FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to face coverings. In particular, the present invention relates to a face covering having a conformable filter assembly.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Face coverings may be worn to protect the wearer from airborne pathogens and as a form of source control, to prevent the spread of airborne pathogens from the wearer to others. A known type of face covering comprises a flexible fabric barrier which is arranged to cover the wearer’s nose and mouth. Airflow to and from the wearer’s nose and mouth is filtered by the fabric in order to reduce the spread of airborne pathogens. A problem associated with many known face coverings is that the wearer’s mouth, and often other areas of the face, cannot be seen by others. This can interfere with non-verbal aspects of communication, such as facial expressions and lip-reading, which may be particularly critical for communication with infants, elderly people, and those with hearing loss. To overcome this problem, face coverings may include a transparent portion so that the wearer’s mouth can be seen by others. Some face coverings include a relatively small transparent window in the fabric barrier, which generally allows only the lips to be seen. Other known face coverings comprise a larger transparent panel instead of a fabric barrier, which allows more of wearer’s face to be seen. However, since transparent materials are typically impermeable, such face coverings are prone to fogging, which can reduce visibility of the wearer’s face.

It is against this background that the present invention has been devised. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention provides a face covering comprising: a face panel having an inner side, an outer side, a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposite lateral side edges extending between the top and bottom edges; a conformable filter assembly disposed on the inner side adjacent the bottom edge and extending between the lateral side edges, the conformable filter assembly comprising: a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side and a front side extending between the top side and the bottom side, the conformable filter assembly defining at least one air flow passageway extending between the top side and at least one of the bottom side or the front side; a filter member arranged across the at least one airflow passageway for filtering airflow through the at least one air flow passageway.

With this arrangement, air flow into and out of the mask is filtered by the conformable filter assembly, which reduces the movement of airborne pathogens between the wearer and their environment. The filter assembly increases ventilation of the mask to improve comfort and breathability for the wearer.

Preferably, at least a part of the face panel comprises a substantially transparent material. In this way, the wearer’s face can be seen by others. Preferably, the face panel comprises a plastics material, preferably polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Preferably the face panel is flexible but self-supporting. Preferably, the face panel comprises a resiliently deformable sheet material.

Preferably, the at least one air flow passageway comprises a bore which extends through the conformable filter assembly. The at least one air flow passageway may comprise a slot. The at least one air flow passageway may be substantially linear.

Preferably, a diameter of the at least one air flow passageway is at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 5 mm. The diameter of the at least one air flow passageway may be at least 10 mm. In this way, the at least one air flow passageway may be prevented from collapsing when the conformable filter assembly is conformed to a shape of the wearer’s face.

The front side of the conformable filter assembly may be in contact with the inner side of the face panel. The front side of the conformable filter assembly may be affixed to the inner side of the face panel.

Preferably, a rear side of the conformable filter assembly opposite the front side is arranged to contact a wearer’s face in use. In particular, the rear side of the conformable filter assembly may be arranged to contact the wearer’s chin. The conformable filter assembly may be arranged to rest between the wearer’s chin and lower lip.

Preferably, the face covering comprises a conformable support member disposed on the inner side between the conformable filter assembly and the top edge and extending between the lateral side edges. The conformable support member may extend parallel to the top edge.

The face covering may comprise an impervious barrier member disposed on the support member. The barrier member may be disposed on a lower side of the support member. The impervious barrier member may comprise an impervious film laminated to a lower side surface of the conformable support member.

The face covering may comprise a nose member which is arranged to be bent or plastically deformed. In this way the nose member may help to adjust the shape of parts of the face covering in order to fit the wearer’s face. The nose member may comprise a metallic material, such as a metal strip.

The face covering may comprise a nose assembly comprising the conformable support member. The nose assembly may comprise the impervious barrier member. The nose assembly may comprise the nose member. The filter assembly may comprise a plurality of air flow passageways.

The filter member may comprise a sheet of filter material. The filter member may extend over the top side of the conformable filter assembly. The filter member may extend over the bottom side of the conformable filter assembly. The filter member may extend over the front side of the conformable filter assembly. The filter member may extend over the rear side of the conformable filter assembly.

The conformable filter assembly may comprise an upper portion and a lower portion and a layer of filter material may be sandwiched between the upper and lower portions.

The conformable filter assembly may comprise collapsible portions disposed at lateral ends of the conformable filter assembly. In this way, the lateral side edges may lie close to the wearer’s face, providing a close fit of the face covering. The collapsible portions may comprise slots in the conformable filter assembly.

The conformable filter assembly may comprise a conformable body through which the at least one air flow passageway extends. The conformable body may be substantially fully enveloped by the filter material. The collapsible portions may comprise slots in the body.

The conformable body may comprise upper and lower portions and a layer of filter material may be sandwiched between the upper and lower portions.

The face covering may comprise an impervious barrier member disposed on a lower side of the conformable filter assembly. The impervious barrier member may comprise an impervious film laminated to a lower side surface of the conformable filter assembly.

The at least one air flow passageway may open on the front side of the conformable filter assembly and the face panel may comprise at least one aperture aligned with the air flow passageway for air to pass from the air flow passageway through the face panel. In such cases, the filter material may extend over the outer side of the face panel. The filter material may extend over the or each aperture in the face panel.

The or each air flow passageway may open on the lower side of the conformable filter assembly. All of the air flow passageways may open on the lower side of the conformable filter assembly.

The bottom edge of the face panel may be straight. The bottom side of the conformable filter assembly may be substantially planar. The conformable filter assembly may extend parallel to the bottom edge. The bottom side of the conformable filter assembly may extend parallel to the bottom edge.

A depth of the conformable filter assembly between the top side and the bottom side may be substantially constant along a length of the conformable filter assembly.

The top side of the conformable filter assembly may be arranged to extend substantially horizontally in use. The top side of the conformable filter assembly may extend parallel to the bottom side of the conformable filter assembly.

A thickness of the conformable filter assembly between the front side and a rear side of the conformable filter assembly may be substantially constant along a length of the conformable filter assembly.

In some embodiments, the top edge is curved and portions of the top edge have a concave curvature and portions of the top edge have a convex curvature.

Preferably the face covering comprises straps for securing the face covering to the wearer’s face. The straps may be secured to the face panel adjacent the lateral side edges of the face panel. The straps may comprise cord, string, or a string-like material. The straps may comprise an elastic material. The straps may be provided by a single length of cord, string or elastic.

The face covering may comprise one or more visual regions, preferably provided by one or more portions of the face panel. An upper visual region may be disposed proximate the upper edge. A lower visual region may be disposed proximate the lower edge. The or each visual region may be opaque or translucent. The or each visual region may comprise a coloured region. The or each visual region may comprise a display region for displaying information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs are used for like features, and in which,

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a face covering according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, showing how the face covering may be worn by a wearer;

Figure 2 is front perspective view of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a part of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6A is perspective view of part of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6B is a perspective view of part of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6C is a perspective view of part of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D are perspective exploded views of variants of the face covering of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of part of a face covering according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective exploded view of part of the face covering of the second preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 is a perspective exploded view of part of a face covering according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view exploded view of part of the face covering of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of part of the face covering of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a front view of part of the face covering of Figure 10;

Figure 14 is side view of the face covering of Figure 10;

Figures 15A, 15B, 15C and 15D are front views of variants of the face covering of Figure 10;

Figure 15E is a perspective exploded view of a variant of the face covering of Figure 10; and

Figure 16 is a perspective exploded view of a face covering according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a face covering having a conformable filter assembly. The conformable filter assembly is arranged to conform to the shape of part of a wearer’s face and also to filter airflow from the wearer’s nose and mouth which impinges on the filter assembly. In particular, the filter assembly is arranged to conform to a part of a wearer’s face below the nose and mouth (e.g. part of the chin and jaw) to help prevent air and other fluids (e.g. droplets and aerosols) escaping unfiltered from the face covering in a downward direction. The conformable filter assembly is arranged to filter air (e.g. breath) and other fluids which are directed downwardly from the wearer’s nose and mouth. Preferably, the face covering comprises a transparent panel to enable others to see the wearer’s mouth.

In this specification, the face covering is described with reference to a wearer’s face. Accordingly, the terms “upwardly”, “upper” and related terms refer to a direction or position towards the top of a wearer’s face (e.g. towards the top in Figures 1 to 4). The terms “downwardly”, “lower” and related terms refer to an opposite direction, i.e. in a direction towards the wearer’s neck (e.g. towards the bottom in Figures 1 to 4). The term “face covering” is intended to refer to any wearable item which is arranged to cover at least part of a wearer’s face. Accordingly, this term includes types of face coverings which may be referred to as medical masks, surgical masks, face shields and the like. Such items may be provided by embodiments of the present invention.

Figures 1 to 4 show a face covering 2 according to a first embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 shows the face covering 2 worn on the face of a wearer. In this embodiment, the face covering 2 comprises a face mask 2 comprising a transparent region to enable the wearer’s mouth to be seen by others. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the face mask 2 comprises a generally rectangular face panel 4 having an inner side or rear side 6, an outer side or front side 8, a top edge 10, a bottom edge 12 and first and second lateral side edges 14, 16. The inner side 6 is arranged to face towards the wearer’s face in use. The outer side 8 faces in a direction opposite to the inner side 6, and is arranged to face generally away from the wearer’s face. The top and bottom edges 10, 12 form long edges of the rectangle which extend horizontally in use. The lateral side edges 14, 16 extend vertically between the top and bottom edges 10, 12 in use. The face panel 4 is made from a transparent material. Preferably, the face panel 4 is made from a suitable transparent plastics material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or another suitable transparent material.

The face mask 2 is arranged to be secured to the wearer’s head by flexible straps which are secured to the face panel 4 adjacent the lateral side edges 14, 16. In this embodiment, the straps are provided by flexible cord or string 18 (which is preferably elastic) secured adjacent the side edges 14, 16 and which is arranged to pass around the back of the wearer’s head. The cord 18 passes through holes 20a, 20b provided in the face panel 4 adjacent each lateral side edge 14, 16. A pair of holes 20a, 20b, vertically spaced apart, is provided adjacent each side edge 14, 16. The cord 18 comprises a single length of cord 18, ends of which are tied together to form a continuous loop. An upper portion 18a of the cord 18 extends horizontally across the inner side 6 of the face panel 4, between the uppermost holes 20a of each pair. A lower portion 18b of the cord 18 extends horizontally across the inner side 6 of the face panel 4, between the lowermost holes 20b of each pair. The cord 18 extends through the holes 20a, 20b between the inner and outer sides 6, 8 of the face panel 4. The upper and lower portions 18a, 18b are connected by side portions 18c of the cord 18 which extend vertically on the outer (front) side of the mask, between adjacent holes 20a, 20b of a respective pair. The upper and lower portions 18a, 18b are arranged to extend behind the wearer’s head to secure the face mask 2 to the wearer’s face. In particular, the upper portion 18a is arranged to extend over a top side of the wearer’s ears and around the back of the head. The lower portion 18b is arranged to extend below the ears and around the back of the head or neck. It will be appreciated that other types and arrangements of straps may be used to secure the face mask 2 to the wearer.

The face panel 4 is arranged to provide a barrier to fluids expelled from the wearer’s nose and mouth to prevent such fluids from passing in a forward direction (e.g. towards another person). The face panel 4 also provides a barrier to fluids moving toward the wearer’s face from another source (such as another person). Droplets may be captured by surface deposition on the inner and outer sides 6, 8, of the face panel 4. As can be seen in Figure 1 , the face panel 4 is arranged to be flexed or curved to approximate the curvature of the wearer’s face in use, as can be seen in Figure 1. The face panel 4 comprises a resilient material so that the face panel 4 can be pulled into a curved shape around the wearer’s face. The face panel 4 is pulled in to a curved shape by the elastic cord 18. In this way, the lateral side edges 14, 16 are disposed rearwardly of the rest of the face panel 4. With this arrangement, fluids expelled from the wearers nose and mouth may be directed rearwardly, away from a direction in which the wearer is facing, and/or may be directed downwardly and filtered (as described further below).

The face panel 4 comprises visual regions or display regions. In particular, the face panel comprises a first, upper visual region 15 and a second, lower visual region 17. The visual regions are omitted from Figure 1 . Referring to Figure 2, the upper visual region 15 comprises a portion of the face panel proximate the upper edge 10. The upper visual region 15 comprises an elongate strip disposed on the outer side 8 of the face panel 4. The lower visual region 17 comprises a portion of the face panel proximate the lower edge 12. The lower visual region 17 comprises an elongate strip disposed on the outer side 8 of the face panel 4. Preferably, the visual regions 15, 17 are printed or painted on the outer side 8 of the face panel 4, to provide opaque or translucent portions of the face panel 4. The visual regions may be provided by stickers or transfers. In this way, the visual regions may be coloured, for example to match skin tones, or to provide information. For instance, a colour of the visual regions may indicate a status of the wearer. The visual regions may be printed with messages or branding. In other embodiments the visual regions may be provided on the inner side of the face panel.

The face mask 2 further comprises an upper conformable member or support member 22 and a conformable filter assembly 24. The support member 22 is disposed adjacent the top edge 10 of the face panel 4 and the filter assembly 24 is disposed adjacent a lower edge 12 of the face panel 4 so that the support member 22 and filter assembly 24 are spaced apart to provide an interior or breathing space 26 of the mask 2 into which the wearer breathes. The support member 22 is arranged to support the face panel 4 so that the face panel 4 is spaced apart from the wearer’s face. The support member 22 is arranged to conform to the shape of part of the wearer’s face above the mouth and nostrils, in order to provide an effective barrier or seal to prevent airflow from the wearer’s nose and mouth from escaping upwardly from the mask 2. In particular, the support member 22 is arranged to conform to the shaped of the wearer’s nose and cheeks either side of (lateral to) the nose.

The support member 22 is elongate and extends between the lateral side edges 14, 16. The support member 22 is disposed adjacent the top edge 10 of the face panel 4 and extends parallel to the top edge 10. The support member 22 is secured to the inner side (rear side) 6 of the face panel 4. A front side 28 of the support member is secured to the inner side 6 of the face panel 4. The support member 22 is made from a resiliently deformable material to allow it to conform to the wearer’s face. In this embodiment, the support member 22 is made from a memory foam material such as a polyurethane foam.

The support member 22 is shaped to engage with parts of the wearer’s face. A thickness of the support member 22 (between the front side 28 and a rear side 30 of the support member 22) is varied along the length of the support member 22 to provide a shaped or contoured profile for engaging with the wearer’s face. The support member 22 comprises a middle portion 32 disposed between lateral portions 34. Each lateral portion 34 extends between the middle portion 32 and a respective lateral end 21 , 23 of the support member 22. Each of the middle and lateral portions 32, 34 has a concave surface which faces rearwardly. The concave surface of the middle portion 32 has a smaller radius of curvature than a radius of curvature of the concave surfaces of the lateral portions 34. A peak or ridge 36 is formed on each side of the middle portion 32, where the middle portion 32 meets each lateral portion 34. The middle portion 32 is arranged to engage with the wearer’s nose. The lateral portions 34 are arranged to engage with upper parts of the wearer’s cheeks, as can be seen in Figure 1 . With this arrangement, the support member 22 conforms to the wearers face to prevent passage of air or other fluids between the support member 22 and the wearer’s face.

As can be seen in Figure 4, a lower side surface 38 of the support member 22 is provided with a barrier member 40, which in this embodiment is a sheet of an impervious film material 40 attached (e.g. laminated) to the lower side 38 of the support member 22. The barrier member or layer 40 is shaped to match the contoured profile of the support member 22. The barrier member 40 is flexible in order to conform to the face and to flex with the deformable support member 22. The barrier member 40 is arranged to prevent transmission of fluids into or through the support member 22. With these arrangements, fluids are prevented from passing between the top edge 10 of the face panel 4 and the wearer’s face. The barrier member 40 may be provided by a layer of a polymeric material, such as polypropylene film. In other embodiments, the support member 22 may be made from an impervious foam, instead of (or in addition to) having a barrier member.

In this embodiment, the conformable filter assembly 24 is elongate and has a generally square cross-sectional profile. The conformable filter assembly or chin assembly 24 is disposed adjacent the lower edge 12 of the face panel 4 and extends parallel to the lower edge 12. As can be seen in Figure 1 , the filter assembly 24 is arranged to conform to the shape of part of a wearer’s face below the mouth (e.g. part of the chin and jaw). The filter assembly 24 helps to prevent air and other fluids (e.g. droplets and aerosols) escaping from the interior 26 of the face mask 2 in a downward direction (e.g. passing between the wearer’s face and the lower edge 12 of the face panel 4) without being filtered. The conformable filter assembly 24 is arranged to filter air and other fluids which are directed downwardly from the wearer’s nose and mouth.

A front side 42 of the filter assembly 24 is secured to the inner side 6 of the face panel 4. A top side or upper side 44 of the filter assembly 24 faces upwards, towards the support member 22 and towards the wearer’s nose and mouth in use. A bottom side or lower side 46 of the filter assembly 24 opposite the upper side 44 faces downward. A rear side 48 (opposite the front side) of the filter assembly 24 faces rearwardly and is arranged to engage with part of the wearer’s chin and jaw. Lateral ends 25, 27 of the filter assembly 24 are disposed proximate the lateral side edges 14, 16 of the face panel 4. The conformable filter assembly 24 is arranged to support the face panel 4 so that the face panel 4 is spaced apart from the wearer’s face. The conformable filter assembly 24 is arranged to conform to the shape of part of the wearer’s face below the mouth, in order to provide an effective barrier or seal to prevent airflow from the wearer’s nose and mouth from escaping downwardly from the interior 26 mask 2. In particular, the conformable filter assembly 24 is arranged to conform to the shape of the wearer’s face between the lower lip and chin. The upper side 44 of the filter assembly 24 is arranged to extend generally horizontally immediately below the lower lip and above the mental protuberance of the chin. In this way, (as can be seen in Figure 1 ), as the filter assembly 24 is curved around the wearer’s face, the upper side 44 of the filter assembly 24 remains above a lower edge of the jaw (mandible), reducing the likelihood of gaps between the filter assembly 24 and the face.

The support member 22 and filter assembly 24 may be secured to the face panel 4 using a suitable adhesive or bonding material. The upper and lower visual regions 15, 17 may help to screen or hide respective areas of contact (e.g. an area of adhesive) between the support member 22 and the filter 24 assembly and the face panel 4. The upper side 44 of the filter assembly 24 faces towards the interior 26 of the mask 2 and can be considered an interior side of the filter assembly 24. The front and lower sides 42, 46 face away from the interior 26 and can be considered as an exterior side of the filter assembly 24.

The conformable filter assembly 24 comprises a body 50 and a filter member 52. The body 50 is wrapped by the filter member 52 so that the shape of the filter assembly 24 is generally determined by the shape of the body 50. The body 50 comprises an elongate block of a resiliently deformable material which extends between the ends 25, 27 of the filter assembly 24. The body 50 is made from a resiliently deformable material to allow it to conform to the wearer’s face. In this embodiment, the body 50 is made from a memory foam material such as a polyurethane foam. The body may be made from an impervious foam material. A plurality of vent holes or airflow passageways 54 extend through the body 50 between upper and lower sides 56, 58 of the body 50. The vent holes 54 are open at the upper and lower sides 56, 58 of the body 50 to allow air to flow through the body 50. In this embodiment, each hole 54 has a generally circular cross section. Four holes 54 are spaced apart longitudinally along the body 50, with a larger space between the middle holes 54 so that two pairs of holes 54 are provided, longitudinally spaced apart. In this embodiment, the body 50 comprises a substantially cuboidal block, so that a depth (between the upper and lower sides 44, 46) and a thickness (between the front and rear sides 42, 48) of the filter assembly 24 is substantially constant along the length of the filter assembly 24. When the mask 2 is worn, the filter assembly 24 may adopt a substantially semi-annular shape. The vent holes 54 are sized and shaped to prevent the vent holes 54 from collapsing when the filter assembly 24 is deformed when the face mask 2 is donned. Each vent hole may be formed as a bore or cutout which extends through the body. Preferably the vent holes 54 have a diameter of at least 5 mm.

The filter member 52 comprises a flexible sheet of filter material or filter media 52. The filter material 52 is arranged to cover surfaces of the body. The filter material 52 is arranged to extend across each vent hole 54. In this embodiment, the filter material 52 is wrapped fully around the body 50. In this way the filter member 52 extends over the front, rear, upper and lower sides 42, 48, 44, 46 of the filter assembly. Figure 4 shows the filter material 52 unwrapped from the body 50 in order to show the vent holes 54 in the body 50. When assembled, the filter material 52 fully envelopes the body 50. In this way, the body 50 is encapsulated by the filter material 52. Accordingly, in order for air to enter the vent holes 54 from above, the air must pass through the filter material 52 on the top side 44 of the filter assembly and the air must pass through the filter material 52 on the bottom side 46 of the filter assembly 24, as illustrated in Figure 5. With this arrangement, fluids from the wearer’s nose and mouth are intercepted by the filter assembly 24, which prevents unfiltered fluids from escaping downwardly from the mask 2. Similarly, any air passing upwardly into the interior 26 of the mask (e.g. when the wearer inhales) may be filtered by the filter assembly 24.

The filter member 52 may comprise any suitable material for filtering airflow so as to capture droplets, aerosols and/or airborne pathogens. For example, the filter material 52 may comprise a melt-blown polymer fibre material (such as melt-blown polypropylene), or a woven material. The filter member 52 may improve comfort for the wearer, for example where the filter member 52 extends over the rear side 48 of the filter assembly 24 which contacts the wearer’s face.

Referring additionally to Figures 6A, 6B and 6C, the body 50 further comprises collapsible portions 60 disposed proximate lateral ends 51 , 53 of the body 50. For clarity, the vent holes in the body 50 are not shown in Figures 6A, 6B 6C. The collapsible portions 60 are disposed proximate the lateral side edges 14, 16 of the face panel 4. The collapsible portions 60 are arranged to collapse as the face panel 4 is curved around and pulled against the wearer’s face, allowing the face panel 4 to be move closer to the wearer’s face. In this way, the face panel 4 is fitted closely to the wearer’s face. Gaps between the lateral side edges 14, 16 and the wearer’s face are reduced, which helps to reduce the amount of fluids escaping (e.g. being vented) at the sides 14, 16 of the face panel 4 and promotes filtering of airflow in and out of the mask interior 26 through the filter assembly 24. Also, with this arrangement, air flow which does pass the side edges 14, 16 is directed rearwardly, away from a direction in which the wearer is facing. In this way, any unfiltered air flow may be directed away from another person with whom the wearer is interacting. Similarly, when the wearer inhales, any air which moves into the interior 26 past the side edges 14, 16 is drawn from behind the wearer’s face, away from a person whom the wearer may be facing. Droplets and aerosols may be captured by the face mask 2, by being deposited on surfaces of the face mask 2. For example, surface deposition of droplets exhaled by the wearer may occur on the inner side 6 of the face panel 4. The face panel may be provided with a hydrophilic coating to enhance surface deposition. Droplets and aerosols may also be captured on surfaces of the filter assembly 24, such as on the filter material 52.

In this embodiment, each collapsible portion 60 comprises a cutout or slot 62 disposed at an end 51 , 53 of the body 50. Each slot 62 is open at the respective end 51 , 53 of the body 50 and extends longitudinally into the body 50 from the respective end 51 , 53. Each slot 62 extends vertically through the body 50 to divide a respective end portion of the body 50 into front and rear parts 64, 66. When the face panel 4 is pulled against the face, the front and rear parts 64, 66 collapse towards one another, as can be seen in Figure 6B and 6C. In this way, a thickness of the body 50 is reduced adjacent the side edges 14, 16 of the face panel 4, so that the face panel 4 can be brought closer to the face.

It will be appreciated that the slots 62 also provide airflow passageways through the body 50. Since the slots 62 are also covered by the filter material 52, airflow through the slots 62 is filtered by the filter material 52. In some embodiments, the slots 62 may not be present, and a thickness of the body 50 (in a direction between the front and rear sides 42, 48 of the filter assembly 24) may be reduced adjacent ends of the body 50.

In this first embodiment, the top edge 10 of the face panel 4 and the support member 22 are arranged to extend below the wearer’s eyes, as can be seen in Figure 1 . In some embodiments, the face panel may extend in front of the eyes, to provide an eye screen or eye shield for protecting the eyes. In such embodiments, the face panel may extend upwardly beyond the support member to provide an eye shield. In some such embodiments, an additional, or alternative conformable support member may be arranged to contact the wearer’s forehead.

Figures 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D show exploded views of variants of the face mask of the first embodiment. These variant face masks are substantially identical to the face mask 2 of the first embodiment described above, except for the body of the filter assembly, which is different in each of the variants of Figures 7A to 7D. In a first variant 2a, shown in Figure 7A, six vent holes 54a are provided, each hole 54a extending through the body 50a between upper and lower sides of the body 50a. The vent holes 54a have a substantially trapezoidal cross section. The vent holes 54a are spaced apart along a length of the body 50a. The vent holes 54a are spaced apart on either side of a middle portion of the body 50a which does not have vent holes.

In a second variant 2b, shown in Figure 7B, the body 50b comprises circular vent holes 54b in the same arrangement as described above in relation to the first embodiment. In addition, a generally rectangular vent hole 54b extends through the body 50b adjacent each end of the body 50b.

In a third variant 2c, shown in Figure 7C, the body 50c comprises eight vent holes 54c spaced apart along the length of the body 50c. The holes 54c are arranged in two groups of four holes 54c, either side of a middle portion of the body 50c without holes. In each group, the three holes 54c nearest the middle portion of the body 50c have a generally parallelogram-shaped cross section. Each hole 54c furthest from the middle portion (adjacent an end of the body) has a generally trapezoidal crosssection.

In a fourth variant 2d, shown in Figure 7D, the body 50d comprises a pair of vent holes in the form of slots 54d disposed either side of a middle portion of the body 50d. Each slot 54d opens at a front side of the body 50d and extends into the body 50d rearwardly from the front side. Each slot 54d extends fully through the body 50d between upper and lower side of the body 50d. Each slot 54d has a generally rectangular cross section. When the mask is assembled, a front side of the slots 54d is closed by the face panel 4d so that the slots 54d and face panel 4d together define vent holes extending through the body 50d.

In the embodiments described above, the body has an elongate, generally cuboidal shape having planar surfaces (prior to the mask being donned). It will be appreciated however that the body (and therefore the filter assembly) may comprise curved surfaces. For example, the filter assembly may be curved upwardly towards the lateral side edges, so that the upper side of the filter assembly has a concave surface. The body need not have a generally square cross section. In some embodiments, the body may have a generally rectangular, circular, semi-circular, triangular, parallelogram-shaped, or trapezoidal cross-section, or substantially any shape suitable for engaging with the face panel and the wearer’s face. It will also be appreciated that the vent holes may be of any suitable shape for providing air flow passageways through the filter assembly. Parts of a face mask according to a second embodiment of the invention are shown in Figures 8 and 9. The face mask is substantially the same as the face mask 2 of the first embodiment, and only differences will be described here. Referring to Figure 8, in this embodiment, the body 150 of the filter assembly 124 comprises upper and lower portions 150a, 150b. Vent hole portions 154a in the upper portion 150a are arranged to align with vent hole portions 154b in the lower portion 150b to provide vent holes 154 which extend through the body 150. A layer of filter material 152 is sandwiched between the upper and lower body portions 150a, 150b. In this way, the filter material 152 intersects or extends across each of the vent holes 154 in order to filter airflow through the vent holes 154.

As shown in Figure 9, filter material 152 is arranged to cover front, rear and lower sides of the body 150. In this way, filter material 152 is attached (e.g. laminated) to external surfaces of the body 150. With this arrangement, airflow is filtered by the sandwiched layer of filter material 152, and by the layer of filter material 152 covering the lower side of the body 150. In some embodiments, part of the filter material may be disposed on the outer side of the face panel so that a lower part of the face panel is disposed between the filter material and the body.

In other embodiments, vent holes or passageways in the body may open at a front side of the filter assembly instead of (or additionally to) opening at the lower side of the filter assembly. In such embodiments (as described further below) vent apertures are provided in the face panel to align with the vent holes. In this way, airflow can pass between the mask interior and outer side of the face panel, through the vent holes and through the vent apertures.

One such embodiment (a third embodiment of a face mask 202 according to the invention) is shown in Figures 10 to 14. Parts of the filter material are omitted from Figures 10 to 12 in order to show the body 250. In this third embodiment, the body 250 comprises a pair of spaced apart vent slots 254. Each vent slot 254 is provided by a chamfered surface 255 which extends between the top side 256 and a front side 257 of the body 250. Each slot extends into the body 250 rearwardly from the front side 257 of the body 250 and downwardly from the top side 256 of the body 250. In this way, each vent slot 254 comprises a sloping surface which faces upwards and forwards, as can be seen in Figures 11 and 12. Figure 12 shows a cross-section through one of the slots 254. Each slot 254 provides an airflow passageway which extends from a top side 244 of the filter assembly 224 to a front side 242 of the filter assembly 224. As can be seen in Figure 10, the face panel 204 comprises a pair of vent apertures 270 adjacent the lower edge 212, which are arranged to align with the vent slots 254. Accordingly, downwards airflow from the interior of the mask is directed forwardly out of the vent apertures 270. The vent apertures 270 are generally rectangular and are spaced apart along the lower edge 212.

A front portion of filter material 252 is arranged to extend across the outer side 208 of the face panel 204 to cover the vent apertures 270, as can be seen in Figures 10, 13 and 14. With this arrangement, airflow through the vent apertures 270 is filtered. The filter material 252 may extend over the lower visual region 217, or the filter material 252 may provide the lower visual region 217. A layer of filter material may also be arranged to extend over the top side of the body, or the body may be fully encapsulated in filter material. In some embodiments, filter material extending across the outer side of the face panel and around parts of the body may help to secure the filter assembly to the face panel.

In this third embodiment, as can be seen in Figures 10 and 11 , the filter assembly 242 comprises a barrier layer 272 which is arranged to cover a lower side 258 of the body 250. The barrier member 272 comprises a sheet of an impervious film material attached to the lower side 258 of the body 250. The barrier layer 272 is flexible in order to conform to the face and to flex or deform with the deformable body 250. The barrier member 272 is arranged to prevent transmission of fluids into or through the body 250. With this arrangement, fluids are prevented from passing between the bottom edge 212 of the face panel 204 and the wearer’s face. A barrier member may be particularly advantageous when the body is formed from a permeable material, such as an open-cell foam material, which otherwise (without the barrier member) may allow fluids to pass into or through the body.

Referring again to Figure 10, the face mask 202 of the third embodiment further comprises a nose member or nose piece 268. The nose member 268 is arranged to be bent to help fit or adjust the mask 202 to the wearer’s face. In this way, gaps between the support member 222 and the face can be minimised or prevented. The nose member 268 preferably comprises a metal strip which can be bent to shape as required. The nose member 268 may be fixed to the outer or inner side 208, 206 of the face panel 204 adjacent the upper edge. With this arrangement, bending the nose member 268 causes a curve or bend in the face panel 204, so that the face panel 204 fits the face more closely. Alternatively, the nose member 268 may be secured to a surface of the support member 222. In this way, bending of the nose member 268 can be used to change the shape of the support member 222 to better fit the wearer’s face. These arrangements help to ensure a close fit of the face mask 202 to the face. The nose member 268 may also help to improve visibility for the wearer, by bringing the top edge 210 of the face panel 204 and/or the front side of the support member 222 closer to the face, and thus away from a forward line of sight of the wearer.

It will be appreciated that the vent apertures 270 in the face panel may be any suitable shape for allowing airflow through the face panel, as can be seen in Figures 15A, 15B, 15C, and 15D which show variants of the third embodiment. Figures 15D and 15E illustrate filter material extending across the outer side of the face panel to cover the vent apertures.

It will be appreciated that, where the vent holes open at the front side of the filter assembly (as in the third embodiment) holes need not be provided in the face panel. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the filter assembly may extend downwardly beyond the bottom edge so that the vent holes open forwardly below the bottom edge. Additionally or alternatively to vent holes, the bottom edge may include cutouts or concave portions arranged to expose parts of the front side of the filter assembly to allow airflow through the front side of the filter assembly.

A face mask 302 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention in shown in Figure 16. In this embodiment, the upper edge 310 of the face panel 304 is curved. This arrangement helps to provide a close fit between the top edge 310 and the wearer’s face. A middle portion 310a of the top edge 310 has a convex curvature with respect to the bottom edge 312. Lateral portions of the top edge between the middle portion and the lateral side edges 314, 316 have a concave curvature with respect to the bottom edge 312. End portions 310c of the top edge 310 proximate the lateral side edges 314, 316 have a concave curvature with respect to the bottom edge 312. Accordingly, the top edge 310 has a generally sinusoidal curvature. In this way, the middle portion 310a is disposed higher than the lateral portions 310b. The middle portion 310a is arranged to extend over the wearer’s nose. The lateral portions 310b are arranged to extend over the wearer’s cheeks. With this arrangement, the top edge 310 is arranged to follow contours of the wearer’s face, to provide a close fit of the face mask 302 to the wearer’s face.

In this fourth embodiment, the support member 322 is curved to extend along and parallel to the upper edge 310. The support member 322 is shaped to match the curvature of the top edge 310. In this way, the support member 322 is arranged to match the shape or contours of the wearer’s face in order to provide a close fit.

With the arrangements described above, the present invention provides a face covering which is arranged to filter airborne pathogens. Droplets and aerosols, which may harbour airborne pathogens, are captured or filtered from airflow into and out of the face covering, for example by surface or particle deposition on surfaces of the face covering and by filtration through a filter assembly. The face covering fits closely to the wearer’s face so that gaps between the side edges of the face covering and the wearer’s face are oriented rearwardly, away from, for example, another person whom the wearer is facing. The filter assembly of also helps to increase breathability for the wearer, and helps to reduce fogging, which improves comfort and allows others to see the wearer’s face clearly.