mask

Abstract

This product provides a mask that reduces discomfort during wear, enhances comfort, and ensures a large contact area with the wearer's skin. [Solution] The mask 1 of this invention comprises a mask body 2 and a pair of ear loops 3, 3 attached to both left and right ends of the mask body. One end of each ear loop is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body 2, and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body. The mask body is configured to satisfy specific conditions when the top of the mask 1, which is the highest point on the wearer's face, is P, the center of the attachment parts 21e, 22e of the mask body to which one end of the ear loop is attached is Q, and the center of the attachment parts 21f, 22f of the mask body to which the other end of the ear loop 3 is attached is R.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a mask. More specifically, this relates to a mask that reduces discomfort and enhances comfort while ensuring a large contact area with the wearer's (user's) skin. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, masks have been used for purposes such as preventing hay fever and infectious diseases. These masks are designed to prevent the entry of fine particles such as pollen and virus droplets by reducing the gap between the mask's edges and the face to improve airtightness. However, because a narrow space inside the mask can cause breathlessness and discomfort for the wearer, the masks are designed to create ample space around the mouth when worn. An example of such a mask is the three-dimensional mask disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-135801 (Patent Document 1) proposes a three-dimensional mask that provides a good fit and prevents the ear loops from detaching from the mask body.

[0004] This three-dimensional mask comprises a mask body having an upper portion, a lower portion, and both sides, with one side of a pair of sheets overlapping each other and joined to form a first joint, and ear loops protruding from the other side of each of the pair of sheets of the mask body, and when worn, the mask body opens to the left and right, causing the first joint to protrude forward. The mask body is equipped with a marking section that allows the wearer to confirm the correct position.

[0005] In conventional masks, due to the reduction of the gap between the peripheral edge of the mask body and the face to enhance adhesion, the warm and moist exhalation of the wearer accumulates inside the mask, resulting in problems such as the wearer feeling stuffy and uncomfortable due to stickiness in the part contacting the skin. Furthermore, due to the continuous high humidity inside the mask, there is also a problem that the skin barrier function deteriorates and skin roughness is likely to occur. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of feeling stuffy, masks with a cooling effect have been proposed.

[0006] For example, in Utility Model Registration No. 3228074 (Patent Document 2), a cooling mask has been proposed that can continuously feel a cooling sensation at the mouth of the mask wearer during wearing, can provide a comfortable wearing feeling to the mask wearer due to the cooling effect, and can prevent the intrusion of bacteria, viruses, fine particles, etc.

[0007] This cooling mask is a sanitary mask in which a planar material on the side contacting the mouth and a planar material covering this planar material from the outside are overlapped, and the planar material on the side contacting the mouth is formed of a contact-cooling fabric.

[0008] Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-166072 (Patent Document 3), a mask that allows the wearer to easily experience a cooling sensation has been proposed.

[0009] This mask has a heat absorption layer provided with a heat absorbent, a cooling layer provided with a cooling agent and provided so as to face one side or the other side in the thickness direction of the heat absorption layer, and is a mask having, a filter layer, where the cooling layer is provided between the filter layer and the heat absorption layer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-135801 (Claims, Figure 1) [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3228074 (Claims for Utility Model Registration, Figure 1) [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-166072 (Claims, Figure 1) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] Conventional masks, such as the mask disclosed in Patent Document 1, are designed to reduce discomfort and enhance comfort by minimizing the contact area between the inner surface of the mask and the wearer's skin, thereby creating a wide space around the mouth when worn. Therefore, this mask is designed to minimize the contact area with the wearer's skin, making it difficult to ensure a large contact area with the wearer's skin.

[0012] The masks disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are capable of providing a cooling sensation to the wearer by touching their skin. However, further improvements are needed to increase the contact area with the wearer's skin during use, thereby achieving a superior cooling effect.

[0013] In view of the current situation, this invention aims to provide a mask that reduces discomfort during wear, enhances comfort, and ensures a large contact area with the wearer's skin. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 1 of this invention is: A mask comprising a mask body and a pair of ear loops attached to both ends of the mask body in the left-right direction, The aforementioned ear hook portion is, One end is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body, and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body. The aforementioned mask body is When the mask is worn, let P be the highest point on the wearer's face, let Q be the center of the upper attachment part of the mask body to which one end of the ear loop is attached, let R be the center of the lower attachment part of the mask body to which the other end of the ear loop is attached, let L1 be the first imaginary line segment connecting P and Q, and let L2 be the second imaginary line segment connecting Q and R. The mask is configured such that the length of line segment L1 is 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is 85° or more and 130° or less. This mask is characterized by the following:

[0015] The invention described in claim 2 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1, The aforementioned mask body is The mask body is constructed so as to have no joints or seams other than those used for forming or sewing the mask into a three-dimensional shape, and both sides in the thickness direction are constructed to be smooth surfaces. It is characterized by the following:

[0016] The invention described in claim 3 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned mask body is The lateral edges of the mask body have recesses that curve concavely toward the left-right center near the intersection with a hypothetical straight line that passes through the vertical center of the mask body and extends horizontally, and the recesses have a pair of upper and lower protrusions at both ends in the vertical direction. The aforementioned ear hook portion is, One end is attached to the edge of the upper projection, and the other end is attached to the edge of the lower projection, which serves as the attachment point. It is characterized by the following:

[0017] The invention described in claim 4 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned mask body is It must be configured to cover at least the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks. It is characterized by the following:

[0018] The invention described in claim 5 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The attachment of the ear loop portion to the mask body is as follows: It is done by welding. The strength of the aforementioned weld is, It must be 2N or greater. It is characterized by the following:

[0019] The invention described in claim 6 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned mask body is Its bending hardness is 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 It is configured to be less than or equal to / m. It is characterized by the following:

[0020] The invention described in claim 7 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The upper right edge extending to the right from the center of the mask body and the upper left edge extending to the left from the center are both, The structure is designed so that the central part curves gently downwards in a concave, arc-like shape from the left and right directions. It is characterized by the following:

[0021] The invention described in claim 8 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The right lower edge extending from the center of the mask body to the right and the left lower edge extending from the center to the left are both, It is constructed to form an arc shape that gently bulges out from the left and right ends towards the center. It is characterized by the following:

[0022] The invention described in claim 9 of this invention is, In the mask according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned mask body is It contains a heat-absorbing agent and / or a cooling agent, a heat-generating agent and / or a warming agent, or a beauty ingredient on its inner surface. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] The mask of this invention comprises a mask body and a pair of ear loops attached to both left and right ends of the mask body, wherein one end of each ear loop is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body. In this mask, the mask body is configured such that, when the mask is worn, the top of the mask body is located at the highest point on the wearer's face, P is the center of the upper attachment part of the mask body to which one end of the ear loop is attached, Q is the center of the lower attachment part of the mask body to which the other end of the ear loop is attached, L1 is the first imaginary line segment connecting P and Q, and L2 is the second imaginary line segment connecting Q and R, the length of line segment L1 is 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is 85° or more and 130° or less. Therefore, the mask reduces discomfort and enhances comfort during wear, while also ensuring a large contact area with the wearer's skin; in other words, it combines high comfort during wear with a large contact area with the wearer's skin. Therefore, by retaining a component (functional component) having a predetermined effect on the inner surface of the mask, particularly in the part that comes into contact with the skin, the mask can impart a predetermined function (effect) to the wearer's skin while the mask is being worn. For this reason, it is preferable that the mask body is configured to cover at least the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks.

[0024] In the aforementioned mask, the mask body may be configured such that it does not have any joints or sewn parts other than those used to form or sew the mask body in a three-dimensional shape, and both sides in the thickness direction may be configured to be smooth surfaces. With this configuration, the mask will not lift away from the skin (position away from the skin) due to the presence of irregularities on the front and back surfaces, thus ensuring a larger contact area between the mask and the wearer's skin when worn.

[0025] In the mask described above, the mask body is configured such that both lateral edges have recesses that curve concavely toward the left-right center near the intersection of a hypothetical straight line extending horizontally through the vertical center of the mask body, and that the recesses have a pair of upper and lower protrusions at both of the upper and lower ends, and that one end of the ear loop is attached to the edge of the upper protrusion as an attachment point, and the other end is attached to the edge of the lower protrusion as an attachment point. With this configuration, when the mask is worn, the left and right ends of the mask body conform to the three-dimensional shape of the wearer's face, thereby ensuring a larger contact area with the wearer's skin, especially the cheeks.

[0026] In the aforementioned mask, the ear loops can be attached (joined) to the mask body by welding. In this case, the welding strength can be set to 2N or more. With this configuration, the ear loops of the mask are less likely to detach from the wearer's ears, and problems such as gaps forming between the mask and the wearer's face due to unevenness on the inner surface of the mask body, and poor skin contact (inferior comfort) are less likely to occur.

[0027] In the aforementioned mask, the mask body has a bending hardness of 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 It can be configured to be less than or equal to / m. With this configuration, the mask maintains comfort when worn, and the occurrence of sagging between the upper and lower attachment parts of the mask body is suppressed, thereby ensuring a larger contact area with the wearer's skin.

[0028] In the mask described above, both the upper right edge extending to the right from the center of the mask body and the upper left edge extending to the left from the center can be configured to form an arc shape that curves gently downwards in a concave manner from the left-right direction. With this configuration, when the mask is worn, a larger contact area can be secured between the upper end of the mask body and the wearer's skin, particularly near the nose and the upper part of the cheeks.

[0029] In the aforementioned mask, both the right lower edge extending to the right from the center of the mask body and the left lower edge extending to the left from the center can be configured to form an arc shape that gently bulges outwards from the left and right ends toward the center. With this configuration, when the mask is worn, a larger contact area can be secured between the lower end of the mask body and the wearer's skin, particularly near the chin and the lower part of the cheeks.

[0030] In the aforementioned mask, the inner surface of the mask body can hold a heat-absorbing agent and / or a cooling agent, a heat-generating agent and / or a warming agent, or a beauty ingredient. This configuration makes it possible to use the mask as a so-called cooling mask, a warming mask, or a beauty mask. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0031] [Figure 1] This figure shows the overall configuration of one embodiment of the mask according to this invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the mask in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 1. [Figure 4] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 2. [Figure 5] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 3. [Figure 6] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 7] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn in Comparative Example 2. [Figure 8] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 4. [Figure 9] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 5. [Figure 10] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn in Comparative Example 3. [Figure 11] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn in Comparative Example 4. [Figure 12] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn, obtained in Example 6. [Figure 13] This is a photographic diagram showing the mask being worn in Comparative Example 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] The mask according to this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Furthermore, this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and various improvements can be made without altering its essence.

[0033] In this invention, descriptions of numerical ranges such as "greater than or equal to XX and less than or equal to XX" or "XX to XX" mean a numerical range that includes the lower and upper limits, which are the endpoints, unless otherwise specified. When numerical ranges are described in steps, the upper and lower limits of each numerical range can be combined in any way.

[0034] In this specification, terms indicating directions such as up and down, front and back, left and right are based on the user (wearer) who wears the mask 1. Therefore, when the wearer is wearing the mask 1, in the thickness direction of the mask 1, the side that is visible from the outside is considered the "front surface" or "outside," and the side that faces the wearer's face is considered the "back surface (skin-facing side)" or "inside surface (inner surface)." Furthermore, when the wearer is wearing the mask 1, the direction corresponding to the up-and-down direction of the wearer's face may be referred to as the "vertical direction," and the direction corresponding to the left-and-right direction of the wearer's face may be referred to as the "horizontal direction." These vertical and horizontal directions are orthogonal to each other. However, these directions are set for the convenience of explaining this embodiment and are not intended to specify the usage state of the mask 1, and the up / down, front / back, and left / right directions can be changed as appropriate depending on the situation at the time.

[0035] Figure 1 is a diagram (plan view) showing the overall configuration of one embodiment of the mask according to this invention. The mask 1 is positioned in front of the wearer's face when worn (while being worn) and can cover the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks. As shown in Figure 1, it consists of a mask body 2 and a pair of ear loops 3, 3 attached to both ends of the mask body 2 in the lateral (left-right) direction.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the mask body 2 has a horizontally elongated shape as an overall form when viewed from the thickness direction in a plan view. As shown in Figure 1, when the wearer is wearing the mask 1 (the state in which the mask 1 is worn), the back surface of the mask body 2 is the part that faces and comes into contact with the wearer's face, and the front surface is the part that is located relatively far from the wearer's face.

[0037] In Figure 1, the mask body 2 is configured such that, when the mask 1 is worn, its lateral central portion M is positioned on the wearer's midline, and it has a three-dimensional shape that bulges outwards.

[0038] In Figure 1, the mask body 2 has a roughly hexagonal shape in plan view, with its lateral central portion protruding vertically in a V-shape. The lateral central portion of the mask body 2, specifically its vertical dimension along the first virtual center line M1, is set to a size that can cover from near the bridge of the nose to near the tip of the chin when the mask 1 is worn. There are no particular restrictions on the size of the mask body 2; it can be set to a size that can cover the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks.

[0039] In Figure 1, the mask body 2 is formed symmetrically with respect to a hypothetical straight line (first hypothetical center line) M1 that passes through the horizontal center and extends vertically, with the lower side being slightly narrower than the upper side. The upper edge of the mask body 2 is configured to slope upward from both horizontal ends toward the center, and the lower edge of the mask body 2 is configured to slope downward from both horizontal ends toward the center.

[0040] When not in use, the mask 1 can be folded flat by bringing the inner surfaces of both ends horizontally together (and the edges vertically together) along the first virtual center line M1 of the mask body 2, and can be unfolded into a three-dimensional shape when in use. Furthermore, there are no particular restrictions on the method of constructing the material so that it can be unfolded from a flattened state into a three-dimensional shape (made three-dimensional). Examples of such methods include forming a notch or slit of the required size (for example, a pair of upper and lower notches or slits) in a part of the portion corresponding to the first virtual center line M1 in a single sheet material, and joining the two sides of the notch or slit together; or constructing a pair of symmetrical sheet materials such that one end of one sheet material bulges or protrudes in an arc shape, and joining this to the end of the other sheet material.

[0041] The shape of the mask body 2 is not particularly limited, as long as it can cover the nose, mouth, and cheeks. Examples of the shape of the mask body 2 include approximate circles, ovals, triangles, rectangles (approximate squares, approximate rectangles), quadrilaterals (trapezoids, etc.), pentagons, hexagons, and other approximate polygons. Furthermore, the horizontal size (width) of the mask body 2 may be the same from the top to the bottom.

[0042] In this invention, the mask body 2 may have joints or sewn parts for forming or sewing the mask body 2 in a three-dimensional shape (to maintain a three-dimensional shape), but it is configured so that, in addition to such joints or sewn parts, it does not have joints formed by joining multiple sheet materials, so that even when worn, at least the part that comes into contact with the wearer's face is flat. In Figure 1, the mask body 2 is made of a single sheet material having the required thickness. This sheet material has no joints other than the upper joint portion 23a and the lower joint portion 23b, which are joints for forming the mask body 2 three-dimensionally. It is flat, and both sides in the thickness direction (outer surface and inner surface) are smooth. In other words, the sheet material does not have pleats (pleated structure), gathers, tucks, or other folds or wrinkles formed by folding the sheet material along fold lines along the transverse direction, and has a smooth surface. Therefore, when the mask 1 is worn, no bulges are formed by pleats or other folds or wrinkles. With this configuration, the mask 1 will not lift away from the skin (become positioned away from the skin) due to the presence of irregularities on the surface and back, such as pleats, wrinkles, and joints between sheet materials. Therefore, when the mask 1 is worn, a larger contact area with the wearer's skin can be secured.

[0043] The sheet material may consist of a single layer or a laminate of multiple layers. The layers constituting the sheet material can be made of fibrous materials such as nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, or knitted fabric. Preferably, the sheet material is made of a material containing nonwoven fabric or nonwoven fabric. Examples of the aforementioned nonwoven fabrics include spunlace nonwoven fabrics, air-through nonwoven fabrics, spunbond nonwoven fabrics, airlaid nonwoven fabrics, meltblown nonwoven fabrics, flash-spun nonwoven fabrics, thermal-bonded nonwoven fabrics, carding nonwoven fabrics, or nonwoven fabrics made by arbitrarily combining these nonwoven fabrics (for example, SMS nonwoven fabrics).

[0044] Examples of fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric include cellulose fibers and synthetic fibers. Examples of the aforementioned cellulose fibers include natural cellulose fibers such as pulp, cotton, and hemp; and regenerated cellulose fibers such as rayon, lyocell, and cupro. These fibers may be used individually or in combination of two or more types. Furthermore, examples of the synthetic fibers include polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP); polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT); polyvinyl alcohol fibers such as vinylon; polyacrylic fibers such as polyacrylonitrile; polyurethane (PU) fibers; and polyamide fibers such as nylon. These fibers may be used individually or in combination of two or more types. Furthermore, the form of the synthetic fiber is not particularly limited. For example, core-sheath type composite fibers such as PP (core) / PE (sheath), high melting point PP (core) / low melting point PP (sheath), PET (core) / PE (sheath), etc.; side-by-side type composite fibers; synthetic fibers in any form such as profiled cross-section fibers like flat, Y-shaped, C-shaped, etc. can be used. In this embodiment, the sheet material is composed of a non-woven fabric made of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester.

[0045] There is no particular limitation on the basis weight of the non-woven fabric. As the basis weight of the non-woven fabric, for example, a value sufficient to suppress the leakage of the functional component described later to the outside and retain it can be selected. Specifically, the basis weight can be set to, for example, 20 g / m 2 or more and 100 g / m 2 or less.

[0046] In this invention, the mask body 2 is preferably configured such that its back surface (inner surface) is smooth without having pleated portions or wrinkled portions such as a pleat structure, and has a low coefficient of friction. With such a configuration, in the wearing state of the mask 1, a larger contact area with the wearer's skin can be ensured. The coefficient of friction is preferably about 0.05 or more and 0.5 or less. Regarding the measurement of the coefficient of friction, it can be performed by a known method. For example, the coefficient of friction can be measured using a surface friction test device (KESFB-4) manufactured by Kato Tech Co., Ltd., and its average value can be obtained.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of ear-hanging portions 3, 3 are for bringing the mask body 2 into close contact with the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks by hanging (locking) on the wearer's ears during wearing, and are joined to both lateral ends of the mask body 2 and both have a loop shape.

[0048] In Figure 1, the pair of ear loops 3, 3 are both made of a string-like or strip-like elastic material, with one end joined to the upper attachment parts 21e, 22e of the mask body 2 and the other end joined to the lower attachment parts 21f, 22f of the mask body 2, forming a loop. In other words, the attachment parts (joint parts) are not provided in a continuous or intermittent strip shape from the top to the bottom along the lateral edges of the mask body 2, as in conventional masks (particularly masks disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-135801 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-166072, etc.). With this configuration, no seam is formed between the mask body 2 and the ear loop portion 3, so the mask 1 does not lift away from the wearer's skin at this seam. Therefore, when the mask 1 is worn, a larger contact area with the wearer's skin can be secured.

[0049] There are no particular restrictions on the material that constitutes the ear hook portion 3, as long as it allows it to be placed over the wearer's ear. The ear loop portion 3 may be made of an elastic material such as a round elastic band with a circular cross-section or a rectangular flat elastic band. The elastic material may be, for example, a woven or knitted elastic band formed by weaving or knitting synthetic resin fibers. Furthermore, a nonwoven fabric may be selected as the material constituting the ear loop portion 3, and preferably an elastic nonwoven fabric. Examples of fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric include polyolefin fibers made of polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, core-sheath type composite fibers made by combining multiple types of these polyolefin resins, polyurethane elastomer fibers, polystyrene elastomer fibers, polyolefin elastomer fibers, polyamide elastomer fibers, polyester elastomer fibers, rubber elastomer fibers, and other elastomer fibers. These fibers may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0050] There are no particular restrictions on the method of attaching or joining (fixing) the ear loop portion 3 to the mask body 2. Examples of such attachment or joining methods include welding (especially heat fusion) or joining with adhesive, or forming through holes that penetrate in the thickness direction and inserting and fixing the ends of the ear loop portion 3 through these through holes.

[0051] Preferably, the ear loop portion 3 is attached or joined to the mask body 2 by welding. In this case, the welding strength is preferably 2N (kg·m·s²). -2 That's all. If the mounting or joining strength is less than 2N, the ear hook portion 3 tends to detach easily from the wearer's ear and is difficult to secure to the wearer's face. The welding strength can be measured by known methods, for example, using a tensile testing machine (e.g., A&D Company, Limited's Force Tester MCT2150 SPEEDCONTROL). More specifically, for example, the mask body can be fixed to one side of the tensile testing machine's holder, while the ear loops (such as ear elastic) can be fixed to the other side. The mask can then be pulled at a tensile strength of 100 mm / min, and the welding strength can be measured to determine the welding strength.

[0052] Preferably, the attachment positions of the ear loops 3, 3 on the mask body 2, i.e., the attachment positions 21e, 21f, 22e, 22f, are on the edges near the corners of the mask body 2, and one end of the ear loop 3 is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body 2, and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body 2. In Figures 1 and 2, the lateral edges 22c (or 21c) of the mask body 2 have recesses 22d (or 21d) that curve concave toward the lateral center near the intersection with a hypothetical straight line (second hypothetical center line) M2 that passes through the vertical center of the mask body 2 and extends horizontally. A pair of upper and lower protrusions are formed at both ends of the recess 22d (or 21d) in the vertical (up and down) direction. The upper attachment portion 22e (or 21e) is provided on the edge of the upper protrusion of the pair of protrusions, and the lower attachment portion 22f (or 21f) is provided on the edge of the lower protrusion. The ear loop portion 3 is attached at one end to the upper attachment portion 22e (or 21e) and at the other end to the lower attachment portion 22f (or 21f).

[0053] In this invention, the mask body 2 is configured such that, when the mask 1 is worn, as shown in Figure 2, the top of the mask body 2 is the highest point on the wearer's face, P is the center of the upper attachment portion 21e (or 22e), and L1 is the imaginary line segment (first imaginary line) connecting P and Q, and the length of the first imaginary line L1 (length between line segments P and Q) is approximately 60 mm to 110 mm, preferably approximately 70 mm to 100 mm. When the length of L1 is less than 60 mm, the wearer's cheeks are not sufficiently covered by the mask body 2 when the mask 1 is worn, and the contact area with the wearer's skin tends to be small. On the other hand, when the length of L1 exceeds 110 mm, when the mask 1 is worn, sagging occurs in the part of the mask body 2 that is located above the wearer's cheeks, and a gap is easily created between the mask 1 and the wearer's face. This gap makes it easier for fine particles to enter, and the contact area with the wearer's skin tends to be small.

[0054] In Figure 1, the upper right edge 21a extending to the right from the center of the mask body 2 and the upper left edge 22a extending to the left from the center are both configured to be arc-shaped, with the central part gently curved downwards in a concave manner from the left-right direction. With this configuration, when the mask 1 is worn, a larger contact area can be secured between the upper end of the mask body 2 and the wearer's skin (especially near the nose and the upper part of the cheeks).

[0055] The "center of the mounting portion" can be determined by known methods based on the outer edge of the mounting portion in a top view. For example, if the shape of the mounting portion in a top view is a rectangle, the center is located at the intersection of the diagonals of the outer edge of the mounting portion in a top view. If the shape of the mounting portion in a top view is a trapezoid, the center of the mounting portion can be the centroid of the trapezoid. Also, if the shape of the mounting portion in a top view is a triangle, the center of the mounting portion is located at the center of the inscribed circle of the triangle.

[0056] Furthermore, in this invention, when the mask 1 is attached, the mask body 2 is configured such that, as shown in Figure 2, when the center of the lower attachment portion 21f (or 22f) is R, and the virtual line segment (second virtual line) connecting Q and R is L2, the length of the second virtual line L2 (length between line segments QR) is approximately 35 mm to 80 mm, preferably approximately 40 mm to 75 mm. If the length of L2 is less than 35 mm, sagging occurs in the part of the mask 1 that touches (or comes into contact with) the wearer's chin and nose when the mask 1 is worn, and a gap tends to form between the mask 1 and the wearer's face. On the other hand, if the length of L2 exceeds 80 mm, sagging occurs between the upper attachment part 21e (or 22e) and the lower attachment part 21f (or 22f) of the mask body 2 when the mask 1 is worn, and a gap tends to form between the mask 1 and the wearer's face. This gap makes it easier for fine particles to enter, and the contact area with the wearer's skin tends to decrease.

[0057] In Figure 1, the right lower edge 21b extending to the right from the center of the mask body 2 and the left lower edge 22b extending to the left from the center are both configured to have an arc shape that gently bulges outwards from the left and right ends toward the center. With this configuration, when the mask 1 is worn, a larger contact area can be secured between the lower end of the mask body 2 and the wearer's skin (especially near the chin and the lower part of the cheeks).

[0058] Furthermore, in this invention, the mask body 2 is configured such that, when the mask 1 is worn, the angle θ between the first virtual line L1 and the second virtual line L2 is approximately 85° to 130°, preferably approximately 90° to 100°, as shown in Figure 2. When the angle θ is less than 85°, the mask 1 tends not to provide sufficient surface area (contact area) to cover the wearer's cheeks when worn. On the other hand, when the angle θ exceeds 130°, when the mask 1 is worn, sagging occurs in the part of the mask body 2 located above the wearer's chin and between the upper attachment part 21e (or 22e) and the lower attachment part 21f (or 22f), creating a gap between the mask 1 and the wearer's face. This gap makes it easier for fine particles to enter, and the contact area with the wearer's skin tends to decrease.

[0059] As described above, in Figure 1, both lateral edges 21c and 22c of the mask body 2 are configured to have recesses 21d and 22d that curve concavely toward the lateral center near the intersection with the second virtual center line M2. With this configuration, when the mask 1 is worn, a larger contact area can be secured between the left and right ends of the mask body 2 and the wearer's skin, especially the cheeks.

[0060] The mask body 2 is preferably made of a certain degree of softness, from the viewpoint of making contact with or closely fitting the wearer's face. More preferably, the mask body 2 has a bending hardness of 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 It is configured to be approximately / m or less. The aforementioned bending hardness is 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m2 If the bending hardness is less than 1.50 × 10, the mask body 2 is too soft, causing sagging between the upper attachment portion 21e (or 22e) and the lower attachment portion 21f (or 22f) of the mask body 2, making it easy for a gap to form between the mask 1 and the wearer's skin. This gap allows fine particles to easily penetrate, and the contact area with the wearer's skin tends to decrease. On the other hand, if the bending hardness is 1.50 × 10, -4 N·m 2 When the value exceeds / m, the comfort level when wearing mask 1 tends to decrease. In this embodiment, the mask body 2 is made of a single sheet material, and the bending hardness of this sheet material is 0.47 × 10 -4 N·m 2 It is / m. That is, the mask body 2 is configured to have a constant bending stiffness from the inside to the outside.

[0061] The bending hardness of the mask body 2 was determined by measuring the bending moment per 1 cm width while varying the curvature using an automated pure bending tester such as the KESFB-2AUTO-A (manufactured by Kato Tech Co., Ltd.), and the curvature K was 0.5 cm. -1 More than 1.5cm -1 The bending moment M can be measured by calculating the average slope (dM / dK) in the following cases.

[0062] If nonwoven fabric is selected as the material constituting the mask body 2, a method of adjusting the basis weight of the nonwoven fabric can be selected as a method for adjusting the softness (bending stiffness) of the mask body 2.

[0063] The mask 1 is configured to ensure a large contact area with the wearer's skin. Therefore, by holding the desired functional component in at least the inner part of the mask body 2 that constitutes the mask 1, particularly in the part that comes into contact with (or touches) the wearer's skin, it becomes possible to achieve the desired function. In other words, the mask body 2 can be configured to hold the desired functional component in at least its inner surface, particularly in the part that comes into contact with the wearer's skin.

[0064] The aforementioned functional ingredients can be selected appropriately according to the desired function, and there are no particular restrictions. Examples of such functional ingredients include heat absorbers, cooling agents, heating agents, warming agents, medicinal ingredients, and cosmetic ingredients.

[0065] As a method for holding the functional component on the mask body 2, for example, a solution or dispersion of the functional component, or a solution or dispersion of the functional component containing a binder, can be attached to the inner surface of the mask body 2 using spraying, coating, adsorption, loading, penetration or impregnation, or known coating methods (for example, a kiss coating method using a gravure roll, a die coating method, etc.), and then the solvent or dispersion medium can be removed. Furthermore, there are no particular restrictions on the amount of the functional ingredient to be retained (used); it is sufficient as long as it is enough to exert the desired function or effect.

[0066] In particular, a heat-absorbing agent and / or a cooling agent can be held on at least the inner surface of the mask body 2, especially the part that may come into contact with the wearer's skin. With this configuration, the mask 1, which is composed of the mask body 2, can be used as a mask that has a cooling effect (cooling mask). Such a mask is also included in the present invention. Examples of the aforementioned heat-absorbing agents include sugar alcohols such as xylitol, erythritol, dextrose, and sorbitol; sugars such as trehalose, sucrose, lactose, and maltose; and PCMs (Phase Change Materials) such as octadecane. Examples of the cooling agents include menthol (e.g., l-menthol); menthol derivatives (e.g., menthyl lactate, menthyl glyceryl ether, etc.); methyl salicylate; and essential oils derived from plants such as mint and eucalyptus.

[0067] Furthermore, a heating agent and / or a warming agent can be attached to at least the inner surface of the mask body 2, particularly to the part that may come into contact with the wearer's skin. With this configuration, the mask 1, which is composed of the mask body 2, can be used as a mask that has a warming effect (warming mask). Such a mask is also included in the present invention. The aforementioned heating agent is not particularly limited as long as it generates heat itself, and examples include those that utilize chemical energy such as the heat of oxidation of metal powders (e.g., iron powder, zinc powder, aluminum powder, magnesium powder, copper powder, etc.), the heat of neutralization of acids and alkalis, and the heat of hydration of inorganic salts. The warming agent is not particularly limited as long as it makes warm-blooded animals, including humans, feel warm when applied to them. Examples include vanillyl alcohol alkyl ether derivatives (e.g., vanillyl ethyl ether, vanillyl butyl ether, vanillyl pentyl ether, vanillyl hexyl ether), ginger extract, ginger oil, gingerol, and zingerone. Preferably, an agent is selected that does not cause excessive irritation to the wearer's skin or skin problems such as rashes.

[0068] Furthermore, the beauty ingredients can be retained on at least the inner surface of the mask body 2, particularly on the part that may come into contact with the wearer's skin. With this configuration, the mask 1, which is composed of the mask body 2, can be used as a mask that provides a desired beauty effect (beauty mask). Such a mask is also included in the present invention. The aforementioned beauty ingredients may include conventionally known ingredients such as moisturizers, whitening agents, astringents, skin protectants, skin nutrients, and anti-aging agents. Specifically, examples of such beauty ingredients include collagen, hyaluronic acid, placenta, chondroitin, coenzyme Q10, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, alpha-lipoic acid, and lecithin. The aforementioned vitamins also include their derivatives. [Examples]

[0069] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Unless otherwise specified, the measurements of each physical property were performed based on the methods described above.

[0070] [Examples 1 to 3, and Comparative Examples 1 and 2] The masks were manufactured using the following method. Furthermore, the bending hardness of the mask body was measured using an automated pure bending tester (Kato Tech Co., Ltd.: KESFB-2AUTO-A) while varying the curvature, and the bending moment per 1 cm width was measured when the curvature K was 0.5 cm. -1 More than 1.5cm -1 The measurement was performed by calculating the average slope (dM / dK) of the bending moment M under the following conditions.

[0071] <Manufacturing method> (1) One sheet of spunbond nonwoven fabric (basis weight 50g / m²) 2 The mask bodies for each example listed in Table 1 were fabricated using the following method. (2) To the mask body obtained in (1), braided cords made of polyurethane and nylon were attached by ultrasonic welding from predetermined positions on each side of the mask body, with the intention of passing them over the wearer's ears, so as to extend outwards in a loop, thereby obtaining the desired mask.

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] [Test Example 1] Evaluation of skin contact (contact area) The masks obtained in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were evaluated for skin contact (contact area) based on the evaluation method and according to the evaluation criteria described below. The results are shown in Table 2 and Figures 3 to 7.

[0074] <Evaluation Method> The obtained masks were fitted onto mannequins created based on the average facial dimensions of adult women, and the presence or absence of gaps between the mask and the face, as well as the size of the contact area, were determined and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0075] <Evaluation Criteria> ◎: Large contact area with skin, no gaps on the cheeks ○: There is a small gap on the cheek area, but the contact area with the skin is large. △: There is no gap in the cheek area, but the contact area with the skin is small. ×: There is a gap in the cheek area.

[0076] [Table 2]

[0077] <Results> In the masks obtained in Examples 1 to 3 described above, no significant gaps were observed in the cheek area when worn, and the contact area with the skin was large. In particular, the masks obtained in Examples 1 and 2 had no gaps in the cheek area and had a large contact area with the skin. On the other hand, the mask obtained in Comparative Example 1 did not have gaps in the cheek area, but the contact area was small. Furthermore, the mask obtained in Comparative Example 2 had a gap in the center of the cheek. Therefore, in the mask of this invention, the bending hardness of the mask body is 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 It is clear that if the length of line segment L1 is set to 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, and the length of line segment L2 is set to 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle θ between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is set to 85° or more and 130° or less, then the mask of this invention will be able to secure a large contact area with the wearer's skin.

[0078] [Examples 4 and 5, and Comparative Examples 3 and 4] The masks were manufactured using the following method. The nonwoven fabrics used in each example are as follows: Nonwoven fabric 1: A three-layer nonwoven fabric consisting of a thermal bond nonwoven layer, a melt-blown nonwoven layer, and a spunbond nonwoven layer (total basis weight 66g / m²). 2 ) Nonwoven fabric 2: Basis weight 75g / m 2 One sheet of spunbond nonwoven fabric Non-woven fabric 3:15g / m 2 Polypropylene spunbond / meltblown / spunbond (SMS) composite nonwoven fabric Nonwoven fabric 4: Spunbond nonwoven fabric layer - 2-layer nonwoven fabric (total basis weight 150g / m²) 2 ) Furthermore, regarding the bending stiffness of the mask body, as described above, an automated pure bending tester (Kato Tech Co., Ltd.: KESFB-2AUTO-A) was used to measure the bending moment per 1 cm width while changing the curvature, and the curvature K was 0.5 cm. -1 More than 1.5cm -1 The measurement was performed by calculating the average slope (dM / dK) of the bending moment M under the following conditions.

[0079] <Manufacturing method> (1) The mask body was made using the nonwoven fabrics of each example listed in Table 3. (2) The mask body obtained in (1) was joined to the mask body by ultrasonic welding, with braided cords made of polyurethane and nylon extending outwards in loops, from predetermined positions on each side of the mask body, with the intention of passing them over the wearer's ears, thereby obtaining the desired mask.

[0080] [Table 3]

[0081] [Test Example 2] Evaluation of skin contact (contact area) The masks obtained in Examples 4 and 5, and Comparative Examples 3 and 4, were evaluated for skin contact (contact area) based on the evaluation method and criteria described below. The results are shown in Table 4 and Figures 8 to 11.

[0082] <Evaluation Method> The obtained masks were fitted onto mannequins created based on the average facial dimensions of adult women, and the presence or absence of gaps between the mask and the face, as well as the size of the contact area, were determined and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0083] <Evaluation Criteria> ◎: Large contact area with skin, no gaps on the cheeks ×: There is a gap in the cheek area.

[0084] [Table 4]

[0085] <Results> In the masks obtained in Examples 4 and 5 above, no gaps were created in the cheek area when worn. On the other hand, in the mask obtained in Comparative Example 3, a gap was created in the lower part of the cheek. In addition, in the mask obtained in Comparative Example 4, a gap was created in the center of the cheek. Therefore, in the mask of this invention, the length of line segment L1 of the mask body is set to 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is set to 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, the angle θ between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is set to 85° or more and 130° or less, and the bending hardness is set to 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 It is clear that when set to less than / m, the mask of this invention can ensure a large contact area with the wearer's skin.

[0086] [Example 6] The masks were manufactured using the following method. Regarding the bending stiffness of the mask body, as described above, an automated pure bending tester (Kato Tech Co., Ltd.: KESFB-2AUTO-A) was used to measure the bending moment per 1 cm width while changing the curvature, and the curvature K was 0.5 cm. -1 More than 1.5cm -1The measurement was performed by calculating the average slope (dM / dK) of the bending moment M under the following conditions.

[0087] <Manufacturing method> (1) A single sheet of spunbond nonwoven fabric with a bending hardness of 1.026 (basis weight 75g / m²) 2 Using the method described above, the mask body was fabricated such that the length of line segment L1 is 80 mm, the length of line segment L2 is 60 mm, and the angle θ between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is 96°, and at each of the lateral edges of the mask body, a recess is formed near the intersection with the second virtual center line M2, which curves concavely toward the lateral center. (2) To the mask body obtained in (1), braided cords made of polyurethane and nylon were attached by ultrasonic welding from predetermined positions on each side of the mask body, with the intention of passing them over the wearer's ears, so as to extend outwards in a loop, thereby obtaining the desired mask.

[0088] [Comparative Example 5] The mask was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 6, except that recesses were not formed on either of the lateral edges of the mask body.

[0089] [Test Example 3] Evaluation of skin contact (contact area) The masks obtained in Example 6 and Comparative Example 5 were evaluated for their skin contact properties (contact area) based on the evaluation method and according to the evaluation criteria described below. The results are shown in Table 5 and Figures 12 and 13.

[0090] <Evaluation Method> The obtained masks were fitted onto mannequins created based on the average facial dimensions of adult women, and the presence or absence of gaps between the mask and the face, as well as the size of the contact area, were determined and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below.

[0091] <Evaluation Criteria> ◎: Large contact area with skin, no gaps on the cheeks ×: There is a gap in the cheek area.

[0092] [Table 5]

[0093] <Results> In the mask obtained in Example 6 described above, no gaps were created in the cheek area when worn. On the other hand, in the mask obtained in Comparative Example 5, the mask did not fit the shape of the cheek, causing it to gap and creating a gap in the lower part of the cheek. Therefore, in the mask of this invention, the bending hardness of the mask body is 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 If the length of line segment L1 is set to 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is set to 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle θ between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is set to 85° or more and 130° or less, and furthermore, if the vicinity of the intersection point with the second virtual center line M2 at both lateral edges of the mask body is a concave recess that curves toward the lateral center, then it is clear that the mask of this invention can secure a large contact area with the wearer's skin.

[0094] [Configurations included in embodiments of the present invention] This embodiment includes the following configuration. (Configuration 1) A mask comprising a mask body and a pair of ear loops attached to both ends of the mask body in the left-right direction, The aforementioned ear hook portion is, One end is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body, and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body. The aforementioned mask body is When the mask is worn, let P be the highest point on the wearer's face, let Q be the center of the upper attachment part of the mask body to which one end of the ear loop is attached, let R be the center of the lower attachment part of the mask body to which the other end of the ear loop is attached, let L1 be the first imaginary line segment connecting P and Q, and let L2 be the second imaginary line segment connecting Q and R. The mask is configured such that the length of line segment L1 is 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is 85° or more and 130° or less. A mask characterized by the following. (Configuration 2) The mask according to Configuration 1, wherein the mask body is configured such that it does not have any joints or sewing parts other than the joints or sewing parts for forming or sewing the mask body three-dimensionally, and both sides in the thickness direction are smooth surfaces. (Configuration 3) The mask body is configured such that both lateral edges have recesses that curve concavely toward the left-right center near the intersection with a hypothetical straight line that passes through the vertical center of the mask body and extends horizontally, and that the recesses have a pair of upper and lower protrusions at both of their vertical ends. The mask according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein one end of the ear loop is attached to the edge of the upper projection, and the other end is attached to the edge of the lower projection. (Configuration 4) The mask according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, wherein the mask body is configured to cover at least the wearer's nose, mouth and cheeks. (Configuration 5) The ear loops are attached to the mask body by welding. The mask according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the welding strength is 2N or greater. (Configuration 6) The mask body has a bending hardness of 0.05 × 10 -4 N·m 2 / m or more 1.50×10 -4 N·m 2 A mask as described in any of configurations 1 to 5, configured to be less than or equal to / m. (Configuration 7) The mask according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the upper right edge extending to the right from the central part of the mask body and the upper left edge extending to the left from the central part are both configured to be in the shape of an arc, with the central part gently curved downwards in a concave shape from the left-right direction. (Configuration 8) The mask according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7, wherein the right lower edge extending to the right from the central part of the mask body and the left lower edge extending to the left from the central part are both configured to be in the shape of an arc that gently bulges out from the left and right ends toward the center. (Configuration 9) The mask according to Configuration 1 or 2, wherein the mask body has a heat-absorbing agent and / or a cooling agent, a heat-generating agent and / or a warming agent, or a beauty ingredient supported on its inner surface. [Industrial applicability]

[0095] The mask according to this invention consists of a mask body and a pair of ear loops attached to both ends of the mask body in the left-right direction, and is configured to ensure a large contact area with the wearer's skin. Therefore, by retaining a component (functional component) having a predetermined effect on its back surface (inner surface), particularly the part that comes into contact with the skin, this mask can impart a predetermined function (effect) to the wearer's skin while wearing it, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0096] 1 Mask, 2 Mask body, 21a, 22a Upper edge, 21b, 22b Lower edge, 21c Right edge, 22c Left edge, 21d, 22d Recess, 21e, 22e Upper attachment part, 21f, 22f Lower attachment part, 23a Upper joint, 23b Lower joint, 3 Ear loop

Claims

1. A mask comprising a mask body and a pair of ear loops attached to both ends of the mask body in the left-right direction, The aforementioned ear hook portion is, One end is attached to the edge near the upper corner of the mask body, and the other end is attached to the edge near the lower corner of the mask body. The aforementioned mask body is When the mask is worn, let P be the highest point on the wearer's face, let Q be the center of the upper attachment part of the mask body to which one end of the ear loop is attached, let R be the center of the lower attachment part of the mask body to which the other end of the ear loop is attached, let L1 be the first imaginary line segment connecting P and Q, and let L2 be the second imaginary line segment connecting Q and R. The mask is configured such that the length of line segment L1 is 60 mm or more and 110 mm or less, the length of line segment L2 is 35 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the angle between line segment L1 and line segment L2 is 85° or more and 130° or less. A mask characterized by the following.

2. The aforementioned mask body is The mask body is constructed so as to have no joints or seams other than those used for forming or sewing the mask into a three-dimensional shape, and both sides in the thickness direction are constructed to be smooth surfaces. The mask according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The aforementioned mask body is The lateral edges of the mask body have recesses that curve concavely toward the left-right center near the intersection with a hypothetical straight line that passes through the vertical center of the mask body and extends horizontally, and the recesses have a pair of upper and lower protrusions at both ends in the vertical direction. The aforementioned ear hook portion is, One end is attached to the edge of the upper projection, and the other end is attached to the edge of the lower projection, which serves as the attachment point. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

4. The aforementioned mask body is It must be configured to cover at least the wearer's nose, mouth, and cheeks. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

5. The attachment of the ear loop portion to the mask body is as follows: It is done by welding. The strength of the aforementioned weld is, It must be 2N or greater. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

6. The aforementioned mask body is Its bending hardness is 0.05 x 10 －４ N・m ２ / m or more 1.50×10 －４ N・m ２ It is configured to be less than or equal to / m. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

7. The upper right edge extending to the right from the center of the mask body and the upper left edge extending to the left from the center are both, The structure is designed so that the central part curves gently downwards in a concave, arc-like shape from the left and right directions. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

8. The right lower edge extending from the center of the mask body to the right and the left lower edge extending from the center to the left are both, It is constructed to form an arc shape that gently bulges out from the left and right ends towards the center. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

9. The aforementioned mask body is It contains a heat-absorbing agent and / or a cooling agent, a heat-generating agent and / or a warming agent, or a beauty ingredient on its inner surface. A mask according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following:

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