Lighted solar hat

• US 10,159,294 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Waters
• Original Assignee: Michael Waters
• Inventors: Waters, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Collier, Jameson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mangine, Heather
• Application Number:
  US14/135,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 220912, 220913, 220914, 21951, 362105, 362106
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/242 Means for mounting detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/244 Means for mounting lamps

Abstract

Headgear as provided herein includes a light source for providing light away therefrom, a rechargeable battery for providing power to the light source, and a solar panel for recharging the rechargeable battery mounted thereto. The headgear can include a housing configured to at least partially receive the light source, the solar panel, and the rechargeable battery therein. The housing is configured to mount to the hat and orient the electronic components in desired configurations.

Claims

1. Headgear comprising:

a head-fitting portion for being disposed on a user'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending from a forward lower edge of the head-fitting portion along a brim axis, the brim portion having upper and lower major surfaces of respective upper and lower fabric portions that cover a brim insert of the brim portion;

at least one solar panel disposed on the brim portion to be engaged with the upper major surface of the brim portion;

a housing including upper and lower housing portions mounted to the upper and lower major surfaces, respectively;

threaded fasteners extending through the brim portion to mount the upper and lower housing portions to the brim portion, connect the upper and lower housing portion together, and compress the brim portion between the connected upper and lower housing portions;

a rigid frame member of the upper housing portion mounted to the brim portion and having a central window opening aligned with the solar panel;

a transparent cover member having a central raised portion, the cover member mounted to the brim portion such that the central raised portion extends into the central window opening of the frame member to cover the at least one solar panel aligned with the central window opening of the frame member to receive light energy;

a flange of the transparent cover member that is lowered relative to the central raised portion and extends outwardly from the central raised portion;

an inner surface of the rigid frame member extending about the central window opening with the flange of the transparent cover member captured between the inner surface of the rigid frame member and the upper major surface of the brim portion;

a rechargeable power source mounted to one of the head-fitting portion or the brim portion and electrically connected to the at least one solar panel to receive recharging power from the at least one solar panel; and

at least one light source mounted in the lower housing portion to be disposed under the brim portion so as to project light forwardly from the brim portion and electrically coupled to the rechargeable power source to receive power from the rechargeable power source.

2. The headgear of claim 1 including a power source housing in which the rechargeable power source is mounted to the head-fitting portion.

3. The headgear of claim 2 wherein the power source housing includes one or more ports mounted thereto and electrically connected to the rechargeable power source, the ports configured to receive plugs therein to provide power to external devices.

4. The headgear of claim 3 wherein the light source is electrically coupled to a plug, and the plug is configured to be coupled to one of the ports to electrically couple the rechargeable power source to the light source.

5. The headgear of claim 4 wherein the power source housing includes a switch device mounted thereto configured to control power distributed from the rechargeable power source.

6. The headgear of claim 5 wherein the power source housing includes a recess in an outer surface thereof, the recess having an opening to an interior of the power source housing;

the switch device includes a switch base and a switch actuator extending outwardly from the switch base, the switch device being mounted to the power source housing so that the switch base is disposed in the interior thereof with the switch actuator projecting through the opening into the recess; and

the recess is sized so that an actuation point of the switch device corresponds with an upper surface of the switch actuator being depressed into the recess to minimize inadvertent actuation of the switch device.

7. The headgear of claim 5 further comprising a second switch device mounted to the brim portion for controlling operation of the light source.

8. The headgear of claim 1 wherein the at least one solar panel comprises a plurality of solar panels;

and the upper and lower major surfaces of the brim portion generally conform to a footprint of the plurality of solar panels so that an outboard edge of the brim portion has an irregular shape.