Shoulder-Supported Microbe Protective Shield

Abstract

A shoulder-supported protective microbe shield is provided that has a transparent and flexible protective shield connected to a shoulder support piece. In one example, the shoulder support piece may be comfortably placed around the neck such that it is fully supported at the back of the wearer's neck, across the shoulders, and rests on the chest. The shoulder support piece is generally U-shaped with a magnet at the top of each leg of the U. In this way, the magnets are spaced apart and positioned approximately at the wearer's sternum. With the shoulder support piece in place, the shield can be removably coupled to the magnets. More particularly, the shield connects to a support bar at its bottom perimeter, and the bar has metal plates that cooperate with the magnets in the shoulder support piece. As a result, the shield may be easily connected to the shoulder support piece, and me can be positioned or rotated into the proper, safe, and comfortable position.

Claims

1. A wearable shoulder shield for protecting against microbe contamination, comprising: a shield, further comprising: a support bar having a magnet piece holder at each end; a magnet or a metal plate in each of the support bar's magnet-piece holder; and a substantially transparent and flexible shield coupled to the support bar; a shoulder support, further comprising: a U-shaped plastic support having a neck support and two elongated sides, with each side having a respective magnet-piece holder; and a magnet or a metal plate in each magnet-piece holder that is selected to magnetically couple with a respective magnet or metal plate on the support bar; and wherein the shield is magnetically and removably coupled to the shoulder support.

2. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped plastic support is a single piece of molded plastic.

3. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 2, wherein the magnet piece holders in the U-shaped support are constructed to each retain a respective magnet.

4. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 2, wherein the magnet piece holders in the U-shaped support are constructed to each retain a respective magnet guide piece, and each magnet guide piece is constructed to retain a magnet.

5. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein support bar has a length, and when not under tension or compression, the U-shaped plastic support is sufficiently ridged to hold the shoulder support's magnets approximately the bar's length apart.

6. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein the sides of the U-shaped plastic support have an adjustable length.

7. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein the shield pivots around an axis of the magnets or plates in the support bar.

8. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder support weighs less than about 2 US ounces.

9. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, wherein the support bar releasably receives the transparent shield.

10. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 9, wherein the support bar releasably receives the transparent shield as a friction fit.

11. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 9, wherein the support bar releasably receives the transparent using an attachment mechanism.

12. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 1, where in the flexible shield is tinted for eye protection or has a UV, antifog, hydrophobic, or antibacterial coating.

13. A wearable shoulder shield for protecting against contamination, comprising: a shoulder support constructed to be worn around a user's neck, the shoulder support having two sides, with each side having a shield connector; a substantially transparent and flexible shield coupled to a support bar, the support bar having bar connectors at each end; and wherein the shield connectors attach to the bar connectors to position the transparent and flexible shield in front of the user's face.

14. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 13, wherein the shoulder support has a support piece that holds and positions the shield connectors.

15. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 14, wherein the support piece is a cable, rope or chain.

16. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 14, wherein the shield connectors are a magnet or metal piece and the bar connectors are a mating magnet or metal piece.

17. A wearable shoulder shield for protecting against microbe contamination, comprising: a shield, further comprising: a support bar having a bar connector at each end; and a substantially transparent and flexible shield coupled to the support bar; a shoulder support, further comprising: a U-shaped support having a neck support and two elongated sides, with each side having a shield connector; and wherein the shield is removably coupled to the shoulder support by connecting the respective bar connectors to the shield connectors.

18. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 17, wherein the shield connectors and the bar connectors are a mating magnet or metal piece.

19. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 17, wherein the shield connectors are a hook and loop material and the bar connectors are a mating hook and loop material; or the shield connectors are a snap and the bar connectors are a mating snap.

20. The wearable shoulder shield according to claim 17, wherein the shield connectors or the bar connectors comprise a screw or adhesive tape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon referring to the drawings and claims. The drawings are not to scale and are intended for illustrative and descriptive purposes only.

[0016] FIG. 1 is an isometric front illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 2 is an isometric back illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an isometric side illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 4 is an isometric illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 5 is an isometric illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a closeup illustration of the magnet holder for a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a shield for a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 10 is an isometric front illustration of a shoulder-supported protective microbe shield in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] While the invention will be described in conjunction with example embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be understood that the drawings are exemplary, and may not be to scale or may have certain features removed to improve understandability.

DESCRIPTION

[0027] It is firmly established that wearing masks or shields can substantially and significantly reduce community spread of contagious microbes such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. To get such a beneficial reduction, it is critical that the mask be worn by as many people as possible. For example, one asymptomatic carrier not wearing a mask can infect tens or even hundreds of other people in just a couple days. Had that asymptomatic carrier been wearing a mask, it is very likely that fewer of his or her contacts would have gotten sick or died. So wide-spread adoption of the mask is crucial. However, due to the limitations and discomfort of traditional facial masks and face shields, acceptance has been limited. As a result, the overall reduction of infection has likewise been limited. What is needed is a comfortable, stylish, and effective mask system that is likely to be widely worn in social and work settings, and in particular by workers in the service industry.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a shield system 100 is illustrated. Shield system 100 shows a user or wearer 102 wearing a shoulder shield 105. Shoulder shield 105 has 2 main cooperating components. First, the shoulder shield 105 has a shield 110 that is sized and positioned to cover the nose and mouth of the user, and often times extends laterally along the side of the user's face to cover areas toward the ears. Second, the shoulder shield 105 has a shoulder support 130 that is positioned around the neck of the user. The shoulder support 130 is generally U-shaped, with the base of the U positioned around the user's neck, and the legs of the U-shaped piece extending across the shoulders and supported on the user's chest. The shield 110 couples to the shoulder support base 130 to comfortably and safely position the shield 110 in front of the wearer's face. As illustrated, the shield 110 may be angled away from the user's face for increased comfort and reduced sight interference.

[0029] Shield 110 has a flexible and substantially transparent shield 111, which is typically made of a plastic material. It will be understood that the transparent shield 111 may be tinted, for example as a substitute for wearing sunglasses, or may be coated with a protectant such as a UV coating. It will also be appreciated that the shield 111 may have anti-fogging, or some hydrophobic coating to repel water or liquids. Of course, it will be appreciated that the shield 111 may be provided in various heights and widths depending upon specific applications and the size of the user. The bottom of the transparent shield 111 couples to support bar 112. Support bar 112 may have a curvature to bend the shield 111 or may have a substantially flat center portion. In some cases support bar 112 may be permanently attached to the transparent shield 111, while in other cases the transparent shield 111 may be removably connected to the support bar 112. In this way, the shield may be replaced if it is scratched or damaged, or the user can replace the shield of for a different size, or one having a particular coating or tinting. It will be understood that the flexible shield 111 may have a simple friction fit with the bar 112 or may have some sort of release mechanism. For example, the release mechanism could be holes in the transparent shield 111 that engage bumps in a slot within support bar 112. In other cases, support bar 112 may have a spring-loaded mechanism. It will be understood that many specific connection systems exist for releasably connecting the flexible shield 111 to the support bar 112.

[0030] In one example, the shoulder support 130 has connectors 113 at the distal end of each leg of the U-shaped shoulder support 130. As illustrated, these connectors 113 enable both a releasable connection between the shield 110 and the shoulder support 130, as well as the ability to pivot shield 110 toward or away from the face of the user. It will be appreciated that the shield 110 may be connected to the shoulder support 130 a wide variety of ways. For example, connection can be made through a sliding interlock component, screws, tape, a snap, through a hook and loop material, or a friction fit. Although shoulder shield 105 has shield 110 removably connected to the shoulder base 130, it will be understood that in some cases that the connection could be permanent. In this way, the user would attach the shield 110 to the shoulder support 130, and the shield 110 could only be removed through breaking the bar 112 or the shoulder support piece 130. In this way, an employer could make a single-use product where the employer will be confident that an employee would not be able to use a shield multiple times. However, as illustrated, shield 110 is removably coupled to the shoulder support 130, thereby enabling easy attachment, detachment, replacement and repositioning. Further, by making removable, the user would be able to easily remove the shield 110 at times when it was not necessary to wear, for example when driving. Due to the comfort of the shoulder support 130, the user could easily remove the shield 110, and leave the shoulder support 130 comfortably positioned around his or her neck.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 4 an exploded view of the shoulder shield 105 is illustrated. Shoulder shield 105 has a shoulder support piece 130 that has a generally U-shaped support 123 with a portion 121 that is positioned behind the neck of the user, and side legs 122 which extend over the shoulders and rest on the user's chest. At the lower end of the U-shaped legs is magnet holder 124. Magnet holder 124 is sized and has the proper flexibility characteristics to receive magnet 125. It will be appreciated that the shoulder support base 130 may be provided with legs 122 having different lengths. For example, a shorter length for leg 122 would position the shield 110 higher up on the user such that the nose will be fully covered and the shield 111 would be relatively close to the user's mouth. Some users may prefer a longer length portion 122, such that the shield 110 rests lower on their chest and falls path or even below the level of their nose. It will be understood that the selection of the length of side 122 will be dependent upon the size and shape of the user, as well as safety requirements for the application. It will also be understood that the side portion 122 may be provided with extension tubes such that the overall length of the sides 122 may be adjustable.

[0032] Shoulder support piece 130 may have the U-shaped support 123 as a single injection molded piece plus two magnets 125 that fit into the U-shaped support 123. Thereby, in its simplest form, the entire shoulder support 130 consists of only 3 parts, 2 of which are identical magnets. Although the shoulder shield 105 is described with the magnets 125 be in the shoulder support 130, and the cooperating metal pieces being in the bar 112, it will be understood that the magnets could be in the bar 112, and the cooperating metal pieces could be in the shoulder support 130. Although shoulder support piece 123 is described as being a single injection molded piece, it will be understood that this piece 123 could be printed, could be in multiple pieces, or could even be formed from, for example, a cable, rope or chain.

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the U-shaped piece 123 is sufficiently rigid to hold the magnets 125 apart when the shield 110 is not attached to the shoulder support 130, and the shoulder support 130 is positioned around the user's neck and resting on the user's chest. In one example, the U-shaped piece 123 holds the magnets apart about the same distance as the length of the bar 112. In this way, it is easy of the user to engage magnets on both sides of the bar at about the same time, simplify attachment of the shield 110.

[0034] The shield 110 has a flexible transparent shield 111 as already described. The shield 111 is received into support bar 112, either permanently or releasably. The bar 112 may be generally flat or may be curved depending upon the specific shade desired for the flexible transparent shield 111. As illustrated, the bar 112 is shaped to form a generally flat portion 131 with relatively tight bends in the flexible shield that then extend into the generally flat ear portions 132. It will be understood that many different shapes can be provided for the flexible shield 111 depending upon the shape of the bar 112. The bar 112 has cooperating metal plates 115 that can be attracted to respective magnets 125. It will be understood that the metal plates can be, for example, disks, squares, a single piece, multiple pieces, or provided in other physical arrangements. The metal pieces may have cooperating structures for helping to position the bar 112 properly into the shoulder support 130. For example, as illustrated the metal plate has a cylindrical piece that sets into a cooperating cylindrical hole in the med peace 125. It will be understood that many different types of structures can be used to assist in alignment.

[0035] Once the bar 112 has been moved toward the shoulder support 130, and the magnets 125 and the metal plates 115 have engaged, the shield 110 can then be pivoted about an axis to move the top of the shield closer or farther away from the nose of the user. It will also be understood that the pivoting structure and connector 113 may contain structures such as teeth or other guides that assist in positioning and holding the shield 110 into the desired position.

[0036] Referring now to FIG. 8, a specific construction for the magnet holder 124 is illustrated. In some cases, the magnet holder 124 may be integrally formed with the U-shaped member 123, or as illustrated, the magnet holder 124 may use a magnet guide 126 that can be received into the magnet holder 124. A magnet 125 is inserted and frictionally retained into the magnet guide 126, the magnet guide 126 is inserted and frictionally retained into the magnet holder 124.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 9, a shield 110 is illustrated. Shield 110 has a generally transparent and flexible shield 111 that has a bottom portion 142. As illustrated. The shield 111 bottom has a tab 142 that is received into opening receiver 141 in bar 112. In some cases, tab 142 may simply be received frictionally into receiver 141, and other times receiver 141 may have a mechanism or actuator for releasably retaining the tab 142 into the receiver 141. For example, tab 142 may have a set of holes that cooperate with spikes or protrusions in receiver 141. In another example, receiver 141 may have a button or release mechanism for frictionally engaging the tab 142. It will be understood that there are many alternatives that are well understood in the art for attaching shield 111 to support bar 112.

[0038] It will also be appreciated that the support bar 112 may contain electronics, including a power source such as a battery, rechargeable battery, or solar charger. For example, the support bar 112 may have a microphone that enables the user to have better and easier mobile phone communication. As the shield may act to muffle the user's voice, or make the user put the phone in an uncomfortable position, a wireless Bluetooth microphone place in the support bar and facing the user's mouth would ease use and improve voice quality. In a similar manner, placing small wireless speakers on the support bar 112, directed toward the user's ears, may improve the quality of sound for the user. Further, a light could be installed on the light bar, facing outward, such that the user could activate the light to assist a customer, for example, reading a menu. In one example, the light source may be one or more LED lights. In another example, the electronics may have position location circuitry that can track and report the location of the user. In one specific use, the location tracking circuitry may be able to detect if the user is wearing the shield 105, or if the user has removed the shield and is improperly working without shield protection. In another example of the electronics, the electronics would include authentication or access circuitry, such as an RFID transmitter, to allow the user to have access to secure locations, or to confirm that the user is in a particular area.

[0039] Referring now to FIG. 10, a shoulder supported shield 205 is illustrated. Shoulder supported shield 205 has a flexible and substantially transparent shield 211 which is attached to a support bar 212. Support bar 212 connects to a first shoulder support 227 at permanent connection 213 and connects to a second support 228 at permanent connection 214. It will be appreciated that the connections 213 and 214 may be solid, adjustable, or may provide for a pivot function. first shoulder support 227 and second shoulder support 228 are coupled using connector 229. It will be appreciated that the connector 225 may take several forms, such as a sliding interlock, a screwed connection, a twisting connection, a snack connection, or a hook and loop connection. In some cases, the connector 229 may allow repeated attachments and detachments, while in other cases the connector 229 may allow for only one connection, and any connection would be destructive. In this case, this would enable an employer, for example, to assure that employee did not use the shoulder supported shield 205 multiple times

[0040] To use the shoulder supported shield 205, a user would spread the supports 227 and 228 apart and places around his or her neck. Once in place, the user would engage connector 229 to connect support 227 to support 228. To remove the shoulder support shield 205, the process would be reversed.

[0041] While particular preferred and alternative embodiments of the present intention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that many various modifications and extensions of the above described technology may be implemented using the teaching of this invention. All such modifications and extensions are intended to be included within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.