3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovation Properties Company

Dean R Duffy

Scott A Spoo

Donald E Young

Douglas C Sundet

Lowell E Christensen

Thomas I Insley

Kenneth J Snider

Nathan A Abel

John F Reed

Richard Allan Kirchner

Philip D Eitzman

John S Huberty

Francis E Porbeni

Chris Manderfeld

Wenli Wang

Gregory M Jellum

David J Andrews

Robert E Holler

Ronald L Wylie, Jr

William M Stevenson

Evgeny V Vasiliev

John J Reese

Nhat Ha Nguyen

Ronald L Wylie

A foldable filtering face-piece respirator is disclosed. The respirator includes a mask body having a line of demarcation that separates the mask body into a first portion and a second portion. The respirator also includes an exhalation valve positioned on the line of demarcation and in a central area of the mask body such that the exhalation valve is positioned essentially over a wearer's mouth during use. The line of demarcation is discontinuous at the location of the valve.

Foldable face-piece respirator with exhalation valve

A flat-fold, filtering, face-piece respirator that has a harness, a mask body, and first and second flanges. The mask body is capable of being folded flat for storage and can be opened into a cup-shaped configuration for use. The mask body has a filtering structure and has the first and second flanges disposed on first and second mask body sides. The first and second flanges project both laterally x and frontally y from the mask body. The provision of the flanges on each side of the respirator is beneficial to ease of mask donning, doffing, and adjustment, and to face fit and maintaining the open shape or configuration of the mask body.

Flat-fold respirator having flanges disposed on the mask body

Various embodiments of a respirator and a method of making such respirator are disclosed. The respirator includes a mask body and a harness connected to the mask body. The mask body includes a filtering structure having a central panel, an upper panel separated from the central panel by a first line of demarcation, and a lower panel separated from the central panel by a second line of demarcation. The mask body further includes a bisecting fold, and a transversely-extending three-layer pleat disposed in a central panel of a filtering structure of the mask body. The transversely-extending three-layer pleat is formed in the mask body and is sealed to itself at a first seal location disposed on a right side of the mask body and a second seal location disposed on a left side of the mask body.

Respirator including transversely-extending pleat and method of forming same

A filtering facepiece respiratorthat includes a harnessand a mask bodythat has a filtering structurethat contains one or more layers of filter mediaand that has a perimeter. The mask body also has first and second flangeslocated on opposing sides of the filtering structure. The first and second flangeseach have a leading edgeand are each folded inwardly in contact with the filtering structure. The in-contact configuration exists when the mask bodyis open in an in-use configuration. The leading edgeof each flangeis configured to match the mask body perimeterwhen the flangesare folded inwardly in contact with the filtering structure

Filtering face-piece respirator having folded flange

A flat-fold, filtering, face-piece respiratorthat has a harness, a mask body, and first and second flanges. The mask bodyis capable of being folded flat for storage and can be opened into a cup-shaped configuration for use. The mask bodyincludes a filtering structureand has the first and second flangesdisposed on first and second mask body sides. The first and second flangesproject both laterally x and frontally y from the mask body. The provision of the flanges on each side of the respirator is beneficial to ease of mask donning, doffing, and adjustment, and to face fit and maintaining the open shape or configuration of the mask body.

Flat fold respirator having flanges disposed on the mask body

A filtering face-piece respiratorthat includes a harnessand a mask bodythat has a multi-layer filtering structure. The respirator includes a cushioning memberpositioned proximate the nose area of the mask body, enveloped by a layer of the filtering structure. The cushioning memberis a compressible material and may be elastic. The cushioning membercan be positioned directly opposite of a nose clip

Filtering face-piece respirator having nose cushioning member

Various embodiments of a respirator and a method of making such respirator are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the respirator includes a mask body and a harness attached to the mask body. The mask body can include an outer cover web, an inner cover web, a filtration layer disposed between the outer cover web and the inner cover web, and a contrast layer disposed between the outer cover web and the inner cover web in a sinus region of the mask body. A portion of the contrast layer can be visible through an outer surface of the outer cover web to form a contrast region of the mask body, where the outer surface of the outer cover web faces away from the filtration layer.

Respirator including contrast layer

A cup-shaped filtering face-piece respiratorthat includes a harnessand a mask bodythat has a multi-layer filtering structure. The mask bodyincludes at least one dartpermanently bonded in the filtering structure, the darttapering from a center planeof the mask bodyto a side edge of the mask body. The dartinhibits collapse of the cup-shaped form of the respirator

Filtering face-piece respirator having darted mask body

A filtering face-piece respiratorthat includes a mask bodyand a harnessThe mask bodyhas a major portionthat contains one or more layers of filter mediaand that has first and second flangeslocated on opposing sides of the major portionat first and second lines of demarcation. The first and second flangesare capable of folding downwardly toward the major portion. The harnessincludes one or more strapsthat each have first and second ends. The first and second straps are secured to the first and second flanges, such that there is a strap attachment point spaced at least one centimeter from the line of demarcation. The strap tension and spacing from the line of demarcation causes the flap to be folded downwardly into contact with the major portion to improve crush resistance.

Filtering face-piece respirator having strap-activated folded flange

A filtering face-piece respiratorthat includes a harnessand a mask bodythat has a multi-layer filtering structure. The mask bodyincludes an upper interior perimeter segmentformed from the filtering structureand configured to fit against the face of the respirator wearer. Present in the upper interior perimeter segmentis a nose notch, which is an area void of filtering structure

Filtering face-piece respirator having nose notch

A filtering face-piece respirator dispenserhaving a containerthat has a constriction apertureand a plurality of filtering, face-piece respiratorsdisposed within the containerin a stacked, at least partially-folded arrangement. The stacked respiratorsinclude an outermost respirator. The constriction apertureis adapted to allow for the outermost flat filtering face-piece respiratorto be manually withdrawn from the containersuch that the outermost respiratorgoes from the at least partially-folded condition to an open condition, making the respirator more ready for donning.

Filtering face-piece respirator dispenser

A horizontal flat-fold, filtering face-piece respiratorthat includes a harnessand a mask bodythat has a front surface, a first perimeter, and a longitudinal axis. A nose clipis secured to the mask bodycentrally and adjacent to the first perimeterof the mask body. An indiciathat is visible on the front surface of the mask bodyin a vicinity of the nose clipis provided to highlight a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the nose clip. The use of such an indicia, visible from the mask body front surface, enables a user to readily identify where the nose clip may be bent to prepare it for donning by the wearer.

Horizontal flat-fold filtering face-piece respirator having indicia of symmetry

A filtering face-piece respiratorhaving a mask bodyformed of a filtering structure. The mask bodyhas at least one transversely extending stiffening member, formed by an s-shaped or tri-fold pleat permanently connected, such as by welding. The at least one stiffening memberincreases the integrity of the mask body, when in the opened cup-shaped configuration, inhibiting collapse of the mask body, due to, for example, increased pressure drop across the mask bodydue to dirty or moisture laden air.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Dean R Duffy