Augmented Face Mask With Internal Pleats For Nose Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional face masks fail to provide an adequate seal around the nose and cheeks, leading to the escape of humidified air, which can result in fogging of eyewear and reduced effectiveness in preventing the spread of contaminants.
Innovation Solution
The face mask design incorporates internal pleats that contact the nose and cheeks, providing a better fit and seal. This design includes a sealing surface that retains its shape with the help of a nose wire or flexible materials, ensuring a tighter fit around the nose and cheeks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional face masks are designed with simple structure, then ease of manufacture is improved, but sealing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into multiple functional layers including a sealing layer with pleats, a filtering layer, and a breathable layer. Each layer serves a specific function, with the sealing layer specifically designed to contact and seal around the nose and cheeks, while other layers handle filtration and comfort. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask employs different structural characteristics in different regions: the sealing layer has pleats and elastic materials concentrated at the nose and cheek areas to provide localized sealing pressure, while other regions use simpler structures. The nose wire is positioned specifically at the nasal bridge area to provide targeted support and seal enhancement where needed most.
2Device complexity
If the mask structure is simplified, then device complexity is reduced, but seal tightness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into multiple functional layers including a sealing layer with pleats, a filtering layer, and a breathable layer. Each layer serves a specific function, with the sealing layer specifically designed to contact and seal around the nose and cheeks, while other layers handle filtration and comfort. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing layer incorporates elastic materials and flexible pleats that can conform to the contours of the wearer's face, particularly around the nose and cheeks. This flexibility allows the mask to adapt to individual facial shapes while maintaining consistent sealing pressure, achieving tight seals without requiring complex rigid structures.
3Reliability
If internal pleats are added to improve seal, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mask employs different structural characteristics in different regions: the sealing layer has pleats and elastic materials concentrated at the nose and cheek areas to provide localized sealing pressure, while other regions use simpler structures. The nose wire is positioned specifically at the nasal bridge area to provide targeted support and seal enhancement where needed most.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing layer incorporates elastic materials and flexible pleats that can conform to the contours of the wearer's face, particularly around the nose and cheeks. This flexibility allows the mask to adapt to individual facial shapes while maintaining consistent sealing pressure, achieving tight seals without requiring complex rigid structures.
4Reliability
If the sealing surface is made to retain shape, then seal tightness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing layer incorporates elastic materials and flexible pleats that can conform to the contours of the wearer's face, particularly around the nose and cheeks. This flexibility allows the mask to adapt to individual facial shapes while maintaining consistent sealing pressure, achieving tight seals without requiring complex rigid structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask design allows the sealing surface to dynamically adapt to the wearer's face shape through flexible materials and pleats that can deform and conform. The nose wire provides structural support that maintains the general shape while allowing local adjustments. This dynamic adaptability enables the seal to maintain tightness across different wearers and facial expressions without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
Protective garments and face masks are provided that include a body portion (12) having a plurality of exterior pleats (22, 24, 26) configured to elongate in a first direction. The body portion further has an outer surface and an inner surface. The body portion further has an inner portion with a plurality of interior pleats (30, 32) connected between an upper edge (18) of the body portion and a sealing surface (34). The inner portion is configured to elongate in a second direction at an acute angle from the first direction. In certain implementations, the sealing surface simultaneously contacts a nose and cheeks of a wearer in response to the elongation in the second direction.