Patent ID: 9723880
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: A41B,A41D

Claim:
1. An apparatus for preventing the spread of airborne disease expelled when a user coughs or sneezes, comprising: a collapsible outer sleeve defining a passage having a passage opening, the outer sleeve being constructed from an impermeable material impermeable to both airflow and aerosolized droplets, the passage having first and second open ends when the sleeve is in an expanded position, and the outer sleeve being able to be flattened to define a collapsed position, the collapsible outer sleeve including oppositely disposed first and second panels, the panels being movably attached at first and second opposed panel junctions to allow movement of the panels between the collapsed position and the expanded position when the opposed panel junctions are squeezed toward each other, the outer sleeve being configured to be hand held so that the apparatus does not have to be worn as a mask; and a collapsible filter element attached within the passage of the collapsible outer sleeve so that flattening the outer sleeve also collapses the filter element.