Mask apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090348-B2
Application number	US-202017121056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2020
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A mask apparatus includes a mask body including an air duct and a fan module mounting portion disposed at a suction-side of the air duct, a fan module disposed at the fan module mounting portion, and a mask body cover that is coupled to the front surface of the mask body and covers the fan module and the air duct. The mask body cover defines an air suction hole configured to communicate air with a fan inlet, and the fan module has a first end inserted into the air duct and a second end coupled to the mask body. The fan module mounting portion includes a fan module coupling portion that protrudes from the front surface of the mask body and that couples the second end of the fan module to the mask body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask apparatus comprising:
a mask body comprising an air duct disposed at a front surface of the mask body, and a fan module mounting portion disposed at a suction-side of the air duct;
a fan module disposed at the fan module mounting portion, the fan module defining a fan inlet and a fan outlet that are configured to communicate air with the air duct; and
a mask body cover that is coupled to the front surface of the mask body and covers the fan module and the air duct, the mask body cover defining an air suction hole configured to communicate air with the fan inlet,
wherein the fan module has a first end inserted into the air duct and a second end coupled to the mask body, and
wherein the fan module mounting portion comprises a fan module coupling portion that protrudes from the front surface of the mask body and that couples the second end of the fan module to the mask body,
wherein the fan module comprises:
a fan,
a fan motor configured to drive the fan, and
a fan housing that accommodates the fan and the fan motor,

wherein the fan inlet is defined at a front surface of the fan housing, and the fan outlet is defined at a side surface of a first end of the fan housing,
wherein the air duct comprises:
a fan module insertion hole that receives the first end of the fan housing, and
an air outlet configured to discharge air supplied from the fan module insertion hole, and

wherein the fan housing comprises a coupling end that extends from a second end of the fan housing, the coupling end defining a coupling hole that receives a coupling member to be inserted into the fan module coupling portion.

2. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fan module mounting portion further comprises a pair of fixing portions that protrude from the front surface of the mask body, the pair of fixing portions supporting a top surface of the fan module and a bottom surface of the fan module, respectively.

3. The mask apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of fixing portions has a rib shape and is configured to guide horizontal sliding movement of the fan module in a direction perpendicular to the fan module insertion hole, the pair of fixing portions comprising:
a first fixing portion that extends along an upper edge of the fan module insertion hole, and
a second fixing portion that extends along a lower edge of the fan module insertion hole.

4. The mask apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the fan module coupling portion is disposed at an end of each of the pair of fixing portions, and defines an inclination surface.

5. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air duct comprises a recess surface that is disposed at an end of the air duct, that faces the first end of the fan housing, and that defines a front portion of the fan module insertion hole.

6. The mask apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the air duct further comprises a rear surface and an inclination surface that define a rear portion of the fan module insertion hole, the rear surface of the air duct contacting a rear surface of the fan housing, and
wherein the inclination surface of the air duct extends along an insertion direction of the fan module toward a center of the fan module insertion hole.

7. The mask apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a power module mounting portion disposed at the front surface of the mask body and disposed between the fan module mounting portion and a lateral end of the mask body; and
a power module disposed at the power module mounting portion.

8. The mask apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a cable fixing rib configured to support one or more cables connected to at least one of the fan module or the power module, the cable fixing rib comprising:
a first rib disposed at at least one of the pair of fixing portions; and
a second rib disposed at the front surface of the mask body and spaced apart from the first rib and the one of the pair of fixing portions.

9. The mask apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first rib protrudes from the one of the pair of fixing portions in a first direction,
wherein the second rib protrudes from the front surface of the mask body in a second direction crossing the first direction, and
wherein the first rib and the second rib extend along one direction.

10. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air duct comprises:
a front surface portion;
a top surface portion that connects an upper end of the front surface portion to the front surface of the mask body; and
a bottom surface portion that connects a lower end of the front surface portion to the front surface of the mask body, and
wherein the front surface portion comprises:
a curved portion that extends from the fan module insertion hole,
a flat portion that connects an end of the curved portion to the front surface of the mask body, and
an uneven portion disposed at a rear surface of the flat portion.

11. The mask apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a seal configured to contact a user's face; and
a sealing bracket that fixes the seal to a rear surface of the mask body.

12. The mask apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the mask body defines a cutoff portion at the rear surface of the mask body, wherein a part of the cutoff portion corresponds to the air outlet,
wherein the sealing bracket comprises a bracket insertion portion that covers a first area of the cutoff portion, and
wherein the air outlet is a second area of the cutoff portion outside the bracket insertion portion.

13. The mask apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the mask body cover comprises a filter mounting portion that defines the air suction hole and that is recessed from a front surface of the mask body cover.

14. The mask apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a filter configured to be inserted to the filter mounting portion; and
a filter cover configured to cover a front opening of the filter mounting portion.

15. The mask apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein each of the air duct and the fan module mounting portion is disposed at both of left and right sides with respect to a center of the mask body, and
wherein each of the filter mounting portion and the filter cover is disposed at both of left and right sides with respect to a center of the mask body cover.

16. The mask apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the filter cover defines one or more air inlets at a side surface of the filter cover.

17. The mask apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a control module disposed at the flat portion of the air duct.

18. A mask apparatus comprising:
a mask body comprising a pair of air ducts that are respectively disposed at left and right sides with respect to a center of a front surface of the mask body, and a pair of fan module mounting portions that are respectively disposed at suction-sides of the pair of air ducts;
a pair of fan modules that are respectively disposed at the pair of fan module mounting portions, each of the pair of fan modules defining a fan inlet and a fan outlet that are configured to communicate air with each of the pair of air ducts; and
a mask body cover that is coupled to the front surface of the mask body and covers the pair of fan modules and the pair of air ducts, the mask body cover defining air suction holes configured to communicate air with the fan inlets of the pair of fan modules,
wherein each of the pair of fan modules has a first end inserted into a c

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• CHOI Chiyoung
• Kim Hojung
• Lee Keonwang
• Kim Taejun

Classifications

• F04D29/701

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/403

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• A62B23/02

  for respirators · CPC title

• A62B18/08

  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

• A62B18/025

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