Lighted hat

• US 8,550,651 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waters Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Waters Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Waters, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/714,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 362/106, 362/105, 362/103, 362/107, 362/570, 362/234, 362/249.02, 362/382, 362/800, 290/6, 220/913
• US Class Current: 362/106
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/244 Means for mounting lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

There is provided hands-free lighting, components thereof, and other accessories combined with the hands-free lighting. The hands-free lighting is preferably lighted headgear including hats or visors or other headgear. The hands-free lighting may include multiple light sources positioned at the brim of a lighted hat and configured to provide beams of illumination along different axes thereby illuminating distances both near and far from the wearer at the same time while maintaining natural and streamlined appearance of the lighted hat.

Claims

1. A lighted headgear comprising:

a head fitting portion for fitting on a user'"'"'s head;

a brim extending in a forward direction from the head fitting portion;

a first light source for generating a first beam of light, the first light source mounted to the brim in an orientation to project the first beam of light in the forward direction; and

a second light source for generating a second beam of light, the second light source mounted to the brim in a fixed orientation to project the second beam of light at an oblique angle to the forward direction in a transverse and downward direction relative to the forward direction in which the first light beam is directed and to be spaced rearwardly from the first light source along the brim.

2. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein the first light source is a first LED having a narrow cone of light projected therefrom and the second light source is a second LED having a wider cone of light projected therefrom that is wider than the narrow cone of light projected from the first LED.

3. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein the brim includes an outer perimeter edge and upper and lower major surfaces thereof, and the first light source is mounted adjacent the outer perimeter edge and the second light source is spaced from the outer perimeter edge and mounted adjacent to the lower major surface.

4. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein the brim includes an outer perimeter edge thereof at which the first light source and the second light source are both mounted.

5. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein the first light source has a cone of light to provide illumination to a relatively far away distance from the wearer and the second light source has a cone of light to provide illumination to a reading distance closer to the wearer.

6. The lighted headgear of claim 2, wherein the narrow cone of light projected from the first LED is about 15 to about 20 degrees and the wider cone of light projected from the second LED is about 20 to about 40 degrees.

7. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein the brim includes a fore-and-aft brim axis extending in the forward direction and wherein the first light source is canted downwardly about 5 to about 15 degrees from the brim axis and the second light source is canted downwardly about 20 to about 30 degrees from the brim axis.

8. The lighted headgear of claim 1, further including a light holder formed of resilient material and having a base with an upper main surface and a lower main surface, a light module extending from the base lower main surface and sized to receive the second light source therein with the base lower main surface secured to brim so that the light holder assembly fixes the second light source at the oblique angle to the forward direction.

9. The lighted headgear of claim 8, wherein the brim includes upper and lower major surfaces thereof, a shape retentive brim insert, and a covering material extending on the insert with the light holder secured to the brim covering material.

10. The lighted headgear of claim 9, wherein the light holder is received in a space between the lower major surface of the shape retentive brim insert and the covering material extending thereacross.

11. The lighted headgear of claim 9, wherein the light holder is secured to an outer surface of the covering material forming the brim lower major surface.

12. The lighted headgear of claim 10, wherein the light holder is secured to the covering material so that the base of the light holder assembly is spaced from the lower major surface of the shape retentive brim insert.

13. The lighted headgear of claim 9, wherein the covering material includes at least one opening therein, and the light module extending from the base at least partially protrudes through an opening in the covering material so that the base of the light holder assembly is covered by the covering material.

14. The lighted headgear of claim 9, wherein the covering material includes an embroidered patch of a tightly stitched thread that extends through the covering material from one side thereof to an opposite side thereof to form a mounting surface to which the lower main surface of the light holder base is attached.

15. The lighted headgear of claim 1, wherein a blinder device is positioned adjacent the second light source to block incident light from being projected back toward a wearer of the lighted headgear.

16. The lighted headgear of claim 15, wherein the blinder device comprises a bezel surrounding the second light and extending beyond an illumination generating component of the second light source.

43. The lighted headgear of claim 11, wherein the light holder is a molded plastic member having indicia on an outer surface thereof.

57. The lighted headgear of claim 1 wherein the first light source is a first LED having a first cone of light projected therefrom when energized and the second light source is a second LED having a second cone of light projected therefrom when energized with the first and second light cones of light not overlapping if both the first and second LEDs are energized.

58. The lighted headgear of claim 1 wherein the first light source comprises multiple first light sources.

59. The lighted headgear of claim 58 wherein the brim includes an outer perimeter edge and upper and lower major surfaces, and the multiple first light sources are mounted adjacent the outer perimeter edge and the second light source is mounted along the lower major surface spaced rearwardly from the outer perimeter edge and the multiple first light sources mounted adjacent thereto.

60. The lighted headgear of claim 1 wherein the brim has a longitudinal fore-and-aft centerline axis, and the first light source is mounted on the fore-and-aft centerline axis.

61. The lighted headgear of claim 1 wherein the second light source is canted to extend at an oblique angle relative to the first light source.

17. A light holder for being mounted to headgear, the light holder comprising:

a mounting base having a fore-and-aft axis extending thereacross; and

an integral light holding bezel that extends from the mounting base at a fixed, oblique angle of inclination downwardly from the mounting base so that an axis through the bezel extends transversely and at an inclination to the fore-and-aft axis with the integral light holding bezel sized to receive at least one light source therein at the fixed oblique angle of inclination to the mounting base for directing light along the downwardly inclined axis of the bezel downwardly away from the base.

18. The light holder of claim 17, wherein the bezel has a first bezel portion that extends away from one side of the mounting base and a second bezel portion extends away from the opposite side of the mounting base.

19. The light holder of claim 18, wherein the bezel includes a socket for receiving a base of the light source in the second bezel portion on the opposite side of the mounting base, the light source extending from the second bezel portion into the first bezel portion to maintain a compact configuration of the light holder.

20. The light holder of claim 17, wherein the light holding bezel includes at least one protruding socket extending outwardly from the mounting base on the opposite side thereof configured to receive the light source therein.

21. The light holder of claim 20, wherein the light source is an LED having a base end with leads extending therefrom and the protruding socket includes a pair of apertures therein sized to receive the leads therethrough so that the base end of the LED can be received in the protruding socket.

22. The light holder of claim 17, wherein the light holding bezel is more rigid than adjacent portions of the mounting base.

23. The light holder of claim 17, in combination with the headgear wherein the headgear includes a head fitting portion for fitting on a user'"'"'s head;

a brim including a shape retentive brim member having upper and lower major surfaces thereof, a covering material for extending over the brim member; and

an opening in the covering material; and

the bezel being oriented to at least partially extend through the opening in the covering material so that with the light source received therein illumination is provided in a direction downwardly and away from the brim lower major surface to a relatively close reading distance to the wearer.

24. The combination of claim 23, wherein the light holder is mounted to the headgear at least partially between the lower major surface of the brim and the covering material and the bezel of the light holder includes at least one standoff projecting from the mounting base configured to abut the lower major surface of the brim to create a brim space between the lower major surface of the brim and the covering material.

25. The combination of claim 23, wherein the light holder is mounted at a substantially central position relative to the lower major brim surface remote from a perimeter edge of the brim.

26. The combination of claim 23, wherein the light holder includes protrusions thereon projecting outwardly from the mounting base configured to abut the lower major surface of the brim to space the mounting base from the lower major surface so that an electrical connection to the light source can be positioned between the brim lower major surface and the mounting base in the space.

27. The combination of claim 23, wherein the light holder is attached to the covering material by one of adhesive, staples, sewing, ultrasonic welding, heat welding or hooks.

28. The light holder of claim 17, wherein the bezel includes two spaced annular bezels each configured to receive a light source therein.

29. The light holder of claim 28, wherein the two annular bezels are spaced apart on the mounting base by about 35 to about 65 mm.

30. The light holder of claim 17, wherein bezel includes a plurality of annular bezels spaced from each other on the mounting base, each of the plurality of bezels having a socket to receive more than one LED therein.

31. The combination of claim 23, wherein the covering material is fabric and including an embroidered patch portion to form a thicker portion of the covering material.

32. The combination of claim 31, wherein the light holder and the embroidered patch portion include an adhesive therebetween to secure the light holder to the embroidered patch with the embroidered patch impeding the adhesive from traveling through the covering material.

33. Lighted headgear comprising:

a head portion for fitting on a user'"'"'s head;

a brim extending forwardly from the head portion, the brim having an insert including upper and lower major surfaces and a covering material extending over at least the lower major surface of the brim insert;

one or more light sources for projecting illumination from the brim;

a light holder in which the one or more light sources are received and mounted to the brim; and

a mounting patch of the covering material, the mounting patch having a thickness thereof greater than the covering material adjacent thereto, with the light holder being secured to the mounting patch of the covering material to mount the light source to the brim.

34. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the mounting patch is of a different material than the covering material.

35. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the mounting patch has an inner surface adjacent an inner side of the covering material and an outer surface adjacent an outer side of the covering material, and adhesive that secures the light holder to the inner surface of the mounting patch with the thickness of the mounting patch keeping the outer surface free of adhesive.

36. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the light holder includes a base and a housing in which the light source is received, and both the mounting patch and the covering material have an opening extending therethrough through which the housing extends for projecting light from the light source through both the mounting patch and the covering material.

37. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the mounting patch is an embroidered patch of densely stitched threading.

38. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the light holder includes upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface being secured to the mounting patch and the upper surface including at least one outwardly projecting offset configured to abut the lower major surface of the brim insert to create a brim space located between the lower major surface of the brim insert and the covering material.

39. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein the brim has an outer perimeter edge and includes a second light source mounted adjacent to or at the perimeter edge.

40. The lighted headgear of claim 33, further including an activation switch on the lower major surface of the brim insert for actuating the light source, the covering material having an embroidered covering positioned to overlap the activation switch.

41. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein an outer surface of the mounting patch includes textual indicia.

42. The lighted headgear of claim 33, wherein an inner surface of the mounting patch has surface texture rougher than a surface texture of the covering material, for secure attachment of the light holder thereto.

44. A lighted hat comprising:

a crown portion for reception on a wearer'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending forwardly of the crown portion and having an outboard edge extending about the brim portion and a longitudinal fore-and-aft centerline axis extending between the crown portion and the outboard edge;

a brim insert of the brim portion having upper and lower surfaces;

a covering material of the brim portion extending over the brim insert lower surface and having an opening therein at the brim insert lower surface;

a first LED mounted at the brim portion outboard edge generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis thereof for projecting light in a first direction forwardly of the brim portion;

a second LED having a lens and for being coupled to the brim insert lower surface;

a power source mounted to the crown portion and electrically connected to the first and second LEDs;

a switch device mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material thereof and coupled to the power source and the first and second LEDs for controlling operation thereof;

a light holder for mounting the second LED to the brim portion;

a thin, flat base portion of the light holder mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material, longitudinally between the crown portion and the brim portion outboard edge, and spanning the fore-and-aft centerline axis to be centered relative thereto;

a fixed bezel portion of the light holder integrally formed with the base portion to extend obliquely from the base portion transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline axis and through the opening in the covering material, the fixed bezel portion having a cavity in which the second LED is received to project light in a second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction; and

an annular wall of the fixed bezel portion extending beyond the second LED lens for protecting the second LED against damage.

45. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the covering material includes a switch cover portion of embroidered stitching disposed at the switch device for identifying the location of the switch device along the brim insert lower surface.

46. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the light holder includes openings that extend through the thin, flat base portion to the cavity of the fixed bezel portion for allowing electrical connectors to pass therethrough for electrically connecting the second LED to the power source.

47. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the power source comprises a battery pack carrying multiple batteries, the battery pack and the switch device include electrical wiring extending therebetween, the crown portion has a lower portion including a forward section from which the brim portion extends forwardly and a rearward section that extends rearwardly from both ends of the forward section, the crown portion includes a sweatband that extends around the lower portion of the crown portion, and the battery pack is mounted along the sweatband at the rearward section of the lower portion of the crown portion with the electrical wiring extending from the battery pack at the lower portion rearward section of the crown portion to the switch device mounted to the brim portion.

48. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the brim insert lower surface and the thin, flat base portion of the light holder include adhesive therebetween for securing the light holder to the brim insert lower surface.

49. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the switch device includes a circuit board and a reciprocating actuator configured to contact the circuit board to selectively activate the first and second LEDs.

50. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the power source comprises a battery pack having two disc-shaped batteries electrically connected to both the first LED and the second LED.

51. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the brim insert includes a groove;

and

wiring disposed within the groove with the wiring electrically connecting the power source, the switch device, the first LED, and the second LED.

52. The lighted hat of claim 44, wherein the switch device is configured to actuate the first LED and the second LED sequentially independent of each other or simultaneously.

53. A lighted hat comprising:

a crown portion for reception on a wearer'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending forwardly of the crown portion and having an outboard edge extending about the brim portion;

a brim insert of the brim portion having a fore-and-aft centerline axis and upper and lower surfaces;

a covering material of the brim portion extending over the brim insert lower surface and having an opening therein at the brim insert lower surface;

a first LED mounted generally at the brim portion outboard edge generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis thereof for projecting light in a first direction forwardly of the brim portion;

a second LED having a lens and for being coupled to the brim insert lower surface to project light in a second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction of the first LED;

a power source electrically connected to the first and second LEDs;

a switch device mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material thereof and coupled to the power source and the first and second LEDs for controlling operation thereof;

a switch cover portion of the covering material comprising embroidered stitching disposed at the switch device for identifying the location of the switch device along the brim insert lower surface;

a light holder for mounting the second LED to the brim portion;

a thin, flat base portion of the light holder mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis between the crown portion and the brim portion outboard edge; and

a fixed bezel portion of the light holder integrally formed with the base portion to extend obliquely from the base portion transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline axis and through the opening in the covering material with the second LED received in the fixed bezel portion to project light in the second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction of the first LED.

54. A lighted hat comprising:

a crown portion for reception on a wearer'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending forwardly of the crown portion and having an outboard edge extending about the brim portion and a longitudinal fore-and-aft centerline axis extending between the crown portion and the outboard edge;

a brim insert of the brim portion having upper and lower surfaces;

a covering material of the brim portion extending over the brim insert lower surface and having an opening therein at the brim insert lower surface;

a first LED mounted at the brim portion outboard edge generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis thereof for projecting light in a first direction forwardly of the brim portion;

a second LED having a lens and for being coupled to the brim insert lower surface;

a power source mounted to the crown portion and electrically connected to the first and second LEDs;

a switch device mounted to the brim portion coupled to the power source and the first and second LEDs for controlling operation thereof;

a light holder for mounting the second LED to the brim portion;

a thin, flat base portion of the light holder mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material, longitudinally between the crown portion and the brim portion outboard edge;

a fixed bezel portion of the light holder integrally formed with the base portion to extend obliquely from the base portion transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline axis and through the opening in the covering material, the fixed bezel portion having a cavity in which the second LED is received to project light in a second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction;

openings of the light holder that extend through the thin, flat base portion to the cavity of the fixed bezel portion for allowing electrical connectors to pass therethrough for electrically connecting the second LED to the power source; and

an annular wall of the fixed bezel portion extending beyond the second LED lens for protecting the second LED against damage.

55. A lighted hat comprising:

a crown portion for reception on a wearer'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending forwardly of the crown portion and having an outboard edge extending about the brim portion and a fore-and-aft centerline axis extending between the crown portion and the outboard edge;

a lower portion of the crown portion including a forward section from which the brim portion extends forwardly and a rearward section that extends rearwardly from both ends of the forward section;

a sweatband extending around the lower portion of the crown portion;

a brim insert of the brim portion having a fore-and-aft centerline axis and upper and lower surfaces;

a covering material of the brim portion extending over the brim insert lower surface;

a first LED mounted at the brim portion outboard edge generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis thereof for projecting light in a first direction forwardly of the brim portion;

a second LED having a lens and for being coupled to the brim insert lower surface;

a power source comprising a battery pack carrying multiple batteries, the battery pack mounted along the sweatband at the rearward section of the lower portion of the crown portion and electrically connected to the first and second LEDs;

a switch device mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material thereof and electrically coupled to the batteries and the first and second LEDs for controlling operation thereof;

electrical wiring extending from the battery pack at the lower portion rearward section of the crown portion, forwardly along the sweatband and along the brim portion to the switch device mounted to the brim portion;

a light holder for mounting the second LED to the brim portion;

a thin, flat base portion of the light holder mounted to the brim portion;

a fixed bezel portion of the light holder integrally formed with the base portion to extend obliquely from the base portion transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline axis with the second LED received in the fixed bezel portion to project light in a second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction; and

an annular wall of the fixed bezel portion extending beyond the second LED lens for protecting the second LED against damage.

56. A lighted hat comprising:

a crown portion for reception on a wearer'"'"'s head;

a brim portion extending forwardly of the crown portion and having an outboard edge extending about the brim portion and a longitudinal fore-and-aft centerline axis extending between the crown portion and the outboard edge;

a brim insert of the brim portion having upper and lower surfaces;

a covering material of the brim portion extending over the brim insert lower surface and having an opening therein at the brim insert lower surface;

a first LED mounted at or adjacent to the brim portion outboard edge generally at the fore-and-aft centerline axis thereof for projecting light in a first direction forwardly of the brim portion;

a second LED having a lens and for being coupled to the brim insert lower surface;

a power source mounted to the crown portion and electrically connected to the first and second LEDs;

a switch device mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material thereof and coupled to the power source and the first and second LEDs for controlling operation thereof;

a light holder for mounting the second LED to the brim portion;

a thin, flat base portion of the light holder mounted to the brim portion between the brim insert lower surface and the covering material, longitudinally between the crown portion and the brim portion outboard edge, and spanning the fore-and-aft centerline axis to be centered relative thereto;

a fixed bezel portion of the light holder integrally formed with the base portion to extend obliquely from the base portion transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline axis and through the opening in the covering material, the fixed bezel portion having a cavity in which the second LED is received to project light in a second direction forwardly and downwardly at an oblique angle relative to the first direction; and

an annular wall of the fixed bezel portion extending beyond the second LED lens for protecting the second LED against damage.