Mask Case

Abstract

To provide a face mask case capable of automatically folding a face mask and storing it with a single touch by simple operation in a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A face mask case includes a fixing part 32 which has a hinge shaft part 18 openably / closably connecting a pair of case members 12 and a bearing part 28, and maintains the state closed by the hinge shaft part 18. An opening / closing part side of the case member 12 is provided with a contact part 39 contacting an end part 50a provided with face mask strings 52. The case member 12 is provided with a rectangular top surface 14 and four side surfaces 16 encircling sides of the top surface 14. Closed surfaces are closed by upper end surface of the side surfaces 16 facing each other, and the closed surfaces of the side surfaces 16 are provided with guide ribs 40 positioning end parts 50a of the face mask 48.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mask case for storing a mask. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to the spread of infection caused by the novel coronavirus, people often wear sanitary masks at all times to prevent droplet infection. However, it is necessary to remove the mask when eating, etc., and handling and storage of the removed mask can be difficult. Conventionally, there are mask cases that store masks that are temporarily removed for meals, etc. Conventional mask cases include those that store the mask in an unfolded state, those that fold the mask after engaging it with a hook part inside the mask case, and those that fold the mask by folding a movable wall for engagement.

[0003] For example, the mask storage case disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a part of the case body that can be opened and closed, and stores a mask in the mask storage space when closed. The case body is provided with a movable wall that can be folded and deployed between a collapsed position where it collapses to the bottom of the case body and an upright position where it stands up from the bottom of the case body, and is configured so that the movable wall deploys to the upright position when the case body is opened, and the ear straps of the mask can be engaged with the movable wall. The movable wall moving from the upright position to the collapsed position can guide the ear straps in a direction to fit into the mask storage space while restricting the movement of the ear straps of the mask. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-11035 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the case of a mask case in which the mask is stored in an unfolded state, the mask case itself becomes large, making it difficult to put it in a pocket or a small bag, and therefore not suitable for carrying. On the other hand, in the case of a mask case in which the mask is folded and stored, the mask must be folded in advance, or the mask must be fixed by fitting it into a locking hook or folding the movable wall, making the storage process troublesome. Furthermore, some masks cannot be stored without touching the mask surface with one's hands, and there is a risk of touching viruses or the like attached to the mask surface. In the case of the above patent document, the ear straps of the mask are locked to the hooks of the movable wall to store the mask, making the storage process troublesome. In addition, the number of parts required to attach the movable wall makes the structure complicated.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems in the background art described above, and has an object to provide a mask case that has a simple structure and can automatically fold a mask in half and store it with a single touch through simple operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a mask case comprising a pair of case members that are arranged to be able to swing relative to each other, a hinge that connects the case members so that they can be opened and closed, and a fixing part for maintaining the closed state by the hinge, in which the mask is placed with the mask strings facing the opening and closing part side of the pair of case members, and when the case members are closed, the mask is stored in a state in which the center of the front of the mask is folded vertically so that the mask strings are aligned. The case member is formed with a rectangular top surface and four side surfaces surrounding the sides of the top surface, and the side surfaces include a hinge side surface on which the hinge is provided, an opening / closing part side surface that is parallel to the hinge side surface and is the opening / closing part side that opens and closes by the hinge, and a pair of closing side surfaces that intersect the hinge side surface and the opening / closing part side surface, The case member The opening and closing side surface has A contact portion is provided to contact the end of the mask where the mask string is provided. The hinge is provided with a locking portion that maintains the pair of case members open at an obtuse angle, and the pair of case members have the same weight. When the pair of case members are maintained open at a predetermined obtuse angle by the locking portion and placed on an arbitrary table surface, the corners between the hinge side surface and the top surface of the pair of case members each become legs that contact the table surface, and the pair of legs contact the table surface, and the pair of opening / closing part side surfaces of the pair of case members, which have the same weight, are opened evenly at an incline on both sides from the legs and are arranged to be able to stand on the table surface by themselves. .

[0008] The pair of case members have the same shape, and the shapes of the case members are asymmetrical across an imaginary line that passes through the center of the top surface and is parallel to the closing side surface, and the hinge side surfaces are provided with a hinge shaft portion on one side and a bearing portion shaped to receive the hinge shaft portion on the other side, at positions symmetrical about the imaginary line, the fixing portion is provided adjacent to the center of the opening / closing side surface, and a locking step portion is formed in a portion adjacent to the center of the fixing portion, and when the pair of case members are closed, the locking steps of the pair of fixing portions lock together.

[0009] A guide rib for positioning the end of the mask inwardly is provided on a closing surface which is the upper end surface of the side surfaces and which faces each other when closed, and which protrudes from the closing surface in the planar direction of the side surfaces.

[0010] The closing surfaces of the opening / closing side surfaces, which face each other when closed, are formed with string release recesses for pulling the mask strings of the mask outward, and the string release recesses become a pair of string release holes provided in positions that match the mask strings when the pair of case members are closed.

[0011] The case members are integrally molded from a synthetic resin. Also, the pair of case members may be integrally molded from a synthetic resin together with the hinge.

[0012] The present invention also provides A method of using a mask case comprising a pair of case members that are pivotally arranged relative to each other, a hinge that connects the case members so that they can be opened and closed, and a fixing part that maintains the closed state by the hinge, in which the mask is placed so that the mask strings face the opening and closing part side of the pair of case members, and when the case members are closed, the mask is stored in a state in which the center of the front side is folded vertically so that the mask strings are aligned, the case members are formed with a rectangular top surface and four side surfaces that go around the edges of the top surface, and the side surfaces are fixed to the hinge. a hinge side surface on which a hinge is provided, an opening / closing side surface that is parallel to the hinge side surface and is the opening / closing side that is opened and closed by the hinge, and a pair of closing side surfaces that intersect the hinge side surface and the opening / closing side surface, the opening / closing side surface of the case member is provided with an abutment portion that abuts against an end of the mask to which the mask string is provided, and the hinge is provided with a locking portion that maintains the pair of case members open at an obtuse angle, the pair of case members have the same weight, and the pair of case members are opened and closed at a predetermined obtuse angle by the locking portion. The pair of case members are opened and maintained and placed on an arbitrary table surface, the corners between the hinge side surface and the top surface of the pair of case members are placed on the table surface as legs that contact the table surface, the opening / closing part side surfaces are inclined on both sides by the legs and opened evenly to allow the pair of case members to stand on the table surface, the mask string is held, and the mask is placed on the pair of open case members with the end to which the mask string is attached facing in a direction that contacts the opening / closing part side surface, the distance between the pair of contact portions is larger than the distance between the pair of ends of the mask, and the mask is placed on the front of the pair of case members. This is a method of using a mask case in which the mask is stored by its own weight without interfering with the abutment parts, and when the outer surface of the top surface of the case member is held and the angle of the pair of case members is reduced to close, the mask is folded in half vertically at the center of the front side, the mask rises due to the repulsive force generated when the mask body is folded, and the raised end of the mask abuts against the abutment parts and is positioned so that it is folded in half without coming off, and in the folded state, the fixed parts of the pair of case members engage with each other to store the mask. Effect of the Invention

[0013] The mask case of the present invention has a simple structure and can automatically fold a mask in half and store it in a single operation with a simple touch. It can be stored without touching the mask itself, which is hygienic and prevents contact infection with viruses, etc. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mask case according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 10 is a perspective view showing a process of storing a mask in the mask case of this embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a mask is stored in the mask case of this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mask case of this embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the mask case according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mask case 10 of this embodiment is composed of a pair of rotatably connected case members 12, a hinge that connects the case members 12 so that they can be opened and closed, and a fixing part 32 for maintaining the closed state by the hinge. The pair of case members 12 have the same shape, and the case main body 12 is integrally molded by injection molding or the like from a resin such as polystyrene, and the pair of case members 12 are brought together and closed to form a storage space 11, and a mask 48, which will be described later, is stored in the storage space 11.

[0016] The case member 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The case member 12 has a rectangular top surface 14, and a low side surface 16 is provided all around the periphery consisting of the four sides of the top surface 14. The side surface 16 is provided to protrude toward the inner surface 14a, which is one surface of the top surface 14, and the protruding upper end surfaces of the side surface 16 come into contact with each other and are closed when the pair of case members 12 are closed. Occlusion surface The surface opposite to the inner surface 14a is the outer surface 14b, which becomes the outside when the mask case 10 contains the mask 48 as the object to be contained. The top surface 14 is, for example, a rectangle of about 10 cm x about 9 cm, and a general adult mask 48 can be placed on the outer surface 14b. Parallel to the short side of the mask 48 It is large enough to be stored when folded in half at the center front.

[0017] Of the side surfaces 16 continuing to the approximately 10 cm long side of the top surface 14, one becomes a hinge side surface 16a where a hinge is provided, and the other becomes an opening / closing side surface 16b for opening and closing. The hinge side surface 16a and the opening / closing side surface 16b are parallel to each other. The side surfaces 16 that intersect with the hinge side surface 16a and the opening / closing side surface 16b and continue to the approximately 9 cm short side of the top surface 14 become a pair of closing side surfaces 16c.

[0018] The hinge side surface 16a is provided with a hinge shaft 18 that serves as a hinge connecting the pair of case members 12. The hinge shaft 18 is provided at a position that is closer to the left side than the center of the length of the hinge side surface 16a when the inner side surface 14a is viewed with the hinge side surface 16a facing downward. The hinge shaft 18 is axially parallel to the hinge side surface 16a and is located at a position that is slightly moved in parallel to the outside of the hinge side surface 16a. A disk-shaped holding protrusion 20 having a diameter larger than the diameter of the hinge shaft 18 is integrally provided at both ends of the hinge shaft 18, and the ends of the holding protrusion 20 are continuous with the closed surface, which is the upper end surface of the hinge side surface 16a, to support the hinge shaft 18. A bearing space 22 into which a bearing portion 28, which will be described later, is inserted so as to be able to swing is formed by cutting out the closed surface of the hinge side surface 16a between the pair of holding protrusions 20. The inner peripheral surface located on the inner surface 14a side of the hinge side surface 16a is thicker between the pair of holding protrusions 20, reinforcing the base end of the holding protrusions 20. The holding protrusion 20 located on the right side of the pair of holding protrusions 20 when the inner surface 14a is viewed with the hinge side surface 16a facing downward is provided with a locking portion 24 that limits the opening angle of the pair of case members 12 when the pair of case members 12 are assembled to form the mask case 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the locking portion 24 is triangular in shape and protrudes in the circumferential direction of the holding protrusions 20 near the hinge side surface 16a, and the locking portion 24 has a locking surface 24a that is parallel to the surface direction of the hinge side surface 16a.

[0019] A guide rib 26 is provided on the hinge side surface 16a at a position slightly to the right of the hinge shaft portion 18. The guide rib 26 is a rectangular plate protruding from the closed surface of the hinge side surface 16a, and its surface direction is parallel to the surface direction of the hinge side surface 16a. The thickness of the guide rib 26 is thinner than that of the hinge side surface 16a. The thickness of the inner peripheral surface of the hinge side surface 16a is increased by the thickness of the guide rib 26 at a position continuous with the guide rib 26, and the guide rib 26 is provided flush with this thick inner peripheral surface. In other words, the guide rib 26 is provided inside the hinge side surface 16a, avoiding the thickness of the closed surface of the hinge side surface 16a.

[0020] A bearing portion 28 for receiving the hinge shaft portion 18 is provided at a position toward the right side of the hinge side surface 16a. The hinge shaft portion 18 and the bearing portion 28 are provided at a position spaced apart from the center of the hinge side surface 16a in the longitudinal direction by the same length. The bearing portion 28 is a semi-cylindrical shape that is long in a direction parallel to the hinge side surface 16a, and the length in the insertion direction is approximately the same as that of the hinge shaft portion 18, and is a length that fits between a pair of holding protrusions 20. The inner space of the bearing portion 28 has a diameter that allows the hinge shaft portion 18 to swingably fit therein. The bearing portion 28 is located parallel to the hinge side surface 16a in the insertion direction, and the central axis is located at a position that is translated slightly outward from the hinge side surface 16a, and a part of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing portion 28 is attached continuously to the hinge side surface 16a, and the opposite side to the hinge side surface 16a is open. The closed surface of the hinge side surface 16a is formed with notches at positions adjacent to both ends of the bearing portion 28 to form holding protrusion spaces 30 into which the holding protrusions 20 are inserted so as to be able to swing. The inner peripheral surface of the hinge side surface 16a is thicker at a position coinciding with the bearing portion 28, thereby maintaining and reinforcing the thickness of the inner peripheral surface side of the bearing portion 28.

[0021] The side surface 16b for the opening / closing part, which is parallel to the side surface 16a for the hinge, is provided with a fixing part 32. The fixing part 32 is provided at a position that continues to the left side of the center of the length of the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part when the side surface 16a for the hinge is facing downwards as viewed from the inner side surface 14a of the top surface 14. The fixing part 32 is a plate-like body that protrudes outward from the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part in parallel with the inner side surface 14a. When the inner side surface 14a is viewed, the fixing part 32 is a deformed right-angled triangle, and is composed of a long side 32a that coincides with the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part and is parallel to the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part, a short side 32b that intersects with the side 32a at a right angle and protrudes outward from the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part, and an oblique side 32c that connects the side 32a and the side 32b. About half of the thickness of the fixing part 32 is continuous with the outer peripheral surface of the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part, and about the remaining half protrudes from the closed surface of the side surface 16b for the opening / closing part. The side 32a is formed with a fitting step 34, the surface of which is continuous with the closing surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b and opens upward. The side 32b coincides with the center of the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing side surface 16b, and is formed with a locking step 36, the surface of which is continuous with the closing surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b and opens downward.

[0022] The outer peripheral surface of the opening / closing side 16b is provided with a rectangular recess 38 recessed from the outer peripheral surface adjacent to the side 32b of the fixing portion 32. The recess 38 has a width that reaches the outer surface 14b of the top surface 14, and its length in the longitudinal direction is the same as that of the fixing portion 32. The inner peripheral surface located on the inner surface 14a side of the opening / closing side 16b becomes thicker at a position that coincides with the recess 38, and becomes an abutment portion 39 that abuts against an end 50a of a mask 48 described later. The abutment portion 39 is provided with a guide rib 40. The guide rib 40 is a rectangular plate body of the same size as the guide rib 26, and its surface direction is parallel to the surface direction of the opening / closing side 16b. The thickness of the guide rib 40 is the same as the thickness of the closing surface of the opening / closing side 16b where the recess 38 is formed, and is provided flush with the recess 38 and the abutment portion 39.

[0023] A guide rib 42 is provided on the left side of the opening / closing side 16b adjacent to the fixed portion 32. The guide rib 42 is a rectangular plate having the same size as the guide rib 26, and its surface direction is parallel to the surface direction of the opening / closing side 16b. The thickness of the guide rib 42 is thinner than that of the opening / closing side 16b. The thickness of the inner peripheral surface of the opening / closing side 16b is larger by the thickness of the guide rib 42 at a position continuous with the guide rib 42, and the guide rib 42 is provided flush with this thick inner peripheral surface. In other words, the guide rib 40 is provided inside the opening / closing side 16b, avoiding the thickness of the closing surface of the opening / closing side 16b. The guide rib 40 and the guide rib 42 are located at different positions from the center in the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing side 16b, with the guide rib 40 being closer to the center and the guide rib 42 being located farther from the center by a length equivalent to the size of the guide rib 40.

[0024] In the portion of the opening / closing side surface 16b near the pair of closing side surfaces 16c, string release recesses 44 that form string release holes 43 are cut out and formed on the closing surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b. One of the string release recesses 44 is cut out to a constant depth over a length from a position adjacent to the guide rib 42 to just before the corner that intersects with the closing side surface 16c. A string release recess 44 of the same size is also formed at a position opposite the guide rib 42 across the center.

[0025] A guide rib 46 is provided on each of the closing side surfaces 16c at a position close to the opening / closing side surface 16b. The guide rib 46 is a rectangular plate having the same size as the guide rib 26, and its surface direction is parallel to the surface direction of the closing side surface 16c. The thickness of the guide rib 46 is thinner than that of the closing side surface 16c. The inner peripheral surface located on the inner surface 14a side of the closing side surface 16c becomes thicker at a position continuous with the guide rib 46 by the thickness of the guide rib 46, and the guide rib 46 is provided flush with this thick inner peripheral surface. In other words, the guide rib 46 is provided on the inside of the closing side surface 16c, avoiding the thickness of the blocking surface of the closing side surface 16c. The pair of guide ribs 46 are located at different positions from the opening / closing side surface 16b, and the guide rib 46 of the left closing side surface 16c is provided slightly before the corner intersecting with the opening / closing side surface 16b, and the guide rib 46 of the right closing side surface 16c is located away from there by the size of the guide rib 46.

[0026] Next, a method of assembling the mask case 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of case members 12 having the same shape are arranged with the inner side surfaces 14a of the top surfaces 14 aligned, the hinge side surfaces 16a adjacent to each other, and each hinge shaft 18 inserted into the bearing portion 28 and connected. Since the opening of the bearing portion 28 is set slightly narrower than the diameter of the hinge shaft 18, the bearing portion 28 is elastically deformed and widened by strongly pressing the hinge shaft 18 against the inner space of the bearing portion 28, and the hinge shaft 18 passes through and fits into the inner space. When the hinge shaft 18 enters the inner space, the elastic deformation of the bearing portion 28 is restored, preventing the hinge shaft 18 from coming off. The bearing portion 28 is inserted into the bearing space 22 around the hinge shaft 18 and can swing. The retaining projections 20 supporting the hinge shaft 18 are inserted into the retaining projection spaces 30 on both sides of the bearing portion 28, so that there is no hindrance to the swinging motion. This completes the assembly of the mask case 10.

[0027] The pair of case members 12 are connected to each other at their hinge side surfaces 16a, and the hinge shaft portion 18 and the bearing portion 28 form a hinge, allowing the case members 12 to swing about the hinge shaft portion 18 and the bearing portion 28 as an axis, and to open and close. In the open state, as shown in Fig. 5, the locking surface 24a of the locking portion 24 formed on the holding protrusion 20, which is positioned parallel to the surface direction of the hinge side surface 16a, abuts against the end of the holding protrusion space 30 of the other case member 12 from the outer circumferential surface of the hinge side surface 16a, and restricts the opening angle so that the case members 12 do not open any further. This allows the case members 12 to be maintained open at a predetermined angle, as shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, the pair of case members 12 have the same shape and weight, and when the pair of case members 12 are opened and placed on a table or other surface with the inner surface 14a of the top surface 14 facing upward, the corner between the hinge side surface 16a and the top surface 14 becomes the leg, the leg contacts the surface, and the mask case 10 stands on its own with the opening / closing side surface 16b inclined to both sides from the leg and raised. Furthermore, even when the mask case 10 is tilted to a position where the top surface 14 of one of the case members 12 is in contact with the surface parallel to the surface, if the opening angle is set large so that the center of gravity remains between the legs, the case will naturally return to a standing state from the fallen state, and the case member 12 will reliably maintain a standing state with the case member 12 open upward even if it is placed on the surface carelessly. Note that if the opening angle of the case member 12 is an obtuse angle, and is less than a right angle, if the top surface 14 of one of the case members 12 falls from the above-mentioned standing state to a state where it is stacked on a desk or the like, it will not return to its original standing state, which will be inconvenient when used.

[0028] Next, a method of using the mask case 10 will be described. The contents of the mask case 10 are a mask 48, which has a rectangular mask body 50 made of nonwoven fabric or the like. The mask body 50 is a rectangle that is long in the horizontal direction, and a mask string 52 for hanging around the ears is provided at the horizontal end 50a. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the mask case 10 is placed on a desk or the like with the pair of case members 12 open at a predetermined obtuse angle, and allowed to stand on its own. The case members 12 are provided with a locking portion 24 that controls the swing of the hinge shaft portion 18, and when the case members 12 are opened, they are opened at a predetermined obtuse angle and locked.

[0029] In this state, the mask 48 is placed on the inner surface 14a of the open mask case 10 by holding the mask string 52, with the end 50a in abutment with the inner peripheral surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b. A pair of side edges 50b intersecting the end 50a of the mask body 50 are in abutment with the inner peripheral surface of the closing side surface 16c. The case member 12 is opened at an obtuse angle so that the length from the guide ribs 40, 42 of one case member 12 to the guide ribs 40, 42 of the other case member 12 is greater than the distance from the end 50a of the mask 48 to the end 50a, so that the mask 48 is stored by its own weight without interference. At this time, the pair of mask strings 52 are each annular, and pass through each string-out recess 44 and are positioned outside the opening / closing side surface 16b. When the mask 48 is inserted while holding the mask string 52, it can be placed without touching the mask body 50.

[0030] Next, as shown in Fig. 2, after placing the mask 48 in a predetermined position, the angle of the pair of case members 12 is reduced and closed. As a result, the mask 48 is folded in half near the center of the front side. At this time, the mask 48 rises due to the repulsive force when folding the mask body 50, but the end 50a of the mask body 50 abuts against the abutment portion 39 and the guide ribs 40, 42 of the opening / closing side surface 16b, and is folded in half without coming off the opening / closing side surface 16b to the outside. Then, the mask 48 is stored in the storage space 11 of the mask case 10 in a folded state without falling off the case member 12.

[0031] Even if the end 50a of the mask 48 is slightly raised above the closing surface of the opening / closing side 16b, it is pushed in by the guide ribs 40, 42 when the pair of case members 12 is closed and is securely stored. A pair of side edges 50b intersecting the end 50a abuts against the guide rib 46 of the closing side 16c and does not shift to the side of the closing side 16c. The guide rib 26 is provided on the hinge side 16a, so that the mask body 50 is prevented from being pinched between the pair of hinge side 16a. When closing the case member 12, if the outer side 14b of the top surface 14 of the case member 12 is held and closed, the case member 12 can be closed without touching the mask body 50 of the mask 48. In addition, since the mask case 10 is raised and inclined on both sides from the legs to the opening on the opening side 16b side, it is much easier to place your hands near the opening on both sides and pull the mask strings 52 on both sides to adjust the shape of the mask 48 while adjusting the storage position or closing the case member 12 compared to when it is open at 180 degrees, which is very convenient when temporarily storing the mask 48 that is in use.

[0032] When the pair of opening / closing side surfaces 16b are brought close to each other and completely closed, the pair of fixing parts 32 face each other with the sides 32b sandwiching the center of the opening / closing side surfaces 16b between them, and the locking step portions 36 of the sides 32b face each other. When pressed strongly, they elastically deform and overcome the obstacle, and when they overcome the obstacle, the elastic deformation is restored and they are locked together, and the four side surfaces 16 Occlusion surface are in close contact with each other and maintain the closed state. A fitting step 34 is provided on the side 32a of the fixing part 32, and abuts against the closing surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b of the opposing case member 12 without any gap. The guide rib 40 and the guide rib 42 are located at different positions from the center of the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing side surface 16b, with the guide rib 40 being closer to the center and the guide rib 42 being located farther from the center by a length equivalent to the size of the guide rib 40, so that they are located close to each other. The guide rib 40 and the guide rib 42 are inserted along the inner circumferential surface of the opening / closing side surface 16b of the opposing case member 12 and overlapped. The guide rib 26 is inserted along the inner circumferential surface of the hinge side surface 16a, and the guide ribs 46 are inserted along the inner circumferential surface of the closing side surface 16c and overlapped.

[0033] As a result, the mask 48 is automatically folded and stored by a simple operation of just closing the case members 12 without touching the mask body 50 of the mask 48. A storage space 11 is formed inside the pair of case members 12, and the mask 48 is stored in the storage space 11 as shown in Fig. 3. The string-releasing recesses 44 of the opposing case members 12 are continuous with each other to form string-releasing holes 43, which open into the opening / closing side surface 16b, and the mask strings 52 are pulled out to the outside. Not only can the mask 48 be easily stored by grabbing the mask strings 52, but they can also be used as a handle for carrying the mask after storage.

[0034] When removing the mask 48 stored in the mask case 10, a force is applied in a direction to separate the mutually engaged fixed parts 32. At this time, since the recessed part 38 of the opposing case member 12 is adjacent to the fixed part 32, it is easy to apply a force to the fixed part 32. Then, the case member 12 elastically deforms, and the locking step parts 36 of the fixed parts 32 are disengaged and the locking is released, and the pair of case members 12 opens. The mask 48 is removed from the opened case member 12 while holding the mask strings 52, and the mask is put on the face by hanging it on the ears. At this time, it can be put on without touching the mask body 50. If the mask strings 52 are folded into the case member 12 when storing, the mask strings 52 can also be stored.

[0035] According to the mask case 10 of this embodiment, the mask 48 can be automatically folded in half and stored with one touch, with a simple structure. The mask body 50 of the mask 48 can be stored and removed without touching it with hands, which is hygienic. The mask 48 can be temporarily removed and stored during meals, etc., which is convenient. The mask case 10 is provided by combining a pair of case members 12 of the same shape, and is easy to manufacture and inexpensive. The case members 12 are asymmetric in shape from the center of the top surface 14 to the closing side surface 16c direction, and when the hinge sides 16a of the case members 12 are combined facing each other, the hinge shaft portion 18 and the bearing portion 28 correspond to each other, the locking step portions 36 of the fixing portion 32 correspond to each other so as to be locked to each other, and the guide ribs 26, 40, 42, 46 are arranged so as not to overlap, so that the case members 12 and the case members 12 can be combined even if they are of the same shape. The cost of molds and the manufacturing process can be reduced. It is also possible to combine case members 12 of different color materials. Since the hinge is provided by combining the hinge shaft portion 18 and the bearing portion 28, there is no need to select a resin such as polypropylene that has hinge characteristics as in the case of thin-walled hinges, and it can be made from various types of resin such as polystyrene, ABS resin, AS resin, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, methacrylic resin, etc. It can be easily mass-produced by injection molding synthetic resin.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the shape, size, number, etc. of the top surface, side surface, hinge shaft portion, bearing portion, fixing portion, etc. can be appropriately changed. The position and number of the abutting portion and guide rib may be any as long as they can reliably position the mask. The opening angle of the pair of case members may be such that they can open evenly and stand on their own, and the shape of the legs may be a protrusion or a flat surface. The shape of the locking portion may be changed according to the opening angle, and the number and shape of the hinge shaft portion and bearing portion may be other than those described above, as long as they can be opened and closed smoothly. If manufactured from a resin with hinge properties, the pair of case members may be previously connected to each other by a thin-walled hinge portion and molded as one piece. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10 Mask Case 12 Case material 14 Top 16 Side 16a Hinge side 16b Side for opening / closing part 16c Closure side 18 Hinge shaft 24 Locking part 26,40,42,46 Guide rib 28 Bearing 32 Fixed part 36 Locking step 39 Contact part 43 String hole 44 Cord outlet recess 48 Mask 50 Mask body 50a End 52 Mask string

Claims

1. A mask case comprising a pair of case members that are pivotally arranged relative to each other, a hinge that connects the case members so that they can be opened and closed, and a fixing portion that maintains the case in a closed state by the hinge, in which the mask is placed in an open state with the mask strings facing the opening and closing portions of the pair of case members, and when the case members are closed, the mask is stored in a state where the center of the front side of the mask is folded vertically so that the mask strings are aligned, The case member has a rectangular top surface and four side surfaces that surround the sides of the top surface and protrude from corners of the top surface toward an inner side surface, and the side surfaces include a hinge side surface on which the hinge is provided, an opening / closing part side surface that is parallel to the hinge side surface and is the opening / closing part side that opens and closes by the hinge, and a pair of closing side surfaces that intersect the hinge side surface and the opening / closing part side surface, a contact portion that contacts an end of the mask to which the mask string is attached is provided on the side surface of the case member for the opening and closing portion, and a locking portion that maintains the pair of case members in an open state at an obtuse angle is provided on the hinge, and the pair of case members have the same weight, When the pair of case members are placed on an arbitrary table surface while being kept open at a predetermined obtuse angle by the locking portion, the corners between the top surface and the hinge side surfaces protruding from the top surface of the pair of case members each become legs that contact the table surface, and the pair of legs contact the table surface, and the pair of opening / closing side surfaces of the pair of case members having the same weight are opened evenly at an angle on both sides from the legs and are provided so as to be able to stand on the table surface, A string-pulling recess for pulling out the mask string of the mask to the outside is formed on the closing surfaces of the opening / closing side surfaces that face each other when closed, and the string-pulling recess becomes a pair of string-pulling holes provided at positions that match the mask string when the pair of case members are closed, A mask case characterized in that, when the pair of case members are opened at a predetermined obtuse angle by the locking portion, the mask is placed in the open state in the pair of case members with the mask strings facing the string release recesses of the pair of case members, and by closing the case members, the abutment portions come into contact with the ends of the mask, the mask strings are pulled outward from the string release recesses in a folded state, and the mask is stored with the center of the front of the mask folded vertically.

2. The pair of case members have the same shape, The shape of each of the case members is asymmetrical with respect to a virtual line that passes through the center of the top surface and is parallel to the closing side surface, The hinge side surface is provided with a hinge shaft portion on one side and a bearing portion shaped to receive the hinge shaft portion on the other side, at positions symmetrical with respect to the imaginary line; 2. The mask case according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion is provided adjacent to the center of the side surface for the opening and closing portion, a locking step portion is formed in a portion adjacent to the center of the fixing portion, and the locking step portions of the pair of fixing portions are locked together when the pair of case members are closed.

3. 3. The mask case according to claim 1, wherein a guide rib for positioning the end of the mask inward is provided on a closing surface which is an upper end surface of the side surface and faces each other when closed. The mask case according to claim 1, wherein a guide rib for positioning the end of the mask inward is provided on the closing surface and protrudes from the closing surface in the planar direction of the side surface.

4. A method of using a mask case comprising a pair of case members that are pivotally arranged relative to each other, a hinge that connects the case members so that they can be opened and closed, and a fixing part that maintains the case in a closed state by the hinge, the mask is placed in an open state with the mask strings facing the opening and closing parts of the pair of case members, and when the case members are closed, the mask is stored in a state where the center of the front side is folded vertically so that the mask strings are aligned, The case member has a rectangular top surface and four side surfaces that surround the sides of the top surface and protrude from corners of the top surface toward an inner side surface, and the side surfaces include a hinge side surface on which the hinge is provided, an opening / closing part side surface that is parallel to the hinge side surface and is the opening / closing part side that opens and closes by the hinge, and a pair of closing side surfaces that intersect the hinge side surface and the opening / closing part side surface, a contact portion that contacts an end of the mask to which the mask string is attached is provided on the side surface of the case member for the opening and closing portion, and a locking portion that maintains the pair of case members in an open state at an obtuse angle is provided on the hinge, and the pair of case members have the same weight, A string-pulling recess for pulling out the mask string of the mask to the outside is formed on the closing surfaces of the opening / closing side surfaces that face each other when closed, and the string-pulling recess becomes a pair of string-pulling holes provided at positions that match the mask string when the pair of case members are closed, The pair of case members are placed on an arbitrary table surface while being kept open at a predetermined obtuse angle by the locking portion, the corners between the hinge side surface and the top surface of the pair of case members are placed on the table surface as legs that contact the table surface, and the opening / closing side surfaces are inclined on both sides at the legs and open evenly to allow the pair of case members to stand on the table surface; While holding the mask string, the mask is placed on the pair of case members with the end to which the mask string is attached facing the side surface for the opening and closing portion, and the mask string is directed toward the string outlet recess of the pair of open case members, and the distance between the pair of abutting portions is greater than the distance between the pair of ends of the mask, so that the mask is stored by its own weight without interfering with the abutting portions, A method of using a mask case, characterized in that when the outer surface of the top surface of the case member is held and the angle of the pair of case members is reduced to close the mask, the mask is folded in half vertically at the center of the front side, the mask rises due to the repulsive force generated when the mask body is folded, the raised end of the mask abuts against the abutment portion and is positioned so that the mask is folded in half without coming off, and in the folded state, the mask string is pulled outward from the string release recess, and the fixing portions of the pair of case members are engaged with each other to store the mask.

Images