Headgear-earwear assembly and a method of assembling same

• US 8,590,539 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Froissard, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PETRIK, KARI K
• Application Number:
  US12/565,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 128/864, 128/866, 351/123, 351/157, 351/158, 351/118, 351155-156, 181129-131, 181/135, 2 1/2, 2 1/5, 242/6, 243/8, 244/8, 220/9, 381/381
• US Class Current: 128/866
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/12 External mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/029 Additional functions or features, e.g. protection for other parts of the face such as ears, nose or mouth; Screen wipers or cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/143 having special ear pieces

Abstract

A headgear-earwear assembly and a method of assembling the same. The headgear-earwear assembly can include an earwear and a headgear adapted to be coupled together. The earwear can include an elongated member, such as a cord, and an earpiece coupled to the elongated member. The headgear can include a major surface and a channel oriented substantially along the major surface of the headgear. The channel can be configured to removably house at least a portion of the length of the elongated member. The headgear can further include an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and open to the channel. The aperture can include an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length. The method can include positioning at least a portion of the elongated member in the channel, such that at least a portion of the length of the elongated member is removably housed in the channel.

Claims

1. A headgear-earwear assembly comprising:

an earwear, the earwear including

an elongated member having a length, and

an earpiece coupled to the elongated member; and

a headgear including an eyeshield, the headgear and the earwear adapted to be coupled together, the headgear having a major surface and including

a channel oriented substantially along the major surface of the headgear, the channel configured to removably house at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in sliding engagement with the channel, such that the elongated member is movable along a longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together, and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length.

2. The headgear-earwear assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture is defined by at least one projection, and wherein the aperture is formed in a wall that includes a first portion and a second portion, and wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion includes the at least one projection.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the first portion includes at least one first projection, wherein the second portion includes at least one second projection, and wherein the at least one first projection is staggered with respect to the at least one second projection, the at least one first projection and the at least one second projection positioned to at least partially form the undulating shape of the aperture.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the wall together define at least a portion of the aperture, and wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion includes an undulating profile.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the earpiece includes an earplug.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the headgear includes a channel holder coupled to another portion of the headgear, and wherein the channel is defined by at least a portion of the channel holder.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the channel holder is removably coupled to another portion of the headgear.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the channel holder includes a clip that is adapted to be clipped to another portion of the headgear.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture includes a width, and wherein the width of the aperture varies along its length.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the width of the aperture tapers toward at least one of the first end and the second end.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the headgear includes a second aperture positioned adjacent the channel and open to the channel.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the second aperture is opposite the channel from the first aperture.

14. The headgear-earwear assembly of claim 1, wherein the headgear includes at least one of eyeglasses, sunglasses, safety glasses, spectacles, goggles, a face shield, a helmet, and a combination thereof.

15. A method of assembling a headgear-earwear assembly, the method comprising:

providing an earwear, the earwear including

an elongated member having a length, and

an earpiece coupled to the elongated member;

providing a headgear including an eyeshield, the headgear having a major surface and including

a channel oriented substantially along the major surface of the headgear,

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length;

coupling the headgear and the earwear together by positioning at least a portion of the elongated member in the channel, such that at least a portion of the length of the elongated member is removably housed in the channel and in sliding engagement with the channel; and

sliding the elongated member along a longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the headgear includes a channel holder coupled to another portion of the headgear, and wherein the channel is defined by at least a portion of the channel holder, and further comprising coupling the channel holder to another portion of the headgear.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the channel holder to another portion of the headgear includes removably coupling the channel holder.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the channel holder to another portion of the headgear includes clipping the channel holder to another portion of the headgear.

19. The method of claims 15, wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the headgear further includes a second aperture positioned adjacent the channel and open to the channel, and further comprising:

forming a loop in the elongated member; and

threading the loop of the elongated member into the first aperture, into the channel, and out the second aperture.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising holding the loop outside of the second aperture and threading the elongated member through the first aperture to load the elongated member into the channel.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the second aperture is positioned opposite the channel from the first aperture.

22. A headgear-earwear assembly, the assembly comprising:

an eyeshield;

a temple coupled to the eyeshield, the temple having a length and a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along its length;

a cord having a length and a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along its length;

an earpiece coupled to the cord;

a channel defined by at least a portion of the temple, the channel oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the temple, wherein the channel is adapted to removably house at least a portion of the length of the cord; and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the cord, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the eyeshield is formed by at least one of goggles, glasses, spectacles, and a combination thereof.

24. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the earpiece includes an earplug.

25. A headgear-earwear assembly comprising:

an earwear, the earwear including

an elongated member having a length, and

an earpiece coupled to the elongated member; and

a headgear including an eyeshield, the headgear and the earwear adapted to be coupled together, the headgear having a major surface and including

a channel having a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along a longitudinal direction of the major surface of the headgear, the channel configured to removably house at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in sliding engagement with the channel, such that the elongated member is movable along the longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together, and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length;

wherein the elongated member forms at least a portion of at least one of a cord and a lanyard.

26. A headgear-earwear assembly comprising:

an earwear, the earwear including

an elongated member having a length, and

an earpiece coupled to the elongated member; and

a headgear including an eyeshield, the headgear and the earwear adapted to be coupled together, the headgear having a major surface and including

a channel oriented substantially along the major surface of the headgear, the channel configured to removably house at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in sliding engagement with the channel, such that the elongated member is movable along a longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together, and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length, the aperture and the channel each having a width oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel, the width of the aperture being less than the width of the channel.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the headgear includes a second aperture positioned adjacent the channel and open to the channel, and located opposite the width of the channel from the first aperture.

28. A method of assembling a headgear-earwear assembly, the method comprising:

providing an earwear, the earwear including

an elongated member having a length, and

an earpiece coupled to the elongated member;

providing a headgear including an eyeshield, the headgear having a major surface and including

a channel oriented substantially along the major surface of the headgear,

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length, the aperture and the channel each having a width oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel, the width of the aperture being less than the width of the channel;

coupling the headgear and the earwear together by positioning at least a portion of the elongated member in the channel via the aperture, such that at least a portion of the length of the elongated member is removably housed in the channel and in sliding engagement with the channel; and

sliding the elongated member along a longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together.

29. The method of claims 28 wherein the aperture is a first aperture, and wherein the headgear further includes a second aperture positioned adjacent the channel and open to the channel, and located opposite the width of the aperture of the channel from the first aperture, and further comprising:

forming a loop in the elongated member; and

threading the loop of the elongated member into the first aperture, into the channel, across the width of the channel, and out the second aperture.

30. A headgear-earwear assembly, the assembly comprising:

an eyeshield;

a temple coupled to the eyeshield, the temple having a length and a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along its length;

a cord having a length and a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along its length;

an earpiece coupled to the cord;

a channel defined by at least a portion of the temple, the channel oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the temple, wherein the channel is adapted to removably house at least a portion of the length of the cord; and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the cord, the aperture having an undulating shape along at least a portion of its length, the aperture and the channel each having a width oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel, the width of the aperture being less than the width of the channel.