number of configurations and alternative embodiments may be employed in the present invention, and that the invention is not limited to any particular type of mask.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a number of embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4635628 (1987-01-01), Hubbard
patent: 5099525 (1992-03-01), Millauro
patent: 5406944 (1995-04-01), Gazzara
patent: 5596985 (1997-01-01), Collier
patent: 5720281 (1998-02-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5803075 (1998-09-01), Yavitz
patent: 6026511 (2000-02-01), Baumann
patent: 0650712 A1 (1995-05-01), None
patent: 0695774 A2 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 2683153 A1 (1993-05-01), None
PCT International Search Report dated Aug. 2, 1999 for International Application No. PCT/US99/09299, filed A
Brunson Kevin K.
Reese George D.
Brown Michael A.
Dority & Manning P.A.
Kimberly--Clark Worldwide, Inc.
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