Nanofiber filtering material for disposable/reusable respirators
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorFrancois Lustenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments relate generally to methods of manufacture of a filtration media, such as a personal protection equipment mask or respirator, which may incorporate a forcespinning process to form nanofibers. Some embodiments may comprise forcespinning material onto a convex mold, which may, for example, be in the shape of a human face. Other embodiments may comprise forcespinning material onto an inner and/or outer shell of a personal protective equipment mask, such as a flat fold mask. In an embodiment, the forcespun nanofibers may be functionalized, and therefore may, for example, be operable to capture one or more gases.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a personal protection equipment mask, comprising:
- providing a stock of polymer material;
- creating nanofibers from the stock polymer material to form a nanofiber material, wherein creating the nanofibers from the stock polymer comprises forcespinning the polymer material;
- placing the nanofiber material onto a convex mold;
- and
- cutting the nanofiber material to the shape of a personal protection equipment mask.
A method of manufacturing a personal protection equipment mask, comprising:
- thermoforming outer and inner shells of a personal protection equipment mask;
- forcespinning a polymer material as nanofibers onto a surface of the inner shell;
- and
- coupling the outer shell to the inner shell having the nanofibers to form the personal protection equipment mask.
A method of manufacturing a personal protection equipment mask, comprising:
- thermoforming outer and inner shells of a personal protection equipment mask;
- forcespinning a polymer material as nanofibers onto a surface of the inner shell;
- and
- coupling the outer shell to the inner shell having the nanofibers to form the personal protection equipment mask, wherein the breathing resistance of the mask is approximately 0.50 millibar (mB) at 30 liters per minute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.