Perimeter seal for a face mask

Abstract

A perimeter seal device is constructed in three layers to easily convert a non-sealed face mask to a face mask with a perimeter seal. The device has a top and bottom release liner, partitioned for providing the perimeter seal to an existing manufactured mask, with a double-sided adhesive layer in the middle formed with pressure-sensitive adhesive. A pre-cut perimeter portion of the adhesive layer provides the perimeter seal. The construction of the perimeter seal device allows alternate methods for fixing either side of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer onto a face mask. The opposing side of the adhesive perimeter portion is adhered directly on a wearer's face. The device provides a way to convert a surgical or other non-sealed face mask to a sealed mask.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A perimeter seal device for forming a perimeter seal for a face mask, the device comprising:
 a top release liner, the top release liner including a perimeter portion and a central portion defined by a perimeter cut therebetween;   an adhesive layer including a carrier with an upper surface and a lower surface, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on each of the upper surface and the lower surface, wherein the perimeter cut further extends through the adhesive layer to define a perimeter portion and a central portion in the adhesive layer aligned with the perimeter portion and the central portion of the top release liner, respectively; and   a bottom release liner,   wherein the adhesive layer is sandwiched between the top release liner and the bottom release liner, and wherein the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer is separable from each of the central portion of the adhesive layer, the top release liner, and the bottom release liner to form a perimeter seal for a face mask.   
     
     
         2 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter cut extends through each of the top release liner and the adhesive layer and not through the bottom release liner. 
     
     
         3 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom release liner includes a peel portion that extends beyond a perimeter of the adhesive layer, wherein the peel portion is adhesive-free. 
     
     
         4 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the top release liner includes a cut therethrough and not extending through the adhesive layer, the cut providing a crack-and-peel edge, the cut extending from a perimetral edge of the top release liner to the perimeter cut. 
     
     
         5 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 3 , wherein each of the top release liner, the adhesive layer, and the bottom release liner is rectangular-shaped, the peel portion extending beyond the perimeter of the adhesive layer along at least one edge of the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         6 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom release liner is centered to the upper release liner and the adhesive layer, the peel portion extending beyond two edges of the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         7 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the top release liner, the adhesive layer, and the bottom release liner is oval-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a stretchable plastic film. 
     
     
         9 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the top release liner and the bottom release liner includes one of a paper sheet and a plastic film, silicone-coated on one side, wherein the top release liner is silicone-coated on a lower surface, and the bottom release liner is silicone-coated on an upper surface, and wherein one of an upper surface of the top release liner and a bottom surface of the bottom release liner includes a two-dimensional bar code printed thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter seal device is configured to adhere either one of the upper surface and the lower surface e of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer to the face mask to form the perimeter seal on the face mask. 
     
     
         11 . The perimeter seal device of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom release liner includes a peel portion that extends beyond a perimeter of the adhesive layer, wherein the top release liner is silicone-coated on a lower surface, and the bottom release liner is silicone-coated on an upper surface, wherein the carrier of the adhesive layer is formed of polyethylene and the pressure-sensitive adhesive includes a medical grade acrylic. 
     
     
         12 . A method for forming a face mask with a perimeter seal using the perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 exposing the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the lower surface of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer, including peeling intact a two-layer perimetral strip portion of the perimeter seal device off of the bottom release liner, the two-layer perimetral strip portion including the perimeter portion of the top release liner layered on the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer;   adhering, by pressing, the two-layer perimetral strip portion onto a periphery of a user-facing side of the face mask via the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the lower surface of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer; and   removing the perimeter portion of the top release liner to expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the upper surface of the adhesive layer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, after removing the perimeter portion, adhering the face mask with the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer adhered thereto to a wearer's face via the pressure-sensitive adhesive exposed on the upper surface of the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein removing the perimeter portion of the top release liner includes cracking and peeling the top release liner along a cut line that extends across a width of the perimeter portion of the top release liner. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein peeling intact the two-layer perimetral strip portion includes peeling an edge of the two-layer perimetral strip portion along a peel portion of the bottom release liner that extends beyond a perimeter of the adhesive layer, and peeling away the two-layer perimetral strip portion along the perimeter cut formed through both the adhesive layer and the top release liner, thereby separating the two-layer perimetral strip portion from the central portion of each of the adhesive layer and the top release liner and from the bottom release liner. 
     
     
         16 . A method for forming a face mask with a perimeter seal using the perimeter seal device of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 exposing the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the upper surface of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer, including peeling off and removing the perimeter portion of the top release liner;   adhering by pressing, after the exposing step, the perimeter seal device onto a periphery of the face mask via the pressure-sensitive adhesive exposed on the upper surface of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer; and   peeling away the bottom release liner to expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the lower surface of the adhesive layer, including peeling an edge of the bottom release liner along a peel portion that extends beyond a perimeter of the adhesive layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the peeling off and removing the perimeter portion of the top release liner includes peeling away the perimeter portion along the perimeter cut through the top release liner, leaving the central portion of the top release liner intact, the method further comprising removing, after the peeling step, the central portion of both the adhesive layer and the top release liner, the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer remaining on the face mask to form the perimeter seal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, after removing the central portion of both the adhesive layer and the top release liner, adhering the face mask with the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer adhered thereto to a wearer's face via the pressure-sensitive adhesive exposed on the lower surface of the perimeter portion of the adhesive layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein peeling off and removing the perimeter portion of the top release liner includes cracking and peeling the top release liner along a cut line that extends across a width of the perimeter portion of the top release liner.