US 12,342,879 B2Granted

Personal protective equipment and methods

AssigneeMdideafactory, Inc.

InventorsMichael J. O'Leary, Daniel Joseph Braun, Choll Wan Kim, Randy Wayland, Robert F. Gazdzinski

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Abstract

Improved personal protective equipment facial wear including, in one embodiment, an at least partly adhesive mask, and one or more adhesive eye shields. In one implementation, the mask avoids significant contact with the delicate periorbital skin of the wearer, yet provides a substantially airtight seal so as to preclude moisture vapor transfer and “fogging” of eyeware or instruments. In another implementation, adherence of the eye shield is at least partially overlapping with the mask and creates an at least partial seal around a perimeter of the eye shield. Further, an at least partial seal is formed around a perimeter of the mask. The mask and eye shield additionally prevent nasal air flow obstruction, and address the problem of skin irritation and attachment during normal facial expression and movement of the wearer.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A mask, comprising:

an air-permeable element formed of a material and configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer, and having at least a top edge above which no portion of the air-permeable element extends and an outside surface opposing an inside surface, at least part of the inside surface configured to contact one or more portions of a face of the wearer;
a strap attached to a lower portion of the mask at respective attachment points disposed on left and right sides of the mask;
an adhesive element coupled to said outside surface of the air-permeable element and proximate said top edge of the air-permeable element, comprising a lower portion and an upper portion extending above said top edge and having adhesive properties so as to permit adhesion of the upper portion of the adhesive element to facial skin of the wearer while also allowing varying distances between the top edge and the facial skin while still maintaining a moisture vapor barrier against vapor passing between the top edge and the facial skin to an orbital region of the face;
and
one or more second adhesive elements coupled to the adhesive element along a longitudinal center-line extending between the lower portion and the upper portion and at least partially overlying the adhesive element, the one or more second adhesive elements (i) folded downwards from the top edge about the longitudinal center-line when the adhesive element is in use, and (ii) configured to be rotated upward from the top edge about the longitudinal center-line to be utilized when the upper portion of the adhesive element is removed from the mask by the wearer after use of the adhesive element.

2 more elements

A mask comprising:

an air-permeable element configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer, and having at least a top, uppermost edge;
a strap attached to a lower portion of the mask and which is configured to secure the mask via a neck of the wearer;
a first adhesive portion coupled, via a top edge of the first adhesive portion, to the top, uppermost edge of the air-permeable element;
a second adhesive portion coupled to the first adhesive portion, without contacting any portion of the air-permeable element, via the top edge of the first adhesive portion;
and
at least one third adhesive portion overlying the first adhesive portion and disposed at least along a longitudinal center-line between the first and second adhesive portions and utilized for re-donning the mask to a face of the wearer by rotating upward from the top, uppermost edge of the mask about the longitudinal center-line after at least a portion of the second adhesive portion is removed from the mask.

3 more elements

A mask, comprising:

an air-permeable element (i) defined by an outer perimeter capable of forming a shape of a rectangle when the mask is not donned, and (ii) configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer and extend below a chin of the wearer when donned, the outer perimeter comprising a top edge;
at least one strap attached to the mask at respective attachment points disposed on left and right sides of the mask;
at least one first adhesive-carrying element, the at least one first adhesive-carrying element comprising:
(i) a lower portion coupled to an outside surface of the air-permeable element and (ii) an upper portion extending above said top edge of said air-permeable element and configured to adhere to malar and nasal skin of said wearer yet below periorbital skin of the wearer;
and
at least one second adhesive-carrying element coupled to the lower and upper portions along at least a longitudinal center-line between the lower and upper portions and at least partially overlying the at least one first adhesive-carrying element, wherein the at least one second adhesive-carrying element is utilized by rotating upward from the top edge about the longitudinal center-line when the upper portion of the at least one first adhesive-carrying element is removed from the mask by the wearer after use.

3 more elements

A mask comprising:

an air-permeable element having an outer perimeter and configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer, the air-permeable element comprising at least a top edge and an opposing bottom edge;
at least one strap attached proximate the bottom edge of the air-permeable element, the at least one strap configured to at least partly secure the mask to the wearer;
a first strip mated to the top edge of the air-permeable element and having a first adhesive-carrying portion disposed above the top edge of the air-permeable element and a lower portion, the first adhesive-carrying portion configured to adhere to at least a portion of a malar skin of the wearer, the first strip further comprising a first removable backing strip, the first removable backing strip disposed on a rear side of the first adhesive-carrying portion and covering at least a portion of the first adhesive-carrying portion;
and
a second strip at least partially overlying the first strip and having a second adhesive-carrying portion;
wherein the mask is configured to be donned via:
removal of the first removable backing strip, the removal exposing the at least portion of the first adhesive-carrying portion;
placement of the mask over at least the mouth and the nose of the wearer while the wearer presses on at least one second removable backing strip disposed on a front side of at least the first adhesive-carrying portion so as to cause adherence of at least a portion of the rear side of the first adhesive-carrying portion to the at least portion of the malar skin above the top edge of the air-permeable element, the adherence configured to form a moisture vapor seal of varying distance between the top edge and the at least portion of the malar skin above the top edge so as to limit fogging of an optical apparatus used by the wearer while wearing the mask, yet allowing a non-zero distance to exist between at least some portions of the top edge and the at least portion of the malar skin, wherein the at least one second removable backing strip comprises first and second backing strips that collectively form a central region having a seam between the first and second backing strips, the seam enabling accommodation of at least a portion of the nose of the wearer at least during the pressing;
removal of the at least one second removable backing strip disposed on the front side;
and
engagement of the at least one strap to the wearer;
and
wherein the mask is configured to be re-donned via at least:
removal of at least the first adhesive-carrying portion of the first strip from the mask;
and
rotation of the second strip upward from the top edge about a longitudinal axis between the first adhesive-carrying portion and the lower portion, the rotation implemented to dispose the second adhesive-carrying portion above the top edge of the air-permeable element, the second adhesive-carrying portion configured to adhere to at least the portion of the malar skin of the wearer.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/513,272Filed 17 Nov 2023 · division
Priority: 8 Oct 2020
Published: US 2024/0081440 A114 Mar 2024
Granted: 1 Jul 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A41D 13/1176
Using adhesive: forming a complete seal at the edges of the mask
A41D 13/1115
Characterised by their shape: with a horizontal pleated pocket
A41D 31/102
Impermeable to liquids, e.g. waterproof; Liquid-repellent: waterproof and breathable
A41D
Outerwear