U.S. patent number 3,603,315 [Application Number 04/867,296] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-07 for surgical face mask.
This patent grant is currently assigned to American Hospital Supply Corporation. Invention is credited to Fred R. Becker, III.
United States Patent |
3,603,315 |
Becker, III |
September 7, 1971 |
SURGICAL FACE MASK
Abstract
A surgical face mask is provided with an inner layer of soft
polymeric foam material which is worn against the face. The mask
includes an intermediate layer of filter material and an outer
layer of nonwoven material which is relatively impervious to
airborne bacteria. The soft foam layer increases the comfort of the
mask and allows the mask to conform to the face of the wearer.
Further, the foam layer readily absorbs perspiration and saliva and
passes these fluids to the middle filter layer, thereby maintaining
the layer adjacent the face soft and dry.
Inventors: |
Becker, III; Fred R.
(Millington, NJ) |
Assignee: |
American Hospital Supply
Corporation (Evanston, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25349508 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/867,296 |
Filed: |
October 17, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
128/206.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
13/1115 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A41D
13/05 (20060101); A41D 13/11 (20060101); A61f
009/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/146.2,146,146.6,139,351,141,142.6,140,146.7,212 ;2/9,206
;55/522,524,525,526,527 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Mitchell; J. B.
Claims
I claim:
1. A face mask comprising an outer layer of nonwoven material which
is relatively impervious to bacteria, an intermediate layer of
filter material, and an innner layer of porous resilient polymeric
foam material adapted to be positioned against the face of the
wearer, said layers being secured to each other and having means
attached thereto for holding said mask against the face of the
wearer
2. The face mask of claim 1 in which said layers are generally
rectangular and generally coextensive and are secured around the
peripheries thereof, said layers being pleated along the central
portions thereof whereby said mask may unfold to cover the nose and
chin of the wearer.
3. The face mask of claim 2 including a deformable metal strip
secured to the upper portion of the mask adapted to conform to the
nose of the wearer.
4. The face mask of claim 1 in which said polymeric foam material
is polyurethane foam.
5. The face mask of claim 3 in which said filter material is
fiberglass.
6. A disposable surgical face mask comprising an outer layer of
nonwoven material which is relatively impervious to bacteria, an
intermediate layer of filter material, and an inner layer of porous
resilient polyurethane foam material adapted to be positioned
against the face of the wearer, said layers being generally
rectangular and generally coextensive and being pleated along the
central portions thereof and secured around the peripheries
thereof, said pleated central portion adapted to unfold to cover
and conform to the nose and chin of the wearer when the mask is
worn, said face mask further including means for attaching said
mask to the face of the wearer.
7. The face mask of claim 6 including a deformable metal strip
secured to the upper portion of the mask adapted to conform to the
nose of the wearer.
Description
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to face masks, and, more particularly, to a
disposable face mask particularly suitable for use by surgeons,
nurses and the like.
Hospitals are becoming increasingly aware of the economy and safety
of disposable surgical apparel. The disposability of these items
eliminates the somewhat costly sterilizing procedures that they
must undergo after each use, and also eliminates the possibility of
infection and cross-contamination if the items are not completely
sterilized before the next use. Problems have arisen, however, in
providing disposable surgical face masks. Such masks may be worn
for periods of up to several hours during operations, and must
therefore be both durable and comfortable for the wearer. Materials
which are found to be comfortable and nonirritating to the wearer's
face, and which are inexpensive enough to allow disposability after
a single use, tend to lack the durability and strength necessary to
withstand an extended period of use. It is apparent that even
partial disintegration or partial loss of effectiveness of such a
mask during surgery may have serious consequences for both the
wearer and the patient.
SUMMARY
One aspect of the invention lies in the discovery that if a thin
sheet of nonrigid open-celled plastic foam forms the inner layer of
a face mask which has intermediate and outer layers of conventional
filtering material and nonwoven material, then such foam will
maintain the physical integrity of the mask for extended periods of
wear and will result in a mask which readily conforms to the face
of the wearer and provides a comfortable fit. Such mask is
relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is intended to be
discarded after a single use. Other advantages and objects of the
invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be explained in conjunction with an illustrative
embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a person wearing a mask formed
in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the mask;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view, partially broken away, of the
mask;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the various layers
of the mask.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally a surgical
face mask being worn by a surgeon S. The mask is seen to cover the
nose, mouth and chin of the wearer, and is secured to the face by
means of tie strips 11 and 12.
Referring now to the other figures the mask is seen to have an
elongated, rectangular shape provided by a mask panel 13 and
orthogonally arranged border strips 14, 15, 16 and 17. The mask
panel 13 includes a folded or pleated central portion 18 provided
by reverse folds 19, 20, 21, and 22 (FIG. 3), and the ends of the
pleat are secured by side border strips 15 and 16.
Referring to FIG. 6, which is an enlargement of the circled portion
6 of FIG. 3, the panel 13 is seen to include an inner layer 23
adapted to be positioned adjacent the face of the wearer, an
intermediate layer 24, and an outer layer 25. The inner layer 23
which is worn against the face is formed of an open pore polymeric
foam material such as polyurethane foam to provide a soft and
comforting surface. THe middle layer 24 is formed of a standard
filter medium such as matted glass fibers or other conventional
filtering materials, and the outer layer 25 is formed of a nonwoven
material which is similar in softness and drape to cloth but lower
in cost and which is better suited to prevent the passage of
airborne bacteria. Soft porous paper has been found particularly
suitable for such outer layer.
The three layers 23-25 are all generally rectangular and
coextensive, and after the longitudinally extending center pleat 18
is formed by folding the three layers, the outer edges of the
layers are secured by the border strips 14-17. As can be seen best
in FIG. 3, the border strips, which may also be formed of nonwoven
cellulosic material, are folded about the edges of panel 13. The
border strips may be secured to the periphery of the panel by
gluing or by providing a polyethylene coating on the inner surface
of the strips and then heat sealing the strips to the panel.
The tie strips 11 and 12 may be formed as continuous extensions of
the top and bottom border strips 14 and 16, respectively, and are
of a length suitable to permit typing at the back of the head of
the wearer. Referring to FIG. 5, the tie strips may be strengthened
by a string 26 which may extend for the entire length of the tie
strips and the associated border strip. The string 26 is seen to be
secured by folding the tie strip 12 and its inner polyethylene
coating 27 about the string and then heat sealing the
polyethylene-coated surfaces.
A bendable or deformable strip 28 of soft metal is adhesively
secured to the outer side of the top border strip 14 and may be
bent about the nose of the wearer to conform the face mask to the
individual facial features of the wearer.
The mask is worn by pulling the top and bottom portions of the mask
panel 13 to unfold the pleated central portion of the mask panel
and positioning the top border strip 14 about the nose of the
wearer and the bottom border strip 16 below the chin of the wearer.
The pleated central portion 18 provides ample room for the wearer's
nose, mouth and chin, and when the mask is positioned on the
wearer's face, the mask will unfold automatically to adapt to each
wearer's individual facial differences. As can be seen in FIG. 1,
the side edges of the folded mask panel 13 are secured by the side
border strips 15 and 16, but the pleated portion 18 will unfold
intermediate the side border strips to cover the nose and chin. The
nose clip 28 is then bent to conform closely to the contour of the
wearer's nose, and the tie strings 11 and 12 may be secured at the
back of the head.
The soft inner foam layer 23 readily conforms to the face of the
wearer and possesses breathability which permits fluids such as
perspiration, saliva, and the moisture of exhaled air to be
transmitted to the intermediate layer 24 and, at least in some
instances to the outer layer 25. The effect is a preferential
absorption and retention of fluids by layers other than the layer
in contact with the wearer's face. Furthermore, since durability
and strength of the plastic foam are not affected by the
transmitted moisture, the mask retains its form and integrity even
though the intermediate and outer layers become moistened. The
result is a mask having an inner layer which imparts a soft, dry,
and comfortable feeling to the wearer's face even after an extended
wearing period and, even more important, a mask which remains
intact to block particles and airborne bacteria even after the mask
has collected or absorbed moisture.
I have found that the inner foam layer makes the face mask at least
as durable as a conventional nondisposable mask. The foam layer is
resistant to tearing and abrasion and it is not rendered useless by
such things as beards, prolonged use, moisture, or orthodontic
braces which might otherwise cause stretching, tearing, or
abrasion. However, even though the mask is durable, it is
relatively inexpensive and can economically be disposed of after a
single use.
While in the foregoing specification I have described an embodiment
of my invention in considerable detail for the purpose of
illustration, it is to be understood that many of the details
herein given may be varied considerably by those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.
* * * * *