Foldable Two-Part Protective Mask for Biological Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective masks are often stiff, difficult to manufacture, and lack sufficient tightness, making them inefficient for protecting against biological agents while being cumbersome and complex in design.
Innovation Solution
A personal protective equipment (PPE) composed of two identical, circle-shaped parts with straight and curved edges, featuring an air-chamber design for the nose and mouth area, elastic strips for adjustment, and optional accessories like nose clips and exhaling valves, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit with enhanced sealing and filtering capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mask is made stiff, folded, plied or reinforced to ensure enough room between the mask and the face, then the mask can be shaped and moulded to create enough room in the mouth-nose area to allow easy breathing, but the mask becomes hard to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is made from a single flexible sheet of material that is folded and sealed to create the three-dimensional structure. This flexible thin film approach allows the mask to be manufactured simply through folding and sealing operations, while still creating the necessary volume and shape for comfortable breathing without requiring complex stiffening or reinforcement structures.
2Ease of manufacture
If the mask is made simple in design and easy to manufacture, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the mask does not offer enough tightness on the face
Solution Approach 1:
The mask incorporates adjustable elastic bands that allow the user to dynamically adjust the tightness and fit to their specific face shape. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures a reliable seal without requiring complex pre-formed structures, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving the necessary tightness for effective protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask design allows for variation in size and shape parameters to accommodate different face geometries. By providing adjustable parameters such as band elasticity and mask dimensions, the simple design achieves reliable tightness across various users without complicating the manufacturing process.
3Volume of moving object
If the mask is made flat and foldable for storage, then the mask is compact and easy to store, but the mask may lack the structure to maintain proper shape and sealing when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is constructed from multiple sealed sections or panels within the single sheet structure. These segmented regions maintain their relative positions when worn, providing structural stability and proper shape, while the overall flat construction allows compact folding for storage. The segmentation creates a three-dimensional form that retains its configuration during use.
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 PPE provides a comfortable, easy-to-manufacture solution with high sealing efficiency and breathability, effectively protecting against biological agents by creating a tight seal around the face while allowing free movement, suitable for critical applications.
Implementation Method 1
the seam can be sewed, welded, mechanic or adhesive and in particular the ultrasonic seam is to be preferred
Implementation Method 2
The PPE is also complete with elastic strips, to keep the PPE positioned on the user's face
Implementation Method 3
Both parts are made of one single layer or a multi-layer structure, where at least one layer is a filtering media
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to a personal protective equipment for the respiration that is made up of an upper (1) and a lower (2) part characterized in that the two parts are both flat and exactly identical, are circle-shaped with a straight edge and a curved one, arc-shaped, and are linked together through the curved edge (3). The equipment can be re-positioned in a folded position for storage, while during the use, it creates an air-chamber, crescent shaped, over the nose and the mouth of the user, and the linear edges of the two parts are in contact with the face. The protective equipment of the invention, thanks to its small size, high comfort and high sealing along its perimeter, is particular effective in the applications where a high tightness is required for high protection level such as the use to protect against biological agents.