Patent ID: 8733356

Claim:
A protective mask adapted to emit light comprising: a support having an interior section positionable on one side of a wearer's nose and mouth and an exterior section positionable over the wearer's nose and mouth, the exterior section having a free end with a recess; a plurality of light emitters located in the recess and adapted to function within the germicidal spectrum for air; and an electrical assembly coupled to the light emitters to form a shield curtain of light adjacent to the wearer's nose and mouth for the passage of unfiltered ambient air through the curtain of light into the wearer's nose and mouth whereby when the wearer breathes air, the breathed air will become sanitized by the passage of pathogens through the curtain of light immediately prior to being breathed; wherein the free end of the exterior section is fork shaped with an upper horizontal leg and a parallel lower leg, the legs being separated to form a space constituting a passageway for the flow of air into the wearer's mouth, a downwardly facing recess formed in the upper leg and an upwardly facing recess formed in the lower leg, the recesses supporting the light emitters.