Pulley Face Mask with Adjustable Neck Loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional face masks often lack adjustable and comfortable securing systems, leading to discomfort and potential loss due to inadequate fit, especially when removed temporarily.
Innovation Solution
A pulley face mask system with a cord that adjusts around the ears and neck, allowing independent tightening and loosening of ear loops and a neck loop, ensuring adaptable comfort and secure fit, using elastic or non-stretch materials for various mask types and sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional face masks use fixed securing systems, then manufacturing is simple, but comfort and fit are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the ear loops and neck loop adjustable in length. The cord system includes movable sections that allow users to change the tightness and fit of the mask according to their needs. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by providing customizable comfort without requiring multiple different mask designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing system is segmented into multiple independent components: a first cord forming ear loops and a second cord forming a neck loop. Each cord can be independently adjusted, allowing fine-tuned customization of fit. This segmentation enables complex adjustment capabilities while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If face masks have non-adjustable securing systems, then device complexity is low, but adaptability to different users is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable cord lengths enable the same mask design to adapt to different head sizes and shapes. Users can modify the ear loop and neck loop lengths to achieve proper fit, making the mask versatile across different user populations without requiring multiple size variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The second cord serving as a neck loop provides multi-functionality. When the mask is worn, it secures the mask position; when the mask is removed, the neck loop allows the mask to hang securely around the user's neck. This universal design serves multiple purposes with a single structural element.
3Reliability
If face masks lack neck support, then device complexity is low, but mask loss when removed temporarily is high
Solution Approach 1:
The neck loop serves dual functions: securing the mask during wear and retaining the mask on the user's neck when temporarily removed. This multi-functional design improves reliability by ensuring the mask doesn't get lost during brief removals, while adding minimal structural complexity compared to fixed ear-loop-only designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The neck loop provides dynamic support that adapts to the user's needs. During mask wear, it helps stabilize the mask position; during temporary removal, it actively retains the mask on the neck. This dynamic behavior improves mask retention reliability without requiring complex active retention mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A face mask system includes: a mask configured to be worn on a face of a user; and a cord extending continuously between a first end of the cord attached to the mask at a first attachment location and a second end of the cord attached to the mask at a second attachment location, wherein the cord forms a first ear loop configured to be worn around a first ear of the user, a second ear loop configured to be worn around a second ear of the user, and a neck loop configured to be worn on a neck of the user. The cord provides a pulley system that permits individual adjustment of a respective tightness of each of the first ear loop and the second ear loop.