Patent Publication Number: US-6907878-B1

Title: Protective hood with adjustable visor

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DISCLOSURE 
   This disclosure is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application bearing Ser. No. 10/248,070, filed Dec. 16, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,358 by the present inventor. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates, generally, to protective wear such as gas masks. More particularly, it relates to a protective hood having a visor that may be extended into a position for accommodating the head of a user wearing spectacles and retracted into a position close to the user&#39;s eyes to increase the field of vision. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Flexible hoods that receive the entire head of a user and which are equipped with filters to protect the wearer from toxins, germs, and the like that may be in the ambient air external to the hood have several drawbacks. 
   For example, some hoods lack sufficient interior space to comfortably accommodate spectacles, goggles, and the like that may be worn by a user. It is not an acceptable solution to make all flexible hoods of sufficient size to accommodate spectacles, however, because a one-size-fits-all hood would be too large for a user who does not wear spectacles. A hood that is too large decreases the field of vision of the wearer, creating tunnel vision because the user&#39;s eyes are spaced far rearwardly of the visor. Ideally, the user&#39;s eyes should be positioned near the visor when the hood is in use to thereby maximize the user&#39;s field of vision. 
   Another drawback relates to the creases formed in a conventional full hood visor when it is folded over for storage where the visor abuts the filter or filters mounted below the visor. 
   What is needed, then, is a visor that accommodates users wearing spectacles, goggles, and the like and users not wearing such items, and which provides to both classes of users an optimal field of vision. 
   A need also exists for a flexible hood construction that enables the hood to be folded for storage purposes without causing creasing of the visor by the filter or filters. 
   However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how the identified needs could be met. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a flexible hood that provides an optimal field of view for various users and which is storable without damaging the visor of the hood is now met by a new, non-obvious, and useful invention. The novel flexible hood of this invention includes an upper part having a visor adapted to enable a user to see therethrough when the flexible hood is worn. A lower part of the flexible hood is formed integrally with the upper part thereof. 
   A filter housing having a filter therein is secured to an external side of the lower part and a mouthpiece is positioned in an interior of the flexible hood, in the lower part. The mouthpiece is in fluid communication with the filter so that the user may breath filtered air through the mouth. 
   In a first embodiment, a nose clip is positioned in an interior of the flexible hood, in the upper part, so that the user does not breathe through the nose. A nose clip base is secured to the upper part of the flexible hood. More particularly, the visor is apertured to receive the nose clip base and the aperture is sealed by the nose clip base at its perimeter. The nose clip is formed integrally with the nose clip base by means of a flexible membrane so that the free end of the nose clip (the end not adapted to engage the nose of a user) may protrude externally of the hood without admitting ambient air into the hood. This enables users having a wide variety of head and nose sizes to wear the flexible hood. For a child or other person with a small head, the nose clip may be positioned wholly within the interior of the hood. The free end of the nose clip may protrude externally of the hood for persons having larger heads. 
   A first loop member adapted to slidingly receive a continuous loop strap therethrough is mounted to the external side of the nose clip base in depending relation thereto. The nose clip base and hence the first loop member and the continuous loop strap received therewithin are thus centered with respect to the user&#39;s face when the hood is worn. A second loop member adapted to slidingly receive the same continuous loop strap therethrough is mounted to a top wall of the filter housing at a rearward end thereof, and a third loop member adapted to slidingly receive the same continuous loop strap therethrough is mounted to a top wall of the filter housing at a forward end thereof. 
   The strap in the form of a continuous loop is received within the first, second, and third loop members. The upper part of the flexible hood has a first, extended position where the first and third loop members are in closely spaced relation to one another and has a second, retracted position where the first and second loop members are in closely spaced relation to one another. A user wearing the flexible hood has an increased field of vision when the upper part of the flexible hood is in the second, retracted position. There are an infinite number of positions of adjustment between the first, extended position and the second, retracted position. 
   Thus, all users don the flexible hood with the upper part thereof in its first, extended position. To place the upper part of the hood in its fully extended position, a user grasps the external filter in one hand and reaches into the interior of the hood with the other hand and grasps the part of the nose clip base that is within said interior. The user then pushes on the nose clip base in a direction towards the filter housing. The above-mentioned continuous loop strap, as constrained by the first, second, and third loop members, causes the upper part of the hood to expand in response to such pushing action. A user with a large head wearing goggles or the like may wear the hood due to its large internal capacity when the upper part is extended. 
   After the hood has been donned, the user bites down on the mouthpiece to prevent travel of the filter housing and pushes the nose clip or nose clip base towards the face so that the free end of the nose clip may be clipped to the nose. This pushing of the nose clip towards the user&#39;s face causes retraction of the upper part of the hood due to the structure of the continuous loop strap and the three loop members through which it extends. 
   The amount of retraction may be small for a large-headed user wearing spectacles, goggles, and the like. The amount of retraction will increase for a small-headed user wearing spectacles or the like, and the amount of retraction will be greatest for a small-headed user wearing no spectacles or goggles. The retraction of the upper part is desirable because such retraction places the user&#39;s eyes closer to the visor, thereby minimizing tunnel vision and maximizing the field of view. 
   It is therefore understood that a primary advantage of the invention is that it provides a flexible hood that accommodates users having a wide variety of head sizes. 
   A closely related advantage is the provision of a flexible hood that accommodates users who may wear spectacles, goggles, and the like. 
   Another important advantage is the flexible hood construction that facilitates storage of the hood in a folded configuration without scratching, creasing, or otherwise marring the visor. 
   These and other important advantages will become more clear as this disclosure proceeds. 
   The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE 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 front elevational view of the novel flexible hood; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view depicting a first embodiment with the visor in a first, extended position; 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view depicting said first embodiment with the visor in a second, retracted position; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view depicting a second embodiment with the visor in a first, extended position; 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevational view depicting said second embodiment with the visor in a second, retracted position; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view depicting a flexible hood having its upper part in the second, retracted position and with the flexible hood in a compressed condition to prepare it for folding; 
       FIG. 7  is a side elevational view depicting the flexible hood of  FIG. 6  in its folded configuration; and 
       FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of an embodiment having two filters. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Flexible hood  10  includes upper part  12 , lower part  14 , visor  16  that forms a part of said upper part, and filter housing  18  that is secured to said lower part on an external surface thereof. Flexible neck dam  11  depends from lower part  14 . 
   Nose clip  20 , having nose-engaging end  20   a , is positioned in the interior of flexible hood  10  as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Said nose clip is secured to nose clip base  22  that, in this embodiment, is sealingly mounted about its periphery in an aperture formed in visor  16 . Nose clip  20  is connected to nose clip base  22  by an imperforate, flexible membrane  21  ( FIG. 1 ) so that nose-engaging end  20   a  of nose clip  20  may be positioned in retracted relation to visor  16  as depicted in  FIG. 2  or in closely spaced relation thereto as depicted in  FIG. 3 . The membrane is sealingly engaged to nose clip base  22  so ambient air cannot enter into the interior of flexible hood  10  through said nose clip base  22  for any position of nose-engaging end  20   a.    
   Mouthpiece  24  is also positioned in the interior of flexible hood  10 . Mouthpiece  24  is in fluid communication with the filter, not shown, housed with filter housing  18 . Accordingly, a user breathes filtered air through said mouthpiece and does not breath through his or her nose when this embodiment of flexible hood  10  is used. 
   A first strap-receiving loop member  26  is formed integrally with nose clip base  22  on an external side thereof. A second strap-receiving loop member  28  is formed in top wall  18   a  of filter housing  18  at a rearward end thereof and a third strap-receiving loop member  30  is formed in top wall  18   a  at a forward end thereof. 
   Strap  32  is formed in a continuous closed loop and extends through said first, second, and third strap-receiving loop members. Each of said loop members has a small opening formed therein to admit said strap thereinto when said strap is folded along its longitudinal axis of symmetry. The strap, when in its flat, unfolded configuration, cannot pass through any of said small openings and is therefore effectively constrained by said loop members. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 2 , first and third loop members  26  and  30 , respectively, are positioned in close proximity to one another and second loop member  28  is positioned forwardly thereof. This is the first, extended position of upper part  12  and hence of visor  16 . 
   As depicted in  FIG. 3 , first and second loop members  26  and  28 , respectively, are positioned in close proximity to one another and third loop member  30  is positioned forwardly thereof. This is the second, retracted position of upper part  12  and hence of visor  16 . 
   Note that the provision of continuous loop strap  32  and the three loop members  26 ,  28 , and  30  enables placement of upper part  12  and hence visor  16  in any position of adjustment between the fully extended and retracted positions. In this way, a user wearing spectacles may position visor  16  initially in the  FIG. 2  fully extended position sufficient to accommodate such spectacles, but after donning flexible hood  10  said user may position visor  16  as close to the spectacles as possible to minimize the afore-mentioned tunnel vision effect. A user not wearing spectacles may retract the visor even further to minimize said tunnel effect. 
   A user with a small head could fully retract upper part  12  of flexible hood  10  as depicted in  FIG. 3 , and retract nose clip  20  as needed to a retracted position thereof as depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
   Filter strap-engaging loop members  34 ,  36 , respectively, are also mounted to filter housing  18 , but said filter strap-engaging members do not perform the same function as the first, second, and third loop members. Filter strap-engaging members  34 ,  36  engage the respective leading ends of filter strap members  38  and  40 , respectively. The respective trailing ends of said filter strap members are adjustably connected to lock members  42 ,  44 , respectively. 
   More particularly, as best understood in connection with  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each lock member  42 ,  44  has a first strap-engaging part (see  42   a  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and a second loop part  42   b  through which extends a continuous loop head strap  46 . Accordingly, tightening of filter straps  38 ,  40  serves to tighten head strap  46 . 
   In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , nose clip  20  and mouthpiece  24  are replaced with a half-mask cup  48  that covers both the nose and mouth of a user, said half mask cup being positioned in the interior of flexible hood  10 . Part of the half-mask cup extends to the exterior of the flexible hood so that first strap-engaging loop member  26  may be formed integrally therewith or mounted thereto. In all other respects, the alternative embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5  works in the same way as the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 6  depicts flexible hood  10  of either embodiment when in its compressed configuration. The compressed configuration is attained by positioning a back of the flexible hood in close proximity to a front of said flexible hood as indicated by directional arrow  50 . Upper part  12  of flexible hood  12  is first placed into its retracted and compressed configuration preparatory to folding. Advantageously, as depicted in  FIG. 7 , visor  16  abuts filter housing  18  without being scratched, creased, or otherwise damaged by said housing when hood  10  is so stored. 
     FIG. 8  depicts an embodiment where two filter housings  54 ,  56 , each of which is adapted to house a filter, are mounted externally of flexible hood  10 . First loop member  26   a  has a greater lateral extent than that of first loop member  26  and there are two continuous loop straps  32   a ,  32   b  that function in the same way as continuous loop strap  32  but in all other respects this embodiment works in the same way as the first two embodiments. 
   More particularly, the loop members formed in the rearward and forward ends of filter housing  54  are the second and third loop members of this second embodiment and the loop members formed in the rearward and forward ends of filter housing  56  are the fourth and fifth loop members of this second embodiment. Thus, when upper part  12  of flexible hood is in its extended configuration, first loop member  26   a  is in close proximity to the third and fifth loop members and when said upper part  12  is in its retracted configuration, first loop member  26   a  is in close proximity to the second and fourth loop members. 
   In all embodiments, it is easy for a user to extend or retract upper part  12  and hence visor  16  with respect to the viewer&#39;s eyes as needed by simply pushing or pulling nose clip  20  while holding filter housing  18  (or filters  54 ,  56 ) against movement. Pushing said nose clip (or half mask) towards a user&#39;s face positions visor  16  closer to the eyes of the user and pulling said nose clip away from the user&#39;s face positions visor  16  further from the eyes of the user. Since the positioning is infinitely adjustable between the two extremes, all users can position the visor to a comfortable position that accommodates spectacles, if any, and which optimizes the field of view. 
   Moreover, the hood is easily foldable when not in use to protect the visor from scratches, creases, and the like. 
   It will thus be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
   It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
   Now that the invention has been described,