TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure of the present patent application relates to face masks, and particularly to a face mask with separate inhaling and exhaling portions.

BACKGROUND ART

Certain infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are readily spread through exhaled droplets and aerosols. Although social distancing has proven effective at mitigating the spread of such diseases, social distancing can be difficult to implement in the workplace, schools, and other public areas.

Many health agencies have recommended wearing face masks in public to prevent spread of viruses. For many, e.g., those suffering from a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD, it can be difficult to comply with these recommendations. Many find that the physical barrier of the mask makes it harder to take in air and are concerned that the mask traps some carbon dioxide that is exhaled, which forces the user to then inhale the carbon dioxide. Thus, it is believed that many conventional masks can cause carbon dioxide inhalation. Hypercapnia (carbon dioxide toxicity) can cause headache, vertigo, double vision, inability to concentrate, tinnitus, seizures, or suffocation due to displacement of air.

Thus, a face mask solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

A face mask with separate inhaling and exhaling portions can include an upper mask portion and a lower mask portion. A plurality of folds extends across each of the upper and lower mask portions. Exterior folds of the upper mask portion can be directed in a first direction. Exterior folds of the lower mask can be directed in a second direction, opposing the first direction. In an embodiment, the upper mask portion includes interior folds oriented in the same direction as the exterior folds of the upper mask portion. In an embodiment, the lower mask portions includes inerior folds oriented in the same direction as the exterior folds of the lower mask portion. The lower mask portion can be larger than the upper mask portion. A lower edge of the upper mask portion can be secured to an upper edge of the lower mask portion.. In use, the upper mask portion can cover the nose of the wearer and the lower mask portion can cover the mouth of the wearer. A user can inhale through the upper mask portion and exhale through the lower mask portion to, thereby, avoid inhaling CO2 exhaled by the user.

These and other features of the present subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a face mask according to the present teachings.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the mask according to the present teachings.

Fig. 3A is an exploded view of the upper and lower mask portions of an embodiment of the face mask according to the present teachings.

Fig. 3B is an exploded view of the upper and lower mask portions of an alternative embodiment of the face mask according to the present teachings.

Fig. 4A is an environmental, perspective view of a face mask connected to a face mask extender according to the present teachings.

Fig. 4B is an enlarged view of the face mask extender shown in Fig. 4A.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the face mask extender.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the face mask extender.

Fig. 7 is an environmental, front view of an embodiment of the face mask according to the present teachings.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A face mask 10 with separate inhaling and exhaling portions can include an upper mask portion 12, a lower mask portion 14, and elastic loops I la, 11b attached to respective side edges of the face mask 10. The face mask 10 is configured to cover a wearer’s nose, mouth, chin, and at least a portion of the wearer’s cheeks to protect the wearer from airborne microbes in the environment and/or mnimze a risk of spreading airborne microbes from the user. The upper mask portion 12 is configured to cover the wearer’s nose, and not the wearer’s mouth . The lower mask portion 14 is configured to cover the wearer’s mouth, and not the wearer’s nose. The lower mask portion 14 can be wider than the upper mask portion. A user can inhale through the upper mask portion 12 and exhale through the lower mask portion 14 to, thereby, avoid inhaling CO2 exhaled by the user.

Each of the upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can be formed from one or more layers and can include a plurality of folds. In an embodiment, the upper mask portion 12 can include upper directional folds 13 that are formed by folding the exterior surface of the upper mask portion 12 upwards or in a first direction (Fig. 3A). In an embodiment, the upper directional folds 13 are formed by folding both the exterior and interior surface of the upper mask portion 12 upwards or in a first direction (Fig. 3B). The upper directional folds 13 facilitate air to enter the upper mask portion 12 from an upward direction, away from the lower mask portion 14. The lower mask portion 14 can be larger or wider than the upper mask portion 12. In an embodiment, the lower mask portion 14 includes lower directional folds 15 that are formed by folding the exterior surface of the lower mask portion 14 downwards or in a second direction, opposite the first direction (3 A). In an embodiment, the lower directional folds 15 are formed by folding the exterior and interior surfaces of the lower mask portion 14 downwards or in a second direction, opposite the first direction (Fig. 3B). The downward direction of the folds facilitates exhaled air to be directed in a downward direction, away from the upper mask portion 12. A lower end portion of the upper mask portion 12 includes a curved portion 16 that extends below the lower edge of the upper mask portion 12. The lower edge of the upper mask portion 12 can be secured to an upper edge of the lower mask portion 14. This configuration allows a user to inhale air through the upper mask portion 12 and exhale CO2 through the lower mask portion 14 while minimizing the risk of inhaling CO2 exhaled by the user.

The upper mask portion 12 and the lower mask portion 14 can be made as separate components and then subsequently connected together. The upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can be attached by sewing, ultrasonic welding, or by chemicals, such as glues or adhesives. In an alternative, the upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can be removably connected by mechanical fasteners (e.g., hook and loop fasteners (e.g., VEECRO fasteners, or any other suitable detachable fastener). In the alternative, the upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 may be unitarily formed as a single piece construction.

The folds 13, 15 in the upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can be formed by stitches 17 that join together lateral folds along opposing sides of the upper and lower mask portions 12, 14. Although stitches are described, it should be understood that the folds can be joined together by any suitable means. The resulting folds in the upper mask portion provide a three-dimensional shape to allow the user to have coverage from the bridge of the user's nose to under the nose and above the mouth. The folds 13 encapsulate the nose area in an accordionlike effect. The accordion-like effect in the material defines a first space 18 that is between the interior surface of the upper mask portion and at least the user's nose when the upper mask portion is properly worn. The resulting folds in the lower mask portion provide a three- dimensional shape to allow the user to have coverage of the mouth, but not the nose. The folds 15 encapsulate the mouth area in an accordion- like effect. The accordion-like effect in the material defines a second space 20 that is between the interior surface of the lower mask portion and the mouth when the lower mask portion is properly worn

At least a portion of the upper mask portion 12 can be made of the same material as at least a portion of the lower mask portion 14. Alternatively, at least a portion of the upper mask portion 12 can be made of a material different from that of at least a portion of the lower mask portion 14. The upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can have the same or different colors. In an embodiment, the lower mask portion 14 can be made from a transparent material to facilitate the hearing impaired.

The upper and lower mask portions 12, 14 can be formed of one or more layers of a breathable fabric material or paper material commonly used in the art for protective masks. In an embodiment, the material can be antimicrobial.

As shown in Figs. 3A-3B, the upper mask portion 12 can include an inner material layer 22 and an outer insulating layer 24. The outer insulating layer 24 can be formed along a lower portion of the inner material layer 22 of the upper mask portion 12. The outer insulating layer 24 can be formed by, for example, spraying a suitable insulating substance on the inner material layer 22. The upwardly oriented folds 13 of the upper mask portion 12 can allow air to flow into the first space 18 from an upward direction and minimize the chance of exhaled air from the second space 20 to flow into the first space 18, with the outer insulating layer deflecting and diffusing air coming out of the lower mask portion 14. Similarly, the lower mask portion 14 can include an inner material layer 26 and an outer insulating layer 28, similar to the upper mask portion 12. The outer insulating layer 28 of the lower mask portion 14 can be formed along an upper portion of the inner material layer of the lower mask portion 14. The downwardly oriented folds 15 of the lower mask portion 14 and the outer insulating layer 28 can minimize upward flow of CO2 exhaled by the user.

The elastic loops I la, 11b can be attached directly to a user’s ears, as shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the elastic loops I la, 11b can be attached to a flexible face mask extender 30 positioned behind the user’s neck, shown in Figs. 4A-5. The flexible face mask extender 30 is defined by a thin band 32 having a plurality of hooks 34 extending along opposing ends of the band. As shown in Fig. 4B, two opposing hooks 34 can support a selected one of the elastic loops I la, 11b. The mask extender 30 can be made from any suitable flexible material, e.g., a plastic or rubber material. The elastic loops can be connected to the hooks 34 of the mask extender 30 and the mask extender can be worn around the user’s neck, as shown. The thin band 32 can be formed from a polymeric or rubber material.

In an alternative embodiment, a mask extender 31 can be provided that is similar to mask extender 30, but includes a central ring 36 disposed at a center of the band 32, between the plurality of hooks 34. The central ring 36 can be configured for receiving a user’s hair, e.g., a ponytail, therethrough.

The upper mask portion 12 can include a first bendable strip 40. In an embodiment, the first bendable strip 40 is disposed within a pocket formed at the upper edge of the upper mask portion 12. The first bendable strip 40 can be formed from a suitable plastc material, e.g., shape memory plastic (SMP) that retains its shape once bent and is conformable to at least a bridge portion of the user's nose. In an embodiment, the first bendable strip 40 is formed from shape memory plastic (SMP) that can be softened and shaped as desired upon application of heat, e.g., hot air from a blow dryer. The bendable strip 40 can also come in various forms including, without limitation, a thin elongated bar, a thin elongated rod, or any thin elongated circular or polygonal shape, and the like. It is preferred that the bendable strip 40 has a flat surface on the side facing the user's face in order to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the user's face. In an embodiment, the bendable strip 40 not only extends across and rests upon the upper bridge of the user's nose, but also extends and rests upon the upper cheekbones of the user, thereby disbursing the pressure of the entire mask onto a broader surface of the user's face. The bendable strip 40 disperses pressure to the user's cheekbones, eliminates any discomfort, and allows the upper mask portion 12 to be contoured to the user's unique face. In an embodiment, the lower mask portion 14 can include a second bendable strip 42 disposed within a pocket formed at the lower edge of the lower mask portion.14 The second bendable strip 42 can be formed from the same material as the first bendable strip 40.

It is to be understood that the face mask with separate inhaling and exhaling portions is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.