Face mask, face mask manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a face mask that can effectively prevent hay fever, droplet infection, unpleasant mask odor, heat, dryness, and mask stress, and can be manufactured at the same level of cost as commercially available disposable masks.SOLUTION: The face mask consists of: a body part; and a holding part. The body part comprises, therein, a reception part having reception spaces on the nose, both sides of the nose, and cheeks of a face mask wearer. The body part has a first surface and a second surface that overlap with each other by being folded over, and the reception part is formed by joining partially the first surface and the second surface. The face mask manufacturing method comprises: a folding step of forming the first and second surfaces; and a joining step of forming a reception part having reception spaces by joining partially the first and second surfaces.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mask used for preventing infection, hay fever, etc., and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to the long-standing epidemic of hay fever and the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020, people have begun to use non-woven masks (disposable masks) on a daily basis. However, because the size and shape of people's faces are different, when wearing a typical disposable mask available on the market, there will inevitably be gaps between the face and the mask. If viruses or pollen get in through the gaps between the face and the mask, the nose and mouth will be unprotected inside the mask, so the pollen and viruses can easily get into the mouth and nose (Figure 7). In addition, when a person infected with a virus wears a mask, the virus excreted from the infected person's mouth or nose will leak out through the gaps between the face and the mask, causing the problem of infecting others with the virus. Therefore, there was a demand for a mask that could effectively seal the mouth and nose.

[0003] In response to this, masks that are specialized for sealing the nose have been provided (for example, Patent Document 1). These masks cover only the nose, so they can tightly seal the nose. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2000-126319 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, since nose masks do not cover the mouth, it is necessary to wear a commercially available mask on top of the mask to cover the mouth. This has problems such as being troublesome for the wearer, being hot because the nose mask and the commercially available mask are doubled, and being an economic burden because the wearer needs to purchase a nose mask and a general disposable mask. Therefore, there has been a demand for a "mask that has a member that can effectively seal the nose like a nose mask and can also close the mouth."

[0006] Furthermore, because nose masks are different in size and shape from commercially available disposable masks, it is necessary to use manufacturing methods, processes, and manufacturing equipment that are different from those used for commercially available disposable masks. This creates the problem of high manufacturing costs for nose masks.

[0007] On the other hand, since commercially available general disposable masks have been manufactured in extremely large quantities for many years, the manufacturing technology is extremely mature and the manufacturing cost is extremely low. In other words, the manufacturing cost of commercially available general disposable masks is extremely low compared to nose-only masks. Therefore, if a "mask that has a member that can effectively seal the nose like a nose-only mask and can close the mouth" could be manufactured as an extension of the manufacturing process of commercially available general disposable masks (if it could be manufactured by adding only one or two steps to the manufacturing process of commercially available general disposable masks), the manufacturing cost of the "mask that has a member that can effectively seal the nose and can close the mouth" would be significantly cheaper. Therefore, there was a demand for a "mask that has a member that can effectively seal the nose and can close the mouth" that can be manufactured using the same manufacturing process as a commercially available general mask, or as an extension of it.

[0008] The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and aims to provide an inexpensive "mask that has a component that can effectively seal the nose like a nasal mask, and can also cover the mouth." [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a mask, a mask manufacturing method, and a mask kit (a set of materials or a part of the materials) that include the following means. (1) The mask comprises a main body and a holding part. The main body has a storage section with a storage space at a position corresponding to the side of the mask wearer's nose. (2) The main body portion has a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded back, and the storage portion is formed by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (3) The storage section is formed on the inner surface of the mask. (4) The armpit area includes the areas near both sides of the mask wearer's nose. (5) The masks are mass-produced disposable masks. (6) A method for manufacturing a mask having a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded over, comprising a folding process for forming the first surface and the second surface, and a joining process for forming a storage section having a storage space at a position corresponding to the side of the nose of a mask wearer by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (7) The mask is made up of a main body and a holding part. The main body is placed at the position that touches the nose of the mask wearer. It has a storage section having a storage space. (8) The storage section has a storage space capable of storing the mask wearer's nose and also covers both sides of the mask wearer's nose. (9) The storage section has a storage space capable of storing the mask wearer's nose and also blocks the mask wearer's nostrils. (10) The main body portion has a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded over, and the storage portion is formed by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (11) The storage section is formed on the inner surface of the mask. (12) The masks are mass-produced disposable masks. (13) A method for manufacturing a mask having a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded over, comprising a folding step for forming the first surface and the second surface, and a joining step for forming a storage section having a storage space at a position that touches the nose of a mask wearer by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (14) The mask is made up of a main body and a holding part. The main body is attached to the cheek of the mask wearer. It has a storage section having a storage space. (15) The main body portion has a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded over, and the storage portion is formed by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (16) The storage section is formed on the inner surface of the mask. (17) The cheek area includes the areas near the cheeks of the mask wearer. (18) The masks are mass-produced disposable masks. (19) A method for manufacturing a mask having a first surface and a second surface that are overlapped by being folded back, the method comprising: a folding step of forming the first surface and the second surface; a joining step of joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface to form a storage portion having a storage space at a position that corresponds to the cheek portion of the mask wearer; (20) The mask comprises a main body and a holding part, and the main body has a storage section having a storage space located directly below the mouth of the mask wearer or diagonally below the mouth. (21) The main body portion has a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded back, and the storage portion is formed by joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface. (22) The storage section is formed on the outer surface of the mask. (23) The masks are mass-produced disposable masks. (24) A method for manufacturing a mask having a first surface and a second surface that overlap each other by being folded over, comprising a folding step of forming the first surface and the second surface, and a joining step of joining a portion of the first surface and the second surface to form a storage section having a storage space directly below or diagonally below the mouth of a mask wearer. (25) It comprises a main body having a storage section with an opening for removing stored items, and a holding section, and the main body has the opening on its outer surface. (26) The method comprises the steps of forming a main body having a storage section with an opening for removing stored items, and joining the main body to its holding section, the main body having the opening on its outer surface. Effect of the Invention

[0010] The present invention provides the following advantages: (1) Because the mask has a storage compartment for the nose, it can prevent pollen and viruses that have entered through the gap between the face and the mask from entering through the nose. It also reduces the risk of viruses excreted from the nose leaking out through the gap between the face and the mask and infecting others. (2) Since the manufacturing process is the same as that of ordinary masks on the market, or if the manufacturing process is simply modified, "a mask that has a material that can effectively seal the nose and also close the mouth" can be produced extremely cheaply. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical disposable mask available on the market. [Diagram 2] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a mask according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a method for manufacturing a mask according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the nose insertion space and nose storage section. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the nose of a mask wearer and a nose storage section. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 shows an example of a mask that can be used to prevent hay fever. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating problems with a conventional mask. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a mask having five storage compartments. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a human face and a mask body viewed from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS EXAMPLES

[0012] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the inner surface of a typical disposable mask 1 available on the market, which is made of a main body 11 made of a material such as nonwoven fabric and ear rubbers 12 (retaining parts). Fig. 1(a) shows the inner surface of the mask 1 (the surface where the main body 11 comes into contact with the face of the mask wearer), and Fig. 1(b) is a schematic diagram showing the side of the main body 11. The main body 11 has an accordion-like surface formed by repeatedly folding and overlapping the nonwoven fabric (the operation of forming pleats) as shown in Figures 1(a) and (b). That is, the nonwoven fabric extending downward (first surface / symbol S1) is once folded back to form an upwardly extending folded back surface (second surface / symbol S2) to overlap the first surface and the second surface, and the second surface is further folded back downward to form a third surface (symbol S3) to overlap the second surface and the third surface. By repeating this folding and overlapping process, the main body 11 has an accordion-like surface consisting of the first surface (symbol S1) to the seventh surface (symbol S7).

[0013] 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a method for manufacturing the main body 11 of the mask 1 according to the present invention. The main body 11 is manufactured through a process of joining (attaching or integrating) parts of the first surface (S1) and the second surface (S2) shown in Fig. 1. The process will be described below. Reference numerals 21a and 21b in Fig. 2 indicate the joining positions of the first and second surfaces. The overlapping first surface (S1) and second surface (S2) as shown in Fig. 3(a) are temporarily separated at this joining position to create a space for joining, adhesive 15 is poured into the space, and the first surface (S1) and second surface (S2) are again overlapped. This results in the first surface and second surface being joined at the joining position as shown in Fig. 3(b). It should be noted that in addition to the first and second surfaces, the third surface may also be joined. In this way, the mask according to the present invention can be easily completed by simply joining parts of ordinary disposable masks available on the market, which makes it possible to reduce manufacturing costs significantly.

[0014] Next, the joining will be described in detail. The joining positions (positions in the lateral direction of the main body portion 11) are two positions, an arbitrary position within the range indicated by L1 in Fig. 2, and an arbitrary position within the range indicated by L2. L1 is the range from a position corresponding to the left armpit of the mask wearer's nose to the left end of the main body portion 11, and L2 is the range from a position corresponding to the right armpit of the mask wearer's nose to the right end of the main body portion 11. The most desirable joining position is a position where the nose can be tightly blocked from both sides and below when the mask wearer wears the mask 1, and is a position at both sides of the nose (a position corresponding to, facing, or equivalent to both sides of the nose). However, as long as it is within the range of L1 or L2, it may be a position corresponding to the vicinity of both sides of the nose or a position corresponding slightly outside both sides of the nose. The number of joining positions may be one, three or more, instead of two. In this embodiment, the uppermost pleat portion consisting of the first and second surfaces is joined, but other surfaces, such as the third and fourth surfaces, or the fifth and sixth surfaces, may be joined together. The joining means is not limited to adhesive, and other joining means such as thermocompression, heat welding, and sewing may be used. Furthermore, the joining means may be manufactured together with the main body 11 (integral molding) when the main body 11 is manufactured, instead of joining the completed main body 11 with adhesive or the like later.

[0015] Next, a method of using the mask 1 will be described. Before putting on the mask, the mask wearer pulls out the center of the second surface (between the two joined portions) toward himself / herself using a finger, a rod-shaped member, etc. This forms a pocket-shaped storage section 17 containing a storage space 16 between the first surface and the second surface (on the inner surface of the mask) as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b). When putting on the mask, the mask wearer first stores his / her nose in the storage space 16, and then places the ear straps over his / her ears. The width of the storage space 16 is approximately the same as (or slightly wider than) the width from the right side to the left side of the mask wearer's nose, so both sides of the nose are securely sealed by the first and second sides. Furthermore, because the second side covers the bottom of the nose (nostrils), the bottom of the nose is also securely sealed by the nonwoven fabric. That is, as shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the storage section 17, which conforms to the shape of the nose 31, securely covers the area around the nose 31, effectively preventing pollen or viruses that have entered between the face and the mask from entering through the nostrils, and preventing viruses and the like that have been expelled from the nostrils from leaking out of the mask. If tissue paper or the like is stored in the storage space 16, the nonwoven fabric will not get dirty with runny nose.

[0016] In Fig. 6, both ends of the ear elastics 12 are attached to the upper part of the main body 11, so that the main body 11 can be held in a suspending manner. Fig. 6 functions as a mask for preventing hay fever. The following will explain this. Hay fever is a symptom caused mainly by inhaling pollen through the nose, so there is no need to cover the mouth. Although hay fever is a nuisance, many people find masks difficult to breathe in and do not want to wear them. Therefore, by hanging the main body 11 as shown in Figure 6, a gap is created between the face and the mask, making it easier to breathe through the mouth. At the same time, the storage section 17 tightly covers the nose, so the hay fever can be alleviated. In other words, it is possible to both make breathing easier and alleviate the hay fever. If the main body 11 is hung, it will sway like a curtain and become unstable. Therefore, if a flexible wire is provided at the bottom edge of the mask, the shape of the main body 11 can be kept constant. EXAMPLES

[0017] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. People have begun wearing masks on a daily basis due to the long-standing epidemics of hay fever and influenza, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. However, wearing a mask comes with a number of problems, including breathlessness, heat, unpleasant smells from inside the mask, the mask getting in the way and causing stress, breath leaking from the top of the mask and fogging up glasses, and pollen and droplets getting in through the gaps between the mask and the face. Many people also wear masks to protect their skin, throats, and nostrils from dryness in the winter, but there is also the problem that masks alone do not provide sufficient moisture. Furthermore, to prevent "odors and dryness inside the mask," spray-type air fresheners and moisturizers, as well as air fresheners and moisturizers that can be attached to the mask, are available. However, spray-type air fresheners and moisturizers have the problem that the liquid is sprayed widely and shallowly onto the surface of the mask, so it evaporates quickly and becomes ineffective. In addition, air fresheners and moisturizers that can be attached to the mask must be purchased separately, which places a large financial burden on the purchaser. Therefore, a mask that solves these problems is needed.

[0018] 8 shows four joining positions (joining positions 21c, 21d, 21e, 21f) in Example 1. Joining positions 21d and 21e are near both sides of the mask wearer's nose 31 (or slightly inside the both sides), and joining position 21c is between the left end of main body 11 and joining position 21d, and joining position 21f is between the right end of main body 11 and joining position 21e. This joining forms five storage spaces 16 (storage spaces 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e) and five storage sections 17 (storage sections 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 17e) that contain them. That is, storage section 17c is formed at a position that touches the nose 31 of the mask wearer, storage section 17b and storage section 17d are formed at positions that touch both sides (both sides) of the nose 31 of the mask wearer, and storage section 17a and storage section 17e are formed at a position that touches the cheeks 37 (or the upper part of the cheeks or under the eyes) of the mask wearer.

[0019] Next, a method of using the mask according to the second embodiment will be described. The upper part of Fig. 9 is a top view showing the relationship between the nose 31 and cheeks 37 of the mask wearer and the mask body 11 in a simplified manner. The lower part of Fig. 9 shows the state in which cotton 39, tissue paper, etc. are inserted into each storage section 17. Since the nose 31 has a convex shape, a gap 36 is inevitably formed between the body 11 and the surface of the face (on both sides of the nose 31), allowing the intrusion of pollen, droplets, etc. Therefore, cotton 39, tissue paper, etc. are inserted into the storage space 16b and the storage space 16d. This closes the gap 36, preventing the intrusion of pollen, etc. Since the storage section 17 is pocket-shaped, it can firmly hold the cotton 39 and prevent the cotton 39 from "slipping" or "spill-out". It is preferable that the width of the storage section 17b and the storage section 17d is long enough to close the gap 36.

[0020] In addition, if various liquids are soaked into the cotton 39 to be inserted, the following effects can be obtained. If the cotton 39 inserted is soaked in moisturizing liquid (cosmetic liquid), the moisturizing liquid will spread inside the mask and prevent the skin from drying out. If the cotton 39 is soaked in mint water or the like, the scent will reach the nostrils, giving the mask wearer a refreshing feeling and allowing them to forget the heat. If the cotton 39 is soaked in water, the water will evaporate and the evaporative cooling effect will cool the mask wearer. If the cotton 39 is soaked in essential oils or the like, the mask wearer can get a relaxing effect. In addition, since the cotton 39 can be soaked in a lot of liquid, the liquid will not evaporate quickly and lose its effect. Furthermore, since everyday items such as cotton 39 and tissue paper are used, there is no need to purchase special products separately, making it economical.

[0021] If cotton 39 soaked in a similar liquid is inserted into storage space 16a and storage space 16e (cheek 37 area), the moisturizing effect, the heat of vaporization effect, the relaxing effect, etc. can be further increased. Also, if cotton 39 soaked in essential oil, mint water, etc. is inserted into storage space 16c, the scent will be located directly under the nostrils, so the effect of the scent can be further increased. Furthermore, the masks 1 according to Examples 1 and 2 can be manufactured at extremely low cost because they can be manufactured using the same manufacturing method as general nonwoven masks (disposable masks) available on the market. In other words, although it is necessary to manufacture a dedicated mold for manufacturing the masks according to Examples 1 and 2, once the dedicated mold is manufactured, the masks can be repeatedly manufactured using the same manufacturing method as general masks currently available on the market.

[0022] In this embodiment, there are four joints, but the joint position 21d and the joint position 21e may be in the same position (the center of the main body 11) to reduce the number of joints to three. Furthermore, there may be only one joint position in the center of the main body 11 (the center position from the left side to the right side). Furthermore, the storage section 17 is not limited to nonwoven masks and may be provided in other types of masks.

[0023] The storage section 17 may be formed near both cheeks of the mask wearer. By putting cotton or the like in the storage space 16, the gaps on the sides of the main body section 11 can be blocked.

[0024] The storage section 17 may be provided in a portion below the mouth of the mask wearer (below right of the mouth, directly below the mouth, or below left of the mouth). In this way, even if the contents (cotton 39, etc.) stored in the storage section 17 fall out of the storage section 17, it is possible to prevent the contents from accidentally entering the mouth and being swallowed. In particular, if the storage section 17 is diagonally below the mouth (below right or below left), the contents will fall out to the side of the mouth (other than in front of the mouth), which further reduces the risk of swallowing the contents. In this case, the joining position is preferably the lowest fold of the main body section 11, directly below the mouth, the side of the mouth, the lower cheek, or a position in the vicinity of these positions.

[0025] The storage section 17 (pocket) has an entrance (insertion opening and removal opening) for inserting and removing the stored item. If this entrance is provided on the outer surface (the surface that does not contact the face of the mask wearer) of the main body section 11, even if the stored item falls out of the storage section 17, it will not accidentally enter the mouth and be swallowed. The entrance may be provided on the inner surface of the main body section 11. If provided on the inner surface, the scent of the stored item will leak out from the entrance and spread easily inside the mask.

[0026] Next, variations in the position of the storage section 17 will be described. If the storage section 17 is provided below the mouth, the risk of accidentally swallowing the stored items even if they fall out of the storage section 17 can be avoided. If the storage section 17 is provided on the right or left side of the mouth, the scent of the stored items can easily reach the user because it is close to the nostrils, and even if the stored items fall out, they will fall to the side of the mouth, so the risk of accidentally swallowing the stored items can be avoided. If the storage section 17 is provided at a position that touches the nose, the stored items are sandwiched between the nose and the main body section 11, so that the stored items can be prevented from spilling out. If the storage section 17 is provided on the right or left side of the nose, the stored items are sandwiched between the cheekbones (or the surrounding area) and the main body section 11, so that the stored items can be prevented from spilling out. If the storage section 17 is provided in front of the mouth, the stored items can be positioned directly below the nostrils, so that the scent of the stored items can be felt strongly.

[0027] The above is a detailed description of one of the preferred embodiments or examples. That is, all the descriptions in this specification including the above embodiment or example are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. For example, the surfaces to be joined (first surface and second surface) are not limited to the topmost pleat, but may be the second pleat from the top, or the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth pleat from the top (or lower). The storage section may also be provided in a position around the mouth (in front of the mouth, under the mouth, the lower right and left of the mouth, the right and left sides of the mouth, or above the mouth), or in a position diagonally lower right and left of the nose. Furthermore, the present invention can be utilized as a method of using a mask that can obtain a relaxing effect, a moisturizing effect, or the like by filling the storage section with a storage item including a fragrance component or a cosmetic liquid (moisturizing liquid, etc.). The storage section 17 may also be formed in a type of mask in which the main body section 11 does not have a bellows surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1. Mask 11 Main body 12 Ear rubber (holding part) 15. Glue 16 Storage space 17 Storage area 31 Nose 32 Wire 35 Facial Surface 36 Gaps (gaps between the face and the mask body on either side of the nose) 37 Cheek 39 Cotton S1 to S7 (1st to 7th sides) L1, L2 Joint range

Claims

1. It consists of a main body and a holding part. The main body is, The mask is equipped with a storage compartment located at the position corresponding to the nose of the person wearing it, A mask characterized by the following features.

2. The main body comprises a first surface and a second surface that overlap when folded, The storage section is formed by joining a part of the first surface and a part of the second surface. The mask according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a mask.

3. The aforementioned storage compartment is The storage space is capable of accommodating the nose of the mask wearer, and also covers both sides of the mask wearer's nose. The mask according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a mask.

4. The aforementioned storage compartment is The storage space is capable of accommodating the nose of the mask wearer and also covers the mask wearer's nostrils. The mask according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a mask.

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