Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a face protector having a protective shade that enables the worker to perform welding as well as grinding while wearing the multi-function face protector and that can be used with safety glasses, goggles and a mask. The multi-function face protector includes a head band, a forehead cover, and a face shield. The face shield comprises resilient hooks formed at its upper central portion, and engaging portions formed at its opposite ends respectively. The forehead cover comprises shield couplings formed at the central portion of its inner surface, and projections formed at the opposite ends of its inner surface respectively. The resilient hooks of the face shield are engaged with the respective shield couplings of the forehead cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a multi-function face protector, more particularly, to a face protector having a protective shade that enables the worker to perform welding as well as grinding while wearing the multi-function face protector and that can be used with safety glasses, goggles and a mask. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, a face protector protects the face of the worker from materials scattered toward the worker during a certain process in the factory and the industrial field. The face protector can be used in processes such as cutting, drilling, mining and power woodworking in which scattered materials of high impact energy are generated. Further, the face protector can be used for cases such as grinding, machining, woodworking and lumbering in which scattered materials of relatively low impact energy may be generated. Yet further, the face protector can be used in processes such as furnacing iron, nonferrous metal or glass in which scattered materials of molten state may be generated. Yet further, the face protector can be used in processes in which scattered materials of liquid or floating dust may be generated. 
         [0005]    The face protector is commonly divided into a type in which the face protector can be worn on the head of the worker and a type in which the face protector can be placed on a safety cap. The face protector placed on the safety cap is secured to the safety cap mainly by a frame and springs connecting the opposite ends of the frame. On a lower portion of the frame, a transparent or translucent protective plate is secured by rivets or the like. 
         [0006]    The face protector includes springs, the rivet and other components which are made of metals having relatively heavy weight, so that the weight of the face protector is quite heavy. Thus, when using the face protector for a long time, there is a problem that the user becomes fatigued by the weight of the face protector. Further, when using the face protector for a long time, there is another problem that it is difficult to change only the protective plate in a case that the protective plate is scratched by the scattered materials. 
         [0007]    The face protector has a wide field of view, but needs a separate shield for shading the light generated from welding. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a face protector having a protective shade that enables the worker to perform welding as well as grinding while wearing the multi-function face protector and that can be used with safety glasses, goggles and a mask. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide the face protector having a protective shade of a novel structure capable of easily changing a shield plate and a protective shade plate, and capable of minimizing a weight felt by the worker when used by reducing the weight of it. 
         [0010]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the face protector having a protective shade wherein a bottom of the shield plate is expanded so as to protect the neck as well as the whole face. 
         [0011]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a multi-function face protector including a head band, a forehead cover, and a face shield, the face shield comprising: resilient hooks formed at the upper central portion of the face shield; and engaging portions formed at the opposite ends of the face shield respectively, and the forehead cover comprising: shield couplings formed at the central portion of the inner surface of the forehead cover; and projections formed at the opposite ends of the inner surface of the forehead cover respectively, wherein, the resilient hooks of the face shield are engaged with the respective shield couplings of the forehead cover. 
         [0012]    The forehead cover further comprises guide grooves formed at the opposite sides of the forehead cover respectively so as to easily couple the face shield with the forehead cover. 
         [0013]    The forehead cover has connector couplings formed at the opposite ends of its inner surface respectively, and the protective shade has connectors coupled with the opposite ends of its inner surfaces, wherein the connectors are engaged with the connector couplings respectively. 
         [0014]    The face shield is configured so that its full surface may be three-dimensionally protruded like a human face, and increases in width toward its lower portion so that it may cover and protect the neck of the worker while working. 
         [0015]    Each of the connectors has U-shape when viewed from the front side, each of the connectors is provided with an inserting projection and guide projections on its inner side, wherein each of the connectors is engaged with each of the connector couplings of the forehead cover by the inserting projection and the guide projections, each of the connectors is provided with plural indents on its outer side, and into the plural indents, hinging projections of the protective shade are inserted, wherein the protective shade stepwise hinges about the plural indents. 
         [0016]    Each of the connectors is further provided with a reinforcing projection  30 - 1  on its outer side so as to enhance the resilience of the plural indents. 
         [0017]    The hinging projections of the protective shade are provided with an 8-shaped separation-proof projection. 
         [0018]    Each of the hinging projections is provided with an independent separation-proof projection. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a combined state of a forehead cover and a face shield of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a separated state of a coupling and a connector coupling of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the connector coupling of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the connector coupling of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the connector coupling of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of the connector coupling of the multi-function face protector in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a view illustrating a combined state of the face shield of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a view illustrating operating states of the protective shade of the multi-function face protector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repetitious descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
         [0031]    A multi-function face protector of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 10 . The multi-function face protector includes a head band  230 , a forehead cover  200 , and a face shield  130 . The forehead cover  200  and the face shield  130  are configured such that the face shield  130  is easily coupled with and separated from the forehead cover  200 . 
         [0032]    The face shield  130  includes resilient hooks  120  formed at its upper central portion, and engaging portions  110  formed at its opposite ends respectively, so as to couple with the forehead cover  200 . 
         [0033]    The forehead cover  200  includes shield couplings  140  and projections  150 . The shield couplings  140  are formed at the central portion of the inner surface of the forehead cover  200 . The projections  150  are formed at the opposite ends of the inner surface of the forehead cover  200  respectively. 
         [0034]    The resilient hooks  120  of the face shield  130  are engaged with the respective shield couplings  140  of the forehead cover  200 . The opposite engaging portions  110  of face shield  130  are engaged with projections  150  of the forehead cover  200  respectively. 
         [0035]    The forehead cover  200  further includes guide grooves  160 . The guide grooves  160  are formed at the opposite sides of the forehead cover  200  respectively so as to easily couple the face shield  130  with the forehead cover  200 . 
         [0036]    In such a configuration, when the face shield  130  is coupled with the forehead cover  200 , the engaging portions  110  are engaged with the opposite projections  150  respectively, and then, the engaging portions  110  are pushed and inserted into the guide grooves  160  respectively. 
         [0037]    Herein, the resilient hooks  120  are engaged with the shield couplings  140  of the forehead cover  200  respectively, so that each of the resilient hooks  120  is closely inserted into each of the shield couplings  140  by its resilience. 
         [0038]    As such, the forehead cover  200  and the face shield  130  are closely coupled with each other. When separating the face shield  130  from the forehead cover  200 , the forehead cover  200  and the face shield  130  are operated reversely to the coupling process. For instance, each of the resilient hooks  120  is depressed and drawn from each of the shield couplings  140 , so that each of the resilient hooks  120  is separated from each of the shield couplings  140 . Then, the engaging portions  110  are drawn from the respective opposite projections  150 , so that the face shield  130  is completely separated from the forehead cover  200 . 
         [0039]    In such a way, the face shield  130  is coupled with and separated from the forehead cover  200 . 
         [0040]    Further, the head band  230  includes a size adjuster  210  at its upper end. The size adjuster  210  may adjust vertical circumferential size of the head band  230  according to the vertical circumferential size of the user&#39;s head. Thus, the size adjuster  210  may adjust the head band  230  so that eyes of the user are positioned at the central portion of the lens of the face shield. 
         [0041]    The head band  230  also includes an adjusting lever  220 . The adjusting lever  220  may adjust a horizontal circumferential size of the head band  230  according to the horizontal circumferential size of the user&#39;s head. 
         [0042]    The forehead cover  200  is coupled with the head band  230  by screws  190  at its opposite sides. 
         [0043]    The forehead cover  200  of the present invention has stepped portions  170  on its upper sides for aesthetic purpose. 
         [0044]    The face shield  130  of the present invention is configured so that its full surface may be three-dimensionally protruded like a human face. Further, the face shield  130  of the present invention increases in width toward its lower portion so that it may cover and protect the neck of the worker while working. 
         [0045]    Further, the forehead cover  200  may be coupled with a protective shade  80 . The protective shade  80  and the forehead cover  200  are configured so that the protective shade  80  is stepwise raised against the forehead cover  200  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The forehead cover  200  has connector couplings  90  formed at the opposite ends of its inner surface respectively. The protective shade  80  has connectors  40  coupled with the opposite ends of its inner surface respectively. The connectors  40  are engaged with the connector couplings  90  respectively. 
         [0046]    Each of the connectors  40  has U-shape when viewed from the front side as is apparent from  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0047]    Each of the connectors  40  is provided with an inserting projection  10  and guide projections  20  on its inner side. Each of the connectors  40  is engaged with each of the connector couplings  90  of the forehead cover  200  by the inserting projection  10  and the guide projections  20 . 
         [0048]    Each of the connectors  40  is provided with plural indents  30  on its outer side. Into the plural indents  30 , hinging projections  60  of the protective shade  80  are inserted. Thus, the protective shade  80  stepwise hinges about the plural indents  30 . The hinging projections  60  of the protective shade  80  will be described in detail later. 
         [0049]    According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 8 , each of the connectors  40  is further provided with a reinforcing projection  30 - 1  on its outer side so as to enhance the resilience of the plural indents  30 . 
         [0050]    The protective shade  80  has hinging projections  60  that are inserted into and coupled with the plural indents  30  of the connector  40  of the protective shade  80  shown in  FIGS. 5 to 8 . When the protective shade  80  is forced to hinge downwardly in the state that the hinging projections  60  are coupled with the plural indents  30 , the hinging projections  60  are stopped at a first position of the plural indents  30 . Herein, the protective shade  80  may be further forced to hinge downwardly, then the hinging projections  60  pass over the first position of the plural indents  30 , and then stop at a second position of the plural indents  30 . By this way, the protective shade  80  operates to hinge in conjunction with three stop positions as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the hinging projections  60  of the protective shade  80  may be also provided with an 8-shaped separation-proof projection  60 - 1  connecting the hinging projections  60  so as to prevent the hinging projections  60  separating from the plural indents  30 . The separation-proof projection  60 - 1  projects laterally from the sides of the hinging projections  60 . Thus, when the hinging projections  60  are coupled with the plural indents  30 , the separation-proof projection  60 - 1  may be engaged with the edge of the plural indents  30 . Thus, the hinging projections  60  may not be separated from the plural indents  30 . 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , each of the hinging projections  60  may be provided with an independent separation-proof projection  60 - 1 . Due to the independent separation-proof projection  60 - 1 , contact between the connector  40  and the connecting portion of the hinging projections  60  may be obviated. 
         [0053]    The multi-function face protector of the present invention may be used by optionally coupling with the protective shade if necessary. On use, the protective shade hinges in conjunction with three stop positions, so that the user may use the protective shade with an ability to stop it at necessary positions. 
         [0054]    As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the face shield has a three-dimensional configuration that is integrally molded and ergonomically designed so as to effectively protect the face and the neck of the user. Therefore, the user may use the multi-function face protector conveniently and the multi-function face protector suffers from little heat-deformation. 
         [0055]    Further, according to the present invention, the multi-function face protector can be used with other protectors such as goggles and the mask in the workplaces in which the scattered materials of high impact energy, molten state, and heat may be generated. 
         [0056]    Further, according to the present invention, the multi-function face protector includes the coupling structure for easily changing the face shield, and the protective shade hinging in conjunction with three stop positions, so that the user may use the protective shade with an ability to stop it at necessary positions. Therefore, the user may use the multi-function face protector conveniently and the multi-function face protector is very effective in a safety equipment industry. 
         [0057]    It should be understood that the embodiments and the accompanying drawings as described above have been described for illustrative purposes and the present invention is limited by the following claims. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are allowed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.