VENTILATED COOLING AND PROTECTIVE FACIAL SHIELD

Abstract

 Ventilated cooling and protective facial shield (10) comprising a facial peripheral ring (13) surrounding a facial opening (14), a transparent shield (11) covering the facial opening (14), a facial peripheral connector (12) air-tightly attaching the transparent shield to the facial peripheral ring around the facial opening, a facial shield support (20) including an adjustment device (21) to tighten the facial shield support around a user's head, pulling the facial peripheral ring (13) against the head of the user, and an air inlet (A1) connectable to an air supply to insufflate air into the protective facial shield and an air outlet (A2), wherein the transparent shield (11) includes an annular track (11a) formed therein as an integral part thereof made of the same material, the facial peripheral connector being attached and retained to said annular track through an annular coupling configuration (12a) complementary to said annular track and tightly fitted thereto.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention is directed to a ventilated cooling and protective facial shield intended to cover at least the face of a user.

[0002] Said protective facial shield being connected to an air supply which supplies air to a facial inner space comprised between the facial shield and the face of the user, introducing breathable air therein free of environmental hazards, helping the user to evacuate heat by breathing fresh air, producing a cooling effect on its face by providing a fresh air flow, and also preventing the creation of fog in the protective facial shield.

[0003] This equipment can be used to protect a user from environmental hazards such toxics, infections, air suspended particles, etc, and is especially suited for hospital environments.

State of the Art

[0004] The use of ventilated cooling and protective facial shields for protection against environmental hazards is already known. Those already known products include a facial shield, with a transparent shield, connected to an air supply to provide a fresh and clean air flow for breathing and also for cooling.

[0005] On those documents the transparent shield use to have a simple curvature (cylindric portion or zero gaussian curvature) which does not adapt properly to the head shape, making difficult to seal the facial shield around the user's face. That's why those products usually include a helmet or a bulky frame connected to the perimeter of the transparent shield to adapt the transparent shield to the shape of the user's head, or alternatively cover the entire head of the user with an opaque air impermeable textile connected to the transparent shield perimeter, covering the user's head and typically producing a sealing around the user's neck or being connected to a protective garment covering other body parts, resulting in unaesthetical and uncomfortable bulky products, with many different parts and therefore expensive.

[0006] Documents WO2009064555A1 and WO2017074954A1 are examples of the above described products.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to provide a facial shield very light, affordable, with few parts and providing a close fitting around the user's face.

Brief description of the invention

[0008] The present invention is directed towards a ventilated cooling and protective facial shield which comprises, in a manner already known in the available state of the art, the following features:

• a facial peripheral ring surrounding a facial opening;
• a transparent shield covering the facial opening and made of rigid or semi-rigid, fluid impermeable and transparent material;
• a facial peripheral connector, made of a fluid impermeable or semi-impermeable material, air-tightly attaching the transparent shield to the facial peripheral ring around the facial opening;
• a facial shield support including an adjustment device to tighten the facial shield support around a head of a user, pulling the facial peripheral ring against the head of the user;
• an air inlet connectable to an air supply to insufflate air into the protective facial shield and an air outlet including one or more air pressure relieve valves.

[0009] An air impermeable material completely prevents the pass of air therethrough, and an air semi-impermeable material mostly prevents the pass of air therethrough when the pressure difference between both sides is less than 10%, only permitting negligible passage of air.

[0010] According to that, the ventilated protective facial shield includes a transparent shield air-tightly connected to a facial peripheral ring intended to be placed around a user's face through a facial peripheral connector.

[0011] The facial peripheral ring surrounds a facial opening where the user's face is placed when the user wears the ventilated protective facial shield, creating a facial inner space defined between the transparent shield and the user's face and surrounded by the facial peripheral connector and the facial peripheral ring.

[0012] The facial shield support is intended to be placed around the head of a user and include an adjustment device which allows the tight adjustment of said facial shield support around the head of the user. The ventilated protective facial shield is supported on said facial shield support, so that the adjustment of the facial shield support pulls the facial peripheral ring against a peripheral region of the face of the user.

[0013] The facial shield support will be preferably connected to symmetric positions of the transparent shield, the facial peripheral connector, or the facial peripheral ring, preferably at mostly regular intervals. Said facial shield support can be a harness connected to two, three, four, five or even six separated and mostly equidistant positions.

[0014] The adjustment device of the facial shield support can be, for example, a buckle, a ladder lock buckle and/or at least a portion of the facial shield support being elastic.

[0015] The ventilated protective facial shield further comprises an air inlet connectable to an air supply to insufflate air within said inner space and an air outlet, comprising one or more air pressure relieve valves, to exhaust the air contained within said inner space when the pressure therein reaches certain predetermined pressure, said pressure being reached when the user exhales air into said inner space.

[0016] The air insufflated into the inner space provides fresh breathable air, produces a cooling effect and prevents fogging of the transparent shield.

[0017] The ventilated protective facial shield protects from environment hazards and also prevents the free dispersion of suspended micro droplets of saliva from the facial shield user, which could potentially contain pathogens, released by speaking, breathing, coughing, or sneezing.

[0018] Said air supply can obtain the insufflated air from a clean air source or can include an air filter to filter the insufflated air to increase the protection of the user.

[0019] The air supply provides a pressurized air flow and can be, for example, an air pump, an air fan, or a compressed air deposit.

[0020] The air outlet can also include an air filter to improve the prevention of micro droplets dispersion.

[0021] The present invention further comprises the following features, which are not known from the available state of the art.

[0022] The transparent shield includes an annular track formed therein as an integral part thereof made of the same material. The facial peripheral connector will be attached and retained to said annular track through an annular coupling configuration complementary to said annular track and tightly fitted thereto.

[0023] According to that, the transparent shield is shaped to define said annular track where the facial peripheral connector is air-tightly coupled.

[0024] It should be understood that the annular track is an elongated configuration, defined on the material constitutive of the transparent shield, with a cross section of a constant shape and size. According to that, the annular track can be defined as a groove or as a protruding rail with a cross section of a constant size and shape.

[0025] The facial peripheral connector includes an annular coupling configuration which is complementary to the annular track to provide an air-tight attachment therewith when coupled.

[0026] It should be understood that the annular coupling configuration is an elongated configuration with a cross section of a constant shape and size, being said shape and size complementary to the shape and size of the annular track cross section.

[0027] When the annular track is a groove, the annular coupling configuration is adapted to be tightly inserted within said groove. When the annular track is a protruding rail, the annular coupling configuration will include a groove where said protruding rail can be tightly inserted providing attachment.

[0028] Preferably the attachment between the annular track and the annular coupling configuration prevents the uncoupling in a direction perpendicular to the transparent shield or requires a certain intentional releasing force above a certain threshold of accidental forces to produce an uncoupling in said perpendicular direction, for example a force above 1 kg.

[0029] Preferably the transparent shield is approximately half an eggshell in shape, it is to say that its outer surface is defined by a positive gaussian curvature and its inner surface by a negative gaussian curvature. This shape makes the transparent shield closer to the user's face perimeter, reducing the separation to be covered by the facial peripheral connector, which reduces its cost, weight and aesthetical impact.

[0030] Preferably the annular track is defined in an inner side of the transparent shield facing the facial opening. In that manner the perimeter of the transparent shield is not connected to other elements making easier its cleaning and allowing for a projection of the transparent shield beyond the annular track, producing a frame free transparent shield.

[0031] The attachment of the facial peripheral connector to the annular track is an adhesive free attachment. The annular coupling configuration can be coupled to the annular track by sliding the annular coupling configuration from an access point or interruption of the annular track where said annular track is interrupted, or can be attached by a snap fit, producing an elastic deformation of the elements to be coupled by pressing.

[0032] According an embodiment of the present invention the annular track can be a protruding rail defined by a longitudinal protrusion of the transparent shield with a longitudinal bulging end, in which case the annular coupling configuration include a longitudinal groove intended to accommodate in its interior said protruding rail, surrounding and retaining the bulging end. Alternatively, the annular track can be a longitudinal groove with an access slit narrower than the longitudinal groove, in which case the annular coupling configuration is inserted in the longitudinal groove through the access slit and include a longitudinal bulging end contained and retained in the groove.

[0033] Preferably the facial shield support is connected to the facial peripheral ring or to the facial peripheral connector, the transparent shield being supported only on said facial peripheral ring through the facial peripheral connector. Because no pulling forces are transmitted through the transparent shield, it can be very thin, light and therefore affordable, its weight being only supported through the facial peripheral connector. Because the reduced weight of the transparent shield said facial peripheral connector can be made of a flexible material or textile material and at the same time able to support the transparent shield weight.

[0034] The facial peripheral connector can further include a releasable seal allowing the separation of the transparent shield from the facial peripheral ring.

[0035] Said releasable seal can be, for example, a seal selected among a zipper seal, a magnetic seal, a Velcro seal or a snap fit seal, allowing the separation of the transparent shield from the facial shield support or from the protective garment. This could be helpful to allow the user to rest for a moment, clean the face or the inner side of the transparent shield, take a drink or blow his nose.

[0036] It is also proposed to include the air outlet and/or the air inlet in the facial peripheral connector.

[0037] The facial peripheral ring may include an annular soft and pliable seal made of a fluid impermeable material, intended to seal the facial peripheral ring against the head of the user. In that case the facial peripheral connector or the transparent shield shall include the air inlet and the air outlet.

[0038] An inner side of the facial peripheral ring, facing the interior of the hood portion, include spacers, which could be discrete protruding spacers or an annular open mesh spacer intended to keep an air-permeable gap between the facial peripheral ring and the head of the user, preventing the air-tight sealing between the facial peripheral ring and the user's head, allowing a circulation of an air flow therethrough.

[0039] In that case, said air-permeable gap can be considered the air outlet. Maintaining an overpressure in the facial inner space defined within the facial shield will prevent sufficiently the entrance of ambient air through said air-permeable gap in low risk environments. According to an alternative embodiment, the facial peripheral ring including said spacers is air-tightly connected to a hood of a protective garment made of fluid impermeable or semi-impermeable material. In that case, air-permeable gap will be the air outlet of the facial shield, feeding an air flow into the hood of the protective garment, cooling the user's head, or will be the air inlet of the facial shield feeding the facial shield with an air flow from the interior of the protective garment through said air-permeable gap, being said air flow provided by an air supply connected to the protective garment.

[0040] The transparent shield can extend beyond the annular track on two lateral sides defining ear covers. The transparent shield can also extend beyond the annular track on the upper region thereof defining an upper support intended to be vertically supported on a top area of the user head directly or through an intermediate padding element attached to an inner side of the upper support facing the user's head.

[0041] Alternatively, said ear covers can be covers independent from the transparent shield and supported on the facial shield support.

[0042] The transparent shield can be made of a plastic sheet.

[0043] According to an embodiment, said plastic sheet will be a thermoformed plastic sheet, such as a sheet of transparent Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in which case the annular track will be formed by bends of said plastic sheet.

[0044] Alternatively, the transparent shield is made of a molded plastic, such as transparent polycarbonate, in which case the annular track will be molded on said plastic.

[0045] The transparent shield can further include, on at least one of its surfaces, at least one of the following:

• an anti-scratch treatment;
• an anti-fog treatment;
• a hydrophobic treatment;
• an anti-microbial treatment;
• an anti-bacterial treatment;
• an anti-glare treatment;
• a light filtering treatment;
• a photo-chromic treatment.

[0046] The facial shield can further comprise at least one of the following, connected to a battery and to a control unit:

• a handsfree microphone and/or speaker;
• a head-up display;
• a front-facing camera;
• a user-facing camera;
• outer temperature and/or pressure sensor;
• inner temperature and/or pressure sensor;
• user temperature, breathing and/or cardiac sensor;
• wireless connection antenna;
• battery status sensor.

[0047] The outer temperature and/or pressure sensor measure the temperature and/or pressure of the ambient air exterior to the facial inner space, and the inner temperature and/or pressure sensor measure the temperature and/or pressure of the air contained within the facial inner space.

[0048] The control unit can also be connected to the air supply to regulate the insufflated air in response to the user temperature, breathing and/or cardiac measurements obtained from the sensors and/or from the inner or outer temperature and/or pressure measurements obtained from the sensors.

[0049] The control unit is connected to a battery, both elements being carried by the user. The air supply can be a wearable air supply such a fan connected to a battery. Both batteries can be the same battery using a single battery status sensor or can be independent batteries each with an independent battery status sensor.

[0050] Other features of the invention appear from the following detailed description of an embodiment.

Brief description of the Figures

[0051] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and non-limitative manner, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a lateral view of the facial shield according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 shows a lateral view of the facial shield according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 3 shows a lateral view of the facial shield according to a third embodiment in which the facial peripheral ring is connected to a hood of a protective garment;

Figs. 4 and 5 shown an ampliated view of a cross section of the facial peripheral connector, including an air inlet and a releasable seal, according to an embodiment in which the annular track is a protruding rail (Fig. 4) or a groove (Fig. 5) molded in the inner side of the transparent shield;

Figs. 6 and 7 shown an ampliated view of a cross section of the facial peripheral connector, including a pressure relieve valve of the air outlet and a releasable seal, according to an embodiment in which the annular track is a protruding rail (Fig. 6) or a groove (Fig. 7) defined by bending of the transparent shield obtained by thermoforming.

Detailed description of an embodiment

[0052] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and not limitative.

[0053] The proposed facial shield 10 includes a facial peripheral ring 13, surrounding a facial opening 14 intended to accommodate the face of a user, and a transparent shield 11, which is approximately half an eggshell in shape, covering said facial opening 14.

[0054] The transparent shield 11 is air-tightly connected to the facial peripheral ring 13 by a facial peripheral connector 12, which is a ring connector with an inner edge connected to the facial peripheral ring 13 and with an outer edge connected to an inner side of the transparent shield 11, defining a facial inner space intended to contain the user's face.

[0055] Said facial shield 10 further comprises an air inlet A1, connectable to an air supply 50, and an air outlet A2 intended to release air from the facial inner space.

[0056] The air supply 50 will be preferably a wearable air supply 50 carried by the user, for example supported from the user shoulders as a backpack or as a shoulder bag, or from the user's waist as a fanny bag.

[0057] The air supply 50 comprises a fan actuated by an electric motor connected to an electric battery, and optionally it can further include an air filter. The air supply 50 blows an air flow through the air inlet A1.

[0058] According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the facial peripheral connector 12 includes one or multiple air pressure relieve valves which determine an air outlet A2. Said pressure relieve valves are configured to allow exit of the air contained in the facial inner space when the pressure is higher than the ambient pressure and to prevent the entrance of ambient air into the facial inner space.

[0059] According to that embodiment shown on Fig. 1 a wearable air supply 50, for example integrated in a backpack, is connected through a conduit to an air inlet A1 of the facial shield 10. In this example the air inlet A1 is placed on the uppermost region of the facial peripheral connector 12, directing the air flow against the inner side of the transparent shield 11. In this example the air outlet A2 is included in the lowermost region of the facial peripheral connector 12. This configuration generates an air curtain between the user and the inner side of the transparent shield 11, avoiding fog creation and preventing the deposition of drops in the inner side of the transparent shield 11.

[0060] In this example an inner side of the facial peripheral ring 13, facing the head of the user, include an annular fluffy seal 13c made of a fluid impermeable material, intended to seal the facial peripheral ring against the head of the user.

[0061] Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, similar to that shown on Fig. 1 but wherein the facial peripheral connector 12 does not include the air outlet A2, and wherein the inner side of the facial peripheral ring 13, facing the head of the user, include spacers 13a, 13b, which could be discrete protruding spacers 13a or an annular open mesh spacer 13b, intended to keep an air-permeable gap between the facial peripheral ring 13 and the head of the user, preventing the air-tight sealing between the facial peripheral ring 13 and the user's head.

[0062] In this embodiment, said air-permeable gap is the air outlet A2 which creates an air flow between the facial peripheral ring 13 and the head of the user, cooling not only the face but also the head of the user. The pressure differential between the facial inner space and the ambient air will prevent the entrance of ambient air through said air-permeable gap.

[0063] It is also proposed to air-tightly connect the facial peripheral ring 13 with a hood 31 of a protective garment.

[0064] In that case, the embodiment shown on Fig. 2 will introduce the air flow within the hood 31 of the protective garment through said air-permeable gap. The protective garment will also include garment air outlet to evacuate said air flow, producing an air current between the facial shield 10 and the garment air outlet cooling parts of the user's body with the same air used for breathing and for facial cooling.

[0065] According to an additional embodiment shown on Fig. 3 of the connection between the facial shield 10 and the hood 31 of the protective garment, the protective garment is connected to an air supply which insufflates air therein through a garment air inlet, and said air flow reaches the facial shield 10 passing through the air-permeable gap defined between the facial peripheral ring 13 and the head of the user. In that case, said air-permeable gap is the air inlet A1 of the facial shield 10, and the facial shield includes an air outlet A2, which in this case is a pressure relieve valve placed in the facial peripheral connector 12, for example on its uppermost region.

[0066] To ensure a close fitting between the facial peripheral ring 13 and the user's head, facial shield 10 further includes a facial shield support 20 including an adjustment device 21 configured to tighten the facial shield support 20 around the user's head, compressing the facial peripheral ring 13 against the user's head.

[0067] According to an embodiment shown on Figs. 1 and 2 the facial shield support 20 are several harnesses surrounding the user's head and connected to the facial peripheral ring 13 or to the transparent shield 11, for example two, three, four, five or six harnesses.

[0068] According to an alternative embodiment shown on Fig. 3 the facial shield support 20 is the hood 31 of the protective garment which, when tighten by the adjustment device 21, stretches around the user's head and pulls the facial peripheral ring 13 against the user's head.

[0069] The facial peripheral connector 12 is connected to the transparent shield 11 through an annular coupling configuration 12a defined on the outer edge of the facial peripheral connector 12 tightly coupled to an annular track 11a included in the inner side of the transparent shield 11 facing the user's head, surrounding a central region of the transparent shield 11 covering the facial opening 14.

[0070] The annular coupling configuration 12a and the annular track 11a will have complementary shapes and sizes, allowing for a tight fitting between them and preventing an accidental extraction by pulling in a transverse direction perpendicular to the transparent shield 11 surface.

[0071] According to examples shown on Figs. 4 and 6 the annular track 11a can be a protruding rail defined by a longitudinal protrusion of the inner surface of the transparent shield 11 with a longitudinal bulging end, in which case the annular coupling configuration 12a include a longitudinal groove intended to accommodate in its interior the protruding rail, surrounding and retaining the bulging end.

[0072] Alternatively, according to examples shown on Figs. 5 and 7, the annular track 11a is a longitudinal groove with an access slit, the longitudinal groove being wider than the access slit, in which case the annular coupling configuration 12a is inserted in the longitudinal groove through the access slit and include a longitudinal bulging end contained and retained in the groove.

[0073] In any case, the annular coupling configuration 12a can be coupled to the annular track 11a by sliding the annular coupling configuration 12a from an access point or interruption of the annular track 11a where said annular track 11a is interrupted, or can be attached by a snap fit, producing an elastic deformation of the elements to be coupled by pressing.

[0074] Figures 4 and 5 shown embodiments in which the annular track 11a is molded together with the rest of the transparent shield 11.

[0075] Alternatively, Figs. 6 and 7 shown embodiments in which the transparent shield 11 is made of a thermoformed plastic layer and wherein the annular track 11a is defined by bends of said plastic layer which define the groove or rail constitutive of the annular track 11a.

[0076] The facial peripheral connector 12 can further include a releasable seal 12b, permitting the coupling and uncoupling of the transparent shield 11, allowing the user to access his face and mouth without having to remove the entire protective shield 10, for example for cleaning, eating, drinking, blow the nose, and also allowing the cleaning of the inner side of the transparent shield 11. This feature also permits the separation of the transparent shield 11 from the rest of the protective shield 10, allowing the substitution of the transparent shield 11, or differentiated cleaning treatments of the transparent shield 11 and the rest of the facial shield 10.

[0077] Said releasable seal 12b will be preferably a zipper producing a tight coupling, but other alternatives are also contemplated, for example a magnetic coupling, Velcro or re-adherable adhesives such sensitive adhesives, among others.

[0078] Optionally, the transparent shield extends beyond the annular track on two lateral sides defining ear covers 11b, as shown on Fig. 1.

[0079] Alternatively, said ear covers 11b are not part of the transparent shield but an independent cover supported on the facial shield support 20, as shown on Fig. 2.

[0080] The transparent shield could also extend beyond the annular track on the upper region thereof defining an upper support 11c intended to be vertically supported on a top area of the user head directly or through an intermediate padding element attached to an inner side of the upper support.

[0081] It will be understood that various parts of one embodiment of the invention can be freely combined with parts described in other embodiments, even being said combination not explicitly described, provided that such combination is within the scope of the claims and that there is no incompatibility in such combination.

Claims

1. A ventilated cooling and protective facial shield (10) comprising:

• a facial peripheral ring (13) surrounding a facial opening (14);

• a transparent shield (11) covering the facial opening (14) and made of rigid or semi-rigid, fluid impermeable and transparent material;

• a facial peripheral connector (12), made of a fluid impermeable or semi-impermeable material, air-tightly attaching the transparent shield to the facial peripheral ring around the facial opening;

• a facial shield support (20) including an adjustment device (21) to tighten the facial shield support (20) around a head of a user, pulling the facial peripheral ring (13) against the head of the user;

• an air inlet (A1) connectable to an air supply to insufflate air into the protective facial shield and an air outlet (A2);

characterized in that
the transparent shield (11) includes an annular track (11a) formed therein as an integral part thereof made of the same material, the facial peripheral connector (12) being attached and retained to said annular track (11a) through an annular coupling configuration (12a) complementary to said annular track (11a) and tightly fitted thereto.

2. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to claim 1 wherein the transparent shield (11) is approximately half an eggshell in shape.

3. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the attachment of the facial peripheral connector to the annular track is adhesive free and/or is snap fitted.

4. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the annular track is defined in an inner side of the transparent shield facing the facial opening and/or includes an interruption.

5. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein:

• the annular track is a longitudinal groove accessible through an access slit narrower than the longitudinal groove; or

• the annular track is a protruding rail defined by a longitudinal protrusion with a longitudinal bulging end wider than the longitudinal protrusion.

6. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein the facial shield support is connected to the facial peripheral ring, the transparent shield being supported on said facial peripheral ring through the facial peripheral connector.

7. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to claim 6 wherein the facial peripheral connector includes a releasable seal allowing the separation of the transparent shield from the facial peripheral ring.

8. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein the air outlet and/or the air inlet is/are integrated in the facial peripheral connector.

9. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein the facial peripheral ring includes an annular soft and pliable seal (13c) made of a fluid impermeable material, intended to seal the facial peripheral ring against the head of the user.

10. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim 1 to 8 wherein the facial peripheral ring includes, on an inner side thereof facing the head of the user, spacers (13a, 13b) or spacers (13a, 13b) selected among discrete protruding spacers (13a) or an annular open mesh spacer (13b) intended to keep an air-permeable gap between the facial peripheral ring (13) and the head of the user, said air-permeable gap being the air outlet.

11. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim 1 to 8 wherein the facial peripheral ring is air-tightly connected to a hood of a protective garment made of fluid impermeable or semi-impermeable material, and the facial peripheral ring includes spacers (13a, 13b) or spacers (13a, 13b) selected among discrete protruding spacers (13a) or an annular open mesh spacer (13b) intended to keep an air-permeable gap between the facial peripheral ring (13) and the head of the user intended to keep an air-permeable gap between the facial peripheral ring and the head of the user, said air-permeable gap being the air inlet or the air outlet of the protective facial shield.

12. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein:

the transparent shield extends beyond the annular track on two lateral sides defining ear covers (11b);

the transparent shield extends beyond the annular track on the upper region thereof defining an upper support (11c) intended to be vertically supported on a top area of the user head directly or through an intermediate padding element attached to an inner side of the upper support.

13. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein:

• the transparent shield is made of a plastic sheet, the annular track being formed by bends of said plastic sheet; or

• the transparent shield is made of a thermoformed plastic sheet, the annular track being formed by bends of said plastic sheet; or

• the transparent shield is made of a molded plastic, the annular track being molded on said plastic.

14. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein the transparent shield includes, on at least one of its surfaces, at least one of the following features:

• an anti-scratch treatment;

• an anti-fog treatment;

• a hydrophobic treatment;

• an anti-microbial treatment;

• an anti-bacterial treatment;

• an anti-glare treatment;

• a light filtering treatment;

• a photo-chromic treatment.

15. The ventilated cooling and protective facial shield according to any preceding claim wherein the facial shield further comprises at least one of the following features, connected to a battery and to a control unit:

• a handsfree microphone and/or speaker;

• a head-up display;

• a front-facing camera;

• a user-facing camera;

• outer temperature and/or pressure sensor;

• inner temperature and/or pressure sensor;

• user temperature, breathing and/or cardiac sensor;

• wireless connection antenna;

• battery status sensor.

Drawing