This invention is in the field of personal protective equipment for infectious diseases such as airborne viruses.
With the recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, there has been intense interest in personal protective equipment. Although the prior art contains numerous examples of various types of biohazard suits, such suits tend to be uncomfortable for prolonged periods. Thus, alternative personal protective equipment (PPE) designs that are more comfortable to wear are desirable.
The invention was inspired, in part, by the insight that prior art facemasks and biohazard suits, at least with regards to the face mask portion, tend to be “one size fits all.” However, in addition to differences in height and weight, different users also have quite differing facial structures. The length and width of the human face can vary. This variation can include differences in the size and position of the nose, mouth, and eyes. The structures of the forehead size, jaw size, and other features can also differ. Additionally, some users wear glasses (which themselves can have varying sizes and shapes), and some do not.
Another problem is that prior art facemasks generally bind tightly to various regions of the user's face, causing discomfort on prolonged use. Face shields, on the other hand, tend to trap moisture in the user's breath, leading to fogging and excess condensation.
The invention was also inspired, in part, by the insight that what is needed is an improved biohazard suit type PPE that allows a user to switch between different face shield designs rapidly. According to the invention, if the user is wearing glasses, the user may rapidly configure the PPE device to a face mask side to minimize fogging. If the user has a face with unusual contours, the user may wish to use a face mask side configured to provide ample room. If the user intends to eat or drink, the user may wish to use a face mask side configured to open and shut again as desired.
Thus, as will be discussed, in some embodiments, the invention comprises a PPE device configured with a rotating face cover assembly with a plurality of mask sides. These different mask sides can be configured for different user faces or other use cases. This rotating face cover assembly can be further configured to attach to a zip-up bodysuit that covers the user's entire body, enabling the user to avoid contamination while exposed to airborne infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. However, by rotating the rotating face cover assembly, the user can rapidly select the mask side best optimized for a given user.
Thus, in some embodiments, the invention is a PPE device (120) configured for different types of human users. In addition to differences in their height, weight, these different types of users may also differ in the position or dimensions of their nose, mouth, or eye regions of their faces.
As previously discussed, and as shown in more detail in
Here, the plurality of mask sides (134a, 134b, 134c) are disposed between the circular base (132) and the mask top (138); and are connected to their neighboring mask sides, the circular base (132), and the mask top (138) to form a continuous covering surrounding all sides and head top of different types of user's heads;
In some embodiments, the circular base (132) and the circular collar (136) are configured with an adjustable mechanism enabling different mask sides to be positioned in front of the face of the users.
This adjustable mechanism can be various slots and tabs (135s) in the circular base (132) and circular collar (136) that enables the assembly (130) to fit into the circular base at various defined orientations, a sliding mechanism, or other types of mechanism. Here for simplicity, the multiple slots and tabs are shown, positioned at 90-degree angles on the circular base and circular collar.
In some embodiments, each mask side (134a, 134b, 134c) may be configured with a microbial filter element, a transparent element (which form the outline of the mask side itself), and various mask side supporting elements (135e) that are configured to shape portions of the surface of the mask side so that, when a user wears the mask, the surface of the mask side does not contact a nose, mouth, or eyes of at least one type of user;
In some embodiments, each different mask side (e.g. 134a, 134b) may have different mask side supporting elements (135e). These enable a first mask side, such as 134a, to be optimized to maintain a first set of distances between the mask side and the nose, mouth, or eyes of a first type of human user. Similarly, a different mask side, such as 134b, may be optimized to maintain a different set of distances between this other mask side and the nose, mouth, or eyes of a different human user. This allows different users to select among different mask sides (e.g., 134a, 134b, 134c, etc.) that are most comfortable for each user's head geometry, eyewear, or use situation.
In some embodiments, the mask sides may comprise a transparent air-impermeable portion and a non-transparent air-permeable microbial filter. For example, in
For example, the non-transparent air-permeable microbial filter (135ls) may comprise spunbond-meltblown polypropylene. In situations where both mask sides (135us and 135ls) include a transparent, air-permeable microbial filter, this transparent air-permeable microbial filter may comprise at least one microporous layer.
In some embodiments, the plurality of mask sides can comprise at least three mask sides (such as 134a, 134b, 134c, etc.), and these three mask sides are disposed along different arc segments of the circular base (132). As previously discussed, this circular base (132) is configured to attach to the circular collar (136) at any of at least three different orientations. Typically, these at least three different orientations are spaced evenly apart along the circular base and circular collar. Alternatively, the circular base (132) can to attach to the circular collar (136) at one orientation. The base can then rotate about the circular collar to position the desired mask side in front of the user's face.
Note that in some embodiments, at least one of the mask sides may be detachable mask sides. These detachable mask sides may be configured to be attached and detached from the rotating face cover assembly (130) through any of snaps (135f), buttons, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners. In some cases, the face mask side may be semi-detachable, such as detachable from the circular base, but not detachable from the mask top. Instead the mask side may be attached to the mask top via a hinge (135h), so that the mask side may be temporarily raised for the user to eat or drink (160). This mask side can then be closed when the user has finished eating or drinking. Thus, in this embodiment, at least one mask may be configured to be raised and lowered in a “visor style” fashion.
In most embodiments, the PPE device (120) is configured so that a first type of human user can adjust a first mask side (such as 134a) in front of the first type of human user's face. A different type of human user can adjust a different mask side (such as 134b) in front of the different type of human user's face. As previously discussed, the circular collar (136) is attached to a zip-up bodysuit (140). This bodysuit (140) is configured to fit over the user's body. This zip-up bodysuit is typically comprised of microbial impermeable materials (such as a biohazard compatible fabric) to further protect the user from microbial contamination, such as viral contamination, from virus sources outside the user's body.
Note that in regions where two zippers join, such as (144), where (142a and 142b), there may be a need to ensure that the two zippers remain shut and do not leak. This joint region (144) is shown magnified in (144a). Here the two zipper heads may be held closed by magnetic clasps or by hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro® fasteners (144b).
Put alternatively, as shown in
In still other embodiments, a partially detachable mask may be attached to a hook, button, clasp, or other attachment mechanism that is attached on a hood, so that the detachable may be removed for eating or drinking, yet remain attached to the hood so that the detachable mask will need not be lost.
Velcro® is a registered trademark of Velcro BVBA.
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20210052922 A1 | Feb 2021 | US |