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WO1998014080A1 - Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation - Google Patents

Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1998014080A1
WO1998014080A1 PCT/US1996/015809 US9615809W WO9814080A1 WO 1998014080 A1 WO1998014080 A1 WO 1998014080A1 US 9615809 W US9615809 W US 9615809W WO 9814080 A1 WO9814080 A1 WO 9814080A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
air
visor
air flow
rigid
helmet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US1996/015809
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Reynaldo Flores, Sr.
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to PCT/US1996/015809 priority Critical patent/WO1998014080A1/fr
Publication of WO1998014080A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998014080A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A42—HEADWEAR
    • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
    • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
    • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
    • A42B3/28—Ventilating arrangements
    • A42B3/286—Ventilating arrangements with forced flow, e.g. by a fan
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A42—HEADWEAR
    • A42C—MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HEAD COVERINGS, e.g. HATS
    • A42C5/00—Fittings or trimmings for hats, e.g. hat-bands
    • A42C5/04—Ventilating arrangements for head coverings

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to head covering devices such as hats, helmets, safety type hard hats, etc. which are provided for battery powered motor operated blowing of air for the purpose of cooling the head of the user. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a helmet construction having a rounded shell having an integral visor or bill and having an air ducting system provided with a battery powered fan and having a vent housing terminating in an elongate, curved air discharge slot defined in the visor or bill and arranged for directing a broad curtain of flowing air over the face of the user to provide cooling for the face. Even more specifically the present invention concerns a rigid type helmet construction having an air inlet, air conducting vent and air discharge opening being arranged to provide a greater velocity of air discharge as compared with air being moved through the air inlet by a motor operated fan.
  • none of the prior art references disclose or inherently suggest a motorized fan operated air blowing system for a hard hat or rigid helmet which provides an air ducting system having an inlet and a narrow, elongate discharge slot for directing air downwardly along the front portion of the shell of the helmet but exteriorally of the shell for a curtain of flowing air along the face of the user.
  • an air blowing system having an air inlet through which air is drawn by a motor operated fan and an air discharge outlet wherein the velocity of air being discharged from the outlet is greater than the velocity of air being drawn through the inlet by the fan mechanism by virtue of a venturi effect that is developed by the configuration of the air flow passage.
  • a hard hat or helmet construction having a rounded or domed protective shell to provide a protective covering for the head of the user.
  • the protective shell has an internal headband and support strap system for supporting the shell in spaced relation with the head of the user.
  • the rigid protective shell also includes an integral visor or bill which basically provides the helmet or safety hard hat with a sunshade capability.
  • a vent housing is mounted to or formed integrally with the rigid protective domed shell and is located externally of the frontal portion of the domed shell.
  • the vent housing defines a large upwardly directed inlet opening within which is mounted a motorized fan assembly that is operated by an electric circuit including a battery and on/off switch which are both supported by the vent housing structure for easy access by the user.
  • the vent housing further includes a rather broad either flat or slightly curved frontal wall which cooperates with the external curvature of the front portion of the helmet or hard hat shell so as to define a large upwardly directed air inlet opening within which the battery powered motorized fan is located.
  • the electric motor of the rotary fan assembly is engaged for forcing air from the external environment into an internal, downwardly directed channel defined by the vent housing.
  • the vent housing is defined in part by a pair of opposed side walls which extend rearwardly from the frontal wall of the housing and which merge into engaged relation with the front external wall surface of the protective head covering domed shell.
  • the vent housing also has a rear wall projecting upwardly from the domed shell.
  • the frontal wall of the vent housing further cooperates with the forward portion of the head covering shell to define a narrow, elongate vent housing channel which directs downwardly flowing air to and through a narrow elongate air discharge slot which is defined in the visor or bill portion of the helmet construction.
  • This narrow elongate discharge opening may be substantially straight or it may be of curved configuration.
  • the elongate narrow discharge slot is of slightly curved configuration having a larger curvature as compared to the curvature of the front portion of the head covering shell.
  • a narrow curtain of downwardly flowing air is developed which is directed along the forehead and face of the user for the purpose of providing a cooling flow of air broadly across the face of the user to provide for the comfort of the user and to help minimize the perspiration that may be present on the face of the user while working in an environment of elevated temperature.
  • the vent housing having a rather large inlet opening and having a narrow discharge slot of less dimension than the inlet opening and having a decreasing cross-sectional dimension from top to bottom, causes the development of a velocity of air discharge at the discharge opening that is significantly greater than the velocity of air being drawn into the vent housing by the battery powered electric fan.
  • This feature permits the use of a low powered electric motor to initiate air flow at low velocity and develops a venturi effect within the air flow passage that results in the discharge of air at a velocity exceeding the air flow velocity at the air inlet opening of the vent housing.
  • vent housing The upper portion of the vent housing is provided with a vented grill work cover which minimizes the possibility of debris entering the vent housing at the air inlet where it might interfere with operation of the motorized fan or provide for flow of debris along with the air along the face of the user.
  • the vented grill work cover may also be provided with an internal filter which insures against the presence of dust and other debris in the downward flow of air to the face of the user.
  • Fig. 1 is an isometric illustration of a safety type hard hat or rigid helmet which is provided with a motorized battery powered air flow cooling system which is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and represents the preferred embodiment of this invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a partial side elevational view showing the head of a user and further showing by way of exploded sectional illustration an electric motor driven, battery powered air blowing and directing system for directing a broad curtain of air across the face of the user in accordance with the teachings of this invention.
  • Fig. 3 is an enlarged, partial sectional view of the helmet or hard hat construction of the present invention showing the air blowing system with its vent housing, electric motor operated, battery powered system for blowing air downwardly along the face of a user.
  • an air venting or blowing hard hat or helmet construction generally at 10 having a shell 12 which is of a typical domed configuration, having a rear wall portion 14 curved side wall portions 16 and 18 and a front wall portion 20.
  • the domed shell 12 as is typical of most safety hard hats and helmets, is provided internally with a headband 22 and support straps 24 which are secured to the peripheral portion of the shell by holding means such as rivets, screws or the like.
  • the domed shell is composed of an impact resistant material such as fiberglass or any of a number suitable polymer materials or combinations of materials that give the helmet the capability of withstanding impact forces when not intended as a safety hat or helmet the helmet may be of light-weight construction.
  • a visor or bill 26 is formed integrally with the domed shell and joins the shell at or near the periphery of the helmet such as is evident from Fig. 1.
  • the vent helmet 10 is provided with a vent housing illustrated generally at 30 which includes a substantially flat or slightly curved front wall 32, a pair of side walls 34 and 36 and a rear wall 33.
  • the side walls have curved edges as shown at 38 to merge with the curvature of the domed shell 12.
  • the vent housing 30 is preferably formed as an integrally molded component of the domed shell 12 and visor 26 so that the helmet and vent housing comprise a one piece unit.
  • the vent housing may be provided as a separate unit to be bonded to or otherwise secured to the domed shell. This will prevent the vent housing to be acquired as a separate component and assembled to the helmet structure if desired so that with minor modification existing helmets may be converted to air blowing helmets without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
  • the only helmet modification that would be required is cutting the air discharge opening in the visor.
  • the lower portion of the front wall of the vent housing as shown at 40 intersects the upper surface of the visor 26 and is preferably formed integrally with the visor.
  • the front wall 32 may be bonded or otherwise joined at its lower end 40 to the upper surface of the visor 26.
  • vent housing 30 cooperates with the front and side portions of the domed shell 12 to define an air conducting channel 34 through which air is directed to the face of the user, while at the same time permitting the domed shell to maintain its designed structural integrity.
  • the air flow system of the present invention does not alter the force resisting safety characteristics of the domed shell so that the helmet apparatus can maintain its vitality as a safety helmet for workers or for sports spectators and the like.
  • the vent chamber or passage 42 has a large, generally rectangular dimension at its upper extremity and a rather narrow dimension at its lower extremity.
  • the air flow chamber has a gradually diminishing cross-sectional dimension from its top portion to its bottom portion of venturi-like configuration, thereby causing air flow therein to increase in velocity as its progresses toward the lower end of the air flow chamber.
  • an air discharge slot 44 which is of substantially the same dimension as compared to the dimension of the lower end of the air flow chamber and will be of less dimension as compared to the dimension of the air inlet opening of the vent housing.
  • air being forced through the air flow chamber and exiting at the transverse air discharge slot 44 will have an increased velocity at the discharge slot because of the venturi-like configuration of the air flow passage. This enables a relatively low power electrically energized fan to develop sufficient air velocity to provide for efficient cooling of the face of the user.
  • the upper end of the vent housing 30 is of generally rectangular configuration and defines an internal, generally rectangular seat 46 for an electrically energized fan assembly 48 having an electric motor 50 mounted thereto for driving a rotary fan 49.
  • the fan assembly 48 is typically retained by a plurality of retainer elements such as screws 52 which secure it within the rectangular seat 46 defined by the upper end of the vent housing.
  • the fan assembly 48 is covered by means of a vented cover or grill 54 which serves to prevent large debris from interfering with the fan assembly or entering the air flow passage of the vent housing.
  • the vent housing cover 54 is of generally rectangular configuration to fit about the generally rectangular air inlet opening of the vent housing and to provide a protective cover for the generally rectangular fan assembly 48.
  • the cover For air inlet through the housing cover the cover is provided with side and front walls 51 and 53 which are perforated to define a multitude of inlet openings 55. These inlet openings collectively define an effective inlet opening dimension being near the dimension of the upwardly facing inlet opening of the vent housing.
  • the housing cover 54 typically defines a substantially flat, imperforate upper wall 57 which is provided to protect the fan assembly 48 from being damaged by falling debris.
  • the flat rear wall 59 of the cover 54 is preferably imperforate to prevent debris from entering the vent housing from the rear of the helmet.
  • a battery receptacle 56 within which is located a dry cell battery 58 such as a 9 volt dry cell battery.
  • the battery receptacle 56 is provided with a battery receptacle cover 60 which secures the dry cell battery 58 within the receptacle and provides protection for the battery and electric circuitry components.
  • the dry cell battery is part of an electrical circuit including electrical conductors 62 and 64 which are connected respectively to the positive and negative polls of the dry cell battery within the battery receptacle.
  • the battery receptacle is provided with electrical contacts that are engaged by the positive and negative polls of the dry cell battery and the electrical conductors are permanently connected to these electrical contacts.
  • the electrical conductors 62 and 64 are provided with an electrical switch in the form of an on/off button 66 which is typically located within the air flow chamber of the vent housing along with the electrical circuit components.
  • the on/off bottom will then be exposed at one of the side walls 34 and 36, preferably the right side wall 34 as shown in
  • the fan motor When the fan motor is energized it rotates directionally so as to draw air from the environment through the multitude of inlet openings 55 and to then force the air downwardly through the air flow passage 34 of the vent housing. Since the cross-sectional dimension of the vent housing decreases from top to bottom because of the curvature of the front and forward side portions of the domed shell 12, the air flow velocity developed by the motorized fan assembly will increase as the air flows downwardly to the discharge slot 44. At the discharge slot the air flow will be at its highest velocity. Thus, the motorized fan may be of relatively low power but will be capable of achieving significant air velocity at the discharge slot to provide for efficient cooling of the user.
  • the configuration of the elongate transverse discharge slot 44 may be slightly curved as shown in Fig. 1 or, in the alternative, it may be a substantially, straight narrow slot extending through the visor of the helmet at a location within the air flow chamber or passage 42 as shown in Fig. 3.
  • the discharge slot will extend substantially the entire width of the vent housing at the visor.
  • a counter-balancing weight 57 may be attached internally or externally of the rear portion 14 rigid shell 12 to provide balance for the air blowing helmet assembly so it that will be comfortable to wear.
  • the added weight of the counter balance 57 will not be sufficient to make the helmet heavy because the vent housing and motorized fan components will be of lightweight construction.
  • the user will simply insert a dry cell battery 58 within the battery receptacle 56 so that the battery contacts are in operative engagement with the contacts of the electrical circuit.
  • the user will actuate the on/off switch to its on position thereby connecting the motor circuit with the battery circuit to drive the fan motor 50.
  • the motor of the fan assembly within will continue to operate until such time as the on/off switch is moved to its off position or the dry cell battery dissipates its charge through motor operation.

Landscapes

  • Helmets And Other Head Coverings (AREA)

Abstract

Casque (10) comportant un système de ventilation électrique destiné à envoyer un large rideau d'air sur le visage de l'utilisateur en vue du rafraîchissement et du confort de celui-ci. Le casque présente une partie calotte rigide (12), sur laquelle est fixée d'une seule pièce une visière (26), et comporte une cage d'aération (30). Celle-ci est disposée à l'extérieur du fond en dôme du casque et comporte une chambre de circulation d'air (42) se terminant par un orifice de décharge (44) transversal étroit, qui traverse la visière du casque près de la jonction entre la visière et le fond. Un ventilateur électrique (49), fixé à l'intérieur de la partie supérieure de la cage d'aération, est entraîné par un circuit électrique comportant une batterie de piles sèches (58) après actionnement manuel d'un interrupteur marche-arrêt (66). Le ventilateur motorisé (49) dirige par le passage d'écoulement (42) de la cage d'aération (30) un flux descendant d'air, dont la vitesse augmente depuis l'entrée de la cage jusqu'à l'orifice de décharge, de façon que sa vitesse soit maximum au niveau de ce dernier.
PCT/US1996/015809 1996-10-02 1996-10-02 Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation Ceased WO1998014080A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1996/015809 WO1998014080A1 (fr) 1996-10-02 1996-10-02 Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1996/015809 WO1998014080A1 (fr) 1996-10-02 1996-10-02 Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998014080A1 true WO1998014080A1 (fr) 1998-04-09

Family

ID=22255896

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1996/015809 Ceased WO1998014080A1 (fr) 1996-10-02 1996-10-02 Casque rigide avec systeme de ventilation

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO1998014080A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000072921A1 (fr) * 1999-05-28 2000-12-07 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Masque facial muni d'un accessoire
WO2022015183A1 (fr) * 2021-02-26 2022-01-20 Alostwani Alaa Eddin O Casque pour tête avec circulation d'air
IT202000029870A1 (it) * 2020-12-04 2022-06-04 Visionair Lab Srl Visiera di protezione

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3168748A (en) * 1961-06-08 1965-02-09 Limberg Wayne Hat with power cooling
US3881478A (en) * 1974-06-13 1975-05-06 Donaldson Co Inc Hard hat air curtain
US3881198A (en) * 1973-08-13 1975-05-06 William A Waters Detachable air conditioning unit for headwear
US4680815A (en) * 1986-02-04 1987-07-21 Solarcraft, Inc. Solar powered headwear fan
US4893356A (en) * 1987-09-22 1990-01-16 Waters William A Air conditioned headwear having convertible power module

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3168748A (en) * 1961-06-08 1965-02-09 Limberg Wayne Hat with power cooling
US3881198A (en) * 1973-08-13 1975-05-06 William A Waters Detachable air conditioning unit for headwear
US3881478A (en) * 1974-06-13 1975-05-06 Donaldson Co Inc Hard hat air curtain
US4680815A (en) * 1986-02-04 1987-07-21 Solarcraft, Inc. Solar powered headwear fan
US4893356A (en) * 1987-09-22 1990-01-16 Waters William A Air conditioned headwear having convertible power module

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000072921A1 (fr) * 1999-05-28 2000-12-07 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Masque facial muni d'un accessoire
US6257235B1 (en) 1999-05-28 2001-07-10 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Face mask with fan attachment
IT202000029870A1 (it) * 2020-12-04 2022-06-04 Visionair Lab Srl Visiera di protezione
WO2022118356A1 (fr) * 2020-12-04 2022-06-09 Visionair Lab Srl Écran facial
WO2022015183A1 (fr) * 2021-02-26 2022-01-20 Alostwani Alaa Eddin O Casque pour tête avec circulation d'air

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