AUXILIARY SUN SHADE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
An auxiliary sun shade system and method includes a retaining and adjustment system adaptive to all forms of headgear and an adaptive shading system. The adaptive shading system is repositionable relative to the retaining and adjustment system and includes one or multiple sun shading panels. The retaining and adjustment system may include one or two bands and may have extendable arms that allow attachment to different parts of the headgear for improved adaptation and convenience.
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This application relates to and claims priority from U.S. Prov. Ser. No. 62/368,838 filed Jul. 29, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference
FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATIONThe present invention relates to an auxiliary sun shade system and method of using the same. More particularly, the present invention provides an auxiliary sun shade system including alternative retaining and adjustment systems and an adaptive sun shading system or shield when used in combination with headgear.
Description of the Related ArtApplications of sun shields and auxiliary sun visors for headgear are known.
One conventional example of a sun shield is a visor on the rim of a cap or hat. In these conventional arrangements, the sun shield or auxiliary visor is fixably secured to the headgear and cannot be repositioned relative to the headgear.
Other conventional examples of sun shields provide shield or visor that is fixably positioned relative to a headgear band or hat support. Examples of these conventional arrangements are known from US Pub. No. 2006/0253957 (Orozco) and US Pub. No. 2008/0066216 (Yun), the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein as part of the understanding of those of common skill in the art.
Unfortunately, for example in US Pub. No. 2006/0253957 (Orozco) a fixed band is placed on a cap and a sun shield is fixably secured to the same. This prevents ready adjustment of the auxiliary shade relative to either the headgear or the user without rupturing the fixed connection between the band and the sun shield.
A similar concern exists in the conventional US Pub. No. 2008/0066216 (Yun) where a more complex multi-unit visor is also fixably positioned relative to the headgear band.
For operation of either the '957 or '216 designs, a user must manipulate the sun shield support rotationally around a head gear or hat rendering the conventional process and systems unworkable and inconvenient.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved auxiliary sun shade system and method of using that overcomes at least one of the concerns apparent in the conventional arts.
ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn auxiliary sun shade system and method includes a retaining and adjustment system adaptive to all forms of headgear and an adaptive shading system. The adaptive shading system is repositionable relative to the retaining and adjustment system and includes one or multiple sun shading panels. The retaining and adjustment system may include one or two bands and may alternatively have extendable arms that allow attachment to different parts of the headgear for improved adaptation and convenience.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a readily adjustable sun shade system allowing removable attachment to a hat brim, or repositionable adjustment relative to a user's hat.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments of the present invention; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent.
One of the present inventions is noted in
Proximate a top portion of each sun shade panel is formed a continuous open passage 41 that allows the sliding passage of a continuous member 61 (or later a discontinuous member 52 depending upon the embodiment of interest), or optionally both in combination. The outer dimension of the member (or members) of the retaining and adjustment system 60 (or later combined continuous and discontinuous retaining and adjustment system 50, see
As noted in
In one example, in
Referring now to
As shown, in a preferred environment, discontinuous member 52 is elastomeric for stretchable adjustment relative to brim 2 of hat 1 for a preference of a user.
As noted in
An exemplary use will be discussed. A user places hat 1 with brim 2 on a head and drapes auxiliary sun shade system 100A, 100B or any variant thereof over hat 1, so that one continuous band or continuous members 61, 51 covers the brim 2 portion; and then using the toggle 62 or other securing system is secured snuggly. If auxiliary sun shade system 100B with discontinuous member 52 is used, a user may optionally extend with clips 53, 53 to any portion of the brim 2, and thereby adjust a sun shade member 40A-40D relative to hat 1. If auxiliary sun shade system 100A is provided, then sun shade members 40A-40D are slid relatively along continuous member or band 61 relative to the user and hat 1. It is noted that using the discontinuous member 52 arrangement provides for increased brim and user coverage to the full extent of hat brim 2.
As another alternative embodiment, it will be understood that shade system 40 may be constructed from any convenient draping material, and may be of textile construction or of a film or discontinuous textile construction. The materials for shade system may be reflective, opaque, transparent, translucent, or formed of mesh or otherwise without limitation. Additionally the outer profile shape may be of any continuous form, for example a curved form 40D (
As will be additionally noted in
Closure system 40 may be of any form and have any structure suitable to separably-secure the outer ends together based upon a users desire. Here, closure system 80 includes two extending strap members 81, 81 and a snap closure 82.
It will also be understood, that as used herein the phrases ‘sun’ or ‘shading’ are understood as the application of common words and will also be understood to be adaptive to any related use within the scope of the present invention. For a non-limited example, a sun shield or sun shade panel will be similarly effective as a wind or rain blocking shield or panel. Additionally the phrases ‘retaining’ or ‘adjusting’ are understood to be adaptive to the headgear and possible use. For example, the proposed invention may be retained on a headgear temporarily and removed post-use, so that the retainment is not permanent. Similarly, adjusting is a relative term intended to reflect the use of the invention. Adjustment of the sun shade is relative to or along either the headgear, the user, or the retaining and engaging system for improved user convenience.
Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An auxiliary sun shading system, for use with headgear, comprising:
- a retaining and adjustment system and a shade system that is adjustably secured to said retaining and adjustment system;
- said retaining and adjustment system being at least one continuous member having an outer dimension and having an outer cross sectional profile dimension;
- said shade system having at least one sun shade panel and means for slidably adjustably securing said shade system relative to said retaining and adjustment system;
- said means for adjustably securing including at least one bounded passage extending along a portion of said shade system; and
- said at least one bounded passage having an inner profile dimension that is greater than said outer cross sectional profile dimension, whereby said shade system is slidably adjustable relative to said retaining and adjustment system.
2. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 1, further comprising:
- at least one tensioning toggle member on said retaining and adjustment system; and
- said tensioning toggle member operative to adjust said outer dimension of said retaining and adjustment system, whereby said auxiliary sun shade system is readily adapted to a variety of headgear dimensions.
3. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 1, wherein:
- said retaining and adjustment system includes an elastomeric portion, wherein said elastomeric portion allows one of an expansion adjustment and a contraction adjustment of said outer dimension of said retaining and adjustment system to ensure a secure fit to said headgear.
4. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 1, wherein:
- said shade system further comprises at least three sun shade panels; and
- each sun shade panel further including said means for adjustably securing, whereby during a user on said head gear a user may repositionably adjust ones of said sun shade panels about portions of said outer dimension for improved user convenience.
5. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 2, wherein:
- said at least one sun shade panel including an adjustment boundary proximate said tensioning toggle member, whereby and adjustment of said retaining and adjustment system may be readily adjusted without interference with said at least one sun shade panel.
6. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 1, further comprising:
- at least one closure system on selected sides of said at least one sun shade panel; and
- said closure system operable to provide a separable securement of said selected sides of said sun shade panel.
7. An auxiliary sun shading system, for use with headgear, comprising:
- a retaining and adjustment system and a shade system that is adjustably secured to said retaining and adjustment system;
- said retaining and adjustment system having at least one continuous member having an outer dimension and one discontinuous member;
- said discontinuous member having an outer cross sectional profile dimension and two opposed ends;
- said continuous member and said discontinuous member being connected along at least one position on said outer dimension of said at least one continuous member;
- said discontinuous member formed of elastomeric material;
- at least one securing clip on each said opposed end of said discontinuous member;
- said shade system having at least one sun shade panel and means for adjustably securing said shade system to said retaining and adjustment system;
- said means for adjustably securing including at least one bounded passage extending along a portion of said shade system; and
- said at least one bounded passage having an inner profile dimension that is greater than said outer cross sectional profile dimension of said discontinuous member, whereby said shade system is slidably adjustable relative to said retaining and adjustment system.
8. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 7, further comprising:
- at least one tensioning toggle member on said retaining and adjustment system; and
- said tensioning toggle member operative to adjust said outer dimension of said continuous member of said retaining and adjustment system, whereby said auxiliary sun shade system is readily adapted to a variety of headgear dimensions.
9. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 7, wherein:
- said retaining and adjustment system includes an elastomeric portion along said continuous member, wherein said elastomeric portion allows one of an expansion adjustment and a contraction adjustment of said outer dimension of said retaining and adjustment system to ensure a secure fit to said headgear.
10. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 7, wherein:
- said shade system further comprises at least three sun shade panels and each sun shade panel further including said means for adjustably securing, whereby during a user on said head gear a user may repositionably adjust ones of said sun shade panels about portions of said outer dimension of said discontinuous member for improved user convenience.
11. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 7, wherein:
- each said securing clip on said opposed ends of said discontinuous member is operable to removably secure at least one of said opposed ends to portions of an external headgear during a use thereby allowing said shade system to be repositonably secured along an improved dimension relative to said external headgear for an improved user protection.
12. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 8, wherein:
- said at least one sun shade panel including an adjustment boundary proximate said tensioning toggle member, whereby and adjustment of said retaining and adjustment system may be readily adjusted without interference with said at least one sun shade panel.
13. The auxiliary sun shade system, according to claim 7, further comprising:
- at least one closure system on selected sides of said at least one sun shade panel; and
- said closure system operable to provide a separable securement of said selected sides of said sun shade panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 27, 2017
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2018
Applicant: Thompson Weiler Enterprises LLC (Mt. Kisco, NY)
Inventors: Andrew WEILER (London), Valerie CIPTAK (Ossining, NY), Leslie ASCH (Croton-on-Hudson, NY), Julie DeMARCHIS (Ossining, NY)
Application Number: 15/661,169