SAFETY CAP FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

Abstract

A safety cap for quick identification to identify a law enforcement officer in plainclothes is disclosed The safety cap includes a substantially circular fabric cap having a perimeter and a fabric portion ending in a top portion configured to rest on a head of the law enforcement officer, where the substantially circular fabric cap comprises one or more law enforcement identifier labels attached to the substantially circular fabric cap; a grey, silver reflective strip that runs along the perimeter; one or more gray reflective strips positioned on the substantially circular fabric cap and extending downward from either side of a top law enforcement identifier positioned substantially on the top portion to a length approximately abutting the silver reflective strip that runs substantially along the perimeter.

Claims

1. A safety cap for quick identification to identify a law enforcement officer in plainclothes, the safety cap comprising: a substantially circular fabric cap having a perimeter and a fabric portion ending in a top portion configured to rest on a head of the law enforcement officer, where the substantially circular fabric cap comprises one or more law enforcement identifier labels attached to the substantially circular fabric cap; a grey, silver reflective strip that runs along the perimeter; one or more gray reflective strips positioned on the substantially circular fabric cap and extending downward from either side of a top law enforcement identifier positioned substantially on the top portion to a length approximately abutting the silver reflective strip that runs substantially along the perimeter.

2. The safety cap of claim 1, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise black stitch reflective embroidery letters designating an agency of the law enforcement officer.

3. The safety cap of claim 2, where the agency of the law enforcement officer is POLICE.

4. The safety cap of claim 1, where the substantially circular fabric cap comprises light reflective materials, photoluminescent materials, night-vision reflective materials or a combination thereof.

5. The safety cap of claim 1, where the substantially circular fabric cap comprises a neon-colored material, an orange-colored material, a red-colored material, a blue-colored material or a black-colored material.

6. The safety cap of claim 1, where the substantially circular fabric cap comprises a rigid, impact resistant material.

7. The safety cap of claim 1, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise a silver reflective patch substantially rectangular in shape.

8. An article of manufacture comprising: a circular fabric cap having a perimeter configured to surround a head of a plainclothes law enforcement officer and a top portion fitted to rest on the head of the plainclothes law enforcement officer, where the circular fabric cap comprises one or more law enforcement identifier labels attached to the circular fabric cap; a reflective strip that runs along the perimeter; one or more reflective strips positioned on the circular fabric cap and extending downward from a top law enforcement identifier label of the one or more law enforcement identifier patches to a length approximately abutting the silver reflective strip that runs along substantially the perimeter.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise black stitch reflective embroidery letters designating an agency of the law enforcement officer.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, where the agency of the law enforcement officer comprises at least one of POLICE, FBI, DEA or NATIONAL GUARD.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8, where the circular fabric cap comprises light reflective materials, photoluminescent materials, night-vision reflective materials or a combination thereof.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8, where the circular fabric cap comprises a neon-colored material, an orange-colored material, a red-colored material, a blue-colored material or a black-colored material.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8, where the circular fabric cap comprises a rigid, impact resistant material.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 8, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise a silver reflective patch substantially rectangular in shape.

15. A law enforcement protective safety device for quick identification to identify a law enforcement officer in plainclothes, the law enforcement protective safety device comprising: a cap having a perimeter configured to cover a head of a plainclothes law enforcement officer and a top portion fitted to rest on the head of the plainclothes law enforcement officer, where the cap comprises a plurality of law enforcement identifier labels applied to the cap; a reflective strip positioned along the perimeter; one or more reflective strips attached to the cap and extending downward radially from a top law enforcement identifier patch of the one or more law enforcement identifier patches to a length approximately abutting the reflective strip that runs along substantially the perimeter.

16. The law enforcement protective safety device of claim 15, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise black stitch reflective embroidery letters designating an agency of the law enforcement officer.

17. The law enforcement protective safety device of claim 16, where the agency of the law enforcement officer comprises at least one of POLICE, FBI, DEA or NATIONAL GUARD.

18. The law enforcement protective safety device of claim 15, where the circular fabric cap comprises light reflective materials, photoluminescent materials, night-vision reflective materials or a combination thereof.

19. The law enforcement protective safety device of claim 15, where the circular fabric cap comprises a neon-colored material, an orange-colored material, a red-colored material, a blue-colored material or a black-colored material.

20. The law enforcement protective safety device of claim 15, where the one or more law enforcement identifier labels comprise a silver reflective patch substantially rectangular in shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a view of a safety cap, according to the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a second view of a safety cap, according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The disclosed safety cap identifies law enforcement, undercover agents and off duty officers who are in plain clothes and may need to come out of role, to take lawful action and not be mistakenly identified as an unlawful element who is committing the crime.

[0016] Various aspects of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various aspects does not limit the scope of the disclosure, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible aspects for the claimed disclosure.

[0017] In describing aspects of the present disclosure, the following terminology will be used. The singular forms a, an, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a needle includes reference to one or more of such needles and etching includes one or more of such steps. As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. As used herein, the singular forms a, an, and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0018] It further will be understood that the terms comprises, comprising, includes, and including specify the presence of stated features, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps or components. It also should be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions and acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality and acts involved.

[0019] As used herein, the term about means that dimensions, sizes, formulations, parameters, shapes, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact but may be approximated and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill. Further, unless otherwise stated, the term about shall expressly include exactly.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a side view of a safety cap 100 for protecting the head of an off-duty law enforcement officer, an undercover officer or detective or other security staff. In an aspect, the safety cap 100 is in the form of an approximately or substantially circular fabric cap that is intended to cover the skull of a user. A perimeter 101 of the safety cap 100 may be ribbed or flexible in composition to allow flexible adjustment about the user's head. In an aspect, the safety cap 100 may be configured so that one size of the safety cap 100 fits all user's heads. In an aspect, the perimeter 101 comprises a grey, silver reflective strip that runs along the entire perimeter 101.

[0021] The safety cap 100 may include strips 102 disposed about the safety cap 100 and extending from a top 103 of the safety cap 100 towards the perimeter 101. The strips 102 may be grey reflective strips of length of about 3. In an aspect of the disclosure, the safety cap 100 may include one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104. The one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may include labels identifying the type of law enforcement officer using the safety cap 100. In an aspect, the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may include a label of POLICE. In an aspect, the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may include a label of FBI or DEA or NATIONAL GUARD or other applicable law enforcement designation. It is understood by one of skill in the art that the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 are not limited to the listed aspects but may vary depending on the agency or jurisdiction where the safety cap 100 may be used. In an aspect, the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 are arranged in a rectangular shape measuring about 5 a side. In an aspect, the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may be silver reflective patches. In an aspect, each of the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may include black stitch reflective embroidery letters designating the law enforcement officer's agency, such as POLICE. In an aspect, one of the one or more law enforcement identifier labels 104 may be a POLICE (or FBI or DEA or NATIONAL GUARD or other applicable law enforcement designation) patch on top of the safety cap 100. The safety cap 100 may include 3 of gray reflective strips 102 extending downward from either side of the POLICE (or FBI or DEA or NATIONAL GUARD or other applicable law enforcement designation) patch on the top 103, extending horizontally 1? from the perimeter 101 of the safety cap 100, right above and substantially abutting the silver reflective strip running substantially along the perimeter 101.

[0022] In an aspect, the safety cap 100 may be colored with a bright, visible coloring, such as a neon color, to more prominently display the safety cap 100 in low light conditions. Other colors may be used, such as orange, red, blue and black, or other colors and in particular, but without limitation, colors signifying different law enforcement agencies. In an aspect, the safety cap 100 may include reflective materials, luminescent materials, night-vision reflective materials or other materials that provide a reflective surface for the safety cap 100 to be seen in any low light environment.

[0023] In an aspect, the safety cap 100 may be made of a flexible material without extra armoring or protection.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a top view of a safety cap 200 for protecting the head of an off-duty law enforcement officer, an undercover officer or detective or other security staff. The safety cap 200 depicted in the top view of FIG. 2 is the same safety cap 200 in terms of dimensions and composition. In an aspect, the safety cap 200 is in the form of an approximately or substantially circular fabric cap that is intended to cover the skull and ears of a user. A perimeter 201 of the safety cap 200 may be ribbed or flexible in composition to allow flexible adjustment about the user's head. In an aspect, the perimeter 201 comprises a grey, silver reflective strip (not shown in FIG. 2) that runs along substantially the entire perimeter 201.

[0025] As depicted in FIG. 2, the safety cap 200 includes a top law enforcement identifier patch 202 (see in FIG. 1 with a label of POLICE, but other agency identifiers may be used, such as FBI or DEA or NATIONAL GUARD or other applicable law enforcement designation). The top law enforcement identifier patch 202 may be rectangular in shape, with a long side of about 5. In an aspect, the top law enforcement identifier patch 202 may be a silver reflective patch. In an aspect, the top law enforcement identifier patch 202 may include black stitch reflective embroidery letters designating the law enforcement officer's agency, such as POLICE, though other agency identifiers may be used, such as FBI or DEA or NATIONAL GUARD or other applicable law enforcement designation.

[0026] The safety cap 100 may include 3 of gray reflective strips 203 extending radially downward from either side of the top law enforcement identifier patch 202, extending to about 1? from the perimeter 201 of the safety cap 200, right above a silver reflective strip (not shown here) along substantially the entire perimeter 201.

[0027] As in the safety cap 100 in FIG. 1, the safety cap 200 may be colored with a bright, visible coloring, such as a neon color, to more prominently display the safety cap 200 in low light conditions. Other colors may be used, such as orange, red, blue and black, or other colors and in particular, but without limitation, colors signifying different law enforcement agencies. In an aspect, the safety cap 200 may include light reflective materials, photoluminescent materials, night-vision reflective materials or other materials that provide a reflective surface for the safety cap 200 to be seen in any low light environment. In an aspect, the safety cap 200 may be made of a flexible material without extra armoring or protection.

[0028] With the disclosure as described in FIGS. 1-2, the disclosed safety cap 100, 200 can safely identify an off-duty or undercover law enforcement officer or security staff in plainclothes when they need to enter a criminal or potentially criminal situation at hand and take lawful action. The disclosed safety cap 100, 200 may prevent a civilian from mistaking the plainclothes officer for a criminal at the scene, and is highly visible in low light conditions to facilitate this.

[0029] While various aspects of the disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more aspects and implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.