Patent Application
20080060117
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings in which:
Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements in all of the several views,
A helmet 18 is removably disposed in the hat 4. The helmet 18 includes an outer impact-resistant shell 20 having a continuous lower rim 22 and a hollow dome 24 extending from the lower rim to a central crown 26. The lower rim 22 and the dome 26 collectively define a forward portion 28, a rearward portion 30, and lateral portions 32 of the outer shell 18. The helmet 18 can be made from any suitable impact resistant material, such as molded polypropylene plastic.
With additional reference to
The helmet 18 is preferably constructed as a fully protective headgear device that meets or exceeds prevailing protective headgear certification requirements. It may additionally include chin strap securement system comprising mutually connectable strap-and-buckle assemblies 52 and 54 is secured to the helmet 18 between the outer shell 20 and the inner liner 34. In particular, the strap ends of each strap-and-buckle assembly 52 and 54 may be adhered to inside surfaces of the lateral portions 32 of the outer shell 20, and adjacent to outside surfaces of the lateral portions 48 of the inner liner. If desired, optional cooling vent holes 56 may be formed in the helmet 18, such as extending through the crown of 26 of the helmet 20 and the crown 40 of the inner liner 34. Although not shown, corresponding vents may be formed in the hat 4. For increased wearer comfort, an inner headband 57 made of cushioning material may be provided on the inside surface of the lower rim 36 of the inner liner 34. A head cushioning pad 57A may likewise be provided on the inside surface of the dome 40 of the inner liner 34.
The hat 4 may optionally comprise a decorative hat band 58 surrounding its lower rim 6. A continuous brim 60 may also be formed on the hat 4, so as to extend from the lower rim 6. A decorative recess 62 (e.g., a crease) of any suitable shape may likewise be formed in the crown 10 of the hat 4. As shown in
It will be appreciated that the shape of the brim 60, and to a lesser extent the shape of the recess 62, will tend to dictate the style of the hat 4. In
An advantage of the hat-helmet 2 is that it provides the ability for wearers to mount different styles of the hat 4 on a single helmet 18. This is important because hat styling, shape, color and the like can be readily altered by the wearer, for example, to match the hat-helmet with a riding outfit. Moreover, insofar as the helmet 18 is the impact-absorbing component of the hat-helmet 2, its inner liner 34 is designed to crush on impact in order to absorb much of the traumatic energies associated with a fall. Thus, after each fall, the helmet 18 should be replaced. By making the hat 4 separable from the helmet 18, the helmet can be replaced without having to also replace the hat, which may be quite expensive. Indeed, depending on the materials used in the hat 4, its cost may be many times that of the helmet 18.
If desired, a head protection customization method can be implemented by a helmet provider on behalf of customers. According to the customization method, a helmet provider may provide a headgear wearer (e.g., via a retail display, an online display, product packaging, etc.) with a set of one or more helmets 18 of different size and a set of two or more hats 4 of different style. Configuration instructions may also be provided for use by the wearer (e.g., via a retail display, an online display, a package insert, etc.). The configuration instructions may include instructions relating to the wearer selecting one of the helmets 18 according to the size of the wearer's head. For example, the helmet 18 may be selected so as to achieve a best fit consistent with safety requirements. The configuration instructions may also include instructions relating to the wearer selecting one of the hats according to a desired hat style. Thus, the hat 4 may be selected for aesthetic reasons. In addition, in the event that different sizes of the helmet 18 require different sizes of the hat 4, the hat 4 may be additionally selected according to the selected helmet size. Preferably, however, the number of different helmet sizes can be minimized so that a large number of hat sizes are not required. This could be achieved by configuring the inner head band 57 and the cushioning pad 57A as an adjustable system that allows a single helmet 18 to accommodate heads of different size, as is known in the headgear art. The configuration adjustment instructions may further include instructions relating to the wearer removably mounting the selected hat on the selected helmet so as to constitute the hat-helmet 2, followed by instructions relating to the wearer placing the hat-helmet on the wearer's head and securing the helmet for use by way of the chin strap (see
Accordingly, a combination hat-helmet has been disclosed. Advantageously, the hat-helmet provides wearers with the ability to select a larger range of certified protective headgear styles than would otherwise be possible. This is particularly advantageous in the field of equestrian riding, where riders who wish to use certified headgear had not enjoyed a variety of headgear style choices. Nor has the ability to customize protective headgear by replacing one hat with another on a protective helmet been heretofore provided. It should, of course, be understood that the description and the drawings herein are merely illustrative, and it will be apparent that various modifications, combinations and changes can be made in accordance with the invention. As such, the invention is not to be in any way limited except in accordance with the spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.
