LIGHTWEIGHT FACE SHIELD

Abstract

A face shield including a flexible transparent sheet and a strap component having a strap configured to encircle a wearer's neck, with a pair of support arms disposed on the strap which are secured to a lower portion of the sheet at two spaced apart locations. The support arms extend away from the strap so as to support the sheet in front of, and spaced apart from, the wearer's face. The extended support arms further introduce a bend in the sheet to provide lateral facial coverage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to face shields and in particular to low cost, lightweight face shields that can be shipped in a compact form and then easily assembled for use by the end user.

2. Description of Related Art

Various types of face shields are employed to protect all, or part of, the wearer's face from hazards such as flying objects, chemical splashes or potentially infectious materials. Such shields can also be useful in discouraging the wearer for touching his/her face. Face shields intended for infection control, sometimes referred to as medical face shields, are usually constructed from relatively lightweight materials as compared to shields intended to provide protection from flying objects such as wood chips, roadside debris and the like. Medical face shields have a tendency to be somewhat awkward to wear over extended periods of time, particularly those devices intended for use in healthcare settings such as hospitals.

There is a need for a very lightweight and low cost face shield, particularly for non-healthcare settings. Such a face shield needs to provide adequate room to accommodate eye glasses, face masks and other items frequently worn concurrently with the face shield. As will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following Detailed Description of the Invention together with the drawings, the present invention addresses these needs and requirements unlike conventional face shields.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A face shield is disclosed which includes a flexible transparent sheet supported over the user's face by a strap component, with the strap component having an elongated strap configured to be worn around the user's neck. The strap component further includes a pair of support arms secured at spaced apart locations on the elongated strap. Each support arm includes an attaching section and an arm section, with the arm section being separated from the attaching section by an intermediate transition region. The support arms are secured to the elongated strap exclusively by way of the respective attaching sections and are positioned on the strap facing one another so that the transition regions are spaced apart from one another a distance of at least one half a width of the transparent sheet.

Fasteners are positioned to secure the first and second arm sections to spaced apart locations on the transparent sheet. When the elongated strap is formed around the user's neck, the arm sections extend away from the curved strap at the respective transition regions and spread apart from one another. This action allows the support arms to position and secure the transparent sheet in front of the user's face and further introduces a bend in the transparent sheet so that the sheet wraps around the user's face to provide lateral coverage. The geometry of the support arms is such that the bent sheet is spaced apart from the user's face a sufficient distance to accommodate eye glasses and other items worn concurrently with the shield. In addition, the support arms are disposed at an angle with respect to the elongated strap so that the sheet is positioned vertically in front of the face. Typically, the fasteners are implemented using hook and loop mechanisms so that the flexible sheet can be readily separated from the strap component for ease in cleaning, shipping and storing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a face shield being worn by a user in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the face shield of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is side view of the face shield of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the face shield of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the strap component in planar form of the FIG. 1 face shield.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the shield component of the FIG. 1 face shield including a transparent sheet in planar form.

FIG. 7 is a elevation view of one of the two support arms of the FIG. 5 strap component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring again to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the subject face shield worn by a user. The face shield includes a shield component 20 supported on the user by a strap component 26. The two components 20 and 26, when separate, can be shipped and stored in a compact from and then easily combined by a user to form the final face shield shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. The entire face shield can be manufactured from lightweight materials, with the total weight typically being less than 2 ounces.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary shield component 20 in planar form. The shield component 20 is comprised primarily of an 8½ by 11 inch transparent sheet 22. A clear polyester 7 mil binding cover sold by Tamerica Products, Inc. of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. has been found suitable for this application. If desired, the upper corners can be trimmed to form rounded edges as shown in the drawings. The distance W between edges 22A and 22B is the 11 inches when transparent sheet 22 is in planar form. The undesignated distance between edges 22C and 22D is 8½ inches.

The shield component 20 further includes pair of the fasteners for securing the transparent sheet 22 to the strap component 20. A segment 24A of one half a hook and loop fastener, sometimes referred to herein as a fastener half, is secured by adhesive to the sheet at the corner formed by edges 22A/22C. Another fastener half 24B is secured by adhesive to the sheet at the corner formed be edges 226/22C. The active side of the fastener halves 24A and 24B are both facing the observer of FIG. 6.

As previously noted, the shield component 20 is supported over the user's face by the strap component 26. In particular, the transparent sheet 22 of the shield component is supported exclusively on the user by a pair of support arms 28/30, as will be described.

In addition to securing the transparent sheet 22 on the user, the strap component 26 is configured to introduce a bend in the otherwise planar transparent sheet 22 so that the sheet provides lateral coverage of the user's face as depicted, by way of example, in FIG. 1.

The strap component 26 is shown in FIG. 5 in planar form. The strap component 26 includes an elongated strap 36 which is typically 24 inches long and functions to encircle the user's necks. A hook type fastener half segment 24E or fastener half, is secured to the one distal end of elongated strap 36 (FIG. 5). The entire inner surface of strap 36, not observable in FIG. 5, is covered with a loop material which is complementary to fastener half 24E. Since the inner loop material extends over the length of the strap, the fastener half 24E can attach to the inner material over a wide range so as to accommodate a wide range of user sizes. In that the strap 26 will encircle a user's neck the inner fastener material is preferably fabricated from a well known softer version of loop material that does not irritate the wearer's skin. A product sold by The Velcro Companies under the brand Veltex has been found suitable for this application. The fastener material extending along the interior of elongated strap 36 functions as a substrate for a thin layer of plastic (not designated) that covers the substrate. The plastic cover can carry printed matter and/or decorative designs of various kinds if desired. Preferably, the plastic cover is, in turn, covered by a clear plastic layer to provide a three layer laminate structure, with the outer clear layer functioning to protect the underlying layer and any printed material on that layer.

A pair of identically shaped, spaced apart support arms 28 and 30 are supported in the central region of the elongated strap 36. The support arms 28/30 can be fabricated having a cardboard substrate which is covered by the same two plastic outer layers used on the elongated strap 36. FIG. 7 shows one of the support arms 30 in further detail. The support arms 28/30 each include an attaching section 28A/30A and an arm section 28B/30B, with the support and arm sections being separated by a narrow transition region represented by lines 28C and 30C. The respective support arms 28/30 are supported on the elongated strap 36 by way of respective attaching sections 28B/30B, preferably by using an adhesive (not depicted) which is distributed along the entire inner surfaces of the attaching sections up to, and terminating at, the transition regions 28C/30C. The transition regions are spaced apart from one another along the length of strap 36 a typical distance D (FIG. 5) of 7 inches. As will be described later, that portion of strap 36 designated by D will extend along the front of the wearers neck.

The two arm sections 28B/30B of the respective support arms 28/30 are attached to the elongated strap 36, utilizing an adhesive, exclusively by way of the respective attaching sections 28B/30B. The surfaces of the arm sections facing away from the observer of FIG. 5 are covered with hook and loop fasters halves 24C/24D (FIGS. 2 and 4). The fastener half 24C on arm section 28B is of the appropriate type to engage the fastener half 24A of the shield component 20. Similarly, the fastener half 24D on arm section 30B is of the appropriate type to engage the fastener half 24B. The fastener halves 24A/24B are positioned on the transparent sheet 22, typically at the respective corners formed by edges 22A/22C and formed by edges 226/22C. The fastener halves 24A/24B, and hence the underlying transparent sheet locations where the fastener halves are positioned, are spaced apart from one another a distance C (FIG. 6) along sheet 22. In the depicted embodiment, distance C is somewhat less than W due to the width of fastener halves 24A/24B. As will be subsequently described, the fastener spacing C can be made substantially less than the sheet width W, with those two portions of the sheet intermediate the fastener halves and the sheet edges 22A/22B extending around the respective sides of the user's face so as to provide additional facial coverage. In any event, the distance C between the transparent sheet locations, i.e. the spacing between the connector halves, should be at least 0.3 times distance W. The transparent sheet 22 is supported on the strap component 26 exclusively at the transparent sheet locations.

The arm sections 28B/30B extend away from the respective narrow transition regions 28C/30C toward one another when the strap component 28 is in the planar form shown in FIG. 5. Further, the arm sections 28B/30B tend to lay flat against the surface of the elongated strap 36 when the strap component is in planar form. In addition, the two arm sections 28B/30B extend away from the major axis 38 of the elongated strap at an angle so that a portion of each of the arm sections extends past an edge of the elongated strap as can be seen in FIG. 5. As will be described later in greater detail, when the shield component 20 and the strap component 26 are assembled together, typically by the user, the user positions the fastener half 24D disposed on arm section 30B over fastener half 24B, with care being taken to align the lower edge 22C of transparent sheet 22 with the lower edge 30D of the arm section 30B, with edge 30D sometimes being referred to as an alignment edge. Once this alignment is achieved, a task that can be readily carried out by feel alone, the fastener halves are pressed together to secure the arm section 30B and shield component 20 together. Similarly, when the user positions the fastener half 24C on arm section 28B over fastener half 24A, the lower edge 22C of transparent sheet 22 is substantially in alignment with the lower alignment edge 28D. The faster halves24A and 24C are then pressed together.

The above-described alignment steps insure that transparent sheet 22 is disposed at a desired fixed angle A (FIGS. 3 and 7) with respect to the strap component 26, and in particular, with the major axis 38 of the elongated strap 36. For a typical arrangement, angle A is around 20 degrees to compensate for the fact that the elongated strap 36, when encircling a user's neck while also partially resting on the user's shoulders/chest, is naturally disposed at an non-orthogonal angle with respect to the user's face. When supported at angle A in this manner, the transparent sheet 22 will be substantially parallel to the user's face. Preferably, angle A is at least 10 degrees.

As can perhaps best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the subject face shield is positioned on the user, the elongated strap will tend to form a circular structure, when looped around the neck. The curved portions of strap 36, which were previously adjacent arm sections 28B and 30B (FIG. 5) will become displaced from the curved strap at respective transition regions 28C/30C. This action causes support arms 28B/30B to extend outward to provide support to the transparent sheet 22 (FIGS. 2 and 4). At this point, sheet 22 is slightly compressed at edges 22A/22B by the respective arm sections 28B/30B so that the desired curve in the sheet is achieved. The compressed sheet 22 will exert an opposite expansion force on the support arms 28/30 which carry the arm sections 28B/30B. The support arms 28/30 are constructed to have sufficient rigidity to resist further expansion of the sheet thereby maintaining the desired curved shape in the sheet.

There should be sufficient space between the curved sheet 22 and the user's face to readily accommodate eyeglasses, surgical face masks and the like which may be concurrently worn by the user. This spacing is dependent, in large part, upon the distance that the support arms 28/30 extend away from the looped elongated strap 36 (FIGS. 2, 4). That distance depends in large part on the spacing D between the transition regions 28C/30C together with length of each of the arm sections 28B/30B. Arm section length L is the distance from each of the transition regions 28C/30C to the distal ends 28E/30E of the respective arm sections. That distance is labeled distance L in FIG. 7 for arm section 30B. In the presently disclosed embodiment, distance L for each of the two arm sections 28B/30B is 2.5 inches. Distance L should be at least 1.5 inches.

The face shield embodiment just disclosed allows the configuration of the shield to be altered by varying, within limits, the values of dimensions W, D, L and C (FIG. 4). By way of example, in the event increased lateral facial coverage is desired, a flexible sheet 22 having a width W greater than 11 inches can be used. In that event, the connector halves 24A and 24B can disposed equal distances from respective edges 22A and 22B, while still retaining the same spacing C apart from one another used for the smaller value of W. In addition, the connector halves 24A/24B are secured to the reverse side of the sheet 22 so that the arm sections 28B/30B are attached to the inner side of the sheet relative to the user. This arrangement (not depicted) allows that portion of sheet 22 now disposed intermediate connector half 24A and sheet edge 22A to extend over a right side of the wearer's face. Since the support arm 28B is now disposed on the inner side of sheet 22, the support arm does not interfere with added sheet extension. Similarly, this arrangement allows that portion of sheet 22 now disposed intermediate connector half 24B and sheet edge 2BA to extend over a right side of the wearer's face.

Thus, a lightweight and low cost face shield has been disclosed. The shield relies solely on the neck mounted strap component for support rather than, for example support from ear loops and the like. Thus, eyeglasses and face masks of the type which utilize the ears for support can be easily accommodated. Although a single embodiment of the face shield has been disclosed, it is understood that various changes can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A face shield comprising:

a flexible transparent sheet having first and second opposite side edges spaced apart from one another a distance W along the transparent sheet and first and second opposite end edges;

a strap component including an elongated strap configured to encircle a user's neck; first and second support arms disposed on the elongated strap, with each support arm including an attaching section and an arm section separated by an intermediate transition region, with each of the support arms being secured to the elongated strap along a length of the attaching section and up to and terminating at the transition region; and

first and second fasteners positioned to secure the respective first and second support arms to the transparent sheet at separate respective first and second spaced apart sheet locations and wherein the transparent sheet is supported on the strap component exclusively at the transparent sheet locations.

2. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the first fastener includes first and second fastener elements that form a hook and loop fastener mechanism and the second fastener includes third and fourth fastener elements that form a hook and loop fastener mechanism, wherein the second and fourth fastener elements are secured to the transparent sheet at the respective first and second sheet locations and wherein the first and third fastener elements are secured to the respective first and second arm sections of the support arms.

3. The face shield of claim 1 wherein the first and second support arms are disposed on the elongated strap with the respective arm sections facing one another.

4. The face shield of claim 3 wherein the first and second transparent sheet locations are spaced apart from one another along the sheet a distance C which is at least 0.3 times distance W.

5. The face shield of claim 4 wherein portions of each of the arm sections extend past a first edge of the elongated strap when the arm sections are positioned adjacent the elongated strap.

6. The face shield of claim 5 wherein each of the arm sections has an arm section length L extending from the transition region to a distal end of the arm section, where length L is at least 1.5 inches.

7. The face shield of claim 6 wherein the arm section of the first support arm defines a first alignment edge disposed adjacent the first fastener element and wherein the arm section of the second support arm defines a second alignment edge disposed adjacent the third fastener element and wherein the first and second alignment edges are each disposed at an angle with respect to the elongated strap which is at least 10 degrees.

8. The face shield of claim 7 wherein the second fastener element is disposed on the transparent sheet adjacent a corner defined by the first side edge and the first end edge of the transparent sheet and the fourth fastener element is disposed on the transparent sheet adjacent a corner defined by the second side edge and first end edge of the transparent sheet.

9. The face shield of claim 8 configured such that when the shield component is secured to the first support arm and to the second support arm, the respective first and second alignment edges are substantially aligned with the first end edge of the transparent sheet.

10. A face shield comprising:

a flexible transparent sheet having first and second opposite side edges spaced apart from one another a distance W along the transparent sheet and first and second opposite end edges;

a strap component including an elongated strap configured to encircle a user's neck; first and second support arms disposed on the elongated strap, with each support arm including an attaching section and an arm section separated by an intermediate transition region, with each of the support arms being secured to the elongated strap along a length of the attaching section and up to and terminating at the transition region and wherein each of the arm sections has an arm section length L extending from the transition region to the distal end of the arm section, wherein length L is at least 1.5 inches; and

first and second fasteners positioned to secure the respective first and second support arms to the transparent sheet at respective first and second transparent sheet locations and wherein the transparent sheet is supported on a user exclusively by the support arms.

11. The face shield of claim 10 wherein the first fastener includes first and second fastener elements that form a hook and loop fastener mechanism and the second fastener includes third and fourth fastener elements that form a hook and loop fastener mechanism, wherein the second and fourth fastener elements are secured to the transparent sheet at the respective first and second sheet locations and wherein the first and third fastener elements are secured to the respective first and second arm sections of the support arms.

12. The face shield of claim 10 wherein the first and second support arms are disposed on the elongated strap with the respective arm sections facing one another and wherein the first and second fasteners are spaced apart from one another along the transparent sheet a distance C, with distance C being at least 0.3 times distance W.

13. The face shield of claim 12 wherein portions of each of the arm sections extend past a first edge of the elongated strap when the arm sections are positioned adjacent the elongated strap.

14. The face shield of claim 13 wherein the arm section of the first support arm defines a first alignment edge disposed adjacent the first fastener element and wherein the arm section of the second support arm defines a second alignment edge disposed adjacent the third fastener element and wherein the first and second alignment edges are each disposed at an angle with respect to the elongated strap of at least 10 degrees.

15. The face shield of claim 14 wherein the second fastener element is disposed on the transparent sheet adjacent a transparent sheet corner defined by the first side edge and the first end edge of transparent sheet and the fourth fastener element is disposed on the transparent sheet adjacent a transparent sheet corner defined by the second side edge and the first end edge of the transparent sheet.

16. The face shield of claim 15 configured such that when the shield component is secured to the first support arm and to the second support arm, the respective first and second alignment edges are substantially aligned with the first end edge of the transparent sheet.

17. A face shield comprising:

a flexible transparent sheet having first and second opposite side edges spaced apart from one another a distance W along the transparent sheet and first and second opposite end edges;

a strap component including an elongated strap configured to encircle a user's neck; first and second support arms disposed on the elongated strap, with each support arm including an attaching section and an arm section separated by an intermediate transition region, with each of the support arms being secured to the elongated strap along a length of the attaching section and up to and terminating at the transition region; and

first and second fasteners positioned to secure the respective first and second support arms to the transparent sheet at respective first and second transparent sheet locations, with distance C between the first and second locations along the transparent sheet being at least as great as 0.3 times the distance W and wherein the transparent sheet is supported on the user exclusively by the support arms.

18. The face shield of claim 17 wherein the arm section of the first support arm defines a first alignment edge disposed adjacent the first fastener, wherein the arm section of the second support arm defines a second alignment edge disposed adjacent the third element, wherein the first and second alignment edges are disposed at an angle with respect to the elongated strap of at least 10 degrees.