Apparel with Integrated Reusable Health Protective Face Mask and Methods for Wearing Same

Abstract

In an illustrative embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for retaining a health protecting face mask against a wearer's face including left and right gromets each having an opening mechanism for releasably receiving a strap of a face mask, the gromets each being connected to a band of material for placing against a back of the wearer's head. The band of material may include an upper connecting means and a lower complementary connecting means for wrapping the band of material around an adjustment strap of a baseball style cap and retaining the band of material in place. The gromets may be carabiners with latching mechanisms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for retaining a health protecting face mask against a face of a wearer, the apparatus comprising:
 a left gromet comprising an opening mechanism for releasably receiving a left strap of a face mask;   a right gromet comprising the opening mechanism for releasably receiving a right strap of the face mask; and   a band of material connecting the right gromet and the left gromet;   wherein the apparatus, when placed against a back of a head of a wearer and connected by the left gromet and the right gromet to the left and right straps of the face mask, is configured to maintain the face mask against a face of the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the band of material comprises an upper connecting means and lower complementary connecting means for wrapping the band of material around an adjustment strap of a baseball style cap and retaining the band of material in place around the adjustment strap. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening mechanism is a latch mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the latch mechanism is a locking latch mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the left gromet and the right gromet is a carabiner. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the carabiner is generally “B”-shaped, such that:
 an upper curve of the “B” retains an upper portion of the left or right strap of the face mask; and 
 a lower curve of the “B” retains a lower portion of the left or right strap of the face mask; 
 wherein the upper portion of the left or right face strap is retained in a position above an ear of the wearer, and the lower portion of the left or right face strap is retained in a position below an ear of the wearer.