US 12,342,879 B2
Personal protective equipment and methods
Michael J. O'Leary, Del Mar, CA (US); Daniel Joseph Braun, San Diego, CA (US); Choll Wan Kim, San Diego, CA (US); Randy Wayland, San Diego, CA (US); and Robert F. Gazdzinski, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to MDIDEAFACTORY, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by MDIDEAFACTORY, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/513,272.
Application 18/513,272 is a division of application No. 17/066,426, filed on Oct. 8, 2020, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2024/0081440 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
Int. Cl. A41D 13/11 (2006.01); A41D 31/102 (2019.01)
CPC A41D 13/1176 (2013.01) [A41D 13/1115 (2013.01); A41D 31/102 (2019.02)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mask, comprising:
an air-permeable element formed of a material and configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer, and having at least a top edge above which no portion of the air-permeable element extends and an outside surface opposing an inside surface, at least part of the inside surface configured to contact one or more portions of a face of the wearer;
a strap attached to a lower portion of the mask at respective attachment points disposed on left and right sides of the mask;
an adhesive element coupled to said outside surface of the air-permeable element and proximate said top edge of the air-permeable element, comprising a lower portion and an upper portion extending above said top edge and having adhesive properties so as to permit adhesion of the upper portion of the adhesive element to facial skin of the wearer while also allowing varying distances between the top edge and the facial skin while still maintaining a moisture vapor barrier against vapor passing between the top edge and the facial skin to an orbital region of the face; and
one or more second adhesive elements coupled to the adhesive element along a longitudinal center-line extending between the lower portion and the upper portion and at least partially overlying the adhesive element, the one or more second adhesive elements (i) folded downwards from the top edge about the longitudinal center-line when the adhesive element is in use, and (ii) configured to be rotated upward from the top edge about the longitudinal center-line to be utilized when the upper portion of the adhesive element is removed from the mask by the wearer after use of the adhesive element.