Patent ID: 6584976
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: A41D,A62B

Abstract:
A filtering face mask that comprises:(a) a mask body; (b) an exhalation valve that is disposed on the mask body and that has at least one orifice that allows exhaled air to pass from an interior gas space to an exterior gas space during an exhalation; (c) an exhale filter element that does not also serve as an inhale filter element, that comprises a fibrous filter, and that is disposed in the face mask's exhale flow stream to prevent contaminants from passing from the interior gas space to the exterior gas space with the exhaled air; (d) an inhale filter element for filtering inhaled air, wherein the inhale filter element is integrally disposed in the mask body such that air can pass through the inhale filter element during an inhalation or an exhalation, wherein the exhale filter element exhibits a pressure drop when a person exhales, which pressure drop across the exhale filter element is less than a pressure drop across the inhale filter element during the same exhalation, and wherein the inhale filter element includes a layer of fibrous filtering material that has an opening disposed therein, the exhalation valve being disposed on the mask body at the opening.