US3528415A - Dental mask - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Oscar Malmin 1 2075 S. Main St., Akron, Ohio 44301 [21 Appl. No. 620,988

[22] Filed March 6, 1967 [45] Patented Sept. 15, 1970 [54] DENTAL MASK 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl l28/l42.6, 128/146.7, 123/152 [51] Int. Cl. A621) 7/10, A61f 1 1/02 [50] Field of Search 128/1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,673 7/1911 Hegge 128/152 1,174,780 3/1916 Tychon l28/142.7

1,225,422 5/1917 Feher 128/152 2,377,122 5/1945 Bakke 128/145 2,665,686 1/1954 Wood et a1. l28/146.6 3,058,463 10/1962 609911911614, 128/139 3,308,816 3/1967 Franklin et a1 128/146.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 158,870 9/1954 Australia 128/151 815,499 6/1959 Great Britain 128/142.7

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Freeman and Taylor ABSTRACT: A dental mask or shield having adjustable bands adapted to fit the same to different shapes of heads is provided with several protective devices for the dentist including an eye shield, ear obturators and a mouth and nose mask.

The housing or frame carrying the protective measures is slidable relatively of the band mounting portion so as to permit easy movement between the down and up positions of the dental mask.

Patented Sept. 15, 1970 INVENTOR. OSCAR MALMIN FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 15, 1970. I 3,528,415

p" I INVENTOR. OSCAR MALM//V 6 7 BY JMMVJ ATTORNEYS DENTAL MASK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the art of dentistry in general and in particular relates to an improved dental mask that is primarily designed to protect the dentist during periods of dental treatment and also serves to protect the patient as well. The mask is also provided with magnifying means which minimize the deleterious visual effects of dental working conditions.

Generally speaking dentists working over prolonged periods of time are subject to eye danger from flying tooth, carious or restoration particles and are further subject to ear damage due to the noise conditions of the operating instruments with which they work. Also, respiratory dangers exist due to oil droplets contained in the misty cloud generated by the dentists operating instruments. I

Finally, bacteria are capable of being transferred from patient to dentist and vice versa due to the close proximity of the dentist to the patient and the atomizing effect of the dentists instruments during periods of treatment.

2. Description of the Prior Art The only known prior art approach that has been made to solving the problem discussed above is that a complete sealed helmet type system has been provided for dentists wherein the dentist is provided with oxygen interiorally of the helmet-like structure. The device of the known prior art is not readily removable and requires separate supply systems of its own.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicant has discovered that dentists can be provided with maximum protection by providing an adjustable type of head strap that can be adjusted to fit the head of an individual user. Shiftably mounted to this strap is a main housing or face shield that serves respectively to carry:

a. A protective eye shield;

b. An optional magnifying frame; and

c. A plate member adapted to cover the mouth and nose and having an air filter therein.

Additionally, opposed ear obturators are carried by the strap so as to minimize the damaging effect of dental tools on the dentist's ears while yet permitting the dentist to converse with the patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved dental mask.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical elevation taken on the lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 6 are sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 66 respectively of FIG.3.

FIG. is a horizontal section taken on the lines 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the lines 7-7 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the improved dental mask generally designated by the numeral 10 includes a band portion generally designated as 11 and a housing portion generally indicated by the numeral 12 and being pivotally connected with respect to the band structure 11 as will presently be described, with the housing portion 12 carrying the eye shield 13, magnifying shield 14 and nose and mouth respirator 15, while the opposed ear obturators l6, 16 are carried by portions of the frame as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

Considering first the structure of the frame member 11, the same generally includes a band 20 of semi-rigid material and having its ends engaged together in an adjustment device 21, with the arrangement being such that adjustment of knob 22 will serve to increase or decrease the diameter of the band 20 so as to accommodate the same to an individual user's head. In this regard the knob 22 has a spur gear 23 (see FIG. 6) that meshes with gear tracks 20a and 2012 that are provided on the respective ends of the band 20 with the housing 21 engaging these members so that a racking action will occur upon adjustment of the knob 22. An upright auxiliary frame 24 of arched configuration has its end secured to the band 20 as by rivets 25, 25 with band 24 in reality being made up of band sections 240 and 24b that are held together with the adjustment ratio shown by the buckle-like arrangement 26.

By the structure just described a mounting band structure is provided that can be adapted to fit the individual dentists head.

Referring now to FIG. 4 with reference to the structure of the obturator members 16, 16 it will first be noted that the same are pivotally secured to the superimposed portions of strap 20 and 24 with a pin 26 whose head is shown recessed for descriptive purposes but which head will normally be recessed in practice being provided so as to pivotally mount a support member 28 with the support member 28 being fastened in place by nut 29 as clearly shown in the drawings. By this structure the arm 28 which has spaced arms can pivotally support through pin 30 a depending mounting arm 31 that is generally of flat-configuration and has a slot 31a therein for purposes that will now be described. In this regard each obturator is made up of a pair of shells 32, 32 with each shell having secured thereto a threaded sleeve" member 33 within which an appropriate screw member can be received. A nut 34 serves to lock the components in position with respect to the slot 31a so as to govern thedistance that the obturators are spaced from the pivot pin 30 for example. Likewise, by threading the shells 32, 32 it is possible to vary the spacing between the same so as to more accurately position the obturator with respect to the ears of the user. In practice the only free movement that will be permitted is around the pivot point 30 and thus the obturator can be swung into and out of position with movement of the portion being insured by engagement with the housing as will presently be described.

The structure described permits the obturators to depress the traegus of each earto seal the exterior auditory meatus. This structure presents an advantage over conventional noise suppressors in that nothing is physically introduced into the external auditory meatus. This'minimizes the risk of infection or car damage while still blocking noise.

Turning next to the housing means 12 the same is of generally U-shaped configuration so as to encircle the frontal and side portions of the dentists face. An opening 40 is provided in the frontal portion for insertion of a clear sheet of glass or plexiglass materialthat serves to protect the eyes of the dentist from flying chips and the like. Preferably and as shown in FIG. 1, lips 40a, 40a are provided at key locations around the perimeter so as to permit the window member 41 to be snapped into and out of place for ease of replacement.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 a right angled auxiliary shield 42 is providedand ispinned to the housing 12 by screws 43, 43'

that may be received in the slots 44, 44 as best shown in FIG. 1. Glass slots 45, 45 are provided to receive either magnifying or prescription lenses as the case may require with this arrangement thus permitting the mask to be individually tailored to suit the needs of the individual dentist.

Referring now to FIG. 2 it will be noted that a pair of support plates 50, 50am provided interiorly of the housing so as to serve as a point of pivotal mounting for the opposed pins 51, 51 of the respirator unit that has earlier been designated by the numeral 15. As shown in FIG. 2 this unit is generally triangular in shape so as to cover the mouth and nose portions of the dentist's face and is provided with a removable filter 53 as well as a sponge-like material 54, acting as a sealer, that contributes to the convenience of the dentist.

provided to prevent interference between the face of the user and the swinging portions of the mask the mask would then be raised upwardly. By like token, when the mask is being lowered, if no relative movement were provided, interference would be present between the face and the mask that was being lowered especially with reference to the filter or respirator portion 15 of the housing. With the object of providing such shifting movement that band portion 24 has rigid support arms 60, 60 (see FIG. 4) that receive a pin member 61 that is inserted within a guide slot 62 as provided in the housing 12 as best shown in FIG. 3. The pin 61 has an enlarged extension 61a (see FIG. 5) that receives one end of the spring 64 with the other end of the spring being secured to a plate 65 that is secured to the housing 12 as best shown in FIG. 5. By this arrangement the spring 64 always urges the band portion and the pin portion 61 thereof to the forward end of the slot 62 with this operating condition being best shown in FIG. 3. When it is desired, however, to operate the unit the dentist merely grasps the housing, moves it forward against the force of the spring 64 and then lowers the unit into place so that the respirator 15 is firmly seated over the chin of the dentist. Respirator 15 automatically seats itself over the nose and mouth of the user through the action of adjustable means of the opposed pins 51, 51 operating through means of pivotal mounting in support plates 50, 50 to obtain an automatic and positive seal about the nose and mouth.

When it is desired to remove the unit the dentist merely grasps the rear portions of the housing 12 and moves the forward end of the slot followed by turning action to the upper position of nonuse.

it will be seen from the foregoing that there has been provided a new and improved type of dental mask that is characterized by the fact that the same provides a dentist with maximum protection during periods of patient treatment while preventing minimum interference to the successful completion of such patient treatment.

It should also be noted that while the mask has been described in relation to dental use it is believed to have other applications as well. For example, it could be used in industrial, agricultural or medical pursuits and generally in any situation in which air filtering, good vision and/or noise suppression are desired. It is, of course, possible to employ variations in these situations such as the ear obturators only or the filter only, for example.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiment herein shown. Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A mask of the character described, comprising:

A. a headband assembly having adjustment means;

B. opposed ear obturators depending from opposed portions of said headband assembly and being adjustably mounted with respect thereto;

1. whereby the same can be positioned over the user's ears;

C. a housing member adapted to closely encircle the face of the user;

' D. mounting means adapted to secure said housing means to said headband assembly in a condition of limited shiftability therewith;

1. whereby said housing may be moved relatively of said headband to permit pivoting of said housing without contacting the users face; and

E. an air filter means carried by said housing.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said air filter means are adjustable relatively of said hous- 3. A mask of the character described, comprising:

A. a headband assembly adapted to being adjusted in two planes lying substantially normal to each other; B. opposed ear obturators depending from opposed portions of said headband assembly and being adjustably mounted with respect thereto whereby the same can be positioned over the users ears;

C. a housing member adapted to closely encircle the face of a user;

D. mounting means adapted to secure said housing means with respect to said headband assembly in a condition of limited shiftability therewith whereby said housing may be moved relatively of said headband to permit pivoting of said housing without contacting the user s face;

E. a removable eye shield carried by said housing;

F. an auxiliary eye shield carried by said housing and adapted to be moved into and out of overlying relationship with said eye shield;

G. magnifying means carried by said auxiliary eye shield;

and

H. said auxiliary eye shield being adjustable relatively of said housing.

4. A mask of the character described, comprising:

A. a headband assembly adapted to be adjusted in two planes lying substantially normal to each other;

B. a housing member adapted to closely encircle the face of the user;

C. mounting means adapted to secure said housing member with respect to said headband assembly in a condition of limited shiftability therewith whereby said housing may be moved relatively of said headband assembly to permit pivoting of said housing without contact to the wearer's face;

D. air filter means adjustably carried by said housing member and adapted to cover the nose and mouth of the user;

E. an eye shield carried by said housing member;

F. an auxiliary eye shield carried by said housing;

G. magnifying means carried by said eye shield; and

H. said eye shield being adjustable relatively of said housing.

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