eye mask

Abstract

This relates to an eye mask that can provide greater comfort to the wearer, regardless of face size. [Solution] The device comprises a main body 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 attached to the wearer's ears, and a pair of heating elements provided on the covering portion. The pair of heating elements are spaced apart in the width direction with the central part in the width direction of the covering portion as the boundary, so that they directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The proximal ends of the pair of heating elements are not fixed to the covering portion, the covering portion is configured to be extendable in the width direction, and there are no connecting parts provided between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements and the pair of ear attachments for connecting the ear attachments to the covering portion. The covering portion and the ear attachments are provided as a single unit.

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 covering portion covers the wearer's temples when worn. However, the inventors have found that if the covering portion 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, while conventional eye masks do not take into account widening the spacing between heating elements according to the wearer's face size, the inventors have found that by not fixing the proximal end of the heating element provided in the eye mask, the spacing between the heating elements widens according to the wearer's face size when the eye mask is worn, and the position of the heating elements can be moved according to the wearer's face size. As a result, the warming effect of the heating element can be applied to the wearer's face regardless of the wearer's face size.

[0006] Furthermore, the inventors have found that by not fixing the proximal end of the heating element provided in the eye mask and making the position of the heating element movable, the airtightness of the eye mask against the wearer's face can be improved, making it easier to deliver heat to the temples and also improving heat retention.

[0007] In other words, the inventors have found that by not fixing the proximal end of the heating element provided in the eye mask, the eye mask can be made to fit snugly over the wearer's entire face, providing the warming effect of the heating element not only to the eyes but also to the temples, regardless of the wearer's face size.

[0008] This invention relates to an eye mask that allows heat generated from a heating element to be conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort regardless of face size. [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 pair of heating elements provided on the covering portion, wherein the pair of heating elements are spaced apart in the width direction with respect to the central portion in the width direction of the covering portion so as to directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn, the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements are not fixed to the covering portion, the covering portion is configured to be extendable in the width direction, there are no connecting portions provided between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements and the pair of ear attachment portions for connecting the ear attachment portions to the covering portion, and the covering portion and the ear attachment portions are formed as a single unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, the heat generated from the heating element is also conducted to the wearer's temples, making it possible to provide the wearer with even greater comfort regardless of face size. [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 plan view showing the adhesion area in the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6(a) is a plan view showing the non-stretched state of the eye mask according to this embodiment, and FIG. 6(b) is a view showing the stretched state of the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing a human head model. [Figure 8] It is a plan view showing the heating element according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing a measuring device for measuring the amount of water vapor generated. [Figure 11] FIG. 11(a) is a view showing the wearing process of the eye mask according to this embodiment, and FIG. 11(b) is a view showing the worn state of the eye mask according to this embodiment. [Embodiments 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 Configuration of 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 portion 11, described later, is located is defined as "upward," and the direction in which the lower edge portion 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 pair of 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 7, within the region of a circle with a radius of 10 mm centered at a point 15 mm toward the top of 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 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 connecting portions (e.g., fusion portions or reinforcing portions) 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] 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. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 are integrally formed in the main body portion 10, no gap is formed between the wearer's temples and the covering portion 20, and by applying appropriate pressure to the wearer's temples, the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's temples can be improved, as well as the warming effect on the wearer's temples. 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.

[0018] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the eye mask 1 is worn, the covering portion 20 and 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 (on the first dashed line VL1 in Figure 7). As a result, no gap is formed between the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear and the main body portion 10, thereby improving the fit of the main body portion 10 when worn by the wearer. 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 direction of the lower edge, 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, which will be described later. With this configuration, when the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment is worn, the material constituting the covering portion 20 and the material constituting the ear attachment portion 30, which will be described later, 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 (on the first dashed line VL1 in Figure 5). As a result, no gap is formed between the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear and the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, thereby further improving the fit of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 when worn.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] Furthermore, the main body portion 10 has an upper edge portion 11 that is located on the wearer's forehead side when the eye mask 1 is worn, a 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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 at both ends of the covering portion 20 in the width direction without the need for fusion portions or reinforcing portions to connect the ear attachment portion 30 to the covering portion 20. Moreover, 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 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 the straight line connecting the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear (on the first dashed line VL1 in Figure 7), thus increasing the covering area of ​​the main body portion 10. Therefore, the fit of the main body portion 10 when worn can be further improved.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] [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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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 edge and lower edge may protrude locally, or at least one of the upper edge and lower edge 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.

[0033] 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 in 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 central portion of the nose passage portion 24 in the width direction abuts 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, thus improving the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. Furthermore, the warming effect of the heating element 40 on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes can be enhanced. In addition, 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.

[0034] 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 pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see Figure 1).

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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 8).

[0039] 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 even greater comfort and immersion. 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.

[0040] Furthermore, the covering portion 20 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Specifically, the covering portion 20 is made of a nonwoven fabric with excellent stretchability in the width direction, and as a whole, it is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. As the fiber material of the nonwoven fabric with excellent stretchability in the width direction, the fiber material of the nonwoven fabric that forms the inner sheet 50 and the fiber material of the nonwoven fabric that forms the outer sheet 60, as described later, can be used. 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, so that the covering portion 20 can cover the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples regardless of the size of the wearer's face. In addition, since the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 are not fixed to the covering portion 20, the spacing between the heating elements 40 can be widened as the covering portion 20 stretches, and the warming effect of the heating elements 40 can be accurately transmitted to the wearer's temples regardless of the size of the face. Furthermore, as the covering portion 20 expands, the spacing between the heating elements 40 widens, allowing the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20 to be brought into close contact with the wearer's nose. As a result, the covering portion 20 can be brought into close contact with the wearer's entire face, making it possible to apply the heat generated by the heating elements 40 to the wearer's entire face.

[0041] 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. 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] Figure 5 shows the bonding area between the heating element 40 and at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, as well as the bonding area between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. Specifically, in Figure 5, the hatched areas are where adhesive for bonding the heating element 40 to at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, and adhesive for bonding the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are applied. The bonding method of the main body 10 and the heating element 40 will be described later.

[0044] In this embodiment, the pair of heating elements 40 are bonded to at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, but this is not limited to this. For example, they may be placed in a bag-like space where the outer sheet 60 and the inner sheet 50 are joined together without using an adhesive.

[0045] In this embodiment, it is preferable to use a hot-melt adhesive as the adhesive. However, it is not limited to this, and various known fastening methods can be used. For example, adhesives other than hot-melt types, sewing, heat fusion, or embossing are possible, but any known fastening method that can fix the object in place can be used. Furthermore, by making the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 locally non-adherent, a configuration may be adopted in which an opening and a storage space for inserting and removing the heating element 40 are formed between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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, 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 increasing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. It can also improve the sense of immersion given to the wearer. 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 providing comfort to the wearer. 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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, the heat generated from the heating element 40 is 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 enhances the sense of immersion provided to the wearer.

[0051] 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, 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 increasing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. It can also improve the sense of immersion given to the wearer. 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 providing comfort to the wearer. 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.

[0052] Furthermore, the thickness of the area on the covering portion 20 of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 is placed 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, 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 increasing the warming effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples. It can also improve the sense of immersion given to the wearer. Furthermore, the thickness of the area on the covering portion 20 of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 is placed 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 covering 20 of the eye mask 1 where the heating element 40 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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."

[0057] 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 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 the ability to stretch in the width direction.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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 side of the wearer's skin when the eye mask 1 is worn, may be made of a material suitable for giving the eye mask 1 shape retention, a material suitable for stretching the covering portion 20 in the width direction, and a material suitable for improving the texture and appearance of the outer surface. On the other hand, the inner sheet 50, which is located on the side of the wearer's skin when the eye mask 1 is worn, may be made of a material intended for good skin contact. In addition, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 may be colored in any color, and may have any pattern (design) applied by printing or other means. With such a configuration, the texture and aesthetic appeal are improved, making it possible to create an eye mask 1 that suits the user's preferences.

[0060] In this embodiment, the covering portion 20 has been described as having an inner sheet 50 and an outer sheet 60, but 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. Also, 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 it may be housed in a heating element housing formed on the one sheet.

[0061] 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.

[0062] Furthermore, the covering portion 20 is configured to be stretchable in the width direction. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6(a), the distance D2 between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 in the non-stretched state of the covering portion 20, which will be described later, is within the range described later. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6(b), the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 in the stretched state of the covering portion 20 expands as the covering portion 20 stretches in the width direction. That is, when the covering portion 20 covers the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, the covering portion 20 stretches in the width direction to match the size of the wearer's face, and the spacing between the heating elements 40 widens accordingly so that they directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. Note that the width of the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the covering portion 20 in Figure 6(b) is merely an example, and depending on the size of the wearer's face, it may be shorter or longer than the width shown in Figure 6(b).

[0063] In this specification, "non-stretched state of the covering portion" refers to a state in which the covering portion 20 is not stretched in the width direction when viewed from above (see Figure 6(a)). In other words, it refers to a state in which no tensile force is applied to the covering portion 20 in the width direction outward. Also in this specification, "stretched state of the covering portion" refers to a state in which the covering portion 20 is stretched in the width direction when viewed from above (see Figure 6(b)). In other words, it refers to a state in which a tensile force is applied to the covering portion 20 in the width direction outward.

[0064] In the covering portion 20 according to this embodiment, by having 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, the spacing between the heating elements 40 can be widened according to the size of the wearer's face, and the fit of the covering portion 20 to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples is improved. As a result, the wearer's eyes, etc. can be warmed regardless of the size of the face, and the heat generated from the heating elements 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, regardless of the size of the wearer's face.

[0065] [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.

[0066] In the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, there is no connecting portion between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 and the pair of ear attachment portions 30 for connecting the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20. In other words, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, there is no portion in the region from the covering portion 20 to the ear attachment portion 30 that has higher bending rigidity than the covering portion 20, and 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. That is, the ear attachment portion 30 is formed integrally with the covering portion 20.

[0067] Specifically, the ear-hook portion 30 is an ear-hook portion formed at both ends in the width direction of the covering portion 20, and is formed on the outer sheet 60 described above. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6(b), in this embodiment, the ear-hook portion 30 is also configured to be extendable in the width direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the covering portion 20 and the ear-hook portion 30 are continuous so as to be flush with the outer surface (i.e., the outer sheet 60) that is 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-hook portion 30 may also be continuous so as to be flush with the inner surface (i.e., the inner sheet 50) that is on the skin side of the wearer when worn.

[0068] Here, the bending rigidity of the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 is measured and calculated by the following method, which is a modified version of the measurement method described in Method A (45° cantilever method) of JIS L 1096:2010 8.21 Method for measuring rigidity and flexibility. (1) Take five 20mm x 150mm test specimens from any location on the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, and place the short side of each test specimen on a smooth horizontal table with one end having a 45° bevel, aligning it with the reference position on a scale provided on the horizontal table. Note that the locations from which the test specimens are taken can be anywhere on the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30, and the orientation at the time of taking the specimens is not limited. If it is not possible to take test specimens with the above dimensions, take test specimens with dimensions as close as possible to the above dimensions. (2) Next, the test specimen is gently slid in the direction of the inclined surface of the horizontal table, and when the midpoint of one end of the short or long side of the test specimen touches the inclined surface, the position of the other end of the test specimen is read using the scale. For the five test specimens, both the front and back sides are measured separately. (3) Bending stiffness is indicated by the length (mm) the test specimen moves. (4) The bending stiffness values ​​in the longitudinal and transverse directions are combined to calculate the average value, and rounded to an integer. A small bending stiffness value means that the test specimen used for measurement is soft (low stiffness), and a large bending stiffness value means that the test specimen used for measurement is hard (high stiffness). In the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, it is clear that there is no area between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 that has higher bending stiffness than the covering portion 20, in other words, there is no connection portion between the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portion 30 for connecting the ear attachment portion 30 to the covering portion 20.

[0069] Furthermore, the ear attachment portion 30 has an ear insertion hole 31 through which the wearer's ear can be inserted. The ear insertion hole 31 is an opening with a shape and size that allows the wearer's ear to be inserted when wearing the eye mask. The shape and size of the ear insertion hole 31 can be formed into various known shapes and sizes, as long as it allows at least the wearer's ear to be inserted when wearing the eye mask and does not impair the fit of the covering portion 20 when wearing the eye mask 1. In this embodiment, the ear attachment portion 30 has been described as having an ear insertion hole 31 through which the wearer's ear can be inserted, but it is not limited to this, and the ear attachment portion 30 does not have to have an ear insertion hole 31. For example, the ear attachment portion 30 may have a configuration that allows the wearer's ear to pass through a notch or slit.

[0070] [Configuration of the heating element] As shown in Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 6, the pair of heating elements 40 are spaced apart in the width direction with respect to the central portion 22 in the width direction of the covering portion 20. Specifically, the pair of heating elements 40 are spaced apart with respect to the vertical center line 23 of the covering portion 20, with a distance D2 between the proximal ends described later being the boundary.

[0071] In the following description, 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 heating elements 40A and 40B will be collectively referred to as "heating element 40." The heating characteristics of heating elements 40A and 40B, as described later, may be the same or different, but it is more preferable that they be the same.

[0072] 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 and Figures 5 to 6, the heating elements 40A and 40B according to this embodiment each have a square shape.

[0073] The heating element 40 having the above configuration is positioned so as to be directly or indirectly facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when the eye mask 1 is worn, with the central part 22 in the width direction of the covering portion 20 as the boundary and spaced apart in the width direction.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] [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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] Here, the detailed structure of the heating element 40 will be explained using Figures 8 and 9. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the heating element 40 has a first sheet 41 located on the skin side of the wearer when the eye mask 1 is worn, a second sheet 42 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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.

[0086] 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.

[0087] 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.

[0088] [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-like substance 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 10. 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 on the measuring device 70 shown in Figure 10, i.e., 5 seconds after the start of opening. The measuring device 70 shown in Figure 10 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.

[0089] Furthermore, the heating element 40 can also be scented with fragrance components described in, for example, "Synthetic Fragrance Chemistry and Product Knowledge" (by Motoichi Indo, Chemical Daily Co., Ltd.), as long as it does not interfere with the effects of the present invention.

[0090] [Adhesion method of the main body and heating element] As shown in Figure 5, the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20. The inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements 40. The distal ends of the heating elements 40 may also be bonded to at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60.

[0091] The adhesive width A1 (see Figure 5) between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 at the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 is preferably 99% or less, more preferably 80% or less, even more preferably 60% or less, and especially preferably 50% or less, from the viewpoint of enabling the position of the heating elements 40 to be accurately adjusted to the size of the wearer's face by stretching the covering portion 20 in the width direction when the eye mask 1 is worn, and widening the distance between the pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 as the covering portion 20 stretches. In other words, the adhesive width A1 between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 at the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 is preferably 1% to 99% of the distance D2 between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 in the unstretched state of the covering portion 20, more preferably 10% to 80%, even more preferably 30% to 60%, and particularly preferably 40% to 50%.

[0092] In this specification, "adhesion width A1 between the inner sheet and the outer sheet between the proximal ends of a pair of heating elements" refers to the width of the adhesive application area between the end of one heating element 40 on the vertical centerline 23 side and the end of the other heating element 40 on the vertical centerline 23 side, in a plan view of the covering portion 20 (see Figure 5). Furthermore, "proximal ends of a pair of heating elements in the non-stretched state of the covering portion" refers to the end of heating element 40A on the vertical centerline 23 side and the end of heating element 40B on the vertical centerline 23 side, in a plan view of the covering portion 20 (see Figure 1), and "distance D2 between the proximal ends of a pair of heating elements in the non-stretched state of the covering portion" refers to the distance from the end of one heating element 40 on the vertical centerline 23 side to the end of the other heating element 40 on the vertical centerline 23 side, in a state where the covering portion 20 is not stretched in the width direction (see Figure 6(a)), as described later.

[0093] Specifically, the adhesive width A1 between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 at the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 is preferably 2 mm to 35 mm, more preferably 4 mm to 25 mm, and even more preferably 6 mm to 15 mm, from the viewpoint of enabling the placement of the pair of heating elements 40 to accurately match the size of the wearer's face by stretching the covering portion 20 in the width direction when the eye mask 1 is worn, and widening the distance between the pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 as the covering portion 20 stretches, and from the viewpoint of increasing the adhesive strength between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60.

[0094] In this embodiment, it has been described that there is an adhesive width A1 between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and there does not need to be an adhesive width A1 between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40. In other words, the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 do not need to be adhered between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40.

[0095] Further, in the eye mask 1 according to the present embodiment, the area of the inner adhesion region A2 existing inside the width direction from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements 40 is smaller than the total area of the outer adhesion regions A3 existing outside the width direction from the center position. In the present specification, the "inner adhesion region" refers to a region located inside the width direction of the eye mask 1 defined by a pair of virtual lines VL4 extending from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements 40 toward the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 of the main body portion 10 in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see FIG. 5), and in the covering portion 20, it refers to a region where an adhesive for adhering the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 is applied. Further, in the present specification, the "outer adhesion region" refers to a pair of regions located outside the width direction of the present eye mask 1 defined by a pair of virtual lines VL4 extending from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements 40 toward the upper edge portion 11 and the lower edge portion 12 and a pair of side edge portions 13 in a plan view of the eye mask 1 (see FIG. 5), and in the covering portion 20, it is a region where an adhesive for adhering the heating element 40 to at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 and an adhesive for adhering the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are applied.

[0096] Here, the area of the inner adhesion region A2 is preferably 400 mm 2 or more, more preferably 800 mm 2 or more, and still more preferably 1200 mm 2 or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the adhesion strength between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. Further, the area of the inner adhesion region A2 is preferably 3000 mm 2 or less, more preferably 2600 mm 2 or less, and still more preferably 2200 mm 2 or less, from the viewpoint of making it easier to accurately adjust the arrangement position of the heating elements 40 to the size of the wearer's face by widening the interval between the pair of heating elements 40 provided in the covering portion 20 as the covering portion 20 extends.

[0097] The total area of ​​the outer adhesive region A3 is 2000 mm², from the viewpoint of increasing the holding capacity of the heating element 40 and increasing the adhesive strength between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. 2 Preferably, it should be 3000 mm or more. 2 It is more preferable that it be greater than or equal to 4000 mm 2 It is even more preferable that the above conditions are met. Furthermore, the total area of ​​the outer adhesive region A3 should be 9000 mm² from the viewpoint of ensuring the stretchability of the covering portion 20 in the width direction. 2 Preferably, it is 7500mm 2 It is more preferable that the following be the case, 6000mm 2 The following is even more preferable:

[0098] In addition, the area of ​​the inner adhesive area A2 is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more, of the total area of ​​the outer adhesive area A3, from the viewpoint of increasing the adhesive strength between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. Furthermore, the area of ​​the inner adhesive area A2 is preferably 70% or less, more preferably 60% or less, and even more preferably 50% or less, from the viewpoint of widening the distance between the pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 as the covering portion 20 expands, thereby making it easier to accurately adjust the placement position of the heating elements 40 to the size of the wearer's face.

[0099] As previously described, the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20. 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. As a result, the spacing between the heating elements 40 can be widened according to the size of the wearer's face, and the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20 can be brought into close contact with the wearer's nose, so that the covering portion 20 can be brought into close contact with the wearer's entire face. Consequently, 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.

[0100] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 6(a), the heating element 40 is positioned with a distance D2 between the proximal ends of the heating element 40 in the non-stretched state of the covering portion 20, 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 in the non-stretched state of the covering portion 20 is preferably 5 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, even more preferably 15 mm or more, and also 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 in the non-stretched state of the covering portion 20 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.

[0101] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(b), the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 in the stretched state of the covering portion 20 is configured to expand in the width direction as the covering portion 20 stretches in the width direction. Specifically, from the viewpoint of accurately applying a warming effect to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples, it is preferable that the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 in the unstretched state of the covering portion 20 (see Figure 6(a)) be expandable by 5% or more, more preferably by 10% or more, and even more preferably by 20% or more. Furthermore, the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the heating elements 40 in the stretched state of the covering portion 20 is preferably expandable to 100% or less, more preferably to 90% or less, and even more preferably to 80% or less, from the viewpoint of preventing the thermal effect on the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples from being impaired due to the spacing of the heating elements 40 becoming too wide.

[0102] In this specification, "distance between the proximal ends of the heating elements in the extended state of the covering portion" refers to the distance from the end of one heating element 40 on the side of the vertical centerline 23 to the end of the other heating element 40 on the side of the vertical centerline 23 when the covering portion 20 is extended in the width direction (see Figure 6(b)).

[0103] 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 described above, it is possible to increase the distance D2' between the proximal ends of the heating element 40 when the covering portion 20 is extended, as the covering portion 20 extends in the width direction.

[0104] [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).

[0105] 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.

[0106] 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 11(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 11(b)).

[0107] In this embodiment, the covering portion 20 is configured to be expandable in the width direction, and the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20. Therefore, the covering portion 20 expands in the width direction according to the size of the wearer's face, and the distance between the pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 also expands in the width direction. For example, when the covering portion 20 covers a woman's eyes and the area around her eyes and her temples, compared to when the covering portion 20 covers a man's eyes and the area around his eyes and his temples, the distance between the heating elements 40 is generally wider when the covering portion covers a man's eyes and the area around his eyes and his temples, as men generally have larger faces than women. In other words, regardless of the size of the wearer's face, it is possible to position the heating elements 40 in an appropriate position according to the position of the wearer's eyes, the area around their eyes and their temples.

[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 moisture inside 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 pair of heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20. The pair of heating elements 40 are spaced apart in the width direction with the central portion 22 in the width direction of the covering portion 20 as the boundary, so that they directly or indirectly face the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn. The proximal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 are not fixed to the covering portion 20, and the covering portion 20 is configured to be extendable in the width direction. There are no connecting portions between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 and the pair of ear attachment portions 30 for connecting the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20, and the covering portion 20 and the ear attachment portions 30 are formed as a single unit.

[0111] With the eye mask 1 having this configuration, the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes and temples can be covered by the covering portion 20, so that the heat generated from the heating element 40 is also conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort. In addition, as the covering portion 20 is extended, the spacing between the heating elements 40 provided on the covering portion 20 can be widened, so that the central portion 22 of the covering portion 20 can be brought into close contact with the wearer's nose. Furthermore, there is no connection portion between the pair of ear attachment portions 30 and the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 for connecting the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20. As a result, the covering portion 20 can be brought into close contact with the wearer's entire face, and as a result, 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, and the heat conducted to the area of ​​the covering portion 20 facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes is accurately conducted to the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes. Therefore, it can warm the wearer's temples regardless of face size, improving the comfort level 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, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 are bonded to the covering portion 20. With this configuration, the eye mask 1 can stably hold the heating elements 40, and the heat generated from the heating elements is conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort.

[0114] Furthermore, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, the covering portion 20 comprises an inner sheet 50 located on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet 60 located on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. A pair of heating elements 40 are provided between the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, and the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 are adhered to at least one of the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60. With this configuration, the eye mask 1 can stably hold the heating elements 40, and the heat generated from the heating elements is conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort.

[0115] Furthermore, in the eye mask 1 according to this embodiment, the covering portion 20 comprises an inner sheet 50 located on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet 60 located on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. The inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60 are bonded to each other around a pair of heating elements, and the area of ​​the inner bonding region located inward in the width direction from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements 40 is smaller than the total area of ​​the outer bonding regions located outward in the width direction from the center position. With an eye mask 1 having such a configuration, the ability to hold the heating elements 40 can be increased, the spacing between the heating elements 40 can be more accurately adjusted to the size of the face, and the heat generated from the heating elements can be conducted to the wearer's temples, providing the wearer with even greater comfort.

[0116] [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.

[0117] 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.

[0118] 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.

[0119] 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).

[0120] 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.

[0121] It is clear from the claims that the above-mentioned modifications are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0122] With regard to the embodiments described above, the present invention further discloses the following eye mask.

[0123] <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, A pair of heating elements provided in the covering portion and Equipped with, The pair of heating elements are arranged so as to be directly or indirectly facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn, with the central part in the width direction of the covering portion separating them in the width direction. The proximal ends of the pair of heating elements are not fixed to the covering portion. The covering portion is configured to be extendable in the width direction, 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. Eye mask.

[0124] <2> The distal ends of the pair of heating elements are bonded to 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 <1> or <2> The eye mask described. <4> When worn, the covering portion and the ear attachment portion are aligned in a straight line connecting the outer corner of the wearer's eyebrow and the upper end of the base of the ear. The aforementioned <1> ~ <3> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <5> The upper edge of the covering portion and the upper edges of the pair of ear-fitting portions are continuous without being recessed in the downward direction. The aforementioned <1> ~ <4> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <6> The covering portion has a nasal passage that allows the wearer's nose to pass through. The aforementioned <1> ~ <5> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <7> 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> ~ <6> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <8> 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> ~ <7> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <9> 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> ~ <8> The eye mask described. <10> 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> ~ <9> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <11> 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> ~ <10> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0125] <12> The covering portion comprises an inner sheet that is positioned on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet that is positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. The pair of heating elements are provided between the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The distal ends of the pair of heating elements are bonded to at least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The aforementioned <1> ~ <11> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <13> The inner sheet and the outer sheet are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements. The adhesive width between the inner sheet and the outer sheet between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements is 99% or less of the distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the unstretched state of the covering portion. The aforementioned <12> The eye mask described. <14> The inner sheet and the outer sheet are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements. The adhesive width between the inner sheet and the outer sheet between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements is preferably 2 mm or more and 35 mm or less, more preferably 4 mm or more and 25 mm or less, and even more preferably 6 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The aforementioned <12> or <13> The eye mask described. <15> The distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the unextended state of the covering portion 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. The aforementioned <12> ~ <14> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <16> The distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the extended state of the covering portion is preferably expandable by 5% or more, more preferably by 10% or more, and even more preferably by 20% or more compared to the distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the unextended state of the covering portion. The aforementioned <12> ~ <15> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <17> The distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the extended state of the covering portion is preferably expandable to 100% or less of the distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the non-extended state of the covering portion, more preferably to 90% or less, and even more preferably to 80% or less. The aforementioned <12> ~ <16> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0126] <18> The covering portion comprises an inner sheet that is positioned on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet that is positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. The inner sheet and the outer sheet are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements. The area of ​​the inner adhesive region located inward in the width direction from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements is smaller than the total area of ​​the outer adhesive regions located outward in the width direction from the center position. The aforementioned <1> ~ <11> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <19> The area of ​​the aforementioned inner bonding region is 400 mm or more and 3000 mm or less. The aforementioned <18> The eye mask described. <20> The total area of ​​the aforementioned outer bonding region is between 2000 mm and 9000 mm. The aforementioned <18> or <19> The eye mask described. <21> The area of ​​the inner adhesive region is 10% to 70% of the total area of ​​the outer adhesive region. The aforementioned <18> ~ <20> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <22> The inner adhesive region and the outer adhesive region are bonded together by hot melt adhesive. The aforementioned <18> ~ <21> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0127] <23> The pair of ear-fitting portions are formed in continuous with the upper and lower edges of the covering portion. The aforementioned <1> ~ <22> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <24> The pair of ear-mounting portions are formed on the outer sheet. The aforementioned <12> ~ <23> An eye mask as described in any one of the items.

[0128] <25> The widthwise length of the inner sheet is formed to be shorter than the length of the outer sheet. The aforementioned <12> ~ <24> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <26> The thickness of the inner sheet is greater than the thickness of the outer sheet. The aforementioned <12> ~ <25> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <27> 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 <12> ~ <26> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <28> At least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet is breathable. The aforementioned <12> ~ <27> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <29> 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, even more preferably 30,000 seconds / 100 mL or less, and especially preferably 10,000 seconds / 100 mL or less. The aforementioned <12> ~ <28> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. <30> The inner sheet and the outer sheet are made of nonwoven fabric. The aforementioned <12> ~ <29> An eye mask as described in any one of the items. [Examples]

[0129] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the object of the present invention.

[0130] [Example 1] An eye mask according to Example 1 was fabricated according to the following procedure.

[0131] [Manufacturing of heating elements] First, an aqueous solution was prepared by dissolving salt as an electrolyte and a thickener (Labor Gum GS-C: manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) in water (tap water). Iron powder (reduced iron powder: manufactured by DOWA IP Creation Co., Ltd.) as the oxidizable metal was added and stirred. Further, activated carbon (Carborafin: manufactured by Osaka Gas Chemical Co., Ltd.) was added as a reaction accelerator and stirred thoroughly until uniformly dispersed to obtain a paste-like exothermic composition. The salts used were 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.). The proportions of these were 55.2% iron powder, 34.2% water, 4.4% activated carbon, 0.1% thickener (xanthan gum), 1.0% tripotassium phosphate, 0.1% potassium hydroxide, and 5.0% sodium chloride.

[0132] Subsequently, the aforementioned paste-like heat-generating composition was applied to a polyethylene-laminated tissue paper at a basis weight of 745 g / m². 2 The mixture is then applied, and then wood pulp paper (basis weight 20 g / m²) is placed on top of the heat-generating composition. 2 (Manufactured by Ino Paper Co., Ltd.) and superabsorbent polymer (spherical, average particle size 300 μm, Aqualic CA, manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd., basis weight 70 g / m²) 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.

[0133] [Making an eye mask] First, inner sheet 50 and outer sheet 60 with the shapes shown in Figures 1 to 4 were fabricated. 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.

[0134] 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 together to produce the eye mask according to Example 1. The covering portion 20 formed by joining the inner sheet 50 and the outer sheet 60, which are made of the above-described material, had a shape that covered the wearer's eyes, the area around the eyes, and the temples when the eye mask was worn.

[0135] [Examples 2-5] In the eye masks 1 according to Examples 2 to 5, the configuration was the same as in Example 1, except that the length of the adhesive width A1 between the inner sheet and the outer sheet between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements described above, the length of the adhesive width between the inner sheet and the outer sheet in the outer adhesive region, and the areas of the inner adhesive region A2 and the outer adhesive region A3 were different. The numerical values ​​for the eye masks 1 according to Examples 1 to 5 are shown in Table 1.

[0136] [Comparative Example] In the eye mask according to Comparative Example 1, the configuration was the same as eye mask 1 according to Example 1, except that the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements were fixed to the covering portion. In the eye mask according to Comparative Example 2, the configuration was the same as eye mask 1 according to Example 1, except that a connection portion was provided between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 and the pair of ear attachment portions 30 for connecting the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20 (i.e., the ear attachment portions were connected to the covering portion by fusion or the like). In the eye mask according to Comparative Example 3, the configuration was the same as eye mask 1 according to Example 1, except that the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements were fixed to the covering portion, and a connection portion was provided between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements 40 and the pair of ear attachment portions 30 for connecting the ear attachment portions 30 to the covering portion 20. The numerical values ​​for the eye masks according to Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in Table 1.

[0137] [Test 1] For the eye masks of Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, when the covering portion and the ear attachment portion are formed integrally, the following Test 1 was conducted to evaluate whether the heat generated from the heating element can be accurately applied to the wearer's temples and surrounding areas when worn.

[0138] First, in an experimental space with a temperature of 24°C ± 1°C and a humidity of 50% ± 10%, the eye mask according to Example 1 was attached to a female head model (width 151.24 mm, depth 206.82 mm, height 233.01 mm) fabricated based on the average female head data (2014 edition) manufactured by Digital Human Technology Co., Ltd. Next, the temperature of the temple area of ​​the human head model HM with the eye mask according to Example 1 attached was measured 10 minutes after attachment, and the temperature difference from the temperature of the temple area immediately after attaching the eye mask was calculated. Similarly, the eye masks according to Examples 2-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were each attached to the human head model HM, and the amount of temperature increase in the temple area when the eye masks according to Examples 2-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were attached was calculated. The evaluation results of the temperature change values ​​of the temple area are shown in Table 1.

[0139] [Table 1]

[0140] [Evaluation criteria for temperature changes in and around the temples] 1: Temperature increase is 0.54℃ or less 2: The temperature increase is within the range of 0.55℃ to 1.04℃. 3: The temperature increase is within the range of 1.05℃ to 1.54℃. 4: Temperature increase of 1.55°C or more

[0141] [Evaluation of Test 1] As shown in Table 1, in the eye masks according to Examples 1 to 5, in which the covering portion and the ear attachment portion are integrally formed, the temperature rise at and near the temples was large, indicating that the heat generated from the heating element was accurately applied to the wearer's temples. On the other hand, in the eye masks according to Comparative Examples (Comparative Examples 2 and 3), in which the covering portion and the ear attachment portion are configured as separate parts, the temperature rise at and near the temples was small, indicating that the heat generated from the heating element was not accurately applied to the wearer's temples. From this, it became clear that the presence or absence of a connection portion for connecting the ear attachment portion 30 to the covering portion 20 is related to whether or not the heat generated from the heating element can be accurately applied to the wearer's temples.

[0142] [Exam 2] Furthermore, in order to evaluate whether there were any differences in the sensation of warmth around the wearer's eyes and temples, and in the fit of the eye masks according to Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3, the following Test 2 was conducted.

[0143] One expert panelist wore the eye masks described in Examples 1-5 and Comparative Examples 1-3, and evaluated the warmth sensation around the wearer's eyes and temples, as well as the fit, according to the following evaluation criteria. To evaluate the warmth sensation around the wearer's eyes and temples, and the fit, the wearer wore each eye mask for 10 minutes in an experimental space with a temperature of 24°C ± 1°C and a humidity of 50% ± 10%. The wearer's evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0144] [Evaluation criteria for the sensation of warmth around the eyes and temples] 1: No warmth is felt in either the eye area or the temple area. 2. You will feel warmth in either the eye area or the temple area. 3. You feel warmth in both the eye area and the temple area. 4. You feel sufficient warmth in both the eye area and the temple area.

[0145] [Evaluation criteria for fit around the eyes and temples] 1: Pressure is felt around either the eye area or the temple area, but the fit is poor due to low adhesion. 2: I feel pressure around both my eyes and temples, but the fit is somewhat poor because there are areas where the adhesion feels slightly too high or slightly too low. 3: The mask provides a comfortable fit because it applies just the right amount of pressure from the eye area to the temples.

[0146] [Evaluation of Exam 2] As shown in Table 1, in the eye masks according to Examples 1 to 5, in which the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements are not fixed to the covering portion, and there is no connection portion between the distal ends of the pair of heating elements and the pair of ear attachment portions for connecting the ear attachment portions to the covering portion, it was found that the wearer can feel sufficient warmth around their eyes and temples, and the fit to the eyes and temples is also good, so the wearer's temples can be warmed regardless of face size, and the covering portion can be closely fitted to the wearer's face, making it difficult for gaps to form between the face and the covering portion, thus making it possible to apply the warming effect of the heating elements to the wearer's entire face.

[0147] On the other hand, in the eye mask according to the comparative example (particularly Comparative Example 3), in which the proximal ends of a pair of heating elements are fixed to the covering portion, and there is a region from the covering portion to the ear attachment portion that has higher bending rigidity than the covering portion, it became clear that the wearer could not feel sufficient warmth around their eyes and temples, and the fit around the eyes and temples was also somewhat poor, so the wearer's temples could not be warmed, and the warming effect of the heating elements could not be applied to the wearer's entire face. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0148] 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, A pair of heating elements provided in the covering portion and Equipped with, The pair of heating elements are arranged so as to be directly or indirectly facing the wearer's eyes and / or the area around the eyes when worn, with the central part of the covering portion in the width direction as the boundary, and spaced apart in the width direction. Neither of the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements is fixed to the covering portion. The covering portion is configured to be extendable in the width direction, There is no connecting portion provided between the pair of ear-fitting portions from the distal end of the pair of heating elements to the covering portion, The covering portion and the ear-attaching portion are formed as a single unit. Eye mask.

2. The distal ends of the pair of heating elements are bonded to the covering portion. The eye mask according to claim 1.

3. The covering portion comprises an inner sheet that is positioned on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet that is positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. The pair of heating elements are provided between the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The distal ends of the pair of heating elements are bonded to at least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The eye mask according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The inner sheet and the outer sheet are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements. The adhesive width between the inner sheet and the outer sheet between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements is 99% or less of the distance between the proximal ends of the pair of heating elements in the unstretched state of the covering portion. The eye mask according to claim 3.

5. The covering portion comprises an inner sheet that is positioned on the skin side of the wearer when worn, and an outer sheet that is positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer when worn. The inner sheet and the outer sheet are bonded to each other around the pair of heating elements. The area of ​​the inner adhesive region located inward in the width direction from the center position of each of the pair of heating elements is smaller than the total area of ​​the outer adhesive regions located outward in the width direction from the center position. The eye mask according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The area of ​​the inner bonding region is 400 mm or more and 3000 mm or less. The eye mask according to claim 5.

7. The total area of ​​the aforementioned outer bonding region is between 2,000 mm and 9,000 mm. The eye mask according to claim 5.

8. The area of ​​the inner bonding region is 10% or more and 70% or less of the total area of ​​the outer bonding region. The eye mask according to claim 5.

9. The inner adhesive region and the outer adhesive region are bonded together by hot melt adhesive. The eye mask according to claim 5.

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