Patent Publication Number: US-7213271-B1

Title: Brow pad for the headband of protective headgear

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a brow pad for the headband of a protective helmet or similar headgear. 
   Protective helmets are commonly worn in the industrial workplace to prevent or reduce the likelihood of head injuries. The hard hat is the most common and well-recognized protective helmet. A hard hat consists of three primary components—a shell, a headband, and a suspension system—which cooperate to reduce the potential for injury by attenuating some translational energy of the force of an impact to the helmet. 
   With respect to the construction and protection afforded by a hard hat, the American National Standards Institute (“ANSI”) promulgates minimum performance requirements for protective helmets and further classifies helmets based on their ability to reduce the forces of impact and penetration, as well as their ability to protect against high voltage electric shock. See, for example, ANSI Z89.1-1997 (R1998), American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection. 
   As mentioned above, a hard hat or similar protective helmet is comprised primarily of: a shell, a headband, and a suspension system. These primary hard hat components cooperate to provide the requisite level of protection. The hard hat shell itself causes any force of impact to be spread across the surface area of the shell. The hard hat suspension separates the wearer&#39;s head from the shell such that there is an air gap between the shell and the wearer&#39;s head that provides for further attenuation of the force of an impact to the shell. Specifically, when an object strikes the shell of the hard hat, the shell itself flexes inward and the straps of the suspension system will stretch. The air gap accommodates the flexing of the shell and stretching of the straps, but, under normal conditions, prevents the wearer&#39;s head from contacting the hard hat shell. 
   Of course, for a hard hat to provide the appropriate level of protection, it must fit snugly on the wearer&#39;s head. In this regard, it is common for the headband of a hard hat to be adjustable to provide for such a snug fit. In this regard, a headband typically has one of two common sizing mechanisms, a pin-lock arrangement or a ratchet mechanism. Regardless of the chosen sizing mechanism, the headband is commonly a flexible, one-piece member that has overlapping rear end portions. With a pin-lock mechanism, a first of the rear end portions of the headband is provided with a pin, and the second of the rear end portions is provided with series of holes at spaced intervals. As such, the pin of the first rear end portion can be inserted through one of the holes of the second rear end portion, thus forming a loop of a selected circumference to fit snugly around the wearer&#39;s head. With a ratchet mechanism, lateral movement of the overlapping rear end portions of the headband is effectuated through a rack and pinion arrangement or similar gear arrangement. 
   As one example of a ratchet mechanism, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,831 issued to Oleson, a patent that is incorporated herein by this reference. As described in the &#39;831 patent, a preferred ratchet mechanism is often a rack and pinion arrangement which operates within elongated overlapping slots defined by the rear end portions of the headband, each of said slots defining a series of teeth of a rack gear. The rack and pinion arrangement and the overlapping rear end portions of the headband are housed between a pair of adjoining arc-shaped housing sections which generally conform to the contour of the wearer&#39;s head. The rear end portions of the headband are seated for slidable, lateral movement within the arc-shaped housing sections. 
   For another example of a rack and pinion arrangement, reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/899,467, which is also incorporated herein by reference. Again, the rack and pinion arrangement and the overlapping rear end portions of the headband are housed between a pair of adjoining arc-shaped housing sections which generally conform to the contour of the wearer&#39;s head. The rear end portions of the headband are seated for slidable, lateral movement within the arc-shaped housing sections. Furthermore, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/899,467, the arc-shaped housing sections have an inherent flexibility that provides for better fit of the headband and increased comfort to the wearer. 
   In any event, the focus of the present invention is on the brow pad, which is commonly secured to a front portion of the headband so that it contacts the wearer&#39;s forehead, providing increased comfort to the wearer and also serving to absorb perspiration. In securing the brow pad to the headband, a common technique is to provide the headband with integral tabs or cleats which are then inserted into corresponding holes through the brow pad. However, as the brow pad becomes worn, it may stretch or tear, and thus, become disengaged from the headband. Another common technique is to sew the brow pad directly to the headband. However, removing such a brow pad from the headband may prove difficult, if not impossible. Specifically, if an attempt is made to tear the brow pad from the headband, some of the brow pad fabric will undoubtedly remain, and furthermore, damage to the headband itself may result. 
   It would therefore be desirable to provide a brow pad for the headband of protective headgear that is secured to the headband in a manner that ensures that it will remain secured to the headband even after extensive usage, but still allows for removal and replacement of the brow pad if desired. 
   It would also be desirable to provide a brow pad for the headband of protective headgear that assists not only in absorbing perspiration, but also to draw perspiration and moisture away from the forehead of the wearer. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a brow pad for the headband of a protective helmet or similar headgear, a brow pad that is ultrasonically welded or similarly joined to itself through openings defined through the headband. 
   A headband is incorporated into an article of protective headgear, such as a hard hat, helmet, respirator hood, or faceshield. According to the teachings of the present invention, the front portion of the headband includes a plurality of openings defined therethrough. To secure the brow pad to the headband, the brow pad is joined to itself through these openings, for example, by using ultrasonic welding techniques. By joining the brow pad to itself through the headband, the brow pad remains secured to the headband even after extensive usage. However, since the brow pad is not sewn to otherwise directly attached to the headband, it can still be removed without significant difficulty (i.e., by tearing or cutting) and without damaging the headband. 
   In addition to providing a means by which the brow pad can be joined to itself and secured to the headband, the openings provide some measure of ventilation and evacuation of accumulated moisture from the brow pad. Specifically, the brow pad will absorb perspiration from the wearer&#39;s forehead during use. Through a wicking or capillary action, moisture migrates from the moist area adjacent the wearer&#39;s forehead to the drier portion of the brow pad on the opposite side of the headband. Because the brow pad is joined to itself through the openings, there is a shorter path for the moisture to migrate to the opposite side of the headband. Once reaching this side, moisture will naturally evaporate into the ambient air. 
   Finally, by joining the brow pad to itself and through the headband, there are pockets of air that are trapped between the joined portions of the brow pad, which serve as air-filled “pillows,” providing some measure of comfort to the wearer. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the front portion of an exemplary headband; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the exemplary headband of  FIG. 1 , taken along line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the positioning of a brow pad around and adjacent to the exemplary headband of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the joining of the brow pad to itself around and adjacent to the exemplary headband of  FIG. 1 , a view that is taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the exemplary headband with the brow pad secured thereto, illustrating the side of the brow pad that contacts the forehead of the wearer; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the exemplary headband with the brow pad secured thereto, illustrating the side of the brow pad away from the wearer; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a hard hat incorporating the exemplary headband and brow pad of  FIGS. 1–6 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the exemplary headband and brow pad of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a brow pad for the headband of a protective helmet or similar headgear, a brow pad that is ultrasonically welded or similarly joined to itself through openings defined through the headband. 
     FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary headband  10 , specifically illustrating the front portion  10   a  of the headband  10  that would be positioned adjacent the forehead of a wearer when the headband  10  is incorporated into an article of protective headgear, such as a hard hat, helmet, respirator hood, or faceshield. This exemplary headband  10  is designed for use with a hard hat. In this regard, the headband  10  includes a plurality of upwardly extending appendages  11   a ,  11   b  (two of which are illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), with each such appendage  11   a ,  11   b  being used to secure the headband  10  to the suspension of the hard hat. For further details regarding the incorporation of such a headband  10  into a protective helmet, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,254, which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
   More pertinent to the present invention, the front portion  10   a  of the headband  10  includes a plurality of openings defined therethrough. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in this exemplary embodiment, there are two substantially rectangular openings  12   a ,  12   b  with rounded corners in the center of the front portion  10   a  of the headband  10 . There are then two substantially trapezoidal openings  14   a ,  14   b  with rounded corners on either side of the rectangular openings  12   a ,  12   b . Finally, there are two vertically oriented and substantially ovular openings  16   a ,  16   b  on either side of the substantially trapezoidal openings  14   a ,  14   b . Of course, although one particular geometry and layout of the openings is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , various other geometries and layouts are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2  is sectional view of the front portion  10   a  of the exemplary headband  10  taken along line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the positioning of a brow pad  20  around and adjacent to the headband  10 , with a first portion on one side of the headband and a second portion on an opposite side the headband. The brow pad  20  in this exemplary embodiment has a two-ply construction with (1) a layer of soft, absorbent material, such as an 50% polyester/50% cotton blend terry cloth material, which is adhered to (2) a polyester or polyurethane foam backing material. In this exemplary embodiment, the foam backing material is approximately 3/16 inches thick. Of course, various other fabrics and/or other materials could also be used to construct the brow pad  20  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In any event, and as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , to secure the brow pad  20  to the headband  10 , the brow pad  20  is folded around the lower edge of the headband  10  into a U-shaped configuration. 
   Then, to secure the brow pad  20  to the headband  10 , the brow pad  20  can be joined to itself through the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b  (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) defined through the headband  10 . For example, the joining of the brow pad  20  to itself can be accomplished using ultrasonic welding techniques. Ultrasonic welding employs high-frequency acoustic energy to essentially melt a thermoplastic at a desired location. Therefore, two parts (i.e., the brow pad  20  portions) can be pressed together and then ultrasonically welded in a predetermined pattern, such that the mating surfaces of the two parts are joined with a substantially insoluble connection. In this regard and as mentioned above, in this exemplary embodiment, the brow pad  20  in has a two-ply construction that includes a polyester or polyurethane foam backing material. It is this material that can be readily bonded using ultrasonic welding techniques. Accordingly, when the brow pad  20  is folded around the lower edge of the headband  10  into a U-shaped configuration, the foam backing layer is what contacts the headband  10  and is joined through the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b.    
     FIG. 4  is a sectional view similar to that of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the brow pad  20  welded to itself and secured to the headband  10 . Specifically, and perhaps as best illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the ultrasonic welding is performed in a pattern that closely mirrors the geometry of the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b  (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) defined through the headband  10 , with a weld width of approximately 1/16 inches. For example, substantially rectangular weld patterns  32   a ,  32   b  are used to join the headband  20  to itself through the two substantially rectangular openings  12   a ,  12   b  defined through the headband  10 . Similarly, substantially trapezoidal patterns  34   a ,  34   b  are used to join the headband  20  to itself through the two substantially trapezoidal openings  14   a ,  14   b . Lastly, because the ovular openings  16   a ,  16   b  are rather narrow in this exemplary embodiment, ultrasonic welds  36   a ,  36   b  are made in substantially vertical lines along the major axis of each opening  16   a ,  16   b.    
   Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment and referring still to  FIGS. 4–6 , two substantially horizontal welds  38   a ,  38   b  are made along the top edge of the headband  10 . 
   Although ultrasonic welding may be an optimal technique for joining the brow pad  20  to itself through the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b , thus securing the brow pad  20  to the headband  10 , it should be understood and recognized that other joining techniques could be employed with departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Regardless of the specific technique used, however, by joining the brow pad  20  to itself through the headband  10 , the brow pad  20  remains secured to the headband  10  even after extensive usage. However, since the brow pad  20  is not sewn to or otherwise directly attached to the headband  10 , it can still be removed without significant difficulty (i.e., by tearing or cutting) and without damaging the headband  10 . 
   In addition to providing a means by which the brow pad  20  can be joined to itself and secured to the headband  10 , the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b  provide some measure of ventilation and evacuation of accumulated moisture from the brow pad  20 . Specifically, the brow pad  20  will absorb perspiration from the wearer&#39;s forehead during use. Through a wicking or capillary action, moisture migrates from the moist area adjacent the wearer&#39;s forehead to the drier portion of the brow pad  20  on the opposite side of the headband  10 . Because the brow pad  20  is joined to itself through the openings  12   a ,  12   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  16   a ,  16   b , there is a shorter path for the moisture to migrate to the opposite side of the headband  10 . Once reaching this side, moisture will naturally evaporate into the ambient air. Furthermore, to the extent that the brow pad  20  is constructed with a polymer-based foam, as in the exemplary embodiment described herein, the porosity of the brow pad  20  is optimal for absorbing perspiration. 
   Finally, by joining the brow pad  20  to itself and through the headband  10  in the manner described above, there are pockets of air that are trapped between the joined portions of the brow pad  20 , which serve as air-filled “pillows.” For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , along with the sectional view of  FIG. 4 , the substantially rectangular weld patterns  32   a ,  32   b  that are used to join the headband  20  to itself through the two substantially rectangular openings  12   a ,  12   b  result in two pillows,  42   a ,  42   b , which provide some measure of comfort to the wearer. Similarly, the substantially trapezoidal weld patterns  34   a ,  34   b  result in two pillows,  44   a ,  44   b , which also provide some measure of comfort to the wearer. To the extent that the brow pad  20  is constructed with a polymer-based foam, as in the exemplary embodiment described herein, the brow pad  20  will have a cushioning resiliency which enhances the comfort afforded by the pillows. 
     FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a hard hat  100  incorporating an exemplary headband  10  and brow pad  20  made in accordance with the present invention, and  FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the exemplary headband  10  and brow pad  20  of  FIG. 7 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the hard hat  100  has a component shaped to protect the wearer&#39;s head, in this case, a substantially rigid shell  112 . This shell  112  defines a bottom opening and an internal cavity for receiving the wearer&#39;s head. In this exemplary embodiment, the hard hat  100  has a 4-point suspension  114  comprising two intersecting straps  116   a ,  116   b . A key  118   a ,  118   b ,  118   c ,  118   d  is secured to each end of each of the straps  116   a ,  116   b . Thus, to secure the suspension  114  to the shell  112  of the hard hat  100 , the shell  112  includes four key sockets spaced about the periphery of the shell  112 , each such key socket being molded into the shell  112  and adapted to receive one of the keys (generally and collectively indicated by reference numeral  118 ). In this regard, key sockets  112   b  and  112   c  are illustrated and labeled in  FIG. 7 . It is contemplated and preferred that the keys  118  be constructed such that they can be “locked” into the key sockets. Furthermore, as best illustrated in  FIG. 8  and mentioned above, the headband  10  has a plurality of upwardly extending appendages  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d . Each such appendage  11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d  corresponds with a respective key  118   a ,  118   b ,  118   c ,  118   d  of the suspension  114 , such that the keys  118  can be secured to the headband  11 . Further details regarding the incorporation of the exemplary headband  10  and brow pad  20  into an article of protective headgear, such as a hard hat, can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,254 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/899,467, each of which has been incorporated into the present application by reference. 
   It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that further modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.