Hand held sun shield

Abstract

A hand held sun shield having a frame, within the frame a material adapted to reflect or filter ultraviolet radiation. The sun shield includes a handle adapted to position the frame at any angular relationships parallel or perpendicular to the handle.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/419,844 filed Oct. 19, 1999.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Non Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention pertains to hand held devices for protecting a user from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

[0004] A significant medical problem in the United States and in the world, is the increase of the incidents of skin cancer. The ozone layer surrounding the earth is suppose to block out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. However, it is common knowledge that the ozone layer is becoming thinner each year and in point of fact, there are certain locations around the globe were the ozone layer has completely disappeared. There has been a significant increase in the occurrence of melanoma type cancers, e.g. the rate of occurrence having doubled in the past 20 years.

[0005] During the course of a year, and especially during the warm summer months, individuals tend to participate in a number of outdoor activities, which range from athletic type endeavors in which the person participates. participation as a spectator in outdoor events such as baseball games and tennis matches and merely resting in the warm sun, such as on a beach or at a lake.

[0006] According to the American Cancer Society and others, people engaging in outdoor activities during the summer months and, for that matter the entire year, are encouraged to cover as much as they can of that portion of the their skin from direct contact with, or exposure to sunlight. One method of accomplishing this is to wear head covering and neck covering. The most vulnerable or exposed portions of the human anatomy, especially during participation at a spectator sport, are the head, face, and back of the neck, assuming normal attire is worn.

[0007] It is not always possible to have a hat, which covers the exposed portions of the anatomy that are most vulnerable. Therefore, people have resorted to using a hand held sun shade or sun shield devices to accomplish this task. One such device is a combined fan and sun shade shown in U.S. Pat. No. 946,078 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,611.

[0008] A number of fan like devices could be used for this same purposes. Illustrative of such fans are U.S. Pat. Nos. 689,648; 2,122,901; and 2,417,194; Re 22,796 as well as U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 202,603; 247,580; 266,385; and 347,726.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A light weight sun shield can be achieved by combining a frame, which is adapted to hold a material which is adapted to reflect or filter out ultraviolet radiation in combination with a handle that can be positioned at an angular relationship either perpendicular to or parallel with the frame. The handle is adapted for positioning at any desired angular relationship to the frame so that the sun shield can be hand held or other wise positioned relative to the body of a user to screen harmful radiation from exposed portions of the users anatomy.

[0010] Thus, in one aspect, the present invention is a hand held sun shield for protecting a user from the harmful effects of sunlight comprising in combination; a shade portion consisting of a frame having a generally rectangular shape and defining a central open portion, the open portion closed by a material adapted to reflect ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, means on the shade portion to position a handle at one of perpendicular, parallel, or both perpendicular and parallel to the central open portion of the frame the means further adapted to permit a user to position the handle at an angular relationship to the frame when parallel to or perpendicular to the frame, and a removable handle for attachment to the means on the shade portion of the sun shield.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sun-shade according to the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sun-shade according to the invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a side view of the sun-shade according to the invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, a sun shield device according to the present invention is shown generally as 10. Sun shield device 10 includes a frame portion 12 and a handle 14. The frame 12 has a generally rectangular shape with a pair of long sides 16, 17, and pair of shorter sides 18, 20. While the generally rectangular shape is preferred with the long sides 14, 16 being slightly, and shorter sides 18, 20 having a more pronounced, curved shape, other shapes are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the frame can be completely circular or square or a perfect rectangle with straight sides.

[0016] Frame 12 is adapted to hold a material 21, which will reflect or filter ultraviolet rays emitted by sunlight. The material 21 can be a light-weight canvas of a light color or a mesh that is adapted for the purpose of filtering out or reflecting ultraviolet radiation. As shown in FIG. 4, the material 21 can be held by the frame 12 by tacking and gluing the peripheral edge of material 21 into a suitable peripheral groove or slot 30 in frame 12. Alternatively, the material 21 can be fitted over the frame 12 in the form of a cover. In either case, the material 21 should be stretched by the frame 12 to resemble the head of an acoustic drum.

[0017] Frame 12 includes at least one aperture or receiver 22 which contains internal female threads 24 adapted to receive a complimentary threaded portion of a threaded insert 34 on knob 28. As shown in FIG. 4, the receiver 22 can be molded into the frame 12 by any known means, the means being dictated by the materials of construction.

[0018] The sun shield 10 includes a handle 14 having an aperture 32 on one end. The aperture 32 is of a size to receive a stepped down portion 26 of knob 28 so that the handle 14 can be positioned at various angles to the frame 10.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, the frame 12 can be fitted with a second receiver 36 identical to receiver 22 with the second receiver being positioned on the frame 12 on an opposite side to receiver 22. The handle 14 is shown in a position parallel to the frame in FIGS. 1 and 2. Tightening knob 28 fixes the handle in the position shown. In this position the handle can be rotated so that it is parallel with the long side of the shade for easy storage. In use when the knob 28 is loosened handle 14 can be moved to any angular position relative to the frame 12 to enable a user to position the material 20 in the path of the sun's radiation. The angle between the frame and the handle can be considered positive or negative of 90°, depending upon whether the handle is rotated up or down from the position shown in FIG. 1. formed in the aperture 32 in handle 14 so that when the handle is positioned according to the preference of the user and knob 28 is tightened the handle 14 will stay in position.

[0020] With the handle positioned in either receiver 22 or 36 the handle 14 can be locked in various angular positions so that the user can tilt or position the shade portion to achieve the maximum coverage of the material portion 21 over or against the user's exposed skin. The handle 14 can be positioned over the shoulder of the user, held by the clothing of the user or clamped to a convenient railing or the like. The sun shield 10 can be used to protect infants in strollers by fixing the sun shield to a portion of the stroller that is adapted to hold the handle 14 of the sun shield 10.

[0021] In either embodiment the handle portion could be equal to, shorter than, and/or longer than the long side of the frame 12.

[0022] In one embodiment the frame could be constructed from well known plastic materials such as ABS Plastics with a rectangular shape 15 inches by 12 inches. The handle 14 could be 15 inches long and constructed from ABS Plastic or Nylon. The handle and the nut 26 would also be made of structural plastic materials and the fabric or shade portion 20 could be made from a tightly fitted light color canvas that would reflect or filter out the ultraviolet radiation.

[0023] The sun shade device according to the present invention can be used to not only shade the user from the sun, but to protect the user from the harmful effects of the suns rays. It is generally accepted that the largest cause of skin cancer is overexposure to sunlight, which can cause the appearance of melanoma which is the most serious of the skin cancers. Melanomas can begin as a mole or other dark spot in the skin. It appears that the ultraviolet rays of the sun trigger a reaction that causes the melanoma to appear. The most effective way to prevent melanoma is to avoid exposure to sunlight. The device of the present invention enables the user to participate in activity normally conducted in the outdoors where the user is exposed to sunlight and enables the user to block out the harmful of the present invention enables the user to participate in activity normally conducted in the outdoors where the user is exposed to sunlight and enables the user to block out the harmful effects of the suns rays without diminishing the users enjoyment of outdoor activity.

[0024] Having thus described my invention what is desired to be secured by letters patent of the United States is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hand-held shield for protecting a user from the harmful effects of sun light comprising in combination:

a shade portion consisting of a generally round cornered rectangular shaped frame, said frame having a central open portion closed by a material adapted to reflect ultraviolet radiation from said sun light;

a receiver proximate a transition between a short side of said frame and a long side of said frame, said receiver having means to moveably and removably position a handle to support said frame; and

an elongated generally flat handle having a first end and a second end, a rotatable knob dispensed in an aperture proximate a first end of said handle, said knob including means to secure said handle to said aperture in said frame, whereby said handle can be positioned at any angle from parallel to an angle of +90° to said frame.

2. A hand-held shield according to

claim 1, including a second receiver on said frame at a location opposite to said receiver.

3. A hand-held shield according to

claim 1, wherein said receiver consists of an outer raised portion on said frame, said outer portion having an upper surface containing a plurality of equally spaced teeth, and central internally threaded aperture extending into said frame.

4. A hand-held shield according to

claim 1, wherein said knob is disposed in a stepped recess with a surface of said recess to be juxtaposed to said receiver containing complimentary teeth so that said threads on said handle can engage said teeth on said receiver to provide positive positioning of said handle when said handle is forcibly secured to said frame.

5. A hand-held shield according to

claim 4, wherein said handle includes a knob with a first larger diameter portion disposed on a side of said handle opposite to said surface of said recess containing said teeth and a second smaller diameter portion projecting past said surface of said recess containing said teeth, said second smaller diameter portion adapted to receive a cylindrical locking member said cylindrical locking member adapted to lock said knob rotatably to said handle said locking member containing an outer threaded surface, said threads complimentary to said threads in said receiver whereby said handle can be variably positioned relative to said frame and fixed at a position selected by a user.

6. A hand-held shield according to

claim 1, wherein said frame includes a peripheral groove to receive and hold said material.