Mask

Abstract

To increase adhesion to a face of an anchor-style mask without ear hooks, so that during wear, even if a mask moves in response to movements such as the mouth, it adjusts the tension accordingly to maintain the adhesion.SOLUTION: The mask includes: a main body part 11 that covers a nose 3 and a mouth 4; and a side extension part 12 that extends from its right and left sides to a rear side. A rear end of the side extension part 12 is made to serve as a fabric mounting end part 13, and by directly engaging a fabric part of the mounting end part 13 with a male surface fastener 21 provided on a surface of an anchor 20 to be attached to a face, it allows for detachable attachment to the face, omitting ear hooks. The side extension part 12 is separate from the main body part 11, has high elasticity, consists of a single cloth material without openings, and uniformly adheres to the face without bending or deforming a connection line 17 between the main body part 11 and the side extension part 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a mask, and more particularly to a mask in which the mask is supported by anchors attached to the cheeks instead of ear loops or ear hooks. [Background technology]

[0002] Some masks have ear loops made of elastic or other loops on both sides of the mask body that covers the mouth, nose, etc. These ear loops are made of elastic material, and by stretching them long enough to hang them around the ears, the tension of the ear loops allows the mask to fit tightly to the face and provide strong support (hereinafter, this type of fastening is referred to as the "ear loop type"). However, these ear-hook type masks have thin ear loops that make strong contact with the ears, which can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

[0003] To alleviate this pain, some masks have soft fabric ear loops on both sides of the mask body that extend up to the ears, with loops formed on these ear loops that are then hung over the ears. This annular portion is formed around the opening in the ear loop portion through which the ear fits, and is relatively wide and provides soft contact to alleviate pain (this type of annular portion is referred to as a fabric ear loop portion). There are also ear loops made of fabric and made of a highly stretchable sheet-like fiber material (for example, a stretchable nonwoven fabric) (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] To eliminate the discomfort caused by the ear loops, there is a method that does away with the ear loops altogether, and instead provides cloth lateral extensions on both the left and right sides of the mask body, the ends of which engage with anchors that are pre-attached to the left and right sides of the face, thereby fixing and supporting the mask on the face (Patent Document 2). Hereinafter, the type in which the mask is fixed and supported on the face by such anchors will be referred to as the anchor type.

[0005] An example of the anchor-type mask disclosed in Patent Document 2 is shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a side view of the head when the mask is worn. The mask 100 includes a main body 111 that covers the nose 3 and mouth 4, and side extensions 112 that extend from the main body 111 along the sides of the face toward the ears 6 at the rear. In this example, the main body portion 111 and the side extension portion 112 are formed as a continuous, integrated unit using non-stretchable nonwoven fabric.

[0006] The uppermost point Q of the main body 111 is located on the bridge of the nose 3a, and the part below that that overlaps the tip of the nose 3b forms the foremost point R, and below that the lowermost point S is located on the chin 5. The lateral extension 112 gradually narrows toward the attachment end 113 at the tip, and the attachment end 113 is attached to the face via the anchor 20 within the support point 7b between the eye 2 and the ear 6.

[0007] The support point 7b indicates a suitable range for attaching the anchor 20, and is a location that overlaps with the horizontal line H passing through the eye 2. Point P is the center of anchor 20, and is also the attachment point that forms the center of the range where the anchor is attached to attachment end portion 113. Point P is located at a higher position above uppermost point Q.

[0008] The uppermost point Q is located below the eye 2 and further below the attachment end 113 . An upper line 114 connecting the uppermost point Q and the attachment end 113 is curved downwardly convexly below the upper line 114 so as to avoid the eye 2. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1995-275384 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7148909 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The fabric ear loops mentioned above can alleviate ear pain, but they still cause pain after prolonged use. Furthermore, prolonged use can cause the loops to stretch out and lose their elasticity. In this case, the loops must be shortened to restore the appropriate elasticity. However, adjusting the elasticity in this way has been difficult.

[0011] Furthermore, even if the fabric ear loops are made of a stretchable material as in Patent Document 1, and tension is generated that pulls the main body toward the ear when the ear loop is attached, the tension is concentrated on the upper and lower sides of the main body, just like the ear loop strings. This is due to the presence of openings for ear loops in the fabric ear loops. As a result, the vertical middle portion of the side of the main body tends to deform and rise up from the face, which can easily impair adhesion.

[0012] On the other hand, if the mask is fixed in an anchor type, as in Patent Document 2, the discomfort caused by ear hooks can be eliminated. However, in this arrangement, the mask 100 is suspended and supported at the highest point P. In this case, to improve the fit of the mask 100, it is necessary to pull the uppermost point Q and the frontmost point R strongly toward point P to make the mask fit tightly to the face. However, since the mask 100 is made of a non-stretchable material, there is a limit to how strongly the attachment end 113 can be pulled, and a high degree of adhesion cannot be obtained.

[0013] Furthermore, in the case of the anchor type, the mask is supported at one point on the side of the face by the anchor, so there is a risk that the mask may rotate around the anchor due to movement of the mouth 4, causing it to slip off. To prevent this, it is necessary to position point P as high as possible, as shown in Figure 6. However, such locations are limited, and it is relatively difficult to attach the mask to.

[0014] Furthermore, wearing a mask at such a high position can cause the opposite phenomenon of slipping down, namely, slipping up, which needs to be prevented. That is, as shown in Figure 6, if point P is at a high position, the mask 100 will gradually slip up, and the upper line 114 will rise and enter the field of view of eye 2, impairing visibility. However, preventing this is difficult due to the constraint that the support point 7b must be located relatively high and in a specific, limited location.

[0015] Therefore, it is also necessary to move support points that are restricted to high locations to lower locations while avoiding the above-mentioned sliding down and sliding up phenomena. However, if the support point were to be moved below the cheekbone and onto the cheek, this position would be on the facial muscles and other muscles linked to the mouth 4, and is a place of much movement, so if an anchor were attached here to support a non-stretchy mask, the anchor, which is linked to the movement of the cheeks, would move relative to the non-stretchy mask, causing discomfort at the engagement point between the mask and the anchor, making wearing the mask uncomfortable. For this reason, attaching an anchor in such a low position has been avoided, but this location has the advantage of being relatively wide and allowing for greater freedom of attachment, and there is also a demand for it to be possible to support a mask in such a location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] In order to solve the above problems, the mask (10) according to the first invention of the present application comprises: A mask (10) comprising a main body (11) and a lateral extension (12), the attachment end (13) of the lateral extension (12) being detachably supported on the cheek (7) via an anchor (20), The main body (11) is a non-stretchable, approximately cup-shaped member, The side extensions (12) are stretchable and made of a single piece of fabric with no openings. The main body and the lateral extensions (12) are connected by a connecting line (17) that extends vertically along the side of the face.

[0017] The mask (10) according to the second invention is the mask (10) of the first invention, wherein the mask (10) has a roughly triangular shape in a side view bounded by an upper line (14) that connects below the eyes (2) obliquely downward from the highest point (Q) of the main body part (11) to the attachment end part (13), a central ridge line (15) that forms the front outline of the main body part (11) and whose upper end forms the highest point (Q) and connects to the front end of the upper line (14), and a lower line (16) that connects the lower end of the central ridge line (15) obliquely upward from the attachment end part (13), The attachment end (13) is located below the uppermost point (Q).

[0018] The mask (10) according to the third invention is the mask (10) according to the first or second invention, characterized in that anchors (20) are attached on the cheeks (7) below the cheekbone line (8). [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The mask according to the first invention of the present application uses an anchor type to support the face, Ear hooking parts such as ear strings and cloth ear hooks can be eliminated, eliminating ear pain. Furthermore, when the stretchability and elasticity of the lateral extension (12) deteriorates due to prolonged use, the stretchability and elasticity can be restored simply by re-engaging the lateral extension (12) with the anchor (20) inside the mounting end (13), making these adjustments easy and quick.

[0020] Furthermore, the tension generated by the extension of the lateral extensions (12) pulls the main body part and brings it into close contact with the face, thereby improving adhesion. Also, because the lateral extensions (12) are stretchable, even if the main body part (11) moves in response to the movement of the mouth (4), the lateral extensions (12) stretch and contract in response to this movement, changing the tension and maintaining the close contact of the main body part (11), so that a high degree of adhesion can be maintained even if the main body part (11) moves.

[0021] Moreover, since the lateral extensions (12) are stretchable and made of a single piece of fabric with no openings, the connection line (17) is pulled with a substantially uniform force at all points along its length. As a result, the bending deformation of the middle part of the connection line (17) that occurs when using conventional ear loops or fabric ear loops can be prevented, and the gap caused by this deformation that reduces adhesion can be prevented, thereby ensuring a constant high adhesion around the opening of the cup-shaped main body (11).

[0022] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the attachment end (13) is located below the highest point (Q), and therefore, as the side extensions (12) extend, the highest point (Q) is pulled downward. This prevents the mask (10) from slipping up, and prevents the upper line (14) from being lifted up close to the eyes (2) and impairing visibility.

[0023] Furthermore, since the attachment end 13, which supports the mask 10 at one point, is located lower than the highest point Q, the main body 11 may rotate around the attachment end 13 and slip off. Furthermore, this movement may be further exacerbated by movement of the mouth 4. However, the tension generated by the expansion and contraction of the lateral extensions (12) keeps the main body (11) in close contact with the face at all times, so even if the attachment end (13) is positioned low, it can be prevented from slipping off.

[0024] According to the third invention, the anchor (20) is attached above the cheek (7) below the cheekbone line (8). This position is located below the cheekbones, so there is a large movement of facial muscles accompanying the movement of the mouth (4), and the anchor (20) moves with the movement of the cheek, but if the mask is non-stretchable, the mask does not move much, which can cause discomfort at the engagement point and make wearing it uncomfortable. For this reason, the placement of the anchor (20) has traditionally been avoided.

[0025] However, in the present invention, since the stretchable lateral extensions (12) are used, the lateral extensions (12) also stretch and contract in response to the movement of the main body (11) which is linked to the movement of the mouth (4), etc. As a result, the anchor (20) and the attachment end (13) can move independently, eliminating the uncomfortable feeling at the engagement point and making it possible for the attachment end (13) to be engaged and supported by the anchor (20) in low places that were previously avoided. This allows installation in a relatively large and easy-to-operate location, and also provides the advantages of improved adhesion and prevention of slipping up and down. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] Side view of a head wearing a mask [Figure 2] A diagram showing the mask before wearing and the face separated [Figure 3] A diagram showing the mask from the front [Figure 4] A schematic enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the anchor and a cross-sectional view of the attached state with the attachment end [Figure 5] A diagram explaining the function of the mask when worn [Figure 6] A side view of a conventional mask in a worn state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The faces and anchors are the same as those shown in FIG. 6, so these symbols are used in common.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing a side view of the head with a mask 10 worn and facing straight ahead. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the mask 10 and the head separated before wearing the mask, and also shows the state where the anchor 20 is attached to the attachment end 13 at the circled portion A. 3 is a diagram showing mask intermediate structures 10A and 10B spread out to the left and right at a stage before the mask is three-dimensionally formed. The procedure for attaching anchors 20 to circled portion B is also described. Also shown is main body portion 11 connected to circled portion C on the left and right, and lateral extension portions 12 arranged separately on the left and right sides of main body portion 11.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, eyes 2 are located on the upper left and right sides of face 1, and in the center of the face, nose 3 has a nasal bridge 3a that extends downward from approximately the height of eyes 2, below which is mouth 4, and further below that is chin 5. Behind eyes 2 and nose 3, ears 6 are located on the left and right sides of face 1. (Only left-hand eyes 2 and ears 6 are shown in each figure.) The ear 6 extends from an upper portion above the horizontal line H passing through the outer corner of the eye 2a to a lower portion below the horizontal line H, and the lower end forms the earlobe 6b, which is located almost behind the tip of the nose 3b.

[0030] The cheeks 7 are located below the level of the eyes 2 and between the nose 3 and mouth 4 and the ears 6. 8 is the cheekbone line, and 9 is the orbital line that forms the sockets of the eyes. The cheekbone line 8 is an imaginary line that is a continuous line extending along the highest part of the protruding portion formed on the cheek 7 by the cheekbone located inside the cheek 7.

[0031] The cheekbone is composed of the cheekbone main body on the front side of the face and the zygomatic arch that extends from front to back along the side of the face, and the cheekbone line 8 is formed along the edges of the cheekbone main body and the zygomatic arch, causing the cheek 7 to protrude in a stepped manner. A condyle 7a is formed on the main body of the cheekbone. The condyle 7a is a high, hill-like protuberance that protrudes forward and laterally, and is only shown schematically in the drawing.

[0032] 7b is a support point that is particularly necessary for supporting the mask in Patent Document 2. The support point indicates a suitable attachment range for the anchor 20. Support point 7b is a limited, special range that is necessary to prevent the mask from slipping down when supporting the non-elastic lateral extension, and is a relatively narrow range behind the eyes 2 and near the cheekbone line 8 above the cheekbones.

[0033] Reference numeral 7c denotes a support point used in this embodiment, which is a relatively wide area below and behind the cheekbone line 8. The illustration shows only a part of this area as an example and is a schematic representation. 2, the support point 7c is a part of the cheek 7 below the rear of the cheekbone line 8, behind the nose 3 and in front of the lower part of the ear 6 (near the earlobe 6b). In this embodiment, the support point 7c is also located almost behind the tip of the nose 3b. Near the upper part of the support point 7c and near the lower rear end of the cheekbone line 8, the joint between the upper and lower jaw bones is located.

[0034] The support point 7c is a part of the cheek 7 that is not supported by the cheekbone and moves greatly and frequently due to the movement of the facial muscles caused by the movement of the mouth 4, etc. In masks with non-elastic lateral extensions 12, such as the mask in Patent Document 2, the movement of the anchors 20 in conjunction with the cheeks can cause discomfort in the mask support area, so this area has been avoided as an inappropriate attachment range for the anchors 20. However, as will be described later, this area is adopted in the present invention because it has the advantages of improving and maintaining the adhesion of the main body 11 and preventing the mask from slipping down or up, thereby providing stable support on the face.

[0035] The support point 7c can be freely set depending on the shape and degree of stretchability of the lateral extension 12, provided that it is within a range below the cheekbone line 8 of the cheek 7, that the relationships between the points on PQRS and the lines connecting point P and other points are maintained, and that a predetermined tension is obtained.

[0036] The mask 10 has a roughly triangular shape in side view (Figs. 1, 2, and 5), comprising a roughly cup-shaped main body 11 that covers mainly the front of the face including the nose 3 and mouth 4, and lateral extensions 12 that extend from the main body 11 along the sides of the face toward the ears 6. That is, the roughly triangular shape is bounded by an upper line 14, a central ridge 15, and a lower line 16. The main body 11 and the lateral extension 12 are joined together by a connecting line 17 .

[0037] The main body 11 is made of an appropriate fiber material having a filtering function, and has a single layer structure or a laminate structure having any number of layers. The filter performance can be set over a wide range depending on the intended use of the mask, and the constituent materials are appropriately selected depending on the required filter performance.

[0038] The lateral extension 12 is generally triangular in shape and is integrally connected to the main body 11 by a connecting line 17. The tip of the extension forms an attachment end 13, which is engaged with and supported by an anchor 20 attached to the support point 7c. The approximately triangular shape has the connection line 17 as its base and the attachment end 13 as its apex, and the other two sides are parts of the upper line 14 and the lower line 16, respectively. A portion of the upper line 14 extends obliquely downward from the upper end 17 a of the connection line 17 to the attachment end 13 . A portion of the lower line 16 extends obliquely upward from the lower end 17b of the connection line 17 to the attachment end 13.

[0039] The lateral extension portion 12 is elastic, and by attaching the attachment end portion 13, which is extended into the support point 7c, to the face via the anchor 20, a predetermined tension is generated in the lateral extension portion 12, pulling the main body portion 11 onto the face 1 and making it adhere closely, and also providing stable support on the face so that it does not slip down or slip up.

[0040] 1 and 5, the lateral extension portion 12 shown by solid lines is in a state where it is stretched by a predetermined amount, and the unstretched state is shown by virtual lines as the initial lateral extension portion 12A. The initial lateral extension portion 12A also has a roughly triangular shape similar to the lateral extension portion 12, but is slightly smaller than the lateral extension portion 12. The shape and dimensions of the initial lateral extension portion 12A are preset taking this elongation into account so that the attachment end 13 can be extended into the support point 7c and attached to a predetermined position on the face via the anchor 20. The predetermined amount of stretching and the tension generated by the stretching are set arbitrarily depending on the material, shape, etc. of the initial lateral extension portion 12A.

[0041] 2 and 3 show the state before the lateral extension portion is extended, the initial lateral extension portion 12A is shown by a solid line, and the lateral extension portion 12 is shown by a virtual line. The initial lateral extension portion 12A will be used only when it is necessary to distinguish between before and after extension, and when such a distinction is not necessary, the lateral extension portion 12 will be used as a general rule both before and after extension.

[0042] The lateral extensions 12 are more stretchable and elastic than the main body 11, and are entirely made of a single piece of fabric with no openings. Here, the fabric means a flat plate-like member made of fibers. Furthermore, "no opening" means that there are no holes or slits formed in the middle for ear hooks or the like.

[0043] In this way, the tension generated in the lateral extension portion 12 can be transmitted to the main body portion 11 almost uniformly along the connection line 17 . If there were a slit or other opening, tension would be concentrated at the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b of the connection line 17, as in the case of conventional rubber ear loops, and as a result, the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b would move closer to each other, making the middle part of the connection line 17 prone to bending and deformation so that it lifts up. This deformation could reduce the adhesion of both the left and right sides of the main body 11, i.e., the connection line 17, to the face.

[0044] The upper line 14 connects the top point Q of the main body 11 and the mounting end 13, which is the rear end of the lateral extension 12, diagonally downward toward the rear, and is a curved line that is slightly concave downward at the middle part in the front-to-rear direction. The uppermost point Q is above the tip of the nose 3b and overlaps with the bridge of the nose 3a, and is the highest point on the main body 11. The central ridge 15 connects the uppermost point Q, which is the upper end, to the lowermost point S, which is the lower end, in the vertical direction, with the intermediate most forward point R protruding the furthest forward and forming a curved line that passes relatively far in front of the mouth 4. The most forward point R is in front of the tip of the nose 3b of the central ridge 15, and is the most forward position of the main body 11.

[0045] The lower line 16 extends from the lowest point S, which corresponds to the tip of the chin 5, which is the lower end of the face, along the lower jaw to the lower end 17b (described later) of the rear connecting line 17, and then extends in an almost straight line from the lower end 17b diagonally upward along the side of the face toward the attachment end 13. These lines are continuous at the highest point Q, the lowest point S and the attachment end 13.

[0046] The main body 11 and the lateral extensions 12 are formed separately from each other and are joined together by a connecting line 17. The connecting line 17 is formed in the vertical direction, and its upper end 17a is located on the middle part of the upper line 14, near the humerus 7a and approximately on the cheekbone line 8. The lower end 7b is located on the middle part of the lower line 16 and slightly behind the lowest point S.

[0047] A line QP connecting the uppermost point Q and the attachment point (center of anchor 20) P of the attachment end 13 crosses the cheekbone line 8 obliquely downward from front to back near the rear of the condyle 7a. The line RQ connecting the foremost point R and the center P is almost horizontal. A line SQ connecting the lowest point S and the center P passes from the chin 5 behind the mouth 4 and extends obliquely upward and backward to the vicinity of the earlobe 6b.

[0048] Next, the mask 10 consisting of the main body portion 11 and the side extension portions 12 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the intermediate components 10A and 10B before three-dimensional molding, expanded to the left and right. The intermediate construct 10A has the same shape as the mask 10 in a side view in FIG. 2, and is formed by previously integrating a precursor main body portion 11A and an initial lateral extension portion 12A on the left side. The right intermediate component 10B is formed bilaterally symmetrically to the right intermediate component 10A, and is similarly formed by previously integrating a precursor main body portion 11A and an initial lateral extension portion 12A on the right side.

[0049] The precursor main body portion 11A is a pair of left and right members having a symmetrical shape that is the same as the main body portion 11 in a side view, and the two are integrated together to form the main body portion 11. These intermediate components 10A and 10B are integrated by overlapping and joining the front edge portions 15a of the opposing left and right precursor main body portions 11A, and the main body portion 11 is formed with this joining portion as the central ridge line 15, and the entire mask 10 has a three-dimensional shape.

[0050] In addition, in this unfolded state diagram, the left and right initial lateral extension portions 12A extend outward from the connection line 17 to the left and right of the precursor main body portion 11A. The precursor main body portion 11A is a pair of left and right members before being connected and integrated, and the left precursor main body portion 11A has the same shape as the main body portion 11 shown in Figure 1 in side view. The right precursor main body portion 11A is symmetrical to the left. The initial lateral extension portions 12A are also a pair of left and right symmetrical members.

[0051] As shown in the circled area C in FIG. 3, the main body 11 is formed in a cup shape that is substantially hexagonal when viewed from the front and that can cover the areas around the nose 3 and mouth 4. However, the shape as viewed from the front is not limited to a substantially hexagonal shape, and various shapes such as a substantially circular shape are possible. A central portion 31 is formed on both sides of the central ridge 15. The upper portion of the central portion 31 protrudes upward in a mountain shape to form a central protrusion 33 that overlaps with the nasal bridge 3a, and its upper end forms the highest point Q. The highest point Q is located higher than point P (Figure 1). The area of ​​the main body 11 near the central ridge 15 is the widest part extending from the highest point Q to the lowest point S.

[0052] The upper side 34 of the main body 11 forms part of the upper line 14 . The lower side 35 of the main body 11 forms part of the lower line 16 . The left and right ends of the main body 11 form side edges 36, the upper end 36a of which is continuous with the left and right ends (rear end) of the upper side 34, and the lower end 36b of which is continuous with the left and right ends (rear end) of the lower side 35.

[0053] As shown in the circled area C in Fig. 3, the initial lateral extension portion 12A has a generally triangular shape surrounded by an upper side 41, a lower side 42, and a base side 43. The base side 43 is the part that becomes the connection line 17, and the attachment end portion 13 opposite to this is the apex of the generally triangular shape. The upper side 41 connects the upper end 43 a of the bottom side 43 to the mounting end 13 , and the lower side 42 connects the lower end 43 b of the bottom side 43 to the mounting end 13 . The upper side 41 and the lower side 42 extend rearward so that the distance between them gradually narrows, and the rear ends of each side are connected in an arc shape at the attachment end 13. The upper side 41 forms part of the upper line 14 , and the lower side 42 forms part of the lower line 16 .

[0054] The length of the bottom side 43 is approximately the same as the length of the side edge 36. When the bottom side 43 is overlapped with the side edge 36 and integrally joined, a relatively rigid, straight connection line 17 is formed by overlapping and integrally joining the bottom side 43 and the side edge 36. The upper end 43a of the base 43 and the upper end 36a of the side edge 36 form the upper end 17a of the connecting line 17, and the lower end 43b of the base 43 and the lower end 36b of the side edge 36 form the lower end 17b of the connecting line 17.

[0055] The upper end 17a of the connection line 17 connects the upper side 34 and the upper side 41, and the lower end 17b of the connection line 17 connects the lower side 35 and the lower side 42. The connection line 17 is formed into a relatively rigid, generally band-like shape by joining the bottom edge 43 and the side edge 36 together over the entire length of the connection line 17. The joining method can be any suitable joining means such as adhesive bonding, welding, crimping, or sewing.

[0056] 3, the connection line 17 in this embodiment is linear, minimizing the space around the nose 3 and mouth 4 to improve the fit to the face. This is made possible by forming the main body 11 into a cup shape using three-dimensional cutting. However, this connection line 17 may be formed to widen laterally like the curve indicated by a in the figure to increase the space around the nose 3 and mouth 4. The shape of the curve that forms the connection line 17 and the size of the space can be freely set.

[0057] Next, the constituent elements and physical properties of the main body portion 11 and the lateral extension portion 12 will be described. The main body 11 is mainly made of a suitable fiber material having a filtering function, such as nonwoven fabric, etc. The main body 11 has almost no stretchability so as not to deform the cup-shaped space. Even if there is any elasticity, it is significantly smaller than the elasticity of the lateral extension portion 12. The specific elongation rate (described below) is less than 100%.

[0058] The lateral extension portion 12 is separate from the main body portion 11 and is formed from a cloth-like material having a female hook-and-loop fastener function that is more stretchable and elastic than the main body portion 11, for example, a cloth-like material made of a fiber material such as a nonwoven fabric that is stretchable and elastic. Here, having stretchability and elasticity means the property of being able to stretch and contract due to elastic deformation like rubber or a spring, and it stretches due to elastic deformation, and generates tension due to the resilience that accompanies this stretching. It also means that simple mechanical stretching (for example, stretching of a multi-stage telescopic antenna) that has no resilience even when stretched is not included.

[0059] Being more stretchable and elastic than the main body portion 11 means that it has a greater elongation due to elastic deformation than the main body portion 11. Here, since it is preferable that the cup-shaped space of the main body 11 be constant, elongation due to elastic deformation that would deform the space is substantially not expected.

[0060] On the other hand, the lateral extension portion 12 in the present application is required to constantly generate tension due to its stretchability and elasticity in order to improve adhesion and maintain engagement, etc., and this tension is generated by pulling the lateral extension portion 12 rearward a predetermined amount as the elongation due to elastic deformation of the lateral extension portion 12 is greater than that of the main body portion 11.

[0061] The term "female hook-and-loop fastener function" means the function of engaging with the engaging projections of the male hook-and-loop fastener. Materials having the function of a female surface fastener include a fibrous material made of fibers that intertwine with the engaging protrusions, and a sponge material with fine pores into which the engaging protrusions can fit.

[0062] Fiber materials include nonwoven, knitted, and woven fabrics such as gauze, tricot, fleece, pile, nonwoven fabric, Japanese paper, and felt. Fibers include natural fibers and chemical fibers (PP, PE, nylon, polyester, polyurethane, etc.).

[0063] The sponge material is a sponge-like member such as soft polyurethane foam that has fine interconnected cells that are approximately the size of the engaging projections. The fabric-like material is a soft, flat, fibrous material such as a cloth, and may be a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a nonwoven fabric, a film, or the like.

[0064] The elasticity of a fabric-like material is not only due to the structure of the fiber material itself, such as rib knitting, but can also be obtained by various known methods, such as blending the material with elastic fibers such as polyurethane, or using stretchable fibers obtained by hard twisting, etc. In addition, in the case of a sponge material, the material itself has stretch elasticity. In particular, as the fabric material constituting the stretchable lateral extension portion 12 of the present invention, a stretchable nonwoven fabric, which is a nonwoven fabric made using stretchable fibers, is suitable.

[0065] The stretch due to elastic deformation of the lateral extension portion 12 requires the stretch required for the tension (initial tension) to adhere the main body portion 11 to the face when worn, and the stretch required to expand and contract in response to the movement of the main body portion 11 accompanying the movement of the mouth 4, etc. after wearing. Specifically, the elongation rate due to elastic deformation required for the lateral extension portion 12 is approximately 110% to 150%, and preferably approximately 120% to 140%. The stretching force is 0.2N to 2.0N, preferably about 0.3N to 1.0N.

[0066] If the elongation is less than 110%, the material becomes hard and difficult to stretch, and it becomes difficult to follow the movement of the main body 11 when the mouth 4 moves. In particular, if it is less than 100% or so, it is practically impossible to follow the movement of the main body 11. The same applies when the stretching force exceeds 1.0 N. When the elongation is 120% to 140%, a suitable degree of adhesion is achieved, tension is obtained that can adequately support the anchor 20, and the anchor can be easily fastened to the side of the face. The same applies when the stretching force is 0.3N to 1.0N. If the stretch exceeds 140%, the support will gradually become unstable, and if it exceeds 150%, the support will become unstable due to excessive stretching, and it will easily come out of its designated position on the side of the face, making it difficult to fix it to the face. The same applies when the stretching force is less than 0.2N.

[0067] The elongation rate was determined by clamping a sample piece (10 mm × 40 mm) between a pair of chucks (20 mm distance between chucks) of a tension measuring device after leaving it to stand for 30 minutes in an environment of 20°C and 50% RH, and stretching the sample piece at a rate of 300 mm / min. The distance between the chucks when the tensile stress reached 0.5 N was measured was expressed as a percentage of the distance between the chucks (20 mm) before stretching began. The stretching force was measured by preparing a sample piece in the same manner as in the above-mentioned stretching force measurement method, stretching it, and measuring the load when the distance between the chucks reached 30 mm.

[0068] The width of the attachment end 13 narrows toward the tip, and the tip is arc-shaped. Furthermore, the width of the attachment end 13 is set so that the imaginary circle formed by this arc roughly matches the circumference of the circular anchor 20. In this way, by placing the mounting end 13 on top of the anchor 20 and overlapping the outer periphery of its arcuate portion with the outer periphery of the anchor 20, the anchor 20 can be quickly and easily positioned and attached to the predetermined position of the mounting end 13. The width of the attachment end 13 of the initial lateral extension 12A is slightly wider. In this case, by aligning part of the outer periphery of the anchor 20 with the arc portion forming the tip of the attachment end 13, the anchor 20 can be easily attached to the predetermined position at the tip of the attachment end 13.

[0069] In this embodiment, the anchor 20 is circular, but the external shape is not limited to this. If the anchor 20 has an irregular shape, the width of the tip of the attachment end 13 is set to match its widest width. Grip protrusions 13a (Figs. 1 and 2) protrude integrally from the outer periphery of the mounting end 13 in the direction of extension. This is to make it easier to grip when pulling the mounting end 13 to extend the lateral extension 12. The grip protrusions 13a may have a variety of shapes. Alternatively, they may not be provided at all.

[0070] The attachment end 13 is narrowed to a width comparable to the size of the anchor 20 . The outer periphery of the anchor 20 is overlapped and engaged with the tip of the attachment end 13 . Point P, which is the center of the engagement portion of attachment end 13 (engagement range: the range surrounded by the outer circumferential circle of anchor 20), is the attachment point relative to the face. Point P also forms the center of anchor 20. That is, point P indicates both the center of anchor 20 and the attachment point on the attachment end 13 side. The width of the attachment end 13 of the initial lateral extension 12A is slightly wider.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 1, the anchor 20 is attached to the face support point 7c in advance, and then the attachment end 13 is engaged (called the face-first attachment method). As shown in the circled area A in Figure 2 and the circled area C in Figure 3, there is a method in which the anchor 20 is attached to the attachment end 13 before it is extended, and then the anchor 20 is attached to the face together with the attachment end 13 while the lateral extension 12 is extended (this method is called the attachment end first attachment method).

[0072] This embodiment employs the latter method of attaching the attachment end first, which is advantageous when the range is limited to a narrow specific range, such as support point 7b, because it allows the anchor 20 to be positioned accurately. However, the former face-first method can be freely adopted. This method allows for a high degree of freedom in arranging the anchor 20 because the support point 7c is relatively wide, and is advantageous when the anchor 20 is pre-arranged in a position that is easily visible.

[0073] FIG. 4(a) shows a schematic enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the anchor 20, and FIG. 4(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the attachment end 13 and the anchor 20 in an attached state. The anchor 20 of this embodiment has a circular outer shape, as shown in the circled areas in FIGS.

[0074] In (a), anchor 20 has male hook-and-loop fastener 21 on the front surface, and adhesive layer 22 on the back surface, which is covered with release paper 23. The front surface is the side that protrudes above the face when anchor 20 is attached to the face, and the back surface is the side that faces the face. The adhesive layer 22 is used to adhere the back side of the anchor 20 to the face 1, and can be made of various known adhesive materials that are highly biostable. Release paper 23 is attached to the back side of the adhesive layer 22 in advance, and the adhesive layer 22 can be adhered to the face 1 by peeling it off.

[0075] The male surface fastener 21 is composed of a base 24 and a plurality of engaging projections 25 formed thereon. The engaging projection 25 has a neck portion 26 that protrudes integrally from the base portion 24, and an engaging head portion 27 that is formed at the tip of the neck portion 26 and juts out in an umbrella shape. The engaging head 27 has a flat surface 28 on the front side and a guide slope 29 on the back side that slopes outward toward the front side.

[0076] The male surface fastener 21 is made of an appropriate resin material such as PP, and the base 24 and the engaging projections 25 are integrally formed. Adjacent engaging projections 25 are spaced apart to allow fibers 40 (FIG. 5) of the attachment end 13 to pass through.

[0077] Furthermore, by making the engaging heads 27 approximately flat and forming the surface as the flat surface 28, the surface of the male hook-and-loop fastener 21 formed by the flat surfaces 28 of the many engaging heads 27 can be made approximately flat, making inkjet printing and the like possible. This makes it possible to perform good decorative printing on the surface of the anchor 20.

[0078] In (b), an anchor 20 is attached to a predetermined support point 7c (Fig. 1) on the face 1 in advance, and the attachment end 13 of the lateral extension 12, which has been extended by a predetermined amount, is engaged with this anchor 20. At this time, because the attachment end 13 has a female hook-and-loop fastener function due to the fiber material, the engaging projections 25 that make up the male hook-and-loop fastener 21 penetrate and become entangled between the fibers, and the male hook-and-loop fastener 21 of the anchor 20 engages with the attachment end 13. As a result, the attachment end 13 is engaged and supported by the anchor 20 on the face 1.

[0079] The anchor 20 and the connection line 17 supported by the main body 11 are stretched by a predetermined amount, and an initial tension F0 is generated between them. This initial tension F0 is applied to the mounting end 13, generating a strong lateral engagement force (parallel to the face 1) between the mounting end 13 and the anchor 20, strengthening the engagement between the mounting end 13 and the anchor 20.

[0080] Moreover, this tension is also applied to the connection line 17 on the main body 11 side, pulling the connection line 17 toward the attachment end 13 side, thereby making the connection line 17 adhere closely to the face 1. Furthermore, since the lateral extension portion 12 is made of an elastic material, the lateral extension portion 12 expands and contracts like a spring SP in response to the movement of the main body portion 11 accompanying the movement of the mouth 4, etc., thereby changing the tension accordingly and maintaining close support of the main body portion 11 against the face 1.

[0081] The strength of engagement of the attachment end 13 with the anchor 20 has a direction, being weak in the vertical direction along the protruding direction of the engagement projection 25 and strong in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when the elastic lateral extension portion 12 is stretched and engaged as in the present invention, an initial tension F0 due to the stretching of the lateral extension portion 12 is applied to the mounting end portion 13, so that a lateral force is constantly applied to the engagement portion between the mounting end portion 13 and the anchor 20, and the engagement force is strengthened even if the engagement of the mounting end portion 13 is weak.

[0082] As explained above, there are two methods for attaching the anchor 20 to the face in advance, and then engaging the attachment end 13 (called the face-first method), and there is also a method for attaching the anchor 20 to the attachment end 13 before it is extended, and then attaching the anchor 20 to the face together with the attachment end 13 while extending the lateral extension 12 (called the attachment end-first method). The present invention can employ either of these.

[0083] The use of the attachment end leading method allows the anchor 20 to be positioned accurately, which is advantageous when the range is limited to a narrow specific range such as the support point 7b. Furthermore, the face-first method is advantageous when the support point 7c is relatively wide, allowing for a high degree of freedom in the placement of the anchor 20, and also allowing the anchor 20 to be placed in advance in a position that is easily visible.

[0084] D The mask 10 in this embodiment employs the attachment end first method and is configured as an anchor positioning mask, with anchors 20 attached in advance to the attachment end 13 side by engagement (see Figures 2 and 3). The circled portion A in FIG. 2 shows the state in which the attachment end portion 13 of the initial lateral extension portion 12A is turned up and a circular anchor 20 is attached to the inside (face side) thereof.

[0085] 3, similar to the circled portion A in FIG. 2, illustrates the procedure for turning up the attachment end portion 13 of the initial lateral extension portion 12A and attaching the anchor 20 to the inside thereof. In this figure, the anchor 20 with the male hook-and-loop fastener 21 facing upwards is turned over and placed on the back of the attachment end 13 with the release paper 23 on the back side facing upwards, and when the anchor 20 and attachment end 13 are pressed down, the male hook-and-loop fastener 21 engages with the fabric attachment end 13 and the anchor 20 is attached to the attachment end 13.

[0086] At this time, the arcuate tip portion of the attachment end 13 is arranged so that part of the outer periphery of the anchor 20 substantially coincides with the outer periphery of the anchor 20, so that the anchor 20 can be guided to the predetermined position and attached accurately and easily. Also, at this stage, the release paper 23 is left exposed in its attached state, and when attaching the anchor 20 to the face, the release paper 23 is peeled off and the adhesive layer 22 on the back of the anchor 20 is adhered to the face within the support point 7c.

[0087] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 5. Figure 5 shows a side view of the mask 10 for explaining the action of tension when it is worn on the face. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the anchor 20 is attached in advance to the attachment end 13 of the initial lateral extension 12A, and the main body 11 is placed over the face 1. When the mask 10 is simply placed on the face, the initial lateral extensions 12A are not stretched, the attachment point of the attachment end 13 is located at P0, which is forward of point P, and the extension of the line RP0 points toward the vicinity of the earlobe 6b. Also, the upper end 17a of the connection line 17 and the line aP0 are above the line QP0.

[0088] Subsequently, when the attachment end 13 is pulled rearward along the line RP0 as indicated by the arrow E (FIG. 1), the initial lateral extension 12A is extended rearward to become the lateral extension 12 shown by the imaginary line. At this time, the attachment end 13 enters the support point 7c, and the attachment point P reaches a predetermined position within the support point 7c (the position where the anchor 20 is attached) and overlaps with the point indicated by the center P of the anchor 20. At this point, when the attachment end 13 is pressed toward the face, the anchor 20 is positioned and attached accurately, easily, and quickly to the predetermined position on the face within the support point 7c by the adhesive layer 22.

[0089] In this way, the mask 10 has elastic side extensions 12, the attachment ends 13 of which are Since the mask is attached and supported on the cheek 7 on the side of the face via the anchor 20, ear strings or cloth ear hooks that are hung around the ears 6 to support the main body 11 can be eliminated. This eliminates the pain felt by the ear strings or the cloth ear hooks on the ears 6.

[0090] Furthermore, the ear straps and fabric ear loops, which are elastic members, can stretch out and lose their elasticity and resilience after prolonged use. In this case, shortening the length of the ear straps or fabric ear loops can restore their elasticity and resilience, but this adjustment process was extremely difficult. However, with the anchor-type ear straps of the present invention, adjustment is possible and easy, as they can be simply re-engaged to a position inward from the mounting end 13 of the lateral extension 12.

[0091] At this time, the provision of grip projections 13a on mounting end 13 makes it easy to grasp and pull mounting end 13. In particular, tension is generated by extension, which acts on the fingertips and makes it difficult to grasp, but the presence of grip projections 13a makes it possible to continue to grasp mounting end 13 against this tension, making it easy and reliable to pull mounting end 13 by a predetermined amount. In addition, by feeling a predetermined amount of tension with the fingertips, it is also possible to determine whether the lateral extension 12 has been stretched by a predetermined amount.

[0092] When the lateral extension 12 is stretched by a predetermined amount, an initial tension F0 is generated that pulls the main body 11 and the attachment end 13 in directions that bring them closer to each other (see FIG. 4(b)). In this attached state of the attachment end 13, as the lateral extension 12 extends, the upper line 14 and the lower line 16 approach each other on the attachment end 13 side. As a result, the line aP and the line QP almost overlap, and the upper end 17a is positioned almost on the line QP.

[0093] The initial tension F0 pulls the attachment end 13 and the connecting line 17 toward each other. Looking at the connection line 17, the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b of the connection line 17 are each pulled toward point P. A small force is also applied in directions that bring them closer to each other. However, since the lateral extension 12 is stretchable and is a single piece of fabric with no openings, the connection line 17 is pulled by a substantially uniform force F at various points in the length direction. As a result, the tension from the lateral extension portion 12 pulls the main body portion 11 toward the face via the long linear connection line 17, making the main body portion 11 adhere strongly to the face, thereby achieving high adhesion around the opening of the cup-shaped main body portion 11.

[0094] Furthermore, since the lateral extension portion 12 is stretchable, even if the main body portion 11 moves in accordance with the movement of the mouth 4 or the like, the lateral extension portion 12 stretches and contracts in response to this movement, changing the tension and maintaining the close contact of the main body portion 11, so that high close contact can be maintained even when the main body portion 11 moves.

[0095] Furthermore, since the connection line 17 receives a substantially uniform force along its entire length, the movement of the upper end 17a and the lower end 17b toward each other is suppressed, and the connection line 17 is less likely to bend or deform so that the middle portion thereof lifts up, allowing the connection line 17 to fit closely to the face along its entire length. In particular, since the lateral extension portion 12 is a single piece of cloth with no openings, tension is concentrated on the upper end 17a and lower end 17b of the connection line 17, as in conventional ear loop strings or cloth ear loops, which causes the upper end 17a and lower end 17b to be drawn together, effectively preventing the middle portion of the connection line 17 from bending and deforming so that it floats up.

[0096] Furthermore, the upper end 17a is located on the cheekbone line 8 near the mound 7a, and even if the cheek 7 has unevenness due to the mound 7a or cheekbone line 8, the elastic lateral extension portion 12 does not pass over these unevenness but is positioned below the cheekbone line 8 along the side of the face, and the non-elastic main body portion 11 is positioned on the front side of the face where there are unevenness, so the main body portion 11 can be tightly adhered to the face 1.

[0097] Furthermore, by pulling the mounting end 13 in a direction along the wire RP, the wire RP becomes approximately perpendicular to the connection line 17, so that the wire RP can be pulled in a direction approximately perpendicular to the connection line 17, and uniform tension can be generated on the connection line 17. However, the direction in which the attachment end 13 is pulled does not necessarily have to be along the line RP, but is preferably perpendicular to the connection line 17 as much as possible.

[0098] Furthermore, before the lateral extension portion 12 is extended, the upper end 17a and line aP are located above the line QP, but as the lateral extension portion 12 is extended, the upper end 17a and line aP change so that they almost overlap with the line QP, and since the position of the upper end 17a is located below the highest point Q and above point P, the uppermost point Q and the upper end 17a are each pulled downward as the lateral extension portion 12 is extended. This prevents the phenomenon of the upper line 14 including the upper end 17a being lifted up and impairing visibility, such as when the point P is located above the upper end 17a.

[0099] In addition, to prevent this slip-up phenomenon, it is not necessary for the upper end 17a and line aP of the lateral extension portion 12 before extension to be positioned above line QP; the upper end 17a and line aP may be positioned below line QP before extension. However, it is preferable to set the upper end 17a as low as possible below the line QP, which will more reliably prevent the upper line 14 from slipping up.

[0100] Furthermore, since point P is located lower than the highest point Q and the upper end 17a, the main body 11 may rotate counterclockwise around point P in Figures 1 and 5 and slip off, and this movement may be further accelerated by the movement of the mouth 4. However, the main body 11 is always pulled to be in close contact with the face by the tension of the lateral extensions 12, and even if the main body 11 moves in response to movement of the mouth 4 or the like, the main body 11 is always pulled to be in close contact with the face due to the change in tension caused by the subsequent extension of the lateral extensions 12, so even though point P is located at a low position, it can be prevented from slipping down. Therefore, the anchor 20 can be placed at a relatively low and easily placed support point 7c over a relatively wide range, increasing the degree of freedom in placement and facilitating attachment to the face.

[0101] Furthermore, the anchor 20 is placed at the support point 7c, which is located below the cheekbone and where the movement of the facial muscles etc. accompanying the movement of the mouth 4 is large. This position is located below the cheekbones, and is a place where facial muscles etc. move significantly in response to movement of the mouth 4. If the anchor 20 is moved by this part, and the lateral extension portion 12 is non-elastic, discomfort will occur at the engagement portion, making wearing the mask uncomfortable. However, because the lateral extension portion 12 of the present invention is stretchable, movement of the mouth 4 or the like moves the main body portion 11, which in turn stretches and contracts the lateral extension portion 12 and also moves the attachment end portion 13. At the same time, movement of the cheek side linked to the mouth 4 or the like moves the anchor 20.

[0102] Therefore, the attachment portion 13 and the anchor 20 move in unison, eliminating any discomfort felt at the engagement portion. Therefore, the mask 10 does not cause discomfort when worn, and the mask 10 can be used even when it is engaged and supported in a low place, which has been avoided in the past. Moreover, this location is relatively wide and easy to install, so it is possible to select a suitable position for the anchor 20, increasing the degree of freedom in placement. In addition, it is possible to enjoy the advantages of improved adhesion and prevention of slipping up and down.

[0103] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various applications and modifications are possible. The anchor 20 may have any shape and structure, and the engaging portion may be hook-shaped, mushroom-shaped, or the like. The outer periphery of the attachment end 13 does not necessarily have to be arc-shaped. It can be freely made non-circular and irregular in shape to match the shape of the anchor or for design reasons. Furthermore, the mask can also be freely designed with regard to the shape, material, function, size, etc. of the main body 11 and the side extensions 12 (however, the side extensions 12 are restricted to be made of "stretchable fabric"). [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] P: Mounting point Q: Topmost point R: Frontmost point S: Bottommost point 1: Face 2: Eyes 3: Nose 4: Mouth 6: Ears 7: Cheeks 7a: Hill 7c: Support point 8: Cheekbone line 9: Orbital line 10: Mask 11: Main body 12: Lateral extension 13: Mounting end 14: Upper line 15: Central ridge 16: Lower line 17: Connecting line 17a: Upper end 17b: Lower end 20: Anchor 21: Male hook-and-loop fastener

Claims

1. A mask (10) comprising a main body (11) covering the nose (3) and mouth (4) and fibrous side extensions (12) extending rearward from the left and right sides of the main body (11), the rear ends of which, or attachment ends (13), are engaged with male hook-and-loop fasteners (21) provided on the surface of anchors (20) that are attached to the face. The main body (11) is a non-stretchable, approximately cup-shaped member, The side extension portion (12) is elastic and is formed as a single piece of fabric without any openings, The mask is characterized in that the main body portion (11) and the side extension portion (12) are connected by a connecting line (17) extending vertically along the side of the face.

2. In claim 1, the lower part of the eye 2 is bounded by an upper line (14) that connects the highest point (Q) of the main body (11) and the attachment end (13) obliquely downward, a central ridge line (15) that forms the front outline of the main body (11) and whose upper end forms the highest point (Q) and connects to the front end of the upper line (14), and a lower line (16) that connects the lower end of the central ridge line (15) and the attachment end (13) obliquely upward, forming a roughly triangular shape in a side view, A mask characterized in that the attachment end (13) is located below the uppermost point (Q).

3. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the anchors (20) are attached on the cheeks (7) below the cheekbone line (8).

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