Headgear-earwear assembly and a method of assembling same

• US 8,671,949 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• 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: Oshima, Glenn D., Ogawa, Yuichi, Shimatani, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PETRIK, KARI K
• Application Number:
  US12/622,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100319714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 128/864, 128/866, 351/123, 351/157, 351/158, 351155-156, 351/118, 181129-131, 181/135, 381/380, 243/8, 244/8, 220/9
• 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: F16D 2065/1316 radially segmented
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2065/1356 interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/123 comprising an annular disc secured to a hub member; Discs characterised by means for mounting

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, having a length, 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 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, wherein the elongated member forms at least a portion of at least one of a cord and a lanyard; 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, wherein a width of at least a portion of the aperture is less than a width of at least a portion of the channel, and wherein a longitudinal direction of the aperture is oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the headgear includes a temple, and wherein the channel is defined by at least a portion of the temple.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the longitudinal direction of the channel is oriented substantially along a longitudinal direction of the temple.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein a longitudinal direction of the elongated member is oriented substantially along a longitudinal direction of the temple when the earwear is coupled to the headgear.

5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the temple includes an anterior portion positioned toward the eyeshield and a posterior portion positioned away from the eyeshield, and wherein the channel is located in the posterior portion of the temple.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel and the elongated member are in frictional engagement when the elongated member is positioned in the channel.

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

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture is substantially straight along at least a portion of its length.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated member has a transverse dimension oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to its longitudinal direction, and wherein the width of at least a portion of the aperture is less than the transverse dimension of the elongated member.

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

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the earpiece includes a hearing protective device.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the hearing protective device includes an earplug.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the aperture is configured to inhibit removal of the elongated member from the channel under normal operating conditions.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal direction of the elongated member is oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel when at least a portion of the length of the elongated member is removably housed in the channel in sliding engagement with the channel.

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

providing a headgear including an eyeshield, 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, and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the elongated member, wherein a width of at least a portion of the aperture is less than a width of at least a portion of the channel, and wherein a longitudinal direction of the aperture is oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel; and

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 the longitudinal direction of the channel when the earwear and the headgear are coupled together.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in the channel includes orienting a longitudinal direction of the elongated member substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in the channel includes stretching at least a portion of the elongated member prior to positioning the at least a portion of the length of the elongated member in the channel.

18. 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;

an earpiece coupled to the cord;

a channel defined by at least a portion of the temple, the channel having a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the temple, wherein the channel is configured to removably house at least a portion of the length of the cord in sliding engagement with the channel such that the cord is movable along the longitudinal direction of the channel when the cord is positioned in the channel; and

an aperture positioned adjacent the channel and providing an entrance to the channel for the cord, wherein a width of at least a portion of the aperture is less than a width of at least a portion of the channel, and wherein a longitudinal direction of the aperture is oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein a longitudinal direction of the cord is oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the channel when the cord is positioned in the channel.

20. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the eyeshield is formed by at least one of goggles, eyeglasses, spectacles, sunglasses, safety glasses, a face shield, a helmet, and a combination thereof.

21. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the earpiece includes an earplug.