US-20260123696-A1 - Facemasks and Method for Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

A facemask and automated system for producing facemasks is disclosed. The facemask has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The facemask includes a mask body having a generally rectangular shape, a pair of lateral edges extending in the lateral direction, and a pair of longitudinal edges extending in the longitudinal direction. At least one tie is attached to the mask body such that the tie extends away from the mask body in a direction that forms an angle with the longitudinal direction. The angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees.

Inventors

• David L. Harrington
• Eric C. Steindorf
• Anthony Stephen Spencer
• Joseph P. Weber
• Mark T. Pamperin

Assignees

• O&M HALYARD, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20260107

Claims (20)

1. 1 - 11 . (canceled)
2. 12 . An automated method for manufacturing facemasks from a web material of a textile product in a production line, comprising: conveying the web material of the textile product in the production line along a machine direction; cutting, at a cutting station, the web material along a cutting line extending in a cross-machine direction that is perpendicular to the machine direction; and attaching, at a tie attaching station, at least one tie to the web material at a location adjacent the cutting line such that the at least one tie extends in a direction that forms an angle with the cutting line, wherein the angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees.
3. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the web material is cut at the cutting station before the at least one tie is attached to the web material at the tie attaching station.
4. 14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one tie is attached to the web material at the tie attaching station before the web material is cut at the cutting station.
5. 15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein attaching the at least one tie comprises attaching a pair of upper ties to the web material such that the upper ties extend from the web material in respective directions that form respective upper tie angles with the cutting line, wherein each upper tie angle ranges from about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees.
6. 16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein attaching the at least one tie comprises attaching a pair of lower ties to the web material such that the lower ties extend from the web material in respective directions that form respective lower tie angles with the cutting line, wherein each lower tie angle ranges from about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees.
7. 17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises: cutting the web material comprises forming a separate mask body from the web material; and attaching a tie to the separate mask body such that the tie extends beyond each of a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of the separate mask body.
8. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein attaching the at least one tie comprises attaching the at least one tie to the web material such that the at least one tie extends beyond each of a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of the separate mask body, wherein the method further comprises folding the at least one tie such that a first free end and a second free end of the at least one tie extend away from the web material in respective directions that form respective tie angles with the cutting line, wherein each tie angle ranges from about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees.
9. 19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein attaching the at least one tie comprises attaching a middle portion of a lateral tie to the web material adjacent a lateral edge of the web material.
10. 20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising folding the lateral tie adjacent each of an upper corner and a lower corner such that each of a first free end and a second free end of the lateral tie extend away from the web material in respective directions that form respective lateral tie angles with the cutting line, wherein the lateral tie angles range from about 10 degrees and about 80 degrees.
11. 21 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising alternately producing at least two different types of facemasks on a single production line system.
12. 22 . An automated method for manufacturing facemasks from a web material of a textile product in a production line, each facemask comprising a mask body having a generally rectangular shape, a pair of lateral edges extending in a lateral direction, and a pair of longitudinal edges extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising: conveying the web material of the textile product in the production line along a machine direction; cutting the web material along a cutting line extending in a cross-machine direction that is perpendicular to the machine direction; and attaching an attached end of a pair of upper ties to the web material on a respective pair of upper corners at an upper tie angle relative to the longitudinal direction such that the pair of upper ties overlap adjacent sides of the generally rectangular shape of the web material and intersect the respective pair of upper corners at the upper tie angle, wherein the upper tie angle ranges from 10 degrees to 80 degrees in relation to the longitudinal direction; and attaching an attached end of a pair of lower ties to the web material on a respective pair of lower corners at a lower tie angle relative to the longitudinal direction such that the pair of lower ties overlap adjacent sides of the rectangular shape of the web material and intersect the respective pair of lower corners at the lower tie angle, wherein the lower tie angle is different from the upper tie angle.
13. 23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the pair of upper corners comprise the pair of lateral edges extending in a lateral direction and one longitudinal edge of the pair of longitudinal edges.
14. 24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the attached end of the pair of upper ties or the attached end of the pair of lower ties are attached to the web material before the web material is cut.
15. 25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein, after attaching the attached end of the pair of upper ties to the web material, the attached end of the pair of upper ties each intersects the respective pair of upper corners at the upper tie angle.
16. 26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the upper tie angle extends relative to the longitudinal direction in a tension direction along which the respective pair of upper ties are pulled when worn.
17. 27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the lower tie angle extends relative to the longitudinal direction in a tension direction along which the respective pair of lower ties are pulled when worn.
18. 28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the web material is formed of a nonwoven web comprising polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, or a combination thereof.
19. 29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the pair of lateral edges are free of any ties along at least 95% of a length of the lateral edges.
20. 30 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the pair of longitudinal edges are free of any ties along at least 95% of a length of the longitudinal edges.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the field of protective facemasks, such as surgical facemasks, and more specifically to a method and system for manufacturing facemasks a production line. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various configurations of disposable filtering facemasks or respirators are known and may be referred to by various names, including “facemasks”, “respirators”, “filtering face respirators”, “surgical facemasks”, and so forth. For purposes of this disclosure, such devices are referred to herein generically as “facemasks.” The ability to supply aid workers, rescue personnel, and the general populace with protective facemasks during times of natural disasters or other catastrophic events is crucial. For example, in the event of a pandemic, the use of facemasks that offer filtered breathing is a key aspect of the response and recovery to such event. For this reason, governments and other municipalities generally maintain a ready stockpile of the facemasks for immediate emergency use. However, the facemasks have a defined shelf life, and the stockpile must be continuously monitored for expiration and replenishing. This is an extremely expensive undertaking. Recently, investigation has been initiated into whether or not it would be feasible to mass produce facemasks on an “as needed” basis during pandemics or other disasters instead of relying on stockpiles. For example, in 2013, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated that up to 100 million facemasks would be needed during a pandemic situation in the U.S., and proposed research into whether this demand could be met by mass production of from 1.5 to 2 million facemasks per day to avoid stockpiling. This translates to about 1,500 facemasks per minute. Current facemask production lines are capable of producing only about 100 facemasks per minute due to technology and equipment restraints, which falls far short of the estimated goal. Accordingly, advancements in the manufacturing and production processes will be needed if the goal of “on demand” facemasks during a pandemic is to become a reality. Certain configurations of pleated facemasks include head fastening ties bonded to opposite edges of a rectangular body. Forming the rectangular bodies and attaching the ties may include cutting the web into the rectangular bodies, rotating the rectangular bodies, and then attaching the ties. For example, a web of textile material may be conveyed in a machine direction and pleats or folds may be formed extending in the machine direction. The web may then be cut at regular intervals along the cross-machine direction to form rectangular bodies. Each rectangular body may then be rotated 90 degrees with respect to the machine direction, and the ties may then be attached to the rectangular bodies along the edges of the rectangular bodies with respect to the machine direction. Rotating the rectangular bodies and attaching the ties using the current manual and automated methods for manufacturing, however, is relatively slow. For mass production of facemasks at the throughputs mentioned above, it would be desirable to form the rectangular bodies and attach the ties while maintaining the high production speeds of the running line. Additionally, the configuration described above may create elevated stresses where the ties attach to the rectangular body, which can increase the risk of failure at such locations. More specifically, during use, the ties are wrapped around the crown of the head of the user. This can pull the ties at angles that are not perpendicular to any edge of the facemask, causing increased tension and stress in the ties and or rectangular body near where they are attached to each other. The present invention addresses this need and provides a robust facemask that is better suited for high speed manufacturing as well as a manufacturing method thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. In accordance with aspects of the invention, a facemask has a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The facemask includes a mask body having a generally rectangular shape, a pair of lateral edges extending in the lateral direction, and a pair of longitudinal edges extending in the longitudinal direction. At least one tie is attached to the mask body and extends away from the mask body in a direction that forms an angle with the longitudinal direction which ranges from about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees. In a particular embodiment, the pair of lateral edges are free of any ties along a substantial portion of a length of the lateral edges. In another p