METHOD FOR APPLYING PATCHES TO HELMET COVERS

Abstract

A template made of plexiglass or similar material is inserted into a cover for a protective helmet so that the cover is stretched and once the template is inserted the assembled combination of the cover and the template is oval-shaped. The oval-shaped assembly is placed on top of the bottom plate of a heat press. A layer with a decal or sticker is placed on top of the oval-shaped assembly. A heat press cover sheet is then placed on top of the oval-shaped assembly so that it also becomes into contact with the top plate of the heat press when the heat press is closed. The heat press may be set to a temperature of at least 350 degrees Fahrenheit and it can be set in a closed position for at least 10 seconds in order to transfer sufficient heat so that the decal or sticker is applied or affixed to the cover surface.

Claims

1. A method for applying indicia to a helmet cover, the method comprising: inserting a template made out of plexiglass into a cover for a protective helmet so that the cover is stretched and once the template is inserted into the cover it forms an oval-shaped assembly, and wherein the cover for the protective helmet is stretched over a top portion of the template and a bottom portion of the template is substantially exposed; placing the oval-shaped assembly on top of a bottom plate of a heat press; placing indicia on top of the oval-shaped assembly; placing a heat press cover sheet on top of the oval-shaped assembly; pulling down an upper plate of the heat press so that the heat press cover sheet makes contact with the upper plate of the heat press when the heat press is closed; and pulling up the upper plate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia on the oval-shaped assembly is one of a patch, sequins, and sewable lights.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including: preheating the heat press to a temperature of at least 350 degrees Fahrenheit, wherein the step of pulling up the upper plate is performed for at least 10 seconds after the upper plate has been pulled down.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cover sheet is made out of felt.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicia is rhinestones.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising incorporating LED lights to the indicia by gluing or sewing the lights to the indicia.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said indicia incorporates embroidery.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one indicia on the template that marks a location of fitting for the cover.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cover incorporates at least one of elastane, neoprene, or stretch jean fabric or material.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cover includes elastic band incorporated into cover.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cover sheet is oval-shaped.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said template sheet is oval-shaped.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said elastic is fabricated with reflective material.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising incorporating reflective material to the indicia.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by reference to the following figures:

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a cover for a helmet which has been damaged;

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary clamp heat press for use in the method disclosed;

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates one aspect of the method for applying or affixing decals or stickers to a helmet cover in accordance with one implementation;

[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates another aspect of the method for applying or affixing decals or stickers to a helmet cover in accordance with one implementation;

[0017] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a helmet cover and template showing a bottom view; and

[0018] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a helmet cover and template showing a top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following detailed description and the appended drawings describe and illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention solely for the purpose of enabling one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to make and use the invention. As such, the detailed description and illustration of these embodiments are purely exemplary in nature and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, or its protection, in any manner. It should also be understood that the drawings are not to scale and in certain instances details have been omitted, which are not necessary for an understanding of the present disclosure, such as conventional details of fabrication and assembly.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a cover 10 for a helmet which has been damaged 12. In one implementation, the cover may be made from lycra, a lycra blend, spandex, neoprene material, fabrics that include elastane, stretch jean fabric, or any other type of elastic material. In one embodiment, the cover may be fabricated from a single piece of material. Alternatively, the cover may be fabricated by stitching together three pieces of material (of the same type of material or of different type of materials) to form the cover. In one embodiment, the cover includes elastic stitched or otherwise attached in the bottom of the cover to secure the cover to the helmet and thus reduce the likelihood that the cover will fly off when a user rides at a high speed. This elastic may be fabricated with reflective material.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary clamp heat press 20 for use in the method disclosed. In one implementation, the heat press may require an air compressor (not illustrated).

[0022] When the upper plate of the press 20 is pulled down, it stops as the upper plate becomes in close proximity to the bottom plate. When the two plates become in close proximity, the heat press 20 injects air from the air compressor. The injected air creates pressure that pushes the bottom plate up to clamp the two plates together. After a desired time cycle is completed (about 30 seconds in accordance with one implementation), the top plate is then opened up. In one implementation, the press 20 may be a clamp press manufactured by HIX Corporation, for example, model N-880.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates one aspect of the method for applying or affixing decals or stickers 40 to a helmet cover 10 in accordance with one implementation. A template 30 made of plywood, plexiglass, or similar materials is inserted into the cover 10 for a protective helmet so that the cover 10 is stretched and once the template is inserted the assembled combination of the cover and the template resembles the shape of a disk or an oval. The template 30 may be of different shapes, depending on how far the cover 10 can stretch. Heat is then applied to the disk-shaped or oval-shaped assembly 11 to affix the stickers or decals 40 as described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates another aspect of the method for applying or affixing decals or stickers 40 to a helmet cover 10 in accordance with one implementation. The disk-shaped or oval-shaped assembly 11 is placed on top of the bottom plate of a heat press 20. A layer with a decal or sticker 40 is placed on top of the disk-shaped or oval-shaped assembly. A heat press cover sheet 50 is then placed on top of the disk-shaped or oval-shaped assembly 11 so that it also becomes into contact with the top plate of the heat press 20 when the heat press is closed. The cover sheet 50 may be made out of felt and may be circular in shape or oval-shaped. The heat press 20 may be set to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit and it can be set in a closed position for about 30 seconds in order to transfer sufficient heat so that the decal or sticker 40 is applied or affixed to the surface of the cover 10. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that as little as 10 seconds of heat application may suffice and that the temperature range can vary depending on the material used for the patches.

[0025] FIG. 4 also illustrates the final product 13 which is the cover 10 with the stickers or decals 40 attached thereto after the template 30 has been removed from inside the cover 10. The stickers or decals may serve as patches to cover sections 11 of the helmet cover 10 that have been damaged. The stickers or decals may also cover the entire cover or only a portion of the cover. In an alternative implementation, the stickers or decals may be applied for decorative purposes and they may incorporate or may be used to attach rhinestones (e.g., through transfer printing), LED lights (sewn or glued), reflective material, leather patches, etc. The stickers or decals may also include embroidery, and may be spray painted, stamp painted, hand painted, screen printed, fusion printed, laser printed, sublimation printed, or be applied any kind of printing, and may be used on any type of lycra or similar fabric jean material. In another implementation, the stickers or decals may be applied to helmet covers made out of leather, linen, polyester, cotton, jean material, and others. In yet another implementation, 3D paint or any other kind of paint or print design may be applied to the patch before being applied to the cover, and such painting or print designs may also be applied to the cover directly. As an alternative to the use of the heat press, water transfer printing films or techniques may be used. As yet another alternative to the use of heat press, the decals or patches may be attached to the helmet cover through the use of hook and loop straps or by sewing the decals or patches on the cover.

[0026] In one embodiment, the decal or patch may be applied to the material used to make the cover before the cover is assembled in accordance with the methods described herein. Once the patch or decal has been applied to the cover material, the cover may be assembled by stitching or by applying other techniques. In one embodiment, the cover, when assembled after the decal or patch has been applied, includes elastic stitched or otherwise attached in the bottom of the cover to secure the cover to the helmet and thus reduce the likelihood that the cover will fly off when a user rides at a high speed.

[0027] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. While the dimensions, types of materials and coatings described herein are intended to illustrate aspects of the invention, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms including and in which are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms comprising and wherein. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms first, second, and third, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase means for followed by a statement of function void of further structure.

[0028] Referring now to exemplary FIGS. 5A and 5B, a further method for applying or affixing decals or stickers to a helmet cover may be shown and described. In exemplary FIGS. 5A and 5B, template 502 may be similar to that shown above (template 30 of FIG. 3). The template may be formed out of any material or combination of materials, for example plexiglass.

[0029] Template 502 may be inserted into helmet cover 504. It may be appreciated that helmet cover 504 may include an elastic band 507, such as that described above. Elastic band 506 may be sewn around all or portions of a periphery of helmet cover 504 so as to provide a snug fit over a helmet, template 502, or another object over which helmet cover 504 is disposed.

[0030] Helmet cover 504 may be stretched over template 502, in a similar fashion to that described with respect to exemplary FIG. 3. However, template 502 may be sized such that when it is inserted into helmet cover 504, a bottom portion 503 of template is substantially exposed. It may further be appreciated that a top portion of template 502 may be located on the side of template 502 opposite bottom portion 503. However, the top portion is completely covered by helmet cover 504, as shown in FIG. 5B.

[0031] Template 502 may have one or more indicia 506 disposed thereon showing a desired fitting location of helmet cover 504 about template 502. Indicia 506 may provide an indication of the maximum coverage of helmet cover 504 on bottom portion 503 of template 502 that may be desired as further coverage or stretching of helmet cover 504 could cause undesired creasing of helmet cover, leaving it aesthetically unappealing, overstretching of helmet cover 504, rendering it unsecure if placed over a helmet or otherwise making it aesthetically unappealing, or show where a desired location of helmet cover 504 on template 502 is for proper placement of any other printed or placed indicia during a heat pressing process. Alternatively,

[0032] Thus, the exposure of bottom portion 503 of template 502 after helmet cover 504 is placed thereon provides a variety of benefits in order to properly form the final product 13 as shown in exemplary FIG. 4. The helmet cover can heat pressed, as described herein, in such a fashion that helmet cover 504 is not damaged, helmet cover 504 has a proper orientation for uniform or desired printing of indicia thereon, and helmet cover 504 will remain on template 502 during the heat pressing process. Further the proper fitting of helmet cover 504 on template 502 can provide a desired orientation of the helmet cover 504 and template 502 that allow them to be placed into a heat press in a desired fashion.

[0033] This written description uses examples to disclose the various embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if the examples have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the examples include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.