Mask Holder

Abstract

A mask holder may provide a place to store one or more facial masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) when not in use so that the facial masks or PPE are not further contaminated or lost prior to the next use. The mask holder may be utilized in a variety of different environments including, but not limited to, in an automobile, in an office/at work, and/or at home. Different types of mask holders may be provided that may house either a particular type of mask or more than one type of mask. A mask holder may be mounted in a variety of different manners including, but not limited to, visor clip, magnets, hook and loop portions, and/or double-sided tape or adhesive. The mask may be received on a holder plate and secured to the holder plate using clips or hooks.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/114,754 filed on Nov. 17, 2020, entitled “Mask Holder,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to mask holders, and more particularly to mask holders that may receive one or more types of facial masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE).

BACKGROUND

Facial masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE) have been used in medical facilities or on construction sites in the past to protect users from germs or ingestion of other materials through the user's nose or mouth. Use of facial masks and other PPE has become more prevalent within the general public as well given the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, when users utilize reusable facial masks or other PPE, an issue arises as to how to store or maintain the facial masks or other PPE until the next use without losing or further contaminating the facial masks or other PPE.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a mask holder that may store one or more facial masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) when not in use so that the facial masks or PPE are not further contaminated or lost prior to the next use. The mask holder may be utilized in a variety of different environments including, but not limited to, in an automobile, in an office/at work, and/or at home. Different types of mask holders may be provided that may house either a particular type of mask or more than one type of mask. A mask holder according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be mounted in a variety of different manners including, but not limited to, visor clip, magnets, hook and loop portions, and/or double-sided tape or adhesive. The mask may be received on a holder plate and secured to the holder plate using clips or hooks.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a mask holder to store one or more facial masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) when not in use comprising: a holder plate having at least one mounting mechanism on a first side of the holder plate that may secure the holder plate to a surface; and at least one attachment mechanism on a second side of the holder plate opposite the first side that may releasably receive the one or more facial masks or PPE and secures the one or more facial masks or PPE relative to the holder plate, wherein the one or more facial masks or PPE may be secured from contamination or loss. The holder plate may be approximately 0.80 inches thick. The at least one attachment mechanism may be one or more hooks, and the one or more hooks may be ⅛-inch hooks. The at least one mounting mechanism may be visor clips, and the visor clips may be ⅜-inch-wide spring metal clips. The visor clips may be insertable into a rear of a visor fixture in an automobile. The at least one attachment mechanism may be one or more clips, the mask holder further comprising: one more binder/display holes that may receive the one or more clips. The at least one attachment mechanism may be one or more clips and one or more hooks.

The mask holder may receive fully expanded or folded over facial masks or PPE. The at least one mounting mechanism may be a magnet that may allow the mask holder to be adhered to a surface that may attract the magnet. The at least one mounting mechanism may be one or more hook and loop portions that may attach to a receiving side of the one or more hook and loop portions placed on a surface. The mask holder may receive a specific type of facial mask or PPE or may receive more than one type of facial mask or PPE. The at least one mounting mechanism may be double-sided tape or adhesive. The mask holder may be utilized in one or more environments selected from the group comprising: an automobile, in an office, at work, and/or at home.

Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1H depict a mask holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A-2E depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A-3D depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 4A-4D depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a mask holder. The mask holder may provide a place to store one or more facial masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) when not in use so that the facial masks or PPE are not further contaminated or lost prior to the next use. The mask holder may be utilized in a variety of different environments including, but not limited to, in an automobile, in an office/at work, and/or at home. Different types of mask holders may be provided that may house either a particular type of mask or more than one type of mask. A mask holder according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be mounted in a variety of different manners including, but not limited to, visor clip, magnets, hook and loop portions, and/or double-sided tape or adhesive.

FIGS. 1A-1H depict a mask holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The mask holder may include a holder plate that may be attached, for example, to a visor in an automobile. The holder plate may be approximately 0.80 inches thick in an embodiment of the present disclosure; however, the holder plate may be more or less thick without departing from the present disclosure. When a person enters the automobile, the person may remove his/her mask and hang the mask on one or more hooks present on the holder plate. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more hooks may be ⅛-inch hooks; however, other sizes or types of hooks may be used without departing from the present disclosure. Similarly, while hooks are described herein, it should be appreciated that other types of attachment mechanisms may be utilized without departing from the present disclosure. Visor clips may be provided to keep the holder plate in place while the one or more hooks may secure the mask to the holder plate. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, ⅜-inch-wide spring metal clips may be used for the visor clips; however, other types or sizes of clips may be used without departing from the present disclosure. Also, as depicted herein, binder/display holes (FIG. 1D) may be provided to receive one or more clips that may be used to secure a mask on the holder plate, either in place of or in addition to one or more hooks. These clips may be used for certain types of masks, such as particulate respirators, that may be more rounded in shape and less readily attachable via hooks, such as an N95 mask.

FIGS. 2A-2E depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 2A depicts a mask attached to a holder plate using a plurality of hooks provided on the holder plate. FIGS. 2B, 2D, and 2E depict different views of a spring clip that may be provided on a portion of the holder plate opposite where the mask is attached. There may be more than one spring clip provided on the holder plate that may be affixed, for example, to a visor in an automobile. The plurality of spring clips may be inserted into the rear of a visor fixture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as depicted in FIG. 2D. There also may be embodiments of the present disclosure where clips may be provided to insert a mask, such as in place of hooks. In such embodiments, the mask may be fully expanded or folded over for insertion into the clips.

FIGS. 3A-3D depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, in place of the plurality of spring clips, at least one magnet may be provided on a holder plate opposite the side where a mask may be attached. Accordingly, the at least one magnet may allow the mask holder to be adhered to a surface that may receive a magnet including, but not limited to, a refrigerator or other appliance in a home or office.

FIGS. 4A-4D depict a mask holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, in place of the plurality of spring clips or at least one magnet, one or more hook and loop portions may be provided on a holder plate opposite the side where a mask may be attached. The receiving side(s) of the hook and loop portions may be provided in one or more locations set by a user to attach to the hook and loop portions attached to the holder plate.

Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

Claims

1. A mask holder to store one or more facial masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) when not in use comprising:

a holder plate having at least one mounting mechanism on a first side of the holder plate that secures the holder plate to a surface; and

at least one attachment mechanism on a second side of the holder plate opposite the first side that releasably receives the one or more facial masks or PPE and secures the one or more facial masks or PPE relative to the holder plate, wherein the one or more facial masks or PPE are secured from contamination or loss.

2. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the holder plate is approximately 0.80 inches thick.

3. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is one or more hooks.

4. The mask holder of claim 3, wherein the one or more hooks are ⅛-inch hooks.

5. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting mechanism are visor clips.

6. The mask holder of claim 5, wherein the visor clips are ⅜-inch-wide spring metal clips.

7. The mask holder of claim 6, wherein visor clips are insertable into a rear of a visor fixture in an automobile.

8. The mask holder of claim 5, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is one or more clips, the mask holder further comprising:

one more binder/display holes that receive the one or more clips.

9. The mask holder of claim 8, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is one or more clips and one or more hooks.

10. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the mask holder receives fully expanded or folded over facial masks or PPE.

11. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting mechanism is a magnet that allows the mask holder to be adhered to a surface that attracts the magnet.

12. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting mechanism is one or more hook and loop portions that attach to a receiving side of the one or more hook and loop portions placed on a surface.

13. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the mask holder receives a specific type of facial mask or PPE.

14. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the mask holder receives more than one type of facial mask or PPE.

15. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting mechanism is double-sided tape or adhesive.

16. The mask holder of claim 1, wherein the mask holder is utilized in one or more environments selected from the group comprising:

an automobile, in an office, at work, and/or at home.