PROTECTIVE FACE SHIELD

Abstract

A face shield to protect an individual from being spayed in the face and against inhaling germs and other foreign bodies is also disposable after use. The face shield is adapted to be mounted on the head of a user and provides sufficient space for the user to don eyeglasses and a mask. The face shield may be made of a disposable sheet of relatively thin paperboard and includes a window for viewing by the user. The face shield can be inexpensively and quickly manufactured in significant quantities. This enables the face shield to be removed and discarded after a single use and replaced by an identical face shield.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to the field of face shields. More particularly, this invention relates to a disposable paperboard face shield with a window and an adjustable headband.

Face shields are used in a variety of industries to prevent the splatter of liquids or materials against a user's face. For instance, these types of shields are commonly used in medical and dental applications during assessment, diagnosis, procedures or surgeries to prevent splatter of a patient's blood or other bodily fluids in the wearer's face. During an operation, a face shield that is soiled, dirtied, or contaminated needs to be quickly disposed of and replaced with a clean face shield. Therefore, it is most convenient to have disposable face shields made of inexpensive materials that can quickly be replaced.

Face shields can be mounted to a user's head by a number of different mechanisms, for instance, by frames similar to those used for glasses, or other hooks or loops. Alternatively, straps or strings can be used to secure the shield to the user's head. Many shields feature elastic straps as they allow for stretchability to conform to different shaped heads. Elastic straps may be attached directly to the shield by glue or other fasteners, which prevents adjustability. However, a face shield with an adjustable mounting mechanism is appealing as it makes it easier for a wide variety of individuals to comfortably wear the same style of face shield.

Another prevalent issue with face shields is that they easily fog due to the user's breathing. Obviously, this is a problem when a user needs a clear view during a medical procedure. Some shields have provided vent holes or openings along the top of the shield, for instance, along the cushion or barrier between the shield and the user's forehead. Such configurations allow for greater air movement between the shield and the user's face. Still, there is risk that splatter could enter these holes. Therefore, it is desirable to have a face shield that prevents fogging of the shield while minimizing the risk of splash contamination into holes in the face shield.

There is a growing concern by medical professionals of being exposed to many types of germs and viruses which are found in bodily fluids, saliva and blood; hepatitis and AIDS in particular. There is also a critical concern regarding the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 through airborne particles or physical contact and the need for protection from treating professionals and others since these medical people are in contact with patients who may have communicable diseases.

In view of the increased awareness by both physicians and patients of the dangers of disease transmission and of the need for protection, it is preferred by both patients and physicians to have the physician use a new sterile shield for each patient. As desirable as this is from a safety standpoint, it adds to the already growing cost of medical care. The relatively bulky nature of the shield also creates a storage problem since a large number of shields would have to be made available. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by this invention.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a low-cost medical face shield which can be discarded after one use.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a low-cost medical face shield in which a large number of shields can be manufactured quickly and transported and stored in a relatively compact manner.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a medical face shield which is simple in construction and which is easy to use.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A face shield according to various embodiments of this invention addresses these and other shortcomings in the prior art. A face shield of this invention protects an individual from being spayed in the face and against inhaling germs and other foreign bodies. The face shield is also disposable after use. The face shield is adapted to be mounted on the head of a user and provides sufficient space for the user to don eyeglasses and a mask. The face shield may be made of a disposable sheet of relatively thin paperboard and includes a window for viewing by the user. The face shield can be inexpensively and quickly manufactured in significant quantities. This enables the face shield to be removed and discarded after a single use and replaced by an identical face shield prior to treatment of a new patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a protective face shield according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the face shield of FIG. 1 being worn by a user;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a blank used to construct the face shield of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a blank used to construction a first component of a second embodiment of a face shield according to this invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a blank used to construct a second component of the second embodiment of the face shield according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of a face shield according to this embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the print side of a blank for forming the face shield of FIGS. 6-7;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the non-print side of the blank of FIG. 8; and

FIGS. 10A-10C are sequential views of erecting the face shield of FIGS. 6-7 from the blank of FIGS. 8-9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of a face shield 10 according to this invention is shown. The face shield 10 is constructed from a blank 12 shown in FIG. 3 according to one embodiment. The print side of the blank 12 is shown in FIG. 3 and an opposite non-print side of the blank 12 is opposite from the print side, but not shown in FIG. 3. The blank 12 includes a centrally located window aperture 22 which is bordered laterally on each side by a side panel 24, 24. Beneath the window aperture 22 and between the two side panels 24 is a bottom panel 26. A bottom flap 28 extends downwardly and is joined to the bottom panel 26 by a bottom flap fold line 29. The bottom panel 26 is joined to the respective side panels 24, 24 by bottom panel fold lines 31, 31. The side panels 24, 24 are also joined together by a top panel 30. The top panel 30 is joined to the respective side panels 24, 24 by top panel fold lines 33, 33, each of which is generally colinear with an extension of the associated bottom panel fold line 31, 31.

One of a pair of headband arms 32, 32 extends laterally from each side panel 24. One headband arm 32 has a downward notch 34 on a bottom edge thereof and the complementary headband arm 32 has a series of spaced upward notches 36 on an upper edge thereof.

The face shield 10 is worn by a user 14 as shown in FIG. 2 to protect the frontal and side portions of the user's face from spray contaminants or other flying objects which would otherwise impact and/or be inhaled or ingested the user 14. The face shield 10 includes a shield portion and an offset member 16 positioned against the user's forehead to provide a spacing from the shield portion of the face shield 10 so a user 14 may continue to wear one or more other articles including his or her glasses 18, a facemask 20 and/or other equipment without interference from the face shield 10.

The window aperture 22 is covered by a transparent film 22a forming a windowpane which is glued proximate its perimeter to a non-print side of the blank 12. In one embodiment, the transparent film 22a may be a 2.0 ml cellophane sheet. The fold lines 31, 33 are positioned inboard of the lateral edges of the window 22 to provide for peripheral vision of the user 14 when the face shield 10 is worn.

The offset member 16 of the face shield 10 is erected from a series of components of the blank 12 extending upwardly from the top panel 30. Specifically, according to one embodiment of this invention, an offset member top panel 38 is joined to the top panel 30 along a top panel fold line 35. A forehead panel 40 is joined to the offset member top panel 38 by an arcuate offset member top panel fold line 37. A series of ridges or embossed lines 39 may be formed in the forehead panel 40 to offer convenient bending or articulation of the offset member 16 against the user's 14 forehead.

An offset member bottom panel 42 is joined to an upper edge of the forehead panel 40 by a forehead panel fold line 41. An offset member flap 44 is joined to an upper edge of the offset member bottom panel 42 by an offset member bottom panel fold line 43.

A pair of wings 46, 46 each extend upwardly from one of the side panels 24 and each is joined thereto by a wing fold line 45. Each wing 46 is connected to a gusset panel 48 along an oblique fold line 47. Each gusset panel 48 may have a series of parallel embossed lines 49 to enhance the rigidity of the gusset panel 48. Each gusset panel 48 is connected to the offset member top panel 38 by a gusset panel fold line 51.

The face shield 10 according to embodiments of this invention, examples of which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed from the blank 12 of FIG. 3 by folding the bottom flap 28 upwardly about the bottom flap fold line 29 so that the non-print side of the bottom flap 28 and the non-print side of the bottom panel 26 are adhered together in face-to-face juxtaposition by appropriate glue or adhesive. In various embodiments of this invention, the face shield 10 and associated blank 12 are each formed from an integral piece of paperboard, with the exception of the windowpane 22a.

The wings 46, gusset panels 48, offset member top panel 38, forehead panel 40, offset member bottom panel 42 and offset member flap 44 are all folded downwardly along the wing fold lines 45 and the top panel fold line 35 so that the non-print side of each wing 46 is glued to the non-print side of the associated side panel 24. Likewise, the print side of the offset member flap 44 is glued to the non-print side of the top panel 30 while the offset member top panel 38, forehead panel 40 and offset member bottom panel 42 are each folded about the respective fold lines 37, 41, and 43.

In this configuration, the blank 12 may be laid flat as a non-erected face shield when the wings 46, offset member flap 44 and bottom flap 28 are glued in place as described hereinabove. The offset member 16 is collapsed along fold lines 35 and 41 and the non-erected face shield is in a generally flat configuration. Therefore, the non-erected face shield can be conveniently shipped in a compact, flat configuration and stored in that configuration until it is ready to be erected and used.

The flattened or non-erected face shield may be erected by a user 14 by folding the side panels 24 inwardly toward one another along the fold lines 31 and 33. By doing so, the gusset panels 48 will pull the forehead panel 40 upwardly thereby erecting the offset member 16 of the face shield 10. In the erected configuration, the offset member bottom panel 42 and offset member top panel 38 are generally parallel to one another. The user 14 may then place his or her forehead against the forehead panel 40 and pull the headband arms 32, 32 around their head so as to couple the downward notch 34 with one of the upward notches 36 to appropriately size the face shield 10 on the user's head. As would be readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the downward notch 34 would be mated with one of the upward notches 36 to thereby temporarily secure the headband around the user's head. The side panels 24 would be folded inwardly to protect portions of the user's 14 face and the window aperture 22 with the windowpane 22a secured thereto and conveniently positioned in front of the user's face for viewing therethrough while being protected by the face shield 10. The offset member 16 provides an area such that the face shield 10 does not abut a user's nose. The offset member 16 also provides the necessary space for a user's eyeglasses 18, facemask 20 and other equipment.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the components of another embodiment of the face shield 10 according to this invention are shown. A blank 12a for a face shield member 10a is shown in FIG. 4 and a blank 12b for a headband 32a complementary to the face shield member 10a is shown in FIG. 5. The blank 12a for the face shield member 10a includes the window aperture 22 bordered on each side thereof by the side panels 24 and on the bottom side thereof by the bottom panel 26 and on the top side thereof by the top panel 30. The side panels 24 are joined to the top and bottom panels 30, 26 by fold lines 33 and 31, respectively. The window aperture 22 is covered by the windowpane 22a which is glued to the non-print side of the blank 12a proximate the window aperture 22.

A pair of stake tabs 50, 50 each extend laterally from one of a pair of stake flaps 52, 52 each joined to one of the side panels 24, 24 opposite from the top panel 30 as shown in FIG. 4. Each stake tab 50 is joined to the associated stake flap 52 by a stake tab fold line 53. Each stake tab fold line 53 is coincident with a narrow neck 54 joining the stake tab 50 to the associated stake flap 52. Each stake flap 52 is joined to the associated side panel 24 by a bifurcated stake flap fold line 55. Each stake flap fold line 55 is interrupted by a notch shaped cut line 57 which assists in articulation of the stake flap 52 relative to the associated side panel 24. Each notch shaped cut line 57 defines a peak 64.

The blank 12a of FIG. 4 also includes an offset member panel 16a joined via an arcuate fold line 59 to an upper edge of the top panel 30. A pair of gusset panels 48 are each joined to one of the lateral ends of the offset member panel 16a by the gusset panel fold line 51. Each gusset panel 48 is joined to the associated side panel 24 by an oblique fold line 47a.

The blank 12b for the headband 32a is shown in FIG. 5 and includes oppositely extending headband arms 32. One headband arm 32 has multiple downwardly oriented notches 34 and the other headband arm 32 has multiple upwardly oriented notches 36. A selected notch 34 is to be mated with a selected notch 36 when the headband 32a is wrapped around a user's head.

A central portion 56 is positioned between the headband arms 32 and includes a series of parallel embossed lines 58 extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the headband 32a. A pair of stake tab slits 60 are spaced on opposite sides of the central portion 56 as well as a pair of generally triangular shaped holes 62.

One advantage of the face shield 10 of this embodiment is that each component may be shipped and stored in a flat configuration for compact shipping and storage. Various advantages of the face shield 10 according to various embodiments of this invention are the relatively inexpensive manufacturing process and materials used in the construction of the face shield 10. After the face shield 10 is soiled or the user is finished with the particular patient being treated, the user 14 may remove the face shield 10 for disposal and don a new face shield 10 for subsequent patient treatment or the like.

To erect the face shield Do from the face shield member 10a and the headband 32a, the blank 12a of the face shield member 10a is bent into a partially tubular or rolled configuration about the longitudinal axis of the non-print side of the blank 12a. By doing so, the offset member panel 16a articulates about the arcuate fold line 59 toward the non-print side of the top panel 30. Each gusset panel 48 is likewise tucked downwardly as the fold lines 47, 51 are bent. The stake tabs 50, 50 move closer to one another as the face shield member 10a is bent.

The headband 32a is mated with the bent face shield member 10a by inserting each of the stake tabs 50, 50 into and through one of the stake tab slits 60, 60 so that the narrow neck 54 of the stake tab 50 is seated in the associated slit 60. The peaks 64 formed by the notch shaped cut line 57 are each inserted into the associated triangular shaped hole 62. As such, the headband 32a is securely coupled to the face shield member 10a and may be donned by a user by positioning the offset member panel 16a against his or her forehead and wrapping the headband 32a around his or her head and mating one of the upward notches 36 with one of the downward notches 34 to appropriately size the headband 32a around the head. The print side of the face shield member 10a and the print side of the headband 32a faces outward from the user 14. After the face shield 10 is soiled or the user is finished with the particular patient being treated, the user 14 may remove the face shield 10 for disposal and don a new face shield 10 for subsequent patient treatment or the like.

A third embodiment of the face shield 10 and associated blank 12 to form the face shield 10 is shown in FIGS. 6-10C. The print side of the blank 12 is shown in FIG. 8 and an opposite non-print side of the blank 12 is opposite from the print side and shown in FIG. 9. The blank 12 includes a centrally located window aperture 22 which is bordered laterally on each side by a side panel 24, 24. Beneath the window aperture 22 and between the two side panels 24 is a bottom panel 26. The bottom panel 26 is joined to the respective side panels 24, 24 by bottom panel fold lines 31, 31. The side panels 24, 24 are also joined together by a top panel 30. The top panel 30 is joined to the respective side panels 24, 24 by top panel fold lines 33, 33, each of which is generally colinear with an extension of the associated bottom panel fold line 31, 31.

One of a pair of headband arms 32, 32 extends laterally from each side panel 24. One headband arm 32 has multiple downward notches 34 on a bottom edge thereof and the complementary headband arm 32 has a series of spaced upward notches 36 on an upper edge thereof.

The face shield 10 is worn by a user 14 to protect the frontal and side portions of the user's face from spray contaminants or other flying objects which would otherwise impact the user 14. The face shield 10 includes an offset member 16 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 10C) to be positioned against the user's forehead to provide spacing from the frontal portion of the face shield 10 so a user 14 may continue to wear his or her glasses 18, a facemask 20 or other equipment without interference from the face shield 10.

The window aperture 22 is covered by a transparent film 22a forming a windowpane which is glued proximate its perimeter to a non-print side of the blank 12. In one embodiment, the transparent film 22a may be a 2.0 ml cellophane sheet. The fold lines 31, 33 are positioned inboard of the lateral edges of the window 22 to provide for peripheral vision of the user 14 when the face shield 10 is worn.

The offset member 16 of the face shield 10 is erected from a series of components of the blank 12 extending upwardly from the top panel 30. Specifically, according to one embodiment of this invention, an offset member top panel 38 is joined to the top panel 30 along a top panel fold line 35. A forehead panel 40 is joined to the offset member top panel 38 by an arcuate offset member top panel fold line 37. A series of ridges or embossed lines 39 may be formed in the forehead panel 40 to offer convenient bending or articulation of the offset member 16 against the user's 14 forehead.

A pair of wings 46, 46 or corner gussets as noted in FIG. 8, each extend upwardly from one of the side panels 24 and each is joined thereto by a wing fold line 45. Each wing 46 is connected to a gusset panel 48 along an oblique fold line 47. Each gusset panel 48 is connected to the offset member top panel 38 by a gusset panel fold line 51. Each of a pair of secondary gusset panels 66, 66 is positioned between one of the gusset panels 48 and the forehead panel 40. Each secondary gusset panel 66 is joined to the associated gusset panel 48 by a gusset fold line 61 and each secondary gusset panel 66 is joined to the forehead panel 40 by a secondary gusset fold line 63.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10C, the face shield 10 according to embodiments of this invention, examples of which are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is formed from the blank 12 of FIGS. 8-9 by folding the wings 46, gusset panels 48, offset member top panel 38, forehead panel 40, secondary gusset panels 66 downwardly along the wing fold lines 45 and the top panel fold line 35 so that the non-print side of each wing 46 is glued to the non-print side of the associated side panel 24. Alternatively, the wings 46 may not be glued to the side panels 24 and the face shield may still be erected from the blank 12. The offset member top panel 38 and forehead panel 40 are each folded about the fold line 37 (FIG. 10B).

The offset member 16 is collapsed along fold lines 35 and 41 and the non-erected face shield is in a generally flat configuration as shown in FIG. 10B. Therefore, the non-erected face shield can be conveniently shipped in a compact, flat configuration and stored in that configuration until it is ready to be used erected and used. Alternatively, the blank 12 may be shipped in a flat configuration also (FIGS. 8-9).

The flattened or non-erected face shield may be erected by a user 14 by folding the side panels 24 inwardly toward one another along the fold lines 31 and 33 as shown in FIG. 10C. By doing so, the gusset panels 48 and secondary gusset panels 66 will pull the forehead panel 40 upwardly thereby erecting the offset member 16 of the face shield 10. The non-print sides of the associated gusset panels 48 and secondary gusset panels 66 confront one another in face to face relative position as shown in FIG. 10C. In this configuration, the secondary gusset panels 66, 66 and the forehead panel 40 combine to define a forehead pocket for the user's forehead. The user 14 may then place his or her forehead against the forehead panel 40 and pull the headband arms 32, 32 around their head so as to couple the downward notch 34 with one of the upward notches 36 to appropriately size the face shield 10 on the user's head. As would be readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, one of the downward notches 34 would be mated with one of the upward notches 36 to thereby temporarily secure the headband around the user's head. The side panels 24 would be folded inwardly to protect portions of the user's 14 face and the window aperture 22 with the windowpane 22a secured thereto and conveniently positioned in front of the user's face for viewing therethrough while being protected by the face shield 10. The offset member 16 provides an area such that the face shield 10 does not abut a user's nose. The offset member 16 also provides the necessary space for a user's eyeglasses 18, facemask 20 and other equipment.

From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A face shield to be worn on a head of a user, the face shield comprising; a shield portion adapted to cover at least a portion of a face of the user when wearing the face shield;a window aperture in the shield portion;a windowpane mounted to the shield portion and covering the window aperture allowing the user to see through the window aperture when wearing the face shield;a headband extending from the shield portion and adapted to surround the head of the user wearing the face shield; andan offset member positioned between the shield portion and a forehead of the user to provide a spacing between the shield portion and the face of the user allowing at least one other article to be worn on the face in the spacing.

2. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the shield portion further comprises: a pair of side panels spaced on opposite sides of the window aperture;a bottom panel positioned below the window aperture; anda top panel positioned above the window aperture, the offset member being coupled to the top panel.

3. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the shield portion, the headband and the offset member are made of paperboard.

4. The face shield of claim 3 wherein the shield portion, the headband and the offset member are integral.

5. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the headband further comprises: a pair of headband arms each of which extends from an opposite side of the shield portion, each headband arm having a distal end, the distal ends of the pair of headband arms are overlapped around the head of the user to secure the face shield on the user.

6. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the offset member is integral with the shield portion.

7. The face shield of claim 2 wherein the offset member is integral with the top panel.

8. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the offset member further comprises: a plurality of serially connected panels folded relative to each other to form the offset member.

9. The face shield of claim 8 further comprising: a pair of gusset panels each foldably connected to the shield portion and the offset member on opposite ends of the offset member.

10. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the shield portion and the headband are distinct members mated together to form the face shield.

11. The face shield of claim 2 wherein the window aperture extends into each of the side panels to allow for peripheral viewing through the window aperture by the user.

12. A face shield to be worn on a head of a user, the face shield comprising; a window aperture;a pair of side panels spaced on opposite sides of the window aperture;a bottom panel positioned below the window aperture;a top panel positioned above the window aperture;a windowpane mounted to the face shield and covering the window aperture allowing the user to see through the window aperture when wearing the face shield;a headband extending from the shield portion and adapted to surround the head of the user wearing the face shield; andan offset member positioned between the shield portion and a forehead of the user to provide a spacing between the shield portion and the face of the user allowing at least one other article to be worn on the face in the spacing;wherein the entire face shield, except the windowpane, is made of and integral piece of paperboard.

13. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the headband further comprises: a pair of headband arms each of which extends from one of the side panels, each headband arm having a distal end, the distal ends of the pair of headband arms are overlapped with each other around the head of the user to secure the face shield on the user.

14. The face shield of claim 12 wherein the offset member further comprises: a plurality of serially connected panels folded relative to each other to form the offset member.

15. The face shield of claim 12 further comprising: a pair of gusset panels each foldably connected to the shield portion and the offset member on opposite ends of the offset member.

16. The face shield of claim 12 wherein the window aperture extends into each of the side panels to allow for peripheral viewing through the window aperture by the user.

17. A blank for making a face shield to be worn on a head of a user, the blank comprising: a shield portion adapted to cover at least a portion of a face of the user when the blank is formed into the face shield and worn by the user;a window aperture in the shield portion;a windowpane mounted to the shield portion and covering the window aperture allowing the user to see through the window aperture when wearing the face shield;a headband extending from the shield portion and adapted to surround the head of the user wearing the face shield; andan offset member adapted to be positioned between the shield portion and a forehead of the user to provide a spacing between the shield portion and the face of the user allowing at least one other article to be worn on the face in the spacing.

18. The blank of claim 17 wherein the shield portion further comprises: a pair of side panels spaced on opposite sides of the window aperture;a bottom panel positioned below the window aperture; anda top panel positioned above the window aperture, the offset member being coupled to the top panel.

19. The blank of claim 17 wherein the shield portion, the headband and the offset member are integral and made of paperboard.

20. The blank of claim 17 wherein the offset member further comprises: a plurality of serially connected panels foldable relative to each other to form the offset member; anda pair of gusset panels each foldably connected to the shield portion and the offset member on opposite ends of the offset member.