Steam Heating Mask with Localized Air Permeability Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam masks fail to effectively generate steam and increase absolute humidity, leading to insufficient moisturization of mucous membranes and discomfort due to stuffiness.
Innovation Solution
A steam heating mask with a steam generator occupying 30% to 80% of the mask's surface area, featuring a first sheet with low air permeability and a second sheet with high air permeability, ensuring adequate steam retention and breathing comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a heating element is incorporated into the mask to generate steam, then the steam generation capability is improved, but the air permeability deteriorates causing stuffiness and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into different regions with different air permeability characteristics. The steam generator region has lower air permeability to retain steam, while other regions maintain higher air permeability to ensure breathing comfort. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between steam retention and breathability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask uses composite material structures with varying air permeability properties in different areas. The steam generator portion employs materials with controlled low permeability to trap steam, while surrounding areas use more permeable materials to allow air flow, achieving both steam generation and breathing comfort.
2Quantity of substance
If the steam generator area proportion is increased to improve steam generation, then the steam generation capability is improved, but the breathing comfort deteriorates due to reduced air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The mask design applies local quality differentiation by confining the low air permeability characteristic specifically to the steam generator region (30-80% area proportion), while maintaining higher air permeability in other regions. This ensures sufficient steam generation without compromising overall breathing comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes the area proportion parameter of the steam generator to be between 30-80% of the total mask area. This parameter range balances steam generation capability with breathing comfort, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the air permeability of the steam generator sheet is increased to improve breathing, then the breathing comfort is improved, but the steam retention capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The steam generator sheet has locally differentiated air permeability properties, with the portion covering the steam generator having lower permeability for steam retention, while other portions maintain higher permeability for breathing comfort. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between steam retention and breathability.
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 efficiently generates steam, increases absolute humidity, and enhances the moist feeling of mucous membranes, reducing nasal obstruction discomfort and improving foreign matter discharge.
Implementation Method 1
a degree of air permeability of the first sheet is equal to or less than 7,000 sec/100 ml
Implementation Method 2
a degree of air permeability of the second sheet is greater than 8,000 seconds/100 ml
Implementation Method 3
a steam generator on the mask body portion... efficiently generates steam, increases absolute humidity
Data Source
AI summary
A steam heating mask having a mask body portion covering a nose and a mouth of a wearer when wearing the mask, a pair of ear hook portions provided at both left and right ends of the mask body portion, and a steam generator on the mask body portion, in which a proportion of an area occupied by the steam generator ranges from 30% to 80% with respect to an area of an entire surface of the mask body portion on a side of the wearer. The steam generator includes a first sheet on a surface of a steam generating portion on the side of the wearer with degree of air permeability being equal to or less than 7,000 sec/100 ml and a second sheet on a surface opposite to the surface of the steam generating portion with a degree of air permeability being greater than 8,000 sec/100 ml.