IP Library Granted Patent US 11,801,403
Granted Patent B2
US 11,801,403 · App. 16/263,139 · Granted Oct 31, 2023

Method and mask for reducing inhalation of microorganisms

Inventors: Lei Yao (Hong Kong, CN); Xiao Liao (Hong Kong, CN); Yongli Wang (Hong Kong, CN); Siyu Lin (Hong Kong, CN)
Assignee: The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited
A62B18/025A62B23/02A41D13/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,801,403
App. No.
16/263,139
Granted
Oct 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for reducing the inhalation of microorganisms, a washable mask for reducing the inhalation of microorganisms, applications of the mask and a method for manufacturing the same. The method for reducing the inhalation of microorganisms includes the steps of: providing a mask with a breathing zone, the breathing zone being used for covering a breathing part of a user; arranging two or more magnets around the breathing zone of the mask, the magnets generating a three-dimensional magnetic field, so as to change the moving trajectories of charged microorganisms in gas to be inhaled thereby increasing the probability of the microorganisms being captured by the filtering material.

Claims (15)

1. A mask for reducing the inhalation of microorganisms, comprising:

a fabric portion comprising at least an outer layer and an inner layer;

four magnets arranged around a breathing zone on the fabric portion, so as to generate a three-dimensional magnetic field, thereby changing the moving trajectories of charged microorganisms in gas to be inhaled, wherein two of the four magnets are disposed at the left and right sides of the breathing zone respectively, with an interval between the two magnets, and the polarities of the two magnets are arranged in an opposite manner; the tour magnets are located at the upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right of the breathing zone respectively, and the poles of the respective magnets close to an origin are S pole, N pole, S pole and N pole, respectively; the four magnets are arranged counterclockwise, and each of the four magnets is arranged equidistantly along an angular bisector of a respective quadrant of four quadrants of a coordinate system, wherein an X axis of the coordinate system is the horizontal direction and a Y axis of the coordinate system is the vertical direction, the direction a each of the four magnets extending along N pole to S pole has a 45-degree angle with respect to the X axis and the Y axis respectively; and the resulting magnetic field has a central axis being a straight line passing through the origin of the coordinate system in a direction perpendicular to the mask, and is distributed radially in the form of an analogous hyperbola, such that intensity of the magnetic field enhances as radial distance increases.

2. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein the mask is washable.

3. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein the fabric portion further comprises an intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is located between the outer layer and the inner layer and contains an antimicrobial fiber.

4. The mask according to claim 3 , wherein the antimicrobial fiber has a knitted, woven or non-woven fabric structure.

5. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein the outer layer and the inner layer are both made of cotton or chitin knitted fabric.

6. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein each of the four magnets is a magnetic sheet or a magnetic coating which is located at the outer layer or an intermediate layer.

7. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field generated by the magnets has an intensity of 20-100 Gauss.

8. The mask according to claim 1 , wherein the four magnets are configured to be located on at least two positions selected from an upper edge of the mask at the nose bridge, a lower edge of the mask at the jaw, the left side of the mask at one cheek and the right side of the mask at the other cheek.

9. A method for manufacturing the mask according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

preparing a fabric portion of the mask, the fabric portion comprising at least an outer layer and an inner layer;

four magnets around a breathing zone on the fabric portion, so as to generate a three-dimensional magnetic field, thereby changing the moving tracks trajectories of charged microorganisms to be inhaled in gas to be inhaled, wherein two of the four magnets are disposed at the left and right sides of the breathing zone respectively, with an interval between the two magnets, and the polarities of the two magnets are arranged in an opposite manner; the four magnets are located at the upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right of the breathing zone respectively, and the poles of the respective magnets close to an origin are S pole, N pole, S pole and N pole, respectively; the four magnets are arranged counterclockwise, and each of the four magnets is arranged equidistantly along an angular bisector of a respective quadrant of four quadrants of a coordinate system, wherein an X axis of the coordinate system is the horizontal direction and a Y axis of the coordinate system is the vertical direction, the direction of each of the four magnets extending along N pole to S pole has a 45-degree angle with respect to the X axis and the Y axis respectively; and the resulting magnetic field has a central axis being a straight line passing through the origin of the coordinate system in a direction perpendicular to the mask, and is distributed radially in the form of an analogous hyperbola, such that intensity of the magnetic field enhances as radial distance increases.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the fabric portion further comprises an intermediate layer, and wherein the intermediate layer is located between the outer layer and the inner layer and contains an antimicrobial fiber.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the antimicrobial fiber ha a knitted, woven or non-woven fabric structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2019
From: YAO, LEI; LIAO, XIAO; WANG, YONGLI; LIN, SIYU
To: THE HONG KONG RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048201/0742 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201810196042.5 · Mar 9, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190275358A1 · Sep 12, 2019