Headband with break-away cord attachment

• US 5,749,373 A
• Filed: 04/10/1997
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moldex-Metric Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Moldex-Metric Incorporated
• Inventors: Dix, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/824,473
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 128/846, 128/864, 128/857, 128/858, 2/209
• US Class Current: 128/864
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/12 External mounting means

Abstract

A headband ear protector apparatus with break-away cord attachment including a pair of ear protectors, a resilient headband to form a band which positions the ear protectors to lie by the opposite sides of the head of a person. The headband is formed of a combination of harder and softer materials. The harder material is formed as a main support member for the ear protectors to extend between the ear protectors and provide resilience so the ear protectors will lie by the opposite sides of the head of the person. The main support member includes at least two regions having structure to receive the softer material. The softer material is received by the regions formed with openings having a particular size. A break-away cord attachment for the headband includes a flexible cord having a hard tip at each end of the cord, with the hard tips having a size larger than the particular size of the openings in the softer material to have each tip held in an opening by pressure and friction.

Claims

1. A headband ear protector apparatus with break-away cord attachment including

a pair of ear protectors,

a resilient headband supporting, at opposite ends of the headband, the ear protectors to form a band which positions the ear protectors to lie by the opposite sides of the head of a person,

the headband formed of a combination of harder and softer materials and having the following structure,

the harder material formed as a main support member for the ear protectors to extend between the ear protectors and provide resilience so the ear protectors will lie by the opposite sides of the head of the person,

the main support member including at least two regions having structure to receive the softer material,

the softer material received by the regions formed with openings having a particular size, and

a break-away cord attachment for the headband including a flexible cord having a hard tip at each end of the cord and with the hard tips having a size larger than the particular size of the openings in the softer material to have each tip held in an opening by pressure and friction.

2. The headband ear protector apparatus of claim 1 wherein the regions extend completely through the main support member so that the softer material and the tips of the cord attachments also extend through the main support member.

3. The headband ear protector apparatus of claim 1 wherein the regions extend partially through the main support member so that the softer material and the tips of the cord attachment also extend partially through the main support member.

4. The headband ear protector apparatus of claim 1 wherein two regions are formed at opposite ends of the main support member.

5. The headband ear protector apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cord attachment is formed with a hard plastic tip.

6. The headband ear protector apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cord is formed by a soft knitted or woven cord.

7. The headband of claim 1 wherein both the harder and softer materials are plastic.

8. The headband of claim 7 wherein the harder plastic may be from the following group of plastics, namely polycarbonate, polypropylene and similar hard polymers and the softer plastic may be from the following group of plastics, namely flexible thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) styrene block copolymer compound (styrenic TPE) and similar soft polymer.

9. A protective product having a main support member with break-away cord attachment to lie by the opposite sides of the head of a user, including

the protective product formed of a combination of harder and softer materials and having the following structure,

the harder material formed to be at least part of the main support member so the safety product can lie by the opposite sides of the head of the person,

the main support member including at least two regions having structure to receive softer material,

the softer material received by the regions formed with openings having a particular size, and

a break-away cord attachment for the product including a flexible cord having a hard tip at each end of the cord and with the hard tips having a size larger than the particular size of the opening in the softer material to have each tip held in an opening by pressure and friction.

10. The protective product of claim 9 wherein the regions extend completely through the main support member so that the softer material and the tips of the cord also extend through the main support member.

11. The protective product of claim 9 wherein the regions extend partially through the main support member so that the softer material and the tips of the cord attachment also extend partially through the main support member.

12. The protective product of claim 9 wherein two regions are formed at opposite ends of two support members.

13. The headband of claim 9 wherein the cord attachment is formed by a soft knitted or woven cord.

14. The protective product of claim 13 wherein the hard tip of the cord attachment is formed of plastic.

15. The protective product of claim 9 wherein both the harder and softer materials are plastic.

16. The head band of claim 9 wherein the harder plastic may be from the following group of plastics, namely polycarbonate, polypropylene and similar hard polymers and the softer plastic may be from the following group of plastics, namely flexible thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), styrene block copolymer compound (styrenic TPE), and similar soft polymer.