Patent Publication Number: US-2006010550-A1

Title: Structure of a mask having a mask arc

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a combination structure of a mask body.  
      (b) Description of the Prior Art  
      A safety helmet for use in welding operation is mounted with a mask. At the two lateral sides of the mask  10  and the working helmet  20  are through holes, and a rotating button  30  passes through the holes and is fastened with a screw nut so that a pivot connection is obtained ( FIG. 1 ). In order to have a bigger masking area, the front portion of the mask  10  is connected to an arch-shaped extension  101 . In practice, this extension  101  does not contribute any usefulness in the course of a welding operation. The mask  10  is provided at the rear portion of the head, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and therefore both of the hands have to unscrew the button  30  and then, lift the extension  101 . After the welding process, the extension  101  has to be restored with both hands and the button  30  is tightened. However, in the course of welding, the working helmet  20  has to be taken down and the mask  10  has to be aligned with the mounting position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . If the user needs to lift up the mask  10  while welding, the processes of loosening the button, and tightening the button  30  are repeating. The repeating process will cause the mask  10  to disconnect from the working helmet  20  after a period of use. The drawbacks of the structure are as follows: 
          (1) When the mask is not used in welding operation, it is positioned at the rear portion of the head. The bottom end of the mask may hook onto the neck of the wearer (shown in  FIG. 2 ). If the mask is lifted upward, the weight at the rear portion of the head is heavy. This is uncomfortable to the wearer.     (2) In the course of welding operation, it is laborious to mount the mask and to disconnect after use. This is very inconvenient to the user ( FIG. 3 ).     (3) The lens of the mask is too close to the mouth and noise of the wearer, fog may occur at the lens, and therefore, the cleaning of the lens is needed. This is again laborious and inconvenient.     (4) The complicated structure causes an increase in production cost.     (5) Through holes have to be provided to the working helmet. Therefore, the mask is not applicable to all types of helmets.     (6) The uplifting and lowering of the mask together with the adjustment of nut is not convenient.        

      In view of the above drawbacks, the present invention provides a structure of a mask having a mask arc.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mask having a mask arc characterized in that the mask arc includes a lower arc and an elastic strip, the two side ends of the lower arc are mounted with the elastic strip and an engaging slot is located between the side ends and the external sides of the two ends of the lower arc are provided with a protruded seat and the surface of the protruded seat is radially distributed protruded strips and a through hole is formed on the center of the protruded seat; the mask is formed as one unit and the upper edge of the mask is horizontally extended to form a blocking plate and the two ends of the inner side of the mask at the upper side are provided with the protruded block corresponding to the protruded seat at the lower arc, and the surface of the protruded block is provided with radially arranged recess and the center of the protruded block is provided with a through opening.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a mask having a mask arc, wherein the mask arc and the mask body are respectively connected by the protruded seat and the protruded block and the radially arranged protruded stripes are engaged with the recess, and a rivet is used to pass through the through hole and the through opening so that the rivet is used as a pivot shaft which allows a turning.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a mask having a mask arc, wherein the mask body is provided with a window and the external side of the window is a rotating window cover.  
      The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.  
      Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional mask.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a conventional mask being worn prior to a welding operation.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a conventional mask being worn in the course of a welding operation.  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a second conventional mask with a mask arc.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 6  is an elevation view of  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a third conventional mask with a mask arc.  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is an elevational view of  FIG. 8 .  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective exploded view of the mask with a mask arc in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is an elevational view showing the lifting of the window mask of the mask of the present invention.  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 13  is an elevational view of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
      Referring to  FIG. 10 , there is shown a combination structure of a mask body  2  and a mask arc  1 . The mask arc  1  includes a lower arc  11  and an elastic strip  12 . The elastic strip  12  is connected to the two lateral ends of the lower arc  11 , and the lower arc  11 , between two lateral ends, is provided with an engaging slot  111  for engaging with the front end portion of a working helmet h ( FIG. 13 ). The elastic stripe  12  is elastically mounted to the rear end portion of the working helmet h. The outer side of the two end of the lower arc  11  is provided with a protruded seat  112  having a surface with radially distributed stripes  113 . The center of the protruded seat  112  is a through hole  114 .  
      The mask body  2  is formed as a unit and a blocking plate  21  is formed from horizontally extension of the mask body  2 . The two ends of the inner side of the mask body  2 , corresponding to the protruded seat  112 , are provided with a protruded block  22 . The surface of the protruded block  22  has a radial shape recess  221 . The center of the protruded block  22  is a through hole  222 . Further, if the mask is used for welding, a window  23  is provided to the mask body  2 . The external side of the window  23  can be provided with a lifting window (as shown in  FIGS. 10, 11 ).  
      In combination, the lower arc  11  of the mask arc  1  is closely mounted to the upper side of the inner lateral side of the mask body  2  so that the mask arc  1 , the mask body  2  are connected respectively with the protruded seat  112  and the protruded block  22 . The radial protruded stripes  113  and in combination with the radial shape recess  221 . Rivet  3  is used to mount the mask arc  1 , the mask body  2  via the through hole  114  and  222  (as shown in  FIG. 12 ). The rivet area is a pivot for the mask arc  1  and the mask body  2 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . After the lifting of the mask body, the protruded stripe  113  is at the position of the recess  221  to provide adjustment of uplifting angle for the mask body  2 . The uplifting of the mask arc  1  is blocked by the blocking plate  21 , i.e., the lowering of the mask body  2  makes use of the blocking plate  21  to position at the upper side of the lower arc. As shown in  FIG. 10 , a pad  31  can be mounted to the rivet  3 .  
      In accordance with the present invention, the mask body  2  is provided with a blocking plate  21  and protruded block  22 , radial recess  221  for direct connection with the lower arc  11  of the mask arc. Therefore, the process of fabrication becomes simple and the cost of product is lowered. Further, there is no disengagement between the mask arc  1  and the mask body  2  and therefore the structure is durable and can be used for an extended period of time.  
      It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
      While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.