Clip for hard hat

A generally “S” shaped clip is formed from a band of resilient material having a first end a second end. The clip has a front side and a back side. The front side of the “S” shape corresponds to the back side of the clip. The back side of the “S” shape corresponds to the front side of the clip. The clip has an upper end and a lower end. The band of material is doubled back on itself at the lower end of the clip in the direction of the back side of the clip to form a slot for receipt of a projecting edge of a hat. An upper portion of the clip forms a curved clasping arm for securing objects against a crown portion of a hat.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, this invention relates to a clip for retaining articles. In another aspect, the invention relates to a clip/hard hat assembly that can retain articles, such as safety glasses, on the hard hat. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of modifying a hard hat so that it can carry articles such as safety glasses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A worker's eyes are often the most at-risk of bodily parts. Eyes are easily injured, and easily permanently injured. A worker's loss of vision can also lead to loss of life.

Eyesight is easily protected to some extent with safety glasses. However, as anyone who has worn them knows, they are easily misplaced. A worker's inability to quickly locate their safety glasses leads to wasted time, and can possibly tempt them to take chances with their vision by not donning glasses. A device that guards against misplaced glasses would be very desirable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to protect against eye injuries.

It is another object of this invention to reduce the incidence of misplacement of safety glasses by providing a convenient place to put them.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for securing safety glasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention provides a generally “S” shaped clip formed from a band of resilient material having a first end a second end. The clip has a front side and a back side. The front side of the “S” shape corresponds to the back side of the clip. The back side of the “S” shape corresponds to the front side of the clip. The clip has an upper end and a lower end. The band of material is doubled back on itself at the lower end of the clip in the direction of the back side of the clip to form a slot for receipt of a projecting edge of a hat. An upper portion of the clip forms a curved clasping arm for securing objects against a crown portion of a hat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A generally “S” shaped clip10is formed from a band of resilient material having a first end12a second end14. The clip has a front side16and a back side18. The front side20of the “S” shape corresponds to the back side of the clip. The back side22of the “S” shape corresponds to the front side of the clip. The clip has an upper end24and a lower end26. The band of material is doubled back on itself at the lower end of the clip in the direction of the back side of the clip to form a slot28for receipt of a projecting edge30of a hat32. An upper portion34of the clip forms a curved clasping arm36for securing objects38against a crown portion40of the hat.

Preferably, the clip has a lip42at the upper end protruding generally away from the front side of the clip to facilitate manually prying the upper portion of the clip away from the crown portion of the hat. A lip44is positioned at the second end of the band protruding generally away from the back side of the clip to facilitate opening the slot to receive the projecting edge of the hat.

Preferably, the slot has an upper end46and a lower end48and is enlarged at the lower end to provide the slot with a generally keyhole-shaped cross section to engage a projecting edge of a hat that has an enlarged periphery. A pair of opposed generally parallel, generally flat, sections of the band50,52define a major portion of the slot.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pair of flat sections comprises a first section54of the band that is generally flat extending along the front side of the clip and a second section56of the band that is generally flat section extending along a back side of the clip. A third section58of the band connects the lip at the second end of the band with the second section of the band. The third section of the band is preferably generally flat and connects to the second section of the band at an inside angle in the range of 120 degrees to 150 degrees.

The clip preferably further comprises a fourth section60of the band which is generally flat and connects to the first section of the band at an inside angle in the range of 120 degrees to 150 degrees, said fourth section of the band extending generally alongside the third section of the band. The fourth section of the band connects to the upper portion of the clip.

The upper portion of the clip preferably has an open generally trapezoidal cross section formed by an upper leg section62, a lower leg section64, and a roof section66connecting the upper leg section to the lower leg section. The lip at the upper end of the clip preferably extends angularly from the upper end of the upper leg. The roof section preferably has a central section67that is widened. Preferably, the central section is rectangularly shaped, and is used for carrying printed matter.

In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the clip further comprises a tongue element section68extending across the first flat section of the clip and protruding outwardly and upwardly from the front surface of the clip. The tongue element section, in combination with the first flat section, forms a trough70extending across the front surface of the clip. An inside bottom end of the trough is enlarged and concavely rounded for receipt of an elongated writing implement. An inside middle portion of the trough is narrowed and convexly rounded for retention of an elongated writing implement closely received at the bottom end of the trough.

The clip is preferably used in combination, a hard hat32having a crown portion40having a front side, a back side, an inside surface, and an outside surface. The hard hat has a projecting edge40extending outwardly from a lower edge of at least the front side of crown portion. The projecting edge is received by the slot of the clip.

The third section58of the band preferably contacts an inside surface72of the hard hat and biases the upper portion of the clip towards the outside surface of the crown portion of the hard hat. Preferably, an elbow74connects the upper lip of the clip with the upper leg of the portion of the clip having trapezoidal cross section. The elbow contacts the outside surface of the crown portion of the hard hat when the clip is not being used to hold protective safety eyewear. Preferably, however, the combination is used to clasp safety eyewear against the front side of the crown portion of the hard hat. More preferably, the combination is used to retain an elongated writing implement closely received at the bottom of the trough.

One embodiment of the invention is used by positioning the slot of the clip on a projecting edge of a hard hat. The invention can be further used by latching the clip to the hard hat by positioning the third section of the band against and inside surface of the hard hat.

The clip can be formed entirely from a polymeric material, such as a polyetheretherketone via an injection molding process.

While certain preferred embodiments have been described herein, the invention is not to be construed as being so limited, except to the extent that such limitations are found in the claims.