Exhalation blocker and mask

Abstract

To provide an exhalation blocker for mask and a mask, which softly fit to the skin and are unlikely to leave any contact mark even when used for long time.SOLUTION: In an exhalation blocker 1 attached to a mask body to be used, an upper side 12 part of a flexible rectangular sheet 10 is folded toward a side of a lower side 14 part, right and left sides 22 and 24 of a sheet 20 folded and positioned at an upper part are fixed to a sheet 30 positioned at a lower part so as to be closer to a center with respect to the right and left sides 32 and 34 of the sheet 30 positioned at the lower part and the sheet 20 positioned at the upper part is inflated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an exhalation blocking device that is attached to a mask and prevents eyeglasses from fogging up due to exhaled breath. [Background technology]

[0002] Many people who wear glasses experience fogged-up lenses due to moist breath when wearing a mask. This has long been a recognized issue, and masks that do not fog up the lenses even when wearing glasses have been developed, and many patent applications have been filed.

[0003] As a form of mask that does not fog up the lenses even when wearing glasses, there are a mask body with an exhalation blocking device that prevents exhaled air from leaking that is integrated into the mask body, and a mask body with an exhalation blocking device that is separate from the mask body and attached to the mask body. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a mask exhalation blocking device that is attached to the mask body.

[0004] The breath blocking device for masks described in Patent Document 1 is made by folding a resilient rectangular sheet in half vertically and joining the free ends of the lower parts at the center and both ends with the fold at the top, forming a pair of cushion parts with at least the skin side bulging in an arch shape on the left and right of the center, and providing an adhesive layer on the mask attachment surface opposite the skin side of the pair of cushion parts. The two cushion parts make close contact following the irregularities of the face including the bridge of the nose, preventing the leakage of breath. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-102450 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The breath blocking device for masks described in Patent Document 1 uses a resilient sheet as the material, so it is easy to provide two cushion parts that bulge in an arch shape to prevent leakage of breath. However, since the material uses a resilient sheet, if used for a long time, contact marks will be left on the skin surface where the cushion parts are in contact. If a soft material is used, contact marks will not be left even if it comes into contact with the skin, but it is difficult to form the cushion parts that bulge in an arch shape.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an exhalation blocking device for a mask that fits softly against the skin and is unlikely to leave any traces even after prolonged use, and a mask. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention is an exhalation blocking device that is attached to a mask body and is characterized in that the upper edge of a flexible, horizontally elongated rectangular sheet is folded back toward the lower edge, and the left and right sides of the folded upper sheet are fixed to the lower sheet so that they are respectively closer to the center of the left and right sides of the lower sheet, and the upper sheet is bulging.

[0009] In the exhalation blocking device of the present invention, the sheet located at the upper part is characterized in that the upper to lower parts of the left and right sides, or the parts of the left and right sides excluding the upper parts, are fixed to the sheet located at the lower part.

[0010] The exhalation blocking device according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a fixing means for removably fixing the lower part of the back surface of the sheet located at the lower part to the mask body.

[0011] In the expiratory breath blocking device according to the present invention, the horizontally long rectangular sheet is formed by stacking a plurality of thin sheets.

[0012] The present invention is a mask comprising a mask body, and an exhalation blocking device in which the upper edge of a flexible horizontally elongated rectangular sheet is folded back towards the lower edge, and the left and right sides of the folded upper sheet are fixed to the lower sheet so that they are respectively closer to the center relative to the left and right sides of the lower sheet, so that the upper sheet is inflated, and the back surface of the exhalation blocking device is fixed from the center to the bottom to the mask body.

[0013] In the mask according to the present invention, the horizontally long rectangular sheet is formed by stacking a plurality of thin sheets. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an exhalation blocking device for a mask and a mask that fits softly against the skin and is unlikely to leave marks even when used for a long period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a breath blocking device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from above and in front, and a front view of a sheet 10 from which the breath blocking device 1 is made. [Diagram 2] 1A to 1C are a front view, an end view, and a rear view of an expiratory gas blocking device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are a front view and a side view of a main part of a mask 2 in which an exhalation blocking device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a mask body 100. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are front and rear views of an assembly-type breath blocking device 5 for producing the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mask 3 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from above and behind. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Fig. 1(A) is a perspective view of the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from above the front, Fig. 1(B) is a front view of a sheet 10 from which the breath blocking device 1 is made, Fig. 2(A) is a front view of the breath blocking device 1, Fig. 2(B) is an end view of a cut portion of the breath blocking device 1, and Fig. 2(C) is a rear view of the breath blocking device 1. Fig. 3(A) is a front view of a mask 2 with the breath blocking device 1 attached to a mask body 100, and Fig. 3(B) is a side view of a main part of the mask 2 with the breath blocking device 1 attached to the mask body 100. Note that the end view and the side view of the main part are drawn with the thickness of the sheet 10 exaggerated.

[0017] In the drawings and the specification, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis correspond to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In the following description, the +X-axis, +Y-axis, and +Z-axis directions refer to the directions of the arrows on each axis of the drawings, and the -X-axis, -Y-axis, and -Z-axis directions refer to the opposite directions of the arrows on each axis of the drawings.

[0018] The exhalation blocking device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is an exhalation blocking device for a mask that is attached to a mask body 100. Hereinafter, the exhalation blocking device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described assuming that the lower sides 12 of the sheet 10 and the lower sheet 30 are parallel to the X-axis, and the side sides 32, 34 of the sheet 10 and the lower sheet 30 are parallel to the Z-axis.

[0019] The breath blocking device 1 is generally formed by using a flexible sheet 10 having a horizontally elongated rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 1(C), folding back an upper edge 12 of the sheet 10 toward a lower edge 14, and positioning sides 22, 24 of a sheet 20 (hereinafter referred to as upper sheet 20) that is the upper (front) side by folding back the sheet 10, toward the center with respect to sides 32, 34 of a sheet 30 (hereinafter referred to as lower sheet 30) that is located at the lower (rear) side, and then fixing the sides 22, 24 of the upper sheet 20 to the lower sheet 30 (FIGS. 1(A) and 2(A)). The breath blocking device 1 will be described in detail below.

[0020] A flexible sheet 10 such as a nonwoven fabric used in commercially available masks is used as the base material of the breath blocking device 1. The sheet 10 may consist of a single sheet or may be made up of two or more thin sheets stacked together.

[0021] The sheet 10 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, and the width (X direction) of the sheet 10 is the same as or slightly shorter than the width of the mask body 100. The length in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the sheet 10 is about 20 to 40 mm.

[0022] When manufacturing the breath blocking device 1, care is taken not to make creases when folding the top edge 12 of the sheet 10 toward the bottom edge 14. This allows the upper sheet 20 to swell up and make it easier to fit to the face when attached to the mask body 100. If creases are made when folding the top edge 12 of the sheet 10 toward the bottom edge 14, the upper sheet 20 will bend starting from the creases when the breath blocking device 1 is attached to the mask body 100 and used, making it difficult to fit to the face.

[0023] When the upper edge 12 of the sheet 10 is folded back toward the lower edge 14, the lower end 26 of the side edge 22 and the lower end 28 of the side edge 24 of the folded back upper sheet 12 are aligned with the lower edge 14 of the lower sheet 20. In addition, the upper sheet 20 is folded back so that the lower end 26 of the left side 22 of the folded back upper sheet 20 is to the right of the side edge 32 of the lower sheet 20 (in the +X-axis direction), and the lower end 28 of the side edge 24 of the folded back upper sheet 20 is to the left of the side edge 34 of the lower sheet 20 (in the -X-axis direction).

[0024] When the sheet 10 is folded back as described above, the upper sheet 20 and the lower sheet 30 are connected, so the side edge 22 of the upper sheet 20 is oblique to the side edge 32 of the lower sheet 30, starting from the upper end 27 of the side edge 22 of the upper sheet 20. The same is true for the side edge 24 of the upper sheet 20. Note that the upper end 27 of the side edge 22 of the upper sheet 20 is also the upper end of the side edge 32 of the lower sheet 30. Similarly, the upper end 29 of the side edge 24 of the upper sheet 20 is also the upper end of the side edge 34 of the lower sheet 30.

[0025] If the size of sheet 10 is 150 to 160 mm in width (X direction) and 35 to 40 mm in vertical length (Z direction), when upper side 12 of sheet 10 is folded back toward lower side 14, the intersection angle θ between side 32 and side 22 and the intersection angle θ between side 34 and side 24 in a front view should be approximately 6 to 25°, and preferably 10 to 22°. By folding back upper side 12 of sheet 10 toward lower side 14 in this manner, upper sheet 20 bulges out in an arch shape.

[0026] In the exhalation blocking device 1 configured as described above, the portion above the center line M of the sheet 10 generally corresponds to the upper sheet 10, and the portion below the center line M of the sheet 10 generally corresponds to the lower sheet 30. Thus, the lower end 26 of the side edge 22 of the upper sheet 10 and the lower end 28 of the side edge 24 of the upper sheet 10 correspond to the ends 16, 18 of the upper edge 12 of the sheet 10.

[0027] In this state, the sides 22 and 24 of the upper sheet 20 are fixed to the lower sheet 30. The thick line portions 50, 51 in Figures 1(A), 1(B) and 2(A) are the fixing positions. Here, the sides 22, 24 fixed to the lower sheet 30 include the portions near the sides 22, 24 that can be essentially regarded as the sides 22, 24.

[0028] The method of attaching the sides 22 and 24 of the upper sheet 20 to the lower sheet 30 is not particularly limited, and may be selected appropriately depending on the material of the sheet 10, such as heat fusion, adhesion with an adhesive, sewing, etc.

[0029] In this embodiment, the side edges 22 and 24 of the upper sheet 20 are fixed to the lower sheet 30 from the center to the lower end 26 of the side edge 22, and from the center to the lower end 28 of the side edge 24. When fixing the side edges 22 and 24 of the upper sheet 20 to the lower sheet 30, the entire side edge from the upper end 27 to the lower end 26 of the side edge 22 of the upper sheet 20 may be fixed to the lower sheet 30 as shown in the modified fixing position example in Fig. 1(A). The same applies to the side edge 24.

[0030] When the sides 22 and 24 of the upper sheet 20 are fixed to the lower sheet from the center to the bottom end 26 of the side 22 and from the center to the bottom end 28 of the side 24, the portions from the center to the top end 27 of the side 22 and from the center to the top end 29 of the side 24 (part B in FIG. 1(A)) are not restrained. This allows the upper sheet 20 to bulge more, and also increases the degree of freedom of the bulged shape.

[0031] The upper sheet 20 fixed to the lower sheet 30 in the above manner bulges in an arch shape starting from both side edges 22, 24. When looking at the upper sheet 20 in the longitudinal direction (X direction), the center 21 of the arch bulge protrudes furthest forward (Y direction), when looking at the upper sheet 20 in the front-to-back direction (Y direction), the front edge (sheet upper edge 12) protrudes furthest forward, and when looking at the upper sheet 20 in the up-down direction (Z direction), the center 21 is the highest (+Z direction).

[0032] An adhesive material 60 is attached to the back surface (rear surface) 36 of the lower sheet 30 of the breath blocking device 1 over the entire length direction (X direction) of the breath blocking device 1 and from the center in the height direction (Z direction) to the bottom side 14. The adhesive material 60 is a fastening means for removably fastening the breath blocking device 1 to the mask body 100. Here, the adhesive material 60 is a double-sided tape 61 with a release paper 62.

[0033] The breath blocking device 1 is generally attached to the back surface 106 of the mask body 100 so that the highest part of the upper sheet 20 is approximately aligned with the upper edge 102 of the mask body 100 in a front view as shown in Fig. 3. However, the attachment position of the breath blocking device 1 to the mask body 100 is not limited to this, and the breath blocking device 1 may be attached to a position that is preferred by the user. The back surface 106 of the mask body 100 is the side that faces the face when the mask 2 is used.

[0034] In a mask 2 in which the exhalation blocking device 1 is attached to the mask body 100, the upper part 38 of the back surface of the lower sheet 30 of the exhalation blocking device 1 is not fixed to the mask body 100, so the upper part of the exhalation blocking device 1 can be projected toward the face away from the mask body 100. In such a mask 2, the upper sheet 20 can be projected further toward the face, compared to a mask in which the entire back surface 36 of the lower sheet 30 of the exhalation blocking device 1 is fixed to the mask body 100.

[0035] The breath blocking device 1 formed as described above uses a flexible sheet 10, but by devising a fixing position of the upper sheet 20 relative to the lower sheet 30, the upper sheet 20 can be made to naturally expand into an arch shape.

[0036] Such an exhalation blocking device 1 has a plump upper sheet 20, so when attached to the mask body 100 and used, it easily fits to the face and can effectively prevent exhaled air from leaking out to the upper side 102 of the mask body 100. Since the exhalation blocking device 1 is made of a sheet 10 made of a flexible material, contact marks are unlikely to be left even if the exhalation blocking device 1 is used for a long period of time in contact with the face.

[0037] In addition, since the upper back surface 38 of the lower sheet 30 of the exhalation blocking device 1 is not fixed to the mask body 100, the upper sheet 20 has a large degree of freedom in the front-to-back direction (Y direction) position, making it easy to use and easy to fit to the face.

[0038] In addition, the breath blocking device 1 of this embodiment can be easily attached to a commercially available mask because it has an adhesive material 60 on the back side. In addition, the breath blocking device 1 can be used repeatedly by replacing the mask because it has an adhesive material 60 on the back side.

[0039] Fig. 4(A) is a front view of an assembly-type breath blocking device 5 for producing the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4(B) is a rear view of the assembly-type breath blocking device 5. The same components as those of the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described.

[0040] The assembled breath blocking device 5 is constructed by attaching adhesives 71, 72 to the upper surface 11 of a flexible, horizontally elongated rectangular sheet 10, providing markers 80, 81, and attaching an adhesive 60 to the back surface (rear surface) 19 of the sheet 10. The upper edge 12 of the sheet 10 is folded back toward the lower edge 14, and the upper sheet 20, which becomes the upper part by folding back, is then fixed to the lower sheet 30 to produce the breath blocking device 1.

[0041] The adhesives 71, 72 are double-sided tapes with release paper, and are used to fold back the top edge 12 of the sheet 10 toward the bottom edge 14, and then attach the top sheet 20, which becomes the top by folding back, to the bottom sheet 30. The adhesives 71, 72 are provided so as to fit along the side edges 22, 24 of the portion of the sheet 10 that will become the top sheet 20, and so that their top ends 73, 74 coincide with the top edge 12 of the sheet 10.

[0042] The length (Z direction) of the adhesives 71, 72 is less than half that of the sheet 10, and is set so that when the upper edge 12 of the sheet 10 is folded toward the lower edge 14 and the upper sheet 20 formed by folding it back is fixed to the lower sheet 30, the upper sheet 20 is fixed from the center to the lower end 26 of the side edge 22 and from the center to the lower end 28 of the side edge 24.

[0043] Marks 80, 81 indicate the attachment positions of adhesives 71, 72 when folding back the top edge 12 of the sheet 10 toward the bottom edge 14 and fixing the top sheet 20, which is now the top, to the bottom sheet 30. These marks 80, 81 are inclined toward the center with respect to the bottom sides 32, 33 of the sheet 10, and bottom ends 83, 84 of the marks 80, 81 are on the bottom edge 14 of the sheet 10. θ in Fig. 4(A) corresponds to the intersection angle θ between the side edge 32 and the side edge 22 and the intersection angle θ between the side edge 34 and the side edge 24 of the expiratory breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0044] The adhesive material 60 is a component for fixing the breath blocking device 1 to the mask body 100 after it is manufactured using the assembled breath blocking device 5, and is provided in the same manner as the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0045] The assembled breath blocking device 5 constructed as above can easily obtain the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment by simply attaching the adhesives 71, 72 to the positions of the marks 80, 81. While the breath blocking device 1 is three-dimensional, the assembled breath blocking device 5 is flat, which makes it easy to store in a container, transport, and distribute.

[0046] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a mask 3 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from above and behind. The same components as those of the exhalation blocking device 1 and mask 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] The mask 3 of the second embodiment is a mask 3 in which the breath blocking device 4 is attached integrally to the mask body 100. The attachment position of the breath blocking device 4 to the mask body 100 is the same as that of the mask 2. The breath blocking device 4 differs from the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment in that it uses a two-ply sheet 10 and does not have an adhesive material 60, but the other configurations are the same as those of the breath blocking device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0048] In the mask 3 shown in Fig. 5, in which the exhalation blocking device 4 is integrally provided on the pleated mask body 100, when the mask body 100 is bent to fit the face, the center 21 in the longitudinal direction of the upper sheet 20 of the exhalation blocking device 4 naturally sinks toward the mask body 100. Therefore, it can be used in the same manner as the pleated mask body 100. In this respect, it is the same as the mask 2 in which the exhalation blocking device 1 is attached to the mask body 100.

[0049] The above describes the breath blocking device and mask of the present invention using the breath blocking device 1 and mask 2 of the first embodiment, and the mask 3 of the second embodiment. However, the breath blocking device and mask of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified and used within the scope that does not change the gist of the invention.

[0050] In the first and second embodiments, the mask body 100 is a pleated mask, but in the breath blocking device and mask of the present invention, the mask body 100 is not limited to a pleated mask, and a flat mask or a three-dimensional mask can also be used.

[0051] In the first and second embodiments, examples have been shown in which the breath blocking device is formed using one or two layers of sheets, but in the breath blocking device and the mask equipped with the same according to the present invention, the sheet forming the breath blocking device may be a three-layer sheet or a sheet with more layers.

[0052] Although the preferred embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, a person skilled in the art will easily imagine various changes and modifications within the obvious scope upon reading this specification. Therefore, such changes and modifications are interpreted as falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1,4 Breathing Blocker 2,3 Mask 10 Sheets 12 Top edge of sheet 14 Bottom edge of seat 20 Upper sheet 22 Upper sheet side 24 Upper sheet side 26 Lower end of upper sheet side 28 Lower end of upper sheet side 30 Lower seat 32 Lower seat side 34 Lower seat side 36 Back side 60 Adhesive 61 Double-sided tape 62 Release paper 100 Mask body

Claims

1. An exhalation blocking device that is attached to a mask body and used, This breath blocking device is characterized in that the upper edge of a flexible horizontally elongated rectangular sheet is folded back toward the lower edge, and the left and right sides of the folded upper sheet are fixed to the lower sheet so that they are respectively closer to the center of the left and right sides of the lower sheet, and the upper sheet is bulging.

2. The breath blocking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper sheet is fixed to the lower part of the left and right sides, or the left and right sides except for the upper parts, to the lower sheet.

3. 3. The breath blocking device according to claim 1, further comprising a fastening means for detachably fastening a portion from the center to the lower portion of the underside of the sheet located at the lower portion to the mask body.

4. 3. The expiratory breath blocking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the horizontally long rectangular sheet is made of a plurality of thin sheets stacked together.

5. The mask body and an exhalation blocking device in which an upper side of a flexible horizontally elongated rectangular sheet is folded back toward a lower side, and the left and right sides of the folded upper sheet are fixed to a lower sheet so as to be respectively closer to the center of the left and right sides of the lower sheet, and the upper sheet is inflated; having A mask characterized in that the back surface of the exhalation blocking device is fixed from the center to the lower part to the mask body.

6. 6. The mask according to claim 5, wherein the horizontally long rectangular sheet is made up of a plurality of thin sheets stacked together.

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