Nose Mask with Bendable Wire for Form-Fit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing facemasks can be uncomfortable to wear, causing claustrophobia and making it difficult to eat or converse, leading to resistance in wearing them, especially during pandemics.
Innovation Solution
A nose mask design featuring an innermost, middle, and outermost layer, with a wire that bends over the nose bridge for a form-fit and ear straps for secure wearing, allowing the mouth and eyes to remain uncovered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a full face mask is worn to protect the respiratory system, then protection effectiveness is improved, but comfort and ease of operation deteriorate due to claustrophobia and difficulty in eating or conversing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the face mask coverage by providing a nose mask that covers only the nose and mouth area, separating it from the eyes and lower face. This segmentation allows respiratory protection while maintaining comfort by leaving the eyes uncovered and reducing the overall enclosed feeling, thus resolving the contradiction between protection effectiveness and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential protective function from the full face mask design and concentrates it on the nose and mouth area only. By taking out the unnecessary coverage of eyes and lower face, the design maintains respiratory protection while eliminating the claustrophobic effect, thereby improving ease of operation without sacrificing the core protective function
2Reliability
If a full face mask is worn to prevent spread of infectious diseases, then public health protection is improved, but public acceptance and compliance deteriorate due to discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The nose mask design segments facial coverage to protect only the respiratory zones (nose and mouth), which are the primary transmission routes for respiratory viruses. This segmented approach maintains public health protection by filtering airborne particles at the source while improving public acceptance through enhanced comfort and reduced claustrophobia, making people more willing to wear masks consistently
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the coverage parameter from full-face to partial-face (nose only), and incorporates a wire that can be bent to fit different nose shapes. This parameter change maintains the essential protective function while adapting to individual user needs and comfort requirements, thereby improving public acceptance and compliance
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 nose mask provides comfort and promotes awareness of mask-wearing by allowing users to breathe easily and engage in daily activities without the feeling of claustrophobia, while still protecting the respiratory system from contaminants.
Implementation Method 1
a wire contained in the main body and located near the top end of the main body, the wire being configured to be bent to a desired shape and retain the desired shape when bent
Implementation Method 2
the middle layer is a filter configured to filter air passing through the mask
Data Source
AI summary
A nose mask includes: a main body, a wire, and ear straps. The main body is formed by joining together an innermost layer, an outermost layer, and a middle layer. The wire is located near a top end of the main body and can bend to a desired shape and retain the desired shape. The ear straps extend laterally away from the sides of the main body. The main body has a distance between a top end and a bottom end, such that when the nose mask is worn by a user, the nose mask covers a nose of the user, while leaving a mouth and eyes of the user uncovered. The wire can bend over a bridge of the user's nose, thereby causing the main body to form fit over the nose bridge. The ear straps can loop around respective ears of the user.