eye mask

Abstract

This relates to an eye mask that can improve the fit when worn and further enhance the comfort provided to the wearer. [Solution] The device comprises a covering portion that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, a pair of ear attachment portions that can be attached to the wearer's ears, and a heating element provided in the covering portion. The heating element is positioned in the covering portion so as to directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The materials constituting the covering portion and the materials constituting the ear attachment portions are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction. The ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portions at 50% stretch to the load of the material constituting the covering portion at 50% stretch is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less. The pair of ear attachment portions are formed integrally with the covering portion.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an eye mask. [Background technology]

[0002] Eye masks capable of warming the wearer's eyes have been known for some time (for example, Patent Document 1). Conventional eye masks, including the one described in Patent Document 1, can provide comfort to the wearer by warming their eyes. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 259588 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Incidentally, conventional eye masks do not take into consideration whether the main body covers the wearer's temples when worn. However, the inventors have found that if the main body of the eye mask also covers the wearer's temples when worn, the heat generated from the heating element can be conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort.

[0005] Furthermore, conventional eye masks do not take into consideration the application of pressure to the wearer's temples. In other words, in conventional eye masks, including the eye mask described in Patent Document 1, it is common to join the main body and ear loops using various fusion methods. In a conventional eye mask with a configuration in which the main body and ear loops are joined, if one were to try to apply pressure to the wearer's temples, one would have to consider methods such as reducing the elasticity of the ear loops to make the eye mask fit snugly over the wearer's entire face.

[0006] However, reducing the elasticity of the ear loops, while it may be possible to apply pressure to the wearer's temples, also increases the pressure applied to the wearer's ears, which could cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0007] Therefore, the present inventors have found that by forming the covering portion and the ear loop portion of the eye mask as an integral part, and by making the ratio of the elasticity of the covering portion and the ear loop portion close, it becomes possible to make the eye mask fit snugly over the wearer's entire face when worn, and to apply pressure to the wearer's temples (hereinafter referred to as "fit" in this specification), thereby providing the wearer with even greater comfort.

[0008] This invention relates to an eye mask that can improve the fit when worn and further enhance the comfort provided to the wearer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The eye mask according to the present invention comprises a covering portion that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, a pair of ear attachment portions that can be attached to the wearer's ears, and a heating element provided in the covering portion, wherein the heating element is positioned in the covering portion so as to directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn, the material constituting the covering portion and the material constituting the ear attachment portions are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction, the ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portions at 50% stretch to the load of the material constituting the covering portion at 50% stretch is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less, and the pair of ear attachment portions are formed integrally with the covering portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The eye mask of the present invention makes it possible to improve the fit when worn and further enhance the comfort provided to the wearer. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] It is a plan view showing the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing the range of the covering part. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view showing the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing a human head model. [Figure 6] It is a plan view showing the heating element according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing a measuring device for measuring the amount of water vapor generated. [Figure 9] FIG. 9(a) is a diagram showing the wearing process of the eye mask according to this embodiment, and FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing the wearing state of the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a diagram showing the location where a measuring instrument for measuring the contact pressure when wearing the eye mask according to Example 1 is arranged. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing the location where a measuring instrument for measuring the contact pressure when wearing the eye mask according to Comparative Example 1 is arranged. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10C is a diagram showing the location where a measuring instrument for measuring the contact pressure when wearing the eye mask according to Comparative Example 2 is arranged.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to each claim, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention. Also, in this embodiment, the scales and dimensions of each component may be exaggerated, or some components may be omitted.

[0013] [Overall components of the eye mask] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment comprises a main body 10 that can be attached to the wearer's face, and a pair of heating elements 40 provided on the main body 10.

[0014] In this specification, in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see Figure 1), the direction in which the upper edge 11, described later, is located is defined as "upward," and the direction in which the lower edge 12, described later, is located is defined as "downward." Furthermore, in this specification, in a plan view of the eye mask 1, the direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, that is, the direction that coincides with the direction in which the heating elements 40 are arranged, is defined as the "width direction."

[0015] In this specification, the area located inside the orbit, such as the eyeball, eyelids, and eyelashes, is collectively defined as "eye." In this specification, the eyebrows, the space between the eyebrows, and the upper edges of the cheeks are collectively defined as "area around the eye." Furthermore, in this specification, the area corresponding to (1) or (2) below is defined as "temple." (1) The indented area of ​​the skull located between the outer corner of the eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear. (2) As shown in Figure 5, within the region of a circle with a radius of 10 mm centered at a point 15 mm towards the head from the intersection point P of the first imaginary line VL1, which connects the outer corner of the eye and the upper end of the base of the ear of the human head model HM, and the second imaginary line VL2, which extends vertically through a point 30 mm from the outer corner end of the first imaginary line VL1. The first virtual line VL1 and the second virtual line VL2 are virtual lines that extend along the surface of the human head model HM. Furthermore, as the "human head model HM," a female human head model (width 151.24 mm, depth 206.82 mm, height 233.01 mm) created based on the average female human head data (2014 version) manufactured by Digital Human Technology Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0016] [Main Unit Configuration] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the main body 10 comprises a covering portion 20 that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, and a pair of ear attachment portions 30 that can be attached to the wearer's ears. Specifically, the main body 10 has the covering portion 20 on the inside in the width direction, and a pair of ear attachment portions 30 at both ends on the outside in the width direction. In this embodiment, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portions 30 are formed as a single unit. More specifically, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portions 30 are continuous from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portions 30 without increasing the bending rigidity; in other words, there are no parts in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portions 30 that have higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20. That is, in this embodiment, in the main body 10, the ear attachment portions 30 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the covering portion 20 without the need for fusion parts or reinforcing parts to connect the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main body 10 does not have a fold line formed between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for bending the ear attachment portion 30, and the ear attachment portions 30 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the covering portion 20.

[0017] As described above, the pair of ear attachment parts 30 are integrally formed with the covering part 20, which improves the fit of the covering part 20 when wearing the eye mask 1. Specifically, because the covering part 20 and the ear attachment parts 30 are integrally formed with the main body part 10, no gap is formed between the wearer's temples and the covering part 20, and by applying appropriate pressure to the wearer's temples, the fit of the covering part 20 to the wearer's temples can be improved, as well as the warming effect on the wearer's temples. Furthermore, by improving the fit of the covering part 20 to the wearer's temples, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved.

[0018] Furthermore, in the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, there are no parts in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portion 30 that have higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20. In other words, in this embodiment, in the main body portion 10, there are no parts in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portion 30 that have higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20, and the ear attachment portions 30 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the covering portion 20.

[0019] Thus, because there are no parts in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portion 30 that have higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20, the fit of the covering portion 20 can be improved when wearing the eye mask 1. In addition, by improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's temples, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved.

[0020] Furthermore, there are no fold lines between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30. In other words, in this embodiment, in the main body portion 10, no fold lines are formed between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for folding the ear attachment portion 30, and the ear attachment portions 30 are formed at both ends of the covering portion 20 in the width direction.

[0021] In this way, since the pair of ear attachment parts 30 are integrally formed with the covering part 20, and there are no fold lines in the area from the covering part 20 to the ear attachment parts 30, the fit and adhesion of the covering part 20 can be improved when wearing the eye mask 1, no gap is formed between the wearer's temples and the covering part 20, improving the fit and adhesion of the covering part 20 to the wearer's temples, and also enhancing the warming effect on the wearer's temples. Furthermore, by improving the fit and adhesion of the covering part 20 to the wearer's temples, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved.

[0022] Furthermore, in the eye mask 1 of this embodiment, the material constituting the covering portion 20 (described later) and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 (described later) are located on a straight line connecting the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of their ear when worn. Specifically, the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 are continuous without being recessed in the downward direction, and the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 form the upper edge portion 11 of the main body portion 10 (described later). With this configuration, when the eye mask 1 of this embodiment is worn, the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 (described later) are located on a straight line connecting the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of their ear (on the first dashed line VL1 in Figure 5). As a result, no gap is formed between the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of their ear and the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, thereby improving the fit of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 when worn.

[0023] In this specification, "the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 are continuous without being recessed in the downward direction" means that, in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see Figure 1), the boundary portion between the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 is not recessed downward. Specifically, this means that the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 are continuous in a straight line or an upwardly curved line. Here, "the boundary portion between the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30" refers to the boundary portion when the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 can be clearly separated, and when it is difficult to clearly separate the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, it refers to the intersection point between the upper edge of the main body portion 10 and a pair of imaginary lines VL3 (see Figure 1) that extend vertically from the ends on the inside of the pair of ear insertion holes 31 in the width direction, as described later.

[0024] In this embodiment, it has been described that the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 are formed continuously without recessing in the downward direction, but the invention is not limited to this, and a recess (indentation) may be formed between the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30. In such cases, where a recess is formed between the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30, it is preferable that the recess has a depth of 20% or less, more preferably 15% or less, even more preferably 10% or less, even more preferably 5% or less, and even more preferably 3% or less of the vertical length L2 of the main body portion 10, which will be described later.

[0025] Furthermore, the main body portion 10 has an elongated upper edge portion 11 that is located on the wearer's forehead side when the eye mask 1 is worn, an elongated lower edge portion 12 that is located on the wearer's cheek side when the eye mask 1 is worn, and a pair of side edges 13 that extend from both ends of the upper edge portion 11 to both ends of the lower edge portion 12, and is formed as a long rectangular shape in the width direction. In this embodiment, the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 are formed by the upper and lower edges of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, and the side edges 13 are formed by the side edges of the ear attachment portion 30.

[0026] In this specification, "rectangular" means a quadrilateral shape having a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, and specifically refers to a shape that falls under either (1) or (2) below. (1) The upper edge 11 and side edge 13 and the lower edge 12 and side edge 13 are perpendicular to each other, and the main body 10 as a whole is a perfect rectangle. (2) For example, the main body portion 10 is substantially rectangular in shape as a whole, such as when at least one of the upper edge portion 11, the lower edge portion 12, and the side edge portion 13 is formed in an arc shape, or when at least one of the connection portion between the upper edge portion 11 and the side edge portion 13 and the connection portion between the lower edge portion 12 and the side edge portion 13 is formed in an arc shape.

[0027] The upper edge 11 and lower edge 12 are formed in an arc shape that curves slightly upward from the center of the main body 10. The side edge 13 is formed in an arc shape that curves outward in the width direction of the main body 10. Furthermore, the connection portion between the upper edge 11 and the side edge 13 and the connection portion between the lower edge 12 and the side edge 13 are each formed in an arc shape that curves outward from the main body 10. Having such a configuration has the advantage of improving the design of the eye mask 1.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main body 10 is formed in a long rectangular shape in the width direction, and the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 are integrally formed in the main body 10. As a result, the main body 10 can cover the wearer from the outer corner of the eyebrow to the upper end of the base of the ear without any gaps. This has the advantage of improving the sense of immersion given to the wearer. In other words, in this embodiment, the ear attachment portion 30 is formed in the main body 10 at both ends of the covering portion 20 in the width direction without the use of fused portions or reinforcing portions, and the upper edge of the covering portion 20 and the upper edge of the ear attachment portion 30 are continuous without being recessed in the lower edge direction, and there is no fold line formed between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for folding the ear attachment portion 30. With this configuration, when worn, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 are located on a straight line connecting the outer corner of the eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear (on the first imaginary line VL1 in Figure 5), so the covering area of ​​the main body 10 over the wearer is large. Therefore, the fit of the main body 10 when worn can be further improved.

[0029] The shape of the main body portion 10 is not limited to this, and for example, at least one of the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 may be formed in a straight line extending along the width direction, or at least one of the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 may be formed in an arc shape that curves downward toward the center of the main body portion 10, or at least one of the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 may locally protrude or curve, or the side edge portion 13 may be formed in a straight line extending along the vertical direction, or the side edge portion 13 may locally protrude or curve, or at least one of the upper edge portion 11 and the side edge portion 13 and the lower edge portion 12 and the side edge portion 13 may be perpendicular, or it may have any other known shape.

[0030] Furthermore, although this embodiment has described the main body 10 as having the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 integrally formed, it is not limited to this, and the ear attachment portion 30 may be a separate component attached to both ends of the covering portion 20 in the width direction.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the widthwise length L1 of the main body 10 is preferably 220 mm or more, more preferably 240 mm or more, and even more preferably 260 mm or more, from the viewpoint of covering the wearer's temples with the covering portion 20 when wearing the eye mask 1. Furthermore, the widthwise length L1 of the main body 10 is preferably 360 mm or less, more preferably 340 mm or less, and even more preferably 320 mm or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing sagging of the main body 10 when wearing the eye mask 1 and improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. In other words, the widthwise length L1 of the main body 10 is preferably 220 mm or more and 360 mm or less, more preferably 240 mm or more and 340 mm or less, and even more preferably 260 mm or more and 320 mm or less.

[0032] In this specification, "length in the width direction of the main body" means the length that corresponds to any one of the following (1) to (3). (1) As shown in Figure 1, when the side edge portion 13 is formed in an arc shape, or when the side edge portion 13 is not formed in a straight line extending in the vertical direction, the length of the straight line along the width direction from the tangent line along the vertical direction of one side edge portion 13 to the tangent line along the vertical direction of the other side edge portion 13. (2) If the side edge portion 13 is formed in a straight line extending along the vertical direction, the length of the straight line along the width direction from one side edge portion 13 to the other side edge portion 13. (3) If one of the pair of side edges 13 is formed on a straight line extending in the vertical direction, and the other of the pair of side edges 13 is not formed on a straight line extending in the vertical direction, the length of the straight line along the width direction from the tangent to the vertical direction of one side edge 13 to the tangent to the vertical direction of the other side edge 13.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the vertical length L2 of the main body 10 is preferably 80 mm or more, more preferably 85 mm or more, and even more preferably 90 mm or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the covering area of ​​the covering part 20 over the wearer's face and giving the wearer a sense of immersion. Also, the vertical length L2 of the main body 10 is preferably 130 mm or less, more preferably 110 mm or less, and even more preferably 105 mm or less, from the viewpoint of reducing the covering area of ​​the covering part 20 over the wearer and preventing the wearer from feeling uncomfortable. In other words, the vertical length L2 of the main body 10 is preferably 80 mm or more and 130 mm or less, more preferably 85 mm or more and 110 mm or less, and even more preferably 90 mm or more and 105 mm or less.

[0034] In this specification, "vertical length of the main body" means any length that falls under any one of the following (1) to (3). (1) As shown in Figure 1, when the upper edge 11 and lower edge 12 are formed in an arc shape, or when the upper edge 11 and lower edge 12 are not formed in a straight line extending along the width direction, the length of the straight line along the vertical direction from the tangent line along the width direction of the upper edge 11 to the tangent line along the width direction of the lower edge 12. (2) When the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 are formed in a straight line extending along the width direction, the straight length along the vertical direction from the upper edge portion 11 to the lower edge portion 12. (3) If either the upper edge 11 or the lower edge 12 is formed in a straight line extending along the width direction, and the other of the upper edge 11 or the lower edge 12 is not formed in a straight line extending along the width direction, the length of the straight line along the vertical direction from either the upper edge 11 or the lower edge 12 to the tangent line along the width direction of the other of the upper edge 11 or the lower edge 12.

[0035] [Structure of the covering] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the covering portion 20 is a covering area formed on the inside in the width direction of the main body portion 10. Specifically, when the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 can be clearly distinguished, the covering portion 20 refers to the area of ​​the main body portion 10 excluding the ear attachment portion 30. On the other hand, when it is difficult to clearly distinguish the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, the covering portion 20 refers to the area defined by the upper edge which constitutes a part of the upper edge portion 11 of the main body portion 10, the lower edge which constitutes a part of the lower edge portion 12 of the main body portion 10, and a pair of imaginary lines VL3 (see Figure 2) extending vertically from the ends on the inside in the width direction of the pair of ear insertion holes 31, which will be described later.

[0036] In other words, if it is difficult to clearly distinguish between the covering portion 20 and the ear-fitting portion 30, it is preferable to draw a pair of straight lines extending vertically from the inner ends of the pair of ear insertion holes 31 in the width direction (i.e., the ends on the central portion 22 side described later) parallel to the vertical center line 23 described later, and to define the area located inside the width direction of the pair of straight lines as the covering portion 20. In the embodiments described later, the ear insertion holes 31 provided in the ear-fitting portion 30 are described as openings formed by cutting out the outer sheet 60, but for example, the ear insertion holes 31 provided in the ear-fitting portion 30 may be slits (not shown) formed by cutting out the outer sheet 60. Thus, when the ear-fitting portion 30 is configured to have a pair of slits for inserting the wearer's ears, it is preferable to draw a pair of straight lines extending vertically from the inner ends of the pair of slits in the width direction (i.e., the ends on the central portion 22 side described later) parallel to the vertical center line 23 described later, and to define the area located inside the width direction of the pair of straight lines as the covering portion 20.

[0037] In this embodiment, the area indicated by dots in Figure 2 is described as the covering portion 20. The covering portion 20 is formed as a long rectangle in the width direction. However, the shape of the covering portion 20 is not limited to this, and at least one of the upper and lower edges may protrude locally, or at least one of the upper and lower edges may be curved overall or locally. Furthermore, the covering portion 20 in this specification will be described as including an inner sheet 50 and an outer sheet 60, as will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, the covering portion 20 has a nose passage portion 24 that can pass through the wearer's nose. The nose passage portion 24 is a roughly triangular cutout formed in a tapered shape from the lower edge to the upper edge of the covering portion 20. The nose passage portion 24 is also formed on the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20. Specifically, the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20 has a vertical center line 23 that divides the covering portion 20 in the width direction, and the nose passage portion 24 is formed so that the center of the nose passage portion 24 in the width direction is located on the vertical center line 23. In this way, because the covering portion 20 has a nose passage portion 24, the covering portion 20 is not positioned on the bridge of the wearer's nose, so the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes can be improved. Furthermore, the thermal effect of the heating element 40 on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes can be enhanced. Furthermore, the improved fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes can improve the sense of immersion given to the wearer. The nasal passage portion 24 may also be a slit formed from the lower edge to the upper edge of the covering portion 20.

[0039] In this specification, "central portion 22" refers to a location on the inside in the width direction of the covering portion 20, and more specifically, it refers to the region located between the heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see Figure 1).

[0040] The widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20 (see Figures 1 and 2) is preferably 150 mm or more, more preferably 185 mm or more, and even more preferably 200 mm or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the covering area and contact area of ​​the covering portion 20 with respect to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, thereby increasing the wearer's sense of immersion and providing the wearer with greater comfort. Furthermore, the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20 is preferably 300 mm or less, more preferably 280 mm or less, and even more preferably 255 mm or less, from the viewpoint of preventing impairment of the stretchability of the covering portion 20 in the widthwise direction, as described later. In other words, the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20 is preferably 150 mm or more and 300 mm or less, more preferably 185 mm or more and 280 mm or less, and even more preferably 200 mm or more and 255 mm or less.

[0041] In this specification, "length in the width direction of the covering portion" refers to the length along the width direction from the end of the ear insertion hole 31 on the vertical centerline 23 side of one ear attachment portion 30 (described later) to the end of the ear insertion hole 31 on the vertical centerline 23 side of the other ear attachment portion 30, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0042] The area of ​​the covering portion 20 is preferably 200% to 600% of the total area of ​​the heating element 40, more preferably 250% to 550%, and even more preferably 300% to 500%. This is done from the viewpoint of increasing the area covering the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when wearing the eye mask 1, thereby enhancing the wearer's sense of immersion and providing the wearer with greater comfort.

[0043] In this specification, "area of ​​the covering portion" refers to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 in a plan view (see Figures 1 and 2). Also, in this specification, "total area of ​​the heating element" refers to the total area of ​​the base material layer 43, water retention layer 44, or heating layer 45 of the heating element 40 in a plan view (see Figures 1 and 7).

[0044] Specifically, the area of ​​the covering portion 20 is set at 15,000 mm² when the eye mask 1 is worn, in order to increase the area covering the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, thereby enhancing the wearer's sense of immersion and providing the wearer with greater comfort and security. 2 Preferably, it should be 17,000 mm or more. 2 It is more preferable that the amount be greater than or equal to 19000 mm. 2 It is even more preferable that the above conditions are met.

[0045] The material constituting the covering portion 20 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Specifically, the covering portion 20 is formed of a nonwoven fabric with excellent stretchability in the width direction, and is configured to be stretchable in the width direction as a whole. The nonwoven fabric fiber material with excellent stretchability in the width direction can be the nonwoven fabric fiber material that forms the inner sheet 50 and the nonwoven fabric fiber material that forms the outer sheet 60, which will be described later. In this way, because the covering portion 20 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction, when the eye mask 1 is worn, the covering portion 20 stretches in the width direction according to the size of the wearer's face, thereby improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. The stretchability characteristics of the material constituting the covering portion 20 will be described in detail later.

[0046] In this embodiment, the entire covering portion 20 has been described as being configured to be stretchable in the width direction. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, the covering portion 20 may be made stretchable in the width direction by forming only the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20 from a material with excellent stretchability in the width direction.

[0047] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the covering portion 20 has an inner sheet 50 that is located on the skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, and an outer sheet 60 that is located on the non-skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn. In other words, the covering portion 20 as a whole is formed in a sheet shape.

[0048] The inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are joined together with the heating element 40 positioned between them. The heating element 40 may be bonded to the outer sheet 60 with an adhesive, to the inner sheet 50 with an adhesive, to either the outer sheet 60 or the inner sheet 50 with an adhesive, or it may be placed in a bag-like space where the outer sheet 60 and the inner sheet 50 are joined together without the use of an adhesive. A hot-melt adhesive is preferred as the adhesive, but the device is not limited to this, and various known fastening methods can be used. For example, adhesives other than hot-melt adhesives, sewing, heat fusion, or embossing are possible, but the device is not limited as long as it can be fixed.

[0049] Alternatively, by making the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 locally non-adherent, an opening and storage space for inserting and removing the heating element 40 may be formed between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60.

[0050] The widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 is shorter than the widthwise length of the outer sheet 60. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the end 50a of the inner sheet 50 is positioned inward in the widthwise direction compared to the end of the outer sheet 60. In this embodiment, the widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 is shorter than the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20 described above. On the other hand, the vertical length of the inner sheet 50 is equal to the vertical length L2 of the main body portion 10. That is, in this embodiment, the peripheral edge of the inner sheet 50 constitutes only a part of the upper edge 11 and a part of the lower edge 12 of the main body portion 10, and does not constitute the remaining part of the upper edge 11, the remaining part of the lower edge 12, or the side edge 13 of the main body portion 10. On the other hand, the peripheral edge of the outer sheet 60 constitutes the upper and lower edges of the covering portion 20 and the upper, lower, and side edges of the ear attachment portion 30. In other words, the outer sheet 60 constitutes the entire upper edge 11, lower edge 12, and side edge 13 of the main body 10. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the nose passage 24 of the covering portion 20 is provided on both the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60.

[0051] In this embodiment, the widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 is shorter than the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20, but this is not limited to this. The widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 and the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20 may be the same length, or the widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 may be longer than the widthwise length D1 of the covering portion 20. Also, in this embodiment, the widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 is shorter than the widthwise length of the outer sheet 60, but this is not limited to this. The widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 and the widthwise length of the outer sheet 60 may be the same length, or the widthwise length of the inner sheet 50 may be longer than the widthwise length of the outer sheet 60.

[0052] The thickness of the covering portion 20 is preferably 2.0 mm or more, more preferably 2.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 3.5 mm or more, from the viewpoint of improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. By improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, it becomes possible to make the covering portion 20 adhere closely to the wearer's entire face when wearing the eye mask 1, so that the heat generated from the heating element 40 is more easily transmitted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, and the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples can be enhanced. In addition, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved. Furthermore, the thickness of the covering portion 20 is preferably 30.0 mm or less, more preferably 20.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 15.0 mm or less, from the viewpoint of reducing the load of the covering portion 20 on the wearer's face and giving the wearer comfort. In other words, the thickness of the covering portion 20 is preferably 2.0 mm or more and 30.0 mm or less, more preferably 2.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 3.5 mm or more and 15.0 mm or less.

[0053] In this specification, "thickness of the covering portion" refers to the thickness of the covering portion 20 only, and does not include the thickness of the heating element 40. Furthermore, as will be described later, if the covering portion 20 is composed of a single sheet, the thickness of that single sheet will be the thickness of the covering portion 20. On the other hand, if the covering portion 20 is composed of multiple sheets, as in the covering portion 20 according to this embodiment, the total thickness of those multiple sheets will be the thickness of the covering portion 20.

[0054] The inner sheet 50 is formed to be thicker than the outer sheet 60. In this way, the greater thickness of the inner sheet 50, which is located on the skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, improves the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. As a result, when the eye mask 1 is worn, the covering portion 20 can be closely fitted to the wearer's entire face, and as a result, the heat generated from the heating element 40 can be more easily transferred to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, thereby enhancing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. Furthermore, the improved fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples can improve the sense of immersion given to the wearer.

[0055] Specifically, the thickness of the inner sheet 50 is preferably 1.0 mm or more, more preferably 1.2 mm or more, and even more preferably 2.0 mm or more, from the viewpoint of improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. As described above, by improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, it becomes possible to make the covering portion 20 adhere closely to the wearer's entire face when wearing the eye mask 1, so that the heat generated from the heating element 40 is more easily transmitted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, and the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples can be enhanced. In addition, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved. Furthermore, the thickness of the inner sheet 50 is preferably 20.0 mm or less, more preferably 15.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 12.0 mm or less, from the viewpoint of reducing the load of the covering portion 20 on the wearer's face and giving the wearer comfort. In other words, the thickness of the inner sheet 50 is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, more preferably 1.2 mm or more and 15.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 2.0 mm or more and 12.0 mm or less.

[0056] Furthermore, the thickness of the portion of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 is placed on the covering portion 20 is preferably 2.5 mm or more, more preferably 4.0 mm or more, and even more preferably 5.5 mm or more, from the viewpoint of improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. By improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, it becomes possible to make the covering portion 20 adhere closely to the wearer's entire face when wearing the eye mask 1. As a result, the heat generated from the heating element 40 can be more easily transmitted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, thereby enhancing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. In addition, the sense of immersion given to the wearer can be improved. Furthermore, the thickness of the portion of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 is placed on the covering portion 20 is preferably 32.0 mm or less, more preferably 22.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 17.0 mm or less, from the viewpoint of reducing the load of the covering portion 20 on the wearer's face and providing comfort to the wearer. In other words, the thickness of the portion of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 is placed on the covering portion 20 is preferably 2.5 mm or more and 32.0 mm or less, more preferably 4.0 mm or more and 22.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 5.5 mm or more and 17.0 mm or less.

[0057] In this specification, "thickness of the portion of the eye mask covering where the heating element is located" refers to the total thickness of the covering portion 20 and the heating element 40. If the thickness of the heating element 40 differs in different parts, the thickness of the thickest portion shall be used.

[0058] In this embodiment, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are breathable. The breathability of the inner sheet 50 allows water vapor released from the heating element 40 to be supplied to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes, thus providing the advantage of warming the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. Furthermore, the breathability of the outer sheet 60 allows for the accurate supply of oxygen to the heating element 40, thus providing the advantage of exhibiting a good thermal effect. Note that one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 may be poorly breathable or non-breathable. Alternatively, a part of the inner sheet 50 or the outer sheet 60 may be breathable, poorly breathable, or non-breathable.

[0059] The air permeability of the inner sheet 50 is preferably 150,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, more preferably 50,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, even more preferably 30,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, and especially preferably 10,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, from the viewpoint of efficiently supplying water vapor to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes.

[0060] In this specification, "air permeability" refers to a value measured according to JIS P8117 (2009 revised edition), where 100 mL of air permeates 6.42 cm³ under constant pressure. 2 Air permeability is defined as the time it takes for air to pass through an area. Therefore, a high value for air permeability means that it takes a long time for air to pass through, i.e., it means that the air permeability is low. Conversely, a low value for air permeability means that the air permeability is high. Thus, there is an inverse relationship between the high value of air permeability and the high or low level of air permeability. Air permeability can be measured with a Wang Ren air permeability meter. In this specification, an air permeability of less than 30,000 seconds / 100 mL is defined as "air permeable," an air permeability of 30,000 seconds / 100 mL or more and less than 80,000 seconds / 100 mL is defined as "poorly air permeable," and an air permeability of 80,000 seconds / 100 mL or more is defined as "non-air permeable."

[0061] The materials for the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 can be materials that have been conventionally used in the field of eye mask technology. For example, nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics and paper or other fiber sheets, resin foam sheets, metal sheets, or combinations thereof can be used. Among these, nonwoven fabric is preferred from the viewpoint of ease of processing, economic efficiency, and ensuring stretchability in the width direction.

[0062] The nonwoven fabric fiber material is preferably composed of one or more fibers selected from, for example, polyester such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate); polyolefins such as PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), and ethylene propylene copolymers; rayon; cotton; and wood pulp fibers such as lyocell. Furthermore, the nonwoven fabric can be manufactured using one or more of the above-mentioned materials by methods such as the air-through method, spunbond method, needle punch method, meltblown method, carding method, heat fusion method, water entanglement method, and solvent bonding method, and may be single-layer or multi-layer structure. The nonwoven fabric may also be chemically treated depending on the purpose.

[0063] Furthermore, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 may each be a single-layer structure consisting of only one sheet material, whether single-layer or multi-layer, or a multi-layer structure made by layering two or more types of sheet materials. In addition, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 may be made of different materials. Specifically, the outer sheet 60, which is located on the non-skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, may be made of a material suitable for giving the eye mask 1 shape retention, or a material suitable for improving the texture and appearance of the outer surface. More specifically, the outer sheet 60, which is located on the non-skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, is most preferably made of a nonwoven fabric manufactured by the needle punching method described above, from the viewpoint of ensuring the stretchability of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 (described later) in the width direction. With such a configuration, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 can be easily stretched in the width direction, and the fit when wearing the eye mask 1 can be improved. On the other hand, the inner sheet 50, which is located on the skin side of the eye mask 1 when worn, may be made of materials chosen for their pleasant feel against the skin. Furthermore, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 may be colored in any color, or have any pattern (design) applied by printing or other means. Such a configuration improves the texture and aesthetic appeal, making it possible to create an eye mask 1 that suits the user's preferences.

[0064] In this embodiment, the covering portion 20 is described as having an inner sheet 50 and an outer sheet 60, meaning that the materials constituting the covering portion 20 are described as an inner sheet 50 and an outer sheet 60. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, it may be configured to have only one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. That is, the covering portion 20 may be composed of one sheet or multiple sheets. Furthermore, the covering portion 20 may have other sheets between the inner sheet 50 and the heating element 40, or other sheets between the outer sheet 60 and the heating element 40. If the covering portion 20 is composed of one sheet, the heating element 40 may be bonded to the one sheet or housed in a heating element housing formed on the one sheet.

[0065] The covering portion 20 having the above configuration is configured to conduct heat from the heating element 40 to the wearer's temples and is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Specifically, the covering portion 20 is configured to conduct heat from the heating element 40 to the wearer's temples by covering the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and the temples when the eye mask 1 is worn. When the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and the temples are covered by the covering portion 20, first, the heat generated from the heating element 40 is conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. Next, the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes is conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's temples. Finally, the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's temples is conducted to the wearer's temples.

[0066] In particular, the covering portion 20 according to this embodiment has at least one of the above-described configurations of the shape of the covering portion 20, the extensibility of the covering portion 20, the thickness of the covering portion 20, and the thickness of the inner sheet 50, which improves the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. As a result, the heat generated from the heating element 40 is more easily transmitted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, thereby enhancing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples.

[0067] [Earpiece Composition] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the ear attachment portion 30 is an ear loop that can be attached to the wearer's ear. The ear attachment portion 30 is provided at both ends in the width direction of the main body portion 10 and is formed continuously with the upper and lower edges of the covering portion 20.

[0068] In this embodiment, the ear attachment portion 30 does not have any portion with higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20 in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portion 30. Furthermore, the ear attachment portion 30 is continuous with the covering portion 20 without any fold lines being formed between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for bending the ear attachment portion 30. Moreover, the ear attachment portion 30 is formed integrally with the covering portion 20. That is, the ear attachment portion 30 is an ear hook formed at both ends in the width direction of the outer sheet 60 of the covering portion 20. As a result, in this embodiment, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 are continuous so as to be flush with the outer surface (i.e., the outer sheet 60) that is located on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. If the inner sheet 50 is provided over the entire width of the main body portion 10, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 may be continuous so as to be flush with the inner surface (i.e., the inner sheet 50) that is located on the skin side of the wearer when worn.

[0069] The material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Specifically, the ear attachment portion 30 is formed from the material constituting the outer sheet 60 described above, thereby providing stretchability in the width direction. Thus, in this embodiment, the ear attachment portion 30 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction, and the stretchability of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 are configured to be close in value, so that the fit to the wearer's face can be further improved when wearing the eye mask 1. The stretchability characteristics of the ear attachment portion 30 will be described in detail later.

[0070] [Stretch load on the covering and ear attachment parts] As described above, the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the materials constituting the ear attachment portion 30 are configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Here, the ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 when stretched by 50% to the load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 when stretched by 50% is preferably 0.2 or more, more preferably 0.21 or more, even more preferably 0.23 or more, and especially preferably 0.26 or more, from the viewpoint of bringing the elasticity of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 closer together, thereby applying pressure to the entire face of the wearer when wearing the eye mask 1 and further improving the fit. In other words, the ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment part 30 at 50% elongation to the load of the material constituting the covering part 20 at 50% elongation is preferably 0.2 to 1.2, more preferably 0.21 to 1.15, even more preferably 0.23 to 1.1, and especially preferably 0.26 to 1. Here, "load at 50% elongation" of the material constituting the covering part 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment part 30 means the load (N) applied to the material constituting the covering part 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment part 30 when they are elongated by 50% from their initial length, and is measured by the following method.

[0071] [Method for measuring load at 50% elongation] In this embodiment, the 50% elongation load (N) of the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 can be measured, for example, by a method based on ASTM D882. Specifically, first, a sample with vertical dimensions of 25 mm and width dimensions of 150 mm is taken from the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 according to this embodiment. Next, the initial length of the sample is set to 100 mm on a tensile testing machine, and when the testing machine is stretched to 50% of the initial length in the width direction, that is, when the distance between the ends in the width direction of the tensile testing machine becomes 150 mm, the load (N) applied to the sample is measured as the "50% elongation load". If it is not possible to take a sample with the above dimensions, a sample should be taken with dimensions as close as possible to the above dimensions. Also, if it is not possible to set the initial length of the sample on the tensile testing machine to the above value, it should be set to a value as close as possible to the above value.

[0072] In this embodiment, as described above, the covering portion 20 has an inner sheet 50 and an outer sheet 60. Therefore, during a tensile test, a sample is taken of the material constituting the inner sheet 50 and the material constituting the outer sheet 60 that are bonded together, and the elongation load is measured. As described above, if the covering portion 20 has only one of the inner sheet 50 or the outer sheet 60, then a sample is taken of either the material constituting the inner sheet 50 or the material constituting the outer sheet 60, and the elongation load is measured. If there is another sheet between the inner sheet 50 and the heating element 40, or between the outer sheet 60 and the heating element 40, then a sample is taken of the material constituting the inner sheet 50, the material constituting the outer sheet 60, and the material constituting the other sheet mentioned above, and the elongation load is measured. Furthermore, as in the covering portion 20 according to this embodiment, if there are multiple regions in the covering portion 20 that have different loads when stretched to 50%, such as (1) areas where the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 overlap and are joined to each other, and (2) areas where the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 overlap but are not joined to each other, it is preferable to take a sample from the area including (1) and measure the load when stretched to 50%.

[0073] On the other hand, in this embodiment, as described above, the ear attachment portion 30 is formed from the material constituting the outer sheet 60. Therefore, during the tensile test, the material constituting the outer sheet 60 is taken as a sample and the elongation load is measured. In this embodiment, the ear attachment portion 30 has an ear insertion hole 31. However, during the tensile test, the portion of the ear attachment portion 30 in which the ear insertion hole 31 is not formed is taken as a sample and the elongation load is measured. In other words, during the tensile test of the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30, the elongation load is measured in a state in which the ear insertion hole 31 is not formed.

[0074] The load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% is preferably 0.5N or more, more preferably 1N or more, and even more preferably 2N or more, from the viewpoint of further improving the fit of the eye mask 1 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. Furthermore, the load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% is preferably 6N or less, more preferably 5N or less, and even more preferably 4N or less, from the viewpoint of preventing impairing the fit of the eye mask 1 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn. In other words, the load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% is preferably 0.5N or more and 6N or less, more preferably 1N or more and 5N or less, and even more preferably 2N or more and 4N or less.

[0075] The load on the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 when stretched to 50% is preferably 0.4N or more, more preferably 0.6N or more, and even more preferably 0.8N or more, from the viewpoint of further improving the fit of the eye mask 1. Furthermore, the load on the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 when stretched to 50% is preferably 5N or less, more preferably 4N or less, and even more preferably 3N or less, from the viewpoint of preventing impairing the fit of the eye mask 1 when worn. In other words, the load on the material constituting the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% is preferably 0.4N or more and 5N or less, more preferably 0.6N or more and 4N or less, and even more preferably 0.8N or more and 3N or less.

[0076] These loads can be achieved, for example, by the following methods (1) to (3). (1) A method for adjusting the physical properties of the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30. (2) A method of adjustment by mechanical processing of the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30. (3) A method that combines (1) and (2) above.

[0077] [(1) Method for adjusting the physical properties of the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear-attachment portion 30] As a method for adjusting the physical properties of the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 described above, for example, in the case of the covering portion 20, examples include adjusting the physical properties such as the basis weight, length, composition and formation method of the nonwoven fabric used for the inner sheet 50 and outer sheet 60 constituting the covering portion 20, or, as described above, forming the covering portion 20 with only one of the inner sheet 50 and outer sheet 60 to achieve a desired load when stretched to 50%. In the case of the ear attachment portion 30, examples include adjusting the physical properties such as the basis weight, length, composition and formation method of the nonwoven fabric used for the outer sheet 60 constituting the ear attachment portion 30.

[0078] [(2) A method of adjustment by mechanical processing of the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the materials constituting the ear attachment portion 30] As an example of a method for adjusting the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 by mechanical processing as described in (2) above, in the covering portion 20, an example is to adjust the amount and area of ​​adhesive applied to bond the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 so that the load of the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% is set to a desired load. Other examples include a method of applying a textured finish to the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, or a method of forming multiple fine openings in the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 so that the load of each when stretched to 50% is set to a desired load.

[0079] [(3) A method combining (1) and (2) above] It is also possible to adjust the load at 50% elongation to a desired load by arbitrarily combining the method of adjusting the physical properties of the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 as described in (1) above, and the method of adjusting the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 as described in (2) above by mechanical processing.

[0080] [Configuration of the heating element] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the heating elements 40 are provided in the width direction with the central portion 22 in the width direction of the covering portion 20 as the boundary. Specifically, the heating elements 40 are arranged with a distance D2 between the proximal ends, which will be described later, with the vertical center line 23 of the covering portion 20 as the boundary.

[0081] The heating elements 40 may be provided in pairs in the region of the covering portion 20 with respect to the central portion 22 in the width direction, or one heating element may be provided over the entire covering portion 20. Furthermore, when multiple heating elements 40 are provided on the covering portion 20, the heating characteristics of the multiple heating elements 40, as described later, may be the same or different, but it is more preferable that they be the same.

[0082] In the following explanation, the heating element 40 located to the left of the vertical center line 23 (to the left in Figure 1) will be referred to as "heating element 40A," the heating element 40 located to the right of the vertical center line 23 (to the right in Figure 1) will be referred to as "heating element 40B," and both heating elements 40A and 40B will be collectively referred to as "heating element 40."

[0083] In this embodiment, the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20. In this specification, "proximal ends of the heating elements" refers to the end of heating element 40A on the side of the vertical centerline 23 and the end of heating element 40B on the side of the vertical centerline 23 in a plan view of the covering portion 20 (see Figure 1). In this way, because the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20, the spacing between the heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 can be widened as the covering portion 20 extends in the width direction. Therefore, the spacing between the heating elements 40 can be widened according to the size of the wearer's face, and regardless of the size of the wearer's face, it is possible to accurately apply a warming effect to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the heating element 40 is positioned with a distance D2 between its proximal ends, with the vertical center line 23 of the covering portion 20 as the boundary. Specifically, the distance D2 between the proximal ends of the heating element 40 is preferably 5 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, even more preferably 15 mm or more, preferably 35 mm or less, more preferably 30 mm or less, and even more preferably 25 mm or less, from the viewpoint of improving the fit to the wearer's nose and accurately applying a warming effect to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. In other words, the distance D2 between the proximal ends of the heating element 40 is preferably 5 mm or more and 35 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and even more preferably 15 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

[0085] In this specification, "distance between the proximal ends of the heating elements" refers to the distance from the end of one heating element 40 (for example, heating element 40A in Figure 1) on the side of the vertical centerline 23 to the end of the other heating element 40 (for example, heating element 40B in Figure 1) on the side of the vertical centerline 23, in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (as shown in Figure 1).

[0086] The distal end of the heating element 40 is bonded to the covering portion 20. In this specification, "distal end of the heating element" refers to the end of the heating element 40A opposite to the end on the vertical centerline 23 side, and the end of the heating element 40B opposite to the end on the vertical centerline 23 side, in a plan view of the covering portion 20 (see Figure 1). By bonding the distal end of the heating element 40 to the covering portion 20 in this way, it is possible to increase the holding capacity of the heating element 40 in the covering portion 20, and as the covering portion 20 extends in the width direction, the distance D2 between the proximal ends of the heating element 40 can be increased in the width direction. Therefore, regardless of the size of the wearer's face, it is possible to accurately apply the warming effect of the heating element 40 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples.

[0087] The planar shapes of the heating elements 40A and 40B are not particularly limited and may have shapes such as circles or polygons. However, from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency, ease of handling, and thermal effect, the planar shapes of the heating elements 40A and 40B are preferably rectangular, approximately rectangular, square, or approximately square, and from the viewpoint of ease of handling, square or approximately square is more preferred. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the heating elements 40A and 40B according to this embodiment each have a square shape.

[0088] The heating element 40 having the above configuration is positioned on the covering portion 20 so as to directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when the eye mask 1 is worn.

[0089] In this specification, examples of configurations that "directly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes" include, for example, a configuration in which the heating element 40 is attached to the inside of the covering portion 20, or a configuration in which an opening is formed in the area of ​​the inner sheet 50 that faces the wearer's eyes, exposing the heating element 40. Furthermore, examples of configurations that "indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes" include a configuration in which the heating element 40 faces the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes via a sheet (such as the inner sheet 50) that constitutes the covering portion 20.

[0090] In this embodiment, the heating element 40 is provided between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, and is configured to indirectly face the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes via the inner sheet 50 when the eye mask 1 is worn. That is, the heating element 40 is positioned in the covering portion 20 so as to indirectly face the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes when the eye mask 1 is worn.

[0091] [Heat generation characteristics of heating elements] The heating element 40 is configured to generate heat by reacting with oxygen in the air. In this embodiment, the heating element 40 is configured to generate heat by reacting with oxygen in the air and to generate water vapor, which can then be supplied to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. That is, the heating element 40 according to this embodiment is configured to generate warm steam through the oxidation reaction of an oxidizable metal.

[0092] Such a heating element 40 can take the form of, for example, a mixture of powders (see, for example, the description in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-16753 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-180501), etc.), a sheet such as a paper-making sheet (see, for example, the description in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-058744 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-31360), etc.), or a coated sheet in which a dispersion liquid or the like is applied to a base material (see, for example, the description in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-146555 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-279804), etc.). Furthermore, it is preferable that the heating element 40 contains an oxidizable metal, a carbon component, and water.

[0093] The oxidizable metal is a metal that generates heat during oxidation reactions, and examples include one or more powders or fibers selected from iron, aluminum, zinc, manganese, magnesium, and calcium. Among these, iron is preferred in terms of handling, safety, manufacturing cost, shelf life, and stability, and iron powder is particularly preferred. Examples of iron powder include reduced iron powder and atomized iron powder. The particle size of the oxidizable metal can be, for example, 0.1 μm to 300 μm.

[0094] The carbon component has at least one function of water retention, oxygen supply, and catalytic activity, and it is preferable that it possesses all three of these functions. As the carbon component, one or more selected from activated carbon, carbon black, and graphite can be used. Among these, activated carbon is more preferably used because it readily adsorbs oxygen when wet and maintains a constant moisture level in the heating element 40.

[0095] The heating element 40 further contains a water-retaining material. While there are no particular restrictions on the type of water-retaining material as long as it is capable of retaining water, it is preferable that it has excellent vapor release properties. Examples of water-retaining materials include one or more selected from water-absorbing powders such as carbon components, fibrous materials, superabsorbent polymers (SAP), starch, zeolite, perlite, calcium silicate, and vermiculite. The water-absorbing agent used is appropriate depending on the form of the heating element 40.

[0096] Here, the detailed structure of the heating element 40 will be explained using Figures 6 and 7. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the heating element 40 has a first sheet 41 that is located on the skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, a second sheet 42 that is located on the non-skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, a base layer 43 provided between the first sheet 41 and the second sheet 42, a water-retaining layer 44 provided between the first sheet 41 and the base layer 43, and a heating layer 45 provided between the base layer 43 and the water-retaining layer 44, and is formed as a sheet with an overall laminated structure.

[0097] With the heating element 40 installed on the covering portion 20, the first sheet 41 is configured to face the inner surface sheet 50 of the covering portion 20, and the second sheet 42 is configured to face the outer surface sheet 60 of the covering portion 20. The peripheral edges of the first sheet 41 and the second sheet 42 are joined to each other, forming a bag-like structure with an internal space. In other words, in this embodiment, the base material layer 43, the water-retaining layer 44, and the heating layer 45 are housed in the internal space formed between the first sheet 41 and the second sheet 42. This configuration, in which the first sheet 41 and the second sheet 42 are formed in a bag-like structure with an internal space, has the advantage of allowing for appropriate adjustment of the amount of heat and water vapor.

[0098] The first sheet 41 is breathable. The breathability of the first sheet 41 allows water vapor released from the water-retaining layer 44 to be supplied to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around their eyes, thus providing the advantage of warming the wearer's eyes and / or the area around their eyes. On the other hand, the second sheet 42 is poorly breathable or non-breathable. The poorly breathable or non-breathable nature of the second sheet 42 allows water vapor released from the water-retaining layer 44 to be efficiently supplied to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around their eyes. Note that the first sheet 41 may be poorly breathable or non-breathable, and the second sheet 42 may be breathable. Furthermore, a portion of the first sheet 41 or the second sheet 42 may be breathable, poorly breathable, or non-breathable.

[0099] From the viewpoint of providing comfort to the wearer, the maximum temperature of the heating element 40 is preferably 54°C or higher, more preferably 58°C or higher, and even more preferably 62°C or higher. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the wearer from experiencing discomfort, the maximum temperature of the heating element 40 is preferably 72°C or lower, more preferably 70°C or lower, and even more preferably 68°C or lower. In other words, the maximum temperature of the heating element 40 is preferably 54°C or higher and 72°C or lower, more preferably 58°C or higher and 70°C or lower, and even more preferably 62°C or higher and 68°C or lower. The maximum temperature of the heating element 40 can be measured, for example, using a measuring instrument conforming to JIS S4100. Specifically, the measuring surface of a measuring instrument conforming to JIS S4100 is attached to the area of ​​the outer sheet 60 where the heating element 40 is located, the heating element 40 is started to generate heat in the presence of oxygen, and the highest temperature reached thereafter (°C) is measured as the maximum temperature of the heating element 40.

[0100] The heating element 40 preferably has a heating time of 15 minutes or more, more preferably 20 minutes or more, and even more preferably 25 minutes or more, while maintaining a heating time of 45°C or higher, from the viewpoint of providing comfort to the wearer. Similarly, the heating time of 45°C or higher can be measured using a measuring instrument conforming to JIS S4100, for example. Specifically, the measuring surface of a measuring instrument conforming to JIS S4100 is attached to the area of ​​the outer sheet 60 where the heating element 40 is located, the heating element 40 is started to heat up in the presence of oxygen, and the duration from when the temperature reaches 45°C or higher until it drops below 45°C can be measured as the heating time of 45°C or higher.

[0101] From the viewpoint of supplying sufficient water vapor to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around their eyes, the total cumulative amount of water vapor released by the heating element 40 in the first 10 minutes from the start of water vapor generation is preferably 140 mg or more, more preferably 300 mg or more, even more preferably 1000 mg or more, and even more preferably 1600 mg or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of maintaining a comfortable temperature, the total cumulative amount of water vapor released by the heating element 40 in the first 10 minutes from the start of water vapor generation is preferably 2400 mg or less, more preferably 2200 mg or less, even more preferably 2000 mg or less, and even more preferably 1800 mg or less. Note that "cumulative amount of water vapor released in the first 10 minutes from the start of water vapor generation" refers to the total amount (sum) of all heating elements 40 provided in the covering portion 20.

[0102] In other words, in this embodiment, the cumulative amount of water vapor released from the heating elements 40A and 40B in the first 10 minutes after the start of water vapor generation is preferably 70 mg or more, more preferably 150 mg or more, more preferably 500 mg or more, and even more preferably 800 mg or more per cell. Furthermore, the cumulative amount of water vapor released from the heating elements 40A and 40B in the first 10 minutes after the start of water vapor generation is preferably 1200 mg or less, more preferably 1100 mg or less, even more preferably 1000 mg or less, and even more preferably 900 mg or less per cell. Having such a configuration allows for adjustment of the amount of water vapor released from the heating elements 40A and 40B, and also has the advantage that the water vapor released from the heating elements 40A and 40B does not become too hot, providing comfort to the wearer.

[0103] [Method for measuring water vapor generation] In this specification, "steam generation" means that the total amount of water vapor generated in 10 minutes from one cell of the heating element 40 (in this embodiment, heating element 40A or heating element 40B), as measured by the following method, is 10 mg / 10 min or more. This amount of water vapor generation can be easily achieved by using, for example, a paste containing an oxidizable metal, a carbon material, and water as the heating element 40. Here, the cumulative amount of water vapor released from the heating element 40 in the 10 minutes from the start of water vapor generation is a value measured as follows using the measuring device 70 shown in Figure 8. In the following description, the subject is an unheated heating element 40 that is sealed in an oxygen-blocking bag or the like, and the "start of heating" is defined as the time required from the start of opening the oxygen-blocking bag or the like, exposing the heating element 40 to an oxygen-containing atmosphere such as air, and placing it in the measuring device 70 shown in Figure 8, i.e., 5 seconds after the start of opening. The measuring device 70 shown in Figure 8 comprises an aluminum measuring chamber (volume 4.2 L) 71, an inlet passage 72 for introducing dehumidified air (humidity less than 2%, flow rate 2.1 L / min) into the lower part of the measuring chamber 71, an outlet passage 73 for releasing air from the upper part of the measuring chamber 71, an inlet temperature and humidity meter 74 and an inlet flow meter 75 provided in the inlet passage 72, an outlet temperature and humidity meter 76 and an outlet flow meter 77 provided in the outlet passage 73, and a thermometer (thermistor) 78 provided inside the measuring chamber 71. The thermometer 78 used has a temperature resolution of approximately 0.01°C. In this specification, the amount of steam generated refers to the total amount measured from the "start of heat generation" of the heating element 40 up to 10 minutes later.

[0104] Furthermore, the heating element 40 may also contain fragrance components described in, for example, "Synthetic Fragrance Chemistry and Product Knowledge" (by Motoichi Indo, Chemical Daily Co., Ltd.), to the extent that it does not interfere with the effects of the present invention.

[0105] [How to use an eye mask] Next, the method of using the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Before use, the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment is stored sealed in an oxygen-barrier bag (not shown).

[0106] When using eye mask 1, the wearer first opens the oxygen-blocking bag and removes eye mask 1. This causes the heating element 40 to come into contact with the air, and the heating element 40 begins to generate heat due to the oxidation reaction of the oxidizable metal contained in the heating element 40.

[0107] After removing the eye mask 1 from the oxygen-blocking bag, the wearer grasps, for example, one of the side edges 13 (the side edge located on the left in Figure 1) in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (the state in Figure 1), and inserts their right ear through the ear hole 31 of one of the ear attachment parts 30 (the ear attachment part located on the left in Figure 1). Then, with the right ear inserted through the ear hole 31 of one of the ear attachment parts 30, the wearer grasps the vicinity of the other side edge 13 (the side edge located on the right in Figure 1) of the eye mask 1 (see Figure 9(a)), and inserts their left ear through the ear hole 31 of the other ear attachment part 30 (the ear attachment part located on the right in Figure 1). This ensures that the wearer's eyes, the area around their eyes, and their temples are covered by the covering part 20 (see Figure 9(b)).

[0108] Then, with the wearer's eyes, the area around their eyes, and their temples covered by the covering portion 20, the heating layer 45 of the heating element 40 generates heat, causing the water in the water-retaining layer 44 of the heating element 40 to evaporate and become steam (warm steam) at a predetermined temperature, which is supplied to the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes via the first sheet 41 and the inner sheet 50. In addition, the heat generated from the heating element 40 is conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes, and the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes is then conducted to the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes. As a result, the wearer's eyes and the area around their eyes are warmed, providing comfort to the wearer regardless of face size.

[0109] Furthermore, since the covering portion 20 according to this embodiment covers the wearer's temples, heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and the area around the eyes is conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's temples, and heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's temples is conducted to the wearer's temples. As a result, the wearer's temples can be warmed, improving the comfort provided to the wearer.

[0110] [Advantages of the eye mask according to this embodiment] As described above, the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment comprises a covering portion 20 that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, a pair of ear attachment portions 30 that can be attached to the wearer's ears, and a heating element 40 provided on the covering portion 20. The heating element 40 is positioned on the covering portion 20 so as to directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the materials constituting the ear attachment portions 30 are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction. The ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portions 30 at 50% stretch to the load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 at 50% stretch is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less. The pair of ear attachment portions 30 are formed integrally with the covering portion 20.

[0111] With the eye mask 1 having this configuration, the heat generated from the heating element 40 is conducted to the area of ​​the covering part 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes, and the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering part 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes is then conducted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. As a result, the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes can be warmed, providing comfort to the wearer. Furthermore, the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering part 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes is then conducted to the area of ​​the covering part 20 facing the wearer's temples, and the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering part 20 facing the wearer's temples is then conducted to the wearer's temples. As a result, the wearer's temples can be warmed, improving the comfort provided to the wearer.

[0112] Furthermore, because the covering portion 20 covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, the covering area of ​​the covering portion 20 on the wearer's face is increased, which can give the wearer a sense of immersion. In this way, the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment can improve the comfort given to the wearer while also giving the wearer a sense of immersion, so the wearer can obtain a high level of relaxation.

[0113] Furthermore, the materials constituting the covering portion 20 and the materials constituting the ear attachment portion 30 are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction, and the ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 at 50% stretch to the load of the material constituting the covering portion 20 at 50% stretch is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less, so that the pressure on the wearer's face is similar for the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30. In addition, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, the pair of ear attachment portions 30 are formed integrally with the covering portion 20.

[0114] With this configuration, when wearing the eye mask 1, no gap is formed between the wearer's temples and the covering portion 20. This allows the covering portion 20 to be in close contact with the wearer's entire face, improving the fit and enhancing comfort while providing the wearer with a greater sense of immersion.

[0115] Furthermore, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, there is no fold line between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for bending the ear attachment portion 30. Also, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, there is no portion between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 that has higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30. With an eye mask 1 having such a configuration, when the eye mask 1 is worn, the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 can be closely fitted to the shape of the wearer's face, thereby further improving the fit when the eye mask 1 is worn.

[0116] Furthermore, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30 are located on a straight line connecting the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear when worn. With an eye mask 1 having such a configuration, no gap is formed between the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the top of the ear when the eye mask 1 is worn, thus further improving the fit when the eye mask 1 is worn.

[0117] [Differentiation] The eye mask according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

[0118] For example, in the embodiment described above, it was explained that the entire eye mask 1 is sealed in an oxygen-blocking bag (not shown) before use. However, the invention is not limited to this, and if the heating element 40 is not integrated with the covering part 20 (i.e., it can be attached to the covering part 20 afterwards), only the heating element 40 may be sealed in the oxygen-blocking bag, and the heating element 40 may be attached to the covering part 20 when using the eye mask 1.

[0119] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment was explained assuming that the covering portion 20 has a nasal passage portion 24, the invention is not limited to this, and a configuration without a nasal passage portion 24 is also possible.

[0120] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment was explained assuming that the heating element 40 has a water-retaining layer 44, it is not limited to this, and a configuration without a water-retaining layer 44 is also possible, for example, as in a powder-type heating element (hand warmer).

[0121] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment explained that the heating element 40 generates hot steam through the oxidation reaction of an oxidizable metal, it is not limited to this, and various arbitrary configurations can be adopted, such as a configuration in which a filter that retains moisture can be humidified by heating in a microwave oven or the like before use.

[0122] It is clear from the claims that the above-mentioned modifications are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0123] With regard to the embodiments described above, the present invention further discloses the following eye mask.

[0124] <1> A covering portion that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, A pair of ear attachments that can be worn on the wearer's ears, The heating element provided in the covering portion and Equipped with, The heating element is positioned in the covering portion so as to be directly or indirectly facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The material constituting the covering portion and the material constituting the ear attachment portion are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction. The ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portion at 50% elongation to the load of the material constituting the covering portion at 50% elongation is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less. Eye mask.

[0125] <2> The pair of ear-mounting portions are formed integrally with the covering portion. The aforementioned <1> The eye mask described. <3> There is no fold line between the covering portion and the ear-fitting portion for folding the ear-fitting portion. The aforementioned <2> The eye mask described. <4> There are no parts in the region from the covering portion to the ear-mounting portion that have higher bending rigidity than the covering portion. The aforementioned <2> or <3> The eye mask described.

[0126] <5> The load on the material constituting the covering portion when it is stretched to 50% is between 1N and 6N. The aforementioned <1> ~ <4> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <6> The load on the material constituting the ear attachment portion when stretched to 50% is between 0.4N and 4N. The aforementioned <1> ~ <5> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0127] <7> The material constituting the covering portion and the material constituting the ear attachment portion are located on a straight line connecting the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear when worn. The aforementioned <1> ~ <6> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <8> The upper edge of the covering portion and the upper edge of the ear-fitting portion are continuous without being recessed in the direction of the lower edge. The aforementioned <7> The eye mask described.

[0128] <9> The covering portion is formed in a rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction. The aforementioned <1> ~ <8> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <10> The covering portion has a nasal passage that allows the wearer's nose to pass through. The aforementioned <1> ~ <9> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <11> The widthwise length of the covering portion is preferably 150 mm to 300 mm, more preferably 185 mm to 280 mm, and even more preferably 200 mm to 255 mm. The aforementioned <1> ~ <10> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <12> The area of ​​the covering portion is preferably 200% to 600% of the total area of ​​the heating element, more preferably 250% to 550%, and even more preferably 300% to 500%. The aforementioned <1> ~ <11> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <13> The area of ​​the covered portion is 15,000 mm². 2 Preferably, it should be 17,000 mm or more. 2 It is more preferable that the amount be greater than or equal to 19000 mm. 2 It is even more preferable that the above conditions are met. The aforementioned <1> ~ <12> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <14> The thickness of the covering portion is preferably 2.0 mm or more and 30.0 mm or less, more preferably 2.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 3.5 mm or more and 15.0 mm or less. The aforementioned <1> ~ <13> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <15> The thickness of the portion of the covering where the heating element is placed is preferably 2.5 mm or more and 32.0 mm or less, more preferably 4.0 mm or more and 22.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 5.5 mm or more and 17.0 mm or less. The aforementioned <1> ~ <14> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0129] <16> The pair of ear-fitting portions are formed in continuous with the upper and lower edges of the covering portion. The aforementioned <1> ~ <15> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <17> The covering portion and the pair of ear attachment portions are continuous and flush with the outer surface that is on the side not touching the wearer's skin when worn. The aforementioned <1> ~ <16> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0130] <18> The planar shape of the heating element is rectangular. The aforementioned <1> ~ <17> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <19> The covering portion has a vertical center line in the center in the width direction, The heating element is provided in the covering portion in a pair of regions separated by the vertical center line. The aforementioned <1> ~ <18> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <20> The proximal ends of the pair of heating elements provided in the covering portion are not fixed to the covering portion. The aforementioned <19> The eye mask described. <21> The distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements provided in the covering portion is preferably 5 mm to 35 mm, more preferably 10 mm to 30 mm, and even more preferably 15 mm to 25 mm. The aforementioned <19> or <20> The eye mask described. <22> The distal ends of the pair of heating elements provided in the covering portion are both bonded to the covering portion. The aforementioned <19> ~ <21> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <23> The covering portion has an inner sheet that is located on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet that is located on the non-skin side of the wearer. The aforementioned <1> ~ <22> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0131] <24> The widthwise length of the inner sheet is formed to be shorter than the length of the outer sheet. The aforementioned <23> The eye mask described. <25> The thickness of the inner sheet is greater than the thickness of the outer sheet. The aforementioned <23> or <24> The eye mask described. <26> The thickness of the inner sheet is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, more preferably 1.2 mm or more and 15.0 mm or less, and even more preferably 2.0 mm or more and 12.0 mm or less. The aforementioned <23> ~ <25> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <27> At least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet is breathable. The aforementioned <23> ~ <26> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <28> The inner sheet has breathability, The air permeability of the inner sheet is preferably 150,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, more preferably 50,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, more preferably 30,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, and even more preferably 10,000 seconds / 100 mL or less. The aforementioned <23> ~ <26> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <29> The inner sheet and the outer sheet are made of nonwoven fabric. The eye mask according to any one of <23> to <28> above. <30> The non-woven fabric forming the outer sheet is manufactured by the needle punching method. The eye mask according to <29> above.

Example

[0132] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described based on examples, but these do not limit the object of the present invention.

[0133] [Example] Eye masks according to Examples 1 to 2 were produced according to the following procedure.

[0134] [Production of heating element] First, iron powder (reduced iron powder: manufactured by DOWA IP Creation Co., Ltd.) as an oxidizable metal was added to an aqueous solution in which salt as an electrolyte and a thickener (LABOR GUM GS-C: manufactured by DSP Gohou & Chemical Co., Ltd.) were dissolved in water (tap water), and the mixture was stirred. Further, activated carbon (Carbographin: manufactured by Osaka Gas Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a reaction accelerator was added and stirred sufficiently until it was uniformly dispersed to obtain a paste-like heating composition. As the salt, sodium chloride (Japanese Pharmacopoeia sodium chloride: manufactured by Tomita Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), tripotassium phosphate (food additive tripotassium phosphate: manufactured by Yoneyama Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and potassium hydroxide (liquid caustic potash (48%): manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) were used. The mixing ratios were 55.2% of iron powder, 34.2% of water, 4.4% of activated carbon, 0.1% of thickener (xanthan gum), 1.0% of tripotassium phosphate, 0.1% of potassium hydroxide, and 5.0% of sodium chloride.

[0135] Thereafter, the above-described paste-like heating composition was applied to thin paper laminated with polyethylene at a basis weight of 745 g / m 2 Then, paper made of wood pulp (basis weight 20 g / m 2 , manufactured by Ino Paper Co., Ltd.) and a water-absorbing polymer (spherical, average particle diameter 300 μm, Aqualic CA, manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd., basis weight 70 g / m 2) and paper made from wood pulp (basis weight 30g / m²) 2 A polymer sheet (with an air permeability of 2 seconds / 100 mL when absorbing 10-45% by mass of water, the maximum water absorption capacity) was laminated to obtain a laminate consisting of a base layer 43, a heating layer 45, and a water-retaining layer 44. This laminate (base layer 43, heating layer 45, and water-retaining layer 44) was cut to a size of 49 mm x 49 mm. Next, the laminate (base layer 43, heating layer 45, and water-retaining layer 44) was sandwiched between a breathable first sheet 41 and a non-breathable second sheet 42 cut to 63 mm x 63 mm, and the four sides of these sheets were heat-sealed to obtain a heating element 40 in which the base layer 43, heating layer 45, and water-retaining layer 44 were housed inside a bag made of the first sheet 41 and the second sheet 42.

[0136] [Making an eye mask] First, inner sheet 50 and outer sheet 60 with the shapes shown in Figures 1 to 4 were fabricated. For Example 1, the inner sheet 50 was made of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene nonwoven fabric (air-through method, basis weight 60 g / m²). 2 The outer sheet 60 is made of polyethylene terephthalate nonwoven fabric (needle punch method, basis weight 90 g / m²). 2 ) was used. For Example 2, both the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 were made of polyethylene terephthalate nonwoven fabric (needle punch method, basis weight 90 g / m²). 2 ) was used. In Example 2, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 were manufactured to have the same shape. The inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 in Examples 1 and 2 were manufactured under an oxygen atmosphere.

[0137] Next, with the heating element 40 prepared as described above sandwiched between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, the peripheral edges and the vicinity of the vertical center line 23 of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 were joined to produce the eye masks according to Examples 1 and 2. The covering portion 20 formed by joining the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, which are made of the materials described above, had a shape that covered the wearer's eyes, the area around the eyes, and the temples when the eye mask was worn. The load (N) of the covering portion 20 when stretched to 50% in Examples 1 and 2, the load (N) of the pair of ear attachment portions 30 when stretched to 50% in

[0138] [Comparative Example] The inner sheet for Comparative Example 1 was the same as that used in Example 1, and the outer sheet was made of polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene nonwoven fabric (air-through method, basis weight 30 g / m²). 2 ) was used. Furthermore, in order to prevent the eye mask from being in close contact with the wearer's entire face when worn (i.e., to create a gap between the wearer's temples and the eye mask when worn, as shown in Figure 4 of Patent Document 1), the covering part and the ear attachment part were formed separately and then bonded together to create the eye mask of Comparative Example 1. The ear attachment part, which was formed separately, was made of polyethylene nonwoven fabric (spunbond method, basis weight 37 g / m²). 2 ) was used. Furthermore, in the case of the eye mask according to Comparative Example 2, after the eye mask according to Example 1 was manufactured, the portion of the covering portion that would come into contact with the wearer's temples was removed so that when the eye mask is worn, the covering portion would only cover the wearer's eyes and the area around the eyes. Table 1 shows the following for Comparative Examples 1 and 2, prepared in this manner: the load (N) of the covering portion when stretched to 50%, the load (N) of the ear attachment portion when stretched to 50%, and the ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portion to the load of the material constituting the covering portion when stretched to 50%.

[0139] [Test 1] Test 1 was conducted to evaluate the amount of pressure applied to specific parts of the wearer's face while wearing the eye masks in Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2.

[0140] First, the eye mask according to Example 1 was attached to a female human head model (width 151.24 mm, depth 206.82 mm, height 233.01 mm) manufactured based on the average human head data (2014 edition) for women from Digital Human Technology Co., Ltd. Next, the contact pressure on the human head model HM with the eye mask according to Example 1 attached was measured 1 minute after attachment. The measurement results are shown in Table 1. Similarly, the eye masks according to Example 2 and Comparative Example were attached to the human head model HM, and the contact pressure on the human head model HM with the eye masks according to Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 attached was measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 1. An air pack type contact pressure measuring instrument (manufactured by AMI Techno Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the contact pressure in this example and comparative example. In Figures 10A to 10C, the areas enclosed by dashed lines indicate the positions of the eyes, temples, and above the ears on the human head model HM, respectively.

[0141] [Table 1]

[0142] [Evaluation of Test 1] As shown in Table 1, when wearing the eye masks of Examples 1 and 2, which are equipped with a covering portion 20 that covers the wearer's eyes, the area around the eyes, and the temples, and in which the ratio of the load of the ear attachment portion 30 at 50% stretch to the load of the covering portion 20 at 50% stretch is within the numerical range limited in this specification, it was found that appropriate pressure could be applied to the three areas of the wearer's eyes, temples, and above the ears. Therefore, it was found that the eye masks of Examples 1 and 2 can apply pressure to the wearer's entire face, improving the fit when worn and improving the comfort provided to the wearer. On the other hand, as shown in Table 1, when wearing the comparative eye masks, which are equipped with a covering portion 20 that covers only the wearer's eyes and the area around the eyes, or in which the ratio of the load of the ear attachment portion 30 at 50% stretch to the load of the covering portion 20 at 50% stretch is outside the numerical range limited in this specification, it was found that although pressure could be applied to the wearer's eyes, appropriate pressure could not be applied to the area around the eyebrows and above the ears. [Explanation of symbols]

[0143] 1: Eye mask 10: Main body 11: Upper edge 12: Lower edge 13: Side edge 20: Covering part 21 :Side edge 22: Central part 23: Vertical center line 24: Nasal passage 30: Ear attachment part 31:Ear insertion hole 40: Heating element 41: Sheet 1 42: Second sheet 43: Base material layer 44: Spare Aqueduct 45: Heating layer 50: Inner sheet 60: Exterior sheet 70: Measuring device 71:Measurement room 72:Inflow channel 73:Outflow channel 74: Inlet temperature and humidity meter 75: Inlet flow meter 76:Outlet temperature and humidity meter 77: Outlet flow meter 78: Thermometer HM: Human head model

Claims

1. A covering portion that covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples when worn, A pair of ear attachments that can be worn on the wearer's ears, The heating element provided in the covering portion and Equipped with, The heating element is positioned in the covering portion so as to be directly or indirectly facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The material constituting the covering portion and the material constituting the ear attachment portion are each configured to be stretchable in the width direction. The ratio of the load of the material constituting the ear attachment portion at 50% elongation to the load of the material constituting the covering portion at 50% elongation is 0.2 or more and 1.2 or less. The pair of ear-mounting portions are formed integrally with the covering portion. Eye mask.

2. There is no fold line between the covering portion and the ear-fitting portion for folding the ear-fitting portion. The eye mask according to claim 1.

3. The load on the material constituting the covering portion when it is stretched to 50% is between 0.5 N and 6 N. The eye mask according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The load on the material constituting the ear attachment portion when it is stretched to 50% is between 0.4 N and 5 N. The eye mask according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The material constituting the covering portion and the material constituting the ear attachment portion are located on a straight line connecting the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear when worn. The eye mask according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The upper edge of the covering portion and the upper edge of the ear-fitting portion are continuous without being recessed in the direction of the lower edge. The eye mask according to claim 5.

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