초록 ▼

A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask. The valve can include a flap, and a valve seat. The flap can be cantilevered and can flex away from a seal surface of the valve seat to an open position. The valve can further include a housing that at least partially covers the valve seat a

A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask. The valve can include a flap, and a valve seat. The flap can be cantilevered and can flex away from a seal surface of the valve seat to an open position. The valve can further include a housing that at least partially covers the valve seat and the flap. In some embodiments, the height of the housing is no greater than about 1.25 cm, while the distance between the flap and the seal surface when the flap is in the open position is at least 0.35 cm. A projection can be coupled to an inner surface of the housing, and the height of the projection can generally decrease toward the front of the housing. In some embodiments, the projection can have a profile that substantially follows the profile of the flap when the flap is in the open position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask, the unidirectional valve positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, the unidirectional valve comprising: a valve seat comprising a seal surface and an aperture positioned to provide fluid c

1. A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask, the unidirectional valve positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, the unidirectional valve comprising: a valve seat comprising a seal surface and an aperture positioned to provide fluid communication between the first gas space and the second gas space; anda flap, the flap being flexible and coupled to the valve seat such that the flap makes contact with the seal surface when the flap is in a closed position and such that the flap can flex away from the seal surface to an open position, wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are not in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the open position, the flap having a fixed end and a free end;a housing positioned to at least partially cover the valve seat and the flap, wherein the housing has a front and a rear, the front of the housing being proximate the free end of the flap and the rear of the housing being proximate the fixed end of the flap; anda projection coupled to an inner surface of the housing and positioned to project inwardly from the inner surface, the projection having a height, the height generally decreasing toward the front of the housing. 2. A filtering face mask comprising: a mask body having an interior gas space;the unidirectional valve of claim 1 positioned in fluid communication with the interior gas space of the mask body and an exterior gas space. 3. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the flap is cantilevered with respect to the seal surface. 4. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a projected height of no greater than about 1.5 cm. 5. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a projected height of about 1.25 cm. 6. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a projected area of no greater than about 16 cm2. 7. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a projected volume of no greater than about 25 cm3. 8. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a projected volume of about 19.1 cm3. 9. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has an integrated valve actuation power of at least one of: no greater than about 80 mW at a flow rate of no greater than 85 dm3/min, andno greater than about 20 mW at a flow rate of no greater than 40 dm3/min. 10. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a leak rate of no greater than about 0.100 cubic centimeters per second (cc/sec). 11. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the unidirectional valve has a volume-power-leak rate product of at least one of: no greater than about 130 mW*cc2/sec at a flow rate of no greater than 85 dm3/min; andno greater than about 30 mW*cc2/sec at a flow rate of no greater than 40 dm3/min. 12. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the free end of the flap is free to move away from the seal surface of the valve seat. 13. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the projection includes a front end positioned toward the front end of the housing, and wherein the height of the projection at the front end is no greater than about 2.5 mm. 14. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the distance between the flap and the seal surface when the flap is in the open position is at least about 0.35 cm. 15. The unidirectional valve of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the height at a front of the projection to a maximum height of the projection is no greater than about 0.4. 16. A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask, the unidirectional valve positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, the unidirectional valve comprising: a valve seat comprising a seal surface and an aperture positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, anda flap, the flap being flexible and coupled to the valve seat such that the flap makes contact with the seal surface when the flap is in a closed position and such that the flap can flex away from the seal surface to an open position, wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are not in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the open position;a housing positioned to at least partially cover the valve seat and flap; anda projection coupled to an inner surface of the housing and positioned to project inwardly from the inner surface, the projection having a distal surface, the distal surface having a profile that substantially follows the profile of the flap when the flap is in the open position. 17. The unidirectional valve of claim 16, wherein the flap includes a free end and a fixed end, and wherein the housing has a front and a rear, the front of the housing being proximate the free end of the flap and the rear of the housing being proximate the fixed end of the flap, wherein the projection includes a front end positioned toward the front end of the housing, and wherein the height of the projection at the front end is no greater than about 2.5 mm. 18. A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask, the unidirectional valve positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, the unidirectional valve comprising: a valve seat comprising a seal surface and an aperture positioned to provide fluid communication between the first gas space and the second gas space; anda flap, the flap being flexible and coupled to the valve seat such that the flap makes contact with the seal surface when the flap is in a closed position and such that the flap can flex away from the seal surface to an open position, wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are not in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the open position, the flap having a fixed end and a free end;a housing positioned to at least partially cover the valve seat and flap;wherein the unidirectional valve has a volume-power-leak rate product of at least one of: no greater than about 150 mW*cc2/sec at a flow rate of no greater than 85 dm3/min, andno greater than about 35 mW*cc2/sec at a flow rate of no greater than 40 dm3/min. 19. A unidirectional valve for use with a filtering face mask, the unidirectional valve positioned to provide fluid communication between a first gas space and a second gas space, the unidirectional valve comprising: a valve seat comprising a seal surface and an aperture positioned to provide fluid communication between the first gas space and the second gas space; anda flap, the flap being flexible and coupled to the valve seat such that the flap makes contact with the seal surface when the flap is in a closed position and such that the flap can flex away from the seal surface to an open position, wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are not in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the closed position, and wherein the first gas space and the second gas space are in fluid communication via the aperture when the flap is in the open position, the flap having a fixed end and a free end; anda housing positioned to at least partially cover the valve seat and the flap, the height of the housing being no greater than about 1.25 cm;wherein the distance between the flap and the seal surface at the free end of the flap when the flap is in the open position is at least 0.35 cm. 20. The unidirectional valve of claim 19, further comprising a projection coupled to an inner surface of the housing and positioned to project inwardly from the inner surface, the projection having a height, the height generally decreasing toward the front of the housing. 21. The unidirectional valve of claim 19, further comprising a projection coupled to an inner surface of the housing and positioned to project inwardly from the inner surface, the projection having a distal surface, the distal surface having a profile that substantially follows the profile of the flap when the flap is in the open position.