US20220087335A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20220087335A1
Application number: US17/479,293
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Lorenz; Kimberly Lorenz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-09-24
Filing date: 2021-09-20
Publication date: 2022-03-24

Abstract

A garment with integral face mask is provided. The garment includes a front panel affixed to a rear panel defining a lower torso opening, an upper head opening, and a pair of arm sleeves. A mask panel is affixed to the front panel along a perimeter of the upper head opening. A pair of ear loops are affixed to the mask panel, wherein an ear loop of the pair of ear loops is affixed to each opposing lateral side of the mask panel. A pocket is disposed on an interior side of the front panel, wherein the pocket includes an open upper end disposed adjacent to the upper head opening. The pocket is dimensioned to removably secure the mask panel therein.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/082,698 filed on Sep. 24, 2020. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to facemask systems. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a garment having an integrated facemask, allowing a user to rapidly deploy a facemask without the need to carry a separate facemask.

Many individuals wear facemasks throughout the day due to various circumstances. For example, many workplaces or worksites may require facemasks due to close confines or particulate in the air. Alternatively, individuals with compromised immune systems, those who live in highly polluted areas, or during times of a highly contagious pandemic or otherwise difficult cold or flu season may wish to regularly wear a facemask in public. However, typical facemasks may be uncomfortable to wear for extended periods, which can lead to reluctance to wear a facemask. Additionally, many individuals may misplace or forget a facemask at home or in a vehicle, which can leave the individual without the desired protections. Individuals may risk exposure to undesirable conditions rather than return to retrieve the forgotten facemask. Failing to wear a facemask in such circumstances may result in exposure to harmful ambient conditions, such as pollution, or risk contracting a contagious illness. Additionally, failure to wear a facemask can lead to increased spread or mutation of contagious illnesses, risking the lives of others. Therefore, a garment that includes an attached facemask that can be easily worn when necessary is desired.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing facemask systems. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of facemask systems now present in the known art, the present invention provides a garment with an integrated facemask wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when utilizing a facemask without the need to carry a separate facemask.

The present system comprises a front panel affixed to a rear panel defining a lower torso opening, an upper head opening, and a pair of arm sleeves. A mask panel is affixed to the front panel along a perimeter of the upper head opening. In some embodiments, the mask panel comprises a plurality of layers including an interior layer, an exterior layer, and a central filter layer, wherein the central filter layer is disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer. A pair of ear loops are affixed to the mask panel, wherein an ear loop of the pair of ear loops is affixed to opposing lateral sides of the mask panel. A pocket is disposed on an interior side of the front panel, wherein the pocket includes an open upper end disposed adjacent to the upper head opening. The pocket is dimensioned to removably secure the mask panel therein.

In some embodiments, the pair of ear loops are of unitary construction with the mask panel. In another embodiment, the pair of ear loops comprise an inelastic material. In other embodiments, the pair of ear loops comprise an elastic material. In yet another embodiment, an upper edge of the mask panel is arcuate defining a nose protrusion. In some embodiments, the opposing lateral sides of the mask panel are angled such that an upper edge of the mask panel comprises a greater length than a lower edge of the mask panel. In another embodiment, the open upper end of the pocket is coextensive with a border of the upper head opening along the front panel. In other embodiments, the open upper end of the pocket terminates at the upper head opening. In yet another embodiment, a perimeter of the pocket mimics a perimeter of the mask panel. In some embodiments, a lower edge of the mask panel is affixed to the interior side of the front panel within an interior of the pocket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the mask panel of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the pocket of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the pocket and mask panel of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the garment with integral facemask. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask. The garment withintegral facemask11 comprises afront panel12 affixed to arear panel13 defining a lower torso opening14, an upper head opening15, and a pair ofarm sleeves16. In the illustrated embodiment, the garment withintegral facemask11 is shown to comprise a T-shirt style of garment, however, other upper body garment styles are contemplated to suit various aesthetic or environmental preferences. As such, the integral facemask system can be incorporated into clothing suitable for hot, temperate, or cold climates for universal appeal. Amask panel17 is affixed to thefront panel12 along a perimeter of the upper head opening15, wherein themask panel17 is selectively movable between a deployed position as shown inFIG. 1, and a stored position, wherein themask panel17 is disposed within a pocket (as shown inFIG. 3, 20) disposed on an interior side (as shown inFIG. 3, 21) of thefront panel12. Themask panel17 is dimensioned to cover a mouth and nose of a user to provide a filtration layer between the user's respiratory system and the surrounding environment. Furthermore, as themask panel17 is affixed to the interior side of thefront panel12, air exhaled by the wearer is partially diverted downwards into the interior of the garment, redirecting exhalations away from other individuals. In the shown embodiment, themask panel17 further comprises a pair ofear loops18 affixed to opposing lateral sides of themask panel17, wherein the pair ofear loops18 are configured to removably secure about the ears of the user to secure themask panel17 over the mouth and nose of the user. In this manner, themask panel17 is retained in the deployed position during use.

Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a close-up view of the mask panel of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask. In the shown embodiment, alower edge25 of themask panel17 is affixed to an interior side of the front panel below aborder26 of the upper head opening15, such that thefront panel17 is disposed entirely within an interior of the garment when not in use. In this manner, the garment resembles a traditional upper body garment when themask panel17 is not deployed over the user's face. In the illustrated embodiment, themask panel17 comprises an arcuateupper edge24 defining anose protrusion23, wherein thenose protrusion23 is dimensioned to extend upwards to secure about a bridge of a user's nose. In some embodiments, a malleable clip is disposed within thenose protrusion23, wherein the malleable clip is configured to bend about the bridge of the user's nose to secure thenose protrusion23 to the user's nose. Furthermore, in the shown embodiment, the opposinglateral sides19 of themask panel17 are angled such that theupper edge24 comprises a greater length than that of thelower edge25. In this manner, the upper portion of themask panel17 can be wrapped about the face of the user providing greater coverage and ensuring the user's exhalations are filtered through or redirected by themask panel17.

Each ear loop of the pair ofear loops18 are affixed to opposinglateral sides19 of themask panel17. In the shown embodiment, the pair ofear loops18 are of unitary construction with themask panel17, such that no seam is defined therebetween. In this manner, the pair ofear loops18 are more durably affixed to themask panel17. As ear loops of traditional face mask systems are affixed via seams or other connection means along a narrow surface area, the unitary construction minimizes the risk that the pair ofear loops18 are detached from themask panel17. In some embodiments, the pair ofear loops18 comprise an inelastic material. As many elastic materials degrade in efficacy over time, the inelastic material is better suited for repeated use as would be expected for a typical garment. Additionally, the inelastic material of the pair ofear loops18 is much less likely to degrade due to typical wear and tear for garments, including repeated washing. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the pair ofear loops18 comprise an elastic material suitable for securing themask panel17 to users of various head shapes and sizes.

Referring now toFIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the pocket of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask. Apocket20 having an openupper end22 is affixed to aninterior side21 of thefront panel12, wherein thepocket20 is dimensioned to removably receive themask panel17 therein via the openupper end22. In the illustrated embodiment, aperimeter27 of thepocket20 conforms to a perimeter of themask panel17, such that thepocket20 is dimensioned to receive themask panel17 therein in a flat configuration. In this manner, thefront panel12 of the garment is not visibly deformed by a foldedmask panel17, thereby maintaining the appearance of a traditional upper body garment when themask panel17 is not in use. In the shown embodiment, theperimeter27 of thepocket20 further comprises a protrusion corresponding to thenose protrusion23 defined by the arcuate upper edge of themask panel17. In the shown embodiment, the openupper end22 is aligned with theborder26 of the upper head opening, such that thepocket20 terminates at theborder26 of the upper head opening. In this manner, thepocket20 is disposed adjacent to the upper head opening, ensuring that the garment mimics the appearance of a traditional garment when themask panel17 is not in use. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the openupper end22 of thepocket20 is coextensive with theborder26 of the upper head opening along thefront panel12, such that thepocket20 is accessible along an entire front side of the garment. In this manner, themask panel17 can be easily transitioned between a deployed position and a stored position.

When the user wishes to transition themask panel17 between the deployed position and the stored position, the user can simply fold the pair ofear loops18 inwardly to rest along a rear side of themask panel17 and tuck themask panel17 into thepocket20. Once in thepocket20, themask panel17 can then be smoothed to rest within thepocket20 in a flat configuration. In this manner, themask panel17 does not produce bumps, folds, or other visual impact to the garment when themask panel17 is not in use. In the shown embodiment, thelower edge25 of themask panel17 is affixed to thefront panel12 within an interior of thepocket20. In this manner, themask panel17 is entirely within thepocket20 when themask panel17 is in the stored position.

Referring now toFIG. 4, there is shown a cross-sectional view of the pocket and mask panel of an embodiment of the garment with integral facemask. In the shown embodiment, thepocket20 is affixed to theinterior side21 of thefront panel12, wherein the openupper end22 of thepocket20 is aligned with theborder26 of thefront panel12. In this manner, thepocket20 terminates at the upper head opening of the garment, thereby ensuring that thepocket20 is not visible when the garment is worn and themask panel17 is stored within thepocket20. In the shown embodiment, themask panel17 further comprises a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers includes anexternal layer30, an internal layer29, and acentral filter layer31 disposed between the internal andexternal layers29,30. Theexternal layer30 is contemplated to comprise the same material as thefront panel12, such that themask panel17 matches thefront panel12 of the garment. In some embodiments, the interior layer29 is contemplated to comprise a distinct material from that of theexternal layer30 designed to maximize user comfort when themask panel17 is in use, such as silk or a high thread count fabric. Alternatively, theexterior layer30 and the interior layer29 are contemplated to comprise the same fabric material to reduce complexity of manufacture. Thecentral filter layer31 is contemplated to comprise a variety of filtration rates suitable for a desired use, such as N95, N99, N100, P95, P99, P100, R95, R99, R1100, or the like. In some such embodiments, thecentral filter layer31 can be removably securable between the exterior andinterior layers30,29. In this manner, thecentral filter layer31 can be removed before washing the garment, thereby reducing the risk of damage to thecentral filter layer31. Alternatively, while thecentral filter layer31 can increase the efficacy of themask panel17, themask panel17 can comprise a single cloth layer to increase durability and longevity of themask panel17 between uses.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly, and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and ail equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. A garment with integral facemask, comprising:

a front panel affixed to a rear panel defining a lower torso opening, an upper head opening, and a pair of arm sleeves;

a mask panel affixed to the front panel along a perimeter of the upper head opening;

a pair of ear loops, wherein an ear loop of the pair of ear loops is affixed to opposing lateral sides of the mask panel;

a pocket disposed on an interior side of the front panel, the pocket having an open upper end disposed adjacent to the upper head opening;

wherein the pocket is dimensioned to removably secure the mask panel therein.

2. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the pair of ear loops are of unitary construction with the mask panel.

3. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the pair of ear loops comprise an inelastic material.

4. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the pair of ear loops comprise an elastic material.

5. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein an upper edge of the mask panel is arcuate defining a nose protrusion.

6. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the opposing lateral sides of the mask panel are angled such that an upper edge of the mask panel comprises a greater length than a lower edge of the mask panel.

7. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the open upper end of the pocket is coextensive with a border of the upper head opening along the front panel.

8. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein the open upper end of the pocket terminates at the upper head opening.

9. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein a perimeter of the pocket conforms to a perimeter of the mask panel.

10. The garment ofclaim 1, wherein a lower edge of the mask panel is affixed to the interior side of the front panel within an interior of the pocket.

11. A garment with integral facemask, comprising:

wherein the mask panel comprises a plurality of layers including an interior layer, an exterior layer, and a central filter layer disposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer;

wherein the pocket is dimensioned to removably secure the mask panel therein.

12. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the pair of ear loops are of unitary construction with the mask panel.

13. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the pair of ear loops comprise an inelastic material.

14. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the pair of ear loops comprise an elastic material.

15. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein an upper edge of the mask panel is arcuate defining a nose protrusion.

16. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the opposing lateral sides of the mask panel are angled such that an upper edge of the mask panel comprises a greater length than a lower edge of the mask panel.

17. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the open upper end of the pocket is coextensive with a border of the upper head opening along the front panel.

18. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein the open upper end of the pocket terminates at the upper head opening.

19. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein a perimeter of the pocket conforms to a perimeter of the mask panel.

20. The garment ofclaim 11, wherein a lower edge of the mask panel is affixed to the interior side of the front panel within an interior of the pocket.