3m Innovative Properties Company

Thomas J Xue

Philip D Eitzman

Ronald Wayne Ausen

Nathan A Abel

Michael K Domroese

Seyed Abolhassan Angadjivand

Philip G Martin

David M Blomberg

William J Kopecky

Yonas Gebrewold

Joseph P Kronzer

Nhat Ha T Nguyen

Olof N Hansson

Nhat Ha Thi Nguyen

Mark T Gibson

Myles L Brostrom

Various embodiments of an exhalation valve and a filtering face mask that includes such exhalation valve are disclosed. The exhalation valve can include a valve seat and a valve flap disposed over a seal surface and an orifice of the valve seat. The valve flap is adapted to be sealed against the seal surface of the valve seat when the exhalation valve is disposed in a closed configuration such that fluid is prevented from flowing through the valve seat. The orifice of the valve seat can include a substantially circular shape in a plane defined by a first major surface of the valve seat. Further, the seal surface can circumscribe the orifice and can include a substantially noncircular shape in the plane defined by the first major surface of the valve seat.

Exhalation valve and respirator including same

One or more embodiments of a respirator that includes a polymeric netting is disclosed. The respirator can include a mask body including a perimeter, a harness attached to the mask body, and a face seal disposed adjacent at least a portion of the perimeter of the mask body. In one or more embodiments, the face seal includes a polymeric netting including polymeric ribbons and polymeric strands, where each of the polymeric ribbons and strands having a length, width, and height, where the length is the longest dimension, the width is the shortest dimension, and the height is the dimension transverse to the length and the width. The polymeric ribbons have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least 5 to 1, a major surface that is intermittently bonded to only one polymeric strand, and a height that is at least two times greater than a height of the one polymeric strand.

Respirator including polymeric netting and method of forming same

Valve cover

Various embodiments of a respirator are disclosed. The respirator can include a mask body and one or more elastic straps that are secured to the mask body on opposing sides. The elastic straps can have an openwork construction and can include a netting that has an array of polymeric strands periodically joined together at bond regions throughout the array. In one or more embodiments, the openwork elastic straps are lighter and more breathable than conventional straps. This improvement in breathability can make the respirator more comfortable to wear.

Respirator having elastic straps having openwork structure

Valve cover with diamond pattern

Valve cover with openings

Unidirectional valve

A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask. The valve can include a flap, and a valve seat. The flap can be cantilevered and can flex away from a seal surface of the valve seat to an open position. The valve can further include a housing that at least partially covers the valve seat and the flap. In some embodiments, the height of the housing is no greater than about 1.25 cm, while the distance between the flap and the seal surface when the flap is in the open position is at least 0.35 cm. A projection can be coupled to an inner surface of the housing, and the height of the projection can generally decrease toward the front of the housing. In some embodiments, the projection can have a profile that substantially follows the profile of the flap when the flap is in the open position.

Unidirectional valves and filtering face masks comprising unidirectional valves

A respirator that includes a mask body and a nose clip. The mask body is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person, and the nose clip is placed on the mask body to extend over the bridge of the wearer's nose when the mask is worn. The nose clip has a predefined shape that comprises first and second wings. These wings exert a force resiliently inward on each side of the wearer's nose when the mask is worn. The invention eliminates the need for the wearer to individually shape the nose clip to the wearer's nose.

Respirator having preloaded nose clip

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Thomas J Xue