Passive acoustic transmission module for full-face mask

Abstract

The present invention relates to a passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask and a full-face mask. The passive acoustic transmission module includes a base portion, a cover portion welded to the base portion, and a diaphragm member; the diaphragm member is fixed in a tensioned state between the base portion and the cover portion to transmit sound; the base portion is configured to have a tab which protrudes radially outward and is used for mounting onto an oronasal mask of the full-face mask; and the cover portion is configured to have a mounting auxiliary member extending upward from a top surface of the cover portion for allowing a hand to grasp. The tensioned state of the diaphragm member is achieved by an interference fit between corresponding structures of the base portion and the cover portion. The full-face mask has the passive acoustic transmission module described above.

Description

PASSIVE ACOUSTIC TRANSMISSION MODULE FOR FULL-FACE MASKRELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202411063217.7 filed August 2, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to a passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask, and a full-face mask including the passive acoustic transmission module. The full-face mask is used to ensure breathing, barrier-free verbal communication, and wearing comfort of a wearer in various environments that are harmful to a human body.BACKGROUND

[0003] In modem industrial and medical fields, the importance of personal protective equipment is becoming increasingly prominent. As a key protective device, full-face masks are widely used in many fields such as firefighting and rescue, emergency response and disaster relief, industrial production, and medical protection. These masks not only need to provide efficient respiratory protection and face protection, but also need to ensure effective communication between wearers while ensuring safety, especially in some noise application scenarios such as mining and manufacturing.

[0004] In the design of conventional full-face masks, barriers are present for the wearers when performing verbal communication. Such communication barriers not only affect work efficiency, but may also cause serious safety risks in emergency situations. Although there are examples of using communication devices such as walkie-talkies to solve this defect, the use of multiple devices (such as power supplies) not only increases the burden on the wearers, but also may cause interference during operation, affecting the fluency and safety of the work.

[0005] As far as acoustic transmission modules are concerned, current acoustic transmission modules have an unstable acoustic transmission effect, such as relatively large volume loss or sound distortion, affecting the user experience. In addition, the acoustic transmission modules may also come into contact with the faces or mouths of wearers, affecting the wearing comfort.

[0006] To solve the above problems, there is an urgent need to develop anew- passive acoustic transmission module, which can improve the communication effect of wearers in various environments and / or provide wearing comfort.SUMMARY

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. According to one aspect of the present invention, a passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask is provided, comprising:

[0008] a base portion configured to have a bottom wall, a first annular clamping portion connected to a radial outer side of the bottom wall, and a first annular stepped portion connected to a radial outer side of the first annular clamping portion, the first annular clamping portion and the first annular stepped portion extending upward relative to the bottom wall and defining an inclined groove therebetween;

[0009] a cover portion configured to have a top wall, a second annular clamping portion connected to a radial outer side of the top wall, and a second annular stepped portion connected to a radial outer side of the second annular clamping portion, the second annular clamping portion and the second annular stepped portion extending downward relative to the top wall; and

[0010] a diaphragm member fixed in a tensioned state between the base portion and the cover portion, and forming a first chamber and a second chamber with the bottom wall and the top wall, respectively, so as to allow the diaphragm member to vibrate therein to transmit sound;

[0011] wherein the bottom wall and the top wall are each provided with at least one through hole,

[0012] wherein the second annular stepped portion is configured to fit with the first annular stepped portion, wherein the base portion and the cover portion are fixed together at the first and second annular stepped portions;

[0013] wherein the second annular clamping portion is configured to be in interference fit with the first annular clamping portion such that by fixing the cover portion to the base portion, the second annular clamping portion is received in the inclined groove to press an outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member tightly against the first annular clamping portion, so as to fix the diaphragm member in the tensioned state between the second annular clamping portion and the first annular clamping portion.

[0014] Optionally, the diaphragm member has an average thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm. Optionally, the Young's modulus of the diaphragm member is in a range of 2000 to 6500 MPa. Optionally, the diaphragm member may be a metal (stainless steel sheet or titanium alloy) film sheet, a paper film sheet, and a plastic film sheet. Optionally, a plastic from which the plastic film may be made includes, but is not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, mylar), polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC), polybenzimidazole (PBI), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene phthalate (PEN), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), liquid crystal polyester (LCP), triphenyl indium phosphide (TPI), polyamideimide (PAI), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and polyarylate (PAR). Optionally, the base portion and the cover portion are made of acrylonitrile- butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS plastic). Optionally, the base portion and the cover portion are assembled from a plurality of elements, or are integrally formed, such as by injection molding, 3D printing, or overmolding.

[0015] Optionally, an inner diameter of the second annular clamping portion is 0.5 to 2 mm greater than an inner diameter of the first annular clamping portion.

[0016] Optionally, the at least one through hole of the base portion and / or the cover portion gradually increases in diameter in a direction from the cover portion to the base portion. The through hole is circular or elliptical.

[0017] Optionally, the bottom wall and / or the top wall are configured to be parallel or protrude outward with respect to the diaphragm member, to expand the volumes of the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0018] Optionally, the base portion is configured to have a tab which protrudes radially outward on an outer cylindrical surface of the first annular stepped portion and is used for mounting onto an oronasal mask of the full-face mask. Optionally, the tab extends 50° to 360°, optionally 60° to 270°, or optionally 90° to 180°, in a circumferential direction.

[0019] Optionally, the base portion has a lower skirt portion extending downward from the bottom wall, and at least one protruding foot extending radially outward is provided at a lower end of the lower skirt portion, so as to be able to engage with a respiratory valve of the fullface mask.

[0020] Optionally, the cover portion is configured with a mounting auxiliary member extending upward from a top surface of the cover portion for an operator to grasp. Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member is two vertical plates or columns extending upward from the top surface at both ends of a diameter of the cover portion, respectively. Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member is a flat plate that is concave across the cover portion.

[0021] Optionally, the base portion is configured to have a protrusion extending upward from the first annular stepped portion, and the cover portion is configured to have a notch at a corresponding position of the second annular stepped portion, wherein the protrusion and the notch fit each other such that the mounting auxiliary member is oriented in a horizontal direction after the passive acoustic transmission module is assembled onto the full-face mask.

[0022] Optionally, the cover portion is configured to have an elastic portion disposed between the second annular clamping portion and the second annular stepped portion, and in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, the elastic portion and the second annular clamping portion are received in the inclined groove, so that the elastic portion is able to continuously apply a pressing force to the second annular clamping portion. Optionally, the elastic portion is an L-shaped, U-shaped, or W-shaped elastic portion.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, a passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask is provided, comprising a base portion, a cover portion welded to the base portion, and a diaphragm member; the diaphragm member is fixed in a tensioned state between the base portion and the cover portion to transmit sound; the base portion is configured to have a tab which protrudes radially outward and is used for mounting onto an oronasal mask of the full-face mask; and the cover portion is configured to have a mounting auxiliary member extending upward from a top surface of the cover portion for allowing a hand to grasp. Optionally, the tab and the mounting auxiliary member are each symmetrically arranged with respect to a same plane.

[0024] Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member is two vertical plates or columns extending upward from the top surface at both ends of a diameter of the cover portion, respectively. Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member is a flat plate that is concave across the cover portion.

[0025] Optionally, the base portion is configured to have a protrusion extending upward, and the cover portion is configured to have a notch at a position corresponding to the protrusion, wherein the protrusion and the notch fit each other such that the mounting auxiliary member is oriented in a horizontal direction after the passive acoustic transmission module is assembled onto the full-face mask.

[0026] Optionally, the base portion and the cover portion are made of a material different from that of the diaphragm member to prevent resonance.

[0027] According to still another aspect of the present invention, provided is a full-face mask having the aforementioned passive acoustic transmission module according to the present invention.

[0028] Other application fields of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings. The following specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the drawings, wherein:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a passive acoustic transmission module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a base portion of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base portion of FIG. 2 taken along line A- A;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a partial enlarged view of the base portion of FIG. 3;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a cover portion of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1 ;

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the cover portion of FIG. 5 taken along line B- B;

[0036] FIG. 7 shows a partially enlarged view of the cover portion of FIG. 6;

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1 before welding;

[0038] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1 after welding;

[0039] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a passive acoustic transmission module according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 10 after welding, and

[0041] FIG. 12 shows a partial enlarged view of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 11 after welding.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present invention will be described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. The detailed description and drawings show several embodiments, which areintended to illustrate the disclosure. It should be understood that although one or more exemplary embodiments will be illustrated below, the present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary embodiments, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents. It should be understood that any numbering of the disclosed features (e.g., first, second, etc.), as well as directional terms used with the disclosed features (e.g., front, rear, upper, lower, etc.), are relative terms indicating exemplary relationships between the related features or used to distinguish the related features. The word ‘'example” when used herein is intended to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Unless expressly stated, all ranges include the endpoints. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that data and various parameters described in the embodiments are only exemplary and do not constitute a limitation to the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a passive acoustic transmission module 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, which is configured to be detachably attached to a fullface mask for enabling communication between wearers of full-face masks. The passive acoustic transmission module 100 includes a base portion 200. a cover portion 300, and a diaphragm member 400 fixedly interposed between the base portion 200 and the cover portion 300. A first chamber and a second chamber are formed between the base portion 200 and the diaphragm member 400 and between the cover portion 300 and the diaphragm member 400, respectively, and provide a space for the diaphragm member 400 to vibrate to ensure that a diaphragm is not contacted when it vibrates, thereby reducing the influence on sound propagation. Each component will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the base portion 200 of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1. In this example, the base portion 200 is cylindrical as a whole, but it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art are able to make the base portion have other shapes, such as square, oval, etc., depending on the corresponding interface shape of a mask.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base portion 200 includes a lower skirt portion 201 and an upper cup portion 202. The lower skirt portion 201 extends downward from an outer periphery’ of a bottom wall 203 of the upper cup portion 202, forming a cylindrical outer peripheral wall. The lower skirt portion 201 is configured with three protruding feet 221 spaced apart and extending radially outward at a lower end to enable engagement with the full-face mask, for example by engagement to corresponding engagement features on a respiratory valveof the full-face mask. It will be appreciated that a lesser or greater number of protruding feet can be provided as needed, such as two. four, etc. Optionally, the protruding foot is a snap-in protruding foot for snapping to the respiratory valve.

[0046] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the upper cup portion 202 includes a transverse bottom wall 203, a circumferential wall 205 extending upward from an outer periphery' of the bottom wall 203, and a radial flange 206 extending outward from an end of the circumferential wall 205.

[0047] The bottom wall 203 spans the bottom of the upper cup portion 202 and correspondingly spans the upper end of the outer peripheral wall of the lower skirt portion 201, preventing the diaphragm member 400 from collapsing under negative pressure operation. Optionally, the bottom wall 203 is configured to be planar, or as shown in FIG. 3, protrudes into the outer peripheral wall of the lower skirt portion 201 to form a bottom wall protruding outward. Optionally, on the outer surface or the inner surface of the bottom wall, the position of the outer periphery of the bottom wall 203 and the position of the center of the bottom wall differ in height by 1 to 3 mm (that is, the protruding degree is 1 to 3 mm), and protrude outward in an arc shape. The bottom wall protruding outward can provide a larger space for the first chamber than a planar bottom wall, thereby further preventing from coming into contact with the diaphragm member 400 during vibration of the diaphragm member.

[0048] The bottom wall 203 has at least one through hole 204 uniformly distributed, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, uniformly distributed radially outward from the center to allow sound waves to be transmitted relatively uniformly. The through hole may be a round hole such as a circular hole or an elliptical hole because a sharp hole such as a triangular hole may cause echo and the like, adversely affecting the sound transmission effect. Optionally, the diameter of the through hole is 1.0 mm or more, optionally in the range of 1.0 to 10 mm, to avoid hindering the transmission of sound, and the total area of the through holes (i.e. , the sum of the areas of the respective through holes) accounts for 10% or more, optionally 15% or more, optionally in the range of 15% to 60%, of the area of the bottom wall 203, thereby enabling effective sound transmission while also protecting the diaphragm member from the impact of foreign particles. Optionally, a plurality of through holes have a uniform shape in a direction from the center of the bottom wall to the outer periphery to achieve relatively uniform sound transmission. Optionally, the at least one through hole 204 may be in a shape with a diameter gradually increased in a direction from the diaphragm member to the outside of the bottom wall, so as to enlarge the sound transmission effect.

[0049] A circumferential wall 205 is between and connects the bottom wall 203 and the radial flange 206. The inner surface of the circumferential wall 205 in this example expands outward in an arc shape, that is, the diameter increases, as it goes away from the bottom wall 203, as shown in FIGS. 3-4. In other embodiments, the inner surface of the circumferential wall 205 may expand outw ard in a conical shape.

[0050] The radial flange 206 provides an engagement structure for fitting the cover portion 300 and for tensioning the diaphragm member 400, and includes a first annular clamping portion 207 extending upward next to the circumferential wall 205 and a first annular stepped portion 208 connected to a radial outer side of the first annular clamping portion and extending upward. As shown in FIG. 4, the first annular clamping portion 207 includes a cylindrical surface 210 extending vertically upward from a top end A of an inner surface thereof next to the circumferential wall 205 and a conical surface 211 extending radially outward and downw ard from a top portion B of the cylindrical surface 210. Optionally, the top portion of the cylindrical surface 210 is rounded to avoid puncturing the diaphragm member. Optionally, the cylindrical surface 210 may be replaced by an inverted conical surface extending radially outward and upward from the top end A of the inner surface of the circumferential wall, having a maximum diameter at the top portion B.

[0051] The first annular stepped portion 208 includes, from inside to outside in a radial direction, a first cylindrical surface 212 extending vertically upward, a small conical surface 213 extending radially outward and downward from a top portion C of the first cylindrical surface 212, a first annular platform 214, a second cylindrical surface 215 extending vertically upward, a second annular platform 216, and an outer cylindrical surface 217 extending vertically downw ard to a bottom surface of the radial flange, which are sequentially connected together, wherein the first and second annular platforms extend horizontally, and the second annular platform 216 is higher than the first annular platform 214 to form a step configuration. As shown in FIG. 4, the top portion C formed by the first cylindrical surface 212 and the small conical surface 213 is higher than the second annular platform 216. It is used to support the cover portion 300 before welding during the process of assembling the passive acoustic transmission module, and serves as a welding line for ultrasonic welding during the welding process, forming a platform fitting with the cover portion after melting to realize edge sealing of the passive acoustic transmission module. In addition, an inclined groove is formed by the conical surface 211 of the first annular clamping portion and the first cylindrical surface 212 of the first annular stepped portion, and used for accommodating the second annular clampingportion of the cover portion and an optional elastic portion (to be described in detail later) to fix and tension the diaphragm member.

[0052] Optionally, the lower end of the first cylindrical surface 212 is connected to the lower end of the conical surface 211 through a rounded comer, and / or the second cylindrical surface 215 is connected to the second annular platform 216 through a rounded comer, to avoid stress concentration.

[0053] Optionally, the base portion 200 further includes a tab 209 protruding radially outward from the outer cylindrical surface 217 of the upper cup portion for securing and mounting an oronasal mask of the mask. The length by which the tab 209 protrudes in a radial direction and the length by which it extends in a circumferential direction may be set according to the structure of the oronasal mask to be mounted. Optionally, the tab 209 extends 50° to 360°, optionally 60° to 270°, or optionally 90° to 180°, in a circumferential direction.

[0054] Optionally, a protrusion 220 extending vertically upward is provided on the second annular platform 216, and used to position the cover portion 300, so that an operator can assemble the base portion 200 and the cover portion 300 at the same angle during assembly, thereby improving the assembly efficiency. The size, shape, and position of the protrusion 220 may be set as needed.

[0055] The structure of the cover portion 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 5-7. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover portion 300 includes a circular top wall 301 and a radial flange 303 extending outward from an outer periphery of the top wall 301. The top wall 301 spans and is slightly larger than an opening of the cylindrical surface 210 of the base portion 200 in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module. The top wall 301 is designed similarly to the bottom wall 203 of the base portion. Optionally, the top wall 301 is configured to be planar, or as shown in FIG. 6, the top wall protrudes upward (that is, protrudes away from the diaphragm member in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module) to form a top wall protruding outward, and the protruding degree is 1 to 3 mm. The top wall protruding outward can provide a larger space for the second chamber than a planar top wall, thereby further preventing from affecting the vibration of the diaphragm member 400.

[0056] Similar to the bottom wall of the base portion, the top wall 301 has at least one through hole 302 uniformly distributed to facilitate uniform transmission of sound waves. It will be appreciated that the size, shape, and distribution of the at least one through hole 302 may be the same as or similar to the size, shape, and distribution of the through hole 204 in the base portion 200. Optionally, the at least one through hole 302 may have a conical shape with agradually increasing diameter in a direction from a sound inlet side to the diaphragm member to enlarge the sound transmission effect.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, the radial flange 303 provides an engagement structure for fitting the base portion 200 and tensioning the diaphragm member 400, and includes a second annular clamping portion 304 extending downward next to the top wall 301 and a second annular stepped portion 305 connected to a radial outer side of the second annular clamping portion. The second annular clamping portion 304 is configured to fit in the inclined groove formed by the conical surface 211 of the base portion and the first cylindrical surface 212 and press the outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member tightly against the conical surface 211 of the base portion in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module to create an interference fit, so as to apply tension on the diaphragm member 400 and keep it taut. Therefore, the second annular clamping portion 304 is also referred to as a tension-applying structure. The second annular stepped portion 305 is configured to fit with and be fixed to the first annular step of the base portion in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, so as to realize edge airtight sealing of the passive acoustic transmission module and prevent sound leakage.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the second annular clamping portion 304 includes a first cylindrical surface 306 extending vertically downward from an outer periphery of the top wall 301, a conical surface 307, an annular rounded comer surface 308, and a second cylindrical surface 309, which are sequentially connected to form the second annular clamping portion 304. The annular rounded comer surface 308 is separately connected to the conical surface 307 and the second cylindrical surface 309 in a tangential manner.

[0059] The second annular stepped portion 305 includes, from inside to outside in a radial direction, a first annular platform 310, a cylindrical surface 311 extending vertically upward, a second annular platform 312, and an outer cylindrical surface 313 extending vertically upward to the top surface of the cover portion, which are sequentially connected together, wherein the first annular platform 310 extends horizontally and radially outward from the top portion of the second cylindrical surface 309, and the second annular platform 312 extends horizontally and is higher than the first annular platform 310 to form a step configuration for fitting with the first annular stepped portion of the base portion 200.

[0060] The diameter of the first cylindrical surface 306 of the second annular clamping portion (i.e., the inner diameter of the second annular clamping portion) is slightly greater than, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm greater than, the diameter of the cylindrical surface 210 of the first annular clamping portion (i.e., the inner diameter of the first annular clamping portion), so that in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, the diaphragm member is preventedfrom touching the first cylindrical surface 306 when vibrating upward. Optionally, the diameter and height of the cylindrical surface 311 of the second annular stepped portion 305 are both slightly less than, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm less than, the diameter and height of the second cylindrical surface 215 of the first annular stepped portion 208, so as to facilitate fitting and provide a gap for accommodating a molten material during the welding process. Optionally, the diameter of the second cylindrical surface 309 of the second annular clamping portion is slightly less than, for example. 1 to 2 mm less than, the diameter of the first cylindrical surface 212 of the first annular stepped portion 208. Optionally, the first cylindrical surface 306 is a conical surface, which extends radially inward and upward to the outer periphery of the top wall 301 at a smaller included angle than the conical surface 307 with respect to a vertical direction. Optionally, the conical surface 307 is configured to extend radially inward and upward to the lower end of the first cylindrical surface 306 at an angle less than, greater than, or equal to that of the conical surface 211 of the base portion with respect to the vertical direction, so as to be in an interference fit with the conical surface 211, thereby fixing and tensioning the diaphragm member.

[0061] Optionally, the cover portion 300 has a mounting auxiliary member 314. which extends upward from a top surface formed by both the top wall 301 and the radial flange 303, so as to enable an operator to easily grasp the cover portion when the cover portion is mounted to the base portion and / or the passive acoustic transmission module to the full-face mask. As shown in FIG. 5. in the present example, the mounting auxiliary member 314 is a concave flat plate, which is arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetrical axis of the tab 209 and gradually decreases in height from outside to inside along the diameter of the cover portion, so as to have the lowest height at the center of the cover portion. Such a concave flat plate causes a wearer's mouth to be prevented from touching the mounting auxiliary member 314 in use of a mask in a case where the passive microphone module is mounted in the mask. Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member 314 is two vertical plates or columns extending upward from the top surface at both ends of the diameter of the cover portion (i.e., the diameter of the radial flange 303), respectively, so as to enable two fingers to grasp.

[0062] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5, the cover portion 300 has a notch 315 at an edge of the radial flange 303 for fitting the protrusion 220 of the base portion 200, so that the alignment and assembly of the base portion 200 and the cover portion 300 can be guided and it is ensured that the mounting auxiliary member 314 of the cover portion 300 is in a horizontal orientation after the passive acoustic transmission module is mounted on the mask, to avoid touching the wearer's mouth in use of the mask. It will be appreciated that the notch 315 corresponding tothe protrusion 220 may be located at any position of the edge of the radial flange 303 as long as the intended positioning purpose can be achieved. Alternatively, it is possible that a notch is provided on the second annular platform 216 of the base portion 200 and a protrusion is correspondingly provided on the radial flange 303 of the cover portion to achieve the same positioning function.

[0063] The base portion 200 and the cover portion 300 are made of the same material, which is different from the material from which the diaphragm member is made, so that the diaphragm member does not have any mechanical resonance with the cover portion and the base portion in use. Optionally, the cover portion and / or the base portion are made of at least one lightweight material, such as ABS plastic and the like, having a melting point lower than the melting point of the diaphragm member.

[0064] Optionally, the base portion 200 and the cover portion 300 may be assembled from a plurality of elements, or integrally formed, such as by injection molding, 3D printing, or overmolding.

[0065] The diaphragm member 400 is a circular flexible film having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the first cylindrical surface 212 of the first annular stepped portion 208 to be placed therein. It will be appreciated that the shape of the diaphragm member may vary depending on the shape of the corresponding engagement structure of the cover portion / base portion. In order to achieve a good sound transmission effect, the material of the diaphragm member has high strength, water resistance, fog resistance, protection against particulates and chemicals, gas impermeability, and low acoustic transmission loss, the Young's modulus thereof is in the range of 2000 to 6500 MPa, and the average thickness thereof is 0.01 to 1 mm. Optionally, the Young's modulus is in the range of 3000 to 4000 MPa, and the average thickness is 0.025 to 0.075 mm.

[0066] Optionally, the diaphragm member may be selected from the group consisting of a metal (stainless steel sheet or titanium alloy) film sheet, a paper film sheet, and a plastic film sheet. A plastic from which the plastic film sheet may be made includes, but is not limited to, PP. PBT, PET, PI, PC, PBI, PEI. PEN, PEEK, LCP, TPI. PAI, PTFE, PPS, and PAR. The properties of some materials of the diaphragm member are listed in Table 1.Table 1 Material property table of diaphragmPolvethylene terephthalate Mylar 25 1 40 4,000 0.0014 69 260 130 2.857(PET)Po henmMe15 x 273.100 0.0013 216 120 2.414(PEI)

[0067] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of components of the passive acoustic transmission module of FIG. 1 before they are welded together. In the present example, the assembly of the passive acoustic transmission module is implemented by a two stage process. In a first step, the base portion 200 is fixed to an assembly pedestal, and then the diaphragm member 400 is placed into an opening formed by the first cylindrical surface 212 of the base portion 200, so that the diaphragm member 400 is supported horizontally on the top portion B of the first annular clamping portion, thereby forming a diaphragm member / base portion assembly.

[0068] In a second step, the cover portion 300 is positioned over the diaphragm member / base portion assembly and fixed together. Specifically, the notch 315 on the radial flange 303 of the cover portion 300 is first aligned and fitted with the top end of the protrusion 220 of the base portion 200 (e.g., by pinching the mounting assist member 314). At this time, the top portion C of the first annular stepped portion of the base portion 200 is supported against or near the end portion of the first annular platform of the cover portion close to the second cylindrical surface 309, thereby holding the cover portion on the base portion. The second annular clamping portion of the first cover portion presses the outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member downward, so that the diaphragm member is pre-tensioned. Moreover, the vertical distance dl between the second annular platform 312 of the cover portion and the second annular platform 216 of the base portion is greater than the vertical distance d2 between the conical surface 307 of the cover portion and the conical surface 211 of the base portion (that is, the conical surface 307 and the conical surface 211 will be in interference fit), so that after the cover portion and the base portion are welded together, the second annular clamping portion of the cover portion presses the outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member tightlyagainst the conical surface 211 of the base portion to fix and tension the diaphragm member 400 in interference fit.

[0069] Then, in this case, the fixing between the base portion and the cover portion may be achieved by using an ultrasonic welding machine. The parameters of the ultrasonic welding machine may be selected within the following ranges: frequency of 15 to 20 kHz, power of 1.8 kw or more, pressure of 0.5 to 2 MPa, and time of 0.01 to 2 seconds.

[0070] During the welding process, the top portion C of the base portion will first be melt due to local energy concentration, and then at least an upper portion adjacent thereto enclosed by the small conical surface 213 and the first cylindrical surface 212, the second cylindrical surface 215 , the second annular platform 216, and the first annular platform 310, the cylindrical surface 311, and the second annular platform 312 of the cover portion are caused to melt, so that the corresponding annular stepped portions of the base portion and the cover portion are fitted and fixed together, thereby forming a stepped welding portion, achieving good sealing performance, avoiding sound leakage therefrom, and reducing acoustic transmission loss.

[0071] Also, during the welding process, as the cover portion 300 moves downward relative to the base portion, the second annular clamping portion 304 of the cover portion 300 presses the outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member 400 downw ard to an increasing extent, so that a progressively greater radial tension is applied on the diaphragm member until the second annular stepped portion of the cover portion abuts against the first annular stepped portion of the base portion in a fit manner. At this time, the conical surface 307 of the cover portion presses the outer clamping portion tightly against the conical surface 21 1 of the base portion, so that the diaphragm member is fixedly interposed therebetw een in a tensioned state.

[0072] FIG. 9 show s a partial enlarged view- of an assembled passive acoustic transmission module. The diaphragm member 400 may be divided into an outer clamping portion and a central working portion which spans an opening formed by the top portion B of the cylindrical surface 210 of the base portion, within the outer clamping portion. The outer clamping portion is fixedly interposed betw een the annular clamping portions of both the base portion and cover portions, so that the diaphragm member 400 is not only firmly fixed between the base portion and cover portions, but also keeps the central working portion of the diaphragm member under tension to reduce acoustic transmission losses and sound distortion. In addition, the diameter of the first cylindrical surface 306 of the cover portion is greater than the diameter of the cylindrical surface 210 of the base portion, so that the diaphragm member is not obstructed by the first cylindrical surface 306 or the conical surface 307 when vibrating upward, which is advantageous for reducing the acoustic transmission loss.

[0073] FIG. 10 shows a passive acoustic transmission module N100 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, which is configured to be detachably attached to a fullface mask for enabling communication between wearers of full-face masks. The passive acoustic transmission module N100 includes a base portion N200, a cover portion N300, and a diaphragm member N400 fixedly interposed between the base portion N200 and the cover portion N300. Since the base portion and the diaphragm member described with regard to the first embodiment are applicable to the second embodiment, the description of the base portion N200 and the diaphragm member N400 is not described again here to avoid unnecessary repetition. In describing the second embodiment, components identical or similar to those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, except that the second embodiment has the prefix “N”. Only the structure of the cover portion N300 different from that of the first embodiment will be described below.

[0074] The cover portion N300 is substantially identical in structure to the cover portion 300 of the first embodiment, including a circular top wall N301 and a radial flange N303 extending outward from an outer periphery of the top wall N301. The structure of the top wall N301 is similar to that of the top wall 301 of the first embodiment. For example, the top wall N301 may be configured to be planar, or as shown in FIG. 1 1, the top wall protrudes upward away from the diaphragm member to form a top w all protruding outw ard, and the protruding degree is 1 to 3 mm. The top wall N301 spans and is slightly greater than the opening of the cylindrical surface N210 of the base portion N200 in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module. Likewise, the top wall N301 has at least one through hole N302, which is provided identically or similarly to the through hole of the first embodiment.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 11-12, the radial flange N303 provides an engagement structure for fitting the base portion N200 and tensing the diaphragm member N400 and includes, from inside to outside in a radial direction, a second annular clamping portion N304, a small annular platform N320, a U-shaped elastic portion N321, and a second annular stepped portion N305 that are sequentially connected together. The second annular clamping portion N304, the small annular platform N320, and the U-shaped elastic portion N321 together constitute a tension applying structure. In the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, the tension applying structure fits in an inclined groove formed by the conical surface N211 and the first cylindrical surface N212 of the base portion to tension and fix the diaphragm member, and the second annular stepped portion N305 is configured to fit with and be fixed to the first annular stepped portion N208 of the base portion in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module.

[0076] As shown in an enlarged form in FIG. 12, the second annular clamping portion N304 includes a first cylindrical surface N306 extending vertically downward from the outer periphery of the top wall N301, a conical surface N307, an annular rounded comer surface N308, a second cylindrical surface N309, all of which are sequentially connected to form the second annular clamping portion N304 protruding downward from the outer periphery' of the top wall. The annular rounded comer surface N308 is separately connected to the conical surface N307 and the second cylindrical surface N309 in a tangential manner. The conical surface N307 of the second annular clamping portion N304 is configured to be in interference fit with the conical surface N211 of the first annular clamping portion of the base portion 200.

[0077] The U-shaped elastic portion N321 includes a first arm N325, a second arm N326, and a semicircular arm N327 connecting the two to form a U-shape. The U-shaped elastic portion is connected at the first arm to the second annular clamping portion N304 by the small annular platform N320 and at a second arm to the second annular stepped portion N305. Optionally, the small annular platform N320 is omitted, and the first arm of the U-shaped elastic portion N321 and a part of the semicircular arm N327 are integrated into the second cylindrical surface N309 and the annular rounded comer surface N308, that is, an L-shaped elastic portion is formed, it will be appreciated that the U-shaped spring portion may also be modified to be W- shaped.

[0078] The second annular step N305 includes, from inside to outside in a radial direction, a first annular platform N310, a cylindrical surface N311 extending vertically upward, a second annular platform N312, and an outer cylindrical surface N313 extending vertically upward to the top surface of the cover portion, which are sequentially connected together, wherein the first and second annular platforms N310, N312 and the small annular platform N320 extend horizontally, and the second annular platform N312 is higher than the first annular platform N310 to form a step configuration for fitting with the first annular stepped portion N208 of the base portion N200.

[0079] The diameter of the first cylindrical surface N306 of the second annular clamping portion N304 is slightly greater than, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm greater than, the diameter of the cylindrical surface N210 of the first annular clamping portion N207, so that in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, the diaphragm member is prevented from touching the first cylindrical surface N306 when vibrating upward. Optionally, the diameter of the second arm N326 of the U-shaped elastic portion N321 is slightly greater than, for example, 1 to 2 mm greater than, the diameter of the first cylindrical surface N212 of the first annular stepped portion N208, so that in the assembled condition, the U-shaped elastic portion issqueezed, enabling a pressing force to be continuously applied on the second annular clamping portion N304. As a result, the conical surface N307 will continuously press the outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member tightly against the conical surface N21 1 of the base portion, thereby improving the stability of the tension and fixation of the diaphragm member. Additionally, a tightening member may be arranged in a groove formed on the outer surface of the cover portion N300 by the U-shaped elastic portion, so as to continuously apply a force to the second annular clamping portion N304 through the tightening member to improve the stability of the tension of the diaphragm member.

[0080] Optionally, the diameter and height of the cylindrical surface N311 of the second annular stepped portion N305 are both slightly less than, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm less than, the diameter and height of the second cylindrical surface N215 of the first annular stepped portion N208, so as to facilitate fitting and provide a gap for accommodating a molten material during the welding process. Optionally, the first cylindrical surface N306 is a conical surface, which extends radially inward and upward to the outer periphery of the top wall N301 at a smaller included angle than the conical surface N307 with respect to a vertical direction. Optionally, the conical surface N307 is configured to extend radially inward and upward to the lower end of the first cylindrical surface N306 at an angle less than, greater than, or equal to that of the conical surface N211 of the base portion with respect to the vertical direction, so as to be in an interference fit with the conical surface 211, thereby fixing and tensioning the diaphragm member.

[0081] Optionally, the cover portion N300 has a mounting auxiliary member N314, a majority of which extends upward from the top surface of the top wall N301 to enable an operator to easily grasp the cover portion when the cover portion is mounted to the base portion and / or the passive acoustic transmission module is mounted to the full-face mask. Similarly to the first embodiment, the mounting auxiliary member N314 is concave, has the lowest height at the center of the cover portion and is arranged symmetrically with respect to a symmetrical axis of the tab N209 of the base portion. Optionally, the mounting auxiliary member N314 is two vertical plates or columns extending upward from the top surface at both ends of the diameter of the cover portion (i.e.. the diameter of the radial flange N303). respectively, so as to enable two fingers to grasp. Optionally, similar to the first embodiment, the cover portion N300 has a notch N315 at an edge of the radial flange N303 for fitting the protrusion N220 of the base portion N200, so that the alignment and assembly of the base portion N200 and the cover portion N300 can be guided and it is ensured that the mounting auxiliary member N314 of the cover portion N300 is in a horizontal orientation after the assembled passive acoustictransmission module is mounted on the mask, to avoid touching the wearer's mouth in use of the mask.

[0082] The full-face mask according to the present invention has the passive soundconducting module according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 1 or 10. The full-face mask further includes a respirator)- valve configured with an engagement portion for connecting a protruding foot on the base portion of the passive acoustic module, and an oronasal mask configured with an engagement flange for sealingly receiving a tab on the base portion of the passive acoustic module, so that the mounting auxiliary member on the cover portion of the passive acoustic module is in a horizontal orientation. Optionally, an annular gasket is mounted on the base portion of the passive acoustic transmission module to achieve sealing when engaged with the respiratory valve.

[0083] A sound loss test method is that the full-face mask is worn on a head phantom with a sound source, and a sound receiving device is placed at about 30 cm in front of the full-face mask. The test frequency of the sound source of the present application is 300 to 1400 Hz, because the human audio is generally concentrated within 300 to 1000 Hz. Sound loss results are obtained by comparing an original decibel value obtained without the full-face mask with a decibel value obtained with the mask.

[0084] The tested full-face mask includes the passive acoustic transmission module according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the passive acoustic transmission module includes a base portion, a cover portion and a diaphragm member, wherein the base portion and the cover portion are made of ABS plastic, the diaphragm member is made of 0.025 mm PI, the top wall and the bottom all have thicknesses of 3 mm and 1.5 mm, respectively, and each protrude outw ard by 3 mm in an arc manner relative to the diaphragm member (taking the top wall as an example, that is, the height difference between the outer periphery and the center point of the top wall is 3 mm). The through holes are uniformly distributed on the bottom wall and the top wall and have a diameter of 2 mm.

[0085] Table 2 lists the sound loss test results for full-face masks according to the present invention. As can be seen from Table 2. in the range of 300 Hz to 1400 Hz, the sound loss of the full-face mask according to the present invention is in the range of 0.6 to 19.9 dB, and the average value is 10.04 dBA. In particular, in the case of the frequency of 300 Hz, the performance of the full-face mask was almost the same as the sound transmission effect without the mask, thereby exhibiting excellent sound loss performance.

[0086] The passive acoustic transmission module and the full-face mask including the same according to the present invention can selectively achieve the following beneficial technical effects:(l) By adopting a stepped welding portion at the edges of the cover portion and the base portion, a good airtight sealing of the passive acoustic transmission module is achieved, thereby avoiding the risk of sound leakage at the connection between the base portion and the cover portion, and reducing the acoustic transmission loss. (2) By selecting a suitable diaphragm member and applying radial tension on the diaphragm member in combination with a reasonable selection of the size and arrangement of the through holes in the top wall and the bottom wall, sound can be transmitted without the acoustic transmission loss of more than 20 dBA in the audio frequency range within 1500 Hz, and the low sound loss helps the wearers communicate without obstruction. (3) By optionally adding an elastic portion to continuously apply a force to the cover portion, the cover portion is kept tightly abutted against the annular clamping portion of the base portion, thereby improving the stability of the tension of the diaphragm member and further ensuring the stability of acoustic transmission. (4) The diaphragm member is made of a material different from that of the base portion and the cover portion, and does not use sharp holes or the like, thereby avoiding any mechanical resonance and achieving the minimum sound distortion. (5) By providing the mounting auxiliary member and the complementary protrusion and notch, the wearing comfort is also ensured while the assembly efficiency is improved.

[0087] While the preferred modes for carrying out the present disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the field to which the present disclosure relates will recognize that the foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses in any way, and that the broad teachings of the present disclosure can be embodied in many forms, including various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the present disclosure within the scope of the appended claims. Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with regard to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in and / or combined with features of any of the otherembodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with one another remain within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, while the present disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited. Various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art in light of the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask, comprising: a base portion configured to have a bottom wall, a first annular clamping portion connected to a radial outer side of the bottom wall, and a first annular stepped portion connected to a radial outer side of the first annular clamping portion, the first annular clamping portion and the first annular stepped portion extending upward relative to the bottom wall and defining an inclined groove therebetween; a cover portion configured to have a top wall, a second annular clamping portion connected to a radial outer side of the top wall, and a second annular stepped portion connected to a radial outer side of the second annular clamping portion, the second annular clamping portion and the second annular stepped portion extending downward relative to the top wall; and a diaphragm member fixed in a tensioned state between the base portion and the cover portion, and forming a first chamber and a second chamber with the bottom wall and the top wall, respectively, so as to allow- the diaphragm member to vibrate therein to transmit sound; wherein the bottom wall and the top w all are each provided with at least one through hole, wherein the second annular stepped portion is configured to fit with the first annular stepped portion, wherein the base portion and the cover portion are fixed together at the first and second annular stepped portions; wherein the second annular clamping portion is configured to be in interference fit with the first annular clamping portion such that by fixing the cover portion to the base portion, the second annular clamping portion is received in the inclined groove to press an outer clamping portion of the diaphragm member tightly against the first annular clamping portion, so as to fix the diaphragm member in the tensioned state between the second annular clamping portion and the first annular clamping portion.

2. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm member is made of polyimide or polyether ether ketone, and has an average thickness of 0.01 to 1 mm.

3. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an inner diameter of the second annular clamping portion is 0.5 to 2 mm greater than an inner diameter of the first annular clamping portion.

4. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one through hole of the base portion and / or the cover portion gradually becomes larger in diameter in a direction from the cover portion to the base portion.

5. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom wall and / or the top wall are configured to protrude outward with respect to the diaphragm member to expand volumes of the first chamber and the second chamber.

6. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion is configured to have a tab which protrudes radially outward on an outer cylindrical surface of the first annular stepped portion and is used for mounting onto an oronasal mask of the full-face mask.

7. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion has a lower skirt portion extending downward from the bottom wall, and at least one protruding foot extending radially outward is provided at a lower end of the lower skirt portion, so as to be able to engage with a respiratory valve of the full-face mask.

8. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover portion is configured with a mounting auxiliary member extending upward from a top surface of the cover portion for grasping.

9. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 8, wherein the base portion is configured to have a protrusion extending upward from the first annular stepped portion, and the cover portion is configured to have a notch at a corresponding position of the second annular stepped portion, wherein the protrusion and the notch fit each other such that the mounting auxiliary member is oriented in a horizontal direction after the passive acoustic transmission module is assembled onto the full-face mask.

10. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover portion is configured to have an elastic portion disposed between the second annular clamping portion and the second annular stepped portion, and in the assembled passive acoustic transmission module, the elastic portion and the second annular clamping portion are received in the inclined groove, so that the elastic portion is able to continuously apply a pressing force to the second annular clamping portion.

11. A passive acoustic transmission module for a full-face mask, comprising: a base portion; a cover portion welded to the base portion; and a diaphragm member; wherein the diaphragm member is fixed in a tensioned state between the base portion and the cover portion to transmit sound; the base portion is configured to have a tab which protrudes radially outward and is used for mounting onto an oronasal mask of the full-face mask; and the cover portion is configured with a mounting auxiliary member extending upward from a top surface of the cover portion for allowing a hand to grasp.

12. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 11, wherein the mounting auxiliary member is two vertical plates or columns extending upward from the top surface at both ends of a diameter of the cover portion, respectively.

13. The passive acoustic transmission module according to claim 11 , wherein the mounting auxiliary member is a flat plate that is concave across the cover portion.

14. The passive acoustic transmission module according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the base portion is configured to have a protrusion extending upward, and the cover portion is configured to have a notch at a position corresponding to the protrusion, wherein the protrusion and the notch fit each other such that the mounting auxiliary member is oriented in a horizontal direction after the passive acoustic transmission module is assembled onto the fullface mask.

15. The passive acoustic transmission module according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the base portion and the cover portion are made of a material different from that of the diaphragm member.

16. A full-face mask, which is provided with the passive acoustic transmission module according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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