Description MASK

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a mask used for protection against the cold or for purification of air, and more particularly, to a mask that is configured such that a support bar made of an elastic wire or a synthetic resin material and having a round shaped ear-hooking portion formed on both ends thereof is securely fixed to a top edge of a mask fabric section by means of a sewing method or an adhesive material, thereby preventing the mask fabric from being come into close contact with a wearer's face, which leads to enabling the wearer to breathe easily and further improving a sense of wearing. Background Art

[2] Along with the drastic development of automobile, metallurgical and electronic industry fields in modern societies, generally, a variety of noxious gases and environmental pollution wastes are produced in large quantities. As well, atmospheric phenomena of the wind carrying yellow sand has frequently occurred.

[3] Accordingly, in order to protect the human body from the noxious gases, the yellow-sand winds, the smoke and the micro dust generated in such industrial sites, it is required to filter the noxious gases, yellow sand or the like contained in the air. In this case, people generally wear a mask.

[4] Various kinds of conventional masks have been generally worn to protect against the cold in the cold winter season, protect a wearer from the cold wind when he or she has caught a cold, or prevent the wearer from catching a cold. The conventional mask is configured such that a face cover made of a soft cotton fabric is provided with a string fixed to both sides thereof so as to be hooked on his or her ears.

[5] When such a conventional mask is worn, however, it is very hard for a wearer to breathe and further it is inconvenient to wear because the face cover adheres closely to his or her face. Moreover, a given space is generally formed at both sides of the nose of the wearer due to the nose ridge of the wearer protruded from his or her face. Thus, the breathed warm air rises through the space such that when the mask wearer wears his or her eyeglasses, fog may be generated on the lens of his or her eyeglasses, which gives inconvenience to the wearer.

[6] Besides these, the conventional mask entails a problem in that the knots tied on the strings may press the wearer's ears while in use, which causes the wearer's ears to be hurt. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[7] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to overcome the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a mask that can prevent a mask fabric section from being come into close contact with a wearer's face, thereby enabling the wearer to breathe easily and improving a sense of wearing, and that can prevent fog from being generated on the lens of the wearer's eyeglasses when he or she wears his or her eyeglasses while in use.

[8] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mask that can be fit appropriately for wearers having various face sizes owing to the elasticity of a generally arc-shaped bent support bar itself and that can provide no pressure against the wearer's ears.

[9] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mask that can prevent environmental noxious gases from being sucked in directly therethrough and also keep outside dust from entering the wearer's ears. Technical Solution

[10] To accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a mask including: an generally arc-shaped bent support bar made of an elastic material, the support bar having a generally curved nose ridge-retaining portion formed at the center thereof and a pair of ear-hooking portions formed integrally therewith at both ends thereof, each of the pair of ear-hooking portions having a generally round shape rolled from the bottom to the top; and a mask fabric section securely fixed to the support bar at a top edge thereof.

[11] Preferably, the mask fabric section may include an inhaling and exhaling part formed at a given position of the front surface thereof so as to prevent the direct introduction of outside air during inhalation and to smoothly conduct the exhalation.

[12] Also, preferably, each of the pair of ear-hooking portions includes an ear-covering fabric member disposed at the inside space thereof so as to prevent outside air from directly entering a wearer's ear.

Advantageous Effects

[13] As described above, since the mask of the present invention is constructed such that a generally curved nose ridge-retaining portion is formed at the center of an generally arc-shaped bent thin elastic support bar and a pair of ear-hooking portions are formed integrally with the support bar at both ends of the support bar, and such that a mask fabric section is securely fixed to the support bar at a top edge thereof, the mask fabric can be prevented from coming into close contact with a wearer's face to thereby enable the wearer to breathe easily, improve a sense of wearing, and prevent fog from being

generated on the lens of the wearer's eyeglasses when he or she wears his or her eyeglasses while in use.

[14] Further, the mask of the present invention can be fit appropriately for wearers having various face sizes owing to the elasticity of the generally arc-shaped bent support bar itself and can provide no pressure against the wearer's ears.

[15] Additionally, the mask of this invention can prevent environmental noxious gases like the yellow-sand winds from being sucked in directly therethrough and also keep outside dust from entering the wearer's ears. Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mask according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[17] FIG. 2 is a view showing a state where the mask of FIG. 1 is in use;

[18] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mask equipped with an inhaling and exhaling part according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

[19] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mask equipped with an ear-covering fabric member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[20] Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

[21] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mask according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a state where the mask of FIG. 1 is in use, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mask equipped with an inhaling and exhaling part according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mask equipped with an ear-covering fabric member according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[22] As shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, a support bar 10 is formed of an generally arc-shaped bent wire rod having a predetermined diameter. The support bar 10 has a generally curved nose ridge-retaining portion 11 formed at the center thereof to conform to the curved shape of a nose ridge of a wearer and a pair of ear-hooking portions 101 formed integrally therewith at both ends thereof, each of the pair of ear-hooking portions 101 having a generally round shape rolled from the bottom to the top.

[23] The support bar 10 is preferably made of an elastic material such that it can be bent into a wearer's face size or desired shape, and the elastic material may be any one selected from a wire, a synthetic resin, a shape memory alloy and the like.

[24] Further, the support bar 10 is preferably formed of a relatively thin wire bar so as to be smoothly bent into a shape which the wearer desires.

[25] The mask fabric member 20 is adapted to be securely fixed to the support bar 10 at

a top edge thereof by means of a sewing method in which the mask fabric member 20 is covered and sewn on the support bar 10, as shown in FIG.l, or by means of an adhesive.

[26] The mask fabric member 20 is formed of a typical cotton or polyethylene fabric material, and of course, it is not limited thereto. Further, preferably, the mask fabric member 20 may be formed of a disposable paper pulp material. In this case, since the paper pulp material has a much more dense tissue than that of the cotton, it is known to be excellent in terms of an effect of filtering micro dust therethrough.

[27] The mask fabric member 20 has a flexible band 201 formed along a peripheral edge thereof in such a fashion as to be securely fixed thereto by means of a sewing method or an adhesive to thereby enhance the close adhesion power to the wearer's face when the wear wears the mask.

[28] Moreover, as shown in FIG.3, the mask fabric member 20 is further provided with a typical inhaling and exhaling part 220 formed at a given position of the front surface thereof, for example, at a place where the wearer's mouth is positioned, so as to prevent the direct introduction of outside air during inhalation and smoothly conduct the exhalation.

[29] The inhaling and exhaling part 220 is composed of a exhaust valve (now shown) and a filter (not shown) that are well known in the art, and of course, are not limited thereto other known inhaling and exhaling devices may be used as the inhaling and exhaling part 220.

[30] In FIG. 1, a front end of each ear-hooking portion 101 is spaced apart from the support bar 10, but of course, it may be fixedly formed integrally with the support bar 10, if necessary.

[31] In addition, as shown in FIG.4, each of the pair of ear-hooking portions 101 has an ear-covering fabric member 30 disposed at the inside spaced thereof in such a fashion as to be coupled therewith.

[32] The ear-covering fabric member 30 is securely fixed to the ear-hooking portion 101 by means of the same method as the method in which the mask fabric member 20 is covered and sewn on the support bar 10 or by means of the application of an adhesive thereto, to thereby surroundingly cover the wearer's ear.

[33] The ear-covering fabric member 30 is preferably formed of, but not limited to, a flexible material such as general cotton, a polyethylene fabric material, or a disposable paper pulp material. In this case, if the ear-covering fabric member 30 is formed of cotton or a paper pulp material which has no flexibility, it is formed with given folds such that they are extended to gently cover the wearer's ear when it is fit on the wearer's ear.

[34] When the mask of the present invention as constructed above is worn on a wearer

face, the round ear-hooking portions 101 formed at both ends of the support bar 10 are first fit around the wearer's ears, as shown in FIG.2. Then, the wearer's nose comes slightly into contact with the inner surface of the nose ridge-retaining portion 11 of the support bar 10, thereby allowing the mask to be stably fitted around the wearer's face.

[35] At this time, the curved nose ridge-retaining portion 11 prevents a given gap from being formed at both sides of the wearer's nose, thereby decreasing the generation of fog on the lens of his or her eyeglasses when he or she wears his or her eyeglasses while in use.

[36] Further, in a state where the wearer wears the mask, the support bar 10 prevents the mask fabric member 20 from adhering closely to the wearer's face, such that the mask fabric member 20 can be kept spaced apart from the wearer's face by a proper interval.

[37] Therefore, the wearer can breathe easily, and since there are no knots tied on the strings unlike the conventional masks, no pressure is applied to the wearer, thereby improving a sense of wearing.

[38] Moreover, the support bar 10 that is formed of a wire, a synthetic resin material or a shape memory alloy, can be freely stretched and retracted by its own elasticity, such that it can be generally fit for wearers having various face sizes except that there is a great difference between face sizes of wearers. Also, each ear-hooking portion 101 has a round shape rolled from the bottom to the top, such that when the wearer wears his or her eyeglasses, it is not overlapped with the eyeglasses temple, thereby removing an inconvenience in use.

[39] Further, since the mask of the present invention can minimize direct exposure of a wearer's nose, mouth and ears to the air in the industrial sites, it can be widely useful as a safety mask for protecting his or her respiratory organ from ambient noxious gases and filtering air. Industrial Applicability

[40] As described above, the mask according to the present invention can prevent the mask fabric member from adhering closely to the wearer's face, thereby enabling the wearer to breathe easily and reducing the generation of fog on the lens of his or her eyeglasses when he or she wears his or her eyeglasses while in use. Also, the inventive mask can be fit appropriately for wearers having various face sizes owing to the elasticity of the arc-shaped bent support bar itself, and apply no pressure against the wearer's ears. In addition, the inventive mask can prevent environmental noxious gases from being sucked in directly therethrough, while keeping outside dust from entering the wearer's ears, such that it can be safely used for the protection against the cold or for multipurpose in various industrial fields.

[41] While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular il-

lustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.