Patent Publication Number: US-8540445-B2

Title: Three dimensional face mask

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 2008-105937, filed in Japan on Apr. 15, 2008, No. 2008-210497 filled in Japan on Aug. 19, 2008, and No. 2009-067835 filed in Japan on Mar. 19, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     From the past, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-172022, a face mask, which is a sheet material for cosmetic use, has been used as a beauty accessory, and is used when supplying a liquid such as a liquid foundation or the like to the skin of a user&#39;s face. 
     Such a face mask is built from a single sheet of material and includes portions which oppose the user&#39;s eyes, a portion which opposes her nose, and a notch or hole portion at a portion which opposes her mouth, and is impregnated with a liquid such as a liquid cosmetic or the like and then is mounted upon the user&#39;s face. 
     However, when such prior art face mask which is built from a single sheet of material is mounted upon the entire face of the user which has a three-dimensional concavo-convex shape, wrinkling or slack is partially created, thereby causing that the face mask cannot be uniformly applied to the entire face of the user. Due to this, the problem has arisen that the face mask cannot be uniformly applied (with the use of a liquid cosmetic or the like) to the entire face of the user. 
     There is another type of a face mask around which incisions are made. In such a type of the face mask, however, there have been the problems that the user, during use, have to pinch between fingers each of portions of the face mask between incisions which are made around the face mask, and apply it to the face of the user, and that the adherence around a center portion of the user&#39;s face cannot be improved. 
     Furthermore, since a lower point of the prior art face mask is only mounted upon portions from the lower surface of the user&#39;s chin to the upper portion of the user&#39;s neck, there has been the problem that the face mask easily peels off when the user shakes her head. 
     A three dimensional face mask of the present invention comprises a left side sheet and a right side sheet which respectively, during use, oppose the left side and the right side of the face of a user, and which have front edge portions which, during use, oppose a median line of the face of the user, wherein the front edge portions present shapes which, overall, are convex to the outside. An object of the present invention is to provide the three dimensional face mask and a method of manufacture thereof, wherein the left side sheet and the right side sheet are joined together at the front edge portions, thereby ensuring that the three dimensional face mask which is reliably applied to the face of the user which has a concavo-convex shape is achieved in a simple configuration, and that the face mask is easily applied to the entire face of the user including a chin over its entire surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The three dimensional face mask according to the present invention includes a left side sheet and a right side sheet. The left side sheet and the right side sheet have planar shapes, and, during use, respectively oppose the left side and the right side of the face of a user; and their front edge portions have enantiomorphic shapes which, during use, oppose the median line of the face of the user. These front edge portions have shapes which, as a whole, are convex to the exterior. The left side sheet and the right side sheet are provided with an adhesive material all over them, or on at least on inner surface portions, in the thickness direction, of portions which include areas towards their said front edge portions from lines which connect from their upper points to their chin portions which, during use, oppose the chin of the user. And the left side sheet and the right side sheet are thereby adhered together over a range of a certain width, except for a portion which, during use, opposes the nostrils of the user, and a portion which, during use, opposes the mouth of the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a three dimensional face mask according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a figure showing the state during use of this three dimensional face mask according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A through 3D  are figures showing a process for manufacturing this three dimensional face mask according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are figures showing another process for manufacturing this three dimensional face mask according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a three dimensional face mask according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 6A through 6C  are figures showing a process for manufacturing this three dimensional face mask according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a three dimensional face mask according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a figure showing the state of this three dimensional face mask according to the third embodiment of the present invention during use; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of a three dimensional face mask according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a figure showing the state of this three dimensional face mask according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention during use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the three dimensional face mask  10  according to the first embodiment of this invention is made by a process of punching out from a sheet material, which for example may be a non-woven fabric raw material, a right side sheet  1  which is to oppose the right side of the user&#39;s face and a left side sheet  2  which is to oppose the left side of her face, superimposing these two sheets in the state in which their inner edges are mutually overlapped, and then adhering them together. (It should be noted that, in this specification, “right” and “left” are used as referring to the point of view of the user.) The right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  have shapes which are enantiomorphic.  FIG. 1  is a plan view as seen from the side of the right side sheet  1 , and accordingly the left side sheet  2  is not visible in this figure, because it lies under the right side sheet  1 . 
     A hole portion  11 , a concave portion  12 , and a cut  13  are formed in the right side sheet  1 . The hole portion  11  is disposed so that it will oppose the right eye of the user. The concave portion  12  is disposed so that it will oppose the right side of the lips of the user. And the cut  13  is disposed so that it will oppose the right nostril of the user. This right side sheet  1  presents a shape such that an upper point  14  thereof projects upwards while a lower point  15  thereof projects downwards. Upon this right side sheet  1 , there is provided a thermoplastic adhesive material on the inner side of a portion of width W which is more towards the front edge portion  16  which, during use, lies over the median line of the user&#39;s face than a line drawn from the upper point  14  toward a chin portion  18 . This adhesive material may, for example, be a thermoplastic resin powder. A cutaway  17  is formed at an intermediate portion of the left side edge portion of the right side sheet  1  in the figure, i.e. of its rear edge portion at its opposite side from its front edge portion  16 . The shape of the left side sheet  2  is similar to that of the right side sheet  1 , but is enantiomorphic thereto. 
     The two ends of a line L drawn from the upper point  14  toward the chin portion  18  which, during use, opposes a chin of the user coincide with the upper point  14  and the lower point  15  of a strip along the front edge portion  16 . 
     The front edge portion of the right side sheet  1 , as a whole, has a shape which is made up of a plurality of circular arcs, and which is convex to the outside. As shown by the broken line in  FIG. 1 , this front edge portion  16  is joined to the left side sheet  2  from the upper point  14  to the lower point  15 , except for a portion of a certain width which opposes the nostril aperture, and for the concave portion  112 . 
     It should be understood that the mid-eyebrow portion  16 A of the front edge portion  16  which faces the space between the user&#39;s eyebrows (just above her nose) is formed as a circular arc which is convex to the inside, and by opening out the edges of the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2 , in the direction to separate them, the three dimensional face mask  10  presents a three dimensional shape. Due to this, it is possible to keep this three dimensional face mask  10  reliably contacted against the central portion of the user&#39;s face which includes its median line. 
     Furthermore, since the front edge portions  16  of the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  are adhered together all the way to the lower point  15  which projects downward, accordingly, when this three dimensional face mask  10  has been applied to the face of the user, the shape of the front edge portion  16  is maintained in the state in which it is contacted from the lower surface of her chin all the way to the upper portion of her head. Due to this, the three dimensional face mask  10  is reliably held against the entire face of the user over its whole surface, and it is possible to prevent the lower portion of the three dimensional face mask  10  from separating from the user&#39;s chin when she moves her head to the left or the right. 
     Since this three dimensional face mask  10  has a surface which is curved in three dimensions, accordingly it is possible for it to be reliably applied to the face of the user over its entire surface, without any necessity for notches to be formed upon the periphery of the mask; but, in order further to enhance the adherence, instead of or as well as the cutaways  17 , it would also be acceptable to form other notches or the like on the border portions of the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2 , over some range other than their front edge portions  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , when this three dimensional face mask  10  is to be used, and when it is opened up in the direction to mutually separate the border portions of the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  from one another over their range other than their front edge portions  16 , then the three dimensional face mask  10  assumes a three dimensional shape which, as a whole, is convex to the exterior. 
     Due to this, the three dimensional face mask  10  can be uniformly applied (with the use of a liquid cosmetic) to the entire face of the user which has a three-dimensional concavo-convex shape, without any wrinkling or slack being created. In particular since, according to the present invention, the mid-eyebrow portion  16 A of the mask  10  can be made as a circular arc which is convex inwards, accordingly it is possible for the front edge portion  16  to follow closely the median line of the user&#39;s face. Due to this, it is possible to ensure that the advantageous effect of the liquid cosmetic such as a liquid foundation or the like, with which this three dimensional face mask  10  is impregnated in advance, is obtained over the entire face of the user. 
     Moreover, before use, this three dimensional face mask  10  assumes a planar shape, due to the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  being mutually superimposed so that their inner surfaces contact one another. Due to this, even if a plurality of these three dimensional face masks  10  are laid over one another by themselves, or even if a plurality of packages, in each of which one of these three dimensional face masks  10  is stored, are laid over one another, still a lot of space is not occupied; so that handling during factory production and during distribution, sale, and purchase becomes very easy. 
     An example of a process for manufacturing the three dimensional face mask described above will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 3A through 3D . When the three dimensional face mask  10  is to be manufactured, first, as shown in  FIG. 3(A) , a sheet  101  which is to be the raw material for this three dimensional face mask  10  is pulled out from a roll, and then a thermoplastic adhesive material  102  is applied over a certain width S upon a portion of that surface which is to constitute the inner side of the three dimensional face mask  10 , this portion being central on the surface in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the pulling out of the sheet  101  was performed. This certain width S when applying the adhesive material is set to be slightly greater than twice the width W shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Subsequently it is also acceptable, by applying heat to the sheet  101  over a certain time period, to melt the adhesive material  102  temporarily and thus to cause it to adhere to the sheet  101 . By doing this it is possible to prevent the adhesive material  102  from separating from the three dimensional face mask  10  during transportation or during use, in particular if the adhesive material  102  is a powder. 
     Next, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the sheet  101  is cut off to a certain length along the direction in which it was pulled out, longer than the length in the vertical direction of the three dimensional face mask  10  which is to be made. 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 3C , the sheet  101  which has thus been cut off is folded over along its center line which is parallel to the direction in which it was pulled out, so that it is doubled over itself into two mutually superimposed layers. 
     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 3D , as an example, the shape of the right side sheet  1  of the mask  10  is punched out from this sheet  101  which has thus been folded over and doubled into two superimposed layers, thus also punching out, at the same time, the enantiomorphic shape of the left side sheet  2  underneath the right side sheet  1 . At this time, heat is applied to the front edge portion  16  of the resulting cut out mask  10  over a band of a certain width, except for the nose hole portion  16 B which opposes the nostril hole and the concave portion  12 , so that the two layers of the mask  10  are adhered together over this front edge portion  16 . This application of heat may, for example, be performed with an ultrasonic vibrator which emits ultrasonic vibrations. 
     Due to this, it is possible to adhere together the right side sheet  1 , which is currently on the top, and the left side sheet  2 , which is currently underneath, along their front edge portions  16 , with the exception of their nose hole portions  16 B and the concave mouth portions  12 , and thereby the three dimensional face mask  10  having the shape shown in  FIG. 1  is obtained. 
     It should be understood that it would also be acceptable to perform the adhesion process for the front edge portions  16 , before performing the punching out process. In this case, the shape of the right side sheet  1  should be punched out of the folded over sheet  101  after having, for example, performed application of heat using a heat application member which is divided into two portions, one of which reaches from the upper tip portion  14  of the mask  10  to the portion which opposes the lower point of the nose, and the other of which reaches from a portion which opposes a point between the nose and the upper lip to the lower end portion of the chin portion  15 . By doing this, it is possible to match the positions on the sheet  101  of the portions to which heat should be applied and to the portions which are to be punched out in a simple and easy manner. 
     Furthermore, by using a sheet which carries the adhesive material  102  over its entire surface, i.e. from one side to the other in the thickness direction, it would also be possible to omit the process of application of the adhesive material  102 , and moreover the process of heat application to the sheet  101  as a whole. It is not necessary for the adhesive material  102  to be a powder; it would also be possible to adhere an adhesive material  102  to the upper surface of the sheet  101  in the form of a film. Yet further, it would also be acceptable to arrange to omit the cutting process of  FIG. 3B . 
     In concrete terms, for the sheet  101 , there may be used a non-woven fabric or woven fabric which consists of natural fibers with an admixture of thermoplastic fibers which constitute an adhesive material, or a non-woven fabric or woven fabric which only consists of such thermoplastic fibers which constitute an adhesive material. Furthermore, as the sheet  101 , it would also be acceptable to use a sheet consisting of a non-woven fabric or a woven fabric made from natural fibers, to one surface of which a thermoplastic powder which is an adhesive material has been applied, and which has then been subjected to heat application processing, or a sheet consisting of a non-woven fabric or a woven fabric made from natural fibers, to one surface of which a thermoplastic film which is an adhesive material has been adhered, and which has then been subjected to heat application processing. 
     By doing as described above, it is possible to omit the process of application or adhesion of the adhesive material, and thus it is possible to implement a reduction in cost due to the omission of that working process. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 1 , by applying the adhesive material  102  only to the outside of the line which joins the upper and lower end portions of the front edge portion  16  along with the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  are to be adhered together, it is possible to reduce the range upon the sheet  101  over which the adhesive material  102  is applied. And, by making the shape of the application member match the shape of the portions which are to be joined together, and by thus arranging to apply the adhesive material  102  only to the range over which adherence is to be provided which the application member contacts, it would also be possible to reduce the range of application of the adhesive material  102  to the minimum. 
     It should be understood that the adhesive material  102  is not limited to being a material which is thermoplastic; it would also be possible to utilize a material which can be pressurized for adhering together the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2 , or a material which is hardened optically. 
     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 4 , it would also be possible to pull out and mutually superimpose each of a sheet  121  for making the right side sheet  1  and a sheet  122  for making the left side sheet  2  from a different roll. The surface  121 A of the sheet  121  and the surface  122 A of the sheet  122  are covered with adhesive material  123  over their entire widths. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the sheets  121  and  122  are then mutually superimposed in the state in which their respective surfaces  121 A and  122 A contact one another. Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 4B , for example, the shape of the left side sheet  2  is punched out from the superimposed sheets  121  and  122 , while applying heat to a strip of a certain width along its front edge portion, except for the nose hole portion  16 B and the concave portion  12 , for example by using an ultrasonic vibrator. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , with a three dimensional face mask  110  according to a second embodiment of the present invention, there are additionally formed two projecting tabs  211  and  221  at upper portions of the right side sheet  21  and the left side sheet  22  which, in use, oppose the forehead of the user (the left side sheet  22  does not appear in the figure). The other aspects of the structure of this second embodiment are the same as in the case of the three dimensional face mask  10  of the first embodiment, described above. 
     With this three dimensional face mask  20 , although, in the state in which the inner surfaces of the right side sheet  21  and the left side sheet  22  are superimposed and mutually contact one another, the base portion of the tab  211  (the position upon the left side sheet  21  where it protrudes) and the base portion of the tab  221  (the position upon the right side sheet  22  where it protrudes) are mutually superimposed, the upper portion of the tab  211  from an intermediate portion thereof and the upper portion of the tab  221  from an intermediate portion thereof are not mutually superimposed, but rather curl around in opposite directions. Accordingly, the tab  211  and the tab  221  are not symmetric with respect to the front edge portion  16  which, during use, opposes the median line of the face of the user. 
     When the front edge portion  16  of this three dimensional face mask  20  is folded into two, since in this state it is possible to distinguish the tab  211  and the tab  221  from one another, accordingly it is possible easily to pinch the tab  211  and the tab  221  with the fingers of the left hand and of the right hand respectively, and then easily to pull apart the left side sheet  21  and the right side sheet  22  of the three dimensional face mask  20  to the left and right. And, when using this three dimensional face mask  20  which is in the state in which the left side sheet  21  and the right side sheet  22  are still mutually superimposed or are even further folded up, or when the mask  20  is in the state of being rolled up, the task of separating the left side sheet  21  and the right side sheet  22  to the left and right respectively can be performed simply and easily when the three dimensional face mask  20  has been impregnated with liquid foundation or the like. 
     A method of manufacturing this three dimensional face mask  20  according to the second embodiment of the present invention will now be explained in the following with reference to  FIGS. 6A through 6C . In this method of manufacture, a sheet  111  is used which is loaded in advance with a thermoplastic adhesive material over at least its entire upper surface. 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 6A , a sheet  111  is pulled out from a roll, and tabs  211  and tabs  221  are cut out. This cutting out of the tabs  211  and  221  is performed before folding the sheet  111  into two, since the shapes of the tabs  211  and  221  are not symmetrical between left and right. In  FIG. 6A , a case is shown in which the right side sheets  21  and the left side sheets  22  which make up the three dimensional face masks  20  are formed so that their vertical directions extend in the direction which is orthogonal to the direction in which the sheet  111  is pulled out. 
     Next, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the sheet  111  is folded over into two along its center line, which is parallel to the direction in which it was pulled out. 
     Then, as shown in  FIG. 6C , the shape of the left side sheet  22  (for example) is punched out of the sheet  111  which has thus been folded over and doubled. At this time, the position in the shape of this left side sheet  22  at which the tab  221  protrudes matches the two ends of the line upon the sheet  111  at which the tab  221  has already been cut out. Moreover, the position in the shape of the right side sheet  21  (which is underneath, and which is cut out at the same time) at which the tab  211  protrudes also matches the two ends of the line upon the sheet  111  at which the tab  211  has already been cut out. Simultaneously with this, heat is applied along the superimposed front edge portions of the right side sheet  21  and the left side sheet  22  over a certain width along these edges, with the exception of their nostril hole portions  16 B and their concave mouth portions  12 , so that they are adhered together. This application of heat may, for example, be performed by ultrasound oscillation with an ultrasound vibrator. 
     Due to this, the left side sheet  22  (which is on top) and the right side sheet  21  (which is underneath) are adhered together along their front edge portions  16  by the adhesive material which is contained in the sheet  111 , with the exception of their nostril hole portions  16 B and their concave mouth portions  12 , so that the three dimensional face mask  20  may be obtained. The right side sheet  21  does not appear in  FIG. 6C . 
     It should be understood that the adhesive material  102  is not limited to being a material which is thermoplastic; just as in the case of the three dimensional face mask  10  of the first embodiment, it would also be possible to utilize a material which can be pressurized so as to adhere together the right side sheet  1  and the left side sheet  2  along their front edge portions  16 , or a material which is hardened optically. 
     With this three dimensional face mask  20 , just as was the case for the three dimensional face mask  10  of the first embodiment, it is also possible to pull out the sheet for the right side sheet  21  and the sheet for the left side sheet  22  from separate rolls, and then to lay them over one another. In this case, the respective tabs  211  and  221  should be formed before superimposing the sheet for the right side sheet  21  and the sheet for the left side sheet  22 . 
     Furthermore, although both the three dimensional face mask  10  and the three dimensional face mask  20  were made so as to have uniform thickness over their entire surfaces, it would also be acceptable to arrange to increase their thicknesses so as to increase the amount of liquid foundation or the like which is held in them, for example by adhering sheets which are separate from the sheet  101  or the sheet  111  to portions which, during use, oppose the edges of the user&#39;s eyes, or the like. In this case, for example, during the process shown in  FIGS. 6A through 6C , before punching out the tabs  211  and  221  in the process of  FIG. 6A , or before the process of  FIG. 6B  after having punched out the tabs  211  and  221 , these other sheets of a certain width should be adhered in positions which during use, for example, oppose the user&#39;s eyes, along the direction in which the sheet  11  is pulled out. This adhesion may be performed, for example, by applying heat to an adhesive material which is thermoplastic, or by applying an adhesive. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in a three dimensional face mask  30  according to a third embodiment of the present invention, the right side sheet  31  and the left side sheet  32  (the left side sheet  32  does not appear in  FIG. 7 ) are formed with neck portions  41  which, during use, oppose the lower surface of the chin and the neck of the user, and which are formed from below the user&#39;s ears to an intermediate portion of the user&#39;s throat. Accordingly, on the front edge portion  46 , this neck portion  41  protrudes so as, during use, to face the portions of the user&#39;s face, from the lower end portion  43  of the chin portion  42  which faces the user&#39;s chin downwards until that intermediate portion of the user&#39;s throat. The other aspects of the structure of this third embodiment are the same as in the case of the three dimensional face mask  10  of the first embodiment, described above. 
     The front edge portion  46  of the right side sheet  31 , as a whole, exhibits a shape which is convex to the outside, and is made up of a plurality of circular arcs. As shown by the broken line in  FIG. 7 , this front edge portion  46  is joined to the left side sheet  42  from its upper point  44  to its lower point  45  along a track of a certain width, with the exception of the portion which, during use, opposes the lower surface of the user&#39;s nose (i.e. her nostrils), and the concave portion  46 A which opposes the user&#39;s mouth. 
     The front edge portions  46  of the right side sheet  41  and the left side sheet  42  are mutually adhered together until their lower points  45  which project downward. When this three dimensional face mask  30  is stuck to the face of the user, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the shape of this edge portion  46  is maintained in the state in which, from its upper point  44  to its lower point  45 , the mask  30  is contacted against the user&#39;s face from her forehead through the lower surface of her chin all the way to the intermediate portion of her throat. Due to this, this three dimensional face mask  30  is reliably kept closely against the entire surface of the user&#39;s face, and, when the user moves her head to the left or the right, it is possible reliably to prevent the lower portion of this three dimensional face mask  30  from separating from her chin. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , in a three dimensional face mask  50  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, on the right side sheet  51  and the left side sheet  52  (the left side sheet  52  is not visible in  FIG. 9 ), along with a protrusion  65  being formed which protrudes downwards from the lower end portion  63  of a chin portion  62  which, during use, faces the chin of the user, also, from the lower portion of a rear edge portion  68  which is located on the opposite side of the mask from the front edge portion  66 , there are formed an upwardly extended portion  61  which protrudes toward the exterior, and a notch  64  which extends from the rear edge portion  68  towards the front edge portion  66 , between the upwardly extended portion  61  and a cheek portion  67  which, during use, faces the cheek of the user. And the other aspects of the structure of this fourth embodiment are the same as in the case of the three dimensional face mask  10  of the first embodiment, described above. 
     The front edge portion  66  of the right side sheet  51  exhibits a shape which, as a whole, is concave to the exterior and is made up from a plurality of circular arcs. As shown by the broken line in  FIG. 9 , this front edge portion  66  extends at a certain width from the upper point  64  of the mask  50  to its lower point  65 , and thereby joins the right side sheet  51  to the left side sheet  52 , except for the portion which, during use, opposes the lower surface of the user&#39;s nose, and the concave portion  66 A which opposes the user&#39;s mouth. 
     The front edge portions  66  of the right side sheet  51  and the left side sheet  52  are mutually adhered together down to the lower point  65  which projects downwards. When this three dimensional face mask  50  is adhered to the face of a user, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the upwardly extended portion  61  is further pulled upwards, and is adhered to the surface of the cheek portion  67 . Due to this, it is possible to anticipate the advantageous effect that the user&#39;s skin from her chin to her cheek will be pulled upwards and lifted up. 
     All of the embodiments described above are only given by way of example, and the present invention is not to be considered as being limited thereto; as a matter of course, various modifications, additions, and omissions may be made to the details of any particular embodiment, within the range specified by the following Claims.