Disposable face mask and method of manufacture

A foldable, disposable face mask comprising:

• a single generally rectangular sheet of filter material having a generally straight top edge, a pair of generally straight side edges shorter than said top edge and defining respective top corners with said top edge, a fold line midway between said side edges extending perpendicularly to said top edge from said top edge and a bottom edge opposite said top edge and having a configuration symmetrical on either side of the fold line;
• said sheet being folded on said fold line, portions of said bottom edge on either side of the fold line being joined to each other such that a mask body is formed which is essentially flat for storage and which, when unfolded, has an opening defined by said sheet top and side edges and sized to cover the nose and mouth of a wearer;
• and
• a mask tieing device attached to the top corners.

A method of manufacturing foldable, disposable face masks, comprising:

• providing a web of filter material having a width defined between upper and lower edges corresponding to the height of the masks;
• cutting out generally triangular portions of the web at intervals along the lower edge at positions corresponding to the lateral center of each mask;
• cutting the web into individual lengths of filter material corresponding to the widths of the masks to define individual mask blanks, the cuts defining mask side edges;
• attaching ties along the mask blank side edges and extending past the upper edges;
• laterally folding the mask blanks along fold lines such that the mask blank side edges are in alignment;
• and
• joining the lower edges and edges of the generally triangular cutout of each of the mask blanks on either side of the fold lines, the generally triangular cutout serving to avoid what would otherwise be a pointed projection on each of the finished masks.

A method of manufacturing foldable, disposable face masks, comprising:

• providing a web of filter material having a width defined between upper and lower edges corresponding to the height of the masks;
• cutting out generally triangular potions of the web at intervals along the lower edge at positions corresponding to the lateral center of each mask while providing the generally triangular portions with arcuate edges which are convex with reference to the remaining filter material;
• cutting the web into individual lengths of filter material corresponding to the widths of the masks to define individual mask blanks, the cuts defining mask side edges;
• attaching ties along the mask blank side edges and extending past the upper edges;
• laterally folding mask blanks along fold lines such that the mask blank side edges are in alignment;
• and
• joining the bottom edges and arcuate edges of the generally triangular cutout of each of the mask blanks on either side of the fold lines, the generally triangular cutout serving to avoid what would otherwise be a pointed projection on each of the finished masks.

A method of manufacturing a foldable, disposable face mask, comprising:

• providing a rectangular sheet of filter material with top and bottom edges and with side edges shorter than the top and bottom edges, the side edges intersecting the top edge at top corners;
• cutting out a generally triangular portion of the sheet at the midpoint of the bottom edge;
• attaching mask ties at the top corners;
• laterally folding the sheet along a fold line such that the side edges are in alignment;
• and
• joining the bottom edges and edges of the generally triangular cutout on either side of the fold line, the generally triangular cutout serving to avoid what would otherwise be a pointed projection on the finished mask.

A method of manufacturing a foldable, disposable face mask, comprising:

• providing a rectangular sheet of filter material with top and bottom edges and with side edges shorter than the top and bottom edges;
• cutting out a generally triangular portion of the sheet at the midpoint of the bottom edge while providing the generally triangular portion with arcuate edges which are convex with reference to the remaining filter material;
• attaching mask ties to the corners where the side edges intersect the top edge;
• laterally folding the sheet along a fold line such that the side edges are in alignment;
• and
• joining the bottom edges and edges of the generally triangular cutout on either side of the fold line, the generally triangular cutout serving to avoid what would otherwise be a pointed projection on the finished mask.