Patent Publication Number: US-11647799-B2

Title: Face shield assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to a face shield assembly and, in particular, a face shield assembly that is relatively easy to resize. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A face shield is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE). A user can wear a face shield to protect their face and associated mucous membranes (e.g., eye, nose, and mouth membranes) from, for example, a spray, splash, or spatter of bodily fluids. A face shield can instead or additionally protect the user from other things, such as airborne debris or chemical splashes. 
     SUMMARY 
     A face shield assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a shield configured to be placed adjacent a front of a head of a user, a tube configured to be placed against a rear of the head of the user, and fasteners. Each of the fasteners binds the tube to at least the shield. 
     In another example of the foregoing assembly, the fasteners extend into an interior of the tube when binding the tube to at least the shield. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the fasteners each extend through a respective aperture in the shield. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the fasteners are push-in rivets. 
     Another example of any of the foregoing assemblies includes a bumper configured to be placed against the front of the head of the user. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the bumper is a foam material. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the tube is an elastic tube. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the tube extends longitudinally from a first end face to a second end face. The first and second end faces directly contact the shield when the fasteners are binding the tube to at least the shield. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing assemblies, the first and second end faces directly contact an inner surface of the shield when binding the tube to at least the shield. The inner surface of the shield faces the head of the user when the user is wearing the face shield assembly. 
     A face shield assembly method according to yet another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a step of inserting a shaft of a fastener through an aperture in a shield of a face shield assembly, and positioning the shaft of the fastener at least partially within an interior of a tube to bind the tube to at least the shield. 
     Another example of the foregoing method includes stretching the tube along a back of a head of a user when the user is wearing the face shield assembly. 
     Another example of any of the foregoing methods includes, prior to the inserting and positioning, changing a length of the tube. 
     Another example of any of the foregoing methods includes withdrawing the shaft of the fastener from the interior of the tube, cutting the tube to provide a shorter tube, and then reinserting the shaft of the fastener into the shorter tube. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing methods, the fastener is a push-in rivet. 
     Another example of any of the foregoing methods includes adhesively securing a bumper to the shield, the bumper configured to be placed against the front of the head of the user. 
     Another example of any of the foregoing methods includes wearing the face shield assembly by placing the shield adjacent a front of a head of a user. The bumper is placed against the front of the head of the user, and the tube against a rear of the head of the user. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing methods, the tube extends longitudinally from a first end face to a second end face. The first end face directly contacts the shield when the fastener is binding the tube to at least the shield. 
     In another example of any of the foregoing methods, the tube is an elastic tube. 
     A face shield assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a shield configured to be placed adjacent a front of a head of a user, a bumper configured to be placed against a forehead of the user, and an elastic tube configured to be placed against a rear of the head of the user. The elastic tube includes an interior extending from a first end of the elastic tube to an opposite, second end of the elastic tube. A first fastener has a first fastener shaft that extends into the interior of the elastic tube from the first end of the elastic tube to bind the first end of the elastic tube to the shield. A second fastener has a second fastener shaft that extends into the interior of the elastic tube from the second end of the elastic tube to bind the second end of the elastic tube to the shield. 
     The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The various features and advantages of the disclosed examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. The figures that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a perspective view of a user wearing a face shield assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a top view of the user wearing the face shield assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a sheet of material after a stamping operation. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a side view of a fastener from the face shield assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    illustrates the face shield assembly of  FIG.  1    during assembly. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a close up view of an end of a hose from the face shield assembly of  FIG.  7    illustrates a close up view of the hose of  FIG.  6    being shortened to accommodate a different user. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a flow of a face shield assembling method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure details a face shield assembly and a face shield assembling method. If the face shield assembly is too large for a user to wear, the face shield assembly can be adjusted to fit the user. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , a face shield assembly  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a shield  14 , a bumper  18 , a tube  22 , and at least one fastener  26 . A user can place the face shield assembly  10  on their head  34  to protect the user from, for example, a spray of bodily fluids expelled from another person. 
     The shield  14  can be a transparent or semi-transparent polymer or polymer-based material that is antimicrobial. In a specific example, the shield  14  is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be cleaned and is relatively strong and lightweight. In other examples, the shield  14  can be polycarbonate, acrylic, or some other type of clear plastic. The shield  14  can be from 0.012 to 0.016 inches thick. The user can look through the shield  14  when the user is wearing the face shield assembly  10 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , multiple shields  14  can be die cut from a single sheet  38  of polymer or polymer-based material. 
     The shield  14  can be a transparent or semi-transparent polymer or polymer-based material that is antimicrobial. In a specific example, the shield  14  is a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be cleaned and is relatively strong and lightweight. In other examples, the shield  14  can be polycarbonate, acrylic, or some other type of clear plastic. The shield  14  can be from 0.012 to 0.016 inches thick. The user  30  can look through the shield  14  when the user  30  is wearing the face shield assembly  10 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , multiple shields  14  can be die cut from a single sheet  38  of polymer or polymer-based material. 
     The bumper  18  can be an open cell urethane foam, such as polyurethane density 1.1 foam. The bumper  18  can be an antimicrobial. In another example, the bumper is an antimicrobial closed cell foam. Using closed cell foam rather than, for example, an open cell foam, can enhance cleanability. The bumper  18 , in the exemplary embodiment, is adhesively secured to the shield  14 . A pressure sensitive adhesive, for example, could be used to attach the bumper  18  to the shield  14 . 
     The tube  22  can be an antimicrobial elastic material that stretches and lengthens as the user places the face shield assembly  10  on their head  34 . The tube  22 , when stretched, helps to hold the face shield assembly  10  on the head  34  of the user. The tube  22  can have a 0.25 inch or 6.3 millimeter diameter. 
     The fasteners  26 , in the exemplary embodiment, each secure an end of the tube  22  to the shield  14 . In this example, the face shield assembly  10  includes a first fastener  26 A and a second fastener  26 B. When the user is wearing the face shield assembly  10 , the first fastener  26 A is disposed adjacent a left temple of the head  34 . The second fastener  26 B is spaced a distance from the first fastener  26 A and is disposed adjacent a right temple of the head  34 . 
     The fasteners  26  can be push-in rivets having a fastener head  42  and a ribbed shank  46  as shown in  FIG.  4   . Push-in rivets can sometimes be referred to as push-in fasteners, push rivets, or Christmas tree fasteners. 
     With reference now to  FIGS.  5  and  6    and continuing reference to  FIGS.  1 - 4   , the shield  14  includes an aperture  50  associated with each of the fasteners  26 . The apertures  50  can be cut into the shield  14  when the shield  14  is die cut from the sheet  38 . 
     When the fasteners  26  are binding the tube  22  to the shield  14 , the ribbed shank  46  extends through the aperture  50  into an interior  54  of the tube  22 . In the exemplary embodiment, ribs of the ribbed shank  46  press against an inner diameter  58  of the tube  22  to hold the tube in  22  a position bound to the shield  14 . 
     Tube, for purposes of this disclosure, refers to elongated, hollow cylindrical structures. The tube  22  differs from bands of elastic due to, among other things, the tube  22  having the interior  54 , which is a bore or hollow extending the length of the tube  22 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, an end face  62  of the tube  22  contacts an inner surface  66  of the shield  14  when the fasteners  26  are binding the tube  22  to the shield  14 . The fastener head  42  of the fastener  26  contacts an outer surface  70  of the shield  14 . The fastener head  42  has a diameter that is oversized relative to the aperture  50  to prevent the fasteners  26  from pulling through the respective apertures  50 . The ribbed shanks  46  do not directly contact the temple areas of the head  34  because the ribbed shanks  46  extend into the interior  54  of the tube  22 . Blocking the ribbed shanks  46  from contacting the temple areas of the head  34  can prevent the fasteners  26  from irritating the user. 
     In another example, the fastener heads  42  could be placed against the inner surface  66  of the shield  14  with the ribbed shanks  46  projecting outward. In such a configuration, the end face  62  of the tube  22  contacts the outer surface  70  of the shield  14 . 
     Further, in another example, the bumper  18  could extend into the area of the aperture  50 , and the rubbed shank  46  could extend through the aperture  50  in the shield  14  along with an aperture in the bumper  18 . 
     The bumper  18  and the tube  22 , in the exemplary embodiment, have a relatively high coefficient or friction to help keep the face shield assembly  10  in place on head  34  of the user. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  7   , if the face shield assembly  10  can be adjusted so that the face shield assembly  10  can be used by a user with a head smaller than the head  34  shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . To adjust the face shield assembly  10 , the user can shorten the tube  22 . 
     First, the user withdrawns the fastener  26 A from the tube  22 . The user can, for example, rotate the tube  22  relative to the fastener  26 A while pulling the two apart. Once separated, the user can shorten the tube  22 . Here, scissors  72  are used to cut the tube  22  so that the tube  22  is shorter. The tube  22 , once shortened, is then bound to the shield  14  with the fastener  26  such that a cut end face  74  of the tube  22  directly contacts the shield  14 . The face shield assembly  10  can then fit a user with a smaller head size. 
     With reference to  FIG.  8    and continuing reference to  FIGS.  1 - 6   , a flow of an example face shield assembly method  100  begins at a step  110  where a shaft of a fastener is inserted through an aperture in a shield. At a step  120 , the shaft of the fastener is then positioned within an interior of a tube to bind the the tube to at least the shield. 
     Features of the disclosed embodiments can include a face shield assembly that is relatively simple to adjust so that users of various sizes can use the same standard face shield assembly. The face shield assembly uses a tube rather than an elastic band. Elastic bands can stretch out relatively quickly. 
     The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. Thus, the scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.