Patent Grant
9585431
The field relates to hands-free lighting devices and, in particular, to lighted hats capable of providing illumination for a wearer.
Often an individual desires a light focused to illuminate an area while performing a task or a light directed in a general forwardly direction along their line of sight for visibility. Holding a flashlight is an option, but such lighting devices are often cumbersome and may detract from the task being completed because only one hand is available for the task since the other hand is holding the flashlight. As a result, hands-free lighting is desirable so that both hands are available for performing a task in lighted conditions.
Headgear is known that may include light sources attached so as to illuminate an area within the wearer's line of vision. The light source may be an LED mounted to a brim portion of a baseball style hat. Generally, these hats have the LED mounted to direct light forwardly from the brim so that the LED axis is parallel with the fore-and-aft brim axis. With these hats if a wearer wishes to illuminate an object located at a specific location from the wearer, the wearer must move his entire head or hat to direct the brim and light emitted therefrom toward the particular object. If the object is located far away, then the wearer may direct the illumination by moving the hat so that the brim extends generally horizontally or parallel to the ground to provide a beam of light to illuminate the far off object or area. If the object is located nearby, close to, and below the wearer's face, then the wearer must move the hat brim downward to a declined position such that the hat provides a beam of light to illuminate the closer object. Oftentimes, moving the hat downward will require the wearer to bend his neck. This motion may be undesirable because it may be uncomfortable for some people.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,060 to Johnson discloses a lighted hat with two lamps connected to a mounting plate secured to the outside lower surface of a brim of the hat. The light sources are both fixed so that they project light forwardly. If the wearer wishes to adjust the illumination to be directed in another direction, the wearer must still tilt his head or the hat itself in an upward, downward, left or right direction. These lamps also hang noticeably below the visor portion and include relatively large sockets which are soldered to the mounting plate. Both the mounting plate and the sockets are externally attached to the bottom of the visor portion and are readily visible to a third party viewer thereby creating an unaesthetic and non-natural appearance. The external arrangement of these large and bulky lamps and sockets also may be within the peripheral vision of the wearer, which may be distracting, and/or may even block or interfere with a wearer's vision. Furthermore, since these lamps are fixed, illumination is only available in the generally forward direction of the hat wearer.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,413 to Urso discloses a light connected to a visor of a baseball-style cap. The light of Urso is a light bulb received in a socket with the light being pivotally connected to the underside of the visor. The pivotal mounting allows the light to be pivoted in a downward or upward direction to provide light to a location the wearer chooses to illuminate. This configuration permits a wearer to focus the light in a forward direction to provide illumination directly in front of the wearer or rotate the light source in a downward direction to provide illumination at a location below the visor. Pivoting lights are undesirable as they introduce complexity and moving parts into the hat that can fail over repeated usage. While the light of Urso pivots, it still can only project light to one location or area at any one time. Similar to the hat of Johnson, the light of Urso is also bulky and hangs noticeably below the visor. The large profile of this light and mounting apparatus may similarly block or interfere with a wearer's vision as well as create an unaesthetic appearance to third parties viewing the lighted hat, especially when the light is pivoted downwardly. Furthermore, Urso mounts a power source and switch in a crown portion of the hat with wiring extending therebetween across a pivot joint of the light source. Over time, it is possible that the wiring extending across the pivot joint may fail due to repeated bending as the light is pivoted up and down.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,445 to Pomes describes a baseball cap having a light source inside a brim portion of the hat. In one embodiment, the light source is mounted within a recess compartment of the brim so as to be oriented in a horizontal or parallel position relative to the fore-and-aft axis of the brim. A reflector is positioned in the compartment to reflect the light provided by the light source in a downward direction below the brim. Requiring the beam of illumination to be reflected only provides indirect illumination that is less precise and more difficult to control and direct than a beam of illumination directly emanating from a light source. In another example, Pomes discloses a light source that is mounted vertically orthogonal to the brim's fore-and-aft axis within the recess so that the light source is pointed in a downward direction relative to the brim. To allow the light source to fit in the brim in this vertical orientation, Pomes teaches that the brim can have a thickened section to make space for receiving the light source. Since Pomes describes a light source mounted in a vertical orientation but still enclosed within the brim location, the profile of the brim may be thicker than desired so as not to have the typical streamlined and thin appearance of a traditional baseball hat. Moreover, the perpendicular orientation of the light source relative to the brim is likely to provide illumination in a downward direction that only illuminates an area directly underneath the visor. Neither configuration of Pomes is ideal for illuminating objects that may be located at a reading or viewing distance in front of the wearer. Moreover, projecting light directly underneath the visor as in Pomes can also cause glare or project light into the wearer's eyes.
In one aspect, lighted headgear is disclosed where a plurality of light sources are mounted to the headgear for providing outward illumination to at least two different areas or in at least two different directions from the headgear. In one form, the light sources are mounted to a brim of the headgear and oriented to provide outward illumination at different angles relative to each other. One light source can be one or more LEDs mounted to direct illumination forwardly of the brim and provide a beam of illumination to areas that are located at distances that are relatively far away from the hat. Another light source can be one or more LEDs mounted to the brim and oriented to direct a beam of illumination at a downward and transverse angle to the first beam of illumination thereby providing illumination to an area located more closely to the hat. Such lighted hats advantageously allow a wearer to illuminate areas at close working distances, such as at a reading distance in front of the wearer, or to areas at distances much farther away from the wearer at the same time and without the need of the hat wearer moving the hat or pivoting the light sources.
In another form, a light holder for being mounted to headgear as well as headgear with the light holder mounted thereto is disclosed. The light holder may be mounted to the brim of the headgear for fixing the light sources in a particular orientation. In one aspect, the light holder includes a mounting base and one or more light holding bezels or modules that extend in a downward and oblique angle of inclination away from the base. The holder portions or bezels are sized to receive the light sources and, in one approach, maintain multiple light sources at the same fixed oblique angle of inclination relative to the base. Thus, the light holder advantageously allows multiple light sources to be secured to headgear in a quick and easy manner where more than one light source are oriented in the same direction to provide illumination in a downward direction of inclination. In another aspect, the light module is relatively thin and compact. This allows the light holder to remain largely undetectable thereby allowing the hat to maintain a streamlined and natural appearance in contrast to the prior hats of Johnson, Urso, and Pomes that require bulky modules on the outside of the brim or a thick brim to house a recess large enough to hold a light source therein. In this regard, the low profile of the light holder allows it to be mounted either interiorly of brim structure such as between the brim insert and fabric cover or exteriorly to the fabric cover without detracting from the functionality or appearance of the headgear
In one form, the light holder is attached to the lighted hat via a mounting patch portion or other mounting surface located on the headgear brim, such as along a portion of the covering material extending about the brim. Thus, by one approach, the light holder and the lights thereof, are secured to the mounting patch formed on the brim covering material rather than to the shape retentive insert of the brim. This mounting patch preferably has a thickness thereof that is greater than the thickness of the brim covering material to form a secure and preferably more rigid or stiffer mounting location for the light holder than the thinner brim covering material. The light holder is preferably secured to the covering material with adhesive, and the mounting patch advantageously maintains the outer surface of the brim covering material free of residual adhesive, which may otherwise tend to seep though the thinner covering material, such as fabric, commonly used for hat brims. In this manner, the mounting patch keeps blemishes or stains from forming on outer surfaces on the brim covering material by blocking adhesive from wicking and/or seeping through the brim covering material. In one example, the mounting patch may be of a non-wicking material that keeps the adhesive from seeping through the brim covering material. In another example, the mounting patch may be a thick layer of material that blocks the adhesive from leaking through the brim covering material. For instance, the mounting patch can be embroidered stitching which can be of non-wicking material and be sewn so as to extend through the brim fabric covering material to be thicker than the fabric covering material. To this end, the embroidered stitching provides the additional benefit of providing an excellent location for including indicia such as logos, brand names, etc. for promotional purposes that can be sewn therein.
In general, the various aspects described herein relate to hands-free lighting, components thereof, and other accessories therefor. As further described below, the hands-free lighting may include lighted headgear such as hats, including baseball caps, hoods, visors, military or law enforcement helmets or headgear, bike helmets, or other lighted headgear having the lights positioned thereon to provide lighting in a forward and/or downward direction from the wearer.
In one aspect, the hands-free lighting is able to simultaneously provide illumination in multiple directions while maintaining a natural, streamlined configuration associated with traditional headgear. Multiple light sources may be positioned on a brim of the lighted headgear to project a beam of light in at least two different directions, thereby allowing a wearer to illuminate different areas, such as areas at different distances from the wearer, without the wearer needing to tilt or rotate his head. In another aspect, light sources may be mounted to a light holder or mounting member that is attached to the brim to provide illumination in different directions, while still allowing the brim of the headgear to maintain a low profile so as to have a thin and natural appearance. In one form, the light holder is advantageous because it provides an easy and convenient way to mount more than one light source canted in the same direction relative to the brim. In yet another aspect, the lighted hat may include a relatively thicker mounting portion or patch positioned on the brim to provide a more secure mounting location or surface for the light holder. In one example, the light holder may be attached to an inside surface of the brim via the mounting portion using adhesive, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding, Velcro, or other suitable fastening techniques so that the light holder is substantially concealed within the brim. In another example, the light holder is attached to the mounting portion on the inside of a covering material extending about the brim with adhesive, and the mounting portion functions as a barrier to minimize and, preferably, avoid leaking or seeping of the adhesive from passing through the covering material of the brim. The mounting portion, therefore, helps minimizes the appearance of residual adhesive on the outer surface of the brim covering, which can otherwise form an unsightly stain or other mark. Additional details are described below with reference to a baseball cap, but it will be appreciated this is only an example of one particular application. The hands-free lighting described herein may be incorporated in other types of headgear as well.
In general, the lighted hat and other headgear described herein include illumination sources, which are preferably LEDs, mounted at different locations on the hat. To energize these illumination sources, a variety of different power assemblies can also be used that employ varying mechanisms to generate energy. For instance, as disclosed in Applicant's U.S. application Ser. No. 11/941,558, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, the mechanisms to generate energy may include power generators that use renewable energy, such as solar, wind, or kinetic energy, or various battery configurations in order to generate electrical power that ultimately energizes the variety of light sources that may be included on the described hats. For example, a laminate capacitor can be formed by the brim structure with outer layers of fabric being saturated with carbon nanotubes while the middle fabric layer is untreated. The two outer layers can be charged such as via a conventional power source or by a solar cell panel in the hat or brim portion thereof. While the following description and illustrations may describe a conventional battery power source, renewable power generators as described in the '558 application may also be included in the hat embodiments. In some instances, it may be desirable to include a charging port 805 in the hat such as along the outer edge of the brim. In addition, while the preferred headgear is a baseball-type hat or cap, the power assemblies and illumination sources may also be mounted to any suitable headgear, such as visors, helmets, headbands, hoods, or the like.
A first embodiment of hands-free lighting 10 having a light source 11 configured to direct light in multiple directions is generally illustrated in
By one approach, the light sources 34 and 36 are configured to illuminate objects in areas that are different distances away from the hat. For example, the light source 34 may be configured to emit light along the brim axis B to illuminate an object or a location at a distance relatively far away from the wearer, such as approximately four to approximately six feet from the wearer. The light source 36 may be configured to emit light at an angle to the brim axis B along the axis T to illuminate an object or a location at a distance closer to the wearer, such as at a reading distance of approximately 3 inches to approximately 30 inches. These two areas are illuminated without requiring the wearer to shift his head in any given direction. That is, this configuration allows multiple distances to be illuminated simultaneously or at alternating times to thereby allow a wearer to see both objects at a distance and objects at a closer distance, without requiring shifting of the hat, just the shifting of the wearer's eyes. This configuration can be valuable in the field of military or law enforcement, for example. The positioning of the light source 36 underneath the brim is substantially concealed below the brim, which provides a beam of illumination whose source of light is not as easily seen by a third party viewer.
Turning to more of the specifics, the forward light source 34 is mounted at or adjacent a perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16, and preferably along the centerline of the brim 16, as shown in
By one approach and referring to
The light source 34 is preferably positioned to extend from the perimeter edge 29 of the hat brim 16 to direct light forwardly of the wearer. By one approach, the light source 34 may also be slightly canted relative to the brim axis B at a cant angle θ2, but is canted over a smaller angle θ2 than the light 36. For example, the light 34 may be canted from 0 to about 15 degrees downwardly from the axis B, and more preferably, about 5 to about 15 degrees. In order to project light farther distances, the light 34 may be a 20,000 MCD light emitting diode having about a 15 to about a 20 degree light cone.
Preferably, the light sources 34 and 36 are spaced from each other by being mounted on different portions of the hat brim 16. For example and as mentioned above, the light source 34 is mounted to extend from the brim's outer perimeter edge 29, and the light source 36 is mounted to extend downwardly from the major surface 31 forming the brim's lower surface or underside. As a result of this configuration and positioning of the lights 34 and 36, the light cone 21 and the light cone 20 preferably do not intersect or overlap each other and provide separate, discrete cones of illumination for differing purposes (e.g., far illumination and close illumination). When both lights 34 and 36 are energized, the wearer will not need to redirect their head to focus light on close and far objects. The wearer simply needs to move their eyes without significant head movement as the hat already directs illumination in two different directions and orientations. Of course, the lights 34 and 36 can be energized together or separately as needed for particular situations. In other examples, it might be desirable to have a low beam light source 36 positioned closer to the beam of illumination 20 provided by the high beam LED 34 to provide some overlap in the light beams 20 and 21 at a distance spaced outwardly from the brim. In other situations, it may also be desirable to have the low beam LED 36 provide a beam of illumination at a smaller cant angle where the low beam light source 36 positioned underneath the brim 16 might have a beam of illumination 21 partially blocked by the underside of the brim 16 due to the small cant angle.
Referring again to
For energizing the light source, the lighted hat may include at least one, and preferably two battery packs mounted to the hat. In one configuration, both battery packs are electrically connected to both the low beam and high beam lights, but in another configuration, one battery pack is electrically connected to the low beam lights and the other battery pack is electrically connected to the high beam lights. In this situation, the battery configuration can be optimized for each set of lights. For instance, additional battery power can be provided for either the low or high beam lights as the case may be to provide power for additional illumination.
In another example, the lighted hat 10 may include multiple high beam or low beam light sources mounted adjacent or at the perimeter edge 29 on the hat brim 16 as shown in
In one example, the LED 40 may be a low beam light source (similar to LED 36) mounted at the perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16 and positioned in the brim 16 to provide a beam of illumination along an axis T that is approximately 15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees from the brim axis B described above. Because the LED 40 is disposed at the perimeter edge 29, the beam of illumination will illuminate an area slightly forwardly of the area relative to the low beam light source 36 described above so that the illuminated area does not include areas under the brim 16. In one example, the LED 40 may be positioned at a cant angle θ1 of approximately 15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees from the brim axis B while also being substantially recessed within the brim 16 to allow the hat 10 to maintain a natural and thin appearance. In this example, the LED 42 may be a high beam light source (similar to LED 34) also mounted at the perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16 and positioned in the brim 16 to provide a beam of illumination generally along the brim axis B. The LED 42 may provide a beam of illumination to further distances from the wearer, such as approximately 4 feet to approximately 6 feet. To maintain the natural and thin appearance of the hat, the LEDs 40 and 42 may be substantially recessed within the brim 16 such that outer ends thereof only project from the brim 16 a short distance or, alternatively, are flush with the brim perimeter edge 29.
Referring now to
In particular, the lighted hat 110 includes a first or high-beam light source 130 at or near a perimeter edge 129 of the brim 116. The high beam light 130 may be similar to the previously described high beam light 34. The hat 110 also includes a second or low-beam light source 132 that is remote from the brim perimeter edge 129 and preferably mounted intermediately along a lower major surface 131 of the brim underside. Light 132 may be similar to the previously described low beam or look down light 36.
Referring to
Referring to
By one approach, the mounting base 202 has a generally thin, rectangular shape including rounded corners 205 connecting opposite front and back edges 214 and 216 (extending lengthwise generally parallel to one another) with opposite side edges 218 and 220 (extending parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal edges 214 and 216). A base lateral or fore-and-aft axis P extends along and from the plane of the mounting base 202 and generally parallel to the opposite side edges 218 and 220 and generally perpendicular to opposite the front and back edges 214 and 216.
The light holder portions 204 are connected to the mounting base 202 and configured to receive the light sources 206 and 208 therein. By one approach the light holder portions 204 may be seamlessly integrated with the mounting base 202 to provide a one piece light holder 200 and thereby permit secure attachment of the light sources 206 and 208 to the light holder 200 and hat 110. In one example, the light holder portion 204 includes spaced housing portions or bezels 222 and 224 on one side of the base 202 and corresponding spaced protrusions 225 and 227 on the other side of the base 202. The lower housings 222 and 224 may be spaced apart from one another and joined to the lower surface 210 of the mounting base in an integral construction to provide the one piece light holder 200. As discussed more below, the housings 222 and 224 have an opening or cavity therein sized to receive the light sources 206 and 208 at least partially therein. The housings 22 and 224 fix the light sources 206 and 208 in an orientation for providing beams of illumination in a direction away from the lower surface 210 of the mounting plate at an angle generally transverse to the brim axis B wherein the light holder 200 is mounted to the brim. To this end, the housings 222 and 224 can have a side wedge configuration so as to extend in a downward direction from the base surface 210 at an oblique angle of inclination relative to the base axis P of the mounting base 202. The housings 222 and 224 each have an axis T that extends transversely to and at a downward inclination β (
By one approach, each lower section of the light housings or housing portions 222 and 224 may have a generally cylindrical and hollow body 226 that extends from the lower surface 210 of the mounting base 202 to a distal end 228 thereof. Each hollow body 226 has a pocket or socket 231 capable of receiving and housing light sources 206 and 208, such as LEDs in the fixed configuration described above.
Referring to
In one approach, the light sources 206 and 208 may be LEDs secured in the cavity 231 of the hollow body 226 of each housing 222 and 224. The LED may have a cylindrical lens body portion with an outermost cap portion 232 configured to emanate a beam of illumination from a chip located within the lens portion. In one example, the LED is positioned such that the wall 250 surrounds the LED body while the lens outermost cap 232 projects past the outer surface 230 of the annular housing body 226 as shown in
Referring back to
In this manner, the light holder 200 serves as a mounting frame for the LED light sources 206 and 208 so that after the light holder 200 is attached to the brim 116, assembly of the LEDs 206 and 208 to the brim, and of the wiring harness to the LEDs 206 and 208 can be done in a relatively straightforward and simple manner. To this end, after the light holder 200 is secured to the brim 116, the LEDs 206 and 208 are fit into the cavities 231 of the housing portions 222 and 224 and protrusions 225 and 227 so that their leads 234 and 236 extend out through the rear openings 238 and 240 for being connected to the wiring from a switch and power source, such as a battery pack carried in the crown portion along the lower sweatband thereof.
In one embodiment and referring to
In the illustrated example of
By mounting the light holder 200 to the inside surface 292 of the lower brim covering material 291 as discussed above, the natural thickness of the brim 116 is substantially maintained and thereby allows the brim 116 to maintain its natural and streamlined appearance of a typical baseball type cap. The housings 222 and 224 and light sources 206 and 208 may extend only a short distance through the openings 294 and 295 so as to adequately provide illumination while still remaining substantially concealed to third party viewers and not interfering or blocking the line of vision of the wearer. In this configuration, the lens outermost curved cap portion 232 of the LED light sources 206 and 208 are only minimally exposed at the exterior of the brim 116 to allow for a direct beam of illumination to illuminate an area below the brim 116. This configuration allows for direct illumination to be provided without the use of any reflectors or diffusers.
The protrusions 225 and 227 extending from the upper surface 212 of the light holder 200 contact portions of the lower major surface 288 of the insert 287 of the brim 116 to form the brim space 296 located between the lower brim covering material 291 and the lower major surface 288 of the brim insert 287. By using the light holder 200 to form and/or maintain the brim space 296, the hat 110 advantageously includes a space sized to allow wires, electrical connections, circuit boards, and other conductive paths and electronic components to be housed within the space 296. For example, the interior brim space 296 can be used to connect a power source to the switch or switches and/or light sources and at the same time be concealed from view. In one example, leads 234 and 236 of the light sources may extend out of the protrusion 225 and be connected by a conductive path to a switch that is disposed to the brim 116 or a battery or power source disposed in the brim or elsewhere on the light hat 110, such as within a sweatband of the hat 110. The height of the annular protrusions 225 and 227 are short enough (e.g., approximately 1 mm) to provide a relatively small brim space 296 with just enough room to house all the necessary electrical connections to provide proper functioning of the light sources while still maintaining the streamlined appearance of the hat 110 and, at the same time, not substantially altering the natural thickness of the brim 116. In this regard, since hat brims are typically curved upwardly toward their lateral center if the light holder 200 is centered under the hat brim, the space added to be brim thickness by space 296 will be insignificant as the brim still will have portions thereof that extend below the bottom of the brim space 296 particularly along the brim outer side portions, and thus will not be very noticeable at all to third parties.
In another example and referring to
In another example and referring to
To provide illumination to a reading distance, the light holder 200 may be attached to the brim 116 and, in particular, the lower brim covering material 291 at a variety of locations relative to the brim perimeter edge 129. In one embodiment and referring to
Referring again to
In another embodiment and referring now to
In another example and referring to
Preferably and as shown in
The light holder 200 may be attached to the inner or inward oriented surface 406 of the mounting patch 400 by adhesive, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding, heat welding, or other fastening mechanisms. In one example, the light holder 200 is attached by adhesive 405, such as a hot melt glue or cyanoacrylate, placed between the lower surface 210 of the mounting base 202 and the inner surface 406 of the mounting patch 400 to provide a secure attachment between the light holder 200 and the preferable fabric material covering the brim, as best shown in
The mounting patch 400, on the other hand, provides a surface to mount the light holder 200 that is configured so that the adhesive will generally not wick therethrough or is thick enough so that the adhesive cures or solidifies before is reaches the outer surface 404 thereof. In one example, the mounting patch 400 may be a non-wicking thread, yarn, paper, or other fabric material, such as the tightly stitched embroidered patch, which is effective to keep the outer surface 404 generally free of the adhesive such that there are no stains or blemishes on the outer surface 404 or another outside section of the brim covering material 291. The patch 400 may also be thicker than the brim covering material 291 or have multiple layers so as to block the liquid adhesive from passing through the material 291 to the outer surface 404. If the surface 400 is thicker than the brim material 291, as mentioned above, the adhesive may harden and cure before it has time to reach the outer surface 404. Moreover, in the example where the light holder 200 is sewn or stitched to the brim, use of the mounting patch 400 may adequately conceal the sewing marks or stitching on the outer surface 404 due to its increased thickness thereby presenting a more aesthetic appearance.
The mounting patch 400 also has openings 410 and 411 sized and arranged to allow the housings 222 and 224 of the light holder 200 to pass therethrough to a location below the brim 416. The light holder 200 may be attached to the patch 400 where the lower surface 210 of the mounting base 202 engages with the inner surface 406 of the patch 400 and is attached thereto by the thin layer adhesive 405 described above (
Referring to
The outer surface 418 of the switch cover 414 may have a similar textured surface as described when discussing the outer surface 404 of the mounting patch 400. The texture of the outer surface 418 provides the user with an indication of the location of the plunger of the activation switch 441 by finger touch. In one example, a user only needs to run a finger along the relatively smooth brim covering material 291 until it runs across the textured outer surface 418 thereby indicating to the user where the activation switch 441 is located. Moreover, the texture of the outer surface 418 provides more traction for a user's finger making it more difficult for the finger to slip off or shift from the outer surface 418 while attempting to depress the activation switch 441. Likewise, the inner surface 416 has a similar texture as described when discussing the inner surface 406 of the mounting patch 400. In one example, the plunger of the activation switch 441 is mounted in the brim 416, such as to the insert, to be spaced from the inner surface 417 in the brim 416. As a user presses on the outer surface 418, the brim covering material 291 moves to contact the plunger of the activation switch 441. The texture of the inner surface 417 provides a roughened surface to contact the plunger thereby allowing the plunger to be more easily depressed while keeping the plunger from sliding or shifting away from the brim covering material 291.
Turning to an additional example and referring to
The light holder cover 500 will preferably be fastened to an outside section of the brim covering material 291, but may be fastened to the light holder 200 or the housings 222 and 224 thereof. For example, the light holder 200 may have slots 508 located on the mounting base 202 and configured to receive staples. In this example, staples may be inserted through portions of the light holder cover 500, the brim covering material 291, and be received securely through the slots 508 of the light holder 200 in a sandwich assembly. Such construction securely fastens the light holder 200 to the cover 500 with the brim covering material 291 in a sandwiched configuration between the light holder 200 disposed at the inside surface 292 of the brim covering material 291 and the light holder cover 500 disposed at the outside surface of the brim covering material 291.
In another example, the light holder 200 may be connected to the light holder cover 500 by sewing or stitching the light holder 200 to the light holder cover 500 with the brim covering material 291 sandwiched therebetween. In still another example, the light holder 200 may be attached to an outside section of the brim covering material 291, and the light holder cover 500 may then be attached directly to the light holder 200 or cover 291 via an adhesive, glue, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding, staples or other fastening mechanisms. The rubber or flexible material of the cover 500 helps provide a strong and flexible housing for the light holder 200 and helps protect the light sources contained therein from damage caused by any contact while still allowing the light sources to provide illumination at a location forwardly and below the brim 116.
Referring now to
Referring to
Similar to the light sources discussed with the previous embodiments, the plurality of light sources 702, which are preferably LEDs, can be configured and disposed on the lighted hat 700 to provide illumination in multiple directions. In the illustrated form, the brim 706 of the lighted hat 700 generally extends in a fore-and-aft direction along a brim axis B. The lighted hat 700 has at least one light source 703 positioned to direct light generally along the brim fore-and-aft axis B and at least one light source 705 mounted on the brim 706 to direct light at an angle relative to the brim axis B, such as along the axis T that extends downward from and transversely or obliquely to the brim axis B. In these embodiments, the light sources 702 are configured to illuminate objects in areas that are different distances away from the hat 700. For example, the light source 703 configured to emit light along the brim axis B will provide illumination upon an object or a location at a distance relatively far away from the wearer, such as approximately four feet to approximately six feet from the wearer, and the light source 705 configured to emit light at an angle to the brim axis B along the axis T will provide illumination upon an object or a location at a distance closer to the wearer, such as at a reading or working distance of approximately 3 inches to approximately 30 inches, without requiring the wearer to shift his head in any given direction. This configuration allows multiple distances to be illuminated simultaneously or at alternating times to thereby allow a wearer to see both objects at a distance and objects at a closer distance without substantial tilting or movements of the head or of the lighted hat 700 worn thereon.
In this form, the hat 700 includes an externally mounted light holder or hat lighting assembly 710 to house and/or receive at least one lower light source 705, and preferably two lower light sources 705, in a fixed orientation to direct light along the axis T to an area forwardly and below the brim 706. The external light holder 710 mounts to or adjacent an outer lower major surface 714 of the brim 706, so that the light sources 705 direct light generally away from the lower major surface 714 of the brim 706. The light holder 710 and components thereof may be made from a resilient and/or flexible material such as a rubber or plastic material so that the light holder 710 can conform and bend with the brim 706. The material used to make the light holder 710 may further be opaque such that light emitted from the light sources 705 substantially cannot pass therethrough to prevent stray light from getting into the eyes of a wearer of causing a glare in eyeglasses worn by a wearer.
Referring to
In the illustrated form, the holder portion 718 includes standoffs, offsets or ribs 725 projecting from the upper surface portion 720 (
In one form, the light sources 705 are LEDs with a lens portion 730 and a radially projecting annular flange 732 positioned rearwardly from the lens portion 730. The cavities 724 can include an annular projection 734 followed longitudinally by an annular groove 736 sized to receive and hold the flange 732 of the light source 705. The projection 734 is configured to flex to allow the flange 732 past during installation of the light source 705 in the cavity 724 and thereafter to return to shape to rearwardly support the flange 732.
By one approach, the bezels 726 may have a longitudinal length such that a wall 727 forming the bezels extends beyond the lens portions 730 of the light sources 705. In this configuration, the light cone of the light source 705 may partially intersect with an inside surface 735 of the cavity 724. This allows the cavity 724 to protect the light source 705 from damage if the lighted hat 700 is dropped. Additionally, this configuration provides more focused light from the LED and keeps stray light from reaching the wearer's eyes and interfering with the gaze of the wearer because a distal end 721 of the cavity provides a blinder or blinder device positioned between the LED 705 and the wearer's eyes. If the wearer has glasses on, such stray light reaching the lenses of the glasses can caused undesirable glare when the lights are turned on. Alternatively, the bezels 726 may have a longitudinal length that extends axially beyond an illumination generating component, such as a light chip 737 of the light source 705, but not beyond the lens portion 730. This configuration allows the light source 705 to provide a portion of more direct illumination to a location below the brim without substantial interference or reflection from the cavity 724 and also provides the blinder function as described above.
The light holder 710 further includes a switch covering portion 738 (
As previously mentioned, the external light holder 710 can be of rubber or elastomeric material. As such, the light holder 710 can be formed by molding which allows for indicia, such as a company brand or product name, to be readily molded into the lower surface 722 thereof. To this end, the switch covering portion 738 may further include alphanumeric and/or graphical content, such as a company trademark.
The light sources 705 disposed in the light holder 710 may be high intensity LEDs that output high intensity cones of light. In such an instance, the light holder 710 may further include a heat sink 745 therein, such as composed of aluminum, tin, or other conductive material to spread out the heat generated by the LEDs. The heat sink 745 may be in thermal communication with the LEDs and positioned around the cavities 724, sandwiched between the holder and brim, extending through portions of the mounting base 716, or in other appropriate locations in the hat brim.
In this embodiment, the light holder 710 is attached to the outside of the lower major surface 714 of the brim 706, such as by stitching, staples, adhesive, welding, or the like, and more preferably to a outer covering material 744 disposed on the lower major surface 714 of the brim 706 as best shown in
Referring back to
As illustrated in
Referring now to
In the embodiment of
In
Next,
Yet another embodiment is illustrated in
Turning to
In
In
It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts and components that have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the lighted hats as claimed may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/714,403, filed Feb. 26, 2010, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/156,464 filed Feb. 27, 2009; and is also a continuation-in-part of International Application Number PCT/US08/87542, filed Dec. 18, 2008, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/014,726, filed Dec. 18, 2007, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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| 20140192518 A1 | Jul 2014 | US |
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| Child | 14047914 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/US2008/087542 | Dec 2008 | US |
| Child | 12714403 | US |
