Soft sculpture face mask

A soft sculpture face mask is extremely lightweight, breatheable and capable of being easily and inexpensively manufactured. The construction of the mask allows for an unlimited variety of face mask designs utilizing basically the same materials. The mask is three-dimensional and, therefore, more realistic than rubber molded masks which, in any event, are hot and uncomfortable to wear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a face mask intended to be worn by a child 
or even an adult. More specifically, the present device is a soft 
sculpture face mask which presents a three-dimensional face mask design 
for hiding the actual physical features of the wearer. These face masks 
are extremely popular at Halloween parties, birthday parties, masquerade 
balls and are used in simple child play games. It is a desired object of 
these face masks to disguise the wearer's face and, yet, allow the wearer 
to easily see where he or she is going while the face mask is worn. It is 
another object of these face masks to allow them to be comfortably worn 
for extended periods of time since an uncomfortable face mask, when worn 
by a child, will be soon removed. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Face masks have been made for centuries. The prior art face masks are made 
from papier-mache, woodcarvings and, of late, from latex molds. All of 
these prior art face masks suffer from the initial disadvantage in that 
they are extremely hot, uncomfortable and relatively bulky to wear. In the 
case of a rubber-type face mask, the rubber composition is non-breathable, 
i.e., no air can pass through the mask and, therefore, when the mask is 
worn flush against the face of the wearer, it becomes uncomfortably hot 
for the wearer. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to 
provide a face mask which is lightweight and, in addition, extremely 
comfortable to wear. The present invention is a three-dimensional, 
breathable and lightweight face mask. Furthermore, it is an object of the 
present invention to allow the wearer to easily see where he or she is 
going while wearing the mask. To this end, eye apertures are provided. 
Prior art commercial face masks, i.e., those offered for sale in great 
numbers, and especially those of the rubber type which are formed in a 
mold, represent a single design image which can be multiply reproduced and 
offered for sale. It is another object of the present invention to provide 
an easy and relatively inexpensive face mask which can be commercially 
manufactured on a large scale with an unlimited number of design images or 
face characters utilizing basically the same materials for each face mask. 
The present invention accomplishes this and thereby provides basically 
unlimited individual face masks which can be commercially manufactured. In 
addition, the present invention eliminates the relatively costly machining 
and manufacturing of a mold for use in the rubber mask producing process. 
The face masks of the prior art, in general, represent a thin rubber "skin" 
which, while extremely flexible (and, as previously mentioned, hot and 
uncomfortable to wear), does not truly represent a three-dimensional face 
and, therefore, is not as effective or as appealing a disguise as a 
three-dimensional face mask would otherwise be. Again, the present 
invention has, as a desired object, to provide a three-dimensional, 
individually configured face mask which is lightweight and breatheable 
and, yet, still allows the wearer to see where he or she is going. 
These and other objects are sought to be accomplished by the present 
device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The face mask represents a lightweight, fully breatheable, 
three-dimensional face mask which can be easily manufactured on a large 
scale with unlimited variety of face images. Obviously, individuals, when 
seeking to purchase face masks do not want to buy one if they suspect that 
a fellow friend going to the same party, ball or play event is also going 
to be wearing the identical face mask. However, with the present 
invention, that fear is totally eliminated inasmuch as truly individual 
face masks are provided, all with basically the same materials. Each of 
the face masks provided by the present device are three-dimensional and, 
therefore, represent a significant advance over the thin rubber "skin" 
face masks now prevalent in the prior art. In addition, of course, the 
present face mask provides eye apertures for allowing the wearer to see 
through the face mask. 
The lightweightness of the face mask of the present device is also an 
extremely advantageous feature, as well as its breatheability, which 
allows the wearer to maintain the face mask in position for extended 
periods of time without the discomfort and heat normally associated with 
the rubber-type masks. The use of three-dimensional materials to create 
unique features on the face mask provides a more realistic and varied 
looking face mask and this, too, contributes to the overall attractiveness 
of the device. 
The face mask of the present invention accomplishes the desired objects by 
the use of a flat backing layer, preferably felt, with a front nylon mesh 
"skin". Accumulated between the exterior "skin" and the backing layer is 
stuffing material, preferably in the form of cotton, which provides the 
face mask with its desired three-dimensionality and, in addition, 
minimizes the overall weight of the product while simultaneously allowing 
the entire face mask to be breatheable. By selectively accumulating the 
material in various areas of the face mask and then sewing the skin 
through the cotton material to the backing layer, a three-dimensional face 
mask is provided. Eye apertures are also cut into and through the backing 
layer and the front mesh skin to allow the wearer to see, while the face 
mask is worn. Additional disguise features can also be provided to the 
face mask for facilitating the overall aesthetic appearance of the device. 
In the preferred embodiment of the present device, it is contemplated that 
the mask be a simple front face mask and, therefore, an elastic band is 
used for maintaining the mask on the wearer's head. Of course, it is 
possible that an over-the-head face mask can be provided, if desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 
EMBODIMENT 
The face mask, generally indicated as 10, consists of three basic sections, 
a three-dimensional front face section 12, an overlying hat section 14 and 
a rearwardly located mask support layer 16 (see FIG. 5). The mask support 
layer 16 basically corresponds to the planar projection of the 
three-dimensional face section 12. Mask support layer 16, preferably made 
of a felt-like substance, is provided with a pair of eye apertures or 
holes 18, such that the face mask 10, when worn by an individual, allows 
that individual full visibility. In addition, as can also be seen in FIG. 
5, the mask support layer 16 is provided with a nose aperture or hole 20, 
centrally located in the support layer and slightly beneath eye apertures 
18 which, of course, themselves, are located basically symmetrically along 
a vertical line, in much the manner as a normal face. In order to secure 
the face mask 10 to the wearer's head an elastic band 22 is sewn at two 
points, 23 and 24. 
The face section 12 presents a three-dimensional surface and is, therefore, 
an extremely realistic yet artificial face mask. An outer "skin" 26 made 
of an elastic, nylon or stocking material substantially covers the entire 
outside surface of the face section 12. The skin 26, if made from a 
"natural" color woman's stocking, provides a realistic color for the face 
mask. The skin 26 is sewn or otherwise conventionally adhered to the 
outside perimeter of the support layer 16. Located between the inside 
surface of the skin 26 and the inside of the support layer 16 is a 
material accumulation pocket 28. The material accumulation pocket 28 is 
stuffed with a lightweight cotton-like material 30 which thereby gives the 
face mask 10 its three-dimensionality and, yet, maintains the 
lightweightness and breatheability of the overall mask. The material 
accumulation pockets 28 are selectively provided with accumulations of the 
cotton-like material 30, to give the face section 12 its desired realistic 
looking face; for example, more material 30 would be provided in the area 
of the face sections, cheeks 32 (see FIG. 1), than would be provided at 
the face section, chin 34. This, of course, depends upon the particular 
design of the face mask selected to be made and manufactured. 
In addition, selected areas of the face mask 10, including the skin 26, the 
cotton-like material 30 and the support layer 16 can be sewn together, 
see, for example, crowsfeet 36 and lower lip 38 of FIG. 1, to provide 
additional design characteristics to the face mask. Also, whether as a 
wholly separate unit originally made and then sewn onto the face mask or 
whether integrally made along with the face section 12, itself, a nose 40 
is provided which, too, consists of an outer skin 26 suitably shaped and 
selectively sewn, containing the cotton-like material 30 therein. As can 
be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, selected portions of the face mask 10 are 
sewn, indicated by stitches 42, which serve to increase the designability 
of the product and to give the mask superior, realistic looking features. 
FIG. 2 shows that the nose 40 is sewn at 44 to the face section 12 and 
protrudes downwardly and outwardly over the nose aperture or hole 20 in 
the support layer 16. Thus, when the mask is worn, the individual's nose 
will slightly protrude into the space created by the nose 40 and the nose 
aperture 20 and this, too, contributes to the overall comfort in wearing 
this face mask. 
In accordance with this preferred embodiment of the present invention, a 
three-dimensional looking hat 14 made from a thin layer of felt material 
is attached to the top portion of the face section 12 by being stitched, 
glued or otherwise adhered to the skin 26 as at 45. The hat 14 has a 
ribbon 46 which serves a decorative function and, in addition, adds 
three-dimensional perspective. The hat is also provided with a brim 48 
protruding forwardly and outwardly from ribbon 46 and the brim 48 has a 
finished edge 50 sewn around the edge of brim 48. In addition, this 
particular embodiment is provided with cotton-like hair, suitably brushed 
and colored to provide an artificial mustache 52, eyebrows 54 and side 
hair pieces 56. 
Eye bags 58 are provided to this mask by selective sewing and accumulation 
of material within eye bag areas 60, which areas are delineated by sewn 
stitches 62. 
Thus, as described, an artificial face mask is provided which is extremely 
lightweight and comfortable to wear, is breatheable, insofar as air and 
oxygen are allowed to circulate to the wearer's face and, therefore, the 
mask is extremely comfortable to wear. Furthermore, an extremely 
attractive three-dimensional mask is provided which can be manufactured 
with basically the same materials into a huge variety of individualized 
face masks, so that each face mask manufactured off an assembly line will 
basically appear as unique, i.e., one of a kind. Clearly, this is a highly 
desirable object. By selectively accumulating the material within the 
material accumulation pocket, defined as the area between the skin-like 
material 26 and the back support layer 16, and by selectively sewing those 
areas in place, the mask can be designed and configured as desired. In 
addition, it should also be appreciated that the use of the cotton 
material as the material accumulated within the pocket and the nylon or 
stocking material as the exterior skin of the mask, also allows cosmetic 
materials, e.g., blush, eyeliner, etc. to be used to further enhance the 
realistic looking features of the mask. 
It should be understood, of course, that the specific form of the invention 
herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as 
certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear 
teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the 
following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.