Mask apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12214229-B2
Application number	US-202117231465-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

A mask apparatus includes a mask body, a seal disposed at a rear surface of the mask body, a fan module disposed at a front surface of the mask body, and a mask body cover that covers the fan module and is coupled to the front surface of the mask body. The mask body includes an air duct configured to guide external air from the fan module to a breathing space inside the seal, and an air exhaust hole configured to discharge air exhaled into the breathing space to an outside of the mask body. An area of a duct outlet of the air duct is greater than an area of a duct inlet of the air duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mask apparatus comprising:
a mask body;
a seal disposed at a rear surface of the mask body and configured to contact a user's face, the seal defining a breathing space configured to accommodate the user's mouth or nose or both based on the seal contacting the user's face;
a fan module disposed at a front surface of the mask body and configured to receive external air, the fan module defining a fan outlet configured to discharge the external air toward the breathing space; and
a mask body cover that covers the fan module and is coupled to the front surface of the mask body,
wherein the mask body comprises:
an air duct configured to guide the external air from the fan module to the breathing space, the air duct having (i) a duct inlet configured to communicate with the fan outlet and (ii) a duct outlet configured to communicate with the breathing space, and
an air exhaust hole configured to discharge air exhaled into the breathing space to an outside of the mask body,

wherein an area of the duct outlet is greater than an area of the duct inlet, and
wherein the air duct comprises:
a front surface portion spaced apart from the front surface of the mask body and disposed forward relative to the front surface of the mask body,
a side surface portion that is disposed at a side end of the front surface portion and defines the duct inlet,
a top surface portion that connects an upper end of the front surface portion of the air duct to the front surface of the mask body,
a bottom surface portion that connects a lower end of the front surface portion of the air duct to the front surface of the mask body, and
a cutoff portion that defines the duct outlet, the cutoff portion being defined by a rear end of the side surface portion, a rear end of the top surface portion, a rear end of bottom surface portion, and a rear side of the front surface portion.

2. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cutoff portion comprises:
an inner side end that is disposed adjacent to a center axis of the mask body and extends along the center axis; and
an outer side end that is disposed away from the center axis relative to the inner side end and extends along the center axis, and
wherein an extension length of the inner side end along the center axis is greater than an extension length of the outer side end along the center axis.

3. The mask apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the front surface portion of the air duct comprises:
a curved portion that extends from the duct inlet toward the center axis of the mask apparatus, the curved portion having a predetermined curvature; and
a flat portion that extends from an end of the curved portion toward the center axis of the mask apparatus.

4. The mask apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the flat portion comprises an uneven portion disposed on a rear surface of the flat portion.

5. The mask apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the uneven portion comprises convex portions and concave portions that are alternately arranged along a flow direction of air in the air duct and that extend in a direction crossing the flow direction of air in the air duct.

6. The mask apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the mask body further comprises a plurality of division portions that protrude from the rear side of the front surface portion of the air duct, the plurality of division portions being configured to divide a flow of the external air introduced into the air duct.

7. The mask apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of division portions extend along the flow direction of air in the air duct and are disposed between the upper end of the front surface portion and the lower end of the front surface portion, the plurality of division portions being spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance.

8. The mask apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a sealing bracket that couples the seal to the rear surface of the mask body, the sealing bracket comprising:
a bracket body having a band shape that extends along the seal; and
a bracket insertion portion that extends from an inner edge of the bracket body.

9. The mask apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the cutoff portion comprises:
a first space including the duct outlet, the first space being in communication with the air duct and the breathing space; and
a second space that is covered by the bracket insertion portion and defines a portion of the rear surface of the air duct.

10. The mask apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of division portions comprises a bracket coupling groove that supports the bracket insertion portion.

11. The mask apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a fan module support that is recessed from each of the top surface portion and the bottom surface portion toward the duct inlet, the fan module support being configured to limit insertion of the fan module into the duct inlet.

12. The mask apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the fan module comprises:
a fan housing that defines the fan outlet, the fan housing further defining a fan inlet configured to receive the external air; and
a fan accommodated in the fan housing, and
wherein the mask body comprises a fan module mounting portion disposed at the front surface of the mask body and configured to accommodate the fan module.

13. The mask apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the fan module mounting portion comprises:
a pair of fixing ribs that extend along the top surface portion and the bottom surface portion toward a side end of the mask body, the pair of fixing ribs being configured to support top and bottom surfaces of the fan housing, respectively; and
a fan module coupling portion that protrudes from the front surface of the mask body and is disposed adjacent to a side end of each of the pair of fixing ribs, the fan module coupling portion being configured to receive a coupling member passing through an edge of the fan housing.

14. The mask apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the mask body cover comprises a filter mounting portion that defines an air suction hole at a rear side of the filter mounting portion, the air suction hole being configured to communicate with the fan inlet.

15. The mask apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the top surface portion of the air duct extends along a first virtual line that extends from an upper end of the side surface portion of the air duct toward the center axis, the first virtual line being inclined with respect to a second virtual line that extends horizontally from the upper end of the side surface portion of the air duct toward the center axis, and
wherein an angle defined between the first virtual line and the second virtual line is in a range from 20 degrees to 40 degrees.

16. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mask body defines an air discharge port at a lower portion of the mask body below the breathing space, the air discharge port being configured to discharge the air exhaled into the breathing space to an outside of the mask body, and
wherein the air discharge port includes the air exhaust hole.

17. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mask body comprises a hook mounting portion disposed at each of a left side and a right side of the mask body.

18. The mask apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mask body defines a cover coupling groove along a front edge of the mask body, the cover coupling groove being configured to receive an edge of the mask body

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Taejun
• Park Jeongtaek
• Kim Hojung
• Choi Seokho
• Lee Keonwang
• CHOI Chiyoung

Classifications

• 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

• A62B9/00

  Component parts for respiratory or breathing apparatus (A62B19/00, A62B21/00, A62B23/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• A62B7/10

  with filter elements · CPC title

• A62B23/02

  for respirators · CPC title