Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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[DESCRIPTION ]
[Title of the Invention]
DUST MASK
[Cross-Reference to Related Application]
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.10-2011-
0091410, filed on September 8, 2011 in the Korean Intellectual Property
Office,
the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[Technical Field]
[01] The present disclosure in one or more embodiments relates to a dust-proof
mask. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a so-called
'filtering
face-piece' respirator or dust-proof mask configured to have a perimeter for
sealing around the nose and mouth of a wearer.
[02]
[Background]
[03] In general, industrial sites harbor dusts, dust particles, fumes, odors
or
other airborne elements harmful to the operators. As a protection, the
operators
would use dust-proof masks which are classified into semi-permanent masks
with replaceable filter cartridges and short-term multi-use (several times)
disposable respirators called "filtering face-piece" respirators to which the
present disclosure pertains.
[04]
[05] In FIGs. la and lb, Korean Patent No. 100807505 is shown to provide a
mask 1 with a frame 5 inserted therein. The suggested mask 1 has a mask
main body 2 formed to enclose a user's nose and mouth and a ring-shaped face
seal 3 having an outer periphery part joined circumferentially by the main
body
2 which is internally provided with the frame 5 formed of a stereographical
grid
rib.
[06]
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[07] The mask 1 has its advantage of facial fitting with the face seal 3 and
maintaining form with the frame 5. However, the mask main body 2 is made to
be directly contacted by the moisture that occurs during breathing of the
wearer,
which causes an abruptly dropped efficiency of filtering and shortens the life
of
the mask 1.
[08]
[09] FIGs. 2a and 2b show Korean Patent No. 100999860 to the present
applicant, which has a dust-proof mask 6 and an inserted support 7. The dust-
proof mask 6 disclosed therein also include a main filter body 2a and a face
contact portion 3a with the thin filmlike support 7 provided internally of the
main
filter body 2a. Guides are protruded at 7a from the support 7 for keeping the
inside surface of the main filter body 2a from making areal contact with the
support 7.
[10]
[11] Such featured support 7 allows the dust-proof mask 6 to keep moist breath
from the user contacting the main filter body 2a, thereby resolving the
deficiencies of the aforementioned mask 1 to some extent.
[12]
[13] However, as shown in FIG. 2b, the support 7 is circumferentially formed
with a contact band 8 of a width W by which the main filter body 2a is
deprived
of the filtering and respiratory functionalities. This is also true with the
frame 5
of FIG. lb and with a mask disclosed by Korean Patent No. 100133840 which is
not depicted herein.
[14]
[15] To sum up, the conventional dust-proof masks 1 and 6 are advantageously
well supported by the frame 5 and the support 7 respectively, but are
circumferentially incapacitated by the widthwise contact areas of w, W between
the frame/support 5, 7 and the main bodies 2, 2a.
[16]
[Disclosure]
[Technical Problem]
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[17] The present disclosure has been proposed to improve the above-described
conventional dusk masks. The present disclosure is intended to provide a dust-
proof mask comprising a support that is designed not to make an areal contact
with the main body for preventing the loss of function of the mask main body.
[18]
[ Summary]
[19] A dust-proof mask of the present disclosure comprises a filter main body
conforming to a facial profile and configured to surround a wearer's nose and
mouth; an annular facial seat circumferentially joined at a seam with a
perimeter
of the main body; and a support configured to be attachable/detachable to and
from the main body at an inner surface thereof.
[20-25] The support is made of a water-impermeable thin film having at least
one intake aperture and at least one exhaust port. The support includes a
perimeter, a plurality of guides and a plurality of non-contact flow passages.
The perimeter is rounded outward, having a distal end joined with the seam
between the main body and the facial seat. The guides are formed as radial
protrusions from a front face of the support. And the non-contact flow
passages
are defined by the guides and the perimeter rounded outward, so as to extend
from the distal end of the perimeter to the intake aperture.
[26] The perimeter of the support is rounded outward for providing a smooth
facial contact of the dust-proof mask. In addition, each of the guides is
formed
up to an inner surface of the distal end of the perimeter of the support.
Further,
the guides are linear extensions with regularly or irregularly spaced
clearances
incorporated midway to more diversely distribute the flow passages.
[27]
[28] In addition, the intake aperture and the exhaust port are respectively
provided with check-valves for preventing unnecessarily directed flows of air.
[29]
[Advantageous Effects]
[30] According to the present dust-proof mask, the support only has its
perimeter join with the seam between the main body and the facial seat In
other
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words, the main body and the facial seat do not make any areal contacts.
Therefore, the present dust-proof mask is free from the loss of filtration due
to
areal contacts between components, which substantially improves efficiency of
dust blocking over conventional dust masks.
[31]
[Description of Drawings]
[32] FIGs. la and lb are diagrams respectively showing a conventional dust
mask and an insertion frame.
[33] FIGs. 2a and 2b are views respectively showing another conventional dust
mask and an insertion support.
[34] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dust-proof mask according to at least
one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[35] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of FIG. 3.
[36] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 along line A-A.
[37] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a support applied in FIG. 3.
[38] FIGs. 7a, 7b and 7c are views respectively showing variations of the
support of FIG. 6.
[39] REFERENCE NUMERALS
[40] 10: Dust-proof Mask 11: Main Body
[41] 12: Facial Seat 13: Seam
[42] 14: Band 20: Support
[43] 21: Intake Aperture 22. Exhaust Port
[44] 23: Guide 24: Flow Passage
[45] 25: Clearance 26, 27: Valve
[46] 28a, 28b: Base 29. Check Plate
[47] 30. Cap
[48]
[Detailed Description]
[49] Listed or not in the above, features and advantages of the present
disclosure will become more apparent through the following description of at
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least one embodiment of a dust-proof mask with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[50]
[51] Referring to FIG. 3, the dust-proof mask according to the present
disclosure is shown at 10. The dust-proof mask 10 generally conforms to a
user's face region over the nose and mouth and is disposed in a proper
position
of the face by using one or more fixing bands 14 on both sides of the mask 10.
The mask 10 of the present disclosure includes a main body 11 forming a space
for the face, a ring-shaped facial seat 12 having the outer peripheral portion
bonded to the perimeter of the main body 11, and a support 20 disposed
internally of the main body 11.
[52]
[53] On both lateral sides the main body 11, the fixing band 14 is connected,
and the mask 10 is set in place on the face with the main body 11 and the
facial
seat 12 enclosing nose and mouth by tightening the band 14 around the user's
head 14.
[54]
[55] Specifically, the main body 11 can use commonly available filter
materials
such as PP (polypropylene) or nonwoven PE (polyethylene) capable of filtering
harmful external air and it is designed to conform to the normal facial space
as
hemispherical, diamond, or other variety of shapes. The body 11 can have a
structure in which a number of layers of the filter materials are laminated.
[56]
[57] The facial seat 12 is made of a sheet material obtained by laminating the
soft resin such as polyurethane on one side of a soft fiber such as cotton or
synthetic fibers such as polyester fibers and nylon fibers. Other embodiments
may utilize rubber and a synthetic rubber material including silicone and
urethane, although the sheet material described above is considered as
advantageous, in view of the face-contacting feeling, water absorption and
flexibility.
[58]
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[59] In particular, the facial seat 12 is fabricated into a deformed ring in
consideration of the profiles of the nose, and thereby it can conform flexibly
to
the users' face forms with some differences, providing an excellent adhesion
to
the users.
[60]
[61] In the present disclosure, the outer peripheral portion of the facial
seat 12
and perimeter or periphery of the main body 11 are joined together. As a
method for bonding, adhesives, sewing, welding or the like is used. When the
main body 11 is a laminate structure, the filter layers are joined at the same
time. A seam 13 is depicted in the drawings by a dashed line as it is created
by
turning the bonded seat 12 and main body 11 inside out.
[62]
[63] In the above, the detailed description has been provided for the
structures
of the main body 11 and the facial seat 12, and these structures are not
special
only to the present disclosure. However, the dust-proof mask 10 of the present
disclosure comprises a support 20 uniquely designed to be
attachable/detachable to and from the inner surface of the body 11.
[64]
[65] With reference to FIG. 4, the support 20 is made of a water-impermeable
thin film having at least one intake aperture 21 and at least one exhaust port
22
and the support 20 is detachably placed on the inner surface of the main body
11. In addition, the support 20 incorporates a plurality of radially
projecting
guides 23 on its surface which form non-contact or suspension flow passages
24 of air between the inner support 20 and the outer main body 11.
[66]
[67] To make the support 20, a water-impermeable thin film is sufficient for
use
as the material which includes plastic resin selected from the group of
cellulose
esters, polyethylene and the like or rubber resin selected from the group of
rubber, silicon and the like. The thickness of the film may range between, but
not limited to, 0.3 - 0.6mm, and the present disclosure is not limited to some
suggested materials and thicknesses of the support 20.
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[68]
[69] Though the guide 23 may be composed of a plurality of projections, it is
illustrated as a linear extension wherein regularly or irregularly spaced
clearances 25 may be incorporated midway to more diversely distribute the flow
passages 24.
[70]
[71] With reference to FIG.s 4 and 5, the support 20 is attached to the inner
surface of the main body 11 by having a perimeter 28 distally joined with the
seam 13 between the main body 11 and the facial seat 12. Therefore, the
guides 23 establish non-contact flow passages 24 over the front face of the
support 20, extending from the distal end of the perimeter 28 to the intake
aperture 21.
[72]
[73] Preferably, as shown, the perimeter 28 of the support 20 is rounded
outward at 'R'. The round portion 'R' provides the following advantages:
[74] First, with the round portion 'R' contacting the wear's face, the dust-
proof mask 10 provides better tactility and osculation; and
[75] Second, without an areal contact or overlapping between the main
body 11 and support 20, the perimeter 28 of the support 20 positively makes
contact with the seam 13.
[76]
[77] The rounding at 'R' prevents the perimeter 28 from directly depressing
the
user face with discomfort and resolves inadequate contacts with the face.
Further, the main body 11 and the support 20 possibly make a slight areal
contact at the perimeter 28. From this point of view, the round portion 'R' of
this
embodiment is advantageous.
[78]
[79] In order to eliminate the possibility of surface contacts occurring
between
the support 20 and the main body 11, the guides 23 preferably have distal ends
31 merging into the perimeter 28 of the support 20. In other words, the guides
23 are formed up to the inner surface of the distal end of a perimeter 28 of
the
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support 20. However, not all of the guides 23 are necessarily formed so, as
profiled at 31a.
[80]
[81] On the other hand, the intake aperture 21 and the exhaust port 22 are
respectively provided with valve means for preventing unnecessarily directed
flows of air. The valve means includes an intake valve 26 mounted through the
support 20 and covered externally by the main body 11 and an exhaust valve
27 mounted through the exhaust port 22 of the support 20 and a corresponding
opening of the main body 11. The valves 26 and 27 are so-called check valves
for allowing a one-way communication, and thus they are dedicated as the
intake and exhaust valves, respectively.
[82]
[83] The respective valves 26 and 27 includes bases 28a, 28b fixed
respectively to the intake aperture 21 and the exhaust port 22 and flexible
check
plates 29 mounted onto the bases 28a, 28b. For the purpose of filtering all
the
inhaled air, the intake valve 26 is covered by the main body 11 while the
exhaled breath, which needs no filtering, exits the main body 11 penetrating
thereof. In FIGs. 4 and 5, reference numeral 30 denotes an external cap of the
exhaust 27.
[84]
[85] As described above, with the main body 11 and facial seat 12 covering the
wearer's mouth and nose, the mask 10 of the present disclosure is secured in
place by strapping it over the wear's head by the band 14 once or twice if
double strapped. At this time, the rounded finish R' provides the user of the
mask 10 with fair tactility and well osculation with the face.
[86]
[87] Then, the wearer can breathe safely through the valves, of which the
intake
valve 26 is open upon inhalation and the exhaust valve 27 is open at
exhalation.
Prior to this, the external air at the inhalation is filtered through the
entire
filtration material of the main body 11 and channeled along the flow passages
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24 before passing the open intake valve 26 under the pressure of inhalation
and
entering the respiratory system of the wearer.
[88]
[89] Then, exhaled air is blocked by the support 20 from contacting the main
body 11 except that it is discharged through the exhaust valve 27 to the
atmosphere. Therefore, the concern for wetting the main body 11 by breathing
is resolved, and moist breath from the wearer will neither harm the main body
11.
[90]
[91] The present disclosure considers the loss of unresisted breathing and
filtration in proportion to possible areal contact of the support 20 with the
main
body 11. Such areal contacts are successfully removed by the present
disclosure before they interfere with providing enough amount of air for safe
breathing and disables to make efficient use of the whole working area of the
main body 11.
[92]
[93] In the present disclosure, the support 20 is not possible to make an
areal
contact with the main body by joining the perimeter 28 with the seam 13
between the main body 11 and the facial seat 12, when a plurality of the
guides
23 formed as integral projections from the support 20 establish non-contact
flow
passages 24 over the front face of the support 20, extending from the distal
end
of the perimeter 28 to the intake aperture 21, whereby resolving the effect of
the
areal contact.
[94]
[95] Referring to FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the support 20 has a single
central
intake aperture 21 and one lateral exhaust port 22. However, the present
disclosure is not intended to be limited to the illustrated arrangement and
the
number of the intake aperture 21 and exhaust port 22.
[96]
[97] For example, FIG. 7a illustrates a central intake aperture with two
lateral
exhaust ports, FIG. 7b two lateral intake apertures with a lower centered
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exhaust port, and FIG. 7c three intake apertures with an exhaust port, which
can be selectively applied to the present disclosure.
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