Fibrous filtration face mask having a new unidirectional fluid valve

(54) FIBROUS FILTRATION FACE MASK HAVING A NEW UNIDIRECTIONAL FLUID VALVE

(75) Inventors: Daniel A. Japuntich, St. Paul, MN (US);

Vaughn B. Grannis, Inver Grove
Heights, MN (US); Harold J. Seppala,
St. Paul, MN (US); Anthony B.
Ferguson, Woodbury, MN (US)

(73) Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company,

St. Paul, MN (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 539 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl.No.: 09/680,465

(22) Filed: Oct. 6, 2000

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Continuation of application No. 08/240,877, filed on May 11, 1994, now Pat. No. 6,854,463, which is a division of application No. 07/981,244, filed on Nov. 25, 1992, now Pat. No. 5,325,892, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 07/891,289, filed on May 29, 1992, now abandoned.

(51) Int. CI.

A62B 7/10 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 128/206.15; 128/206.12;

128/207.12

(58) Field of Classification Search 128/201.25,

128/205.27, 205.29, 206.12, 206.15, 206.16, 128/206.19, 206.21, 207.12; 137/852, 855 See application file for complete search history.

A filtering face mask that has a mask body and an exhalation valve. The mask body is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a wearer. The exhalation valve is positioned on the mask body substantially opposite to a wearer's mouth. The exhalation valve comprises a valve seat that has a seal surface, an orifice that is circumscribed by the seal surface, and cross members that extend across the orifice to create a plurality of openings within the orifice. The valve also includes a single flexible flap that has a fixed portion and a free portion and first and second opposing ends. The first end of the single flexible flap is associated with the fixed portion of the flap so as to remain at rest during an exhalation, and the second end being associated with the free portion of the flexible flap so as to be lifted away from the seal surface during an exhalation. The second end also is located below the first end when the filtering face mask is worn on a person. The flexible flap would normally assume a flat configuration when no forces are applied to it, but the flexible flap has a curved profile when viewed from a side elevation and is pressed towards the seal surface in an abutting relationship therewith when a fluid is not passing through the orifice.

21 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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