Face seal for respirator mask

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10918894-B2
Application number	US-201615769821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2015
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A respiratory mask includes a body configured to cover a nose and a mouth of a user. The body includes a face seal configured to at least partially seal the body to a face of the user. The face seal includes a standard reflex seal that is configured to engage in physical contact with the face to form a first segment of a seal between the body and the face. The face seal also includes a reverse reflex seal that is configured to engage in physical contact with the face to form a second segment of a seal between the body and the face. This configuration allows the mask body to float in place with respect to the face seal and preserves the seal between the mask and the face, even when the user is talking or moving his or her face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oronasal respiratory mask comprising:
a body including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a face seal, the body having an interior side and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the body defining an interior volume, the face seal having:
a standard reflex seal portion in the upper portion; and
a reverse reflex seal portion in the lower portion, the reverse reflex seal portion having a second bottom and a second unobstructed opening, the second bottom and the second unobstructed opening being directly exposed to the exterior side of the body and the standard reflex seal portion being within the interior side of the body.

2. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein:
the standard reflex seal portion has a cross-sectional U shape having a first bottom and a first opening; and
the reverse reflex seal portion has a cross-sectional U shape, the first opening being directed in a first direction and the second opening being directed in a second direction, the first and second directions being different.

3. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the body further includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface being a first direction and a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface being a second direction, the standard reflex seal portion having a cross-sectional U shape with an opening that extends in the first direction.

4. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 3 , wherein the standard reflex seal portion includes:
a first wall that extends from the body in the second direction;
a second wall that extends toward the body in the first direction, the first wall and the second wall being at least substantially parallel; and
a contact surface extending between the first wall and the second wall.

5. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the body further includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface being a first direction and a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface being a second direction, the reverse reflex seal portion having a cross-sectional U shape with an opening that extends in the second direction.

6. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 5 , wherein the reverse reflex seal portion includes:
a first wall that extends from the body in the first direction;
a second wall that extends from the first wall in a direction different than the first direction and the second direction; and
a third wall that extends from the second wall in the second direction, the first wall and the third wall being at least substantially parallel, the third wall including a contact surface.

7. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the standard reflex seal portion extends along a border of the upper portion such that the standard reflex seal portion is configured to engage in physical contact with a user's face adjacent the user's nose when the user is wearing the mask.

8. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the reverse reflex seal portion extends along a border of the lower portion such that the reverse reflex seal portion is configured to engage in physical contact with a user's face adjacent the user's mouth when the user is wearing the mask.

9. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , further comprising a frame, the body being overmolded onto the frame, the frame being composed of a first material having a first durometer and the body and face seal being composed of a second material having a second durometer, the first durometer being greater than the second durometer.

10. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 9 , wherein the frame and the body together define at least one opening configured to receive an attachable component.

11. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the face seal further has a transition portion between the standard reflex seal portion and the reverse reflex seal portion.

12. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 11 , wherein the transition portion is at least substantially planar.

13. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 1 , wherein the body further includes at least one attachment element configured to engage a harness.

14. An oronasal respiratory mask comprising:
a body including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a face seal, the face seal having:
a convex first seal that extends along a border of the upper portion, the convex first seal having a first cross-sectional U shape defining an opening that is directed in a first direction; and
a concave second seal that extends along a border of the lower portion, the concave second seal having a second cross-sectional U shape defining an opening that is directed in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being at least substantially opposite each other, the opening of the concave second seal being exposed to an exterior environment of the oronasal respiratory mask.

15. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 14 , wherein the first direction is away from a user's face and the second direction is toward the user's face when the user is wearing the mask.

16. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 14 , wherein the convex first seal has:
a first wall extending from the body in the second direction;
a second wall extending toward the body in the first direction, the first wall and the second wall being at least substantially parallel; and
a sealing land extending between the first wall and the second wall.

17. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 14 , wherein the concave second seal has:
a first wall extending from the body in the first direction;
a second wall extending from the first wall in a direction different than the first direction and the second direction; and
a third wall extending from the second wall in the second direction, the first wall and the third wall being at least substantially parallel.

18. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 17 , wherein the third wall of the concave second seal includes a sealing surface, the third wall being configured to engage in physical contact with the user's face at the sealing surface when the user is wearing the mask.

19. The oronasal respiratory mask of claim 14 , wherein the face seal is integrally formed with a single, unitary construction with the body.

20. An oronasal respiratory mask comprising:
a frame composed of a first material having a first durometer;
a body composed of a second material having a second durometer that is less than the first durometer, the body being overmolded onto the frame and including a face seal, the body having an interior side and an exterior side opposite the interior side, the body defining an interior volume, the face seal being integrally formed with a single, unitary construction with the body and having:
a standard reflex seal portion that has a first wall, a second wall, a first opening defined between the first wall and the second wall, and a first contact surface between the first wall and the second wall opposite the first opening, the first wall and the second wall being at least substantially parallel, the first opening being directed in a first direction and the first contact surface being configured to engage in physical contact with a user's face when the user is wearing the mask; and
a reverse reflex seal portion that has a third wall, a fourth wall, a second unobstructed opening defined between the third wall and

Assignees

• Scott Tech Inc

Inventors

• Thompson Darin Kyle
• Quiring Amy Elizabeth
• Simmonds Edward Powers
• Wilson Graham Peter
• Tucker Carl Escort
• Ward Christopher
• Hudson Kyle Dane

Classifications

• A61M16/0694

  Chin straps · CPC title

• A61M16/0616

  with face sealing means comprising a flap or membrane projecting inwards, such that sealing increases with increasing inhalation gas pressure · CPC title

• A62B18/02

  Masks (gas-masks for animals A62B18/06; masks for welders A61F9/06) · CPC title

• A62B18/025

  Halfmasks (A62B23/02 takes precedence; surgical face masks A41D13/11) · CPC title

• A62B18/08 Primary

  Component parts for gas-masks or gas-helmets, e.g. windows, straps, speech transmitters, signal-devices (eye-pieces for protective goggles A61F9/02; composition of materials for the windows or other transparent parts A62D7/00) · CPC title