Transparent Face Shield Assembly for Microbe Inhibition and Demeanor Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional medical face masks in the food service industry create a psychological barrier by obscuring the wearer's demeanor, and existing solutions do not provide an effective alternative for inhibiting the transmission of microbes while maintaining customer interaction and business aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A face shield assembly with a transparent, semi-cylindrical shield made of polymeric materials like PET or polycarbonate, attached to a holder that can be worn on the body, providing coverage from below the chin to above the nostrils, with adjustable and removable features to facilitate easy use and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional medical face masks are worn by workers interacting with customers, then the transmission of microbes is inhibited, but the customer cannot perceive the wearer's demeanor creating a psychological barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies transparency as an optical property change to resolve the contradiction. The face shield is made of transparent material that allows customers to see the wearer's facial expressions and demeanor while still providing physical barrier protection against microbe transmission, thus maintaining both safety and interpersonal connection
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent face shield acts as an intermediary element between the wearer and customer. It provides the protective function of a mask while simultaneously allowing visual communication and emotional expression to pass through, mediating between the need for protection and the need for social interaction
2Loss of information
If a transparent face shield is used instead of a mask, then the wearer's demeanor is visible to customers, but the shield must extend from below the chin to above the nostrils requiring a holder structure
Solution Approach 1:
The face shield system is segmented into two main components: the transparent shield portion and the holder structure. This segmentation allows the shield to be optimized for visibility and protection while the holder provides the necessary structural support and wearability, dividing the complex system into manageable functional parts
Solution Approach 2:
The holder structure extends the face shield into three-dimensional space, positioning it correctly on the wearer's face. By adding the holder dimension, the flat transparent shield is transformed into a wearable assembly that maintains proper spacing and orientation, solving the complexity issue through spatial arrangement
3Strength
If the shield is made of transparent polymeric material like PET or polycarbonate, then the shield provides durability and clarity, but the shield requires removable connection to the holder for cleaning and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the shield and holder is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. The removable connection allows the shield to be easily detached for cleaning, storage, or replacement while maintaining a secure attachment during use, providing operational flexibility without compromising the durability of the transparent polymeric material
Data Source
AI summary
A face shield assembly comprises a holder adapted to be worn on the body of a wearer. The holder has a support portion and a separate attachment portion connected to the support portion. The support portion of the holder defines an opening through which the wearer's neck is received or, in another embodiment, on the head of the wearer. In addition, a shield is removably connected to the attachment portion of the holder, the shield being formed of a transparent material. The shield further has a curved configuration around a generally vertical axis as well as being narrower at one end than the other.