Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Article holder attachable to apparel or body – Article held by clip
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-17
2001-06-19
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Article holder attachable to apparel or body
Article held by clip
C024S336000, C024S003300, C002S010000, C351S155000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247205
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to functional accessories for headgear, and in particular to an attachment for a cap or other apparel worn on the head, which can be used to affix binoculars or any other vision-enhancing device to the cap for hands-free use of the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Binoculars or other magnification devices have many applications. Such devices are commonly used at sporting and cultural events, as well as in hobbies such as birdwatching and in covert activities such as surveillance monitoring. During such activities, it is often inconvenient and tiring to continue to hold the binoculars throughout the activity. It is therefore beneficial to provide for continuous use of the binoculars while leaving the hands free to rest or perform other tasks.
Several inventions have addressed this need. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,019, Hartline et al. disclose a contractible head mount for binoculars that was designed specifically for aviators. While this apparatus allows hands-free use of the binoculars, the device is cumbersome, and is designed to be used only with an aviator's helmet and with particular binoculars, which are attached. Thus, this apparatus is not suitable for use by the general public.
Rudenschöld (U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,093) discloses headgear having detachable binoculars that may be affixed below an elongated visor. While this apparatus is more likely to be worn by the general public, the particular headgear must still be worn, and the headgear is only adapted to receive the corresponding binoculars. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,926, Choi discloses a visor with built-in binoculars, formed as a unitary assembly.
Goldstein (U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,086) and Benitez (U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,139) both disclose particular binocular designs suitable for attachment to and use with headgear. In both cases, the binoculars are fixed to the headgear by means of a hook and loop fastener or other attachment means. Thus, the user of these apparatus is not only restricted to the particular binoculars, but also to particular headgear, because the headgear must be permanently modified to accommodate the binoculars.
Sherlock et al. disclose, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,841, a headband magnifier. This apparatus includes a headband with a pivoting support for magnifying lenses. Although this apparatus can be fitted to anyone's head and is not dependent on the particular headgear worn, the pivoting support will only accommodate suitable lenses. Further, because only one set of objective lenses is used, this apparatus is most advantageously used for close work, that is, for magnifying small items and details close to the wearer. The apparatus is not suitable for viewing events at a distance.
Tonoyan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,208) and Kelman et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,686) both disclose eyeglass assemblies for attachment to the visor of a cap. These assemblies are only suitable for use with sunglass lenses or, similar to the Sherlock et al. apparatus, lenses used for close work or reading. Further, because the lenses themselves must be accommodated by the assembly, only particular lenses may be used with these assemblies.
Thus, conventional hands-free binocular devices include the specific headgear, the specific binoculars or lenses, or both. Some are more adaptable to be used with any headgear or anyone's head, but these are not suited for use at events in which it is desirable to view far-away occurrences. It would be advantageous for a hands-free binocular device to be suitable for use with any visored headgear, so that the wearer could choose the headgear suitable to the event. It would also be advantageous for a hands-free binocular device to be suitable for use with any binoculars, so that the user could determine the level of expense and performance afforded by the selected binoculars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that allows hands-free use of any long-distance magnifying device, such as binoculars.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that allows hands-free use of a long-distance magnifying device and that is adaptable to any brimmed or visored headgear.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that allows hands-free use of a long-distance magnifying device that is removably attachable to an item of headgear without requiring modification of the headgear.
The present invention is an apparatus for connecting such a magnifying device to an article of headgear. According to a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus for enabling hands-free use of a device for magnifying a long-distance event includes a base member, first attachment means, connected to the base member, for removably attaching the apparatus to an article of headgear, and second attachment means, connected to the base member, for removably attaching the apparatus to the magnifying device. The first attachment means may be a grip means for gripping a portion of the headgear. The second attachment means may be a clamp means for clamping the magnifying device. The base member may include adjustment means for adjusting the relative spatial position between the first attachment means and the second attachment means. The adjustment means may include pivot means.
According to a further aspect of the invention, an apparatus for enabling hands-free use of a device for magnifying a long-distance event includes a base member, a first attachment member, connected to the base member, adapted to removably attach the apparatus to an article of headgear, and a second attachment member, connected to the base member, adapted to removably attach the apparatus to the magnifying device. The first attachment member may be adapted to grip a portion of the headgear. The first attachment member may include a slotted portion adapted to receive a brim of the headgear. The slotted portion may include opposing members that exert a spring force toward each other when the brim is inserted therebetween. The first attachment member may be a clip. The second attachment member may be adapted to clamp the magnifying device. The second attachment member may be a clamp. The base member may include an adjustment member that is movable to adjust the relative spatial position between the first attachment member and the second attachment member. The base member may include a first section and a second section, and the adjustment member may include a hinge to provide a pivotal connection between the first base member section and the second base member section. The first attachment member may be pivotally attached to the base member. The second attachment member may be pivotally attached to the base member.
According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for enabling hands-free use of binoculars includes a base member, a first attachment member, pivotally connected to the base member, that is adapted to removably attach the apparatus to an article of headgear, and a second attachment member, pivotally connected to the base member, that is adapted to removably attach the apparatus to the binoculars. The first attachment member may be a clip. The second attachment member may be a clamp.
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patent: 5987640 (1999-11-01), Ryder
Damadian Jevan A.
Linardos John A.
Rabin & Champagne PC
Sandy Robert J.
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