ROLL NO.

_
PATENT AGENT EXAMINATION, 2022
IUnder Section 126 of the Palents Act, 19701
PAPER II

Tnt E: 02.30 p.m. to 05.30 p.m. (Three IIrs.) Total Marks: 100

I "structions:
I. This paper consists 01"3 parts - Part A (20 marks). Part 13(30 marks) & Part C (50 Marks).
2. All questions in Part A and I3 arc compulsory.
3. Part C comprises Part CI of 20 marks and C2 of 30 marks. Part CI consists of 2 questions and the
candidate is required to answer anyone of them, Part C2 consists 01'2 questions and the candidate is required
to answer anyone of them.
4. Candidates should read the questions v.cry carefully before answering.
5. In case a candidate answers morc questions than required. the first attempted question shall be evaluated.
6. No clarification will be provided during the course of the examination.
7. There is no negative marking.
8. All references to "Act" and "Rules" may be read as The Patents Act, 1970 and The Patent Rules. 2003
respectively, as amended until now and their related applications.
9. Candidate is expected to quote relevant sections and rules as well as prescribed fees and forms in the
ans\vcr.

PART A
4 questious * 5 marks= 20 marks

Q I. Explain the importance of prior art search before filing of patent application and drafting of
specification.

Q2. Suma is a home maker in rural Karnataka. She has a patent for a fish feed formulation. She has
been selling the patented product through e-eommerce platforms and has got very encouraging
feedback from market. Suma has now realized that the addition of 10 % by weight of coconut oil into
the formulation extends disintegration time for fish feed pellets in water. Suma knows that addition of
coconut oil into the fish feed formulations to extcnt disintegration is well known in the art.
Nevertheless, she approaches you seeking means to protect this improved/modified formulation. How
would you advice her'!

Q3. :vtr. Gopi. an applicant from Madya Pradesh, filed a Patent application in his individual capacity
along with the request for Examination. Patent office has issued First examination rcport (FER)
wherein some documents were cited to prove that invention lacks Novelty and Inventive step. Gopi
now realized that many fcatures of the invention wcre not disclosed in the specification at the time of
the original filing. Gopi asked you to incorporate the missing features in the original specification.
(a)Explain to Gopi the procedure to make voluntalY amendments under the Patents Act.
(b) Bricfly discuss whether Gopi can make usc of such provisions for voluntary amendments in
abovc scenario.

Q4. An application was filed with a provisional specification (PS) by a MSME in Ladakh.
Subsequently, the MSME madc further developments to the invention discloscd in the PS contributed
by Bikram. a citizen of Nepa!. whojoincd thc MSME after the provisional had been filed. The MSME
seeks your adviec-
(a) whether improvements can be included in the completc specification'!
(b) if l3ikram can bc mentioned as Inventor while liIing complete specification (eS)'!
 PART B
3 qucstions * 10 marks= 30 marks

Q5. (a) Ujjwal. an enterprenuer and owner of startup "UJWsolar", has developed a cheap solar based
battery. He wishes to have patent for said invention at the earliest. Ujjwal came to know about
expedited examination. Explain the same as per the provisions of the Patents Acts and Rules.
(h) In another patent application Ujjwal has already filed a request for examination. The application
has been awaiting examination for a long time. If he wants that application to be taken for
examination immediately what steps arc required?

Q6. Your schoolmate Gopika is now a final year student at an engineering college at Chennai. She has
invented dust rcpellant coating compo,sition for solar panels. Her engineering college has agreed to
pursue a patent application for the said invention. How will you explain to her the most important
aspects of prosecuting a patent application in India upto grant, with the relevant forms, fees and time
limits?
Q7. CropPro is a pesticide manufacturing company based in South Korea. CropPro developed a
pesticide composition comprising ingredients A and 8 to mitigate carwonn infestation in tomato
plants. Crop Pro identified that when A and B arc used in a ratio of 25-30% and 75-70% respectively.
the pesticide composition not only mitigated worms but also improved the flowering rate. Patent
application was filed with a single c1aim-
"'I. A pesticide composition comprising A and B:'
Patent office has cited a prior publieatkll1 in the first statement of objections (FER) which discloses a
pesticide composition comprising 5- 55 wt%l A and 95-45 \\'1. fYo B for mitigating earworm infestation
in tomato lie Ids.
(a) How will you respond to this FER'?
(h) If the complete speeilieation did n6t have any examples evidencing increase in flowering rate.
how can Crop Pro provide further evidence?

PARTC

I'art C1 consists of 2 qucstions and the candidate is required to answcr any 1 of them. I'art C2
also consists of 2 questions and the candidate is required tn answer any I of them. In case a
candidate answers more questions tha,n required, the Iirst attempted question will he evaluated.

Part C 1

After rcading the specilication:

Q8. Diclofenae (2-(2-[2.6-diehlorophenylamino ]phenyl)aeetie acid) is one of the most widely used
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs dtlC to its marked pharmacological activity. Thioco!chicoside,
also known as 3-demethyl-thioeolehieine glucoside, is a glucoside extracted from the seeds of
Colchicum autumna!e, which possesses a muscle-relaxant. anti-inflammatory. analgesic and
anaesthetic action. The prior art I demonstrates that dielofcnae is a substance which is relatively
unstable in solution. and that the liquid formulations of said substance therefore require the presence
of a stabilising agent. The patent prior art 2diseloses stable aqueous solutions of diclofcnac containing
a mixture of propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol. The chemical stability of said solutions is
obtained bv adding a reducing agent which can be a sulphite, such as sodium bisulphite, cysteine
and/or eys~eine hydrochloride, aeetyicysteine and/or aeetyleysteine hydrochloride, or a thiosulphate.
Their chemical stability is further improved by the presence of lidocaine in addition to the reducing
agent. \Vhen preparing a liquid composition containing diclofenac and thiocolchicoside. the inventors
of the present application have lound that it is necessary to overcome a number of teehnologieaf
difficulties. the most important requirement being to prevent the degradation of one or both of the
active ingredients when formulated in a single unit dose solution. The antioxidant most widely used to

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stabilize diclofenae in liquid solutions is sodium bisulphite. There are numerous fonnulations on the
market containing this antioxidant. Other antioxidants used arc cysteine, acetylcysteine and reduced
glutathione. Thiocolchieoside also presents stability problems in solution. The chemical and physical
compatibility of thioeolchieoside with other injectable medicaments frequently combined with it,
including anti-inllammatories, is described in prior art 3. The authors of the present invention have
found that the addition of thioeolchieoside to a fonnulation containing diclofenae makes the use of the
above-mentioned antioxidants problematic, if not impossible, as their presence in the solution causes
significant degradation of thioeolchicoside and dielofenae under ambient and supra-ambient storage
conditions (40°C). As the number of antioxidants suitable for parenteral/injectable usc is limited, the
impossibility of using said stabilizing agents makes it very complex to obtain formulations which arc
potentially stable under the conditions required by the health authorities when the product is
registered. Tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, also known as butylated hydroxyanisole or BHA, is an
antioxidant widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. It is used in fats and oils, foods
containing fats, essential oils, and food packaging materials. I3HA is a mixture of two isomers: 2-tert-
butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (2-I3HA) and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (3-BHA). The present invention
solves the technical problem of the instability of liquid formulations containing a combination of
dielofenae and thioeolehieoside. Accordingly the composition of the invention contains tert-butyl 4-
hydroxyanisole (I3HA) as antioxidant. Dielofenae is preferably present in the composition as sodium
salt. The composition of the invention can optionally also contain exeipients suitable for
phannaeeutieal usc. such as mannitol and sorbitol, and can also contain a local anacsthetie, such as
lidocaine. The composition according to the invention can also contain solubilising agents, chelating
agents, buffering agents or pH correctors, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, sodium
bicarbonate, tromethamine, mono ethanolamine or other organic bases. In one embodiment of the
invention the composition takes the form of an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of water and
propylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the composition takes the form of an
aqueous solution containing propylene glycol and dielofenac sodium salt. Dielofenae sodium salt is
preferably present in the composition in quantities ranging from 25 to 75 mg per unit dose
administered. Thiocolchicoside can be present in the composition in quantities ranging from I to ) a
mg per unit dose administered. BIlA can be present in the composition in quantities ranging from 0.1
to 1.2 mg per unit dose administered. The exeipients mannitol or sorbitol can be present in the
composition in quantities ranging from 6 to 32 mg per unit dose administered. Propylene glycol can
be present in the composition in quantities ranging from 800 to 2000 mg per dosage unit. In a
preferred embodiment of the invention the composition contains dielofenae sodium salt at the
concentration of 18.75 mg/mL, conesponding to a dosage unit amount of 75 mg, and thioeolchieoside
at the concentration of I mg/mL. corresponding to a dosage unit amount of 4 mg. A further aspect of
the invention relates to the usc of the composition according to the invention for the treatment of
rheumatic or traumatic pain and inllammation of the joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The
composition according to the invention can be administered in dosage unit amounts of 75 mg of
diclofenae sodium and 4 mg ofthioeolchicoside once or twice a day.

OR

Q9. A regular electronic mosquito racket generally comprises a frame body, a grip, and a shaft. The
Irame body holds a charged mesh on the inside. The grip houses a baltery, which is electrically
connected to the charged mesh, and an on/olT switch, which controls electrical connection between
the baltery and the charged mesh. The shan is a hard rod member connected between the frame body
and the grip. When the user presses on the on/off switch, an electric current goes through the charged
'mesh to kill insects that touch the charged mesh. However, because the shan of the aforesaid
electronic mosquito racket is a hard rod member, the speed of the swiping motion of the c1eetronic
mosquito racket is not fast enough. and the operation angle will be limited, so the insects may escape
before touching the charged mesh. Further, when the user swiping the electronic mosquito racket to
kill insects staying on a wall, shocks produced when the frame body touches the wall will be
transmilted to the user's hand. At this time, the shan may be damaged, or the user's hand may feel
uncomfortable. Therefore, this prior art design is not satisfactory in function.
As depicted in the altaehed images, the electronic mosquito racket in accordance with the present
invention comprises a frame body, a grip and a shan. The frame body comprises two open
frames arranged in a stack, and an intemal charged mesh set within the open frames. The grip is a
hollow member for enabling the user to grasp with the hand. The grip houses a power control unit,
which comprises a baltery set (not shown) and an on/off switch (not shown) for control electrical

3
connection between the battery set and the intemal charged mesh of the frame body. The shaft is a
flexible member made out of plastics, rubber, carbon fibers, or any other suitable materials.
According to the present preferred embodimeot, the shaft is molded from plastics, having ooe end
fixedly connected to the frame body and the other end fixedly connected to one end of the grip.
Further, the shaft houses an electric circuit that is electrically connected between the internal charged
mesh and the battery set in the grip. Further, the shaft has a plurality of grooves extending around the
periphery and spaced along the length of the shaft to enhance the flexibility of the shaft.
The mosquito bat when using the electronic mosquito racket to kill insects, hold the grip with the
hand and press on the switch to power the internal charged mesh by electric current, and move the
electronic mosquito racket to hit bugs, flics, mosquitoes, and harmful insects. Because the sbaft is a
flcxible rod member, operate the electronic mosquito racket with a swiping motion causes the shaft to
vibrate, enhancing the swiping speed. Further, the grooves around the periphery of the shaft enhance
the flexibility of the shali. When an insect is staying on a wall, the user must move the electronic
mosquito racket toward the wall. When the open trames of the Irame body touch the wall. the
shali will be curved to absorb shocks, preventing damage to the shaft or potential injury of the hand.

0"

____ :H'

Part C2
A client I11l'ctS you and provides technical information regarding his invention. Draft a complete
specification with at least two claims and a title for anyone of the following descriptions, for
tiling in the Indian I'atent Omee.
While preparing the complete specification, do not redraw the figures. lIowever, you may refer
to the ligures in the specification as Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 etc.
I I X 30 ,\I = 30 marks

Q ((I. PET bottle containers l'or selling beverages such as Iruit juice. tea. and water arc made of
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blow-molded bottles and caps made of polyethylene (PE) or
polypropylene (PP) hy injection molding. The PET bottle body is light, strong and transparent, and is
excellent as a beverage container. The bottle body is filled with a beverage from the mouth at the
upper end. and a lid is screwed into thc threaded mouth of the bottle body to seal the beverage and
keep it ascptic. The PET bottle container containing the bcverage is opened by removing the lid from
the thrcaded mouth of the bottle body, opening the bottle body with the person who drinks the
threaded mouth of the bottle body. tilting the bottle body, and drinking the bottle body beverage to
drink. When the drink is empty, the boule body and lid arc separated and discarded. The discarded
bottle body is crushed, washed. and reused as a raw material. When the beverage is left undrinked. the
plastic bottlc container for the beverage is serewcd into the thrcaded opening of the boule body and
stored. Then. open and drink the remaining beverage.
In prior art. it has been considered to adhere an antibacterial titanium oxide photocatalyst powder to
the mouth of thc bottlc body in order to ,,lake thc remaining bevcrage unhygienic whcn drinking. PET
bottle containers are not hygienie alier opening because the bottlc body and lid do not have
antimicrobial properties. PET bottle containers without antibacterial properties require time-
consuming cleaning after drinking. They, arc not collected after drinking, washed. and reused as PET
bottle containers. Unlike glass bottles of milk, sake or beer, it is not a returnable bottle that can be

4
wash cd and uscd many times. Even at home, it seems that washing a PET bottle container after
drinking and reusing it as a bcverage container is rarely performcd.
In addition, in the PET bottle container, when drinking the remaining beverage, if the elapsed time
after opening is long, various bacteria may be propagated. It is unsanitary. In the PET bottle container
disclosed in prior art, a photocatalyst used as an antibacterial agent does not exhibit an antibacterial
effect unless light having predetermined characteristics is applied. Since the mouth of the bottle body
is covered with an opaque cap-shaped lid, the photocatalyst attached to the mouth of the bottle body is
hardly exposed to light and hardly exerts an antibacterial action. Thc powder of the titanium oxide
photocatalyst attached to the mouth of the bottle body is easy to fall off.
The PET bottle body loses its superiority as a beverage container ifit loses its properties such as being
light, strong and transparent because of its antibacterial properties.
Antibaetcrial molded articles of polyethylene or polypropylene kneaded with silver zeolite powder as
an antibacterial agent arc known. However, there is no known antibacterial molded product of
polyethylene terephthalate into which silver zeolite powder as an antibacterial agent has becn
kneaded. Then, a granular mastcrbatch of polyethylene terephthalatc mixcd with silver zeolitc powdcr
as an antibactcrial agcnt was prcpared, and a bottle body of a blow molded articlc was prcpared using
the granular mastcrbatch as a raw material. Then, it was found that an antibacterial bottle body having
characteristics such as lightness, strongncss, and transparency was obtained.
A PET bottlc container comprising a bottle body of a molded article of polyethylcne tcrcphthalate and
a lid of a synthetic resin moldcd article in a cap shape screwed into a thrcaded opening of the bottlc
body. Thc bottlc body is a molded product ofpolycthylcnc tcrephthalate kneaded with silvcr zcolite as
an antibacterial agent and has antibacterial properties on the inner and outer surfllccs. The lid is a
molded article of a synthctie resin into which silver zcolitc as an antibacterial agent has been kncaded.
and is characterized in that the inner surface and the outer surface have antibacterial properties. The
main body of thc bottlc is a blow molded product made of a granular masterbatch of polyethylcne
tcrcphthalatc mixed with silver' zcolitc powdcr as an antibactcrial agcnt. Thc lid is an injcetion-moldcd
product madc of a granular mastcrbatch of polycthylcnc or polypropylene mixcd with silvcr zcolitc
powder as an antibaetcrial agent. Thc PET bottlc container of thc prcscnt invcntion is sanitary cvcn
aftcr opcning sincc thc bottlc body and the lid have antibactcrial propcrties. It is also hygicnic whcn
drinking leftovcr bcvcragcs. This PET bottlc containcr is casy to c1can aftcr drinking. It can bc
wash cd and rcuscd as a PET bottlc containcr. Unlikc the photocatalyst, silver zcolitc, which is an
antibactcrial agcnt, has antibaetcrial propcrtics cvcn in dark places where light docs not shinc. Thc
mouth of thc bottlc body is antibactcrial evcn whcn eovcrcd with a lid. Furthcr, silvcr zcolitc as an
antibactcrial agcnt is kncadcd into polycthylcnc tcrcphthalatc or a synthetic rcsin. and is hard to fall
off.
As shown in FIG. I, thc PET bottlc containcr includes a bottlc main body I of a blow moldcd product
of polycthylcnc tcrcphthalate and a lid 4 of an injection moldcd product of polycthylcnc or
polypropylcnc. Thc polycthylcnc tcrcphthalate and the polycthylcnc or polypropylene arc each
kncadcd with silvcr zcolite powdcr as an antibactcrial agent. Thc bottlc body I and thc lid 4 have
antibactcrial propcrtics on the inncr surJi,ce, thc outcr surfacc, and the cntirc surJilec, rcspectively.
Thc bottle body I has a body portion 2, a mouth portion 3 formcd at an uppcr cnd of thc body portion
2. and a scrcw formed on an outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 3. The body 2 has a
cylindrical shape with a bottom. and has dimensions suitable for being grasped by hand. The mouth 3
has a cylindrical shape, and has dimensions suitable for being held by the mouth. The bottle body I is
light and strong as a beverage container, and the body 2 having a thin structure is transparent. The lid
4 is formed in a cap shape. and has a screw formed on the ioner peripheral surface. The lid 4 is
screwed into the mouth 3 of the bottle body I and closes the upper end opening of the mouth 3.The
method for manufacturing the bottle body I is to prepare a granular masterbateh of polyethylene
terephthalate mixed with silver zeolite powder as an antibacterial agent. form a preform using the
granular mastcrbatch as a raw material. and divide the preform into two parts. Blow molding using a
mold. The method of manufacturing thc lid 4 is to prcpare a polyethylene or polypropylene granular
masterbatch mixed with silver zeolite powder as an antibacterial agent, and to perfonn injection
molding using the granular mastcrbatch as a raw material. Silver zeolite is an inorganic antibacterial
agent in which silver, an antibacterial metal, is held on a porous synthetic zeolite as a carrier by ion
exchange. The mixing ratio of the silver zeolite powder is 20 to 25% by wcight.
In this PET bottlc container, the bottle body I is filled with the beverage from thc mouth 3, thc lid 4 is
scrcwed into the threaded mouth 3, and the bcverage is scaled and kept in an aseptic statc. When
drinking a bevcrage, the lid 4 is removed from the threadcd mouth 3 and opencd. and the person who
drinks thc threadcd mouth 3 holds thc mouth, tilts the bottlc body I and drinks the beverage in the

5
bollie body I. If there is any drink left, the lid 4 is screwed into the threaded mouth portion 3 to save
the drink. Then. open and drink the remaining beverage. The bollie body I and the lid 4 that have
been emptied after drinking can be washed and reused as a PET bottle eontainer.FIG. I is a
longitudinal sectional end view of a PET bottle container according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS I Bottle main body 2 Bottle main body part 3 Bottle main body
threaded mouth 4 Cap-shaped lid.

, -

2 .-

OR

Q I I. A face mask having a band with car loop attachmcnts as well as drop down support Illr when the
lllask is not being won1. Face masks that cover the nose and mouth of the wcarer to filter air and/or
prevent thc sprcad or gcrms arc well known. Masks take on many forms. including disposable molded
masks that substantially fit' the contour over the bridge of the nose and around the mouth of the
wearer. and flexible masks used for surgery. Masks typically include one or more bands for
attachment around the back of the head to retain the mask over the wearer's nose and mouth. Other
masks provide for an car loop attachment wherein bands extending from the side of the mask loop
around the back of the wearer's cars.
There arc advantages associated with providing a mask that attaches over the wearer's ears rather than
looping around the back of the head. The mask may be easier to don and dofT. In additioo. bands
which exteod around the back of the wearer's head may be less appealing to many wearers because the
bands may become entangled in the wearer's hair or otherwise ruin the wcarer's hair style. '
In addition to providing a mask that is retained by ear loops. it is also known to provide a drop down
band on the mask. A drop down band allows the mask tn be retained around the wearer's neck when
the mask is not being worn over th~ nose and mouth. In this manner. the mask is retained at the
wearer's chest and d~es not need t6 be stored. This provides IlJr quickly accessing the mask to
reposition over the wearer's nose and mouth. The drop down feature also frees the wearer's hands to
perillfln other tasks. If a mask is inconvenient to don and doff or is not readily available and
accessible when not WOIll, the wearer is less likcly to put the mask on. creating health hazards.
The present invention is directed to a face mask that covers tbe nose and mouth of the wearer and that
has an car loop support and a drop down band. Masks that cover the nose and mouth of the wearer and
usc a band for retaining the Illask over the nose and mouth arc well known. The masks may be
molded. made of a flexible fabric. or usc other configurations for filling over the nose and mouth that
require a retaining band. The present invention utilizes a band that is configured for extending around
the ears of the wearer to support the mask against the wearer's face over the nose and mouth.
The band attaches at each side or the mask near either the upper or the lower portion. An orifice or
other retainer guide that provides for slidably retaining the band is located at each side of the mask
and in spaced apart relationship to an attachment point for each end or the band. The band may be
continuous around the back of the neck or separate sections may tic or clip together. This
configuration provides for four attachment points and comfortable and secure positioning of the mask
against the l"ee of the wearer. The band preferably includes an elastic end portion or may be entirely
made of elastic materia!' The band fits around the back of the cars of the wearer to retain the mask in
position and provides for adjusting to 'a variety of sizes. When not WOIll. the band extends around the
back of the neck of the wearer and retains the mask in an accessible position at the front of the wearer.
FIG. I shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a mask according to the principles of the
present invention being wom~

6
 FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the mask shown in FIG. I having an altemate band mounting
configuration dropped down and supported around the neck of a wearer;
FIG. 3 shows a front elevational view of a second embodinlent of a mask according to the principles
of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a front elevational view of the mask shown in FIG. I; and,
FIG. 5 shows a front elevational view of the mask shown in FIG. 2 having the alternate band
mounting configuration.
As shown in FIG. I, a mask 10 includes a cup-like mask body 12 typically made of fibrous filter
material and molded to fit over the mouth and nose of a wearer, generally following the contour of the
wearer's face. The mask body 12 includes an upper portion 16 and a lower portion 18 as well as side
portions 20, as shown more clearly in FIG. 4. A nose clip 22 is utilized to provide additional forming
over the bridge of the wearer's nose. Fabric-type fibrous filtering material of the mask body 12
removes particulates from the air. providing a breathable air supply.
As shown in FIG. I, a band 24 attaches at an upper point by means of staple or other fastener 34 and
loops around the car of the wearer. After looping around the car, the band 24 extends to the front of
the mask 10 through a lower orifice 32 or other band guide in the mask body 12 and extends around
the back of the neck of the wearer. It can be appreciated that the band 24 should be sized for the
wearer or may be adjustable or should include at least some clastic material to provide a snug fit. In
the preferred embodiment, at least the end portions 26 extending between the upper fastener 34 and
the lower orifice 32 has elasticity. This elasticity of the band 24 also provides sufficient flexibility to
tit a range of head sizes .
•
As shown in FIGS .. 4 and 5. it can bc appreciated that there arc multiple mounting configurations
possible with the present invention that provide an car loop attachment and a drop down band. In the
-. embodiment shown in FIGS. I and 4. the band 24 is fixedly attached by staples 34 or other well
known fastening devices at the sides 20 ncar the upper portion 16 of the mask body 12. The band 24
extends through the orifices 32 at the sides 20 spaced apart from the staples 34 and near the lower
edge 18. The band 24 extends around the back of the neck of the wearer and the mask 10 as shown in
FIG. I. The band 24 may be a continuous clement or have two sections that may be clipped. tied or
otherwise releasably fastened around the back of the neck. The band may also have a slidable length
adjustment.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5. the band 24 can also be mounted in a reversed orientation using fasteners
such as staples 36 ncar the lower portion 18. Ori fices 30 or other guides arc positioned at the sides 20
near the upper portion 16 of the mask body 12 in spaced apart relationship to the lower lasteners 36.
With this conliguration, the band 24 f'lStens ncar the lower portion 18 and extends up through the
orifices 30 near the upper portion 16. With this mounting configuration, the band 24 extends from the
lower fastener 36 around the cars and through the upper orilice 30 when worn. When not worn over
the nose and mouth, the band 24 extends around the neck of the wearer from the upper portion of the
mask body 12 so that the drop down retention feature is maintained.
Referring now to FIG. 2, when not WOI11 over the nose and mouth. the mask lOis supported by the
band 24 extending around the back of the neck of the wearer. The band 24 shown in FIG. 2 includes
two sections joined by a clip or other fastener 38 at the back of the neck. The mask body 12 generally
falls onto the chest of the wearer so that the mask lOis retained, thereby Ii'eeing the hands of the
wearcr. Depcnding on thc band configuration, the mask body 12 may also flip over on the wearer's
chest with the upper portion 16 extending downward, rather, than the position shown in FIG. 2.
As explained above. it can be appreciated that the mounting configurations of the band 24 can also be
used with other types of masks, such as surgical masks 50, shown in FIG. 3. The mask 50 includes a
flexible mask body52, typically made of a fabric, for covering the nose and mouth of the wearer. The
mask body includes a top edge 54, a bottom edge 56, and sides 58. A band 60 extends from the upper
comers of the mask body 52 and extends down through loops 66 at the sides 58 along the bottom edge
56. The band 60 includes an end clastic portion 62 in the preferred embodiment. It can be appreciated
that the band 60 extends from attachment point 64 over the cars of the wearer when worn and then
through the loop 66 and around the back of the neck of the wearer similar to the arrangement shown
in FIG. I. It can also be appreciated that the mask 50 can be reversed with the end attachment points
64 located along the bottom edge and the loops 66 positioned ncar the top of the mask 60 when worn.
The ear loop and drop down configurations of the band 60 arc similar to those shown in FIG. I.

7
FIG. I

,.
I '" 22

,
28

20
52

FIG. 4

2.

.2

FIG. 5
Ie "0
•

********

I
1