WO2016029123A1 - Shade helmet - Google Patents

Abstract

A shade helmet includes (preferably consists of) a bicycle helmet and a shade hat. The bicycle helmet protects the wearer from a head injury in the event of a collision,, and Includes length-adjustable straps for connecting the bicycle helmet to the wearer's head. The shade hat is removably connected to the bicycle helmet, and has a brim that extends radially outward relative to the bicycle helmet to provide extra shade for the wearer's neck and shoulders.. The shade hat has buttonhole-shaped slots for slidably receiving the bicycle-helmet; straps. Methods of assembling and using the shade helmet are also disclosed.

Description

IN THE UNITEP STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

SHADE HELMET

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application number 62/040,193, filed on August 21, 2014, the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to, though is not necessarily limited to, a shade helmet that is made up of (preferably made op entirely of) a bicycle helmet and a shade hat. The bicycle helmet protects the wearer from a head injury in the event of a fall, crash, or collision, and includes length-adjustable straps for connecting the bicycle helmet to the wearer's head. The straps may be connected to a wall portion of the bicycle helmet, or they may be connecting to a webbing that is a part of the bicycle helmet.

[0003] The shade hat is connected to the bicycle helmet and includes a brim which extends radially outward relative to the bicycle helmet to provide shade for the wearer's neck and shoulders, and the hat has slots for slidab!y receiving the bicycle helmet straps. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, clasps are used to connect the straps to each other beneath the wearer's chin. The bicycle helmet may be configured such that the clasps cars be pushed, through the slots of the brim by hand to connect the shade hat to the bicycle helmet. [0004] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Fig, I is a front view of a shade helmet that is constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0006] Fig. 2 is a side view of the shade helmet of Fig. 1;

[0007] Fig. 3 is a side view of a soft shade hat for the shade helmet of Fig. 1;

[0008] Fig. 4 is a top view of the shade helmet of Fig. 1; and

[0009] Fig, S is a top view of the shade hat of Fig. 3, and contains an expanded, partial perspective view of a pocket for the shade hat.

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT'S

[0011] Turning now to the drawings, where like elements arc designated by like numerals, there is shown in Fig. 1 a. shade helmet 1.0 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The shade helmet 10 consists of a bicycle helmet 12 and a shade hat 14. The bicycle helmet 12 per se may be constructed in. a known manner, for example., as shown in United States Patents Nos. 5,450,631, 4,903,350, and 03-52,803, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. The bicycle helmet 12 has a rigid, exterior surface 1.6, a padded interior surface 18, chin straps 20, 22, and releasable clasps 24 26 for connecting the respective distal, ends 28, 30 of the chin straps 20, 22 to each, other.

[0012] The rigid exterior surface 16 has a generally semi-spherical configuration, and the padded interior surface 18 has a matching semi -spherical, configuration to conform to the head of a wearer (not shown). If desired, webbing (not shown) may be located inside of the padded interior surface 18 to provide size adjustment relative to the wearer's head,, as known per se. In operation, the shade helmet 10 is located on the wearer's head, with the padded interior surface 18 (and/or the webbing) separated from the surface (the hair) of the wearer head by the shade hat 14,

[0013] The chin straps 20, 22 are brought around, the wearer's temples, cheeks, and chin and. connected to each other beneath the chin by the refeasable clasps 24, 26, to secure the shade helmet 10 to the wearer s head. The lengths of the chin straps 20, 22 are adjustable at: the clasps 24, 26, in a manner known per se, so that the shade helmet 10 is held securely, but not too tight, to the wearer's head,

[0016] The bicycle helmet 1.2 protects the wearer from a head, injury in the event of a ML The bicycle helmet 12 by itself, however, does not protect the back of the wearer's neck and shoulders from exposure to the sun. The bicycle helmet 12 by itself, would leave the wearer susceptible to overexposure to the sun, possibly sunburn, and overheating. Such overexposure may he especially problematic where the wearer is riding a bicycle (not illustrated) on a trail that is not shaded, where the wearer's neck and shoulders are directed toward the sun for a long period of time,

[0015] The shade hat 14 consists of a main, portion 50 and a brim 52, in the illustrated embodiment the main portion 50 and the brim. 52 are made of the same .fabric material, which may contain cotton and/or a synthetic material suitable for use in hot weather. The fabric material is soft enough, to be comfortable to the wearer and somewhat flexible but rigid enough to maintain the wide-brim hat configuration that is shown, irs the drawings. The shade hat 14 may he formed of a breathable or wic.king materia S so as to remove heat and humid, air away from the wearer's hair on a hot, sunny day.

[0016] The main portion 50 of the shade hat 1.4 has a semispherical configuration to tit conformably inside of the padded interior surface 1.8 (and/or webbing) of the bicycle helmet 12, In. use,- most of the main portion 50 is hidden from view by the bicycle helmet 12, as illustrated in Figs, 1 and 2. The main portion 50 has a circular edge 58 (f igs. 2 and 3) that is connected to the brim 52 by a suitable seam. In an alternative configuration, the main portion 50 and the brim.52 are formed of a single contiguous sheet of material, molded into the wide-brim hat shape that is shown in the drawings. If desired, the main portion 50 may be softer and more bendable than the brim.52. [0016] In operation, a front portion 60 of the hat edge 58 is located between, the wearer's eyebrows and a front-most portion 80 of the bicycle helmet 12. A rear portion 82 of the edge 58 Is located between the back of the wearer's neck and a rear-roost portion 84 of the bicycle helmet 12. The brim 52 extends radially outward from the edge 58 and lies essentially within a plane P. The brim 52 may be bent out of the plane P, for example, by the user's hands, or in the event of a collision. However, the material of the shade hat 14, especially that of the brim 52, is sufficiently resilient such that the brim 52 tends to return to the - illustrated configuration.

[0018] The shade hat brim 52 extends radially outward, from the bicycle helmet 12 by at least one, and more preferably by two or more inches, to provide shade for the back of the wearer's neck and shoulders to an extent that is substantially greater than can be provided by the bicycle helmet 1.2 itself. At the same time, the front 86 of the brim 52 is maintained substantially -within the plane P so as to not obstruct the wearer's field of vision. The shade hat 14 is sufficiently lightweight so as to be worn comfortably for extended periods of time, and the soft, resilient nature of the material which makes up the shade hat 14 is such that the -shade hat 14 does not impair the ability of the bicycle helmet 12 to prevent a head injury in the event of a fall or other collision.

10019] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the main portion 52 of the shade hat 14 preferably has openings 100 for allowing air to travel freely through the shade hat 14. The openings 100 cooperate with known vents 102 (Figs. 1, 2, and 4) that are formed through the bicycle helmet 12 to provide ventilation over the surface of the wearer's head. On the other hand, the air openings 1.00 and the vents 102 are sufficiently non-aligned with each other to protect the head surface from overexposure to the suit.

[0020] Turning now to .Fig. 5, the brim 52 has buttonhole-shaped slots 110, 112 for receiving the chin straps 20, 22, respectively. The slots 110, 112 extend through the fabric material of the shade hat 10, and are reinforced by suitable stitching 1 14, 116. The slots 110, 112 are sized to allow the releasabie clasps 24, 26 (Figs. 1 and 2} to pass easily therethrough. Thus, the shade helmet 10 is assembled by nesting the main portion 50 of the shade hat 14 within the serai -spherical interior of the bicycle helmet 12,. Then the releasabie clasps 24, 26 are pushed though the respective slots 110, 112, from above the brim 52 to below, such that the straps 20, 22 are slklably located within the slots 110, 112. If desired, the lengths of one or both of the straps 20, 22 may then be adjusted.

Ad vantageously, the straps 20, 22 may be adjusted without removing the shade hat 14 from the bicycle helmet 12. Then, the shade helmet 10 is placed on the wearer s head and the clasps 24, 26 are secured to each other, and the shade helmet 10 is then, ready to be used by the wearer during a bicycle ride on a sunny day- All of the steps described In. this paragraph may be performed by the wearer, by hand,

[0021] After the bicycle ride Is over, the clasps 24, 26 may be released, from, each to remove the shade helmet 10 from the wearer's head. If desired, the straps 20, 22 may be removed from the slots 110, 112 so that the bicycle helmet 12 may be used by itself for a subsequent bicycle ride, for example, when If Is cloudy, or when the path is shady. In other words, the bicycle helmet 12 may be used in a conventional manner, without the shade hat 14. Moreover, the shade hat 14 may be worn apart from the bicycle helmet 1.2, for example, to protect the wearer from overexposure to the sun while the wearer is walking or doing other activities outside.

[0018] Advantageously, the slots TIG, 112 are formed near the hat edge 58 where they do not detract from, the aesthetic appearance of the shade hat 14, whether the shade hat 14 is being used as a part of the shade helmet 10 or by itself At the same time, locating the slots 110, 112 close to the edge 58 permits the straps 20, 22 to lie close to the wearer' s cheeks during use, so as to not impair the protective function of the bicycle helmet 12, and so as to not bend or otherwise affect the desired configuration and location of the brim 52 relative to the plane P. [0023] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a small, flat pocket 70 may be located on the top surface 72 of the brim 52. The. pocket 70 may be rectangular, and no larger than required to conveniently contain a credit card, a house key, an identification card, a small amount of cash, or the like, in a preferred embodiment, the four peripheral edges 74 of the pocket 70 may be slightly larger than those of a conventional plastic credit card. Three of the edges 74 may be in the form of folded gussets so that the pocket 70 can lay flat against the top surface 72 of the brim 52 when the pocket 70 is empty, and expanded to receive items for storage. Two of the folded gussets 78, 80 are shown in the expanded portion 76 of Fig. 5. The fourth edge may be open as shown in Fig, 5, although the present invention should not be limited to the precise instumentalities that are shown in the drawings.

[0023] The pocket 70 is preferably located- on the top surface 72 (rather than underneath the brim 52), near the inner edge 58 of the brim 52, and near one of the straps 22, so as to be inconspicuous and/or largely hidden from the wearer and others during use, yet easily located and accessed by the wearer, using his or her fingers, even when the shade helmet 10 is not removed from the wearer's head,

[0023] An important advantage of the present invention is that the shade hat 14 may be produced and acquired separately from the bicycle helmet 12. The shade hat 14 may be assembled to a pre-existing bicycle helmet 12, to achieve entirely new functionalities in the new combination, without making any other changes to the bicycle helmet 12,

[0023] The foregoing is intended to describe exemplary embodiments of the invention, including how to make and use the embodiments. The scope of the invention sought to be protected should be determined with respect to the claims which follow. The

'invention should not be limited to what is shown in the drawings, or to what is described, above. In particular, the invention is not limited to the structures, methods, and instrumentalities described, above and shown in the drawings,

Claims

1. A shade helmet, comprising:

a bicycle helmet for protecting a wearer from a head injury in the event of a collision, the bicycle helmet including length-adjustable straps for connecting the shade helmet to the wearer's head; and

a shade hat connected to the bicycle helmet; the shade hat including a brim that extends radially outward relative to the bicycle helmet to provide shade for the wearer's neck and shoulders,, and wherein the shade hat includes slots for receiving the straps of the bicycle helmet.

2. The shade helmet of claim 1, further comprising clasps for connecting the straps to each other beneath the wearer's chin, and wherein the shade helmet is configured such that the clasps can he pushed through the slots of the brim to connect the shade hat to the bicycle helmet.

3. The shade helmet of claim 2, wherein the brim lies within a plane that is located beneath the bicycle helmet.

4. The shade helmet of claim % wherein the shade hat includes a semi-spherical main portion that is located within the bicycle helmet.

5. The shade helmet of claim 4 wherein the bicycle helmet includes vents, and wherein the main portion of the shade hat includes openings for ventilation.

6. The shade helmet of claim 4, wherein the brim has a top surface, and wherein the shade helmet includes a pocket located on the top surface of the brim.

7. A method, ot providing shade while riding a bicycle, comprising the steps ot providing a bicycle helmet for protecting a wearer from a head injury in the event of a collision, the bicycle helmet including Jength-adjustable straps for connecting the bicycle helmet to the wearer's head;

connecting a shade hat to the bicycle helmet, providing the shade hat with a brim that extends radially outward relative to the bicycie helmet to pro vide shade for the wearer's neck and shoulders,, and providing the shade hat with slots for receiving the straps of the bicycle helmet, and wherein the connecting step includes the step of passing portions of the length-adjustable straps through the slots; and

subsequently, connecting the length-adjustable straps to each other, and using the brim of the shade hat to provide the shade while riding the bicycle.

8. The shade-providing method of claim 7, wherein the step of connecting the straps to each other includes the step of securing clasps to each other.

9. The shade-providing method of claim 8, wherein the step of connecting the shade hat to the bicycle helmet includes the step of locating the brim within a plane that is beneath the bicycle helmet.

10. The shade-providing method, of claim 9,. wherein the step of connecting the shade hat to the bicycle helmet includes the step of locating a. semi-spherical, main portion of the shade hat within the bicycle helmet.

11. The shade-providing method, of claim 9, further comprising the step of locating one or more items in a pocket on a top surface of the brim.