Shower Face Shield II

Abstract

A protective face mask comprising: an eye-protecting shield made essentially from a flexible plastic material, the eye-protecting shield being dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer, the eye-protecting shield having a perimeter defining a first surface facing the wearer's face, and a second surface facing away from the wearer's face; for providing a substantially watertight and releasable sealing engagement between at least a portion of the perimeter forming an upper edge of the face mask and at least a portion of the skin of the wearer's face, and the lower part of the perimeter of the mask is free from the wearer's skin, and wherein the mask extends along the contour of the wearer's face from the forehead to cheekbones and the lower perimeter thereof extends to the bridge of the nose provides a comfortable and flexible mask without the need for a strap or side bars, avoids pressure on the skin in the contact zone, allows free eye movement and airflow and minimizes the formation of dew. The mask is primarily adapted for providing a waterproof shield to allow a person who has recently done their make-up to shower and shampoo their hair while keeping their eye make-up in a clean dry condition.

Description

BACKGROUND—PRIOR ART

The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:

U.S. Patents
	Patent Number	Kind Code	Issue Date	Patentee
	1,640,676		1927 August	Shaeffer
	2,033,691		1936 March	Douglass
	3,310,812		1967 March	Gaisser
	3,545,436		1970 December	Holloway
	4,856,535		1989 August	Forbes
	5,685,022	A	1997 November	Essman
	5,865,196	A	1999 February	Foote
	6,213,125	B1	2001 April	Reese
	7,275,819	B2	2007 October	Bleau
	7,774,858	B2	2010 August	Kayerod

Foreign Patent Documents
Foreign Doc. Nr.	Cntry Code	Kind Code	Pub. Dt	Patentee
110147	DE	2006 January	Edinger

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a face mask comprising a protective eye shield dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer. The face mask is particularly useful for shielding against water or shampoo during showering and hair washing. The face mask is also applicable in hairdressing for protecting the wearer's eyes from hair tonic, rinse, hair spray, hair color and clippings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Eye goggles and face masks are habitually used to keep the wearer's eyes protected from external environments. For example, swimming goggles are used to protect the wearer's eyes from water. It is important that a face mask properly fit the face of the wearer. The need for a good seal is self-evident, as is the importance of comfort in the fit of the mask. If the mask is not comfortable to wear, it will bother the user and may create feelings of uneasiness. The present invention relates to a light weight protective shield to cover and protect the eyes, the eyebrows, and a portion of the face of the wearer during showers to maintain a dry environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the past it has been necessary to direct the spray of water during showering and shampooing in such a manner to avoid getting water in the eyes. This is of course a difficult task and it is not always possible to keep the entire facial area completely dry due to the overspray of the shower nozzle. There is thus a need for a device which will effectively and comfortably seal against the user's forehead and face to ensure a dry environment during showering or during trips to the hairdresser.

Traditional eye goggles and face masks normally comprise a spongy or rubber-like material for providing a seal between a perimeter of the goggles or face masks and a portion of the face surrounding the wearer's eyes. Such goggles and face masks are typically made of a rigid plastic material. This rigid plastic material can make the goggles uncomfortable for the wearer. The eye goggles or face masks may be held in place, firmly engaging the wearer's face, by adhesive, side bars, or elastic bands. Goggles and face masks are traditionally sealed around the entire eye contour of the wearer. Goggles that seal around the entire eye area will sometimes collect dew on the inside of the mask making it difficult for the user to see. Goggles with side bars can put undue pressure on side of head causing headaches.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,535 discloses a shield for providing a water proof seal across the forehead and along the sides of the face shield to allow a patient having recently had facial cosmetic or reconstructive surgery to shower and shampoo their hair while keeping the bandages and incisions in a clean dry condition. The edge of the shield having the adhesive is pressed against the patient's forehead adjacent the hairline and down along the temples and the side of the face. The shield is of a flexible material allowing the bending and forming along the contour of the face while being rigid enough to retain its shape and form a shield spaced from the patient's face, and produces a tent-like structure leading away from the forehead downwardly over the nose and extending beyond the chin of the patient. As the shield disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,535 extends beyond the chin of the patient humidity from exhaled air will condense at the inner surface thereof and form dew being highly undesirable, especially if used for protecting children's eyes, nose and mouth during bathing. Furthermore, children may feel isolated behind a full face mask covered with dew.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,858 discloses an eye-protecting shield the eye-protecting shield dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer, the eye-protecting shield having a perimeter defining a first surface facing the wearer's face, and a second surface facing away from the wearer's face; an adhesive forming an adhesive strip attached to the first surface of the eye-protecting shield for providing a substantially watertight and releasable sealing engagement between at least a portion of the perimeter forming an upper edge of the face mask and at least a portion of the skin of the wearer's face, wherein the upper part of the perimeter of the mask is provided with a continuous layer of adhesive along the perimeter, and the lower part of the perimeter of the mask is free of adhesive. As the shield, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,858, has adhesive attached to the first surface facing the wearer's face it is not completely waterproof due to a slightly lifted edge of the shield at the forehead of the wearer.

There is thus a need for a device which is capable of being comfortably worn, is reusable, and is capable of forming an effective water tight seal to cover and protect the desired areas of face, eyes, and eyebrows. There is further need for a waterproof face shield, which is inexpensive, light-weight and easy to apply and remove without hindering the ability of the wearer to shower and shampoo effectively and comfortably.

SUMMARY

It is an object of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a comfortable, flexible, and reusable face mask that provides a shield for the wearer's eyes without the need for side bars or straps for keeping the face mask in place, said face mask being comfortable and easy to use.

It is a further object of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a face mask, which avoids covering the whole face so as not to make the wearer feel anxious and uncomfortable.

Still further it is an object of the invention to provide a face mask which allows for free airflow to the eye region and nose and mouth allowing free breathing through the nose and the mouth, and which minimizes the inconvenience of dewing on the surfaces of the mask and leaves the wearer able to see through the mask.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a face mask which in use directs water to one or both sides of the face for avoiding water flowing under the mask and in to the eyes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides a protective face mask comprising: an eye-protecting shield, strip of tape, and release liner. The eye-protecting shield is made essentially from a plastics material, the eye-protecting shield being dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer, the eye-protecting shield having a perimeter defining a first surface facing the wearer's face, and a second surface facing away from the wearer's face; wherein the mask extends along the contour of the wearer's face from the forehead to cheekbones. The strip of tape is made from a hypoallergenic silicone material that allows for easy, pain-free repositioning and removal. The strip of tape is approximately 1 inch in width and 10 inches in length. The strip of tape should adhere to the second surface of the eye-protecting shield as well as the user's forehead, therefore creating a waterproof barrier. The release liner is made from a paper or plastic-based film sheet used to prevent the sticky surface of the tape from prematurely adhering.

The face mask of the invention fulfills the above-mentioned objects and is in the form of a simple and cheap product which is easy to manufacture and more comfortable than the masks of the state of the art. It has been found that the problems with condensation are minimized using the mask of the invention. It has been found that the lower edge of the face mask should not extend beyond the bridge of the nose in order to not interfere with exhaled air.

In a preferred embodiment of the face mask the lower perimeter thereof does not extend over the nose, rather it hovers over the bridge of the nose. This embodiment allows for free breathing through the nose while wearing the mask and comfortable use by wearer. This embodiment is preferred for use for e.g. children or for adults closing the mouth when showering.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the upper part of the perimeter of the mask generally has a convex, spherical shape giving an easier and better adaptation to the shape of the forehead and also assists in directing water around the eyes, nose, and mouth.

In preferred embodiments, the face shield is made almost entirely from one single type of material. It will hence be appreciated that the face mask of the invention hence may be more flexible, light and compliant than the eyewear disclosed in WO 2004/010912. Furthermore the eye-protecting shield avoids the problem of formation of dew unlike the face mask disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,535.

In preferred embodiments, the strip of tape is wide enough to attach to top section of the second surface of the face shield and the user's forehead area simultaneously. Therefore, creating a waterproof barrier on the top edge of the face mask, while leaving the bottom edge open to air flow.

It should further be understood that the eye-protecting shield may have a thickness of approximately 0.01-0.25 mm.

Embodiments including three components only, i.e. the single-piece eye-protecting shield, the strip of tape attached, and the release liner thereto provides a simplified construction. Generally, the simple structure of the face mask of the present invention allows it to be manufactured at low cost, while being light, comfortable and easy to use, e.g. for protecting the wearer's eyes during treatment or washing of the wearer's hair.

The face mask is designed to be re-usable.

It is desirable that the protective shield, and thus the face mask, is somewhat flexible and light. The eye-protecting shield should preferably be sufficiently light and flexible to allow it to conform comfortably to the shape and contour of the wearer's face in the region of the wearer's eyes and nose. The face mask should be flexible yet hold its shape to protect from water pressure while the user is in the shower. The face mask, or at least a major portion of the eye-protecting shield, is transparent, allowing the wearer to view through the shield.

The detailed description of the invention is provided primarily for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the preferred embodiment is not intended to be limited to the particular structures and method of operation as they may be readily modified. It will be further readily apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous other modifications not mentioned herein can still be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed in the following claims.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

The invention is disclosed more in detail with reference to the drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the face mask, in accordance with one embodiment thereof;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the face mask as, in accordance with one embodiment thereof;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of removal of release liner;

FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial, magnified cross section of a side of the embodiment of the present invention

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is now explained more in detail with reference to the drawings showing preferred embodiments of the invention but which are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

FIGS. 1-3 show a face shield comprising a body 10 of a sheet of transparent flexible plastic material in a shape adapted to fit conveniently and comfortably around the contour of a wearer's face. The face mask generally provides protection against liquids such as soap and water or rain, and wind without sealing off the entire eye contour and without the use of side bars and furthermore without sealing off the side of the face and the jaw area. The face mask comprises a front plastic shield 10, a strip of tape 11, and a release liner 12. At least a portion and preferably the entire front plastic shield 10 is transparent. The shield material is flexible and light, but has some rigidity, so that it easily conforms to the wearer's face and be protective. The convex bottom edge 13 is made of a flexible plastic material and is shaped to comfortably hover over the bridge of the nose of the wearer. The strip of tape 11 is made from a hypoallergenic silicone adhesive material and connects to the face mask 10 at the top edge. The strip of adhesive tape forms a continuous watertight seal between the convex top edge 14 and a portion of the user's face. The release liner 12 is made of a paper or plastic-based film sheet used to prevent the sticky surface of the tape from prematurely adhering. FIG. 3 demonstrates the removal of the release liner 12 from the face mask.

Suitable materials for the eye-protective shield of the invention are transparent flexible materials that hold shape. The shield is preferable a thin, transparent, flexible plastic material which may be essentially shaped in three dimensions. It is preferably shaped and sized such that the perimeter of the shield extends along with and in contact with the contour of the wearer's face from the forehead to cheekbones, but hovers over the bridge of nose. Other suitable plastic materials are acryl ester materials such as polyurethane film (PU), PMMA, polystyrene materials, or polycarbonates such as polyethylene of polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride.

For example, the shield may be made from a single sheet of polycarbonate film, optionally surface-treated.

The entire assembly is maintained on the user's head in a well known manner by means of a strip of tape 11.

In FIG. 4, the face mask is illustrated in use. A transparent plastic shield 10 covers the wearer's eyes and is retained in place by the strip of tape 11. FIG. 4 illustrates how the face mask protects the wearer's eyes without sealing off the entire eye contour or nose region, providing free eye contour movements and air supply to the eyes and nose. FIG. 4 also illustrates the free access to the user's hair during use of the face mask and also illustrates that the jaw area is free and enables unhindered movement of the jaw, e.g. when speaking.

FIG. 5 shows a partial, magnified cross sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional detail of the adhesive strip 11 and the release liner 12, both shown with an exaggerated thickness, attached to the plastic shield 10. The curvature of the plastic shield 10 ensures free, comfortable eye movement. The adhesive strip 11 ensures a secured and waterproof fit of the face mask.

Claims

1. A protective face mask, comprising an eye-protecting shield, a water resistant adhesive strip, and a release liner.

2. The face-mask according to claim 1, wherein the eye-protecting shield is transparent, flexible, light, and made from a plastics material.

3. The eye-protecting shield being dimensioned to cover at least the eye portions of a human wearer, the eye-protecting shield having a perimeter defining a first surface facing a forehead and cheekbones of the wearer's face, and a second surface facing away from the wearer's face, the mask extends along the contour of the wearer's face from the forehead to cheekbones and covers the wearer's face from the forehead to bridge of nose.

4. The face-mask according to claim 1, a water resistant adhesive tape extending adjacent said upper and upper side edges, said sealing means for forming a continuous water tight seal against the perimeter of the face of said wearer to form a structure of said wearer to trail shower water away from the face the first surface of the eye-protecting shield for providing a substantially watertight and releasable sealing engagement between at least a portion of the perimeter forming an upper edge of the face mask and at least a portion of the skin of the wearer's face.

5. The face-mask according to claim 1, a release liner made of a paper or plastic-based film sheet used to prevent the sticky surface of the tape from prematurely adhering.