Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2150291
PAD FOR HARD HAT HEADBAND
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a pad for use with hard hat
headbands and the like, which protects the forehead of a person wearing
5 the hard hat from discomfort caused by contact between the headband and
the forehead.
BACKGROUND
At construction sites and in many manufacturing facilities
where construction work is going on overhead, or overhead equipment is
10 being used a hard hat must be worn by all individuals.
The hard hat usually has a headband which engages the head
of the individual. The headband is connected to the hard hat and extends
around the head passing over the forehead of the person thereby holding
the hat in place.
For individuals who must work for long periods of time while
wearing a hard hat discomfort can result from contact between the forehead
and the headband of the hard hat. This is due to the headband rubbing
against the forehead, to perspiration building up under the headband which
can irritate the skin, and to perspiration running down into the individuals
eyes.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a pad for
use with a hard hat headband comprising:
a strip of water absorbent material;
a plurality of tabs arranged in opposing pairs spaced
longitudinally along opposing sides of the strip, each one of the plurality of
tabs projecting outwards from the strip to a free end; and
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releasable and reengageable fastening means for connecting the
tabs of each opposing pair of tabs to one another.
The pad is placed on the headband such that it will lie between
the headband and the forehead of the person when the hard hat is in place
on the head of the person. The tabs are wrapped around the headband and
the releasable and reengageable fastening means are engaged thereby
holding the pad in place on the headband.
In the preferred embodiment the strip and tabs of the pad are
made of a single piece of flaccid terry cloth material. There are six tabs
arranged in three opposing pairs.
The releasable and reengageable fastening means are preferably
face to face fasteners for example the fastening material sold under the
trade mark 'Velcro". The fasteners comprise a first fastening component
and a second fastening component arranged on each pair of opposing tabs
with the first fastening component located on a front face of one of the
tabs, and the second fastening component located on a rear face of the
other tab, such that the first and second fastening components engage one
another when the tabs overlap.
The face to face fasteners allow the user to easily remove and
replace the pad on the headband, while the terry cloth absorbs perspiration
and reduces any discomfort caused by the headband rubbing against the
forehead .
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided
a hard hat for wearing on the head of a person comprising:
a protective helmet;
a headband inside the protective helmet for engagement around
the head of the person such that the headband passes over the forehead of
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the person;
a strip of water absorbent material arranged to lie adjacent the
headband, between the headband and the forehead of the person;
a plurality of tabs arranged in opposing pairs spaced
longitudinally along opposing sides of the strip, each one of the plurality of
tabs projecting outwards from the strip to a free end; and
releasable and reengageable fastening means for connecting the
tabs of each opposing pair of tabs to one another, such that each pair of
opposing tabs forms a loop surrounding a portion of the headband thereby
fixing the strip in place on the headband.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a front view of the pad;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the pad;
Figure 3 is a bottom view of a hard hat and headband with the
pad in place; and
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of a hard hat headband with
the pad in place on the headband taken through line 4-4 of Figure 3.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 a preferred embodiment of a pad
for use with a hard hat headband is shown generally at 10. The pad
comprises a strip 12 of material, a plurality of tabs 14, and face to face
fasteners 16.
The strip 12 comprises a length of water absorbent flaccid
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material one example of which is terry cloth. The strip 12 is substantially
rectangular and elongate having tabs 14 spaced longitudinally along
opposing sides 18 and 20 of the strip 12.
The tabs 14 are arranged in opposing pairs along the strip 12
S with each one of the tabs 14 projecting outwards from the strip 12 to a free
end 22. There are six tabs in the preferred embodiment arranged in three
opposing pairs, one pair being positioned adjacent each end 24 and 26 of
the strip 12 and the third pair located midway between the ends 24 and 26.
The tabs 14, like the strip 12, are composed of terry cloth. Preferably the
tabs 14 and strip 12 are made from of a single piece of material.
Face to face fasteners 16 are positioned on each tab 14 near
the end 22 of the tab pairs for connecting the tab ends 22 of each opposing
pair to one another. The face to face fasteners 16 comprise a first fastening
component 28 and a second fastening component 30 arranged on each pair
of opposing tabs 14. The first fastening component 28 is located on a front
face 32 of one of the tabs 14, and the second fastening component 30 is
located on a rear face 34 of the other tab 14, such that the first and second
fastening components 28 and 30 engage one another when the tabs 14
overlap.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4 the pad 10 is used with a hard hat
36 which usually comprises a protective helmet 38 and a headband 40
positioned inside the protective helmet 38 for engagement around the head
of the person. The headband 40 extends around the head passing over the
forehead of the person and is connected to the hard hat 36 thereby holding
the hard hat 36 in place on the individuals head.
In use the pad 10 is placed on the headband 40 such that it will
lie between the headband 40 and the forehead of the person when the hard
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hat 36 is in place on the head of the person. The tabs 14 are wrapped
around the headband 40 and the face to face fasteners 16 engage one
another thereby holding the pad 10 in place on the headband 40.
When the hard hat 36 is placed on the head of the person the
5 pad 10 will protect the forehead from rubbing by the headband 40, will
absorb perspiration, and reduce the amount of perspiration running into the
persons eyes.
In alternative embodiments any appropriate material may be
used to replace the terry cloth described above. As well the strip and tabs
10 do not have to be made of a single piece of material, or of the same
material. The strip may be made of one length of material with the tab pairs
being made of a single piece of the same or different material fixed to the
strip, or of two separate pieces of the same or different material fixed to the
strip. Any appropriate arrangement of the tabs and strip and any number of
15 tabs may be used.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been
described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments
are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be
considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
