TECHNOLOGIES FOR MANUFACTURING FACE SHIELDS

Abstract

In the illustrative embodiment, a thermoformed plastic face shield includes a shield portion and an integrated strap. The shield portion includes several protrusions configured to hold the face shield away from the face of the user of the face shield. The strap can be removed from the shield portion and attached to the shield portion to form an assembled face shield. The plastic face shield can be formed from a sheet of plastic in a single thermoforming step.

Description

BACKGROUND

Cheap, reliable, and comfortable face shields that can be created in bulk are critical for certain medical situations such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a face shield comprises a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is depressions are configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user, wherein the shield portion has two slots; and a strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of the two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion, wherein the shield portion and the strap are a transparent thermoplastic material.

In some embodiments, the strap portion is attached to the shield portion at a perforated cut.

In some embodiments, the face shield is assembled for use, with the strap inserted into the two slots of the shield portion.

In some embodiments, the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches.

In some embodiments, the shield portion and the strap are polyethylene terephthalate.

In some embodiments, the shield portion and strap are amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a face shield comprises a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user, wherein the shield portion has a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions and a first tab near the first hole, wherein the shield portion has a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end and a second tab near the second hole, wherein the shield portion is a transparent thermoplastic material.

In some embodiments, the face shield may further include a strap, wherein the strap has a first loop at a first end and a second loop at a second end, wherein the first end of the first loop passes through the first hole and the first loop is mated with the first tab, and wherein the second end of the second loop passes through the second hole and the second loop is mated with the second tab.

In some embodiments, the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches.

In some embodiments, the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate.

In some embodiments, the shield portion is amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a method of manufacturing a face shield comprises thermoforming at least part of a transparent thermoplastic sheet to create a shield portion of a face shield with a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user.

In some embodiments, thermoforming the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming, in one thermoforming step, the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion.

In some embodiments, thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion and a strap connected to the shield portion, the strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion.

In some embodiments, thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion with (i) a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions, (ii) a first tab near the first hole, (iii) a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end, and (iv) a second tab near the second hole,.

In some embodiments, the method may further include cleaning the face shield with a liquid cleaning agent after being used by a user; and reusing the face shield.

In some embodiments, the method may further include recycling the face shield without removing any portion of the face shield.

In some embodiments, the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The concepts described herein are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Where considered appropriate, reference labels have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a user wearing a face shield;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the face shield of FIG. 1 prior to assembly;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of inserting a strap into the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a top-down view of inserting a strap into the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a strap inserted into the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a top-down view of a strap inserted into the face shield of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a user wearing a low-profile face shield;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the face shield of FIG. 11 prior to assembly;

FIG. 13 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 12;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a user wearing a face shield with an elastic strap;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the face shield of FIG. 17 prior to assembly;

FIG. 19 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 17;

FIG. 22 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 17;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a face shield with interlocking protrusions prior to assembly;

FIG. 24 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 23;

FIG. 26 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 23;

FIG. 27 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 23;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a face shield prior to assembly;

FIG. 29 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 28;

FIG. 31 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 28;

FIG. 32 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 28;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a low-profile face shield prior to assembly;

FIG. 34 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 33;

FIG. 36 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 33;

FIG. 37 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 33;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a face shield for use with an elastic strap prior to assembly;

FIG. 39 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 38;

FIG. 40 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 38;

FIG. 41 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 38;

FIG. 42 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 38;

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a face shield with interlocking protrusions prior to assembly;

FIG. 44 is a front view of the face shield of FIG. 43;

FIG. 45 is a side view of the face shield of FIG. 43;

FIG. 46 is a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 43;

FIG. 47 is a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 43;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described herein in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives consistent with the present disclosure and the appended claims.

References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an illustrative embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may or may not necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Additionally, it should be appreciated that items included in a list in the form of “at least one A, B, and C” can mean (A); (B); (C): (A and B); (B and C); (A and C); or (A, B, and C). Similarly, items listed in the form of “at least one of A, B, or C” can mean (A); (B); (C): (A and B); (B and C); (A and C); or (A, B, and C).

In the drawings, some structural or method features may be shown in specific arrangements and/or orderings. However, it should be appreciated that such specific arrangements and/or orderings may not be required. Rather, in some embodiments, such features may be arranged in a different manner and/or order than shown in the illustrative figures. Additionally, the inclusion of a structural or method feature in a particular figure is not meant to imply that such feature is required in all embodiments and, in some embodiments, may not be included or may be combined with other features.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an illustrative face shield 100 with shield portion 102 and strap 106 is shown. The shield portion 102 has several protrusions 104 near the top of the shield portion 102 that contact the forehead or the area above the forehead of the user, holding the face shield in place a small distance away from the face of the user. The strap 106 is inserted into the slots 108 on either side of the shield portion 102. The strap 106 can include several bumps 112 that, in use, are in contact with the back of the head of the user, increasing the grip of the strap 106 on the user's head.

In the illustrative embodiment, the face shield 100 is manufactured by thermoforming a sheet of plastic into one or more face shields. It should be appreciated that, in the illustrative embodiment, all of the features shown in FIG. 1, including the shield portion 102, the strap 106, the protrusions 104, the slots 108, the strap setting protrusions 110, and the bumps 112, can all be created in a single thermoforming step.

In the illustrative embodiment, the plastic is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, other materials may be used, such as amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET), recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), or any other clear thermoplastic material. Although the illustrative embodiment is manufactured using thermoforming, other manufacturing techniques such as injection molding may be used in some embodiments.

In the illustrative embodiment, the face shield 100 has six protrusions 104. Each protrusion 104 is approximately 2″ in height, 1.5″ in width, and 1.8″ in depth. It should be appreciated that a change in the depth changes the distance between the user's face and the shield portion 102. In some embodiments, the depth may be such that the user can wear glasses, goggles, an N95 mask or other face mask, etc. without interference from the face shield 100. It should be appreciated that the face shield could have a higher or lower number of depressions, such as 2-20, which may be of any suitable dimensions, such as 0.5-3 inches in height or width and 0.5-3 inches in depth. In some embodiments, there may be more than one row of protrusions 104 and/or the protrusions 104 may be arranged in different locations, such as along the sides of the face shield in addition to or instead of on top of the face shield. In the illustrative embodiment, the protrusions 104 narrow as they go deeper, allowing the protrusions 104 to get closer together as the shield portion 102 is bent and also allowing the face shields 100 to be stacked. In the illustrative embodiment, there is a gap between the protrusions 104 as the shield portion 102 is bent and worn by the user, allowing enough airflow to pass to prevent fogging of the shield portion 102, so an anti-fog coating may not be not necessary.

In the illustrative embodiment, the dimensions of the shield portion 102 are approximately 10.5″ in height and 17.2″ in width. In some embodiments, the dimensions may be higher or lower, such as a height of 8-15″ and a width of 12-24″. The thickness of the illustrative face shield is 0.015″. Additionally or alternatively, the thickness of the face shield 100 may be any suitable thickness, such as any thickness between 0.005-0.05″. It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the thickness of the face shield 100 may not be uniform, particularly at the protrusions 104. The height of the illustrative strap 106 is 1.2″. In other embodiments, the strap 106 may be any suitable height, such as 0.25-2″.

In the illustrative embodiment, the face shield 100 is formed in a single thermoforming process. A single sheet is inserted into a plastic thermoforming mold. The thermoforming mold may be a male or female mold that has the same features of the face shield 100 shown in, e.g., FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the single sheet may be part of a roll of plastic that feeds into a thermoforming machine. The protrusions 104, the strap setting protrusions 110, and the bumps 112 may all be formed at the same time from the same thermoforming mold. The face shield 100 may then be trimmed, cutting a complete face shield 100 from the rest of the plastic sheet. In some embodiments, the perforated cut between the face shield portion 102 and the strap 106 and the slots 108 may be created at the same time as the trimming. Additionally or alternatively, the perforated cut and/or the slots 108 may be created before or after trimming the rest of the face shield 100. It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, several face shields 100 may be created from a single sheet or roll of plastic.

Referring now to FIG. 2, in the illustrative embodiment, the strap 106 may be included as an integrated component of the face shield 100 at the time of manufacture. In the illustrative embodiment, the strap 106 is attached to the rest of the face shield using a perforated cut. In the illustrative embodiment, the strap 106 is attached to the top of the shield portion 102 of the face shield 100. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the strap 106 may be attached to one side or to the bottom of the shield portion 102 of the face shield 100. When detached, the strap 106 is configured to be inserted into the two slots 108 on the edges of the shield portion 102 of the face shield 100 near the top of the shield portion 102. The edges of the strap 106 have strap setting protrusions 110 in them that are configured to be inserted into the slots 108 and hold the strap 106 in place when worn, as discussed in more detail below in regard to FIGS. 7-10. In the illustrative embodiment, there are approximately 2 strap setting protrusions 110 per inch on the strap, allowing the circumference of the face shield 100 to be adjusted in ½″ increments. Additionally or alternatively, the depressions could be closer together or more spaced apart, such as 1-4 strap setting protrusions 110 per inch. The strap 106 also includes bumps 112 that increase the grip provided by the strap on the back of the users head.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the face shield of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows a side view of the face shield of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 shows a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 shows a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 2. It should be appreciated that a drawing of a back view would be substantially the same as FIG. 3 and that a view from the other side would be substantially the same as FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-10, the strap 106 can be inserted into the slot 108, as shown in FIGS. 7 & 8. The slot 108 is formed by a proximal side 114 closer to the center of the face shield 100 and a distal side 116 closer to the edge of the face shield 100. When the strap 106 is inserted as shown in FIG. 8, the proximal side 114 of the slot 108 bends out of the plane of the shield portion 102 in one direction and the distal side 116 of the slot 108 bends out of plane in the other direction. It should be appreciated that, when the strap 106 is inserted at such an angle, the distal side 116 of the slot 108 allows the strap setting protrusions 110 to pass through the slot 108 forwards or backwards, permitting the circumference of the face shield 100 to be adjusted easily.

After initial adjustment is complete, the strap 106 can be rotated to the position shown in FIGS. 9 & 10. As shown in FIG. 10, the proximal side 114 of the slot 108 bends in the opposite direction of the proximal side 114 shown in FIG. 8, and the distal side 116 of the slot 108 bends in the opposite direction of the distal side 116 shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 10, if the strap 106 is pushed further into the slot 108, the leading edge of the strap setting protrusions 110 pushes the distal side 116 of the slot 108 open, permitting the strap 106 to be tightened. However, if the strap 106 is pulled back out of the slot 108, the distal side 116 of the slot 108 engages with the trailing edge of the strap setting protrusion 110, preventing the strap 106 from loosening. In this way, the strap 106 holds the face shield 106 securely on the user's head. It should be appreciated that, as the strap 106 is rotated from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 10, an audible “snap” may occur when the angles of the proximal side 114 and the distal side 116 change, signaling to the user that the strap 106 is locked in place.

In use, a user removes the strap 106 from the shield portion 102. The user inserts the ends of the strap 106 into the slots 108, adjusting the circumference of the assembled face shield by inserting or withdrawing the strap setting protrusions 110 from the slots 108. When a suitable circumference is adjusted, the user places the face shield on their face. It should be appreciated that, in the illustrative embodiment, the shield portion 102 is far enough away from the face of the user not to interfere with glasses, an N95 or other mask, or even a hard hat. After a task requiring the face shield is complete, the user can remove the face shield 100. The strap 106 can be removed from the face shield 100 by rotating the strap 106 to be angled as shown in FIGS. 7 & 8, and then the strap 106 can be feely pulled out. It should be appreciated that the strap 106 can be reinserted at a later time, and the face shield 100 can be used again. Additionally or alternatively, the strap 106 may remain in place between uses.

It should be appreciated that, since the face shield 100 is manufactured entirely from a single sheet of recyclable plastic, it can be fully recycled without removing any component. Additionally, the face shield 100 made from materials such as PET can be cleaned with an alcohol, bleach, peroxide, ethylene oxide, other liquid cleaning agents, UV-C light, gamma rays, sunlight, etc., without degrading, in contrast to other face shields that may include foam pieces or fog coatings. It should also be appreciated that the illustrative face shield 100 does not have any additional parts or pieces. For example, there is no foam portion, no metal portion, no strap of a different material, etc.

The illustrative face shield 100 is made entirely from one material, such as PET. However, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the face shield 100 may have one or more of an anti-fog coating, an anti-UV coating, a heat deflection coating, a polarization coating, a darkening coating that may make the face shield 100 suitable for welding or in sunlight, etc.

Referring now to FIG. 11, in one embodiment, a face shield 200 with shield portion 202 and strap 206 is shown. As for the shield portion 100, the shield portion 202 includes slots 208 to interface with the strap 206 and includes protrusions 204 to keep the shield portion 202 from touching the face of the user. As for the strap 106, the strap 206 includes strap setting protrusions 210 and bumps 212. The face shield 200 is similar to the face shield 100 shown in FIGS. 1-10, except there are more, smaller profile protrusions 204 in the face shield 200. For example, in the illustrative embodiment, the face shield 200 has seven protrusions, where each protrusion is approximately 1″ in height, 1″ in width, and 1″ in depth. It should be appreciated that the shield portion 202 of the face shield 200 will be closer to the user's face than the shield portion 102 of the face shield 100. Such a lower-profile configuration may be preferred for comfort or ease of use for the use when a larger-profile is not necessitated by, e.g., glasses. Additionally, a lower-profile configuration may require less surface area to effectively surround the face of the user, which may be more economical. Other than the difference in the protrusions 204, the face shield 200 may be similar to and manufactured in a similar manner as the face shield 100, a description of which will not be repeated in the interest of clarity.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the face shield 200 with the strap 206 attached to the shield portion 202. FIG. 13 shows a front view of the face shield of FIG. 12, FIG. 14 shows a side view of the face shield of FIG. 12, FIG. 15 shows a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 12, and FIG. 16 shows a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 12. It should be appreciated that a drawing of a back view would be substantially the same as FIG. 13 and that a view from the other side would be substantially the same as FIG. 14.

Referring now to FIG. 17, in one embodiment, a face shield 300 with shield portion 302 and strap 304 is shown. As for the shield portion 100, the shield portion 302 includes slots protrusions 310 to keep the shield portion 202 from touching the face of the user. Unlike the face shield 100, the face shield 100 is held in place by a strap 304 that may be elastic, cloth, or similar material. Each end of the strap 304 has a loop, which is inserted into a hole 306 in either side of the shield portion 302 and wrapped around a tab 308 on either side of the shield portion 302. In some embodiments, the strap 304 may be embodied as a single loop of elastic, fabric, or similar material that stretches from one tab 308 to the other tab 308. In such an embodiment, the “loop” wrapped around each tab 308 can be one end of the strap 304 embodied as a loop that stretches from one tab 308 to the other tab 308. Other than the difference in the strap, the face shield 300 may be similar to and manufactured in a similar manner as the face shield 100 and/or the face shield 200, a description of which will not be repeated in the interest of clarity.

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of the face shield 300 prior to assembly. FIG. 19 shows a front view of the face shield of FIG. 18, FIG. 20 shows a side view of the face shield of FIG. 18, FIG. 21 shows a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 18, and FIG. 22 shows a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 18. It should be appreciated that a drawing of a back view would be substantially the same as FIG. 19 and that a view from the other side would be substantially the same as FIG. 20.

Referring now to FIG. 23, in one embodiment, a face shield 400 with shield portion 402 and strap 406 is shown. As for the shield portion 100, the shield portion 402 includes slots 408 to interface with the strap 406 and includes protrusions 404 to keep the shield portion 402 from touching the face of the user. As for the strap 406, the strap 406 includes strap setting protrusions 410. The face shield 400 is similar to the face shield 100 shown in FIGS. 1-10, except the protrusions 404 are formed as shown in FIGS. 23-27 such that, when the face shield 400 is bent into shape for use, the protrusions 404 interlock, limiting the ability of droplets or airflow from passing between the protrusions 404. Other than the difference in the protrusions 404, the face shield 400 may be similar to and manufactured in a similar manner as the face shield 100 and/or the face shield 200, a description of which will not be repeated in the interest of clarity.

FIG. 24 shows a perspective view of the face shield 400 with the strap 406 attached to the shield portion 402. FIG. 25 shows a front view of the face shield of FIG. 24, FIG. 26 shows a side view of the face shield of FIG. 24, FIG. 27 shows a top-down view of the face shield of FIG. 24, and FIG. 28 shows a bottom-up view of the face shield of FIG. 24. It should be appreciated that a drawing of a back view would be substantially the same as FIG. 25 and that a view from the other side would be substantially the same as FIG. 26.

Referring to FIGS. 28-47, various views of a design of a face shield are shown. It should be understood that variations of the design as presented are within the scope of this disclosure and that other embodiments of the design with broader scope may be developed from the design shown. The presented views show several designs in combination, culminating in an overall design. For example, the shape, number, and position of components such as the protrusions, slots, and bumps holes may be considered to be individual designs.

Although certain illustrative embodiments have been described in detail above, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of this disclosure as described and as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A face shield comprising: a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is depressions are configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user, wherein the shield portion has two slots; anda strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of the two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion,wherein the shield portion and the strap are a transparent thermoplastic material.

2. The face shield of claim 1, wherein the strap portion is attached to the shield portion at a perforated cut.

3. The face shield of claim 1, wherein the face shield is assembled for use, with the strap inserted into the two slots of the shield portion.

4. The face shield of claim 1, wherein the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user.

5. The face shield of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches.

6. The face shield of claim 1, wherein the shield portion and the strap are polyethylene terephthalate.

7. The face shield of claim 1, wherein the shield portion and strap are amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

8. A face shield comprising: a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user,wherein the shield portion has a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions and a first tab near the first hole,wherein the shield portion has a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end and a second tab near the second hole,wherein the shield portion is a transparent thermoplastic material.

9. The face shield of claim 8, further comprising a strap, wherein the strap has a first loop at a first end and a second loop at a second end,wherein the first end of the first loop passes through the first hole and the first loop is mated with the first tab, andwherein the second end of the second loop passes through the second hole and the second loop is mated with the second tab.

10. The face shield of claim 8, wherein the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user.

11. The face shield of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches.

12. The face shield of claim 8, wherein the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate.

13. The face shield of claim 8, wherein the shield portion is amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

14. A method of manufacturing a face shield, the method comprising: thermoforming at least part of a transparent thermoplastic sheet to create a shield portion of a face shield with a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein thermoforming the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming, in one thermoforming step, the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion and a strap connected to the shield portion, the strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion with (i) a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions, (ii) a first tab near the first hole, (iii) a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end, and (iv) a second tab near the second hole,.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising: cleaning the face shield with a liquid cleaning agent after being used by a user; andreusing the face shield.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising recycling the face shield without removing any portion of the face shield.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate.