Three component protective head gear powered by a rechargeable battery

• US 7,304,442 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walter R. Colwell
• Original Assignee: Walter R. Colwell
• Inventors: Colwell, Walter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Haissa
• Application Number:
  US11/429,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 315/312, 315/185.R, 315/224, 315/200.A, 315/216, 315/241.S, 315/169.3, 315/307, 315/360, 315/362, 362/105, 362/106, 362/227, 362/800
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/044 Lighting devices, e.g. helmets with lamps

Abstract

A three-component, protective headgear or helmet, and circuits therefor is provided with a battery-powered LED head lamp, which may be used by construction workers, search and rescue persons, cyclists, police, fireman, and the like. The battery may be replaceable or rechargeable and has long-term, uniform output characteristics driven by unique circuitry.

Claims

1. A protective helmet including at least one illuminating LED array, including a circuit being driven by at least one battery for powering transistor amplifier means to drive the array, and provide various display modes, the circuit comprising a programmable microprocessor for controlling the LED array, the microprocessor being programmed to actuate a combination of display modes including turn-on, turn-off, continuous and blinking displays, and a battery-driven, tactile switch connected to the microprocessor for sequentially activating programmed pulses and thereby actuate a cycle of display modes, the amplifier means and associated connectors to the circuit being arranged and constructed to stabilize circuit operation, and a semiconductor device for maintaining a constant load voltage due to current/voltage variations due to running down of the battery.

2. The protective helmet of claim 1, providing front and rear LED displays.

3. The protective helmet of claim 2, providing differing color displays for the front and rear LEDS.

4. The protective helmet of claim 2, including circuit means for disabling only one LED display.

5. The protective helmet of claim 1, in which the semiconductor device is a diode or Zener.

6. The protective helmet of claim 1, in which the diode or Zener in a reverse conduction condition reduces or smooths ripple voltage.

7. The protective helmet of claim 1, including means for sending a clock signal to the microprocessor, the clock signal including adjustable components for varying the duration and timing of the clock signal and corresponding variations of pulse frequency and duration of a blinking LED display.

8. A comparator circuit for illuminating an LED array, the circuit being driven by at least one battery for powering transistor amplifying means to drive the array, the circuit comprising:

an operational amplifier comparator, the battery providing an input voltage and a reference voltage through a voltage divider for the comparator, the comparator being turned on when the input voltage exceeds the reference voltage a Zener diode semiconductor device actuated by the comparator, and functioning as a shunt to maintain (the) a load voltage constant for voltage/current variations as the battery is worn down, and the transistor amplifiers being connected to the battery, Zener semiconductor device and operational amplifier comparator for turning on the LED array, the batteries providing about 6000 milliamps @ 7.2 volts, and the LED array providing about 4000 MCD @ about 20 milliamps for about 5-5½

hours for about 93 LEDs in the arrays; and

, a microprocessor controlled circuit for illuminating an LED array, the circuit being driven by at least one battery for the transistor amplifying means to drive the array and provide various display modes for front and rear LED displays, including circuit means for disabling only one LED display, the circuit comprising a programmable microprocessor for controlling the LED array, the microprocessor being programmed to actuate a combination of display modes including turn-on, turn-off, continuous and blinking displays and a battery-driven, tactile switch connected to the microprocessor for sequentially activating programmed pulses and thereby actuate a cycle of display modes, the transistor amplifying means and associated connectors to the circuit being arranged and constructed to stabilize circuit operation, and Zener semiconductor devices for maintaining a constant load voltage due to current/voltage variations due to running down of the battery;

the comparator and microprocessor circuits being mounted on specific circuit boards or, mounted onto a combined circuit board.