Technologies for manufacturing face shields

Abstract

In the illustrative embodiment, a thermoformed plastic face shield includes a shield portion and an integrated strap. The shield portion includes several protrusions configured to hold the face shield away from the face of the user of the face shield. The strap can be removed from the shield portion and attached to the shield portion to form an assembled face shield. The plastic face shield can be formed from a sheet of plastic in a single thermoforming step.

1 . A face shield comprising:
 a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is depressions are configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user, wherein the shield portion has two slots; and   a strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of the two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion,   wherein the shield portion and the strap are a transparent thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         2 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the strap portion is attached to the shield portion at a perforated cut. 
     
     
         3 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the face shield is assembled for use, with the strap inserted into the two slots of the shield portion. 
     
     
         4 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the shield portion and the strap are polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         7 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the shield portion and strap are amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate. 
     
     
         8 . A face shield comprising:
 a shield portion comprising a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user,   wherein the shield portion has a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions and a first tab near the first hole,   wherein the shield portion has a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end and a second tab near the second hole,   wherein the shield portion is a transparent thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         9 . The face shield of  claim 8 , further comprising a strap,
 wherein the strap has a first loop at a first end and a second loop at a second end,   wherein the first end of the first loop passes through the first hole and the first loop is mated with the first tab, and   wherein the second end of the second loop passes through the second hole and the second loop is mated with the second tab.   
     
     
         10 . The face shield of  claim 8 , wherein the strap further comprises a plurality of bumps to provide grip to the user's head when the face shield is worn by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The face shield of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a depth between 0.7 inches and 2 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The face shield of  claim 8 , wherein the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         13 . The face shield of  claim 8 , wherein the shield portion is amorphous polyethylene terephthalate, recycled polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polystyrene, or polycarbonate. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a face shield, the method comprising:
 thermoforming at least part of a transparent thermoplastic sheet to create a shield portion of a face shield with a plurality of protrusions disposed along one end of the shield portion, wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is configured to hold the rest of the shield portion away from a face of a user when the face shield is worn by the user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein thermoforming the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming, in one thermoforming step, the at least part of the thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion and a strap connected to the shield portion, the strap comprising a plurality of strap setting protrusions, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions is configured to mate with one of two slots of the shield portion to form an assembled face shield, wherein each of the plurality of strap setting protrusions, when in use and when mated with one of the two slots of the shield portion, prevent the strap from loosening from the shield portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion comprises thermoforming the at least part of the transparent thermoplastic sheet to create the shield portion with (i) a first hole near a first end of the plurality of protrusions, (ii) a first tab near the first hole, (iii) a second hole near a second end of the plurality of protrusions opposite the first end, and (iv) a second tab near the second hole,. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 cleaning the face shield with a liquid cleaning agent after being used by a user; and   reusing the face shield.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising recycling the face shield without removing any portion of the face shield. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the shield portion is polyethylene terephthalate.