An apparatus for manufacturing trapezoid-shaped masks is disclosed. The apparatus may include, a first feeding unit, for providing three or more rolled fabrics; a second feeding unit, for providing one or more rolled materials, simultaneously to the provision of the three or more rolled fabrics; a first folding and joining unit, for folding and joining together edges of three or more fabrics provided by the first feeding unit to form a joint multilayered fabric; a second folding and joining unit, for folding and joining the edges of one or more materials provided by the second feeding unit to form folded material; and a joining unit configured to join together the joint multilayered fabric and the folded material, by forming the continuous joint thereby forming at least two masks in relatively alternating positions, such that the open side of one mask is pointing in an opposite direction from the open side of the other mask.

A filtering face-piece respirator or mask that includes a filtering face-piece respirator body and a harness. The filtering face-piece respirator body includes a filtering structure. The filtering face-piece respirator can be worn in an environment where there is risk of contamination to the wearer or to other persons or things, for example, in hospital or doctor's office.

This application is for an improved face mask that allows users to easily transition between a full-protection mode and a partial-protection mode. In full-protection mode, the improved face mask covers a user's mouth area and nose area. In partial-protection mode, a mask hatch removably attached to the mask frame is detached and exposes the user's face covered by the mask frame. A method of manufacturing the improved face mask is also described.

A face mask with separate inhaling and exhaling portions can include an upper mask portion and a lower mask portion. A plurality of folds extend across each of the upper and lower mask portions. 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 portion. In use, the upper mask portion can cover the nose and the lower mask portion can cover the mouth. A user can inhale through the upper portion and exhale through the lower portion. In this manner, CO.sub.2 exhaled by the user will not mix with air that is inhaled.

A sanitizing face mask inhibits the transmission of pathogens in air respired through the nose and mouth of a wearer. The mask includes hydrophobic inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer enclosed between them. The intermediate layer is saturated with a sanitizing liquid such as an ethanol solution. Respired air encounters the sanitizing liquid as it passes through the intermediate layer, killing pathogens borne on droplets or aerosols. The sanitizing mask protects the wearer, from pathogens in the inspired air, and others, from possible pathogens in the expired air of the wearer.

A face mask that may be constructed from a series of interchangeable pieces that will form a mask that does not rest against the user's face and may allow for increased breathability and sealing.

A method and associated system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line, wherein the running nose wire is supplied continuously from a supply roll. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, the supply roll is moved from an operating location to an intermediate location that is further from the production line while continuing to supply the running nose wire from the supply roll. The supply roll is then moved from the intermediate location back towards the production line while decelerating the supply roll to a stop, thereby creating an accumulation of the running wire functionally between the supply roll and the production line. With the supply roll at a stop, the running nose wire is continuously supplied from the accumulation and a leading end of a reserve roll of nose wire is spliced to the running nose wire at a location upstream of the accumulation where the running nose wire is at a standstill. The running nose wire is then cut at a location upstream of the splice such that the reserve nose wire and reserve roll become a new running nose wire and new supply roll in the production line.

The present disclosure is directed to a protective facemask absent of a nose wire that can be used in multiple applications, particularly in the medical field. The facemask includes a body having a top edge and a bottom edge. The top and bottom edges cooperate with each other to define a periphery that contacts a wearer's face. Further, the top edge includes a treated zone containing a surface coating. The surface coating contains a non-metal malleable material that can be manipulated so as to retain a shape that fits contours of the wearer's face.

A disposable facemask is provided having a filter body with an opening sized to cover the nose and mouth of a wearer. The filter body further includes an outer mask layer and an inner mask layer, and one or more intermediate layers disposed between the outer and inner mask layers. At least one of the intermediate layers is a nonwoven web layer including thermoplastic filaments formed from a random copolymer, or a random copolymer blended with a homopolymer.

Methods, systems and apparatus for a pouch-style mask having upper and lower mask substrates, each having a first layer comprising spunbond material and a second layer comprising meltblown material, a perimeter comprising a user contacting portion and a non-user contacting portion, and a shoulder proximate a left-side transition between the user contacting portion and the non-user contacting portion and a shoulder proximate a right-side transition between the user contacting portion and the non-user contacting portion. The mask also has a head strap assembly comprising first and second head straps each having first and second end portions, where the first end portions of the first and second head straps are attached to the left upper and lower shoulders in a side-by-side configuration and the second end portions of the first and second head straps are attached to the right upper and lower shoulders in a side-by-side configuration.