A method and apparatus is disclosed for constructing a mask. The mask is formed of a first mask segment overlayed on a second mask segment. The first mask segment has an article cutout on a right side. The second mask segment has an article cutout on a left side. The article cutouts extend toward a center of the mask. The mask segments are coupled together such that a passage extends between the mask segments and between the article cutouts. A user who is wearing the mask may pull either or both of the article cutouts across the center of the mask to create a hole for entrance of an article. When released, the hole may close or may enclose around an article extending through the hole.

Improved facemask designs are disclosed herein. The improved facemask is designed to provide a sucking airflow that sucks aerosolized particles emitted from a person's mouth towards a filtration unit. By providing this sucking airflow, medical personnel can work on the user's mouth and facial area without worrying about breathing in the aerosolized particles. The facemask includes a covering portion that covers a user's nose and mouth. The facemask includes a central lumen that is configured to permit access to the user's nose and/or mouth. The facemask further includes an access port configured to enable airflow communication between the covering portion and a bilateral vacuum. Airflow is directed away from the central lumen towards the bilateral vacuum. By directing the airflow in this manner, aerosolized particles emitted from the user's mouth are removed in an effective amount to decrease expulsion of the aerosolized particles outside of the vacuum facemask.

An air flow system for reducing pathogens in a breathable airstream in an environment has a device having an airstream intake for receiving a volume of untreated air located in a first position, an airstream outlet for expelling a volume of treated air, the airstream outlet located in a second position extending above the first position, a flow path extending between the airstream intake and the airstream outlet, at least one of a UV generator and a UV-C emitter optically coupled to the flow path, a power source operably connected to the one of the at least one of the UV generator and the UV emitter, and a pressure generator fluidly connected to the airstream intake, the pressure generator configured to impart a flow from the airstream intake to the airstream outlet, wherein the pressure generator can be at least one of a force of flow from in line pressurized source or provided by a fan within the housing, and wherein a portion of the flow path includes a UV-C highly reflective surface.

A respirator 10 that includes a harness 14 and a mask body 12 that is air permeable. The mask body 12 has a sinus region 40 and a primary filtering region 44 and comprises at least one nonwoven fibrous webs, which web includes a layer of filter media. The sinus region 40 of the mask body 12 exhibits a resistance to airflow that is greater than the primary filtering region 44. This resistance to airflow is achieved through an alteration of the intrinsic structure of the plurality of nonwoven fibrous layers in the sinus region 40 without adding additional material to the mask body. The alteration of the intrinsic structure assists in preventing eyewear fogging.

A respirator device having an elastomeric sleeve is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a respirator device as described herein includes a body including a receiver having an elastomeric sleeve and a filter cartridge that includes a rigid nozzle element. The elastomeric sleeve defines a channel, and the elastomeric sleeve is configured to deform around the nozzle element when the nozzle element is inserted into the channel.

A filtering face mask includes a mask body, a filter frame, and a filter. The mask body is configured to cover a user's nose and mouth to define an interior cavity. The mask body defines an opening for the passage of air between the interior cavity and the ambient atmosphere. The filter frame fits within the opening in the mask body. The filter frame has an interior side facing the interior cavity and an exterior side facing away from the user. An outer edge of the filter frame is situated adjacent to an interior side of the opening. The filter frame defines one or more air passages that permit airflow between the interior side and the exterior side. The filter covers the air passages. The filter may be held in place between the edge of the filter frame and the interior side of the opening.

A filtration device including a fluid-impermeable housing having a gas inlet and outlet, and containing within the housing first filter media particles of an extended surface area substrate and containing at least one metal impregnant, and second filter media particles of an extended surface area zirconium hydroxide substrate and containing zinc (hydr)oxide. The first or second filter media particles also contain an amine-functional material. The device may be used in atmospheres containing various harmful gases, and may provide particularly useful improvements in breakthrough times for nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and formaldehyde compared to a device containing only the first filter media particles or only the second filter media particles.

A respiratory system composes an oxygen supply, a vented respiratory mask, a hose coupled to the oxygen supply, and a connector apparatus joining the respiratory mask and the hose. The connector apparatus may comprise mask connector member to govern fluid flow through a vent in a mask, a mask valve received in a mask fluid flow passage movable between a rest position in which the mask fluid flow passage is blocked and an actuated position in which the mask fluid flow passage is unblocked, a biasing member biasing the mask valve towards the rest position, and a hose connector member to be secured to a fluid hose. The hose connector member includes a valve actuator to move the mask valve to the actuated position when the hose connector member is coupled to the mask connector member.

A mask sheet is provided. The mask sheet is a mesh sheet in which twisted yarns are knitted into a mesh shape, the twisted yarns being provided by twisting filaments each of which is formed by coating a synthetic fiber with silver. A stitch opening of the mesh sheet may be 1 mm or more. The mesh sheet may be a tricot-knitted sheet.

While facing polluted environments one does not need extreme breath filtering protection all the time. Methods of the art hardly focus on breathability aspect while working on smart masks. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for context aware networked mask with dynamic air impedance for optimum breathability. The system provides a smart mask that regulates the air inlet (by modulating the position/pore size of filtering membrane or by using resizable gel) as per the prevalent risk at that instance. The context aware mask with a mesh network, disclosed herein, comprises sensors and processing unit, which use contextual information and Artificial Intelligence to develop models for generating alerts along with mechanism of dynamically regulating the pore size to ensure breathability by adjusting air impedance.