Abstract:
A protective apparatus including a flexible hood provided with a visor movable from a distal position to a proximate position relative to the ocular area of a wearer of the hood and a slack fold coincident to a bottom portion of the visor providing the visor with a range of movement defined by the distal and proximate positions.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to a protective wear, and more particularly, to a protective hood with an adjustable visor. 
     2. Summary of Invention 
     The present invention is a flexible hood provided with a visor movable from a distal position to a proximate position relative to the ocular area of a wearer of the hood and a slack fold coincident to a bottom portion of the visor providing the visor with a range of movement defined by the distal and proximate positions. As the visor is moved towards the ocular area of the wearer (the person&#39;s eyes), the peripheral vision afforded by the visor increases. By moving the visor in close proximity to the wearer&#39;s eyes, the size requirements of the visor may be reduced while still providing acceptable outward vision. Furthermore, by making the visor adjustable, outward vision can be optimized for a wide range of facial profiles including persons wearing eyeglasses. A restraint means is provided to align the vertical position of the vision with the ocular area of the wearer when the visor is in the proximate position. Without the restrain means, the slack fold would permit the visor to move towards the wearer&#39;s forehead and thus not be vertically aligned with the ocular area for proper outward vision. 
     An alterative embodiment to the invention may replace the slack fold with bellows, either interfaced into the hood or integral in a dip molded, all-rubber hood. The slack and the bellows form substantially the same function to provide the visor with travel towards the ocular area of the wearer. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, at least one substantially horizontal elongate member having a lengthwise axis in transverse, underlying relation to the visor is provided. A guide member having a first end and a second end is also provided. The first end of the guide member is secured to the visor and the second end is slideably received by the elongate member whereby movement of the visor to and from the distal and proximate positions is linearly restrained by the lengthwise axis of the at least one substantially horizontal elongate member. Preferably, the at least one substantially horizontal elongate member is downwardly angled from a horizontal plane whereby the visor is positioned lower relative to the ocular area when in the proximate position and the visor is positioned higher relative to the ocular area when in the distal position. The downward angle provides a correction for vertical outward visibility. 
     A locking means may be provided to secure the guide member at a location in the at least one elongate member representative of the proximate position of the visor. In one embodiment, at least one notch integral to the guide member is provided. The at least one notch is positioned in transverse relation to the lengthwise axis and is adapted to secure the guide member at a location in the at least one elongate member representative of the proximate position of the visor. A plurality of notches may be employed similar to serrations wherein multiple visor proximity positions may be easily selected. In another embodiment of the invention, the locking means may include a hook and loop interface to secure the guide member at a location in the at least one elongate member representative of the proximate position of the visor. In still another embodiment of the invention a snap button secures the guide member at a location in the at least one elongate member representative of the proximate position of the visor. In yet another embodiment of the invention the guide member is formed of an elastomeric material forming a resilient, interference fit with the at least one elongate member. When negative pressure exists in the hood, the visor may be drawn toward the wearer&#39;s face. By utilizing the locking means, the visor is restrained from unwanted movement. 
     Protective hoods, particularly those that are packaged with a respiratory filter are often constructed with flexible visors made of PVC, polycarbonate, polyester, urethane or the like. Selection of the appropriate visor material is often dependent on costs, heat resistance, anti-fog qualities, transparency, chemical resistances, storage life and the like. Virtually all suitable flexible visor materials will crease if stored in a folded configuration, particular when stored at high temperatures. Creases in the visor distort outward visor and are therefore undesirable. One advantage of the present invention is its ability to compactly fold with a filter without creasing the visor. 
     Respiratory filters are typically positioned in front of the wearer&#39;s mouth and thus, disposed underneath the visor of the hood. When packaging the respiratory hood for storage it is desirable to make the overall size of the unit as compact as possible. As described above, it is also desirable to avoid folding the visor whereby creases may form and inhibit outward visibility. If the visor is configured in the hood in close proximity to the ocular area of the wearer, good peripheral vision is achieved. However, the visor cannot lay flat over the substantially rigid filters and creases form in the visor. Alternatively, the visor may be positioned away from the ocular area so that it folds without creases onto the filters during storage. However, the visor is now positioned away from the eyes of the wearer resulting in poor peripheral vision. 
     The aforementioned problems are overcome by providing at least one filter coupled to the hood and disposed below the visor, the at least one filter having at least one substantially planer surface while the apparatus is in a packaged state. A fold line in the hood is coincident and parallel to the lower portion of the visor wherein the fold line abuts an edge of the substantially planer surface while the visor is in the distal position, the visor lying flat against the substantially planer surface while the apparatus is in a packaged state. The at least one substantially planer surface may be integral to the at least one filter or detachable from the at least one filter when the apparatus is in an unpackaged state. The planer surface also permits the visor to be constructed of a substantially rigid material such as glass or acrylic with superior optical properties for outward vision. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a prior art hood having a visor in relative close proximity to the ocular area of the wearer. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a prior art hood having a visor in relative distant proximity to the ocular area of the wearer. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the visor is in a distal position relative to the ocular area of the wearer. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the invention wherein the visor is in a proximate position relative to the ocular area of the wearer. 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevation detail view of an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the invention having a substantially planer surface for receiving the visor in flat juxtaposition. 
     FIG. 8 a side elevation detail view of an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the invention in a packaged state. 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevation detail view of an embodiment of the invention utilizing a resilient tension spring to vertically restrain the position of the visor relative to the ocular area of the wearer. 
     FIG. 11 is a front elevation, partially exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to prior art FIGS. 1 and 2, flexible hood  10  is provided with visor  20 . Filter  30  is disposed below visor  20 . The hood illustrated is neck sealable  40  in this exemplary embodiment. The origin of vision for the wearer is noted as vision epicenter  50 . The distance between the visor  20  and vision epicenter  50  in FIG. 1 is represented by d 1  and in FIG. 2 by d 2 . Peripheral vision angle α 1  of FIG. 1 is greater than peripheral vision angle α 2  of FIG.  2 . The greater angle affords the wearer superior peripheral vision. Accordingly, it can be seen that moving the visor closer to the eyes of the wearer (the ocular area) is desirable to enhance outward visibility. Furthermore in most instances, the preferred location of the visor while the hood is being worn is the position directly above the breathing interface inside the hood. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 depict a preferred embodiment of the invention. Rod  60  is secured to filter  30  by forward support leg  60   a  and rearward support leg  60   b.  Accordingly, rod  60  is vertically spaced apart from filter  30 . It should also be observed that rod  60  has a longitudinal axis of symmetry that is disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane of visor  20 . As depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plane of the visor is perpendicular to the plane of the visor. Thus, as drawn, rod  60  is in the plane of the paper. Guide member  70  has first end  71  secured to visor  20  and second end  72  is apertured to slideably receive rod  60 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, second end  72  and rod  60  are slideably coupled to one another by a mechanical interference fit that permits an infinite number of positions of functional adjustment. It is also preferred that an adjustment tab, not depicted, be integrated to guide member  70  wherein the user can easily grip and adjust guide member  70 . It is also anticipated that first end  71  may be alternatively secured to hood  10  in close proximity to visor  20  to achieve substantially the same mechanical effect. Movement of guide member  70  and hence of visor  20  from the distal or extended position of FIG. 3 to the proximate or retracted position of FIG. 4 is accomplished by sliding guide member  70  along the length of rod  60  in a left-to-right direction as drawn. Movement of guide member  70  and hence of visor  20  from the retracted position of FIG. 4 to the expanded position of FIG. 3 is accomplished by sliding guide member  70  along the length of rod  60  in a right-to-left direction as drawn in said Figures. Rod  60  may be provided in a substantially horizontal orientation relative to a wearer standing upright. Preferably, rod  60  is downwardly angled from a horizontal plane whereby visor  20  is positioned lower relative to the ocular area of the wearer when in the proximate position of FIG.  4  and visor  20  is positioned higher relative to the ocular area when in the distal position of FIG.  3 . Slack fold  80  is formed in hood  10  just below visor  20  when guide member  70  is displaced from its FIG. 3 position to its FIG. 4 position. Note the lower half, or filter-including part of the novel hood, is recessed with respect to the top half, or visor-including part of the hood when said hood is in repose as illustrated in FIG.  3 . Note further that when hood  10  is in said position of repose, visor  20  is substantially co-planar with the front of filter  30 . When visor  20  is in its retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, visor  20  is substantially co-planar with the back of said filter  30 . Significantly, as indicated by a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4, the filter-including lower part of the novel hood has a fixed position that is unaffected by movement of the upper, visor-including part of said hood. 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the invention with two filters  30 . As in the first embodiment, slack fold  80  is formed in visor  20  when guide member  70  is slidingly displaced along the length of rod  60  in a direction toward visor  20 . A detailed view of of rod  60  is provided in FIG. 6 wherein notches  90  and  91  are formed in rod  60 . Said notches engage and secure guide member  70  and hence visor  20  at preselected retracted positions. In FIG. 6, spring  85  is sandwiched between forward support leg  60   a  and guide member  70 . Spring  85  is under compression and therefore resiliently biases guide member  70  and visor  20  towards the ocular area of the wearer. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is packaged with the spring under tension whereby upon unpacking, spring  85  automatically moves guide member  70  and visor  20  towards the ocular area of the wearer (the proximate or retracted position). Alternatively, spring  85  may be under tension and positioned on the opposite side of guide member  70  to pull visor  20  to the proximate position. 
     In FIG. 7, fold line  100  in hood  10  is substantially parallel to visor bottom  21  and permits visor  20  to fold over filters  30  when guide members  70  are retracted along the respective extents of rods  60 . Planar surface  110  disposed between filters  30  provides a flat surface against which visor  20  is stored when hood  10  is folded in the manner depicted in FIG.  9 . Planar surface  100  may be integral to filters  30  or detachable when the hood is in an unpackaged state. Alternative means exist to lock each guide member  70  at a location on each rod  60  when visor  20  is in its retracted configuration. In FIG. 8, guide member  70  is secured to mounting member  61  that is in turn secured to filter  30  by hook and loop interface  73 , otherwise known under the brand name VELCRO. This embodiment eliminates rod  60 . Other embodiments may include utilizing snap buttons, peel-away adhesive, or any other mechanical coupling as known in the art to secure second end  72  of guide member  70  to mounting member  61 . 
     In the embodiments that employ rod  60 , it is preferred that rod  60  be formed of substantially rigid polymer construction to withstand heat, humidity and physical impact. Guide member  70  is preferably constructed of resilient elastomeric material that forms a slideable interference fit with rod  60 . 
     In FIG. 9, as mentioned above, visor  20  is folded over filter  30  to lie in flat, overlapping relation to planar surface  110 . Guide member  70  is flexed between first end  71  and second end  72  to accommodate the folding. Visor  20  is thereby protected from optically damaging creasing when so stored. 
     FIG. 10 is an embodiment of the invention utilizing a resilient tension spring  86  to interconnect guide member  70  to mounting member  61 . When the apparatus is in a packaged state, resilient tension spring  86  is pulled to an extended position under tension. When the apparatus is unpacked, spring  86  pulls the visor down and towards the ocular area of the wearer, thereby creating slack fold  80 . 
     In FIG. 11, filters  31  and  35  are secured to hood  10  in angled relation to visor  20 , threaded in opposite relation relative to one another and adapted to screw threadedly receive rings  32  and  37  respectively. Filters  31  and  35  are externally threaded and rings  32  and  37  are internally threaded. Securing points  33  and  38  on top of each ring  32  and  37  are coupled to guide members  70  whereby tightening of rings  32  and  37  pull visor  20  downward and towards the ocular area of the wearer.