WO1991002468A1

WO1991002468A1 - Sun visor attachment means

Info

Publication number: WO1991002468A1
Application number: PCT/AU1990/000356
Authority: WO
Inventors: Darren James Mcgrath
Original assignee: Darren James Mcgrath
Priority date: 1989-08-24
Filing date: 1990-08-17
Publication date: 1991-03-07

Abstract

A removable brim (10) for head wear is provided to extend the width of the brim normally provided. An extended brim increases the protection provided by a wearer from the deleterious effects of sun and other environmental dangers. The brim is particularly useful for attachment to hard hats and the like since it does not require any changes to the existing shape or configuration of the hat. The attachment means comprises resilient tabs (13, 14) incorporated into the removable brim (10) for securing the brim (10) to a projecting rim (41) of the head wear in a simple and secure manner.

Description

SUN VISOR ATTACHMENT MEANS

This invention relates to a removable brim means for head wear which may be fitted to a variety of differently shaped head wear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is most desirable for people, especially those who work for extended hours in the sun, to wear a head covering. Wide brimmed head wear is known to be an effective means of lessening the deleterious effects of the sun on the wearer's body.

There are however some industries in which the type of head wear worn is restricted by rule and regulation. This is particularly so for those in the construction industry, where hard hats must be worn in designated areas.

Hard hats are designed for strength and year round wearing, which has resulted in a shape having a small brim provided to the front of the hat which shades the eyes and upper face of the wearer and generally a small brim is provided for the sides and rear of the hard hat. This configuration provides grossly inadequate protection for the wearer against the effects of exposure to the sun.

Hard hats are made to strict standards therefore no post manufacturing changes to its structure that remove, pierce or degrade the material of the hard hat are allowable. This restriction greatly reduces the means available to attach sun visors or extended brim means or indeed any other hard hat accessory which may be non-proprietary or easily removable.

Attachment means including adhesives of certain types are known to dissolve the material of the hard hat and double sided tapes are of limited effectiveness in that they are only able to support light loads. These types of attachment means deteriorate and lessen their effectiveness in the sun and are generally not re-useable.

It is also known for "Velcro" like material to be attached to the hard hat surface however when not in use it readily collects foreign matter and lessens its attachment effectiveness while also becoming unsightly.

Clips and bands have been unsuccessful as an attachment means for the reason that these devices sometimes require attachment posts or the like to be incorporated into the design of the hard hat which then make the attachment unique to one manufacturer's product.

Other mechanical attachment means such as bands and straps have been likewise awkward to attach and in the view of wearers unsightly and in certain cases further require proprietary manufacturers attachment posts.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The abovementioned problems are common to most head wear whether it is a hard hat, helmet or a stiff brimmed head covering.

Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a visor and extended brim means which is easily attachable and releasable from head wear. It is a further object of the invention to provide a visor and extended brim means which requires no changes to the head wear for its attachment to be simple and effective.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a visor and extended brim means which can be easily removed when not in use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its broadest form the invention comprises an annular band, at least one retention means on the band co-operable with a peripheral edge portion of the projecting rim to secure the band to the head wear rim so as to provide an extension to the rim in approximately the same plane as the rim.

It is a further aspect of the invention that the retention means comprises at least one tab formed in the said band, arranged so that when fitted to a rim, a portion of the periphery of the rim is retained between the tab and the body of the band.

The invention will now be described by way of example only so that it may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, with reference to the accompanying representations, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows top, side and end views of a removable brim according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows various profiles of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention incorporating tabs on the inner periphery of the band;

Fig. 4 shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 in use on a hard hat; Fig. 5 shows a partial section view of a further embodiment of the invention using pockets to engage the rim of the head wear; and

Fig. 6 shows a top perspective view of the removable brim described in Fig. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this first embodiment as shown in Fig. 1 a flat elliptically shaped annual band means 10 is used, however, it will be apparent that many other band shapes may be used as a brim to be located around the periphery of a head wear item. The brim is provided with a cut out portion JLi having a profile suitable for a selected number of hard hats presently manufactured and available in the marketplace. The area denoted as 12. is the circumferential band portion of the brim having its widest portion to the front of the hat when in place so that it may provide the majority of its shade to the front of the head wear user and wearer, however the distribution of brim means around the periphery of the hard hat is variable to suit the needs of the wearer.

The material for the circumferential band is preferably a resilient self-supporting and sturdy ultraviolet stabilized acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (A.B.S.) plastic or other suitable styrene family plastic generally having a smooth texture, however, a variety of materials including canvas, cardboard, paper/plastic veneer and laminates of various materials have also been found suitable.

Preferably the material is able to support the flexure of the inner portion of tab surfaces 13 and 14 from the normally flat position to a position above or below the flat plane of the material and thereby provides a bias of the tab towards the plane of the band. The degree of deflection required varies with the various depths of the brims of existing head wear. Deflection of up to 9 or 10 times the thickness of the band material at the tips 15 and 16 of the tabs has sometimes been found necessary. Alternative tab shapes or devices could comprise right angle projections which have a further dependent lip for placement under the projecting rim of the head wear and which for the purpose of retention is shaped and biased to engage the band and tab around the rim of the head wear.

The tab 13 of this embodiment is formed by making an arcuate semicircular cut 13a from holes 17 to 18 in a position adjacent the inner periphery of the band 12 whereas the tab 14 is formed by making cuts 14a and 14b from the inner peripheral edge of the band to holes 19 and 20 respectively. It will be apparent that the shape of the cut could be in any of a number of forms suitable for the purpose, for example triangular or hexagonal.

The circular apertures 17, 18, 19 and 20 of this embodiment assist the prevention of tearing at the point of greatest flexion of the band material and provide thereby a stress relief for the cut 13a which forms the tab 13 and likewise for tab 14.

The brim 10 is preferably placed over the top of the hard hat and the inner peripheral edge 21 of the brim 10 will locate itself adjacent to and on top of the existing brim or projecting rim of the hard hat. This is also shown at Fig. 4. End 22 of the brim is then raised and the tip 15 of tab 13 is deflected downwards and placed under the front projecting rim oi the hard hat. Likewise at end 22 of the brim the tip 16 of tab 14 is deflected downwards and placed under the rear brim of the hard hat. Thereby the projecting rim or existing brim of the hard hat is engaged and retained between the tabs and the removable brim. The resilient tabs engage the brim of the hard hat in an easily attached and removable manner, so that to remove the brim the reverse process applies, leaving the hard hat unaffected in any nner.

The final fitted shape of the visor is aesthetically acceptable and is functional in use. It is also suitable for decoration or is indeed disposable if made of suitable material.

Fig. 2 shows a cut out portion 30 having only one resilient tab 31 located on its periphery. The shape of the inner periphery of the visor is suitable for fitment to a variety of manufactured hard hat models or as shown in Fig. 1 only suitable for one particular brand or model of hard hat.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention where rather than cutting a slot to create the tab portions the shape of the inner peripheral edge is shaped so as to create tabs of suitable size and position, so that using the same principles as heretofore described the visor is releasably attachable to the brim of a large variety of hard hats.

Fig. 4 shows the brim in use on a hard hat _____ and using the same identifying numbers as Fig. 1 it can be seen that tab 13 is located below the front projecting brim of the hard hat 41 and that rear tab 14 is located below the rear rim of the hard hat 42.

Fig. 5 shows a partial section view of a brim in use on a hard hat 4O wherein identifying numerals are common to Figs. 1 and 4 for the same elements.

The brim 10 comprises a band .12. which is shown in partial view. Dotted lines 50 show that the band surrounds the hard hat above its projecting rim, which is also shown by solid lines to lie above the front brim of the hard hat at 41 and the rear of the hard hat at 42.

A pocket 51 is delineated by a space created between the band 12. and a tab 52. In this embodiment a flap of the same material as the band and which is attached to the underside surface of the band at 54 forms the underside of the pocket 51.

The pocket 51 has an opening which faces radially inwards of the circumferential band 12. for receiving the front brim 41 of the hard hat ____. and when in use is pulled taut over the brim so that the tab 52 is drawn towards the band 12. to thereby engage the brim between the flap 52 and the band 12.

A like pocket 55 is formed between tab 56 and band 12_. and has an opening which faces radially inwards of the circumferential band 12.. In use the band is pulled over the rim of the hard hat and the rim is fitted into the flap 56 which is drawn towards the band 12. to thereby engage the rim between the tab 56 and the band 12. To allow the removable brim to be fitted on and over the projecting rim of the hard hat the band preferably comprises stiff but resilient canvas material.

Inset Fig. 6 shows a perspective top view of the removable brim of Fig. 5 and indicated with dotted lines 60 and 61 is the outline of the pockets 51 and 55 respectively.

As will be applicable to all of the preceding embodiments further protective visor or shading material may be attached to the band of the brim and may depend from the brim to form a further covering for the face, neck or ears of the wearer and thereby enhance the utility of the invention.

It will be apparent that the invention described is applicable to a variety of hat types not just hard hats for which this embodiment is described.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A removable brim for head wear having a projecting rim comprising an annular band, at least one retention means on the band co-operable with i a peripheral edge portion of the projecting rim to secure the circumferential band to the head wear rim so as to provide an extension to the rim in approximately the same plane as the rim.

2. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 1 wherein said retention means comprises at least one tab formed in the said band, arranged so that when fitted to a rim, a portion of the periphery of the rim is . retained between the tab and the body of the band.

3. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 2 wherein said band has an inner peripheral edge, said at least one tab being defined in part by a portion of said inner peripheral edge and which projects inwardly thereof,

5 said tab being biased to maintain a profile substantially parallel with the band and which in use is located below a projecting rim of the head wear.

4. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 3 wherein there is a plurality of said tabs spaced along the inner peripheral edge of the band.

5. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 4 wherein there are two diametrically opposed tabs .

6. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 2 wherein said retention means comprises a tab spaced from the inner peripheral edge of the band,

5 said tab being biased when in use to maintain a profile substantially parallel with the band, said tab when in use being located below the marginal rim portion of the head wear.

7. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 2 wherein there are two diametrically opposed tabs, one located on and projecting inwardly of the inner peripheral edge of the band, the other being spaced from the inner peripheral edge of the band.

8. A removable brim for head wear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said band is formed of resilient material, and said tab is formed by a slit in the band.

9. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 7 wherein said slit has an arcuate shape and terminates at its ends in stress relieving apertures.

10. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 1 wherein said band is a flexible resilient self supporting unitary member.

11. A removable brim for head wear according to claim 1 wherein said retention means comprises a pair of opposed facing pockets defined in part by wall portions of the band, for receiving portions of the rim of the head wear.

12. A removable brim for head wear substantially as hereinbefore claimed and described with reference to the accompanying figures.