US 12,453,873 B2
Dead air mask for killing microorganisms in air breathed by a wearer of the mask
Michael A. Adams, Cypress, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/913,135
Filed by Michael A. Adams, Cypress, TX (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 19, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/023358
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 20, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/189023, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/155,608, filed on Mar. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/992,554, filed on Mar. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0132702 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. A61L 9/20 (2006.01); A62B 18/00 (2006.01); A62B 18/02 (2006.01); A62B 23/02 (2006.01)
CPC A62B 23/02 (2013.01) [A61L 9/20 (2013.01); A62B 18/006 (2013.01); A62B 18/025 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mask that is wearable on the face of a person, the mask comprising:
a cover for covering at least one of the a mouth and the a nose of the person;
a light module attached to the cover and comprising:
an inlet for receiving air to be breathed in by the person, and an outlet that faces the person when the mask is on the face of the person;
one or more airflow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet, the one or more airflow paths configured to receive at least the air to be breathed in by the person;
an ultraviolet (UV-C) light source configured to emit anti-microbial light into the one or more airflow paths at a wavelength that kills microorganisms in the air in the one or more airflow paths; and
a plurality of walls at each of the inlet and the outlet, wherein each of the plurality of walls comprises one or more slits through which the air passes such that the one or more slits are located at opposite ends of the one or more airflow paths, and the one or more slits of each wall are offset relative to the one or more slits of an adjacent wall to form staggered airflow paths through the plurality of walls that allow the air to pass through offset slits, but blocks the anti-microbial light from passing through the offset slits.