Face mask and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766079-B2
Application number	US-202117217918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2021
Priority date	Mar 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A face mask includes a piece of fabric including a main body portion, a first leg extending from first side of the main body portion, and a second leg extending from a second side of the main body portion. A first plurality of slots are arranged along a first side perimeter of the main body portion, and a second plurality of slots are arranged along a second side perimeter of the main body portion. At least one first fold in the piece of fabric extends between the first plurality of slots and at least one second fold extends between the second plurality of slots. The first plurality of slots are aligned and the first leg extends through the first plurality of slots. The second plurality of slots are also aligned and the second leg extends through the second plurality of slots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A face mask comprising:
a piece of fabric including a main body portion, a first leg extending from a first side of the main body portion, and a second leg extending from a second side of the main body portion;
a first plurality of slots arranged along a perimeter of the first side of the main body portion, and a second plurality of slots arranged along a perimeter of the second side of the main body portion; and
a plurality of folds in the piece of fabric including at least one first fold extending between the first plurality of slots and at least one second fold extending between the second plurality of slots;
wherein the first plurality of slots are aligned and the first leg extends through the first plurality of slots, and wherein the second plurality of slots are aligned and the second leg extends through the second plurality of slots.

2. The face mask of claim 1 further comprising a center fold extending through the main body portion and a tab inserted in a coupling slot provided along a perimeter portion positioned between the first side perimeter and the second side perimeter.

3. The face mask of claim 2 wherein a chin protrusion is defined along the center fold, wherein a central nose tip is defined by the main body portion, and wherein the coupling slot is arranged along a nose bridge.

4. The face mask of claim 1 further comprising a third leg extending from the first side of the main body portion and a fourth leg extending from the second side of the main body portion, wherein the third leg and the fourth leg do not extend through any of the slots.

5. The face mask of claim 1 wherein the piece of fabric is a laser cut or die cut piece of fabric.

6. The face mask of claim 1 further comprising first indicia extending along the at least one first fold on the piece of fabric, and second indicia extending along the at least one second fold on the piece of fabric.

7. The face mask of claim 1 further comprising a first notch at a proximate end of the first leg, the first notch seated in the first plurality of slots, and a second notch at a proximate end of the second leg, the second notch seated in the second plurality of slots.

8. The facemask of claim 1 wherein the first leg and the second leg are integrally formed with the main body portion on the piece of fabric.

9. The facemask of claim 1 wherein the face mask is a unitary structure with the first leg, the second leg, the main body portion, the first plurality of slots and the second plurality of slots all provided on the piece of fabric without couplings.

10. A method of making a face mask comprising:
cutting a sheet of fabric into a predetermined shape including a main body portion, a first leg extending from a first side of the main body portion, and a second leg extending from a second side of the main body portion;
forming a first plurality of slots along a perimeter of the first side perimeter of the main body portion;
forming a second plurality of slots arranged along a perimeter of the second side perimeter of the main body portion;
folding the sheet of fabric to include at least one first fold extending between the first plurality of slots such that the first plurality of slots are aligned and overlapping;
folding the sheet of fabric to include at least one second fold extending between the second plurality of slots such that the second plurality of slots are aligned and overlapping;
inserting the first leg through the aligned first plurality of slots such that the first leg extends through the first plurality of slots;
inserting the second leg through the aligned second plurality of slots such that the second leg extends through the second plurality of slots;
placing the main body portion over the face of a wearer; and
tying the first leg to the second leg.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising folding the main body portion along a center fold.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein inserting the first leg through the first plurality of slots includes seating a first notch in the first leg in the first plurality of slots, and wherein inserting the second leg through the second plurality of slots includes seating a second notch in the second leg in the second plurality of slots.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first leg and the second leg are integrally formed with the main body portion on the piece of fabric.

14. A cut piece of fabric for a face mask, the cut piece of fabric comprising:
a main body portion;
a first leg extending from a first side of the main body portion;
a second leg extending from a second side of the main body portion;
a first plurality of slots arranged along a perimeter of the first side perimeter of the main body portion;
a second plurality of slots arranged along a perimeter of the second side perimeter of the main body portion;
first fold indicia extending between the first plurality of slots;
second fold indicia extending between the second plurality of slots; and
center fold indicia extending across the main body between the first side and the second side of the main body.

15. The cut piece of fabric of claim 14 further comprising a first notch at a proximate end of the first leg and a second notch at a proximate end of the second leg.

16. The cut piece of fabric of claim 14 further comprising a third leg extending from the first side of the main body portion and a fourth leg extending from the second side of the main body portion, wherein the first leg is parallel to the third leg, and wherein the second leg is parallel to the fourth leg.

17. The cut piece of fabric of claim 14 wherein the first leg is angled between 30° and 60° in a first direction relative to the center fold, and wherein the second leg is angled between 30° and 60° in a second direction relative to the center fold.

18. The cut piece of fabric of claim 14 wherein the first leg and the second leg are integrally formed with the main body portion on the piece of fabric.

19. The cut piece of fabric of claim 14 wherein the cut piece of fabric is a unitary structure with the first leg, the second leg, the main body portion, the first plurality of slots and the second plurality of slots all provided on the cut piece of fabric without couplings.

Assignees

• Under Armour Inc

Inventors

• Snoke Margaret
• Hiney Joshua
• Hitch Breanne
• Harward Randall

Classifications

• A41D13/113 Primary

  with a vertical fold or weld · CPC title

• A41D13/1161 Primary

  Means for fastening to the user's head · CPC title

• B23K26/402

  involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators · CPC title

• D06H5/00

  Seaming textile materials {(splicing webs B65H21/00; seaming felts in paper-making machines D21F7/10)} · CPC title

• D06H7/00

  Apparatus or processes for cutting, or otherwise severing, specially adapted for the cutting, or otherwise severing, of textile materials {(web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting devices B65H35/0006)} · CPC title