Respirator Mask Voice Membrane for Speech Without Protection Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respirator masks often render speech unintelligible due to obstruction of sound waves, making communication difficult, and may lead to respiratory system injury if not worn due to this issue.
Innovation Solution
A respirator mask with a passive voice transmittal feature, including a membrane thinner than surrounding segments, integrated into the mask body to allow for clear speech transmission while maintaining respiratory protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the respirator mask body is made with sufficient thickness to provide respiratory protection and structural integrity, then protection reliability is improved, but speech intelligibility deteriorates due to obstruction of sound waves
Solution Approach 1:
The mask body is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thinner section (voice transmittal feature) located at the mouth area while maintaining sufficient thickness in other regions for protection. This local variation in thickness allows sound waves to pass through more effectively from the mouth while preserving respiratory protection in critical areas.
2Loss of information
If the mask body thickness is reduced to improve speech transmission, then speech intelligibility improves, but structural integrity and protection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly reducing mask thickness, the invention implements a localized thinner section specifically at the mouth area where voice transmission occurs. The surrounding areas maintain adequate thickness for protection, thus achieving improved speech intelligibility without compromising overall structural integrity and respiratory protection reliability.
3Reliability
If the respirator mask covers the mouth to provide respiratory protection, then protection reliability is improved, but communication effectiveness deteriorates due to speech obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The mask incorporates a localized thinner section at the mouth area that functions as a voice transmittal feature. This allows the mask to maintain comprehensive coverage for respiratory protection while creating a specific pathway that facilitates speech transmission, thereby improving communication effectiveness without sacrificing protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The thinner mask section acts as an intermediary structure that mediates between the conflicting requirements of speech transmission and respiratory protection. It provides a pathway for sound waves to pass through while maintaining the overall protective function of the mask.
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
Enhances speech intelligibility for both wearer and listener, improving communication without compromising respiratory protection.
Implementation Method 1
the passive voice transmittal feature is a membrane, the membrane having a first surface, a second surface, and a first thickness extending between the membrane first surface and the membrane second surface, the body having a second thickness at at least one location proximate the membrane, the second thickness extending between the body first surface and the body second surface, the first thickness being less than the second thickness
Data Source
AI summary
A respiratory mask includes a body having an interior space that defines a plenum between the body and a face of the user when the user is wearing the mask. The respiratory mask also includes a voice transmittal feature in and contiguous with the body that has a voice transmittal membrane that is configured to vibrate in response to sound waves generated by the user such that the voice transmittal membrane transmits the sound waves from the plenum of the body to an ambient environment of the user. The voice transmittal feature thus enhances the intelligibility of a user's speech so that others may more clearly understand what the user is saying. For example, this may increase safety and efficiency in emergency response situations in which the use of a respiratory mask is required.