Respirator Mask With Foldable Filter Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respiratory protection masks with outer mask baskets often suffer damage during transport and storage, and existing designs have high inhalation and exhalation resistance, making them cumbersome and inefficient in terms of volume-to-surface ratio.
Innovation Solution
A respiratory protection mask with a folding arrangement upstream of the inhalation valve, allowing for a large surface area in the functional position and a small volume in the transport position, featuring a one-way inhalation valve arrangement and air-permeable filter material for reduced resistance and improved comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mask is designed with external mask baskets for filtering, then the filtering performance is improved, but the baskets are damaged during transport and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into separable components: a reusable mask body and replaceable filter elements. The filter elements can be detached and stored separately, preventing damage to the mask structure during transport while maintaining filtering performance when in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter elements are designed as flexible, thin structures that can be folded or rolled for compact storage without rigid protective housings, eliminating the damage issues associated with external mask baskets while preserving filtering functionality.
2Strength
If large-volume packaging is used to protect mask baskets, then damage to masks is reduced, but space requirement for storage and transport increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter elements are designed to nest within each other or within the mask body when not in use, allowing compact storage without requiring large protective packaging volumes, thereby reducing storage and transport space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible filter elements can be compressed and stored in compact forms without rigid protective housings, eliminating the need for large-volume packaging while maintaining protection during transport.
3Ease of operation
If multiple inhalation and exhalation valves are used, then breathing resistance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple valve functions (inhalation and exhalation) are integrated into a single unified valve assembly located at the front of the mask. This combined valve structure reduces the number of separate components and connection points, simplifying the overall device while maintaining low breathing resistance through optimized internal flow paths.
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 mask provides enhanced wearing comfort with low inhalation resistance and efficient storage and transport due to its compact design, ensuring effective breathing protection with a high packing density.
Implementation Method 1
The filter material preferably allows breathing directly through it. It filters the breathing air and is preferably particle-filtering.
Implementation Method 2
The single inhalation valve arrangement results in a respirator mask with exceptionally low inhalation resistance. It is preferably designed as a one-way valve arrangement.
Implementation Method 3
The mask body is transferable between a three-dimensional wearing position and a flat transport position, in particular foldable.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a respirator mask, in particular a respirator half-mask, for filtering the respiratory air of the wearer, comprising a mask main part (2) for covering the nose and mouth of the wearer and at least one inhalation valve assembly (11) arranged on the mask main part (2). The respirator mask additionally has at least one fold assembly (24) which is arranged upstream of the at least one inhalation valve assembly (11) in the inhalation flow direction (18) and on the mask main part (2). The fold assembly (24) can be moved between an unfolded functional position and a folded transport position and is at least partly made of a filter material.