EP3262961B1

EP3262961B1 - Disposable surgical mask

Info

Publication number: EP3262961B1
Application number: EP17174620.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cheah SWEE PHENG
Original assignee: Euronda SpA
Current assignee: Euronda SpA
Priority date: 2016-06-21
Filing date: 2017-06-06
Publication date: 2020-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2037-06-06
Also published as: ES2785601T3; ITUA20164542A1; EP3262961A1

Description

The present invention relates to a disposable surgical mask that is particularly suitable for avoiding the contact with and inhalation of pathogens, aerosols and spatters in the dental and hospital field or in care homes.
From now on, the term "surgical mask" means a mask used by physicians, dentists, nurses, and in general during surgical operations or in the hospital or dental practice, for protecting the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth from possible infections.
As is known, surgical masks are used when there is a need to limit the spreading of pathogens in environments that are to remain as sterile as possible, such as for example operating rooms or wards in special hospital units, or when there is a need to avoid the contagion from pathogens if one is working in potentially infected environments.
Most of the types of surgical masks currently used comprise substantially a rectangular area made of fabric or the like delimited by a bottom end, by a top end and by side ends, with which elastic laces are associated in order to constrain it to the user's head.
The fabric forming the aforesaid rectangular area is generally multilayer formed by an outer layer made of nonwoven fabric, by at least one intermediate layer serving as antibacterial filter, and one inner layer made of nonwoven hypoallergenic fabric.
On the top side of the mask, there is generally a malleable bar that adapts to the shape of the nose.
Surgical masks of known type have generally "superimposed areas" between the various layers, that is areas in which the layers of fabric of the mask are superimposed partially on one another. This shape allows the mask to take on a rounded shape during use such as to properly cover the face of the person wearing it and, in particular, the cheeks and the area surrounding the nose, to avoid the inlet of air and especially of microbes and/or pathogens carried by the air.
Surgical masks currently on the market however have certain drawbacks.
Indeed, they are not airtight, in the sense that they are not perfectly adherent to the user's face. Accordingly, the air and any bacteria or pathogens therein succeed in passing through, especially on the side of the mask, and are inhaled by the user with subsequent dangers of infection.
Infections may result also from the patient him/herself, if he/she is infected, or also from possible spatters of blood or in general biological material with which the user's face may come into contact.
Therefore, "muzzle-shaped" surgical masks have been made which are more adherent to the patient's face, but they have the drawback of being rather costly and also difficult to make due to the shape thereof.
EP 2 484 235 A1 describes a mask that includes a mask body and two strings holding the mask body on the face of a wearer. Folded portions are formed on both sides of the mask body.
US 2012/0325843 A1 describes a stack of interfolded face masks comprising a first and second face mask, which include an elastic nonwoven sheet having a central portion and first and second lateral portions, each flanking the central portion on opposite sides.
The present invention intends eliminating the aforesaid drawbacks.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to make a disposable surgical mask that protects effectively the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and in general the area at the user's cheeks from the inhalation of air infected by pathogens or microbes and from contact with spatters of biological material, in particular blood.
It is a further object of the present invention to make a disposable surgical mask that can be made easily and with affordable materials.
The aforesaid objects are reached by a disposable surgical mask according to the teachings of the first claim.
Further detailed features of the invention are the object of the dependent claims.
The surgical mask according to the invention has one or more superimposed areas of the fabric spaced apart from one another and at least one of which intersects one or more sealing areas, thus increasing the wrapping effect of the mask around the user's face, in particular in the area around the mucous membranes of the nose and the mouth.
Such sealing areas allow indeed the flattening of the areas of fabric surrounding them and therefore an improved adhesion to the user's face, in particular the adhesion of one or more ends of the mask, thus allowing the individual to avoid the inhalation of or infection from microbes, pathogens, spatters of biological material or aerosols, especially in the area surrounding the mucous membranes of the nose and the mouth.
Even more advantageously, the surgical mask according to the invention is airtight and therefore may be used also in infected areas.
The aforesaid objects and advantages will be better noted during the description of a preferred implementation embodiment of the invention, which is given by way of a non-limiting indicative example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, where:

fig. 1 depicts an axonometric view of a disposable surgical mask according to the invention;
fig. 2 depicts an axonometric view of an implementation variant of the mask according to fig. 1.

As is noted in fig. 1, the disposable surgical mask indicated overall with 1 comprises a fabric comprising one or more layers of a breathable material 2 which are independent from each other and are superimposed.
The breathable material 2 is substantially laminar and has a substantially rectangular shape.
There are identified, in each of the layers, a top end 3, a bottom end 4 and two side ends 5, at which the layers of the breathable material 2 are joined.
Again with reference to fig. 1, the mask 1 is provided with constraining means 6, depicted by two elastic laces constrained at the side ends 5 of the mask 1.
The aforesaid constraining means 6 advantageously allow constraining the mask 1 to the ears of a user (not shown in the drawings).
As is noted in fig. 1, the fabric with which the mask 1 is made also has certain superimposed areas, respectively 9a, 9b, 9c, spaced apart from each other and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis X of the mask 1.
The superimposed areas 9a, 9b, 9c are defined by the superposing of three adjacent portions of the fabric of the mask 1 by means of folding the fabric along two folding lines substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis X.
The superposing of the aforesaid layers occurs according to a direction that is transversal with respect to the aforesaid longitudinal axis X of the mask 1.
The superimposed layers are connected to one another along the peripheral edge of the mask 1.
According to the present invention, the superimposed area 9a closest to the top end 3 of the fabric of the mask 1 is constrained to the portion of material below it at two sealing areas 7 spaced apart from one another, which promote the folding of the areas A adjacent thereto.
Here, the areas A surrounding the sealing areas 7 and part of the top end 3 and of the side ends 5 are folded toward the face of the user, in particular around the area of the nose and cheeks thereof.
The sealing areas 7 in fig. 1 have the following features:

they are substantially arc-shaped;
they are symmetrical with respect to a transverse symmetry axis Y;
they are arranged close to the top end 3 and the side ends 5 of the mask 1;
they are spaced apart from one another and have a profile converging toward the symmetry axis Y.

The expression "close to" means that the sealing areas 7 are defined in the areas of the mask 1 at the intersection between two adjacent ends of the mask 1 itself.
In essence, the aforesaid sealing areas 7 in fig. 1 are areas at which certain portions of material that are superimposed on one another, belonging to the fabric of the mask 1, are constrained, thus forming stiff areas of the structure of the breathable material 2 and creating folding lines that promote the folding of the areas A adjacent to the sealing areas 7.
From now on, the term "constrain" means that the portions of fabric of the mask 1 that are superimposed are immovably connected to one another at the sealing areas 7.
The two sealing areas 7 are therefore areas at which the portions of superimposed material, belonging to the fabric of the mask 1, are constrained to one another preferably by means of an embossing process obtained by means of embossing machines in themselves of the known type.
As is noted again in fig. 1, a plurality of impressions 8 spaced apart from one another and substantially punctiform are made by the aforesaid embossing process, at each sealing area 7.
According to an implementation variant not shown in the drawings, each sealing area may comprise a single impression.
Advantageously, the impressions 8 result in the stiffening of the structure of the fabric of the mask 1 at the sealing areas 7, thus further promoting the folding of the areas A adjacent to the sealing areas 7.
The foldability of the areas surrounding the sealing areas 7 is given therefore by two factors:

by the embossing process of such areas 7, which stiffens the structure of the mask 1 at them by means of the impressions 8;
by the joining of the superimposed portions of material at the intersection between the superimposed area 9a and the sealing areas 7.

This joining allows advantageously a further folding effect of the portions of material adjacent to the joining areas between the superimposed area 9a and the sealing areas 7 because they are folded thus being flattened and therefore are capable of better adhering around the nose, mouth and at the cheeks.
Advantageously, this fact increases the wrapping effect of the mask 1 on the user's face without leaving open channels for the passage of air, liquids, particles suspended in the air, aerosols, biological material, into the mucous membranes of the nose and cheeks.
However, according to an implementation variant not shown in the drawings, the joining of the sealing areas 7 with the superimposed area 9a may occur also by means of gluing.
In this latter case, since there is no embossing process, there is no stiffening of the layers at the sealing areas and the latter have no impression.
However, also in this case, the folding of the areas adjacent to the sealing areas is allowed, although in a lesser measure with respect to the level of folding that is obtained by means of embossing.
As is noted in figures 1 and 2, inside the top end 3 the mask 1 further comprises a foldable metal bar 11 (depicted in figures 1 and 2 with a dotted line), which is adapted to be folded by the user to be adapted to the shape of the nose thereof.
Fig. 2 depicts an implementation variant of the mask according to the invention, indicated now with 10, which differs from the preceding implementation variant in that now there are four sealing areas 70 and they are symmetrical two-by-two with respect to the axis X and the axis Y, which is substantially orthogonal to the axis X. The impressions 80 with which each of the sealing areas 70 are provided are again punctiform.
In fig. 2 it is also noted that the sealing areas 7 are arranged close to all the ends of the mask 10, which allows advantageously an improved wrapping effect of the mask 10 also in the lower part of the user's face, namely close to the chin.
In a further advantageous manner, the wrapping effect of the mask 10 is increased also by the fact that now all three folding lines 9a, 9b, 9c intersect the sealing areas 70.
Now therefore, there are further joining areas between the layers of the breathable material 2, thus allowing the folding of the portions of material adjacent thereto.
According to implementation variants not herein depicted, there may also be a single sealing area formed by a single impression having the shape of a continuous strip, for example an arc-shaped strip, and arranged close to three consecutive ends of the mask.
According to a further implementation variant not herein depicted, there may be an odd number of sealing areas.
Advantageously, the shape of the mask according to the invention is the same as masks currently on the market and the mask is made with the materials currently used for standard surgical masks. Thus, there is no need to modify the machinery required for making the mask itself.
Even more advantageously, the mask according to the invention is airtight and allows simultaneously the use thereof by the user without any difficulty in breathing.
From that described hereto, the disposable surgical mask according to the invention achieves the predefined objects.
In particular, the object was achieved of making a disposable surgical mask that, once put on by the user, avoids the formation of channels close to the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and the cheek area, through which air may pass and also possible infections, or contagions may occur with pathogens, microbes, aerosols, biological substances. In particular, concerning the biological substances, the mask according to the invention protects from spatters of blood that are frequent during hospital or dental practice.

Claims

A disposable surgical mask (1; 10) comprising:
- a fabric comprising superimposed layers of a breathable material (2), said layers comprising a top end (3), a bottom end (4) and two side ends (5), said layers being joined to one another at said ends (3, 4, 5), said two side ends (5) being symmetrical over a symmetry axis (Y) which transverses said top (3) and bottom (4) ends;

- constraining means (6) associated with said layers of breathable material (2), that can be connected to the user's head;
said fabric having one or more superimposed areas (9a, 9b, 9c), each of said superimposed areas (9a, 9b, 9c):
- being defined by the superposing of three adjacent portions of said fabric by means of folding said fabric along two folding lines perpenducular to said symmetry axis (Y), and

- being spaced apart from the other superimposed areas (9a, 9b, 9c),
wherein said fabric has one or more sealing areas (7; 70) defined close to one or more of said ends (3, 4, 5) and intersecting said at least one superimposed area (9a) by immovably connecting the superimposed portions of fabric of said superimposed area (9a) through impressions (8; 80) by embossing, each of said sealing areas (7; 70) being configured so as to promote the folding of the areas (A) adjacent to said sealing area (7; 70),
said impressions (8; 80) being spaced apart from one another and being punctiform,
characterized in that said impressions (8; 80) are distributed close to two or more of said ends (3, 4, 5), thus forming two arc-shaped areas spaced apart from each other and symmetrical with respect to said transverse symmetry axis (Y) of said mask (1; 10).
A disposable surgical mask (1; 10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sealing areas (7; 70) are arranged close to the top end (3) of the mask (1; 10).
A disposable surgical mask (10) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said impressions (80) belonging to said sealing areas (70) are distributed close to two or more of said ends (3, 4, 5), thus forming four arc-shaped areas spaced apart from one another and symmetrical two-by-two with respect to two symmetry axes (X, Y) that are substantially orthogonal to each other.
A disposable surgical mask (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said impressions (80) belonging to said sealing areas (70) are made close to all the ends (3, 4, 5) of the mask (10) itself.