City hard hat visor

Abstract

The City Hard Hat Visor, is a specially designed attachable sun visor configured to be easily secured to an existing hard hat. The City Hard Hat Visor is comprised of a circular shaped retaining strap which is secured about the base of the hard hat. Fully adjustable, this strap is secured in place via a simple hook and loop, more commonly referred to as Velcro, fastener. Positioned on this strap are two or four sturdy, fabric covered semi-rigid visors. These visors are secured to the retaining strap via a pivoting hinge, enabling the wearer to flip the visor upwards and rest it flush against the front, sides or back of the hard hat when not in use.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e)(1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/398,977 filed Jul. 2, 2010, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “CITY HARD HAT VISOR.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of protective headgear devices, and more specifically to the field of hard hat accessory devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for two-sided hard hat devices. Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 1,677,187 to Shane E. Leibson describes a sun visor intended to take the place of a cap which is so constructed that, while the head will be perfectly ventilated and exposed to the atmosphere, the eyes of the wearer will be shaded and the forehead of the wearer will be protected against sunburn.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,767 to A. G. Schoener describes a one-piece sun visor which can readily be attached to or removed from a protective hat of the hard shell type. The visor tabs are provided with slots so that the suspension straps in the hat can be threaded through them to hold the visor in place.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,525 to Tad Wetherill Murnan describes an article of headwear that is adjustable to accommodate a wide range of head sizes comprising a front portion having a partial headband with brim and a rear portion having a partial headband with brim, wherein said partial headbands may be overlapped for size adjustment and detachably secured by means of cooperating Velcro strips.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a removable visor for a hard hat including sun shields on the front and the back of the hard hat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable visor for a hard hat including sun shields on the front, back and side of the hard hat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational angled perspective view of the device of the present invention showing front and back visors.

FIG. 2 is an elevational right-angled perspective view of the device of the present invention mounted on a hard hat with front and back visors in the down position.

FIG. 3 is an elevational right-angled perspective view of the device of the present invention mounted on a hard hat with front and back visors in the up position.

FIG. 4 is an elevational angled perspective view of the device of the present invention showing all four visors.

FIG. 5 is an elevational right-angled perspective view of the device of the present invention mounted on a hard hat with all four visors in the down position.

FIG. 6 is an elevational right-angled perspective view of the device of the present invention mounted on a hard hat with all four visors in the up position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Millions of consumers work at job sites where safety issues are of utmost concern and accidental mishaps are an avoidable part of a daily shift. Whether a lineman repairing a utility pole, a construction worker traversing an elevated scaffold, or a contractor tearing down a brick wall, there are a myriad of professions where safety is of much more concern than for those who work behind a desk. As such, taking simple steps to protect oneself while on the job is crucial for these individuals. In particular, making sure to wear a hard hat when at a work site is crucial for those employed in various construction or maintenance professions.

A hard hat is a type of helmet predominately used in workplace environments such as construction sites to protect the head from injury by falling objects, debris, bad weather, and electric shock. Featuring a shatterproof shell, hard hats feature an interior suspension which spreads the helmet's weight over the top of the head, providing spacing between the helmet's shell and the head so that when an object strikes the head, a safety distance cushion of approximately three centimeters lessens the blow. Not surprisingly, a single head injury can handicap an employee for life, or it can be fatal. Thus, many employers demand that their employees where hard hats, while some professionals choose to wear protective helmets on their own.

While wearing a hard hat is indeed important, there are times when wearing one presents drawbacks. Particularly, during the hot summer months, when temperatures soar, the stringent rays of the sun cause the head to become excessively hot, resulting in the user sweating and becoming extremely uncomfortable. Causing fatigue, eyestrain and overexposure, working in the hot sun is physically taxing, compounded by the physical labor involved in completing the task at hand. As can be imagined, experiencing painful sunburn on the face and neck as a result of doing one's job can be a completely frustrating experience. Not surprisingly, construction crews, grounds maintenance workers, and other professionals are but a few of the workers who spend their entire summers wilting under heat and humidity.

The present invention, hereinafter referred as the City Hard Hat Visor, is a specially designed attachable sun visor configured to be easily secured to an existing hard hat. The City Hard Hat Visor is comprised of a circular shaped retaining strap which is secured about the base of the hard hat. Fully adjustable, this strap is secured in place via a simple hook and loop, more commonly referred to as Velcro, fastener. Positioned on this strap are two or four sturdy, fabric covered semi-rigid visors, with the front visor measuring approximately four and one-half inches in length and the back visor measuring approximately three and one-half inches in length. The side visors are mirror images of each other and measure approximately three to four inches in width and two to three inches in length. The width of each visor accommodates the entire forehead, side or back of the neck, respectively. Notably, these visors are secured to the retaining strap via a pivoting hinge, enabling the wearer to flip the visor upwards and rest it flush against the front, sides or back of the hard hat when not in use. The City Hard Hat Visor is produced in a myriad of attractive colors, printed designs or neutral hues.

Application and use of the City Hard Hat Visor is very simple and straightforward. Prior to donning their hard hat, the user simply secures the City Hard Hat Visor in place according to easily followed package instructions. Wrapping the strap fastener around the hat, the user makes sure to position the unit so that the large visor encompasses the front of the hat while the smaller visor is positioned on the back. After securing the unit in place via the self-affixing hook and loop fasteners, the City Hard Hat Visor is ready for use. Working in the hot sun, the City Hard Hat Visor serves to protect the wearer's face and neck from overexposure, while also deflecting any dirt, gravel or other small debris that falls onto the wearer's head, away from the wearer's face. The City Hard Hat Visor is worn as often as desired, with the individual visors simply flipped upwards and folded flush against the front and back of the hat when not in use.

There are several significant benefits and advantages associated with this clever product invention. Foremost, the City Hard Hat Visor provides outdoor workers with a simple, effective means of keeping cool and comfortable on scorching hot days. Combining existing, required protective headgear with an easily attached two-piece visor, the City Hard Hat Visor alleviates excessive perspiration and heat build-up without compromising the worker's safety in the process. Serving to block the stringent and harmful rays of the sun, the City Hard Hat Visor effectively protects the wearer from painful sun burns, as well as the exposure, eye fatigue and exhaustion associated with spending long hours in direct sunlight. Wearer's appreciate that the City Hard Hat Visor is easily applied and effortlessly flipped up and out of the way when not in use, enabling them to control their comfort level even on the sunniest or darkest of days. Further, in addition to providing portable, personal shade, the City Hard Hat Visor adds an additional measure of protection to the wearer's hard hat. With visors secured to both the front and back of the hat, the City Hard Hat Visor serves to deflect falling dust, dirt, gravel and other debris that one encounters on the job. Fabricated of durable, high quality materials and components, the City Hard Hat Visor withstands years of continued use.

The City Hard Hat Visor is an innovative product invention that provides construction workers and all others who wear hard hats with a simple and efficient means of bathing excessive heat. Simple to use and cost effective, this unique product invention proves an invaluable accessory for those hot days spent working outdoors.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Claims

1. An improved hard hat visor device, comprising a circular shaped adjustable retaining strap, the strap being secured about the base of the hard hat, wherein sturdy, semi-rigid visors are positioned on this strap.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the visors are fabric-covered.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the visors number two wherein visor one is positioned on the strap to coincide with the front of the hard had and visor two is positioned on the strap to coincide with the back of the hard hat.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the visors number four wherein visor one is positioned on the strap to coincide with the front of the hard had and visor two is positioned on the strap to coincide with the back of the hard hat and visor three is positioned on the strap to coincide with the right side of the hard had and visor four is positioned on the strap to coincide with the left side of the hard hat.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the visors are mounted to the strap by means of a pivoting hinge, enabling the wearer to flip one or more of the visors upwards to rest the visor flush against the front, sides or back of the hard hat when not in use.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the strap is fully adjustable, and this strap is secured in place by means of hook and loop fastener.