Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-12
2001-10-02
Neas, Michael A. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S468000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295652
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a protective headgear, and more particularly to protecting a cold weather, helmet wearer while snowmobiling, motorcycling, skiing, etc. by closing the opening at the bottom of the helmet and around the wearer's neck without adversely affecting ventilation or visibility.
2. Description of Related Art
A helmet wearer while operating recreational vehicles or other equipment requires not only headgear for protection during an accident, but also headgear which provides weather protection usually in combination with another device. Helmet technology has improved over the years whereby today's helmets are provided with outside vents for breathing, fully padded inner shells, and fog free dual thermal face shields fully sealed at openings. Older headgear had a one layer face shield of clear plastic and any breath on the plastic visor would cause fog to occur on the visor. Also, air flow was required for the headgear wearer to breathe. Therefore, any device or skirt attached to the bottom of the helmet had to be made of course material in order to ventilate and to stop fogging, and such device or skirt required an opening in the back to allow expiration of breath.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,952 issued Jul. 30, 1975 to Pershing et al., and assigned to Deere & Company, a helmet skirt is described. A helmet for covering the entire head of a wearer has a flexible skirt releasably secured to the periphery of the inside of the helmet adjacent the lower opening by a male strip of material having the trademark name Velcro®. The inside of the helmet is provided with a female strip of the Velcro-type material. The skirt comprises a substantially rectangular piece of course knit material having a width sufficient for the skirt to extend between the helmet and the upper back and the shoulders of a wearer of the helmet. However, the course knit material provides for air flow and no heat retention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,289 issued Oct. 6, 1987 to Nava P. Luigi, a weather protection device is described suitable for attachment to sports helmets to provide protection against weather conditions. The protective screen is removed through an aperture by opening a zipper and the edge of the screen is secured to the lower part of the helmet by suitable movable anchorages. The protective screen comprises a flexible element made of textile material which covers the bottom front of the helmet. However, this protective device is only partly flexible and comprises an envelope provided with an annular element adapted to forcibly engage the lower edge of the helmet.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,550 issued Mar. 17, 1992 to Jon A. Perlinger, a closure of wind resistant material for motorcycle helmets is described. A front flap opens to allow the head of the helmet wearer to pass through the closure into the helmet. The front flap closes with hook and loop or other fastener. The rear of the closure has an elastic panel to allow stretching as the helmet passes over the head. However, this helmet closure does not provide protection for the neck of a helmet wearer against cold weather conditions although it prevents noise, sand, dust, bugs, etc., from entering the helmet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a helmet sock for easy attachment to the lower periphery of a helmet, particularly a snowmobile helmet.
It is another object of this invention to provide a helmet sock that protects the helmet wearer during cold weather conditions by not only preventing snow from entering the helmet but also preventing air or wind from entering.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a weather protective sock that easily attaches and detaches from the helmet.
It is another object of this invention to enable the sock to fit airtight on a plurality of various size helmets having a bottom circumference within a predetermined range.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a quick way to install a helmet sock on a helmet not previously adapted for securing a helmet sock on the outside of the helmet.
These and other objects are further accomplished by a headgear for cold weather protection comprising a helmet, the helmet comprises means for keeping a face shield of the helmet clear and means for a wearer of the helmet to breathe outside air, means for adhering a strip of fastening material to the perimeter of a lower portion of the helmet, and means for releasably attaching to the fastening strip a sock of a predetermined length between the fastening strip and shoulders of a wearer, the sock comprises material means for heat retention and outside air exclusion. The sock comprises means for tightly securing the upper portion of the sock around the perimeter of the helmet. The sock comprises a strip of releasably attaching means secured to an inside upper perimeter of the sock. The releasably attaching means comprises a hook and loop material. The adhering means comprises a pressure to sensitive adhesive for adhering the fastening material to the lower portion of the helmet.
The objects are further accomplished by a sock for attaching to a helmet to provide weather protection comprising material means for implementing the sock providing heat retention and preventing outside air from passing therethrough, the material means being formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, means attached to an inside upper perimeter of the sock for releasably attaching the sock to the helmet, and means disposed at an upper opened portion of the sock for tightly securing the sock to a lower portion of the helmet. The material means comprises a fleece-type material. The helmet comprises a strip of hook and loop fastening material attached to a lower outside perimeter thereof by pressure sensitive adhesive.
The objects are further accomplished by a method of providing headgear with cold weather protection comprising the steps of providing a helmet with means for keeping a face shield of the helmet clear, providing means in the helmet for a wearer to breathe outside air, adhering a strip of fastening material to a perimeter of a lower portion of the helmet, attaching to the fastening strip a sock of predetermined length between the fastening strip and shoulders of a wearer, the sock being easily releasable from the fastening strip, and providing material for the sock capable of heat retention and outside air exclusion. The step of attaching the sock to the fastening strip comprises the step of tightly securing the upper portion of the sock to the helmet. The step of adhering a strip of fastening material to the lower perimeter portion of the helmet comprises the step of providing pressure sensitive adhesive on the opposite side of the fastening material side. The step of attaching a sock to the fastening strip comprises the step of providing a fleece material for the sock.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3825952 (1974-07-01), Pershing et al.
patent: 4017906 (1977-04-01), Bochynsky et al.
patent: 4697289 (1987-10-01), Luigi
patent: 4887319 (1989-12-01), Daniels
patent: 5035006 (1991-07-01), Hetz et al.
patent: 5062163 (1991-11-01), Avey
patent: 5095550 (1992-03-01), Perlinger
patent: 5694650 (1997-12-01), Hong
patent: 2921353 (1980-12-01), None
patent: 1526574 (1978-09-01), None
Neas Michael A.
Pearson & Pearson LLP
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