Patent Publication Number: US-2006010568-A1

Title: Helmet sweat band

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention pertains to headwear, in general, and to a sweatband for a helmet, in particular. The sweatband is particularly well adapted for combat helmets and the like.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Combat helmets currently in use have Kevlar or projectile resistant helmet that have a web type suspension. A removable sweat band of leather is provided for use with the helmets.  
      With extended wear, particularly in hot and/or humid climates, the leather sweatbands become moldy or smelly and the bacteria and microbes have a destructive. effect on the leather. In addition, many wearers find that the leather sweatband becomes uncomfortable.  
      It is highly desirable to provide a sweat band that will be usable with combat helmets and the like that is comfortable and has anti-microbial and ant-bacteria properties.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the principles of the invention, an improved sweat band is provided including a hydrophilic foam core and a moisture wicking fabric covering the foam band. The hydrophilic foam core of the illustrative embodiment comprises water absorbent polymer crystals.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the foam core is treated to be resistant to at least one of microbes, bacteria, and fungi.  
      The illustrative embodiment of the invention the sweat band includes an adjustment portion to adjust the size of said sweat band to a wearer.  
      In accordance with the principles of the invention, a sweat band for use in a helmet of a type comprising a suspension web disposed therein, comprises a sweat band portion including a hydrophilic foam core and a moisture wicking fabric covering the foam core. The sweat band further includes an attachment portion coupled to the sweat band portion for releasable affixing the sweat band portion to the suspension web of the helmet. The sweat band includes an adjustment member used to adjust the sweat band to fit the head of a wearer of said helmet.  
      In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the adjustment member comprises a hook and loop type fastener, with the hook portion being carried on one end of the adjustment member and a loop portion carried on the adjustment member to engage the hook portion. The adjustment member and the attachment portion are each affixed to the sweat band portion proximate one peripheral edge portion of the sweat band portion.  
      In the sweat band of the illustrative embodiment the attachment portion comprises a plurality of strips carrying hook portions of hook and loop type fasteners. Each of the plurality of strips is utilized for securing the sweat band to the web portion of a helmet such that the sweat band portion is carried in the helmet.  
      Still further in accordance with the principles of the invention, a helmet is provided comprising a protective helmet body. A suspension is carried within the helmet body. The suspension comprises a headband portion. A sweat band is carried in the helmet body proximate the headband portion. The sweat band comprises a sweat band, portion and an attachment portion. The sweat band portion comprises a hydrophilic foam band and a moisture wicking fabric covering the foam band. The attachment portion is coupled to the sweat band portion for releasable affixing said sweat band portion within the helmet body. The sweat band comprises an adjustment member attached to the sweat band portion. The adjustment member is used to adjust the sweat band to fit the head of a wearer of the helmet.  
      In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the adjustment member comprises a hook and loop type fastener, with the hook portion of said fastener being carried on one end of the adjustment member and a loop portion being carried on the adjustment member to engage the hook portion. The adjustment member and the attachment portion are each affixed to the sweat band portion proximate one peripheral edge portion of said sweat band portion. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
      The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the drawing figures in which the sizes of and distances between various elements is not representative of actual physical sizes or distances between various elements, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a planar view of the components of a sweat band in accordance with the principles of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is planar view of a portion or subassembly of a sweat band in accordance with the principles of the invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a planar view of a second portion or subassembly of a sweat band in accordance with the principles of the invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a planar view of a sweat band in accordance with the invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a planar view of the opposite side of the sweat band of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view take line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-section taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a cross-section taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a bottom view of a helmet having the sweat band of the invention installed therein; and  
       FIG. 10  is a cross-section taken along lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Sweat band  100  includes a sweat band portion  101 , an adjustment portion  103  and one or more attachment portions  105 . Sweat band portion  101  is formed from a piece of moisture wicking fabric  111  such as COOLMAX® which is a high tech fabric available from Dupont. This fabric is made from specially engineered polyester fibers with an increased surface area. The surface  101   a  of the fabric  111  in contact with skin pulls moisture away from the skin to its opposite surface.  
      The moisture wicking fabric  111  is fabricated into a flat tube containing a core  107  shown in  FIGS. 6, 7 ,  8 , and  9 . Core  107  is water absorbing or hydrophilic foam that includes antibacterial and anti-microbial agents to eliminate odor and other unpleasant effects of extended use. The hydrophilic foam is commercially available. The foam has integrated therein water absorbent polymer crystals, so that the foam will absorb moisture such as sweat that is passed through fabric  111 . One source of such foam padding is Lendell Manufacturing, Inc.  
      By using a moisture wicking fabric  111  in combination with hydrophilic foam  107 , an extremely comfortable sweat band  100  that provides double moisture removal is provided.  
      Sweat band portion  101  is formed to contain foam core  107  by folding the fabric  111  over foam pad  107  and closing the ends and top of the fabric  111 . In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, closure of the ends and the top is accomplished by sewing. Sweat band portion  101  in the illustrative embodiment is 2 inches high and 19½ inches long. In addition, a longitudinal seam  101   c  is sewn to secure the foam pad  107  within sweat band portion  101 .  
      Sweat band portion  101  has affixed proximate to one peripheral edge  101   e  adjustment portion or band  103 . Band  103  in the illustrative embodiment is 23 inches long and 1¼ inches high. Band  103  is a loop strip of a hook and loop fastener, such as a Velcro™ loop strip. Surface  103   b  of band  103  is the loop portion. At one end  103   d  of band  103  is affixed a Velcro™ hook portion  103   c . By looping end portion  103   f  onto end portion  103   d , the hook portion  103   c  engages loop portion surface  103   a.    
      Surface  101   a  of sweat band  101  is the surface of sweat band  100  that is adapted to contact the head of a helmet wearer. Sweat band portion  101  carries two Velcro™ loop portions  101   d  on its surface  101   b . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, although two loop portions  101   d  are utilized, other numbers of loop portions may also be utilized.  
      Loop portions  101   d  releasably engage hook surface  103   b  of band  103  to secure sweat band portion  101  in position parallel to band  103 .  
      A plurality of attachment strips  105  which comprise Velcro™ hook strips  105  are affixed to peripheral edge  101   e  of band  103 . Each strip  105  has its hook side adjacent to band  103 .  
      The edges of the sweat band portion  101 , strips  105 , and band  103  are covered by fabric strip  109  that is folded over the edges and sewn to sweat band portion  101 , strips  105  and band  103 . Fabric strip protects the wearer of sweat band  100  from any rough edges.  
      Turning now to  FIG. 9 , a helmet  700  is shown as viewed from the bottom. Helmet  700  includes a protective helmet body  701 . A suspension  703  is carried within helmet body  701  and includes a headband  705 .  
      Sweat band  100  is carried in said helmet body  700  proximate suspension  703 . The construction of sweat band  100  is as described above.  
      To install sweat band  100  in helmet  700 , sweat band  100  is inserted into helmet  700  with strips  105  entering helmet  700  first. The ends of sweat band portion  100  are placed in the rear portion of helmet  700 . As more clearly shown in  FIG. 10 , strips  105  are positioned between helmet body  701  and suspension  703 . Strips  105  are each folded over helmet suspension  703  capturing helmet head band portion between the corresponding strip  105  and band  103 . Each strip  105  has its hook portion secured to loop carrying surface  103   b  of band  103  thereby affixing sweat band  100  into helmet  700 . Closure portions  101   c  secure the ends of sweat band portion  101  to band  103 .  
      The helmet is then tried on and Velcro™ strip  103   d  is adjusted in position on surface  103   a  to adjust for head size  
      It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the helmet shown in the drawing figures is intended to be representative of a combat helmet, but the invention is not limited to any particular helmet shape or type. Still further, the invention is not limited to the particular suspension configuration shown in the drawing figures. The invention is equally applicable to different suspension configurations and attachments to helmets.  
      The invention has been described in terms of various embodiments. It is not intended that the invention be limited to the illustrative embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the claims appended hereto.