One or more embodiments of a respirator that includes a polymeric netting is disclosed. The respirator can include a mask body including a perimeter, a harness attached to the mask body, and a face seal disposed adjacent at least a portion of the perimeter of the mask body. In one or more embodiments, the face seal includes a polymeric netting including polymeric ribbons and polymeric strands, where each of the polymeric ribbons and strands having a length, width, and height, where the length is the longest dimension, the width is the shortest dimension, and the height is the dimension transverse to the length and the width. The polymeric ribbons have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least 5 to 1, a major surface that is intermittently bonded to only one polymeric strand, and a height that is at least two times greater than a height of the one polymeric strand.

A cup for capturing droplets expelled during coughing or sneezing, the cup has a sidewall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The sidewall has a lip portion of sufficient size for a snug substantially circumferential location over a nose and mouth of an intended user. The sidewall is configured and sized to be hand-held. An absorbent liner is located against the inner surface of the sidewall, the absorbent liner being sufficiently absorbent to capture and hold the expelled droplets during coughing or sneezing.

Embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for detecting and indicating end-of-service-life in disposable filtration masks. Applicant has proposed incorporating end-of-service-life indicators comprising color changing chemicals into the mask. The indicating chemicals may be incorporated into the nonwoven fabric material of the mask, or may be attached to the nonwoven material of the mask, such as by dipping, spraying, or adhering. The color change of the indicating chemicals may indicate to a user that the use life of the mask has been depleted.

The present invention mask helps contain the spread of viruses, bacteria, and other microbes that spread through human repertory ingestion while allowing users to utilize a cellular communication device in a private manner. The present invention employs an impervious privacy mask with an elongated mouth-piece having a semi-circular opening for a user's mouth and a second opening coupled with a transfer tube in which a user's voice travels until it reaches the receiver of a cellular communication device, cellular phone, intelligent personal assistant, or computer, inserted in a head-set equipped with ear-pieces. The present invention is a device allowing both speaking and listening with privacy since it prevents both the user's voice to spread in the surrounding environment and outside noises to disturb the communication. Additionally, it prevents microbes contained within the user's emitted breath when speaking to be spread to the outside environment and to contaminate ambient air. The mask also functions as a device to utilize a cellular phone while utilizing a separate, protective facemask thus protecting the user from inhaling viruses, bacteria and other microbes. It can also be combined with a surgical mask to provide protection against contamination coming from outside. Such a device can be decontaminated after each use with proper chemicals.

A particle retainer having a support frame including at least one air flow port configured to permit contaminated ambient air to reach the filtration element of the particulate matter filtration mask. The particle retainer also has a mask mount fixed to the support frame configured to removably attach the particle retainer to the mask. The particle retainer further includes an air flow port cover affixed to the support frame, in which the air flow port cover features manually operable open state and closed state configurations for permitting and restricting air flow and particulate matter transfer.

The disclosed passive facemask embodiments having a single exchange port covered by a filter are from a family of transparent facemasks that do not obstruct visibility of a person's mouth when worn. One problem with a typical, widely used, facemask is the difficulty in understanding a person speaking when they are wearing the typical facemask. Not only does the listener have to contend with the muffled speech of a person talking through a facemask, communication is made worse by covering up, or otherwise hiding the wearer's mouth and face with opaque filter material. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein present a clear/see-through filtration mask embodiment that does not visibly obstruct a person's mouth by providing a filtration system along or near the periphery of the facemask.

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.

The present invention relates to a personal respiratory protection device, in particular, such a device comprising a respirator body having a periphery, a filter media, forming at least part of the respirator body, and a gasket, the gasket being located at the periphery and extending along at least a portion of its length.

A personal respiratory protection device (10) comprising an upper panel (18), a central panel (16), and a lower panel (20), the central panel (16) being separated from each of the upper and lower panels (18) by a first and second fold (36), seam, weld (76) or bond, respectively, such that device is capable of being folded flat for storage along the first and second fold (36), seam, weld (76) or bond and opened to form a cup-shaped air chamber over the nose and mouth of the wearer when in use, wherein the lower panel (20) includes a stiffening sheet (40) which has a longitudinal crease line, wherein the stiffening sheet (40) is folded about the longitudinal crease line when the device is in use.