Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a facial prophylactic from a fluid impervious stretchable material comprises working the material while in a liquid state to regions of different thicknesses and elasticities to form a mask having a thinner tongue receiving portion generally centrally of the mask and a thicker main portion peripherally of the tongue receiving portion. The overall mask has a one piece construction and is free of any seams penetrating through the mask.

Description:
This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/727,377, filed Jul. 5, 1991 now abandoned which was a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/402,370, filed Sep. 5, 1989 now abandoned in the name of Laron Hopkins, Jennifer A. Neves and Peter R. Horn. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a prophylactic specifically designed to cover ones face while allowing safe oral sex and a method of manufacturing a facial prophylactic. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Until very recently, even the mention of oral sex has been frowned upon. However, this is not the reality of the situation and many cases of mouth diseases are arising as the result of oral sex. The number of such cases has risen dramatically due to the recent AIDS scare where people often feel that AIDS can be avoided through oral sex. According to a recent doctor survey, patients are now being seen on a daily basis with diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes and even orally contracted AIDS. There is therefore a very strong need for the development of a facial prophylactic. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method of manufacturing a facial prophylactic from a fluid impervious stretchable material comprises working without penetrating the material while in a liquid state to regions of different thicknesses and elasticities to form a mask having a thinner tongue receiving portion generally centrally of the mask and a thicker main mask portion peripherally of the tongue receiving portion. The method results in a one piece facial prophylactic mask without any seams through the mask at the interface between the tongue receiving portion and the main portion of the mask. 
     A mask made in accordance with the present invention allows oral sex but does not permit skin to skin contact thereby avoiding the possibility of communicating diseases which might otherwise result because of such skin to skin contact. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above as well as other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in greater detail according to the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a facial prophylactic according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of a person using the facial prophylactic of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of a person using a facial prophylactic according to a different preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are side views of the facial prophylactic of FIG. 4 in different positions of use; 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views through the facial prophylactic of FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the lines 9--9 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the mask the same as that shown in FIG. 9 and further showing a method of manufacturing the mask; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view through a mold showing the first stage of an alternate method of manufacturing a mask according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a further sectional view through the mold shown in FIG. 11 during the second stage of manufacturing of the mask. 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view through a mask made in accordance with the method shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a facial prophylactic generally indicated at 1. This facial prophylactic comprises a main body portion 3 which provides a facial cover as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. This face cover as well as the remainder o the prophylactic is made from a stretchable material such as for example LATEX™ or SILICONE™ used for other types of prophylactics or condoms already available in the marketplace. 
     Provided generally centrally of the face cover is a region 5 integral with the face cover but made e.g. by thinning of the material to be more stretchable than the remainder of the face cover. This stretchable portion is bordered by a reinforced region 7 as shown in FIG. 1. 
     Also provided on the facial prophylactic are means for holding it tightly against a users face with these means being in the form of ear fitting openings 9. The entire facial prophylactic is shaped and sized such that with the ear fittings 9 in place, the facial prophylactic is pulled tightly up against ones face with the stretchable region 5 fitted directly over the mouth and allowing ones tongue to push outwardly of the main body portion of the face cover while still being covered by the stretchable portion. This is best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Note that in the non-use position the stretchable region 5 lies in the same plane as the remainder of the facial prophylactic and the amount that it stretches is determined by and therefore suited for the particular individual using the prophylactic. 
     FIGS. 4 through 8 of the drawings show a modified version of the facial prophylactic generally indicated at 11. This particular prophylactic comprises a face cover portion 13 having a more stretchable portion or region 15. Note as seen in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the lower edge of the face cover extends down to a chin covering position and upwardly to a position just below the nose of the user. 
     In this particular arrangement, the means for holding the facial prophylactic in position comprises upper and lower gum and lip fitting portions 17 and 19 respectively. There is an opening provided between portions 17 and 19 leaving the more stretchable region 15 exposed for tongue penetration through the face cover 15 while being covered by portion 15 as best seen in FIG. 8 of the drawings. Portions 17 and 19 are trapped between the gums and the lips as shown to hold the face cover in position. Different features may further be added to the facial prophylactic. For instance, the material used to make the prophylactic, i.e. material such as LATEX™ noted above can be flavored to avoid the otherwise undesirable taste of the LATEX™. Furthermore, specific skin lubricants can be applied to the inside of the face cover to avoid chafing against the skin of the person wearing the face cover. The exterior surface of the face cover and in particular the more stretchable region can additionally be lubricated with lubricating materials similar to those found on a standard condom. In addition, the exterior surface of the more stretchable tongue receiving region on the facial prophylactic can be provided with ribbing or the like, again consistent with different condom designs. 
     FIG. 9 of the drawings is a sectional view through the mask of FIG. 1 and FIG. 10 is a sectional view through a mold during the manufacture of the mask shown in FIG. 1. According to this method of manufacture, a source 21 of liquid material M such as the LATEX™ or SILICONE™ earlier described, is poured or otherwise introduced to a mold 23 which defines the overall shape of the mask. While the material is still in the liquid state, i.e. before it is completely hardened, a nozzle 25 directs a controlled stream of air, as shown, downwardly onto the material in the mold and blows some of that material away from the area to which the stream of air is directed. This then produces a thinning of the material in this area resulting in the more stretchable tongue receiving area of the mask. The material which is blown away from the tongue receiving area forms the reinforced border 7 which is located at the outer surface of the mask while the remainder of the mask, i.e. the main mask portion peripherally of the tongue portion is unaffected and therefore remains thickened relative to the now thinned tongue receiving area. 
     According to the method shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a material containing source 21 once again introduces a source of material M while in the liquid state to the mask shaping mold 23. The material is introduced in a manner so as to produce at least one initial layer of material L1 which completely covers the exposed face of the mold. From here in accordance with the next manufacturing step, a mechanical block 27 is placed atop the initial layer L1 before it is hardened and more material in the liquid state is introduced to the mold. This additional material forms at least one subsequent layer L2 which flows onto and bonds with layer L1 except in the area where layer L1 is covered by the mechanical block 27. The resultant mask 1a, as shown in FIG. 13 comprises a thinner tongue receiving portion 5a in the area covered by block 27 and a thicker main mask portion 3a peripherally of the tongue receiving portion. 
     It is to be appreciated that although the term layer is used to describe the construction of mask 1a, these layers are in both mechanically chemically bonded and therefore homogeneous with one another. Furthermore, there are no seams penetrating through the mask at the interface between the main mask portion and the tongue receiving portion. Accordingly, there is no opportunity for disease carrying liquids to pass through the mask. 
     Regardless of how the mask is manufactured, additional chemical processing may be carried out on the tongue receiving portion of the mask to further add to its elasticity relative to the main part of the mask. 
     Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.