Face and Head Shield with Inward Protrusions for Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional face shields inadequately protect the upper facial area and leave gaps between the shield and the wearer's face, exposing users to droplets or aerosol particles, necessitating additional protective gear.
Innovation Solution
A face and head shield comprising a transparent non-spherical dome or shell that covers both facial and cranial regions, with a design featuring a singular unitary piece of transparent material, inward protrusions, and an airflow space to provide comprehensive protection and maintain airflow between the shield and the user's face.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional face shield with a panel and headband is used, then the shield structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the upper facial area and gaps between the shield and wearer's face are inadequately protected
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is divided into two functional portions: an upper cranial portion that overlies the top of the head and a lower facial portion that hangs downwardly over the facial region. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific protective function while maintaining overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The shield transitions from a conventional two-dimensional panel to a three-dimensional structure with the upper cranial portion extending over the top of the head. This adds vertical dimension to the protection, covering the forehead, scalp, and facial regions simultaneously
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a non-spherical dome or shell design is used to cover facial and cranial regions, then comprehensive protection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is constructed as a thin-walled non-spherical dome or shell that is transparent, providing comprehensive coverage of facial and cranial regions while remaining manufacturable through forming processes. The shell structure achieves complex three-dimensional protection without requiring multiple components
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the shield is positioned close to the wearer's face for maximum protection, then coverage is improved, but airflow is blocked leading to condensation and fogging
Solution Approach 1:
The shield employs a curved, dome-like structure that naturally channels airflow around the wearer's face. The curved surface maintains protective coverage while creating airflow pathways that prevent stagnation, condensation, and fogging by allowing continuous air movement between the shield and the wearer's face
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shield offers enhanced protection by covering the entire facial and cranial regions, including the forehead and scalp, while maintaining airflow to prevent exposure to contaminants, thus reducing the need for additional protective gear.
Implementation Method 1
an airflow space whose width is delimited between said pair of inward protrusions, said airflow space having a widened lower end that coincides with bottom ends of said inward protrusions, and from which said airflow space tapers upwardly to a lesser width than said widened lower end
Data Source
AI summary
A protective shield features a single-piece transparent dome or shell having a rear opening through which facial and cranial regions of a user's head are received, thereby providing improved coverage over conventional face shields that cover the face only. Inward protrusions at a transitional region between the facial and cranial portions of the shield rest against the forehead to offset the facial portion of the shield forwardly of the user's face to allow airflow, optionally introduced from an external fan via an airflow channel integrally formed in the cranial portion. A flexible connector clip has a J-shaped profile for engaging an out-turned flange around the boundary of the shield s rear opening, to enable clipped connection of a bib or shroud. Support protrusions in an underside of the cranial portion maintain airspace above the head, which is further optimized by a rearwardly sloped incline of the cranial portion.