An apparatus and method for customizing the fit of a face mask

A method for forming a belt made of a continuous closed loop of material for a face mask, comprising the steps of:

• i) using a measuring means to trace the contours of the face of a user;
• ii) using the data collected by the measuring means to create a closed 3D curve cut line on the belt having a minimum thickness of 3 mm;
• iii) cutting the belt on its width along the cutline, the rear edge of the belt can be cut to match the curvature and contour of the face, in which the belt has a minimum width of 5 mm at any point along the belt;
• iv) connecting the belt to a face mask body so that the belt forms a seal for the mask,
• wherein between steps i) and ii) the method further comprises using the data collected by the measuring means to create a 3D model of the face as a mathematical representation, and extracting a closed 3D curve from the 3D model;

An apparatus for customising the fit of a face mask, comprising:

• a bar support structure configured to form a closed or substantially closed loop;
• a plurality of elongate bars, the bars and bar support structure configured so that the bars are held in place on the bar support structure adjacent to one another around the closed loop;
• the bar support structure further configured so that each of the individual bars can slide within the support structure in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar, at least one end of each bar protruding freely when the bar is extended within the support structure;
• the closed loop of the bars sized and configured so as to form a loop of substantially equivalent size to the perimeter of a face mask,
• wherein each of the bars comprises an elongate body and head, the head wider than the body, the bars and support structure configured so that the heads are substantially directly adjacent to one another.