HARDHAT WITH PROTECTED OVERHEAD COOLING FAN AND METHOD

Abstract

A hardhat with a protected overhead cooling fan comprises: a main hardhat body component having an upper aperture through which air is drawn and pulled down into a battery powered cooling fan; a fan cover component spaced at least about ¼ inch from and permanently adhered to the main hardhat body with a plurality of linear ridges; a battery pack for the cooling fan; and a plurality of connecting wires. A method of use is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An air-conditioned hardhat that comprises: a main hardhat body component having an upper aperture through which air is drawn and pulled down into an electric fan mounted from an interior of the main hardhat body component; a fan cover component spaced from a top exterior of the main hardhat body component over the electric fan; a plurality of protuberances for spacing the fan cover component a set gap distance from the top exterior of the main hardhat body component; a battery pack for powering the electric fan; and a plurality of wires for connecting the electric fan in the main hardhat body component to the battery pack.

2. The hardhat of claim 1 wherein the plurality of protuberances extend downwardly from an interior of the fan cover component.

3. The hardhat of claim 2 wherein the plurality of protuberances extend substantially linearly to create a plurality of ridge-like connectors between the fan cover component and the main hardhat body component.

4. The hardhat of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ridge-like connectors extend from front to rear of the interior of the fan cover component.

5. The hardhat of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ridge-like connectors extend from side to side of the interior of the fan cover component.

6. The hardhat of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ridge-like connectors extend from a center region of the interior of the fan cover component to an outermost edge of the interior of the fan cover component at equivalents to 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions about the center region.

7. The hardhat of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ridge-like connectors are adapted for permanently adhering the fan cover component the top exterior of the main hardhat body component.

8. The hardhat of claim 7 wherein the plurality of ridge-like connectors are adapted for ultrasonically welding the fan cover component the top exterior of the main hardhat body component.

9. The hardhat of claim 1 wherein the set gap distance is at least about ¼ inch.

10. The hardhat of claim 9 wherein the set gap distance is about ½ inch.

11. The hardhat of claim 1, which further includes at least one fan on/off switch.

12. The hardhat of claim 11 wherein said at least one fan on/off switch can be activated via a phone app.

13. The hardhat of claim 1 wherein the fan cover component is made from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber composite.

14. A hardhat with a protected overhead cooling fan, said hardhat comprising: a main hardhat body component having an upper aperture through which air is drawn and pulled down into a battery powered cooling fan mounted from an interior of the main hardhat body component; a fan cover component spaced from and permanently adhered to a top exterior of the main hardhat body component over the electric fan; a plurality of linear ridges for spacing the fan cover component at least about ¼ inch from the top exterior of the main hardhat body component; a battery pack for powering the cooling fan; and a plurality of wires for connecting the cooling fan in the main hardhat body component to the battery pack.

15. The hardhat of claim 14 wherein the plurality of linear ridges extend downwardly from an interior of the fan cover component.

16. The hardhat of claim 14 wherein the plurality of linear ridges are adapted for ultrasonically welding the fan cover component the top exterior of the main hardhat body component.

17. The hardhat of claim 14 wherein the plurality of linear ridges keep the fan cover component spaced at least about ½ inch from the top exterior of the main hardhat body component.

18. The hardhat of claim 14 wherein fan cover component is made from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber composite.

19. A method for providing a hardhat wearer with a protected, battery powered overhead cooling fan, said method comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a main hardhat component with an upper aperture through which air can be drawn from above and pulled down into a battery powered cooling fan having an on-off switch and mounted to an interior of the main hardhat body component; (b) providing a fan cover component, said fan cover component having a plurality of linear ridges for spacing said fan cover component at least about ¼ inch from and permanently adhering the fan cover component to a top exterior of the main hardhat body component at least directly over the cooling fan; (c) supplying a rechargeable battery pack with connecting wires to power the cooling fan; and (d) powering the battery pack so that the hardhat wearer may turn the protected cooling fan on and off as needed.

20. The method of claim 19, which further includes: (e) providing a phone app so that the hardhat wearer may turn the cooling fan on and off remotely.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS.

[0023] The invention will be better understood and objects/advantages made more apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description that makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the fan cover component suspended over the fan and air-conditioned hardhat component, said cover component designed to be eventually permanently joined (i.e., by ultrasonic welding) at a plurality of ridge welding connecting points;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the fan cover component and hardhat component from FIG. 1, with one version of welding ridges shown by dotted lines in the fan cover component and a set of representative fan wires shown by dotted lines in the hardhat component interior;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the interior to one version of fan cover component per this invention;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines IV-IV of FIG. 3;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view showing the fan installed into an aperture in the top of the hardhat component (wires from that fan being shown with dotted lines);

[0029] FIG. 6 is a top plan view into the interior of the hardhat component showing the screw mounts of the fan over the aperture area in said hardhat component;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view showing a back area of the hardhat component, its rear head strap and the fan wires connecting to a battery power pack; and

[0031] FIG. 8 is an exploded side perspective view showing the various component parts before assembly into one preferred embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PR El'ERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Referring now to the drawings, one embodiment of improved air-conditioned hardhat assembly, generally item 10, is shown. That structural assembly comprises a main hardhat body component 12 with an exterior 14 and an interior 16, said main body component typically including an upper domed region 18. Often, such main body components further include a front eyeshade or finger-grip 20 and an adjustable internal rear head strap 22.

[0033] For this invention, there is provided an aperture 24 that is either made integral with the manufacture of main body component 12, or manually cut (lasered/machined or the like) into and through upper domed region 18 after hardhat manufacture. This aperture 24 serves as the means for drawing outside air under the fan cover component 30 and downwardly towards the electrically powered fan 50 above the helmet wearer's head.

[0034] As for the fan cover component 30, it is substantially bowl or dome-shaped with an outer dome surface 32 and a curved inner “shell” surface 34. Fan cover component 30 has a lowermost circumference/perimeter 36 that is mostly oval shaped. In one embodiment of this invention, fan cover component somewhat resembles an elongated yarmulke.

[0035] Ideally, fan cover component 30 is made from the same material as the main hardhat body component 12 though it is to be understood that other fan cover component materials may also be paired up with different underlying main hardhat body component materials. For example, a metal-based fan cover component can be made to permanently affix to a polymer-based main hardhat component . . . and vice versa.

[0036] In a first embodiment, the curved inner shell surface 34 of fan cover component 30 is fitted with a plurality of protuberances or raised blips, pimples, ridges or the like. They serve as: (a) spacers for keeping the fan cover component a set gap distance “d” above/over the upper most exterior 14 of the main hardhat component 12, particularly over fan region/aperture 24; and as (b) joinder connecting points—or areas where the manufacturing process permanently joins fan cover component 30 to main hardhat component 12. For this first embodiment, the plurality of protuberances/ridges 40 are substantially linear and extend from a central most region 38 of curved inner shell surface 34 in both a north-to-south AND east-to-west manner . . . somewhat like ridges extending along the 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock points of a clock face.

[0037] The fan cover component 30 will not contact the main hardhat body 12 along all edges. Rather, it is meant to be purposefully gapped a preferred set distance d above. In one version, fan cover component 30 is raised or extended about ½ in. above main hardhat body 12 for allowing for vented airflow into the helmet's fan. Alternately, spaced gaps of about ¼ to ¾ in are anticipated hereby. This fan cover component extends from front to rear of the hardhat. It may also protrude slightly down from either end so as to resemble a three-dimensional oval. Alternately, fan cover component 30 may extend from side to side of the hardhat.

[0038] Preferably, the fan cover component 30 gets ultrasonically welded to main hardhat body component 12 at at least a majority of these plurality of protuberances/ridges 40. For lesser manufacturing costs (and especially for use in less wear-and-tear, safety conditions), it is possible for the fan cover component 30 to be permanently adhered with glue or another adhesive to these same plurality of protuberances/ridges 40.

[0039] In a first alternative, a plurality of protuberances/ridges may extend along uppermost outer ridges to the exterior 14 of main hardhat body component 12 either in place of, or in addition to, the plurality of protuberances/ridges 40 on the curved inner shell surface 34 of fan cover component 30.

[0040] An electric fan 50 mounts internally with screws 52 as shown to an interior 16 of main hardhat body 12 of the invention 10. Most preferably, fan 50 covers a majority of aperture 24. It connects via wires 54 to an external power source, preferably a rechargeable battery 56 in its belt worn battery case 58. Fan 50 would have at least one on-off switch 60 that is easily accessible. In still other versions, fan 50 may be activated via a phone app (not shown). Still other versions may include a variable speed switch 62, or reverse motor switch 64.

[0041] One rechargeable battery 56 provides 12 volts of energy and 1.3 amps to the fan 50. As configured, such a rechargeable arrangement could hold enough energy for about 12-14 hours of continuous use and be fully recharged after only about 2.5-3 hours (or overnight). An alternate arrangement would allow for the hardhat wearer to keep a “hard-wired” battery pack clip/case 58 on a side or rear of the hardhat wearer's belt (rather than on the hat exterior where it is more susceptible to damage and/or faster drainage due to exposure to the elements). Such a clip configuration 58 could be designed to hold multiple hard-wired batteries, in series or in parallel, or a single pack that can be recharged overnight from an exterior powering station 68. In still other instances, the overhead cooling fan of this invention can be coupled to the light source (and switch) for a front-powered headlight, on some models of hardhat requiring occasional supplemental lighting uses.

[0042] While a current embodiment of the air-conditioned hardhat has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. For example, any suitable lightweight material such as steel, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber composite may be used instead of the plastic fan described. And although cooling the wearer's head has been described, it should be appreciated that the air-conditioned hardhat herein described could also be adapted for use as a firefighter's helmet, an Army helmet, or sports team (i.e., football) helmet. Furthermore, a wide variety of power supplies may be used instead of the preferred rechargeable battery arrangement described above.

[0043] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

[0044] flaying described the best modes currently known for practicing this axle replacement system and method, it is to be understood that the scope of this invention may be further described by the attached claims.

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0045] Not applicable.