Face covering

Abstract

A face covering having a front panel and a back panel, each of a first fabric, wherein at least one of the panels is joined to second fabric sandwiched between the panel portions of the first fabric. At least one gathering is within a portion of the back panel. The gathering extends along a height of the back panel. The gathering is offset from the center of a length of the back panel.

1 . A face covering device, comprising:
 a front panel forming a front plurality of horizontal pleats that enable the face covering device to increase in a vertical dimension to cover a mouth and nose of a person;   a rear panel having a left side and a right side defined by a vertical centerline, the rear panel joined to a periphery of the front panel and being formed such that:   the left side forms a left plurality of horizontal pleats and the right side forms a right plurality of horizontal pleats, the left and right side plurality of horizontal pleats being distinct from the front plurality of horizontal pleats and orientated in a direction opposite the front plurality of horizontal pleats;   first vertical stitching on a right half of the left side extends parallel to a vertical centerline at least half of a height of the rear panel measured at the centerline, the rear panel being unpleated at the first vertical stitching, wherein the first vertical stitching is disconnected from the front panel;   second vertical stitching on a left half of the right side extends parallel to the vertical centerline at least half the height of the rear panel measured at the centerline, the rear panel being unpleated at the second vertical stitching, the second vertical stitching is disconnected from the front panel; and   a pair of straps oriented on opposite sides of the face covering device.   
     
     
         2 . The face covering device of  claim 1 , wherein the first vertical stitching or second vertical stitching is formed by a portion of fabric of the rear panel being gathered and joined to itself, the portion within the height of the rear panel. 
     
     
         3 . The face covering of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of fabric is a dart with two ends, the dart tapering at a top end and a bottom end. 
     
     
         4 . The face covering of  claim 2 , wherein a top end of the portion is within a rear pleat along a length of the rear panel. 
     
     
         5 . The face covering of  claim 2 , wherein a bottom end of the portion is within a rear pleat along a length of the rear panel. 
     
     
         6 . The face covering of  claim 1 , wherein one of the pair of straps is joined to the rear panel at a top corner of a side of the rear panel and at a bottom corner of the side of the front panel. 
     
     
         7 . The face covering of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises at least one front pleat folded along a length of the front panel, the at least one front pleat being orientated in an opposing direction to the left plurality of horizontal pleats and the right plurality of horizontal pleats of the rear panel. 
     
     
         8 . A face covering device, comprising:
 a front panel; and   a back panel to be oriented toward the face of a person, the back panel connected to the front panel, the back panel comprising:
 a plurality of horizontal pleats originating at left and right vertical edges of the back panel, wherein the plurality of horizontal pleats, when the face covering device is laid flat, have respective overlaps that decrease as the pleats extend away from the side edge toward a vertical centerline of the face covering device; 
 a first vertical stitching on a right half of the back panel extending through an unpleated portion of the back panel and securing a tuck of the back panel to itself, disconnected from the front panel; 
 a second vertical stitching on a left half of the panel extending through an unpleated portion of the back panel and securing a tuck of the back panel to itself, disconnected from the front panel; 
 the first vertical stitching or the second vertical stitching forming a dart at the secured tuck, wherein a portion of fabric of the panel is gathered and joined to itself, the portion within the height of the rear panel, the dart tapering at a top end and a bottom end. 
   
     
     
         9 . The face covering device of  claim 8 , wherein twin darts are formed by a hidden stitch extending vertically within a portion of a height of the panel. 
     
     
         10 . The face covering device of  claim 9 , wherein an individual dart of the twin darts is formed by a portion of the panel being gathered and joined to itself, the individual dart tapered at either a top end or a bottom end. 
     
     
         11 . The face covering device of  claim 8 , wherein the face covering device further comprises a strap, the strap joined at a top corner of a side of the panel and joined at a bottom corner of the side of the panel. 
     
     
         12 . The face covering of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the horizontally extending pleats is orientated toward a bottom edge of the face covering device. 
     
     
         13 . The face covering of  claim 8 , wherein the face covering device further comprises a strap joined to one side of the panel, a length of the strap adjustable by a slideable bead. 
     
     
         14 . A face covering, comprising:
 a front panel; and   a back panel connected to the front panel and constructed to be oriented to the face of a person wearing the face covering, the back panel comprising a plurality of horizontal pleats originating at left and right vertical edges of the back panel and a set of vertical stitches disconnected from the front panel and positioned to be over a mouth of the person when the person wears the face covering, wherein the back panel is unpleated at a central location of the back panel encompassing the vertical stitches securing a tuck of the back panel to itself.   
     
     
         15 . The face covering of  claim 14 , wherein the set of stitches is formed by a portion of the back panel being gathered and joined to itself, the portion within a height of the back panel. 
     
     
         16 . The face covering of  claim 15 , wherein the set of stitches extends closer to a top edge of the back panel than to a bottom edge of the back panel. 
     
     
         17 . The face covering of  claim 14 , wherein a periphery of the front panel matches contours of the back panel. 
     
     
         18 . The face covering of  claim 14 , wherein the face covering further comprises a strap, the strap joined at a top corner of a side of the front panel and joined at a bottom corner of the side of the front panel. 
     
     
         19 . The face covering of  claim 14 , wherein the front panel comprises at least one front pleat along a length of the front panel. 
     
     
         20 . The face covering of  claim 19 , wherein the back panel comprises at least one back pleat along the length of the back panel, the at least one back pleat being orientated in an opposing direction to the at least one front pleat.