Horizontally flat-foldable mask having five surfaces

Abstract

A horizontally flat-foldable mask includes a main body having, in a folded state, a middle lobe, an upper lobe, a lower lobe, a first fold section extending upward from the middle lobe, horizontally folded from the upper lobe and having a first mid seam line curved or inclined downward from center toward both sides, and a second fold section extending downward from the middle lobe, horizontally folded from the lower lobe and having a second mid seam line curved or inclined upward from center toward both sides, and harnesses fixed to both sides of the main body.

Claims

1. A horizontally flat-foldable mask, the mask comprising: a main body having, in a flat folded state, a middle lobe, an upper lobe, a lower lobe, a first fold member extending upward from the middle lobe, horizontally folded from the upper lobe and having a first mid seam line curved or inclined downward from a center toward both sides, and a second fold member extending downward from the middle lobe, horizontally folded from the lower lobe and having a second mid seam line curved or inclined upward from the center toward both sides; and harnesses fixed to both sides of the main body, wherein the first fold member is fully folded using the first mid seam line as a first fold line and the second fold member is fully folded using the second mid seam line as a second fold line.

2. The horizontally flat-foldable mask of claim 1, wherein edges of the upper lobe and the lower lobe have rims reinforced by marginal portions cut out in the course of forming the first fold member and the second fold member, respectively.

3. The horizontally flat-foldable mask of claim 1, wherein the main body further comprises a shell with an opening, the shell being joined to an innermost side of the main body.

4. The horizontally flat-foldable mask of claim 1, wherein the first fold member of the main body has grips on each side thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A is a front view of a mask in the prior art invented by the present inventor and disclosed in Korean Patent No. 0966272 when it is folded.

(2) FIG. 1B is a rear view of the mask shown in FIG. 1A.

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of a mask in an embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a rear view of the mask of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view when the fold sections of the mask shown in FIG. 2 are artificially lifted.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a process of fabricating the mask of FIG. 2.

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a donning state of the mask of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

(8) 1; middle lobe of a mask of prior art, 2; upper lobe of the mask of prior art, 3; lower lobe of the mask of prior art

(9) 20; mask of the present invention 21; middle lobe 22; upper lobe 23; lower lobe

(10) 24; first fold section 25; first mid seam line

(11) 26; second fold section 27; second mid seam line 30; grip

(12) 31; harness 32; harness joint 33; nose clip 34; shell

MODE FOR INVENTION

(13) Hereafter, the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings. The description is for providing an example of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the protection range of the present invention.

(14) FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively a front view and a rear view of a mask in prior art invented by the present inventor and disclosed in Korean Patent No. 0966272. The figures show a three-surface mask consisting of a middle lobe 1, an upper lobe 2 bonded to and bending from the upper portion of the middle lobe 1, a lower lobe 3 bonded to and bending from the lower portion of the middle lobe 1, and harnesses attached to four edges of the main body. Referring to FIGS. 2 to 6 that show an embodiment of the present invention, a main body is composed of a middle lobe 21, an upper lobe 22, and a lower lobe 23, further a first fold section 24 between the middle lobe 21 and the upper lobe 22 horizontally folded from the upper lobe 22 and having a first arc mid seam line, and still further a second fold section 26 between the middle lobe 21 and the lower lobe 23 horizontally folded from the lower lobe 23 and having a second arc mid seam line. The upper lobe and the lower lobe have rims (shaded portions) along the edges thereof respectively which are reinforced by bonding the marginal portions cut out in the course of forming the fold sections. The reinforced rims enhance the seal of the mask with least additional cost incurred and least part to be removed in the middle of the process by using the margins cut out. A grip 30 is formed on each side of the first mid seam line 25 of the first fold section 24 of the main body. The grips help a user handle the mask sanitarily. A shell 34 having a middle opening is joined to the innermost side of the main body. The shell is made of a soft elastic material to increase wearing comfort.

(15) Referring to FIG. 5 to make the features of the present invention clear, a nose clip 33 is embedded (step b) when a raw panel is prepared by layering sheets having various functions (step a). The upper and the lower portions of the layered panel are folded, cut in arc and bonded to form the first mid seam line 25 and the second mid seam line 27 respectively (step c). The marginal portions cut out in this process are not separated or removed from the panel. Further, if necessary, the grips 30 are formed on the first fold section. The folded portions are refolded again along the horizontal fold lines respectively. The refolded portions and the marginal portions cut out are bonded over the first mid seam line 25 and under the first mid seam line 27 respectively, as indicated by the dotted line (step d). If necessary, the mask is turned inside out and a sheet made of an elastic material is bonded to form the shell 34 on the innermost side of the mask (step e). The main body is completed by trimming the edges after forming an opening in the shell (step f). The upper lobe 22 and the lower lobe 23 have reinforced rims triple as thick as the raw panel.

(16) The fold sections 24 and 26 extending from the middle lobe upward and downward have mid seam lines 25 and 27 respectively, and are bounded by corresponding horizontal fold lines. They are cut from the initial folded portions, and thus are neatly folded without overlapping the rims which are reinforced with the marginal portions cut out from the initial folded portions to be triple as thick as the raw panel.

(17) The shell 34 disposed on the innermost side of the mask lessens uncomfortable feel which would be caused by the nose clip and increase wearing comfort.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(18) The horizontally flat-foldable mask having five surfaces according to the present invention can be widely used to block contaminated air in normal life or protect the respiratory organs of a wearer from noxious gases at industrial sites.