Face shield devices and methods

Abstract

Disclosed are improved face shields that comprise a piece of flexible, liquid-impervious, transparent film that has adhered thereto an elongate strip of a liquid-absorbent material. The face shield is adapted to be held in place between the worker's forehead and the rim of a hat, for example, a baseball cap, painter's hat or surgical hat. When in place, the liquid-absorbent material contacts the forehead of the worker and helps to hold the face shield in place. In addition, the flexible liquid-absorbing member absorbs perspiration coming from the worker's forehead. The face shield cantilevers in a self-supporting manner outward and downward from the rim of the hat thereby protecting the worker's face from deposits of airborne liquid (e.g., airborne liquid such as paint, texture spray, or bodily fluids) or from airborne particulate (e.g., sanding dust). Together with the hat, the face shield of the invention provides protection for both the top of the head and the face of the worker.

1 . A face shield adapted to be held in place by pressure exerted between the forehead of a person and the rim of a hat that the person is wearing, said face shield comprising:
 a flexible, transparent, liquid-impervious film having an upper edge, a lower edge, and two side edges; and   a flexible liquid-absorbing member that is affixed to a surface of said film proximate said upper edge;   wherein the face shield is sufficiently flexible to conform to the forehead of a person when the upper edge of the film is inserted between the rim of what and the person's forehead with the flexible liquid-absorbing member contacting the person's forehead;   and wherein the film is sufficiently rigid when inserted between the rim of a hat and the person's forehead so that the film cantilevers in a self-supporting manner over at least a portion of the person's face.   
   
   
       2 . A face shield comprising:
 a flexible, transparent, liquid-impervious film having an upper edge, a lower edge, and two side edges;   a flexible liquid-absorbing member attached to the film proximate to the upper edge; and   an elastic band attached to the film proximate to the upper edge; wherein the elastic band forms a loop for mounting the face shield around a person's forehead.   
   
   
       3 . The face shield of  claim 2 , wherein the elastic band is made of elastic cloth or stretch bonded laminate. 
   
   
       4 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises polyester, polyolefin, polyurethane, acrylic, or acetate. 
   
   
       5 . The face shield  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises polyester. 
   
   
       6 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the film comprises polyester having a thickness ranging from about 1 to about 10 mils. 
   
   
       7 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member comprises a woven cloth or a nonwoven cloth. 
   
   
       8 . The face shield of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member further comprises a super-absorbent polymer. 
   
   
       9 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member is attached to the film with an adhesive, tape, or stitching. 
   
   
       10 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of film is rectangular. 
   
   
       11 . The face shield of  claim 10 , wherein the piece of film has a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 12 inches and a width ranging from about 4 inches to about 10 inches. 
   
   
       12 . The face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible, transparent, liquid impervious film comprises a plurality of sheets of film that are releasably attached to one another. 
   
   
       13 . The face shield of  claim 12 , wherein the film comprises 2 to 10 sheets that are releasably attached to one another. 
   
   
       14 . The face shield of  claim 12 , wherein the sheets are releasably attached using an adhesive or ultrasonic welding. 
   
   
       15 . A method of protecting a person's face from airborne liquids or airborne solid particulate, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a face shield according to  claim 1 ;   (b) providing a hat having a rim that can be sized to snugly fit a person's head; and   (c) positioning the upper edge of the face shield between the rim of the hat and the person's forehead so that the face shield is frictionally held therebetween and cantilevers in a self-supporting manner over at least a portion of the person's face.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises polyester, polyolefin, polyurethane, acrylic, or acetate. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises polyester. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises polyester having a thickness ranging from about 1 to about 10 mils. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member comprises a woven cloth or a nonwoven cloth. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member further comprises a super-absorbent polymer. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible liquid-absorbing member is attached to the film with an adhesive, tape, or stitching. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the piece of film is rectangular. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the piece of film has a length ranging from about 8 inches to about 12 inches and a width ranging from about 4 inches to about 10 inches. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible, transparent, liquid impervious film comprises a plurality of sheets of film that are releasably attached to one another. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises 2 to 10 sheets that are releasably attached to one another. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the sheets are releasably attached using an adhesive or ultrasonic welding.