US 4,856,509 A · Face mask and method

Abstract

This invention relates to improvements in face masks, particularly for use in preventing the spread of disease such as colds, influenza and the like wherein a select portion or portions of such mask contain a disease or viral destroying chemical or biological agent, such as an acid or other material impregnating or forming part of a portion of the mask, such as that portion which extends across the nasal and mouth portions of the face of a wearer. In one form, the chemical or biological agent is in the form of a solid, such as a coating or a multitude of particles or crystals disposed against a porous portion of the mask or an insert which is attachable to and replaceable with respect to a mask frame or holding unit. In another form, such chemical is in the form of a liquid. In a third form, such chemical is disposed within a multitude of micro capsules which are ruptured or otherwise activated when the mask is used and which dispense their contents during such use and distribute the same throughout a select portion of the mask. In a particular form, the mask is formed of a unitary sheet of porous paper, cellular plastic or non-woven fiber with a portion of the outer layer thereof impregnated with a viral killing chemical, such as citric acid, to prevent passage of viral agents either from a person using the mask or from the atmosphere.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A face mask comprising:

(a) a unitary mask base formed of a sheet material and shaped to be disposed across a portion of the face of a wearer in alignment with and surrounding the nose and mouth of the wearer of said mask,
(b) said mask base including a central portion adapted to be aligned with the nose and mouth of the wearer,
(c) said mask base being formed of a laminate of a plurality of layers of porous materials,
(d) a disease germ killing agent means disposed within said central portion and operable to destroy disease germs, such as bacteria and viruses, passing through said central portion,
(e) said disease germ killing agent means being located between exterior and interior portions of said central portion for killing disease germs without normally contacting the skin of a person handling and/or wearing said mask.

2 more elements

A medical face mask comprising in combination:

(a) a mask base formed of a porous sheet material and having a peripheral portion and a central portion adapted to define a closed volume with the face around the mouth and nose of a person,
(b) said mask base being concavely shaped to generally conform to the faces of various human beings,
(c) a flexible band secured to said perpheral portion of said mask base for operatively holding said mask against the face of the person when said flexible band is extended around the head of the person,
(d) a disease germ killing means disposed within a section of the central portion of said mask base for killing disease germs without normally contacting the skin of the person wearing said mask when said mask is operatively held against the face of the person, and
(e) said disease germ killing means being operable to permit it to destroy disease germs passed through said central portion on dust particles during breathing by the person operatively wearing said mask.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Face mask and method

Life of this patent

Face mask and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25