Window Face Mask

thingiverse

Not being able to see someone's mouth while wearing a mask is a significant problem for people with any kind of hearing loss, and it can be frustrating for the rest of us who like to read facial expressions. A face mask that has a large window allowing your smile to shine through solves this issue effectively. The secret behind this design is the thick, open-cell polyurethane foam gasket that serves as both a sealant to prevent air leaks and a filter medium. The transparent window can be made from almost any stiff plastic film; I used laser printer transparency film for mine. The foam keeps the window away from your face, preventing your lips from touching it. So how well does this mask work? On the plus side, all forward expelled droplets are completely blocked by the film, and the foam effectively seals up all leaks at the edges. However, on the minus side, the foam itself probably doesn't filter quite as effectively as a multilayered cloth mask. To make this mask, you'll need to print both the frame and at least one copy of the template. The model can be scaled in X and/or Y by up to +/- 20% to fit different faces, although the foam gasket will accommodate various face shapes. Make sure to scale the template by the same amount you've scaled the frame. Here are the parts you'll need: * One piece of polyurethane foam that's 22mm thick, 28mm tall, and 365mm long * One piece of clear film (approximately 150mm x 180mm) * Two pieces of string or thin elastic that are each 400mm long * One printed frame You can cut the foam using scissors, a knife, or a razor. If you're making multiple masks, cutting the foam on a bandsaw is the way to go. To assemble the mask: 1. Tie your string or elastic through the holes in the side tabs. You can use ear-loop style straps or dual straps that go behind your neck and over your head for a more secure fit. 2. Use the template to trace an outline on your clear film and cut it out with scissors. Place the film into the frame, which gets held in place by the foam pretty well. However, you could use a couple of drops of superglue around the perimeter to hold it in place if you don't think you'll need to replace the film. 3. To install the foam, start by putting one end of the foam into the frame where your nose goes and then bend it around inside the frame until the other end abuts the first. The foam should fit snugly but not bunchy. I recommend starting with the foam a little long and then cutting off any excess if it is too bunchy. 4. As you can see in the third photo, I used scissors to cut away a little bit of the foam where my nose goes so that the mask fits snugly without having to crank down on the straps. I also cut away the foam edge underneath my eyes to improve visibility a bit.