Reusable Earpiece Face Mask with Replaceable Sheet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing face masks are uncomfortable for extended wear due to elaborate designs and material usage, leading to skin irritation and high manufacturing costs, with none adequately addressing these issues.
Innovation Solution
A face mask design featuring reusable earpieces with traps and ear loops that securely attach a replaceable protective sheet, allowing for easy attachment and adjustment to ensure comfort and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional elastic ear loops are used to secure face masks, then the mask can be held in place, but the elastic loops dig into the skin surrounding the user's ears, causing irritation and sometimes breaking through the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into separate components: a protective sheet and reusable earpieces. The earpieces are attached to the protective sheet at specific points, allowing the protective sheet to be replaced without replacing the earpieces. This segmentation enables the use of softer, less irritating earpiece materials while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The earpieces act as intermediaries between the protective sheet and the user's ears. By using a separate earpiece component with a softer material design, the direct contact with the skin is improved, reducing irritation while still providing secure mask retention through the ear loop structure.
2Reliability
If elaborate designs with substantial material cutting and sewing are used for disposable face masks, then protective coverage is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mask system is segmented into a disposable protective sheet and reusable earpieces. The protective sheet can be a simpler design since it is replaced frequently, while the complex earpiece components are made once and reused. This reduces the manufacturing complexity of each individual protective sheet while maintaining overall protective coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The reusable earpieces serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, secure attachment points for different protective sheets, and comfortable ear contact. This multi-functionality reduces the need for elaborate designs in each disposable protective sheet, simplifying their manufacturing while maintaining protective coverage.
3Reliability
If disposable face masks are designed with elaborate construction, then protective function is achieved, but the cost per mask increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the mask into reusable earpieces and disposable protective sheets, the expensive or complex components are made reusable. This reduces the material and manufacturing cost of each individual protective sheet while maintaining the necessary protective function through the combined system.
Solution Approach 2:
The reusable earpieces are recovered and reused across multiple protective sheets, reducing overall material consumption. Only the protective sheets are discarded after use, while the more complex or expensive earpiece components are retained and reused, lowering the effective cost per mask.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are novel face masks utilizing a first earpiece having a trap and an ear loop, a second earpiece having a trap and an ear loop, and a protective sheet routed through the trap of the first earpiece and the trap of the second earpiece such that the protective sheet is removably connected to the first earpiece and the second earpiece, where the ear loop of the first earpiece is positioned to surround a first ear of a user and the ear loop of the second earpiece is positioned to surround a second ear of the user such that the protective sheet covers the user's nose and mouth.