Abstract:
A three-component, protective headgear or helmet is provided with a battery-powered LED head lamp, which may be used by construction workers, search and rescue persons, cyclists, police, fireman, and the like. The battery may be replaceable or rechargeable and has long-term, uniform output characteristics driven by unique circuitry.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (1) Field of the Invention 
   This application relates to a new and improved headgear, and more specifically to a headgear or helmet providing a lighting display for use by cyclists, construction and underground workers, search and rescue persons, emergency medical workers, firemen, police, meter readers, and so forth. The lighting display may be used to define a forward pathway or to illuminate objects, or to rearwardly signal a wearer&#39;s presence. 
   (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98 
   Various types of protective helmets providing lighting displays are known in the prior art, and typical types of these helmets are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,099; 5,327,587; 5,329,637; 5,357,409; 5,426,792; 5,479,325; 5,544.027; 5,485,358; 5,564,128; 5,570,946; 5,743,621; 5,758,947; 5,871,271; 6,007,213; 6,009,563; 6,113,244; 6,244,721; 6,328,454; 6,340,224; 6,464,369; and, 6,497,493. 
   However, none of the headgear in these patents disclose a battery powered circuit for an LED array that produces a long term, uniform illumination while providing a useful device for its intended purpose. The headgear structure of this invention may be a single, or a multi-component type, such as two or three. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A new and improved headgear is provided with a lighting display comprising an LED array powered by built-in, rechargeable batteries through a unique circuit which enables a long-term, suitably constant output. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the assembled headgear of this invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the upper and lower headgear components of the invention and the LED array; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional side elevation view of the headgear taken along lines  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of this invention for feeding power from the rechargeable batteries to the LED array; and, 
       FIG. 5  shows the LED array connected to the rechargeable batteries. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The headgear  10  of this invention is shown in  FIGS. 1–3 , and comprises an upper helmet portion  11  defining an integrally formed, outer central reinforcing ridge  12  and a corresponding interior reinforcing grid area  13 . Into the grid area  13  are mounted removable or rechargeable lithium ion battery packs  14  and  15  which connect to a circuit board  16 , the circuit itself being shown in  FIG. 4 . Wire connections from the batteries to the circuit board and to the LED arrays are shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   A rearwardly installed LED array  17  is mounted on the upper helmet portion  11  and are connected to the circuit board and driven by the battery packs. The LED array  17  is shielded by a transparent acrylic sheet  18  mounted on the exterior of the upper helmet  11 . The front area of the upper helmet  11  is provided with an enclosure  20  shielded by a curved, transparent acrylic sheet  21  which protects an enclosed, front facing LED array  22 . 
   An interfitting helmet portion  25  is configured to interlock with the upper helmet portion  11 , the two helmet portions being secured together vertically by screws  26 . The helmet portion  25  defines a flat portion  27  which registers with grid area  13  and contacts the lower sides of the battery packs  14 ,  15  thereby securing the battery packs in place. As indicated, the front area of the helmet  25  defines the enclosure  20  into which the front facing LED array  22  is mounted. 
   The LED array  22  is driven through the circuit board  16  from the battery packs  14  and  15  as shown in  FIG. 4 , similarly to the LED array  17  and the circuit of  FIG. 4 , which will be described, infra.  FIGS. 3–5  show an on-off switch  28  connected to the circuit board  16  and circuit of this invention.  FIG. 3  also shows a charging outlet pin  29  for the battery packs  14  and  15 , the charging pin being adjacent to the on-off switch  28 . The batteries also may be removed for recharging or replacement. 
   An integrally formed, reinforcing wrap-around section  11   a  on the helmet portion  11  defines bores  30  coinciding with bores (not shown) in the helmet portion  25  through which pass screws  31  which horizontally secure the helmet portions  11  and  25  together. The screws  26  and  31  thereby secure the helmet portions  11  and  25  both vertically and horizontally. If desired, an edge liner  25   a  of injection molded polypropylene may be employed to engage the edges between the helmet portions  11  and  25 , and thereby effect additional securement between the two helmets. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , a protective foam head enclosure  32  such as constructed from polyurethane or polystyrene foam is provided to cushion the wearer&#39;s head from impact against the much harder ABS plastic materials of both the helmet portions  11  and  25 . Similar bores (not shown) in the head enclosure  32  register with the bores  30  and enable the helmet portions  11  and  25  and the head enclosure to be secured together using the screws  31 . 
   The circuit shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  enables a relatively long and uniform battery power output before charging is required. The lithium ion batteries JP 1  and JP 3  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  each deliver about 6600 milliamps at 7.2 volts and are isolated from each other by a diode D 3 . When the on-off switch  28  ( FIG. 3 ) is turned on at JP 1 , the batteries JP 1  and JP 3  will turn on a comparator such as an op amp comparator JP 2 , e.g. an LM358. 
   The comparator JP 2  shows a direct coupled amplifier configuration driven from the battery JP 1  through transistors PNP Q 1  and NPN Q 2 , and through the coupling resistance R 7  to the input pin  1  of JP 2 . Resistances R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 6 /R 4  respectively will protect a Zener D 1 , Q 1 , R 5 -JP 2  and LED arrays D 2  ( 17 ,  22 ) from excessive current/voltage. 
   Battery power from JP 3  is applied to the voltage divider R 5  and then to pin  2  of JP 2 , while pins  3 ,  4  of JP 2  are both at ground. Obviously, the op amp comparator JP 2  is driven by both batteries JP 1  and JP 3 . Capacitor C 1  and resistance R 8  are both grounded, and provide ripple filtering, and R 8  also shunts voltage from pin  3  of the JP 2  to the Zener D 1 . JP 2  (at pin  8 ) also drives the Zener which functions as a shunt to maintain the load voltage constant for changing current/voltage variations due to running down of the batteries. In the reverse conduction condition as shown, the Zener D 1  also reduces ripple voltage. 
   When the switch  28  ( FIG. 3 ) is turned on at JP 1 , and voltage from the voltage divider R 5  exceeds the pin  3  reference voltage, the comparator JP 2  (LM358) will turn on, and hence transistors Q 1  and Q 2  (driven from JP 1  and JP 3 ) will then turn on the LED arrays D 2  ( 17 ,  22 ). 
   Typically, the lumen output of the present device for about 93 LEDs is about 4000 MCD @ 20 milliamps for 5–5½ hours using 7.2 volt batteries. Moreover, the device of this invention frees up the wearer&#39;s hands when viewing an operating field, especially in an emergency situation. 
   It will be appreciated that while a Zener diode is preferred for use in the circuit described, other semiconductor devices with similar turn-on characteristics may be utilized, and they are described in the “SCR MANUAL, INCLUDING TRIACS AND OTHER THYRISTORS” Sixth Edition, 1979 by General Electric, and incorporated herein, by reference. 
   Additionally, the circuit of this invention may be employed for illuminating purposes other than in a helmet, such as an LED array in a flashlight; to function as a traffic signal; as an LED turn on device used with an alarm detection system; and so forth.