FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application serial number 63/256118 filed on October 15, 2021, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.

The present device relates to protective face shields such as those worn by medical personnel or the public in contagious conditions. More particularly, the device herein relates to a face shield device which is customizable for inclusion of multiple lens types and easily assembled from engageable components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Face shields have conventionally been worn by medical professionals, such as physicians and nurses, when working around patients in order to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses and other pathogens from patient to physician or from physician to patient. For example, it is common for medical staff, in surgery, to wear a see-through shield in front of their face and eyes to prevent the transmission of pathogens between staff and patient. In more recent times, the occurrence of pandemics, such as the Spanish flu early in the 20 ^th century and more recently the world wide pandemic caused by the Covid virus, have caused non patients as well as medical personnel to wear face shields.

Conventional face shields are widely available which are fixed in a configuration and provide a transparent polymeric shield which is held in front of the face of a user by a mount to a hat or arms or other means to hold the shield to their head. However, such conventional medical face shields are generally fixed in a configuration and not adaptable to configurations which may render them more comfortable and more useful to wearers. Further, most such conventional face shields cause significant amounts of waste as they are, conventionally, worn and disposed of, once used.

The forgoing examples of conventionally available medical face shields and the like are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various other limitations of the related art are known or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The user configurable and customizable face shield device herein disclosed features a face shield mount which is configured for the removable engagement thereto of a nose bridge, a face shield, and any of a plurality of arms extending over the temples and ears, thereby allowing for customization of the configuration by users. Particularly preferred, in all modes of the device herein, is the positioning of first fasteners on the face shield mount which are removably engageable with the shield mount located on any of a plurality of different shields. This allows for the continuing use of the face shield mount with supporting arms and nose bridge engaged, while the shield may be replaced as needed, such as at the end of a shift at a medical facility.

The face shield mount of the device, as noted, may be removably engageable with the other components, such as the nose bridge and support arms. While the nose bridge and support arms can be permanently engaged to the face shield mount in modes of the device which only replace the shield as needed, more customization for user fit and use is available where the nose bridge and two arms can be removably engaged and chosen from kits including a plurality of differently configured nose bridges and supporting arms each of which being configured to removably engage with a face shield mount.

In the most customizable mode of the device, the nose bridge will removably connect to the face shield mount at a first end thereof opposite a forked end adapted for positioning on a nose of the user. Multiple sizes, shapes, and configurations of such nose bridges can be provided in kits of such, thereby allowing users to choose the nose bridge therefrom and engage it to the face shield mount.

The same customizing utility is enhanced by the provision of supporting arms which extend toward the ears of a user, which can be removably engaged with the face shield mount. Such will allow for a plurality or kit of supporting arms components, which vary in size, shape, and flexibility, to allow the user to choose a support arm set yielding the most comfortable and secure engagement of the device with their head. Currently, a preferred mode of the device features a central member having two projecting support arms extending from opposite sides of the central member. The central member is removably engageable into a first recess on some face shield mounts herein or within a first and second recess on other face shield mounts herein. This removable engagement to all face shield mounts is accomplished using the curved central member to engage within the desired pathway on the chosen face shield mount.

In some modes of the device herein, the face shield mount includes a single member recess which is complimentary to and configured to engage with the central member of any of a plurality of differently shaped supporting arm pieces. In other modes of the device herein, a first pathway and a second pathway are formed into the face shield mount and are both configured to engage with the central member of any of the support arm components herein. This allows the user to not only choose and use the most comfortable support arm components, they may also position the engagement to the central member closer or further from their face. This positioning allows for the shield to also be moved closer or further to the face of the user depending on which pathway in which the central member is engaged.

Further, the formed pathway includes shoulder portions positioned at opposite ends of the formed pathway. These shoulder portions are preferred in all modes of the device herein in that they impart a reverse bend to the central member which provides two functions. First, on modes of the support component where the projecting support arm portions extend from the central member at intersecting angles, the shoulder portions cause a flexure of the central member to move that angle outward to make the projecting support arms more comfortable on the head of the user. Concurrently, by flexing the central member toward the projections forming the pathway, a more secure engagement of the central member and support arms extending therefrom therein is provided.

With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein user-configurable face shield in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The assembleable face shield invention herein described and shown is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other user configurable and user assembleable face shield devices and for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, "comprising" means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word "comprising". Thus, use of the term "comprising" indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By "consisting of is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase "consisting of. Thus, the phrase "consisting of indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By "consisting essentially of is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase "consisting essentially of indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements. Where used, if not otherwise defined, the term “substantially” means plus or minus ten percent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a face shield device which is assembleable by the user and which can be customized by the user to their particular use and their facial configuration.

It is another object of the invention herein to minimize the waste and trash generated by the use of face shields by the provision of an assembleable shield wherein only the transparent shield portion is disposed by allowing the engagement of multiple face shields to an existing face shield mount.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a face shield device which includes multiple user-chosen positions for the support member holding the face shield mount to the face of the user to adjust the position of the shield and face shield mount to the head of the user.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presently disclosed customizable face shield system, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed user assembleable face shield device. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an assembled protective face shield device of the system disclosed herein showing a substantially transparent face shield removably engaged to a planar shield mount having extending support arms also engaged therewith.

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded view of the device herein as in figure 1 and other figures herein showing the shield being engageable on the shield mount.

FIG. 3 shows an overhead perspective view of the face shield device herein showing a transparent shield portion removably connected to a shield mount and showing removable support arms extending from the opposite side of the shield mount from the shield.

FIG. 4 depicts a view of the assembled device of figure 3 showing the removably engageable bridge portion engaged within a bridge mount and the support arms removably engaged in a central mount on the lower surface of the shield mount.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the upper surface of the planar shield mount which removably engages with any shield having connectors which removably engage with mounts on a curving edge of the shield mount.

FIG. 6 depicts the shield mount of figure 5 from a perspective view of the lower surface of the shield mount showing the bridge support engaged to the bridge mount and the support arms engaged to a central member with a single pathway forming a support arm mount.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the components and shield mount of figures 5-6 from a bottom perspective view showing the removable support arms being engageable in a single pathway formed for such.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a shield mount of the system herein which has a single pathway into which a central member to which the pair of support arms engages.

FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of a shield mount similar to that of figure 8 and 10 and shows another set of support arms having a central member which will removably engage in the pathway on the shield mount.

FIG. 10 depicts another view of the lower surface of a single pathway shield mount also showing another configuration of support arms engaged at a central portion or member thereof to the shield mount.

FIG. 11 depicts a kit of the currently preferred removably engageable support arm components each having a central member portion thereof which is configured to engage with one pathway on a shield mount and each having a pair of support arms extending from opposite ends of the central member.

FIG. 12 depicts a top front overhead view of a shield mount engaged with a support arm component and ready for engagement of a shield thereon.

FIG. 13 depicts the device as in figure 12 showing the shield operatively engaged.

FIG. 14 depicts another overhead frontal view of a shield mount which can include one or multiple pathways thereon for engagement of the central member portion engaged with the support arms.

FIG. 15 depicts a lower surface of a shield mount showing the two different mounting pathways for engagement of the central member portions of a chosen support arm configuration therein.

FIG. 16 depicts the shield mount of figure 15 showing a support arm component having the central member portion engaged in a second pathway formed to engage it.

FIG. 17 shows the shield mount of figure 16 with a central member for support arms engaged in the first pathway and showing that any of the central members engaged with support arms from the kit of, for example, figure 11 , are engageable in either pathway formed on the shield mount.

Fig. 18 shows the shield mount of figure 16 with a different support arm component from the kit thereof wherein the central member thereof is engaged in the first pathway on the shield mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only and such are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

Now referring to drawings in figures 1-18, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in figure 1 a perspective view of an assembled face shield device 10 of the system disclosed herein. As shown, the device 10 is assembled with a shield mount 12 which is configured for removable engagement of the face shield 14, the nose bridge 16, and the support arms 18, thus allowing the user to assemble the device 10 to their particular need or facial structure.

While not depicted, each of the components which removably engage to the shield mount 12 can be a member of a kit of such components with differing structural and operational configurations. For example, the shield 14 can be provided in a kit having larger and smaller shields and having tinted or other wrap around shapes to the shields 14. Preferably, in all modes of the device herein, the shield 14 is configured, when operatively engaged and hanging from the shield mount 12, to be long enough and wide enough to cover the eyes, nose, and mouth of the user or wearer. This is preferred to provide the maximum protection from contaminants reaching and infecting the user.

Each such shield 14 is removably engageable to an operative position on an exterior circumferential edge of a shield mount 12. Currently, operative engagement is provided by connectors on the shield mount 12 which are positioned and configured to removably engage a shield 14 in the operative mount thereof. As shown, each shield 14 may have mounting connectors 20 (figure 2) operatively positioned at an upper end thereof, to removably engage with first fasteners 22 and thereby operatively engage the shield 14 at or adjacent the upper end to extend therefrom to cover the eyes, nose, mouth, and face of the user wearing it. Thus, any user chosen shield 14, from a kit thereof, can be operatively engaged to the shield mount 12, such as by using positioned shield mounting connectors 20 to removably engage with the first fasteners 22 on the shield mount 12. When so operatively engaged, the shield 14 will form a curve substantially parallel to the curved exterior circumferential edge of the shield mount 12 and thereby wraps around to both sides of the face of the user to cover the eyes, nose, and mouth of the user.

This removable engagement of the shield 14 also allows the user to keep the shield mount 12 with bridge 16 and chosen support arms 18 engaged and just replace the shield 14. This allows for the saving of most of the components and much less waste from conventional shield devices, which are thrown away. In the same fashion, the nose bridge 16 can be from a kit or plurality of available nose bridges 16 each of which has a bridge connector 24 at a first end which will removably connect with a bridge mount 26 positioned on the shield mount 12 (figure 7).

The device 10 also, as noted, includes support arms 18 which extend from an engagement to the shield mount 12 toward the ears of the user. While the support arms 18 can be permanently attached to the shield mount 12, such as with mechanical or living hinges, it is preferred for the ability of users to customize to their facial structure, in the device 10 herein, that the support arms 18 are also removably engageable with the shield mount 12 and device 10. Such will allow for support arm components 19 having support arms 18 of different lengths and shapes and configurations and an inward bias to be provided in a kit or plurality of support arms 18, all of which can be removably engaged to a shield mount 12 by the user.

As shown in figures 6-7 and 8-11, the support arm component 19 currently preferred is formed of two support arms 18 which extend from the central member 28. This central member 28 is removably engageable in a first pathway defined by a first recess 30 positioned upon the shield mount 12. The user simply chooses a support arm component 19 having the desired shape, length, and configuration of the extending two projecting support arms 18, such as any from a kit such as is shown in figure 11 and engages it to the shield mount 12. In the case of a shield mount 12 having a single pathway defined by a single or first recess 30, this engagement is accomplished by sliding the central member 28 in between the plurality of projections 33 defining the first pathway 32 therebetween and into the first pathway 32 formed by the first recess 30.

A frictional engagement is formed with the central member 28 of the support arm component 19 when placed in-between the plurality of projections 33 defining the first pathway 32 therebetween, to hold it in place. This is provided by forming the first pathway 32 and second pathway as noted herein, with a width between opposing sides thereof, equal to or preferably slightly less than the width of the central member 28 portion of the support arm component 19.

A series of projections 33 extending from the shield mount 12 preferably form each pathway therebetween, to form the frictional engagement. Also, preferably at least one clip 35 extends from a distal end of one of the projections 33 and overhangs the formed pathway. The clip 35 increases the securement of the connection to hold the central member 38 in the chosen pathway on the shield mount 12. A beveled top edge on such clips 35 will cause it to deflect and allow insertion of the central member 28 portion of the support arm component 19, whereafter it will spring back and overhang one side of the inserted central member 28 portion.

As shown, for example, in figures 6-7, in one preferred support arm component 19 it provides for an inward bias and angle of both projecting support arms 18 toward each other. When the user positions the two support arms 18 on the opposing sides of their head and over their ears, a biased engagement with the head of the user is achieved. This biased engagement or contact helps hold the device 10 properly mounted on the head during a tilting or quick movement of the head.

In figure 8 is shown an overhead view of the lower or bottom view of the shield mount 12 of the system herein. In this mode, there is provided a single recess 30 or first pathway 32 into which the central member 28 portion of the support component 19 engages. A pair of projecting support arms 18 extend from opposing ends of the central member 28 portion of the support arm component 19. Also shown are the preferred overhanging clips 35 extending from the projections 33 and into the first pathway 32 whereby they will overhang the surface of the central member 28 portion of the support arm component 19 when inserted into the first pathway 32. A beveled edge of the clips 35 works well to help deflect the attached projection 33 momentarily to allow insertion of the central member 28 portion of the support arm component 19 therein.

Shown in figures 9-10 are similar views of the lower side of the shield mount 12 configured with a single or first pathway 32 positioned between a plurality of projections 33 extending on opposite sides thereof. Also shown are the preferred clips 35 positioned at the distal ends of at least some of the projections 33 which overhang the first pathway 32. The projections 33 having clips 35, as noted, will deflect slightly to allow insertion of the central portion 28 of the support arm component 19 therein and will snap back to overhang the central potion 28, once inserted. Figures 8-10 all show different configurations of the support arm component 19, such as those from the kit shown in figure 11. Such allows the user to choose the support arm component 19 best suited to their comfort and head and to engage it to the shield mount 12.

As noted, the support arm components 19 can be provided in a kit such as is shown in figure 11 wherein a plurality of such support arm components is provided. While the three configurations of the support arm components 19, shown in figure 11, are currently preferred as they were shown in experimentation to hold the device comfortably on a user. However, the depictions in figure 11 should not be considered limiting, and a kit of such support arm components can have many more members therein. All of the support arm components 19 have a central member 28 portion configured for engagement in either the first pathway 32 or a second pathway as shown in figures 14-18. Such allows the user to choose any support arm component 19 and then engage such into the first or second pathway, as the case maybe, using the central member 28 portion thereof which is configured with a curve, length, and thickness for a removable engagement in either pathway.

Shown in figures 12-17 are a mode of the device 10 herein offering additional assembly options through the provision of the first pathway 32 adjacent a second pathway 40 for engagement of any of the support arm components 19 therein. The central member 28 portion of such support arm components is configured for a frictional engagement in the pathway of choice by the user. Each such pathway is formed in between projections 33 extending from the shield mount 12 on opposing sides thereof. While a frictional engagement between such projections 33 will hold the shield mount 12 to the support arm component 19, the provision of clips 35 extending from some of the projections 33 which overhang the first pathway 32 and second pathway 40 provide a more secure engagement with the inserted central member 28 portion, as noted above.

Figure 13 depicts the device 10 herein with the shield mount 12 having the first pathway 32 and second pathway 40, one of which is engaged to the support arm component 19 chosen. Also shown is the face shield 14 in operative engagement to the shield mount 12 by the connection of the mounting connectors 20 on the shield 14 to the first fasteners 22 on the shield mount 12.

Shown in figure 14 is an overhead perspective view of the mode of the device 10 herein having both a first pathway 32 and a second pathway 40 for the engagement of any of the support arm components available. The lower side of the shield mount 12 of figure 14 is shown in figures 15-16. As can be seen, a first pathway 32 is formed in between the plurality of projections 33 on both sides thereof, and a second pathway 40 is formed by the plurality of projections 33 on both sides thereof. While either of the first pathway or second pathway could be formed by elongated projections on both sides thereof, such as two elongated projections, it has been found in experimentation that a stronger frictional engagement is formed using the plurality of projections 33 with gaps therebetween.

Also shown, such as in figures 15-16, are the clips 35 which may extend horizontally and run traverse to the direction of some of the projections 33 from which they project and overhang. The clips 35 and projections 33 are preferred as they overhang and hold the central member 28 portion of the temple or support arm component 19 secure when inserted within one of the two pathways. Because the clips 35 overhang the first and second pathway, when positioned adjacent thereto, they allow for support arm components 19 of varying widths to be engaged and still retained. Also shown is a central projection 37 which is positioned on an opposite side of the pathway which also has an overhanging clip 35. This central projection 37 with clip 35 has been found to enhance the engagement of a support arm component 19 when positioned in the first pathway 32 and prevents a dismount therefrom by upward force on the shield mount 12.

Additionally shown in figure 15 and figures 16-17 are posts 41 which project from opposing positions on opposite sides of the lower surface of the shield mount 12. When a user employs a narrow support arm component 19, which has a narrow central portion 28, the opposing posts 41 provide a guide for positioning such in an operative engagement to the shield mount 12.

Another preferred structural component, engaged with the shield mount 12, shown in figure 15 and figures 16-18, is two opposing outer post mounts 43. Currently preferred is an “L” shape for such post mounts 43. The post mounts 43 form a stop or fulcrum for the flexible support arms 18 when the user is sliding the device 10 onto their head when the support arms 43 are on opposing ends of a wider central portion 28, such as shown in figure 16.

Straddling one side of the first pathway 32, as shown in figures 15-18, are a pair of curving members 45 which extend on opposite sides from a center area of the shield mount 12 toward the two sides thereof. Each curving member 45 has a plurality of protrusions 47 extending therefrom toward and into the first pathway 32. These curving members 45, with protrusions 47, are preferred in modes of the device 10 which have a wider first pathway 32 to accommodate more types and configurations of the support arm components 19 where two support arms 18 project from opposite ends of a central portion 28 thereof. Where a narrower central portion 28 is positioned in the first pathway 32, the protrusions 47 will contact against it and hold it aligned in the first pathway 32. As can be discerned from figure 16, as noted herein, each of the support arm components 19, such as shown in figure 11, includes the central member 28 portion which is configured for engagement within either the first pathway 32 or second pathway 40 by the user in customizing their device 10.

Figures 17-18 show the device 10, as noted, as having two pathways for engagement of the central member 28 portion within either thereof. As can be seen from figures 16-18 any of the members of the kit of support arm components 19, such as shown in figure 11, can be removably engaged in either the first pathway 32 or second pathway 40 formed on the shield mount 12. Thus, the user may choose the most comfortable of the support arm components 19 from the kit thereof and can engage it in the first pathway 32 or second pathway 40. Engagement in the first pathway 32 will position the face shield 14, connected to the exterior circumference of the shield mount 12, slightly further from the face of the user then engagement within the second pathway 40. This allows the user to choose the positioning of the face shield 14 for their face which works best, such as where the user wears eyeglasses and needs more space from their face to the face shield 14.

It should be noted that any of the different depicted and described configurations and engageable components of the disclosed face shield system herein can be employed with any other configuration or kit component shown and described as part of the device herein. Additionally, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof and/or steps in use, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be appreciated that in some instance some features, or configurations, of the face shield invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims.

Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Any such abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.