Abstract:
The present invention is a generally conical nebulizer, aerosol, filter or inhalant face mask for sealing against the atmosphere a wearer&#39;s mouth and nose, the improvement comprising a representation of a face on the outside surface with an exhaust valve located where the mouth would be located. The exhaust valve is adapted to visibly lift outward and up from the outside mask surface to imitate a flapping tongue.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to nebulizer, filter or inhalant masks, especially with reference to those adapted for use by children. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Nebulizer, filter or inhalant masks are well known to provide human-to-nebulizing equipment connection for delivery of atomized liquids and aerosols. The lungs can be easily penetrated by medicinal aerosols and provides a convenient and generally safe vehicle for obtaining rapid absorption of medication by the body. Medication or drugs are generally delivered to the lung membrane in the form of a fine mist or aerosol which is breathed into the lungs through the nose or mouth of the patient. Quite typically, a nebulizer is used to convert a liquid into a fine aerosol, and the aerosol is introduced into the lungs by means of a face mask which delivers the aerosol through the mouth and nose of the patient. However, conventional face masks have been consistently designed with medical necessity and cost minimization in mind over patient acceptance of the face mask. It is known that inhalant systems incorporating a face mask are often repeatedly used by a patient in order to treat what is usually a long term, repeating or chronic illness. Although providing an aerosol to the lungs of some medications is clearly preferable to injection or oral medications, it is a rather dreary prospect to the patient. 
   It is well known in the art of holiday celebration to provide decorative masks for revelers. These ornamental masks have no function other than to provide entertainment in the context of the celebration and often bear relatively accurate representations of famous persons or fantastical faces. Regardless of their basis in reality or fantasy, most of such ornamental face masks bear a two or three dimensional representation of a face with at least a nose and eyes, most often with a mouth of some sort. Most persons from a very early age are exposed to such ornamental masks and associate them with rather happy memories. Even a fleeting view of such ornamental masks brings to mind happier times. Such ornamental masks bear the faces of clowns, animals, cartoon characters, and other brightly colored entities. 
   There is a need for a face mask that combines the benefits of ornamental face masks with the functions of face masks for receiving aerosol or nebulized liquids so that children and young persons are thereby encouraged to engage in what is sometimes a frightening or dreary experience for them. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a generally conical nebulizer, aerosol, filter or inhalant face mask for sealing against the atmosphere a wearer&#39;s mouth and nose, the improvement comprising a representation of a face on the outside surface with an exhaust valve located where the mouth would be located. The exhaust valve is adapted to visibly lift outward and up from the outside mask surface to imitate a flapping tongue. This is a truly hilarious effect. 
   In an alternate embodiment of this invention, one or more exhaust valves are located amount the facial features so that when activated the valves imitate flapping ears, nose, eyes or eyelids. 
   It is well known in the medical arts that face masks for inhaling liquids in the form of aerosols, vapors, gases or nebulized liquids or dry powderized medications in the form of fine, dry particles for medical purposes should be generally conical in shape. Such a mask from the wearer&#39;s side comprises a conical concavity which is ringed at a peripheral edge with a soft, compressible material so that a user&#39;s mouth and nose area can be sealed off against the outside air for receiving said liquids or powders for medical purposes. Said liquids or powders are delivered with oxygen containing gas to the wearer through an opening generally at the bottom of the wearer&#39;s side concavity. That opening extends through the mask shell to a cylindrical extension upward from the outside surface of the mask to connect with a rigid or flexible conduit bearing the liquids or powders to the wearer. In order to economize and reduce mask weight, the mask is a shell so that the outside surface facing away from the user is generally conical in shape. 
   The effect of viewing such a mask from the outside is that the cylindrical hose connector could be imagined to be very large nose. The downward-sloping conical surfaces away from the nose connection can bear facial features of an ornamental mask used in holiday celebrations. The facial features of such ornamental masks are arranged on the outside surface of the invention mask referencing the location of the hose connector as the nose on such a face. 
   Creating facial features on such a mask is relatively easy. Features such as the lips of a large, smiling mouth can be painted or mold-formed on the part of the downward sloping outside surface that broadens in an inferior direction to accommodate a wearer&#39;s mouth. Features such as or large, striking and happy looking eyes, eyelids, brightly colored hair and/or prominent colorful ears can be painted or mold-formed on the part of the downward sloping outside surface that narrows in a superior direction from the hose connector to capture a wearer&#39;s nose without covering or impressing upon a wearer&#39;s eyes. 
   It is critical in a sealed breathing circuit using such a mask to provide for the wearer a valve or vent to the atmosphere for exhausted breath. Examples of such exhaust valves are well known in the art. Exhaust valves in one form generally use a thin septum connected in one part to a conduit in the breathing circuit. The thin septum is supported over and seals the openings of a fenestrated frame so that the thin septum rises off the openings when a slight positive pressure is imposed on the breathing circuit. Operation of the exhaust valves vents is not optional. A wearer should not be burdened by the simple act of exhalation during a medical procedure for inhalation of vapors, gases or nebulized liquids. The positive pressure required to open the exhaust valve should be quite low with respect to the external atmospheric pressure. The exhaust valve should react almost instantaneously upon initiation of exhalation of a user. Placement of the exhalation valve close to a wearer&#39;s nares or mouth provides the fastest response to opening of the valve at the initiation of exhalation. 
   Even adult wearers of nebulizer masks don them with some apprehension. For children, the unknown operation of the breathing circuit with its complicated, strange-looking, noisy and/or odd smelling equipment terminating in a mask to be attached to a child&#39;s face is a potentially frightening event. The present invention locates a fenestrated frame and its sealing thin septum at a location on a face mask shell where a viewer might associate the location of a mouth if eyes are formed or painted in a position superior to the hose connector. In other words, if eyes are seen above the hose connector on the outside surface, a viewer would tend to look below the hose connector on the outside surface of the mask for mouth features. In a preferred embodiment, the thin septum of the exhaust valve is red with one end free to lift off the fenestrated frame during exhalation of a wearer in a manner that would imitate the flapping of a tongue. In most cultures, wagging or flapping a tongue is a comic event. In the present invention, it is a comic relief and encouragement to a child wearer of the mask to engage in such flapping of their face mask “tongue”. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the outside surface an invention mask bearing an ornamental representation of a face. 
       FIG. 2  is a frontal view of the mask of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is section  117  of the mask of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a close-up and cutaway view of a lower part of the mask of  FIG. 2  with an exhaust valve in place and in a sealed and closed position. 
       FIG. 5  is a close-up and cutaway view of a lower part of the mask of  FIG. 4  with the exhaust valve removed. 
       FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  are respectively frontal, side and rear views of the exhaust valve of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 9  is view of  FIG. 3  with the end of the exhaust valve flapping open during exhalation by a wearer. 
       FIG. 10  is a close-up and cutaway view of a lower part of the mask of  FIG. 2  with an exhaust valve in place and the septum end flapping open during exhalation by a wearer. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is now discussed with reference to the figures. 
     FIG. 1  shows invention mask  100  comprising a lower portion  101  and upper portion  102 , respectively having lower outside surface  104  and upper outside surface  103 . An ornamental cheek and lip part  105  is shown extending generally from side to side with ornamental freckles, a middle part of which defines an upper lip above tongue valve  114 . Valve  114  is an exhaust valve for a wearer&#39;s exhalations adapted to be actuated when positive pressure is exerted on the inside space of the mask  100  when sealed to a wearer&#39;s face surfaces. Valve  114  comprises a more rigid attachment end  115  and flapping tongue end  116 . 
   Mask  100  further comprises a hose connector  108  which defines a cylindrical passage  109  by inside surface  110 . Surface  110  is adapted to receive a hose or other gas conduit end so that gas and aerosols can be delivered to a mask wearer. Hose connector  108  preferably has an outward and downward sloping outside surface  111  having an slightly acute angle with reference to inside surface  110 . Outside surface  111  for hose connector  108  thus more closely resembles a nose to a frontal viewer of the outside surface of mask  100 . Thus far in the description, an ornamental face on mask  100  has been described bearing a cheeks and an upper lip above a tongue adapted to flap up and down during a wearer&#39;s exhalation and a large nose represented by the outside surfaces of the hose connector  108 . 
   On lateral sides of mask  100  are formed extensions  112  with holes  113  for straps that can secure mask  100  to a wearer&#39;s head. Extensions  112  may be formed in the shape of large or small colorful ears with reference to the cheek and lip with reference to what a viewer would construe to be an ornamental face with a nose at hose connector  108 . 
   On the upper surface  103  of mask  100  are representations of eyes  107  and hair  106 . It should be understood that the form, shape, size, colors, emotion and other aspects of such eyes and hair may vary widely while achieving the objects of the invention, i.e., encouraging or entertaining a user and/or viewer of mask  100  while observing the flapping valve  114  on an ornamental face. 
     FIG. 2  is a frontal view of the mask of  FIG. 1  and shows how a viewer would typically see a mask  100  worn by a user. It is part of the objects of the invention that the user would know that a viewer would see a flapping tongue valve  114  while the user uses mask  100 . Such activity entertains the user to be able to wag their “tongue” at a viewer. 
     FIG. 3  is section  117  of the mask of  FIG. 2  showing a ribbed surface  110  adapted to engage a gas conduit connected thereto. Mask  100  further comprises in one embodiment a soft sidewall  120  with rim  119  that compress and seal to the facial skin of a mask wearer. Frame part  126  is shown in cross section supporting the under side of valve  114  and connects to a top edge of shell wall part  118 . Attachment end  115  is shown secured in slot  124 , leaving a flexible thin septum end  116  distal to end  115 .  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  are respectively frontal, side and rear views of the exhaust valve  114  of  FIG. 4  showing that valve  114  is formed of an elastomeric material appropriate for a valve of this type in a curved shape so that when it is connected in slot  124  ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ) at flange  126 , end  116  effectively seals openings  125  ( FIG. 5 ).  FIG. 5  shows that lips  123  may be formed in surface  105  to define an upper edge of the “tongue” shape of valve  114 . Valve  114  is preferably formed of a bright red elastomeric material.  FIGS. 6 and 7  further show that valve  114  comprises a concave inside surface  127  adapted to seal openings  125  ( FIG. 5 ). 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  show how end  116  of the exhaust valve  114  flaps to an open position along path  130  during exhalation by a wearer. Exhaust air travels along paths  128  through openings  125 , forcing upward and outward end  116 , giving the viewer the impression of a wagging or flapping tongue. At the end of the exhalation by a wearer, valve  114  returns to the position shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  along path  129 . 
   The above design options will sometimes present the skilled designer with considerable and wide ranges from which to choose appropriate apparatus and method modifications for the above examples. However, the objects of the present invention will still be obtained by that skilled designer applying such design options in an appropriate manner.