FULL-FACE DIVING MASK
20200130792 ยท 2020-04-30
Inventors
Cpc classification
B63C11/16
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
A full-face diving mask includes a mask and a breathing tube. The mask includes an outer frame, a lens housing and a fitting mask. The fitting mask includes a partition plate. The partition plate and the inner surface of the lens housing define an observation chamber on the top and a breathing chamber below. The partition plate includes at least one air intake port to allow inhaled air to be guided and circulated through at least one air intake passageway from the observation chamber toward the breathing chamber. The breathing chamber is further provided with an air compartment partition plate connected to the partition plate to define an air discharge compartment. The air compartment partition plate is provided with at least one air discharge port to allow exhaled air to be guided through at least one air discharge passageway from the air discharge compartment and discharged along the breathing tube.
Claims
1. A full-face diving mask, comprising: a lens housing and a fitting mask sealed together at an interface; wherein the lens housing includes a lens that is at least partially transparent; a cavity formed by the lens housing and the fitting mask, the fitting mask including a face opening for the placement of a portion of a user's face therethrough and into the cavity, wherein the face opening is configured to seal against the portion of the user's face and prevent water from entering the cavity when the full-face diving mask is worn; a first partition plate dividing the cavity between an upper air compartment located adjacent to the user's eyes and a lower air compartment located adjacent to the user's nose and mouth when the full-face diving mask is worn; at least one valve located on the first partition plate permitting the transfer of air from the upper air compartment to the lower air compartment and preventing the transfer of air from the lower air compartment to the upper air compartment; a second partition plate dividing the lower air compartment into a front lower air compartment located between the second partition plate and the lens housing and rear lower air compartment located between the second partition plate and the face opening; and at least one additional valve located on the second partition plate permitting the transfer of air from the rear lower air compartment to the front lower air compartment and preventing the transfer of air from the front lower air compartment to the rear lower air compartment.
2. The full-face diving mask according to claim 1, further including a breathing tube connected at a first end thereof to at least one of the lens housing and the fitting mask and extending to a breathing tube opening located at a second end thereof.
3. The full-face diving mask according to claim 2, further including an air intake passageway extending between the breathing tube opening and the upper air compartment for permitting air intake and an air discharge passageway extending between the front lower air compartment and the breathing tube opening for permitting air discharge.
4. The full-face diving mask according to claim 3, wherein the lens housing is surrounded by a lens housing peripheral edge, wherein the fitting mask is surrounded by a fitting mask peripheral edge, and wherein the interface between the lens housing and the fitting mask is adjacent to both peripheral edges.
5. The full-face diving mask according to claim 4, wherein the air discharge passageway includes at least one air discharge conduit that extends adjacent to the interface from the front lower air compartment to the breathing tube.
6. The full-face diving mask according to claim 5, wherein the air intake passageway includes at least one air intake channel extending along the breathing tube and in fluid communication with the upper air compartment, and the air discharge passageway further includes at least one air discharge channel extending along the breathing tube and in fluid communication with the at least one air discharge conduit.
7. The full-face diving mask according to claim 6, wherein the at least one air discharge conduit comprises: a first conduit section extending in a clockwise direction from the front lower air compartment and along the interface to the breathing tube; and a second conduit section extending in a counterclockwise direction from the front lower air compartment and along the interface to the breathing tube.
8. The full-face diving mask according to claim 7, wherein the at least one air discharge channel in the breathing tube comprises: a first discharge channel section in fluid communication with the first conduit section; and a second discharge channel section in fluid communication with the second conduit section.
9. The full-face diving mask according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the lens housing and the fitting mask includes a connecting sleeve for selectively coupling to the breathing tube.
10. The full-face diving mask according to claim 9, wherein the connecting sleeve comprises: an intake connector section for coupling the at least one air intake channel of the breathing tube to the upper air compartment; and at least one discharge connector for coupling the at least one air discharge channel in the breathing tube to the at least one air discharge conduit.
11. The full-face diving mask according to claim 10, further including a sealing ring located between the connecting sleeve and the breathing tube
12. The full-face diving mask according to claim 3, wherein the breathing tube includes an adjustment device located adjacent to the breathing tube opening and for preventing fluid from entering the air intake passageway and the air discharge passageway when the breathing tube opening is under water.
13. The full-face diving mask according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment device comprises: a first floater member located adjacent to an entry control point of the air intake passageway, the first floater member sealing the entry control point when it is underwater and is displaced away from the entry control point when it is not underwater to permit air to travel therethrough; and a second floater member located adjacent to an exit control point of the air discharge passageway, the second floater member sealing the exit control point when it is underwater and is displaced away from the exit control point when it is not underwater to permit air to travel therethrough.
14. The full-face diving mask according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment device further comprises: a sealing plate and an end cap coupled together; wherein the sealing plate is located between the breathing tube opening and the end cap, and the sealing plate defines a first hole for the entry control point sized to seal against the first floater member and a second hole for the exit control point sized to seal against the second floater member.
15. The full-face diving mask according to claim 14, wherein the floater members are seated in a caged portion that is positioned to overlap at least a portion of the air intake passageway and the air discharge passageway, and wherein the caged portion defines a series of slots forming the breathing tube opening.
16. The full-face diving mask according to claim 15, wherein the sealing plate and end cap couple the air intake passageway and the air discharge passageway to the breathing tube opening through the first hole and the second hole.
17. The full-face diving mask according to claim 16, wherein the air discharge passageway includes a second exit control point and the adjustment device further comprises a third hole and a third floater member.
18. The full-face diving mask according to claim 17, wherein the first floater member is larger than either of the second floater member or the third floater member.
19. The full-face diving mask according to claim 18, wherein the first floater member is located between and directly connected to the second floater member and the third floater member such that each of the floater members move within the caged portion together.
20. The full-face diving mask according to claim 1, wherein the lens housing includes a valve permitting accumulated water in the rear lower air compartment to be discharged into the environment but preventing water in the environment from entering the rear lower air compartment.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The drawings described herein are only for illustrative purposes of selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The inventive concepts associated with the present disclosure will be more readily understood by reference to the following description in combination with the accompanying drawings wherein:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE ENABLING EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general, the subject embodiments are directed to a full-face diving mask. However, the exemplary embodiments are only illustrative of the various features of the present invention, those skilled in the art understanding that various changes thereto may be made without departing from the full scope of the invention. Numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that exemplary embodiments may be altered in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some exemplary embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
[0024] The implementation and usage of the exemplary embodiments will be discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to implement and use the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the description for the structural positions of various components, representations of directions such as upper, lower, top and bottom are not absolute, but relative.
[0025] Herein, inner or inside refers to a direction toward the user's face, and outer or outside refers to a direction away from the user's face when using the full-face diving mask. Upper or Top refers to a direction toward the top of the user's head, and lower or bottom refers to a direction toward the underside of the user's mouth and nose.
[0026] Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the views, the full-face diving mask 100 is intended for allowing a user to safely and comfortably breath underwater.
[0027] With initial reference to
[0028] With continued reference to
[0029] According one aspect of the disclosure, the breathing chamber B is further provided with an air compartment partition plate 28. The air compartment partition plate 28 is connected to the partition plate 181 to define an air discharge compartment C (a front lower compartment). Discharge compartment C and breathing chamber B combine to form a lower air compartment (B, C). In some embodiments, a pair of air discharge ports (e.g., valves 16, 17) is provided on the air compartment partition plate 28, and an air discharge one-way valve is provided at each air discharge port to allow exhaled air to be guided through at least one air discharge passageway (23, 25, 26, 27, 523, and 525) from the air discharge compartment C and discharged along the breathing tube 6. In other words, the observation chamber A is defined by the inner surface of the lens housing 14 and the upper surface of the partition plate 181 of the fitting mask 18, and the breathing chamber B is defined by the inner surface of the air compartment partition plate 28 and the lower surface of the partition plate 181 of the fitting mask 18. The air discharge compartment C is defined by the lower surface of the partition plate 181 of the fitting mask 18 and the outer surface of the air compartment partition plate 28. In some embodiments, the partition plate 181 and/or the air compartment partition plate 28 of the fitting mask 18 may be integrally formed with the fitting mask 18. In some embodiments, the fitting mask 18 may be a flexible silicone mask including a nose-fitting surface for sealing against the user's mouth and nose and a face-fitting surface 182 for sealing against the user's face, as best shown in
[0030] In some embodiments, the full-face diving mask 100 may include at least one air intake passageway (e.g., passageways 24, 524) and at least one air discharge passageway (e.g., passageways 23, 25, 26, 27, 523, and 525). In such instances, the breathing tube 6 may correspondingly be provided with at least one air intake channel 524 and at least one air discharge channel (e.g., channels 523, 525). The at least one air intake channel 524 may be coupled with the observation chamber A to form an air intake passageway (e.g., passageways 24, 524). The at least one air discharge channel (e.g., channels 523, 525) may be coupled with the air discharge compartment C via at least one air discharge conduit to form an air discharge passageway (e.g., passageways 23, 25, 26, 27, 523, and 525). The air discharge conduit may be provided at either side edge or both side edges of the fitting mask 18 and/or the lens housing 14. The lens housing 14 is surrounded by a lens housing peripheral edge, and the fitting mask 18 is surrounded by a fitting mask peripheral edge, wherein the interface 105 (see
[0031] The breathing tube 6 may further include an elbow 5 provided with an air intake channel 524 and an air discharge channels (e.g., channels 523, 525). The proximal end of the elbow 5 is connected to the mask 101, and the distal end of the elbow 5 is provided with an end cap 1 and an adjustment device 107 (see
[0032] With reference now
[0033] In certain arrangements, in order to realize coupling between the air discharge compartment C and the air discharge channels (e.g., channels 523, 525) of the breathing tube 6, a first air discharge conduit and a second air discharge conduit may be respectively provided at both side edges of the fitting mask 18 and/or the lens housing 14. As shown in
[0034] In an embodiment providing two air discharge conduits, a first air discharge port 17 and a second air discharge 16 port may be symmetrically provided at positions on both sides of the air compartment partition plate 28 corresponding to the user's cheek. The first and second air discharge ports 16, 17 are respectively provided with a first air discharge one-way valve 17 and a second air discharge one-way valve 16. As illustrated in
[0035] The air intake passageway (e.g., passageways 24, 524) and the air discharge passageway (e.g., passageways 23, 25, 26, 27, 523, and 525) of the full-face diving mask 100 of the present disclosure are separated from each other, and the intake and discharge of air can only be performed along the passageways in the fixed directions. The air discharge compartment C is closer to the user's mouth and nose, such that the air discharge process can be shortened. Thereby, the carbon dioxide or other exhaled gases can be discharged out of the full-face diving mask 100 more quickly and thoroughly, and accumulation of carbon dioxide or other exhaled gases inside the full-face diving mask 100 is greatly reduced, such that the discomfort caused by insufficient oxygen inhalation for the user is effectively avoided, and the formation of fog is reduced. This one-way design also avoids potential safety hazards from water flowing into the mask.
[0036] Various working principles and processes of the intake and discharge of air by means of the full-face diving mask 100 will be described with reference to
[0037] As described above, the distal end of the breathing tube 6 is provided with the adjustment device 107 that allows air to enter and exit the breathing tube 6. As best seen in
[0038] As shown best in
[0039] The air flow path in the inhalation phase is shown in conjunction with directional arrows provided in
[0040] The air flow path in the exhaling phase is shown in conjunction with directional arrows provided in
[0041] It should be understood that in the inhalation or exhalation state, the floaters 4 should be out of sealing engagement with the sealing plate 3, such that the air intake opening is coupled with the air intake channel 524 or the air discharge opening is coupled with the air discharge channel (e.g., channels 523, 525) allowing the flow of air therethrough. With reference now to
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[0043] While the invention has been described in detail in connection with a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
[0044] It should further be understood that the features illustrated in
[0045] It should also be understood that the lens housing according to the present disclosure may include a lens. The lens may be made of a transparent plastic material to provide a clear view under the water or be made of other suitable materials known in the art. In some embodiments, the lens may be a Plano lens (i.e., a lens with no vision correction but possibly tints or reflective coatings) or a lens with vision correction properties. However, the lens may also be a lens for short-sightedness or long-sightedness to accommodate the needs of different users. In the illustrated embodiment, the breathing tube is shown and described to have a fixed extension length. However, the breathing tube may also be provided as a telescopic tube, such that dive depth can be adjusted to meet the needs of different users. Thereby, the full-face diving mask of the present disclosure has a better applicability.
[0046] The technical content and technical features of the present disclosure have been disclosed above. However, it should be understood that numerous variations and improvements to the above disclosed concepts fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. The description for the above embodiments is illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of protection of the present disclosure is determined by the claims.