Disposable Headband And Filter

Abstract

A disposable headband and filter bag for use by dentists, doctors and the like. The headband is stamped or cut from a single piece of paper or other similar lightweight, inexpensive material and has a base or head-encircling portion which is perforated at one end and which carries a series of buttons, snaps, projections, or other joining means at the other end. At approximately the midpoint of the blank a top strap integrally projects at substantially right angles, and this also has a plurality of apertures or holes. At about the midpoint of the headband, a supporting member or tab is provided which may be either integral with the band or removable. At one end also a similar tab is provided. When folded or bent, the end with the button or other joining means is brought into engagement with the end with the apertures, and the buttons or joining means engage the apertures, with the presence of the plurality of apertures making it possible to adjust for various head sizes. Similarly, the top strap is connected to the button and is also adjustable. A filter bag is provided and may be secured by strips of elastic or similar material which engage tabs on the filter and the aforementioned tabs on the headband itself.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention, in general, relates to filtering devices to be worn by doctors, dentists, and other similar persons and, in particular, relates to a low-cost, throw-away or disposable type headband and filter assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The following prior art is known to Applicant:

George U.S. Patent 2,620,794 Stanley U.S. Patent 3,088,200 Watts, Jr. U.S. Patent 3,170,461 Sachs U.S. Patent 3,288,138 Brown U.S. Patent 3,531,187

While the above known art shows various types of disposable masks and also various types of headbands or straps, none of the art discloses the particular one-piece headband which is the subject of this application, and furthermore none of the art discloses the adjustability feature which will be described in greater detail below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has been found that an inexpensive, yet fully functional headband and filter assembly can be provided by producing the headband per se of paper or similar lightweight, inexpensive material stamped or cut into the form of a blank so that the headband in its flat condition may be a one-piece unitary item.

It has also been found that by providing perforations at suitable places on the blank and projecting buttons or other joining means at equally suitable places, the band can be changed from its flat condition to a condition in which it would fit the head of a wearer and, further, that by providing a plurality of these apertures, the band can be adjusted to fit different head sizes.

It has also been found that by providing either integral or removable depending support or anchoring members or tabs on the headband, that the band can be utilized to support a filter mask which will effectively filter bacteria and other matter both from entering the respiratory system of the wearer and, conversely, from the wearer contaminating the patient.

It has further been found that present forms of filter masking do not allow for the physiologic requirements of respiration and are therefore inefficient and uncomfortable, hence the necessity of allowing room by means of a filter bag of ample proportions to avoid resistance to the force of exhalation, to permit adequate oxygenation of inspired air to reduce the humidity content of the inspired air, and to reduce the temperature of inspired air.

It has been found that the filter above-referred to can be provided with connecting or anchoring tabs or ears, and in this fashion can be securely fastened to the headband and, further, that a fastening can be accomplished by resilient members, such as rubber bands, which will serve to firmly seat the filter on the face of the wearer.

Accordingly, production of an improved headband and filter bag assembly of the character above-described becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects thereof becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification considered and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.

OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the headband and filter assembly.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the headband in its flat condition.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the filter bag taken from the side thereof which would normally be against the face of the wearer.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view showing a different type of support tab.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the headband and filter bag assembly includes a headband 10 and a filter assembly 20 which are, in use, interconnected by resilient tension members 40,40.

Considering still FIGS. 1 and 2 for a more detailed description of the headband assembly, it will be noted from FIG. 2 that the headband is a unitary one-piece member in its preferred form, which has a head-encircling portion 11 and a top strap 19.

The head-encircling portion 11 has opposed ends 12 and 13, and the end 13 has a plurality of perforations or holes 15,15 therein while the opposed end 12 has a plurality of projecting buttons or other joining means 30,30 and also has a depending tab or support member 14 which is notched as at 14a for purposes which will be described below.

Projecting at approximately right angles to the head-encircling portion 11 is a top strap 19 which also has a plurality of holes or perforations 19a,19a at its end.

The head-encircling member 11 also has, at about its midpoint, a plurality of holes 17,17 in the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2. In this form of the invention a second depending tab or support member 16 is provided and may be secured to the holes by means of buttons or other joining means 18,18 which are similar to the buttons or projections or other joining means 30,30 referred to above.

Alternatively, FIG. 4 discloses an integral depending tab 116 so that this can either be made of one piece, or the tab 16 could be removable.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 then for a description of the filter means 20, it will be noted that the filter includes a base or body portion 21 with a central aperture 22 therein. The opposed ends of the filter include ears or tabs 23,24 which are appropriately notched for purposes which will be described.

Encircling the aperture 22 is a gasket 25 of rubber or some similar material which will fit over the nose, around the mouth, and under the chin of the wearer to effectively seal off the nose/mouth area.

Finally, secured to the body portion 21 is a filter bag 26 which is substantially cylindrical in nature with opposed rounded ends 27,27. While the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular size or form, it is believed that the filter bag should have a minimum volume of about 500 C.C. It should be noted that the bag extends downwardly and laterally to avoid obstructing the wearer's vision. For example, additional capacity can be obtained by rounding the ends 27,27 because greater volume can be obtained in this way, and this is one of the preferred areas for obtaining it since expansion of the bag 26 in this fashion and in this area does not impede the vision of the wearer in any way.

With regard to assembly of the headband, it is simply necessary to bend the band from its flat configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, at which time the end 13 will be secured to the end 12 by means of the buttons 30,30 and the holes 15,15. The plurality of holes, of course, permits ready adjustment to various head sizes. Similarly, the top strap 19 is simply arched over, as shown in FIG. 1, and also secured to the buttons 30,30 thereby placing the headband in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 so that it may then be placed on the head of the wearer.

The filter is then secured to the headband by utilization of tension members 40,40 which are mounted on the tabs 23 and 24 of the filter and over the tabs 14 and 16 of the headband. Tension or resilient members are preferred here because they will tend to draw the filter firmly against the face of the wearer to obtain the best sealing effect.

It has been shown, therefore, how an improved headband and filter assembly can be provided by providing a one piece integral headband which can be stamped or cut in a blank form and manufactured from relatively inexpensive materials.

Further, an effective filtering and sealing result can be obtained with a minimum of expense due to the simplicity of the overall system.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the Patent Statutes, it is to be understood that modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In this regard it is understood that while paper or similar material has been mentioned, the application is not intended to be limited to any particular material although it has particular utility if an inexpensive material can be utilized so as to make the overall unit economically disposable.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable headband, comprising:

A. a unitary blank having

1. an inextensible bottom head-encircling portion; and

2. an inextensible top strap diametrically disposed on said head-encircling portion;

B. means for adjustably interconnecting said top strap and said bottom head-encircling portion at their point of intersection; and

C. support means projecting downwardly from said bottom head-encircling portion in fixed relationship thereto and including diametrically opposed support members

1. each having an elongated body and rearwardly disposed ear-shaped anchoring tabs defining upper and lower notches

a. whereby means for mounting mask retaining means are provided.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said support means are integral with said head-encircling portion.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said support means are releasably secured to said head-encircling portion.

4. A disposable headband and filter assembly, comprising;

A. a unitary headband blank of inextensible material having

1. an adjustable bottom head-encircling portion

2. a top strap diametrically disposed on said head-encircling portion;

B. means for adjustably interconnecting said top strap and said bottom head-encircling portion at their point of intersection;

C. a pair of diametrically opposed support means projecting downwardly from said head-encircling portion in fixed relation thereto

1. each having an elongated body and rearwardly disposed ear-shaped anchoring tabs defining upper and lower notches whereby means for mounting mask retaining means are provided thereon;

D. a disposable filter having

1. an elongated body with a central opening and ear-shaped anchoring tabs at opposed ends thereof defining upper and lower notches;

2. a gasket secured to one side of said body adjacent said opening and

3. a substantially cylindrical filter bag secured to the opposed side of said body with its longitudinal axis lying in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body;

E. a pair of resilient members each mounted in the notches of adjacent tabs to releasably interconnect said body to said support means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said support means are integral with said head-encircling portion.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said support means are releasably secured to said head-encircling portion.