Foldable Face-Piece Respirator With Exhalation Valve

Abstract

A foldable filtering face-piece respirator is disclosed. The respirator includes a mask body having a line of demarcation that separates the mask body into a first portion and a second portion. The respirator also includes an exhalation valve positioned on the line of demarcation and in a central area of the mask body such that the exhalation valve is positioned essentially over a wearer's mouth during use. The line of demarcation is discontinuous at the location of the valve.

1 . A foldable filtering face-piece respirator that comprises a mask body having a line of demarcation separating the mask body into a first portion and a second portion, the respirator further having an exhalation valve positioned on the line of demarcation and in a central area of the mask body such that the exhalation valve is positioned essentially over a wearer's mouth during use, and wherein the line of demarcation is discontinuous at the location of the valve. 
     
     
         2 . The foldable face-piece respirator of  claim 1 , wherein the line of demarcation bisects the mask body. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable face-piece respirator of  claim 1 , wherein the line of demarcation comprises a weld line, a seam or a fold. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable face-piece respirator of  claim 3 , wherein the line of demarcation allows at least parts of the first and second portions of the mask body to be folded along the line of demarcation. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 1 , wherein the mask body comprises a central panel comprising the line of demarcation that separates the central penal into the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the mask body further comprises a first panel joined to the first portion of the central panel such that it can be folded into the central panel, and wherein the mask body comprises a second panel joined to the second portion of the central panel such that it can be folded into the central panel. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable face-piece respirator of  claim 1 , wherein the line of demarcation extends transversely such that the first portion of the mask body forms an upper portion of the mask body and the second portion forms a lower portion of the mask body. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 6 , wherein the mask body comprises a first panel joined to the upper portion of the central panel such that the first panel can be folded into the central panel, and wherein the mask body comprises a second panel joined to the lower portion of the central panel such that the second panel can be folded into the central panel. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 1 , wherein the mask body further comprises a structural pattern. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 8 , wherein the structural pattern occupies an area of about 5 to 30 cm 2 . 
     
     
         10 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 8 , wherein the exhalation valve is positioned within the structural pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 8 , wherein the structural pattern comprises lines comprising at least one of weld lines, seams and stitch lines, and wherein each line is about 2 to 7 mm thick. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 8 , wherein the structural pattern comprises a first weld pattern and a second weld pattern, wherein the first and second weld patterns are disposed in one or both of the first and second portions of the mask body but do not traverse the line of demarcation. 
     
     
         13 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second weld patterns comprises one or more triangles. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable filtering face-piece respirator of  claim 12 , wherein the exhalation valve is positioned between the first and second structural patterns. 
     
     
         15 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a foldable filtering face-piece respirator, comprising:
 providing a foldable filtering face-piece respirator comprising a mask body that comprises a line of demarcation separating the mask body into a first portion and a second portion;   forming an aperture for placing an exhalation valve through the line of demarcation at a central area of the mask body such that an exhalation valve can be positioned essentially over a wearer's mouth during use; and   attaching the exhalation valve to the mask body.   
     
     
         19 . A foldable filtering face-piece respirator, comprising:
 a mask body comprising a first portion and second portion separated by a line of demarcation, wherein the line of demarcation comprises a mask body fold line;   a harness connected to the mask body;   an exhalation valve disposed on the line of demarcation and in a central region of the mask body, wherein the exhalation valve comprises a base and a cover attached to the base; and   a support element connected to the base of the exhalation valve and extending from a perimeter of the base, wherein the support element is in contact with the mask body when the mask body is in a cup-shaped configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The respirator of  claim 19 , wherein the support element completely surrounds the base of the exhalation valve. 
     
     
         21 . The respirator of  claim 19 , wherein the support element is integral with the base of the exhalation valve. 
     
     
         22 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of making a filtering face-piece respirator, comprising:
 forming a mask body;   forming a mask body fold line in the mask body that separates the mask body into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are adapted to rotate about the mask body fold line; and   connecting an exhalation valve to a central region of the mask body over the body fold line such that a support element that is connected to a base of the exhalation valve and extends from a perimeter of the base and is in contact with the mask body.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising forming an opening in the central region of the mask body prior to connecting the exhalation valve to the central region of the mask body, wherein connecting the exhalation valve comprises disposing the exhalation valve over the opening such that the exhalation valve substantially covers the opening. 
     
     
         38 - 42 . (canceled)