Patent Publication Number: US-8973172-B2

Title: Noise shield

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     The present application claims priority to, and is a Continuation in Part of U.S. Design Patent Application, application Ser. No. 29/316,491, titled “Noise Shield”, filed Oct. 2, 2009 now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 633,658. The entire disclosure of said Design Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to noise reduction systems, and more particularly, to noise reduction systems for head wear. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Protective head wear has been used for thousands of years with such use being based on the idea of protecting a user&#39;s head from injury. The earliest forms of protective head wear were worn by military soldiers, who used such equipment to protect their heads against blows from various weapons, such as swords and arrows. 
     Although protective head wear is still used in modern military applications, other uses of protective head wear have evolved over the past several hundred years to include equipment for various recreational and civilian purposes, such as construction, mining, transportation, medical purposes, and sports. The use of protective head wear in sports has grown to be perhaps the most widespread, and includes sports such as American football, baseball, hockey, auto and motorcycle racing, rock climbing, lacrosse, skiing, equestrian sports, cricket, cycling, and other various types of sports. 
     The shape and size of protective head wear often times varies, and depends on the particular needs and circumstances of the purpose for which it will be applied. For example, a bicycle helmet may be designed to be well ventilated and aerodynamic, while a rock climbing helmet may be designed to be lightweight and less-bulky. 
     In some applications, an article of protective head wear, such as a helmet, includes a portion that covers and, in some cases, extends below the user&#39;s ear. Examples of this design include American football helmets, baseball helmets, and auto racing helmets. 
     Traditionally, the portion that covers the user&#39;s ear may include an aperture so that the user is still able to hear outside sound while wearing the helmet. In some cases, however, the portion that covers the user&#39;s ear is solid, and does not include an aperture near the ear; in this case the user may have trouble hearing outside sounds, if he or she is able to hear them at all. 
     Where the protective head wear includes an aperture near the user&#39;s ear, noise is able to enter into the user&#39;s ear, and in some cases may cause discomfort and hamper the user&#39;s ability to perform various functions. A sport in which this problem often arises is American football. American football helmets are traditionally designed with a portion of the helmet extending over and below the user&#39;s ear, and include an aperture near the user&#39;s ear. American football players often times experience confusion on the field due to crowd noise, which is able to enter through the above mentioned aperture. 
     In instances where a user may want to hear an outside sound, but where the protective head wear does not include an aperture near the user&#39;s ear, the user may have trouble hearing the sound. 
     SUMMARY 
     The apparatuses described herein result from the realization that protective head wear may be fitted with equipment, such as a plate that fits over a user&#39;s ear and accommodates a noise reduction element, which allows the user to choose whether to block outside noise by inserting the noise reduction element, or to allow the noise to penetrate the protective head wear by removing the noise reduction element. 
     The apparatuses described herein result from the further realization that protective head wear may be manufactured with an aperture near the user&#39;s ear, which may accommodate a noise reduction element, which, in turn, allows the user to choose whether to block outside noise by inserting the noise reduction element, or to allow the noise to penetrate the protective head wear by removing the noise reduction element. 
     The apparatuses described herein result from the further realization that a noise reduction element may be provided to a user of protective head wear so that the user may insert the noise reduction element in an aperture of the protective head wear so as to block outside noise. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  shows an apparatus in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 1B  shows an apparatus in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 1C  shows an apparatus in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a noise reduction element in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2B  shows an apparatus in accordance with yet another embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  shows an article of head wear in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  shows an article of head wear in accordance with another embodiment; 
         FIG. 5A  shows an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with one embodiment; 
         FIG. 5B  shows an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with one embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5C  shows an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1A through 1C  show a noise reduction plate  100  in accordance with one embodiment. Noise reduction plate  100  comprises a mount plate  101  and at least one noise reduction element  103  connected to mount plate  101 . 
     Mount plate  101  may be formed of any material with requisite stiffness to allow it to be mounted to a secondary surface. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. 
     In some embodiments, mount plate  101  may include at least one aperture  105 , wherein noise reduction element  103  may be inserted. In other embodiments, aperture  105  may be a slot wherein noise reduction element  103  is inserted. Aperture  105  may be any shape, such as, but not limited to, a rectangle, a circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), a triangle, and the like. 
     In further embodiments, mount plate  101  may include a means for mounting the mount plate to a secondary surface. Such a secondary surface may include, but is not limited to, the surface of an article of protective head wear, which may include, but is not limited to, the shell of a helmet. In one embodiment, the means for mounting the mount plate may include at least one aperture  107 , through which the mount plate may be fastened to the secondary surface. The means for mounting the mount plate may include other means, such as, but not limited to, a buckle, a button, a magnet, a thread, a clip, a hooks-and-loops fastener, a zipper, glue, sticky tack, or any other means of holding two surfaces together. 
     In yet another embodiment, mount plate  101  may include an aperture  109 , which allows an object located on the secondary surface to protrude through aperture  109 . An exemplary embodiment may be a helmet which has a means for mounting a foreign object, such as a push button fastener, extending from the surface of the helmet. Such a fastener may be used for a variety of purposes, such as attaching a chin strap or a facemask, to the helmet. In such an embodiment, a user may want the fastener to extend through mount plate  101  so that it could be used to fasten to the foreign object to the helmet notwithstanding the fact that mount plate  101  is also connected to the helmet. Aperture  109  may allow the foreign object and mount plate  101  to be simultaneously connected to the secondary surface by allowing the secondary surface&#39;s means for mounting the foreign object to protrude through mount plate  101 . Should it be the foreign object that has the means for mounting itself to the secondary surface, aperture  109  may allow for a similar result. In an alternate embodiment, mount plate  101  includes a means for mounting a foreign object (not shown). In yet another embodiment, the means for mounting a foreign object may be the same means for mounting the mount plate  101 , e.g., the means for mounting the foreign object may also hold mount plate  101  in place. 
     In another embodiment, noise reduction element  103  is detachably connected to mount plate  101 . Such detachability may be achieved by providing an aperture  105 , such as a slot, in mount plate  101 , wherein noise reduction element may be inserted. In some embodiments, noise reduction element  103  may be detachably connected via a fastener, such as, but not limited to, a buckle, a button, a magnet, a thread, a clip, a hooks-and-loops fastener, a zipper, glue, sticky tack, or any other means of attaching one object to another. Noise reduction element  103  may be of any shape, including, but not limited to, a square, rectangle, triangle, circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), semi-circle, parallelogram, and trapezoid, amongst others. 
     In another embodiment, noise reduction element  103  may be connected directly to an article of head wear, such as those embodiments described with reference to  FIG. 4  below. In other embodiments, noise reduction element  103  may be detachably connected directly to an article of head wear, such as those embodiments described with reference to  FIG. 4  below. 
     In one embodiment, noise reduction element  103  comprises a frame  111  having framework, and a soundproofing element  113  covering the framework. 
     In a further embodiment, soundproofing element  113  may be a noise insulating material. In yet a further embodiment, soundproofing element  113  may be a soundproofing material, including, but not limited to, soundproofing foam, such as memory foam and acoustic foam, polystyrene foam, neoprene, or silicone. In another embodiment, soundproofing element  113  may be formed of a solid material, including, but not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, wood, or fiberglass. 
     In another embodiment, noise reduction element  103  may include a noise cancellation unit, such as a noise cancellation device, which may employ technology similar to that used in noise cancellation headphones. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a noise reduction element  203  in accordance with one embodiment. Noise reduction element  203  comprises a frame  211  having a framework, and a soundproofing element  213  covering the framework. 
     In some embodiments, noise reduction element  203  may be connected directly to an article of head wear, such as those embodiments described with reference to  FIG. 4  below. In other embodiments, noise reduction element  203  may be detachably connected directly to an article of head wear, such as those embodiments described with reference to  FIG. 4  below. Noise reduction element  203  may be of any shape, including, but not limited to, a square, rectangle, triangle, circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), semi-circle, parallelogram, and trapezoid, amongst others. 
     In a further embodiment, soundproofing element  213  may be a noise insulating material. In yet a further embodiment, soundproofing element  213  may be a soundproofing material, including, but not limited to, soundproofing foam, such as memory foam and acoustic foam, polystyrene foam, neoprene, or silicone. In another embodiment, soundproofing element  113  may be formed of a solid material, including, but not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, wood, or fiberglass. 
     In another embodiment, noise reduction element  203  may include a noise cancellation unit, such as a noise cancellation device, which may employ technology similar to that used in noise cancellation headphones. 
       FIG. 2B  shows an apparatus  200 , in accordance with one embodiment. In one embodiment, apparatus  200  comprises a mount plate  201 , and at least one aperture  205  in mount plate  201 , wherein one of the least one aperture  205  is formed to accommodate a noise reduction element (as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C , with reference to numeral  103 ). 
     Mount plate  201  may be formed of any material with requisite stiffness to allow it to be mounted to a secondary surface. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, and fiberglass. 
     In some embodiments, aperture  205  may be a slot wherein the noise reduction element is inserted. Aperture  205  may be any shape, such as, but not limited to, a rectangle, a circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), a triangle, and the like. 
     In further embodiments, mount plate  201  may include a means for mounting the mount plate to a secondary surface. Such a secondary surface may include, but is not limited to, the surface of an article of protective head wear, which may include, but is not limited to, the shell of a helmet. In one embodiment, the means for mounting the mount plate may include at least one aperture  207 , through which the mount plate may be fastened to the secondary surface. The means for mounting the mount plate may include other means, such as, but not limited to, a buckle, a button, a magnet, a thread, a clip, a hooks-and-loops fastener, a zipper, glue, sticky tack, or any other means of holding two surfaces together. 
     In yet another embodiment, mount plate  201  may include an aperture  209 , which allows an object located on the secondary surface to protrude through aperture  209 . An exemplary embodiment may be a helmet which has a means for mounting a foreign object, such as a push button fastener, extending from the surface of the helmet. Such a fastener may be used for a variety of purposes, such as attaching a chin strap or a facemask, to the helmet. In such an embodiment, a user may want the fastener to extend through mount plate  201  so that it could be used to fasten to the foreign object to the helmet notwithstanding the fact that mount plate  201  is also connected to the helmet. Aperture  209  may allow the foreign object and mount plate  201  to be simultaneously connected to the secondary surface by allowing the secondary surface&#39;s means for mounting the foreign object to protrude through mount plate  201 . Should it be the foreign object that has the means for mounting itself to the secondary surface, aperture  209  may allow for a similar result. In an alternate embodiment, mount plate  201  includes a means for mounting a foreign object (not shown). In yet another embodiment, the means for mounting a foreign object may be the same means for mounting the mount plate  201 , e.g., the means for mounting the foreign object may also hold mount plate  201  in place. 
       FIG. 3  shows an article of head wear  300  in accordance with one embodiment. Article  300  comprises a shell  301 , having an upper portion  303 , and a lower portion  305 , at least one aperture  307  (not currently shown) near lower portion  305 , and a noise reduction plate  309  obstructing the at least one aperture  307 . In some embodiments, upper portion  303  may be a closed upper portion, and lower portion  305  may be an open lower portion. 
     In some embodiments, article  300  may be a helmet, such as, but not limited to, an American football helmet, baseball helmet, hockey helmet, auto or motorcycle racing helmet, rock climbing helmet, lacrosse helmet, skiing helmet, equestrian sports helmet, cricket helmet, cycling helmet, and military issue helmet, amongst others. In further embodiments, article  300 , including shell  301 , may be formed of a solid material, including, but not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, wood, or fiberglass. 
     In some embodiments, a user of article  300  may insert their head through lower portion  305  and into upper portion  303 , with the majority of their head being protected by upper portion  303 . 
     In further embodiments, aperture  307  may allow outside noise or sound to enter article  300 , thereby allowing a user of article  300  to hear the outside noise or sound. In some embodiments, aperture  307  may be positioned near the location where a user&#39;s ear may be located when using article  300 . In certain cases, allowing the user of article  300  to hear outside noise may be desirable, such as in the sport of American football, where players often verbally communicate to each other, and thus need to hear each other through their helmets. On the other hand, there are times when players need to block out ambient noises in order to concentrate, such as during live games, where loud crowd noises may cause confusion. 
     In some embodiments, noise reduction plate  309  comprises a mount plate  311  and a noise reduction element  313  connected to mount plate  311 . In one embodiment, noise reduction plate  309  is detachably connected to shell  301  of article  300 . In another embodiment, noise reduction plate  309  is detachably connected to shell  301  of article  300  via at least one means  315  for connecting noise reduction plate  309  to shell  301 . In one embodiment, the means  315  for connecting noise reduction plate  309  to shell  301  may include at least one aperture positioned on mount plate  311 , through which mount plate  311  may be fastened to shell  301 . In other embodiments, the means  315  for connecting noise reduction plate  309  may include other means, such as, but not limited to, a buckle, a button, a magnet, a thread, a clip, a hooks-and-loops fastener, a zipper, glue, sticky tack, or any other means of holding two surfaces together. 
     In some embodiments, article  300  may include additional equipment, such as a facemask  317 , or a chinstrap (not shown). In one embodiment, the additional equipment may be attached to article  300  via a connecting means, such as a fastener  319 ,  321 . In such an embodiment, a user may want the fastener to extend through noise reduction plate  309  so that it could be used to fasten the additional equipment to article  300  notwithstanding the fact that noise reduction plate  309  is also connected to article  300 . In some embodiments, at least one aperture  323  may allow the additional equipment and noise reduction plate  309  to be simultaneously connected to article  300  by allowing the connecting means for connecting the additional equipment to protrude through noise reduction plate  309 . In some embodiments, aperture  323  is located in mount plate  311 . In an alternate embodiment, noise reduction plate  309  includes a means for connecting the additional equipment (not shown). In yet another embodiment, the means for connecting the additional equipment may be the same means for connecting noise reduction plate  309  to article  300 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of an article of head wear  400 . In some embodiments, article  400  comprises a shell  401  having an upper portion  403  and a lower portion  405 , and a noise reduction element  409  connected to shell  401 . In some embodiments, noise reduction element  409  may be detachably connected to shell  401 . Such detachability may be achieved by providing an aperture  407 , such as a slot, in shell  401 , wherein noise reduction element  409  may be inserted. In some embodiments, noise reduction element  409  may be detachably connected via a fastener, such as, but not limited to, a buckle, a button, a magnet, a thread, a clip, a hooks-and-loops fastener, a zipper, glue, sticky tack, or any other means of attaching one object to another. Noise reduction element  409  may be any shape, such as, but not limited to, a square, a circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), a triangle, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, noise reduction element  409  may be of any shape, including, but not limited to, a square, rectangle, triangle, circle (as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C), semi-circle, parallelogram, and trapezoid, amongst others. 
     In a further embodiment, noise reduction element  409  may include soundproofing element  411 . In some embodiments, soundproofing element  411  may be a noise insulating material. In yet a further embodiment, soundproofing element  411  may be a soundproofing material, including, but not limited to, soundproofing foam, such as memory foam and acoustic foam, polystyrene foam, neoprene, or silicone. In another embodiment, soundproofing element  411  may be formed of a solid material, including, but not limited to, plastic, resin, metal, carbon fiber, wood, or fiberglass. 
     In another embodiment, noise reduction element  409  may include a noise cancellation unit, such as a noise cancellation device, which may employ technology similar to that used in noise cancellation headphones. 
       FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C show an embodiment of an apparatus  500 . Apparatus  500  comprises a mount plate  501  and a noise reduction element  503 . In some embodiments, mount plate  501  may be similar to the various embodiments described with reference to numerals  101 ,  201 , and  311  in  FIGS. 1A through 3 . In other embodiments, noise reduction element  503  may be similar to the various embodiments described with reference to numerals  103 ,  203 ,  313 , and  409  in  FIGS. 1A through 4 . 
     While the principles of the disclosure have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.