Joints and connections – Articulated members – Including limit means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-07-24
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Including limit means
C016S248000, C002S424000, C403S120000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264392
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed generally to a pivot joint for a faceshield assembly. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an indexing pivot joint for a faceshield. Most specifically, the present invention is directed to a multi-positional indexing pivot joint for a faceshield assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Faceshield assemblies are an integral component of protective equipment worn by personnel in any number of industrial settings. Such faceshields may cover only the wearer's eyes or may be full face and chin covering shields. These faceshields are typically worn by workers in environments where an eye or face hazard is present such as welding or grinding. The faceshields may be attached to protective helmets or may be attached to headbands or the like. While such faceshields are intended to be placed in a down or use position while the wearer is in the hazardous environment, they are typically also moveable to an up or non-use position when the wearer leaves the hazardous situation. It is therefore important that the faceshield be attached to its supporting headgear in a manner which will facilitate deployment between use and non-use positions.
Various attachments and joints for use in securing faceshields to their associated headgear are known. These have sometimes taken the form of a threaded stud on the bracket, an aperture on the visor arm or faceshield arm that fits over the stud, and a separate knob which engages the threaded stud. Upon tightening of the knobs on each side of the faceshield, the shield can be held in a desired position. Another known pivot joint for a faceshield can utilize a ratchet and pawl arrangement. The bracket can be provided with a resilient pawl that will engage any one of a plurality of ratchet teeth on the faceshield arms. Pin and detent arrangements, spring and ball assemblies, plain friction joints, and other similar arrangements are also provided in the field for use in providing an indexing or multiple position holding capability for a faceshield.
These currently available structures for attaching a faceshield to a piece of headgear suffer from a variety of problems and limitations. These render the assemblies difficult to use and expensive to manufacture. Any number of faceshield assemblies will provide protection for the wearer, if he or she will wear them. If the faceshield assembly is not easy to use, if it does not stay in an up or down position, or a desired intermediate position or, if it cannot easily be repositioned, the faceshield may not be used. The best faceshield assembly will do no good if its operation is SO difficult or inconvenient that the user chooses not to wear it.
Unfortunately, many of the known faceshield repositioning joint assemblies have limitations. For example, the faceshield either will not stay up, will not stay in its intended use position but instead rests against the face of the wearer, or requires two hands and too much time to change positions. The threaded stud and knob arrangement requires two hands, the ratchet and pawl assembly can break, the pin and detent wears out, and the friction joint slips.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a pivot joint for a faceshield assembly which overcomes the limitations of the known devices. Such a pivot joint is provided by the present invention which is a substantial improvement over these devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally, the present invention provides an indexing pivot joint for a faceshield assembly. Preferably, the present invention provides a multi-position indexing pivot joint for a faceshield assembly. The faceshield is supported by a visor arm which attaches, at its ends, to brackets which may be integral with, or which may be affixable to a protective helmet or a piece of headgear, such as a headband. Lugged surfaces on both the visor arm ends and the brackets engage intermediate O-rings which provides the indexing position capability of the pivot joint.
Preferably, the present invention provides a pivot joint for a faceshield assembly which has few moving parts and thus can be manufactured at a low cost, is dependable, and has a long life.
As will be discussed in greater detail in the description of the preferred embodiment which is set forth subsequently, the pivot joint for faceshield assemblies in accordance with the present invention utilizes lugs formed on the inner peripheral surface of visor arm or faceshield end sleeves in cooperation with lugs on the exterior circumferential surface of a bracket post or stud, together with an interposed O-ring. The visor or faceshield arm end sleeves snap fit over the outer ends of the respective bracket posts or studs which support them. The lugs on the arms and the lugs on the post or stud are never in physical contact with each other. Instead, they both engage the O-ring which is concentric with both and held between the two sets of lugs. When a lug crest on each member is radially aligned with a lug valley on the other member, there is little force exerted on the O-ring. When the lug crests on both members are radially aligned, the O-ring interposed between the two is compressed to a sufficient amount that the faceshield will stay in its indexed position. A greater or fewer number of lugs can be provided on each or both of the arm end sleeves and the bracket studs or posts, in accordance with the desired number of indexed positions in which to place the faceshield assembly. Even one lug is enough as long as there are several lugs on the opposing member. Additionally, the lug crest heights can either be uniform or non-uniform. If the crest heights are non-uniform, the higher crests will provide a more stable indexed position while the lower crest or crests will provide a more easily released indexed position.
The pivot joint for faceshield assemblies in accordance with the present invention overcomes the limitations of the known devices. For example, the faceshield can be easily shifted between its various indexed positions using only one hand since there are no threaded knobs or the like to be loosened and no small balls to depress or detents to disengage. There is nothing required of the user except his light grasp of the faceshield with one hand and his movement of the faceshield to its desired position.
From a manufacturing standpoint, the pivot joint of the present invention is not complicated and can be easily adapted to a number of faceshield and visor arm structures and to various brackets for attaching to a protective helmet. The visor arm sleeve ends snap fit over the bracket posts and are supported by two spaced bearing surfaces for long life and smooth operation. The resilient O-ring is long wearing and desirable. The two components have a low profile and a minimal diameter so that they do not appreciably increase the size or the bulk of either the visor arm ends or the bracket.
The pivot joint for faceshield assemblies in accordance with the present invention overcomes many limitations of the known devices. It is a substantial advance which will ensure that the faceshield or protective visor with which it is incorporated is comfortable and easy to use and therefore worn by the person who is to be protected. Other details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of the invention proceeds.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4109320 (1978-08-01), Anderson
patent: 4479738 (1984-10-01), Kubrick
patent: 5008976 (1991-04-01), Busch
patent: 5185889 (1993-02-01), Kamata
patent: 5987651 (1999-11-01), Tanaka
patent: B1 6182330 (2001-02-01), Novin et al.
patent: 36 30 516A (1988-03-01), None
patent: 94 01 066 U (1994-03-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan vol. 1995, No. 11, Dec. 26, 1995 & JP 07216622A (Koken KK) Aug. 15, 1995.
Tomlinson James R.
Wise Layton A.
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John R.
Hanscom Douglas
Mine Safety Appliances Company
Uber James G.
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