Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
LIGHTED HAT
[0001] Deleted
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field relates to hands-free lighting devices and, in particular,
to lighted hats
capable of providing illumination for a wearer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Often an individual desires a light focused to illuminate an area
while performing a
task or a light directed in a general forwardly direction along their line of
sight for visibility.
Holding a flashlight is an option, but such lighting devices are often
cumbersome and may
detract from the task being completed because only one hand is available for
the task since the
other hand is holding the flashlight. As a result, hands-free lighting is
desirable so that both
hands are available for performing a task in lighted conditions.
[0004] Headgear is known that may include light sources attached so as to
illuminate an
area within the wearer's line of vision. The light source may be an LED
mounted to a brim
portion of a baseball style hat. Generally, these hats have the LED mounted to
direct light
forwardly from the brim so that the LED axis is parallel with the fore-and-aft
brim axis. With
these hats if a wearer wishes to illuminate an object located at a specific
location from the
wearer, the wearer must move his entire head or hat to direct the brim and
light emitted
therefrom toward the particular object. If the object is located far away,
then the wearer may
direct the illumination by moving the hat so that the brim extends generally
horizontally or
parallel to the ground to provide a beam of light to illuminate the far off
object or area. If the
object is located nearby, close to, and below the wearer's face, then the
wearer must move the
hat brim downward to a declined position such that the hat provides a beam of
light to illuminate
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the closer object. Oftentimes, moving the hat downward will require the wearer
to bend his
neck. This motion may be undesirable because it may be uncomfortable for some
people.
[0005] For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,741,060 to Johnson discloses a
lighted hat with two
lamps connected to a mounting plate secured to the outside lower surface of a
brim of the hat.
The light sources are both fixed so that they project light forwardly. If the
wearer wishes to
adjust the illumination to be directed in another direction, the wearer must
still tilt his head or the
hat itself in an upward, downward, left or right direction. These lamps also
hang noticeably
below the visor portion and include relatively large sockets which are
soldered to the mounting
plate. Both the mounting plate and the sockets are externally attached to the
bottom of the visor
portion and are readily visible to a third party viewer thereby creating an
unaesthetic and non-
natural appearance. The external arrangement of these large and bulky lamps
and sockets also
may be within the peripheral vision of the wearer, which may be distracting,
and/or may even
block or interfere with a wearer's vision. Furthermore, since these lamps are
fixed, illumination
is only available in the generally forward direction of the hat wearer.
[0006] In another example, U.S. Patent No. 6,056,413 to Urso discloses a
light connected to
a visor of a baseball-style cap. The light of Urso is a light bulb received in
a socket with the light
being pivotally connected to the underside of the visor. The pivotal mounting
allows the light to
be pivoted in a downward or upward direction to provide light to a location
the wearer chooses
to illuminate. This configuration permits a wearer to focus the light in a
forward direction to
provide illumination directly in front of the wearer or rotate the light
source in a downward
direction to provide illumination at a location below the visor. Pivoting
lights are undesirable as
they introduce complexity and moving parts into the hat that can fail over
repeated usage. While
the light of Urso pivots, it still can only project light to one location or
area at any one time.
Similar to the hat of Johnson, the light of Urso is also bulky and hangs
noticeably below the
visor. The large profile of this light and mounting apparatus may similarly
block or interfere
with a wearer's vision as well as create an unaesthetic appearance to third
parties viewing the
lighted hat, especially when the light is pivoted downwardly. Furthermore,
Urso mounts a power
source and switch in a crown portion of the hat with wiring extending
therebetween across a
pivot joint of the light source. Over time, it is possible that the wiring
extending across the pivot
joint may fail due to repeated bending as the light is pivoted up and down.
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[0007] In another example, U.S. Patent No 6,994,445 to Pomes describes a
baseball cap
having a light source inside a brim portion of the hat. In one embodiment, the
light source is
mounted within a recessed compartment of the brim so as to be oriented in a
horizontal or
parallel position relative to the fore-and-aft axis of the brim. A reflector
is positioned in the
compartment to reflect the light provided by the light source in a downward
direction below the
brim. Requiring the beam of illumination to be reflected only provides
indirect illumination that
is less precise and more difficult to control and direct than a beam of
illumination directly
emanating from a light source. In another example, Pomes discloses a light
source that is
mounted vertically orthogonal to the brim's fore-and-aft axis within the
recess so that the light
source is pointed in a vertically downward direction relative to the brim. To
allow the light
source to fit in the brim in this vertical orientation, Pomes teaches that the
brim can have a
thickened section to make space for receiving the light source. Since Pomes
describes a light
source mounted in a vertical orientation but still enclosed within the brim
section, the profile of
the brim may be thicker than desired so as not to have the typical streamlined
and thin
appearance of a traditional baseball hat. Moreover, the perpendicular
orientation of the light
source relative to the brim is likely to provide illumination in a downward
direction that only
illuminates an area directly underneath the visor. Neither configuration of
Pomes is ideal for
illuminating objects that may be located at a reading or viewing distance in
front of the wearer.
Moreover, projecting light directly underneath the visor as in Pomes can also
cause glare or
project light into the wearer's eyes.
SUMMARY OF TIIE INVENTION
[0008] In one aspect, lighted headgear is disclosed where a plurality of
light sources are
mounted to the headgear for providing outward illumination to at least two
different areas or in at
least two different directions from the headgear. In one form, the light
sources are mounted to a
brim of the headgear and oriented to provide outward illumination at different
angles relative to
each other. One light source can be one or more LEDs mounted to direct
illumination forwardly
of the brim and provide a beam of illumination to areas that are located at
distances that are
relatively far away from the hat. Another light source can be one or more LEDs
mounted to the
brim and oriented to direct a beam of illumination at a downward and
transverse angle to the first
beam of illumination thereby providing illumination to an area located more
closely to the hat.
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Such lighted hats advantageously allow a wearer to illuminate areas at close
working distances,
such as at a reading distance in front of the wearer, or to areas at distances
much farther away
from the wearer at the same time and without the need of the hat wearer moving
the hat or
pivoting the light sources.
[0009] In
another form, a light holder for being mounted to headgear as well as headgear
with the light holder mounted thereto is disclosed. The light holder may be
mounted to the brim
of the headgear for fixing the light sources in a particular orientation. In
one aspect, the light
holder includes a mounting base and one or more light holding bezels or
modules that extend in a
downward and oblique angle of inclination away from the base. The holder
portions or bezels
are sized to receive the light sources and, in one approach, maintain multiple
light sources at the
same fixed oblique angle of inclination relative to the base. Thus,
the light holder
advantageously allows multiple light sources to be secured to headgear in a
quick and easy
manner where more than one light source are oriented in the same direction to
provide
illumination in a downward direction of inclination. In another aspect, the
light module is
relatively thin and compact. This allows the light holder to remain largely
undetectable thereby
allowing the hat to maintain a streamlined and natural appearance in contrast
to the prior hats of
Johnson, Urso, and Pomes that require bulky modules on the outside of the brim
or a thick brim
to house a recess large enough to hold a light source therein. In this regard,
the low profile of the
light holder allows it to be mounted either interiorly of brim structure such
as between the brim
insert and fabric cover or exteriorly to the fabric cover without detracting
from the functionality
or appearance of the headgear
[0010] In
one form, the light holder is attached to the lighted hat via a mounting patch
portion or other mounting surface located on the headgear brim, such as along
a portion of the
covering material extending about the brim. Thus, by one approach, the light
holder and the
lights thereof, are secured to the mounting patch formed on the brim covering
material rather
than to the shape retentive insert of the brim. This mounting patch preferably
has a thickness
thereof that is greater than the thickness of the brim covering material to
form a secure and
preferably more rigid or stiffer mounting location for the light holder than
the thinner brim
covering material. The light holder is preferably secured to the covering
material with adhesive,
and the mounting patch advantageously maintains the outer surface of the brim
covering material
free of residual adhesive, which may otherwise tend to seep though the thinner
covering material,
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such as fabric, commonly used for hat brims. In this manner, the mounting
patch keeps
blemishes or stains from forming on outer surfaces on the brim covering
material by blocking
adhesive from wicking and/or seeping through the brim covering material. In
one example, the
mounting patch may be of a non-wicking material that keeps the adhesive from
seeping through
the brim covering material. In another example, the mounting patch may be a
thick layer of
material that blocks the adhesive from leaking through the brim covering
material. For instance,
the mounting patch can be embroidered stitching which can be of non-wicking
material and be
sewn so as to extend through the brim fabric covering material to be thicker
than the fabric
covering material. To this end, the embroidered stitching provides the
additional benefit of
providing an excellent location for including indicia such as logos, brand
names, etc. for
promotional purposes that can be sewn therein.
[0011] In another form, a light holder includes a mounting base having an
integral light
holding bezel extending therefrom so as to be of a unitary construction
therewith. The light
holding bezel includes both a first cavity and a second cavity, with each
cavity sized for
receiving a light source therein. The first and second cavities have a common
outer wall
extending therearound and a dividing wall therebetween. The first cavity has a
first angle of
inclination relative to the mounting base so that the light source received
therein can project light
forwardly and downwardly, while the second cavity has a second angle of
inclination relative to
the mounting base that is greater than the first angle of inclination so that
the that light source
received therein can project light more downwardly than the first cavity light
source. Having
two distinct cavities within a single bezel allows these to be formed such
that light can be
directed at multiple predetermined angles of inclination from a single light
holder.
[0012] In yet another form, a light holder includes a bezel having four or
more distinct
cavities within a common outer wall, with each cavity sized for receiving a
light source therein.
Two of the four cavities have a first angle of inclination relative to the
mounting base of the light
holder, and the other two cavities have a second angle of inclination relative
to the mounting
base that is greater than the first angle of inclination. The light sources
mounted within the
cavities having the first angle of inclination can project light in a first
direction, and the light
sources mounted within the cavities having the second angle of inclination can
project light in a
second direction different from the first direction. The light holder can be
mounted to a brim of
a hat, with the hat having a power source and a switch device. The switch
device can be
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electrically connected to the four light sources for selectively activating
any of the light sources.
A second switch device can be electrically connected to a pair of the light
sources, with the first
switch device connected to the other pair so that select pairs of light
sources can be activated
separately from each other.
[0013] In another form, a lighted hat includes a light holder mounted to a
brim portion using
a snap fit connection. In one form, the brim portion includes a coupling
member having
undercut portions on opposite sides thereof. The light holder includes a pair
of cam portions at
opposite sides of a mounting base of the light holder. The undercut portions
receive the cam
portions to create the snap fit connection. In another form, the brim portion
can include a
plurality of connection members, such as posts, extending from the brim
portion. The mounting
base of the light holder has a plurality of connection member receptors that
are configured to be
snap fit onto the connection members to form the snap fit connection
therewith. In either snap fit
connection, the light holder can be quickly attached or detached without the
need for adhesive or
other time consuming fastening devices. Further, the brim portion can include
a brim insert
portion with covering material extending thereacross, and the light holder can
be mounted
externally to the covering material so that a portion of the covering material
is between the
mounting base of the light holder and the brim insert.
[0014] In yet another form, a light holder is externally mounted to a brim
portion of a hat
using an ultrasonic weld connection. The light holder has a mounting base of
plastic material.
The brim portion includes a brim insert and covering material extending
thereacross. The light
holder is mounted externally to the covering material so that a portion of the
covering material
extends between the mounting base of the light holder and the brim insert. The
ultrasonic weld
connection provides a relatively fast and clean method of mounting the plastic
mouting base to
the brim fabric without using adhesives or other fasteners.
[0015] In another form, a light holder is externally mounted to a brim
portion of a hat using
a threaded connection. The brim portion can include a recess therein sized to
receive a threaded
insert. A mounting base portion of the light holder includes openings
therethrough so that
fasteners can be inserted through the openings and secured to the threaded
insert to mount the
light holder to the brim portion. In another form, the brim portion can
include a brim insert with
covering material thereacross. The brim portion can further include a through
opening and a
threaded nut mounted to an upper surface of the brim insert to be fixed
thereto and aligned with
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the through opening. The fastener can then extend through the opening of the
mounting base, a
corresponding opening in the brim lower covering material, and the through
opening of the brim
insert to engage the threaded nut to thereby mount the light holder to the
brim portion. The
threaded nut can includes prongs that clamp against or pierce the upper
surface of the brim insert
to thereby secure the light holder to the brim portion.
[0016] In another aspect, a light holder module for use with headgear
includes a housing, a
light source received within a bezel extending from the housing, a power
source, and a switch
device. The light source, power source, and switch device are each
electrically connected within
the housing, and the housing is adapted for mounting to a portion of the
headgear. With the light
source, the power source, and the switch device each received within the
housing, the light
holder module can be externally attached to the brim and easily removed
therefrom at a later
time. The module can be interchangeable with other versions, or it can be
repaired or replaced if
necessary, such as when the batteries need replacing or recharging.
Furthermore, the light holder
module can include a solar cell mounted thereto for charging and recharging a
rechargeable
battery within the housing.
[0017] In still another aspect, a lighted hat includes a crown portion and
a brim portion
extending therefrom, with a first light source mounted to a lower surface of
the brim, and a
second light source mounted to an upper surface of the brim. Preferably, the
second light source
and the brim portion upper surface have a hinge connection therebetween. Both
the upper and
lower light source are electrically connected to a power source and a switch
device. The hinge
connection allows for adjusting the orientation of the second light source for
modifying the
direction of the light beams.
[0018] In another form, the second light source can be received within a
housing that is
removably mounted to the upper surface of the brim. More particularly, the
second light source
housing can include a hinge base that is configured to slidingly engage a
hinge base receptor or
portion mounted to the upper surface of the brim. The hinge base receptor can
include opposing
wall portions that are configured to lockingly receive a flange portion of the
hinge base. The
hinge base can be slidably received in or removed from the hinge base
receptor. In a further
aspect, the hinge base and the hinge base receptor can include corresponding
electrical contacts,
so that an electrical connection is established between the hinge base and the
hinge base receptor
with the hinge base received therein, so that the second light source can be
easily electrically
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connected to other electrical components mounted to the hat, such as switches,
circuit boards,
power sources, other light sources, or the like, via sliding of the hinge base
on the hinge base
receptor without using external wiring. The easy attachment and removal of the
second light
source allows the wearer of the hat to remove the upper light source when it
is not in use to
provide for a more streamlined appearance of the hat.
[0018a]
According to another aspect, there is provided a lighted headgear including a
head-
fitting portion having inner and outer surfaces; a through opening of the head-
fitting portion
extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof; a light source for
projecting illumination
forwardly from the head-fitting portion; a power source mounted to the head-
fitting portion and
electrically coupled to the light source to provide power thereto; a switch
device mounted to the
head-fitting portion and electrically coupled to the power source and the
light source for
selectively energizing the light source; a light holder in which the light
source is received and
mounted to the head-fitting portion to orient the light source to project
light forwardly from the
head-fitting portion; a rear portion of the light holder having a generally
planar mounting base
including a fore-and-aft axis extending thereacross, the mounting base
extending along the inner
surface of the head-fitting portion and generally parallel to the forehead of
a user when the head-
fitting portion is worn; and a forward portion of the light holder having an
annular cavity sized to
receive the light source therein, the forward portion integral with and
extending from the
mounting base at a fixed angle of inclination with respect to the fore-and-aft
axis thereof
forwardly and downwardly from the mounting base through the through opening to
orient the
light source for projecting light forwardly and downwardly from the head-
fitting portion.
10018b]
According to still another aspect, there is provided a lighted headgear
including a
crown; a lower headband portion of the crown including a loop of material
extending about an
interior space to form an enclosed annular pocket, and sized to fit on the
head of a user; a light
assembly mounted within the interior space of the headband portion; an opening
to the interior
space in an outer surface portion of the headband portion; a light source of
the light assembly
mounted to the headband portion so as to he oriented to extend through the
opening to project
light forwardly of the headband portion; a power source of the light assembly
configured to
provide power to the light source; a switch device of the light assembly
configured to switch the
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light source between on and off configurations upon actuation thereof by a
user; electrical
connections of the light assembly configured to operably connect the light
source, the power
source, and the switch device, wherein the power source, the switch device,
and the electrical
connections are all disposed within the interior space of the headband portion
to he concealed
from view; and wherein the light assembly further comprises a light holder
formed of resilient
material, the light holder having a base with a forward main surface and a
rearward main surface
and a bezel extending from the forward main surface of the base, the bezel
being sized to receive
the light source therein with the base rearward main surface mounted within
the interior space of
the headband portion so that the bezel projects through the opening in the
headband portion and
fixes the light source to project light forwardly thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the brim of a lighted hat having
an LED mounted
thereto to project a beam of light in a forward direction and an LED mounted
thereto to provide
illumination in a downward direction;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a brim of a lighted hat having an
LED along the
perimeter edge of the brim and an LED underneath the brim at an intermediate
position along the
fore-and-aft axis;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the brim of FIG. 2 showing the
LED positioned
at the perimeter edge of the brim providing illumination in a forward
direction and the LED
positioned underneath the brim at the intermediate position being canted at a
downward angle
relative to the brim;
[0022] FIG. 4A is a side perspective view of a lighted hat having a first
LED at the
perimeter edge of a brim to provide illumination in a forward direction and a
second LED at the
perimeter edge of the brim to provide illumination in a downward direction;
[0023] FIG. 4B is a bottom perspective of a lighted hat showing multiple
LEDs along the
perimeter edge of the brim and an LED underneath the brim at an intermediate
positional along
the fore-and-aft axis;
[0024] FIG. 4C is a fragmentary side view of the brim of FIG. 4B showing
one of the
multiple LEDs positioned at the perimeter edge of the brim for providing
illumination in a
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generally forward direction and the LED positioned underneath the brim at the
intermediate
position being canted at a downward angle relative to the brim;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a lighted hat showing a light
holder for
mounting LEDs to a bottom portion of the brim and an LED at the perimeter edge
of the brim;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the light holder having a thin
mounting base
including two annular housing portions spaced from one another along the base
and configured
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to receive LEDs in a fixed orientation therein to provide illumination in a
transverse direction to
the plane of the base;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a light holder;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a side view of a light holder showing the thin mounting
base and one of the
annular housing portions extending below the mounting base to receive a LED
therein, and a
protrusion extending above the mounting base to receive at least an end
portion of the LED;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a top view of the light holder showing the two protrusions
spaced from one
another along the mounting base;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a side fragmentary cross-sectional view of the brim
showing the light
holder mounted to brim covering material with an LED received in the housing
portion such that
an outermost end of the LED does not extend past an outermost edge of the
housing portion;
[0031] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the brim showing an
alternate light holder
mounted to brim covering material with an LED received in a housing portion
such that an
outermost end of the LED extends past the outermost edge of the housing
portion;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of the brim showing the light
holder mounted
to a lower major surface of the brim insert with an LED received in the
housing portion to
provide illumination in a direction below the brim;
[0033] FIG. 13A is a side cross-sectional view of the brim showing the
light holder mounted
to an outside section of the brim covering material with an LED received in
the housing portion
to provide illumination in a downward direction;
[0034] FIG. 13B is a perspective view of an alternative light holder;
[0035] FIG. 13C is a side cross-sectional view of the light holder of FIG.
13B externally
mounted to the brim covering material with a portion of the brim covering
material extending
between the light holder and a brim insert;
[0036] FIG. 13D is a side cross-sectional view of the light holder of FIG.
13B internally
mounted between the brim covering material and the brim insert;
[0037] FIG. 14 is a bottom plan view of the brim having LEDs received in
the light holder
that is attached to brim covering material to provide illumination in a
downward direction and
having an LED mounted to the perimeter edge of the brim to provide
illumination in a forward
direction;
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[0038] FIG. 15A is a perspective view of an alternative light holder having
two housing
portions each sized to receive two LEDs therein;
[0039] FIG. 15B is a top plan view of an alternative light holder having
two housing
portions each sized to receive two different sized LEDs therein;
[0040] FIG. 15C is a bottom plan view of the light holder of FIG. 15B;
[0041] FIG. 15D is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of
FIG. 15C
showing a first cavity and a first angle of inclination of the first cavity
relative to a fore-and-aft
axis of the a mounting base of the light holder;
[0042] FIG. 15E is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E of
FIG. 15C
showing a second cavity and a second angle of inclination of the second cavity
relative to the
mounting base axis;
[0043] FIG. 15F is a partial perspective view of the alternative light
holder of FIG. 15B
showing the housing body and the different sized LEDs;
[0044] FIG. 15G is a side view of the alternate light holder of FIG. 15B
showing the
housing body;
[0045] FIG. 15H is a front view of one of the housings of the light holder
of FIG. 15B
showing the housing body and the different sized LEDs within different sized
cavities;
[0046] FIG. 151 is a front view of an alternate body configuration of one
of the housings of
the light holder of FIG. 15B;
[0047] FIG. 15J is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 151;
[0048] FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of a mounting patch at the bottom of
the brim with the
annular housing portions of the light holder partially protruding through
openings in the
mounting patch;
[0049] FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view of an embroidered mounting patch
portion of the brim
showing indicia sewn in its lower surface;
[0050] FIG. 18 is a side cross-sectional view of the brim having an
embroidered portion of
non-wicking material with the light holder adhered thereto;
[0051] FIG. 19 is a bottom plan view of the brim including the embroidered
mounting patch
portion and another embroidered portion on the bottom of the brim identifying
the location of an
activation switch therein;
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[0052] FIG. 20 is a fragmentary, side cross-sectional view of the
embroidered portion
covering the activation switch of FIG. 19;
[0053] FIG. 21 is an elevational view of a light holder cover having a base
plate including
two projections spaced from one another for receiving the two housing portions
of a light holder
and for being fastened through brim covering material to the light holder;
[0054] FIG. 22 is a plan view of the light holder capable of being received
by the light
holder cover of FIG. 21 having slots configured to accept staples to secure
the light holder to the
light holder cover through the brim covering material;
[0055] FIG. 23 is a bottom perspective view of a lighted baseball hat
having a brim and a
light holder integrally attached thereto as a one-piece body and configured to
provide
illumination in a direction below the brim;
[0056] FIG. 24 is a bottom perspective view of a lighted hat showing a
light holder housing
LEDs at a bottom portion of the brim and an LED at a perimeter edge of the
brim;
[0057] FIG. 25 is a bottom plan view of the light holder having two
projections spaced from
one another for receiving light sources, and a switch cover portion of the
light holder;
[0058] FIG. 26 is a side sectional view of the light holder of FIG. 25
showing the light
holder attached to a hat brim with an offset to space the mounting base of the
holder from the
brim insert;
[0059] FIG. 27 is a front sectional view of the light holder of FIG. 25
showing a pair of
offsets spacing the holder mounting base from the brim insert and including an
arcuate
configuration for the switch cover portion positioned adjacent a switch
actuator;
[0060] FIG. 28 is a front sectional view of an alternative light holder
showing each offset in
the form of a pair of rib projections to space the holder mounting base from
the brim insert;
[0061] FIG. 29 is a top plan view of another light holder having a mounting
base including
two projections for receiving light sources and a switch cover portion with
the projections
including ribs as additional offsets;
[0062] FIG. 30 is a top plan view of an alternative light holder having a
different
arrangement of the upwardly projecting offsets for receiving lights sources
therein and the switch
cover portion;
[0063] FIG. 31 is a side sectional view of a pivoting light module mounted
to a brim of a hat
showing the light module pivoted to a forward facing configuration;
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[0064] FIG. 32 is a side sectional view of the pivoting light module of
FIG. 31 showing the
light module pivoted to a downwardly and forwardly facing configuration;
[0065] FIG. 33 is a side sectional view of a light module mounted to a brim
with a
transparent portion showing the light module projecting light in forward and
downward
directions through use of a light redirecting member;
[0066] FIG. 34 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
forwardly facing LED
mounted to a perimeter of the brim and a downwardly facing LED mounted to an
underside of
the brim through a brim fabric covering;
[0067] FIG. 35 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
forwardly facing LED
mounted to a perimeter of the brim and a downwardly facing LED mounted to an
underside of
the brim within an opening in a brim fabric covering;
[0068] FIG. 36 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
forwardly facing LED
mounted to a perimeter of the brim and a downwardly facing LED mounted to an
underside of
the brim within a canopy portion of the brim underside covering the downwardly
facing LED;
[0069] FIG. 37 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
forwardly facing LED
mounted to a perimeter of the brim and a downwardly facing LED mounted at
least partially
within the brim and configured to project light to a redirecting member
mounted to an underside
of the brim;
[0070] FIG. 38 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
forwardly facing LED
and a downwardly facing LED both mounted to an underside of the brim and
within a canopy
portion of the brim underside;
[0071] FIG. 39 is a side sectional view of a brim for a hat having a
rotatable lamp mounted
to an underside of the brim showing the lamp rotating between a forwardly
facing position and a
downwardly facing position;
[0072] FIG. 40 is a front view of a light holder having multiple large and
small cavities each
sized to receive large and small LEDs at different angles of inclination
relative to a fore-and-aft
axis of a mounting base of the light holder;
[0073] FIG. 41 is a side cross-sectional view of one of the large cavities
of the light holder
of FIG. 40 showing the large LED received in the large cavity to project light
along an axis
having a first angle of inclination relative to the mounting base axis;
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[0074] FIG. 42 is a side cross-sectional view of one of the small cavities
of the light holder
of FIG. 40 showing the small LED received in the small cavity to project light
along an axis
having a second angle of inclination relative to the mounting base axis;
[0075] FIG. 43A is a perspective view of the light holder of FIG. 40;
[0076] FIG. 43B is a side view of the light holder of FIG. 40;
[0077] FIG. 43C is a perspective view of an alternate housing of the light
holder of FIG. 40;
[0078] FIG. 43D is a side view of the alternate housing of FIG. 43C;
[0079] FIG. 44 is a bottom perspective view of the light holder of FIG. 40
showing a
common opening for the large and small cavities;
[0080] FIG. 45 is a bottom perspective view of a hat having the light
holder of FIG. 40
mounted to the brim with two switches for actuating selected LEDs of the light
holder;
[0081] FIG. 46 is a front cross-sectional view of a light holder mounted to
an external
surface of a hat brim;
[0082] FIG. 47 is a bottom plan view of the externally mounted light holder
of FIG. 46;
[0083] FIG. 48 is a top plan view of another externally mounted light
holder;
[0084] FIG. 49A is a front cross-sectional view of the externally mounted
light holder of
FIG. 46 showing a threaded insert mounted to the brim;
[0085] FIG. 49B is a front cross-section view of the externally mounted
light holder of FIG.
46 showing a threaded nut mounted between a brim insert and a brim upper
covering material;
[0086] FIG. 49C is a front cross-sectional view of the threaded insert of
FIG. 49A;
[0087] FIG. 49D is a front cross-sectional view of an externally mounted
light holder with
the light holder having a threaded insert mounted thereto;
[0088] FIG. 50 is a front cross-sectional view of a light holder mounted to
the brim of a hat
via a snap fit connection;
[0089] FIG. 51 is a top plan view of a portion of the snap fit connection
of FIG. 50;
[0090] FIG. 52 is a front view of an alternative snap fit connection
showing connection
members mounted to a hat brim and connection member receptors mounted to a
light holder;
[0091] FIG. 53A is a top plan view of a portion of the snap fit connection
of FIG. 52
showing a plurality of connection members mounted to the brim of a hat;
[0092] FIG. 53B is a front view of a switch device having connection member
receptors;
[0093] FIG. 53C is a plan view of the connection member receptors of FIGS.
52 and 53B;
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[0094] FIG. 54 is a plan view showing the underside of a hat brim showing
the connection
members and a raised edge portion along the periphery of the hat brim;
[0095] FIG. 55 is a cross-sectional view of the raised edge portion taken
along the line 55-
55 of FIG. 54;
[0096] FIG. 56 is a side cross-sectional view of the snap fit connection of
FIG. 52 showing
the light holder mounted externally to a covering material of a brim insert;
[0097] FIG. 57 is a side cross-sectional view of the snap fit connection of
FIG. 52 showing a
covering material and a raised inner portion surrounding the snap fit
connection;;
[0098] FIG. 58 is front cross-sectional view of a light module having a
housing, a power
source mounted within the housing, a switch device mounted to the housing, and
a pair of light
holding bezels each having a light source mounted therein;
[0099] FIG. 59 is a top plan view of the light module of FIG. 58 showing
the power source
within a power source compartment of the housing;
[00100] FIG. 60A is a bottom plan view of the light module of FIG. 58
showing the switch
device mounted to the housing and the pair of light holding bezels;
[00101] FIG 60B is a front cross-sectional view showing the light module of
FIG. 58 with a
housing having a curved profile;
[00102] FIG. 60C is a front cross-sectional view showing the light module
of FIG. 58 having
a solar cell mounted to an upper surface of the housing;
[00103] FIG. 60D is a front cross-sectional view of the light module of
FIG. 60C showing a
covering portion mounted above the solar cell;
[00104] FIG. 61 is a side view of a lighted hat having a pivotably
adjustable upper light
device mounted to the brim and adjusted to direct light at a downward angle of
inclination
relative to a fore-and-aft axis of the brim;
[00105] FIG. 62 is side cross-sectional view of the lighted hat of FIG. 61
showing the upper
light device mounted above the brim and a lower light source mounted below the
brim, with the
upper light device adjusted to direct light at an upward angle of inclination
relative to brim axis;
[00106] FIG. 63A is a side cross-sectional view of a light housing assembly
of the adjustable
upper light device;
[00107] FIG. 63B is a side cross-sectional view showing a parabolic
reflector of the upper
light device;
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[00108] FIG. 64 is a perspective view of a hinge base that is a portion of
the adjustable upper
light source;
[00109] FIG. 65 is a perspective view of the light housing assembly of FIG.
63;
[00110] FIG. 66 is a side cross-sectional view of the hinge base of FIG. 64
mounted to the
brim;
[00111] FIG. 67 is a side view of the adjustable light device of FIG. 61
pivoted downwardly
so that the it contacts the brim of the hat;
[00112] FIG. 68 is a bottom perspective view of the hat of FIG. 61 showing
electrical
connections between the lower light source mounted to the brim, a switch
mounted to the brim, a
power source mounted to the crown portion of the hat, and a hole in the brim
through which the
electrical connections of the upper light source extend;
[00113] FIG. 69 is a top plan view of the hat of FIG. 68 showing an
electrical wire extending
through the hole and connected to the upper light source;
[00114] FIG. 70 is a schematic view of the electrical connections of FIGS.
68 and 69;
[00115] FIG. 71 is a perspective view of a hinge base receptor for mounting
an alternative
embodiment of the upper light device of FIG. 61;
[00116] FIG. 72 is a top perspective view of an alternative hinge base
configured for
mounting to the hinge base receptor of FIG. 71;
[00117] FIG. 73 is a bottom perspective view of the alternative hinge base
of FIG. 72;
[00118] FIG. 74 is a front cross-sectional view showing the connection
between the
alternative hinge base and the hinge base receptor;
[00119] FIG. 75 is a schematic view of electrical connections between the
hinge base
receptor and the hinge base for connecting the upper light device to the
switch device and power
source of the hat;
[00120] FIG. 76 is a perspective view of an alternative lighted headgear
having a power
source mounted thereto;
[00121] FIG. 77 is a perspective view of a pouch for receiving the power
source of FIG. 76;
[00122] FIG. 78 is a perspective view of a hat having a packaging cover
extending across the
brim;
[00123] FIG. 79 is a side cross-sectional view showing a mounting
configuration of the
packaging cover of FIG. 78;
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[00124] FIG. 80A is a perspective view of a lighted cap showing bezel
portions of a light
holder mounted in a hat band of the lighted cap projecting through opening in
the hat band;
[00125] FIG. 80B is a perspective view of a lighted cap showing a light
assembly including a
lens portion disposed over light sources mounted to a backplate that is
mounted to a hat band of
the lighted cap;
[00126] FIG. 80C is a cross-sectional view of the light assembly of FIG.
80B;
[00127] FIG. 81 is a sectional view of the lighted cap of FIG. 80 showing
in phantom the
light assembly mounted within the hat band including light sources, a power
source, a switch
device, and electrical connections therebetween;
[00128] FIG. 82 is a top plan view of an appliqué for securing to fabric
showing openings
thereof that are configured to receive light holder bezel portions
therethrough;
[00129] FIG 83 is a perspective view of a power source module compartment
having a cover
removed to show a battery and a switch device;
[00130] FIG. 84 is top plan view of a light module having a housing, a
power source
mounted within the housing, a switch device mounted to the housing, and a
light holding bezel
having a plurality of light sources mounted therein; and
[00131] FIG. 85 is a front elevational view of the light module of FIG. 84
showing the
module mounted to a brim portion of a hat.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[00132] In general, the various aspects described herein relate to hands-
free lighting,
components thereof, and other accessories therefor. As further described
below, the hands-free
lighting may include lighted headgear such as hats, including baseball caps,
hoods, visors,
military or law enforcement helmets or headgear, bike helmets, or other
lighted headgear having
the lights positioned thereon to provide lighting in a forward and/or downward
direction from the
wearer.
[00133] In one aspect, the hands-free lighting is able to simultaneously
provide illumination
in multiple directions while maintaining a natural, streamlined configuration
associated with
traditional headgear. Multiple light sources may be positioned on a brim of
the lighted headgear
to project a beam of light in at least two different directions, thereby
allowing a wearer to
illuminate different areas, such as areas at different distances from the
wearer, without the wearer
16
needing to tilt or rotate his head. In another aspect, light sources may be
mounted to a light
holder or mounting member that is attached to the brim to provide illumination
in different
directions, while still allowing the brim of the headgear to maintain a low
profile so as to have a
thin and natural appearance. In one form, the light holder is advantageous
because it provides an
easy and convenient way to mount more than one light source canted in the same
direction
relative to the brim. In yet another aspect, the lighted hat may include a
relatively thicker
mounting portion or patch positioned on the brim to provide a more secure
mounting location or
surface for the light holder. In one example, the light holder may be attached
to an inside surface
of the brim via the mounting portion using adhesive, sewing, stitching,
ultrasonic welding,
Velcro, or other suitable fastening techniques so that the light holder is
substantially concealed
within the brim. In another example, the light holder is attached to the
mounting portion on the
inside of a covering material extending about the brim with adhesive, and the
mounting portion
functions as a barrier to minimize and, preferably, avoid leaking or seeping
of the adhesive from
passing through the covering material of the brim. The mounting portion,
therefore, helps
minimizes the appearance of residual adhesive on the outer surface of the brim
covering, which
can otherwise form an unsightly stain or other mark. Additional details are
described below with
reference to a baseball cap, but it will be appreciated this is only an
example of one particular
application. The hands-free lighting described herein may be incorporated in
other types of
headgear as well.
[00134]
In general, the lighted hat and other headgear described herein include
illumination
sources, which are preferably LEDs, mounted at different locations on the hat.
To energize these
illumination sources, a variety of different power assemblies can also be used
that employ
varying mechanisms to generate energy. For instance, as disclosed in
Applicant's U.S.
Application Serial Number 11/941,558, the mechanisms to generate energy may
include power
generators that use renewable energy, such as solar, wind, or kinetic energy,
or various battery
configurations in order to generate electrical power that ultimately energizes
the variety of light
sources that may be included on the described hats. For example, a laminate
capacitor can be
formed by the brim structure with outer layers of fabric being saturated with
carbon nanotubes
while the middle fabric layer is untreated. The two outer layers can be
charged such as via a
conventional power source or by a solar cell panel in the hat or brim portion
thereof. While the
following description and illustrations may _______________________________
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describe a conventional battery power source, renewable power generators as
described in the
'558 application may also be included in the hat embodiments. In some
instances, it may be
desirable to include a charging port 805 in the hat such as along the outer
edge of the brim. In
addition, while the preferred headgear is a baseball-type hat or cap, the
power assemblies and
illumination sources may also be mounted to any suitable headgear, such as
visors, helmets,
headbands, hoods, or the like.
[00135] A first embodiment of hands-free lighting 10 having a light source
11 configured
to direct light in multiple directions is generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.
In this embodiment, the
light source 11 may be mounted to a lighted hat and, in particular, to a brim
portion 16 of the
light hat. FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the brim portion 16 generally without an
associated head or crown
portion 12, but it will be appreciated that any common crown or other head
fitting portion that
does not cover the wearer's head such as with visors may be employed.
Referring to FIG. 1, the
light source 11 includes a plurality of light sources 34 and 36, preferably
LEDs, to provide
illumination in multiple directions. In this embodiment, the brim 16 of the
lighted hat generally
extends in a fore-and-aft direction along a brim axis B, and the lighted hat
10 has the light source
34 positioned to direct light generally along the brim axis B and the light
source 36 mounted on
the brim 16 and configured to direct light inclined relative to the brim axis
B along an axis T that
extends downward from and transverse or obliquely to the brim axis B.
[00136] By one approach, the light sources 34 and 36 are configured to
illuminate objects in
areas that are different distances away from the hat. For example, the light
source 34 may be
configured to emit light along the brim axis B to illuminate an object or a
location at a distance
relatively far away from the wearer, such as approximately four to
approximately six feet from
the wearer. The light source 36 may be configured to emit light at an angle to
the brim axis B
along the axis T to illuminate an object or a location at a distance closer to
the wearer, such as at
a reading distance of approximately 3 inches to approximately 30 inches. These
two areas are
illuminated without requiring the wearer to shift his head in any given
direction. That is, this
configuration allows multiple distances to be illuminated simultaneously or at
alternating times
to thereby allow a wearer to see both objects at a distance and objects at a
closer distance,
without requiring shifting of the hat, just the shifting of the wearer's eyes.
This configuration
can be valuable in the field of military or law enforcement, for example. The
positioning of the
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light source 36 underneath the brim is substantially concealed below the brim,
which provides a
beam of illumination whose source of light is not as easily seen by a third
party viewer.
[00137] Turning to more of the specifics, the forward light source 34 is
mounted at or
adjacent a perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16, and preferably along the
centerline of the brim 16,
as shown in FIG. 2. The light source 34 may be a high-beam light source, which
may include
a relatively narrow cone of light 20, having an approximately 15 degree to
approximately 20
degree light cone for projecting illumination relatively far distances from
the wearer. The
second light source 36 may be a low beam or look down light source and be
mounted to the hat
brim 16 remote from the perimeter edge 29, such as on a lower major surface 31
of the brim 16
as best shown in FIGS. I and 3. To this end, the light source 36 may be
mounted at the lower
major surface 31 of the hat brim 16 and spaced intermediately between a
forwardmost portion of
the perimeter edge 29 and the lower forward edge portion of a head fitting
portion of the
headgear or the crown 14, such as a distance 33 approximately halfway, and
preferably more
than half the fore-and-aft distance 35 between the front edge 29 and a rear
edge 27 of the hat
brim 16, as shown in FIG. 2. This positioning of the light source 36 is
advantageous because it
directs light within a lower viewing field of the wearer to provide
illumination to a reading or
working distance but at the same time avoids directing light towards others
who are near the hat
wearer, which can disadvantageously shine into other's eyes. Moreover, this
positioning of the
light 36 can provide illumination while substantially concealing the source of
light from a third
party viewer as mentioned above.
[00138] By one approach and referring to FIG. 3, the low beam light source
36 mounted at
the lower surface 31 of the brim 16 is canted at an angle 01 relative to the
brim axis B extending
through the hat brim 16 so that the light cone 21 therefrom is directed
downwardly and forwardly
of the hat brim 16 to illuminate an area relatively close to the hat brim 116.
The cant angle 01
can vary such as between about 15 degrees to about 40 degrees and can be
selected based upon
the configuration of the hat and its intended use. In an example where the
light source 36 is used
for reading, the cant angle Ell can be about 30 degrees. In another example
where the light
source 36 is used for running, the cant angle 01 can be about 20 degrees so
the light is directed
out more forwardly of the user so they can see the path on which they are
running. In yet
another example, the cant angle 01 may preferably be 25 degrees to provide a
medium range
distance. With respect to the LED power, the light source 36 is preferably a
10,000 MCD or
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higher powered light emitting diode, although other LED outputs may be
acceptable. The light
source 36 may have about a 20 degree to about a 40 degree light cone 21 to
provide a wider and
less focused beam of light than the narrower light cone 20 of the light source
34. By mounting
the light source 36 away from the brim perimeter edge 29 to be spaced
therefrom and canting the
light downwardly and forwardly, the direction of the light beam 21 does not
shine in the
direction of other third party viewers near the person wearing the light hat
and also directs light
and glare away from the wearer's eyes.
[00139] The light source 34 is preferably positioned to extend from the
perimeter edge 29 of
the hat brim 16 to direct light forwardly of the wearer. By one approach, the
light source 34 may
also be slightly canted relative to the brim axis B at a cant angle 02, but is
canted over a smaller
angle 02 than the light 36. For example, the light 34 may be canted from 0 to
about 15 degrees
downwardly from the axis B, and more preferably, about 5 to about 15 degrees.
In order to
project light farther distances, the light 34 may be a 20,000 MCD light
emitting diode having
about a 15 to about a 20 degree light cone.
[00140] Preferably, the light sources 34 and 36 are spaced from each other
by being mounted
on different portions of the hat brim 16. For example and as mentioned above,
the light source
34 is mounted to extend from the brim's outer perimeter edge 29, and the light
source 36 is
mounted to extend downwardly from the major surface 31 forming the brim's
lower surface or
underside. As a result of this configuration and positioning of the lights 34
and 36, the light cone
21 and the light cone 20 preferably do not intersect or overlap each other and
provide separate,
discrete cones of illumination for differing purposes (e.g., far illumination
and close
illumination). When both lights 34 and 36 are energized, the wearer will not
need to redirect
their head to focus light on close and far objects. The wearer simply needs to
move their eyes
without significant head movement as the hat already directs illumination in
two different
directions and orientations. Of course, the lights 34 and 36 can be energized
together or
separately as needed for particular situations. In other examples, it might be
desirable to have a
low beam light source 36 positioned closer to the beam of illumination 20
provided by the high
beam LED 34 to provide some overlap in the light beams 20 and 21 at a distance
spaced
outwardly from the brim. In other situations, it may also be desirable to have
the low beam LED
36 provide a beam of illumination at a smaller cant angle where the low beam
light source 36
positioned underneath the brim 16 might have a beam of illumination 21
partially blocked by the
underside of the brim 16 due to the small cant angle.
[00141] Referring again to FIG. 2, this form of the lighted hat 10 may also
include a single or
multi-function switch 41 positioned on the lower brim surface 31. In one
aspect, the switch 41
may be a multi-position switch that includes one or more positions or modes,
such as at least a
4-position switch to select varying modes of illumination. For example, the
switch 41 can select
either one of the high beam or low beam illumination or both at the same time,
vary intensity of
one or both light sources 34 and 36, vary color, and the like. The switch 41
may be a pushbutton
switch, a slide switch, a rotary switch, or the like. The switch 41 can be
located on the underside
of the brim 16 as shown in FIG. 2 or may be located at the brim perimeter edge
29.
[00142] For energizing the light source, the lighted hat may include at
least one, and
preferably two battery packs mounted to the hat. In one configuration, both
battery packs are
electrically connected to both the low beam and high beam lights, but in
another configuration,
one battery pack is electrically connected to the low beam lights and the
other battery pack is
electrically connected to the high beam lights. In this situation, the battery
configuration can be
optimized for each set of lights. For instance, additional battery power can
be provided for either
the low or high beam lights as the case may be to provide power for additional
illumination.
[00143] In another example, the lighted hat 10 may include multiple high
beam or low beam
light sources mounted adjacent or at the perimeter edge 29 on the hat brim 16
as shown in FIG.
4A. By one approach, the lighted hat 10 may include at least two light sources
40 and 42,
preferably LEDs, that are spaced from each other on opposite sides of a
centerline of the hat brim
16. By having two spaced LEDs on either side of the brim center line, the
lighted hat 10 may
provide enhanced illumination by doubling lighting of the viewing or working
area of the
wearer. By positioning the light source away from the hat's centerline and
maintaining the
spacing of the LEDs 40 and 42 from each other on the brim 16, the hats herein
offer enhanced
depth perception of an area to be illuminated because the illumination from
the spaced LEDs 40
and 42 provide well defined shadows and texture to the object being
illuminated. The LEDs 40
and 42 may each be high beams, low beams, or a combination thereof as
described above and,
thus, embody the various characteristics (i.e., cant angles, beam widths, and
the like) for each
type of LED, but each are positioned at or adjacent the perimeter edge 29.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-06-17
[00144]
In one example, the LED 40 may be a low beam light source (similar to LED 36)
mounted at the perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16 and positioned in the brim 16
to provide a beam
of illumination along an axis T that is approximately 15 degrees to
approximately 40 degrees
from the brim axis B described above. Because the LED 40 is disposed at the
perimeter edge 29,
the beam of illumination will illuminate an area slightly forwardly of the
area relative to the low
beam light source 36 described above so that the illuminated area does not
include areas under
the brim 16. In one example, the LED 40 may be positioned at a cant angle 01
of approximately
15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees from the brim axis B while also being
substantially
recessed within the brim 16 to allow the hat 10 to maintain a natural and thin
appearance. In this
example, the LED 42 may be a high beam light source (similar to LED 34) also
mounted at the
perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16 and positioned in the brim 16 to provide a
beam of illumination
generally along the brim axis B. The LED 42 may provide a beam of illumination
to further
distances from the wearer, such as approximately 4 feet to approximately 6
feet. To maintain the
natural and thin appearance of the hat, the LEDs 40 and 42 may be
substantially recessed within
the brim 16 such that outer ends thereof only project from the brim 16 a short
distance or,
alternatively, are flush with the brim perimeter edge 29.
[00145]
In another example, and shown in FIG. 4B and 4C, the lighted hat 10 may
include
two or more light sources mounted adjacent to or at the perimeter edge 29 of
the hat brim 16, as
well as one or more light sources mounted at the lower surface 31 of the brim
16. By one
approach, the lighted hat 10 may include at least two light sources 50,
preferably LEDs, that are
spaced from each other on opposite sides of a centerline of the brim 16. The
lighted hat 10 may
also include at least one light source 52, preferably an LED, which is mounted
at the lower major
surface 31 of the brim 16 and spaced intermediately between a forwardmost
portion of the
perimeter edge 29 and the lower forward edge portion of the head fitting
portion of the crown 14.
The light source 52 may be configured to emit light inclined relative to the
brim axis B along the
axis T that extends downward from and transversely or obliquely to the brim
axis B. As
described above, having two spaced LEDs on either side of the brim center line
provides
enhanced illumination and depth perception. Alternatively, the LEDs 50 can be
mounted
adjacent each other for more focused illumination. Having an LED mounted
underneath the
brim 16 provides illumination at a distance closer to the _________________
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wearer, such as at a reading distance, without requiring the wearer to shift
his head. The LEDs
50 and 52 may each be high beams, low beams, or a combination thereof as
described above and,
thus, embody the various characteristics (i.e., cant angles, beam widths, and
the like) for each
type of LED, but the LEDs 50 are positioned at the perimeter edge 29 and the
LED 52 mounted
to the lower major surface 31 of the brim 16 and positioned underneath the
brim.
[00146] In one example, the LEDs 50 may be high beam light sources (similar
to LED 34 or
42 as described above) mounted at the perimeter edge 29 of the brim 16 and
disposed at least
partially between the upper and lower surfaces of the brim to provide a beam
of illumination
generally along the brim axis B. The LEDs 50 may provide a beam of
illumination to further
distances from the wearer, such as approximately 4 feet to approximately 6
feet. To maintain the
natural and thin appearance of the hat, the LEDs 50 may be substantially
recessed within the
brim 16 such that outer ends thereof only project from the brim 16 a short
distance or,
alternatively, are flush with the brim perimeter edge 29. The high beam LEDs
50 may also
include a relatively small cant relative to the brim axis B (similar to the
cant angle of light source
40 but to a smaller degree) for projecting the high beam illumination at a
slight downward angle
relative to the brim, such as less than 10 degrees, while still operating
primarily as a high beam
light source.
[00147] Continuing with the approach of FIG. 4B, the LED 52 may be a low
beam light
source (similar to LED 36) mounted at the lower major surface 31 of the brim
16 and spaced
intermediately between a forward most portion of the perimeter edge 29 and the
lower forward
edge portion of the head fitting portion of the crown 14 to provide a beam of
illumination along
an axis T that is approximately 15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees from
the brim axis B
described above. Because the LED 52 is disposed rearward of the perimeter edge
29, the beam
of illumination will illuminate an area slightly rearwardly of the area
relative to the low beam
light source 40 described above so that the illuminated area includes areas
under the brim 16,
similar to light source 36.
[00148] Referring now to FIGS. 5-14, another exemplary lighted hat 110 is
illustrated that
embodies light sources configured to illuminate in multiple areas or
directions. The hat 110 is
illustrated as a baseball-type cap 112 having a crown 114 and a brim 116
projecting forwardly
from a lower, forward edge portion of the crown 114 although other types of
headgear are also
contemplated. In this embodiment, the hat 110 is designed to provide
illumination from the light
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sources, which are generally configured to focus illumination at a variety of
different distances
from the hat 110. By one approach, the hat 110 has the light sources mounted
on the brim 116 to
project cones of light along different axes.
[00149] In particular, the lighted hat 110 includes a first or high-beam
light source 130 at or
near a perimeter edge 129 of the brim 116. The high beam light 130 may be
similar to the
previously described high beam light 34. The hat 110 also includes a second or
low-beam light
source 132 that is remote from the brim perimeter edge 129 and preferably
mounted
intermediately along a lower major surface 131 of the brim underside. Light
132 may be similar
to the previously described low beam or look down light 36.
[00150] Referring to FIGS. 5, the lighted hat 110 includes a light holder
or hat lighting
assembly, light mounting assembly, or hat lighting assembly 200 for securing
the light source
132 to the lower major surface 131 of the brim 116. By one approach, the light
holder 200 is
used to secure two spaced light sources 206 and 208 in a fixed position
relative to the brim 116
to illuminate an area below the brim 116. As shown in FIG. 5, the light holder
200 may be
secured to the brim 116 of the lighted hat 110 and positioned to allow the
light sources 206 and
208 to direct illumination in a direction downwardly and forwardly away from
the lower major
surface 131 of the brim 116 and to a close viewing distance of the wearer. The
light source 130,
on the other hand, may direct illumination in a direction generally along the
brim axis B as
described above.
[00151] Referring to FIGS. 6-9, one form of the light holder or hat
lighting assembly 200 is
shown in more detail. By one approach, the light holder 200 includes an
elongate mounting base
or member 202 and light holder or housing portions or light modules 204 sized
to receive the
light sources 206 and 208. Preferably, the mounting base 202 has a plate-like
body that is thin
and flat so as to have a minimal thickness thereby allowing the light holder
200 to be attached
adjacent or to the brim 116 while maintaining the traditional thin and natural
appearance of the
brim 116. The elongate mounting base 202 includes an elongate lower surface
210 and opposite,
upper surface 212 as best shown in the side view of FIG. 8. The lower surface
210 is generally
flat and, by one approach, includes a lower section of the light holder
portions 204 extending
below the lower surface 210. The opposite, upper surface 212 is also generally
flat and includes
an upper section or rear projection of the light holder portions 204. The
light holder 200 and, in
particular the mounting base 202 thereof, may be made from a flexible and/or
resilient material,
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such as a plastic or rubber material, so that the base 202 is sufficiently
flexible to conform and
bend to curvature typically found in the brims of baseball style hats. Other
similar flexible and
conforming materials may be used for the light holder 200 including a
paperboard or rubber-like
material or other resilient material. In addition, the light holder 200 can be
of an aluminum or
other heat dissipating material which can be particularly useful for higher
power LEDs.
[00152] By one approach, the mounting base 202 has a generally thin,
rectangular shape
including rounded corners 205 connecting opposite front and back edges 214 and
216 (extending
lengthwise generally parallel to one another) with opposite side edges 218 and
220 (extending
parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal edges
214 and 216). A
base lateral or fore-and-aft axis P extends along and from the plane of the
mounting base 202 and
generally parallel to the opposite side edges 218 and 220 and generally
perpendicular to opposite
the front and back edges 214 and 216.
[00153] The light holder portions 204 are connected to the mounting base
202 and configured
to receive the light sources 206 and 208 therein. By one approach the light
holder portions 204
may be seamlessly integrated with the mounting base 202 to provide a one piece
light holder 200
and thereby permit secure attachment of the light sources 206 and 208 to the
light holder 200 and
hat 110. In one example, the light holder portion 204 includes spaced housing
portions or bezels
222 and 224 on one side of the base 202 and corresponding spaced protrusions
225 and 227 on
the other side of the base 202. The lower housings 222 and 224 may be spaced
apart from one
another and joined to the lower surface 210 of the mounting base in an
integral construction to
provide the one piece light holder 200. As discussed more below, the housings
222 and 224
have an opening or cavity therein sized to receive the light sources 206 and
208 at least partially
therein. The housings 22 and 224 fix the light sources 206 and 208 in an
orientation for
providing beams of illumination in a direction away from the lower surface 210
of the mounting
plate at an angle generally transverse to the brim axis B wherein the light
holder 200 is mounted
to the brim. To this end, the housings 222 and 224 can have a side wedge
configuration so as to
extend in a downward direction from the base surface 210 at an oblique angle
of inclination
relative to the base axis P of the mounting base 202. The housings 222 and 224
each have an
axis T that extends transversely to and at a downward inclination 13 (FIG. 8)
to the plate axis P of
the mounting base 202. The housing axis T extends along a fore-aft axis
generally defining a
body of each housing 222 and 224. In one example, the housing axis T is angled
approximately
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15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees from the plate axis P, thereby fixing
the light sources
206 and 208 respectively at the oblique angle of approximately 15 degrees to
approximately
40 degrees from the plate axis P.
[00154] By one approach, each lower section of the light housings or
housing portions 222
and 224 may have a generally cylindrical and hollow body 226 that extends from
the lower
surface 210 of the mounting base 202 to a distal end 228 thereof. Each hollow
body 226 has a
pocket or socket 231 capable of receiving and housing light sources 206 and
208, such as LEDs
in the fixed configuration described above.
[00155] Referring to FIGS. 10-13A, the housing bodies 226 are shown in more
detail. By
one approach, the housing body 226 includes an annular wall 250 extending
about the axis T.
The annular wall 250 may extend from the base surface 210 in a direction
generally transverse
thereto. The distal end 228 has a generally circular outer end surface 230
that forms an opening
to the pocket or cavity 231 to receive the light source therein. Thus, the
light source may be
securely mounted in the cavity 231 and surrounded by the wall 250 to orient
the light in a
direction to provide illumination generally along the axis T of the housing.
The light holder 200
therefore provides an easy and convenient way to mount two separate light
sources 206 and 208
on the underside of a hat brim and cant both light sources at the same time
and in the same
predetermined downward angle of inclination.
[00156] In one approach, the light sources 206 and 208 may be LEDs secured
in the cavity
231 of the hollow body 226 of each housing 222 and 224. The LED may have a
cylindrical lens
body portion with an outermost cap portion 232 configured to emanate a beam of
illumination
from a chip located within the lens portion. In one example, the LED is
positioned such that the
wall 250 surrounds the LED body while the lens outermost cap 232 projects past
the outer
surface 230 of the annular housing body 226 as shown in FIG. 11. Preferably,
the wall 250 still
extends axially beyond the illumination chip. The configuration of FIG. 11
allows the LED to
provide direct illumination to a location with a wider light cone because
there is little or no
interference therewith or reflection from an inside portion of the hollow body
226. In another
embodiment, such as that of FIGS. 10, 12, and 13A, the LED may be secured
within the cavity
231 such that the lens outermost cap 232 of the light source is fully housed
within the hollow
body 226 and is flush or otherwise does not extend past the outer surface 230
of the housing 226.
In this configuration the illumination chip is recessed further back in the
cavity 231. This allows
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an inside portion 251 of the housing wall 250 to provide a more focused narrow
light beam
and/or to be a blinder device to block incident or stray light while also
providing the benefit of
having the wall 250 to protect the lens of the LED from damage if the lighted
hat is dropped.
[00157] Referring back to FIG. 9, the light holder portions 204 also
include the rear
protrusions 225 and 227 that extend above the upper surface 212 of the
mounting base 202. The
protrusions 225 and 227 provide a socket or base to seat the light sources 206
and 208. For
example, each protrusion 225, 227 may be substantially hollow so that the
cavity 231 of the
housings 222 and 224, respectively, also extends into the corresponding
protrusions so as to
allow the protrusions to at least partially receive the light sources 206 and
208 therein. In one
example, the light sources 206 and 208 are LEDs and each has two leads 234 and
236 that extend
generally upward through the annular housings 222 and 224 and into the
protrusions 225 and
227. The protrusions 225 and 227 each have an outer surface 242 in which two
spaced openings
238 and 240 are located. These openings are configured to extend through the
outer surface 242
to the cavity 231. Each of the light sources 206 and 208 are positioned at the
cavity 231 such
that the two leads 234 and 236 of each of the light sources 206 and 208 extend
through the
openings 238 and 240 to securely mount the lights 206 and 208 in the housings
226 and position
the leads for connection to various electrical components of the hat.
[00158] In this manner, the light holder 200 serves as a mounting frame for
the LED light
sources 206 and 208 so that after the light holder 200 is attached to the brim
116, assembly of the
LEDs 206 and 208 to the brim, and of the wiring harness to the LEDs 206 and
208 can be done
in a relatively straightforward and simple manner. To this end, after the
light holder 200 is
secured to the brim 116, the LEDs 206 and 208 are fit into the cavities 231 of
the housing
portions 222 and 224 and protrusions 225 and 227 so that their leads 234 and
236 extend out
through the rear openings 238 and 240 for being connected to the wiring from a
switch and
power source, such as a battery pack carried in the crown portion along the
lower sweatband
thereof.
[00159] In one embodiment and referring to FIGS. 10-13A, the light holder
200 may be
attached to the brim 116 of the lighted hat and fixed to provide illumination
in a direction
forwardly and below the brim. Alternatively, the light holder 200 may be fixed
to provide
illumination in other directions below the brim including away from the
wearer, a backward
direction toward the wearer, a side direction, or a combination thereof. The
brim 116 may
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include a shape retentive brim member or insert 287 having an upper major
surface 286 and a
lower major surface 288 with an upper brim covering material 290 extending
over the upper
brim major surface 286 and a lower brim covering material 291 extending over
the lower brim
major surface 288. In the example of FIGS. 10 and 11, the light holder 200 can
be attached to
the lower brim covering material 291 in a fixed orientation so as to provide
illumination
forwardly and downwardly from below the brim 116 while still remaining largely
undetectable
and unnoticeable by individuals viewing the hat 110 because it is mounted to
be substantially
covered by the brim covering material 291 between the lower surface 288 of the
insert 287 and
the covering material 291. Alternatively, the light holder 200 may be fixed to
different locations
at the brim to provide a variety of different configurations for providing
illumination.
[00160] In the illustrated example of FIGS. 10 and 11, the light holder 200
is attached to an
inside surface section 292 of the lower brim covering material 291 and is
positioned in a space
296 between the lower major surface 288 of the brim and the lower covering
material 291
created the offsets, standoffs, or protrusions 225 and 227 spacing the
material 291 from the more
rigid insert 287. To this end, the brim covering material 291 has spaced
openings 294 and 295
(FIG. 5) to receive each of the spaced housings 226 extending therethrough.
The lower surface
210 of the mounting base 202 may be secured to the inside 292 of the lower
brim covering
material 291 by adhesive, staples, Velcro, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic
welding, or other
fastening mechanisms. So configured, the light holder 200 is positioned on the
inside section
292 of the lower brim covering material 291 such that the annular housings 222
and 224 and the
light sources 206 and 208 at least partially extend through the openings 294
and 295,
respectively, to provide illumination in a generally forward and downward
direction away from
the brim lower major surface 288 to illuminate an area that is at a relatively
close distance from
the wearer as described above.
[00161] By mounting the light holder 200 to the inside surface 292 of the
lower brim
covering material 291 as discussed above, the natural thickness of the brim
116 is substantially
maintained and thereby allows the brim 116 to maintain its natural and
streamlined appearance
of a typical baseball type cap. The housings 222 and 224 and light sources 206
and 208 may
extend only a short distance through the openings 294 and 295 so as to
adequately provide
illumination while still remaining substantially concealed to third party
viewers and not
interfering or blocking the line of vision of the wearer. In this
configuration, the lens outermost
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curved cap portion 232 of the LED light sources 206 and 208 are only minimally
exposed at the
exterior of the brim 116 to allow for a direct beam of illumination to
illuminate an area below the
brim 116. This configuration allows for direct illumination to be provided
without the use of any
reflectors or diffusers.
[00162] The protrusions 225 and 227 extending from the upper surface 212 of
the light
holder 200 contact portions of the lower major surface 288 of the insert 287
of the brim 116 to
form the brim space 296 located between the lower brim covering material 291
and the lower
major surface 288 of the brim insert 287. By using the light holder 200 to
form and/or maintain
the brim space 296, the hat 110 advantageously includes a space sized to allow
wires, electrical
connections, circuit boards, and other conductive paths and electronic
components to be housed
within the space 296. For example, the interior brim space 296 can be used to
connect a power
source to the switch or switches and/or light sources and at the same time be
concealed from
view. In one example, leads 234 and 236 of the light sources may extend out of
the protrusion
225 and be connected by a conductive path to a switch that is disposed to the
brim 116 or a
battery or power source disposed in the brim or elsewhere on the light hat
110, such as within a
sweatband of the hat 110. The height of the annular protrusions 225 and 227
are short enough
(e.g., approximately lmm) to provide a relatively small brim space 296 with
just enough room to
house all the necessary electrical connections to provide proper functioning
of the light sources
while still maintaining the streamlined appearance of the hat 110 and, at the
same time, not
substantially altering the natural thickness of the brim 116. In this regard,
since hat brims are
typically curved upwardly toward their lateral center if the light holder 200
is centered under the
hat brim, the space added to be brim thickness by space 296 will be
insignificant as the brim still
will have portions thereof that extend below the bottom of the brim space 296
particularly along
the brim outer side portions, and thus will not be very noticeable at all to
third parties.
[00163] In another example and referring to FIG. 12, the light holder 200
may also be
attached directly to the lower major surface 288 of the brim insert member 287
rather than the
inside surface 292 of the lower brim covering material 291. With this
approach, the shape-
retentive brim member 287 may have an opening 289 creating a passageway or
slot to receive
the projections 225 and 227 so that the base 202 and an upper surface 212
thereof may sit flush
against the lower surface 288 of the brim 116. In this instance, the standoff
projections 225 and
227 would engage the upper brim covering material 290 to create a space
between the material
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290 and the insert 287 for receipt of electrical components, such as wiring,
therein. In this
example, the light holder 200 may be attached to the lower major surface 288
of the brim 116 by
adhesive, sewing, stitching, staples, ultrasonic welding, heat welding, or
other fastening
mechanisms.
[00164] In another example and referring to FIG. 13A, the light holder 200
may be attached
to an outside surface 293 of the lower brim covering material 291 rather than
the inner surface
292. By using this approach, the upper surface 212 of the mounting plate may
be attached to the
brim covering material 291 by an adhesive, staples, Velcro, sewing, stitching,
ultrasonic welding,
or other fastening mechanisms. The brim covering material 291 may have the
openings 294 and
295 that provide a passageway from a location underneath the brim 116 to a
location above the
brim covering material 290 for receipt of the protrusions 225 and 227. The
protrusions or
standoffs 225 and 227 function much the same way as previously described to
create space
between the brim insert 297 and the lower covering material 291 for the wiring
harness and, if
desired, other electrical components, such as a switch. When the light source
206 or 208 is an
LED, the leads 234 and 236 thereof may extend through the openings 294 and 295
respectively
to contact the electrical connections and other conductors that are located
above the lower brim
covering material 291.
[00165] In another embodiment and with reference to FIGS. 13B-13D, the
upper surface 212
of the mounting base 202 can be free of the protrusions or standoffs 225 and
227 and instead
have a flat configuration. In this form, the openings 238 and 240 for the
leads 234 and 236 may
be formed in the upper surface 212 of the mounting base 202. A single opening
for the leads 234
and 236 can also be utilized. Thus, the mounting base 202 can be installed
relatively flush to the
outside surface 293 of the brim covering material 291. The leads 234 and 236
can extend
through the openings 294 and 295 in the covering material 291 to contact the
electrical
connections and other conductors that are located above the lower brim
covering material 291.
[00166] Alternatively, this embodiment of the light holder may be installed
as described
above, with the mounting base 202 between the covering material 291 and the
brim insert
member 287. In such form, the upper surface 212 of the mounting base can sit
flush against the
brim insert member 287 without the opening 289 in the brim insert member 287
for receiving the
protrusions 225 and 227.
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[00167] To provide illumination to a reading distance, the light holder 200
may be attached to
the brim 116 and, in particular, the lower brim covering material 291 at a
variety of locations
relative to the brim perimeter edge 129. In one embodiment and referring to
FIG. 14, the light
holder 200 is remotely spaced from the perimeter edge 129 of the brim 116. In
this example, the
light holder 200 may be positioned on the brim 116 at an approximately a
central position
relative to a length and width of the brim 116. In another example, the length
of the brim may be
approximately 80 millimeters between the rear edge 27 and the front edge 129
along the brim's
fore-and-aft axis B and the light holder 200 is positioned such that the light
sources are spaced
approximately 25 millimeters to approximately 28 millimeters from the front
perimeter edge
129. The housings 222 and 224 holding the light sources 206 and 208 may be
spaced a distance
of approximately 35 millimeters to approximately 65 millimeters from one
another and canted
downward at an angle of approximately 15 degrees to approximately 40 degrees
from the plate
axis P of the mounting base 202. In this example, the light sources 206 and
208 are preferably
LEDs each having a light cone 121 of approximately 20 degrees to approximately
40 degrees. In
one example and still referring to FIG. 14, the light sources are spaced a
distance of
65 millimeters and have light cones of 40 degrees. This configuration will
provide optimal
illumination at a distance of about 3 inches to about 30 inches from the light
sources which is a
distance just past the perimeter edge 129 of the brim 116 to a normal reading
distance of a
wearer. As shown in FIG. 14, the 40 degree light cones will generally overlap
at a point 0 that is
about 3 inches to about 8 inches from the light sources. At a distance less
than about 3 inches
from the light sources, dark shadows or dark, unlit areas are present between
the light cones 121
that cause portions of objects viewed within that distance to be generally un-
illuminated. It will
be appreciated that the above dimensions and distances are only exemplary and
can be varied as
needed for particular applications. In addition, the light holder 200 could be
configured to carry
only one light source or more than two light sources.
[00168] Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 14, the high beam light source 34,
130 as described
above may be attached adjacent to or at the perimeter edge 129 and be used in
combination with
the light sources 206 and 208 received in the light holder 200. The high beam
light source 34,
130 may be positioned to extend from the perimeter edge 129 of the hat brim
116 to direct light
forwardly of the wearer. By one approach, the high beam light source 34 may
also be canted
relative to the brim axis B at a cant angle 02, but is canted over a smaller
angle 02 than the light
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sources 206 and 208 carried by the light holder 200. For example, the high
beam light 34, 130
may be canted 0 degrees to about 15 degrees downwardly from the axis B, and
preferably about
degrees to about 15 degrees. By one approach, the LED 34, 130 is positioned at
the centerline
of the brim 116. More specifically, the high beam light 34 may be a 20,000 MCD
light emitting
diode having about a 15 degree to about a 20 degree light cone that is canted
downwardly from
the brim fore-and-aft central axis B by about 5 degrees. Together, the high
beam light source 34,
130 and the light sources 206 and 208 received in the light holder 200 may
project illumination
to different distances in a similar manner as described above.
[00169] In another embodiment and referring now to FIG. 15A, an alternative
light holder
300 is shown that includes a mounting base 302, similar to the mounting base
202 described
above, with two holder portions 304. The holder portions 304 may include stand
offs or
protrusions 325 and 327 on one side of the mounting base 302 and housings or
modules 322 and
324 on an opposite side of the mounting base 302 extending from a lower
surface 310 of the
mounting plate, similar to the holder 200 described above. The protrusions 325
and 327 and
housings 322 and 324 are preferably laterally spaced from one another. The
housings 322 and
324 may each have a body 336 having an interior sized to each hold and receive
two separate
light sources 306 and 308, where the light sources are preferably LEDs. By one
approach, each
body interior includes two cavities 331 that are each sized to receive one
LED. Also, similar to
the light holder 200 described above, each of the protrusions 325, 327
includes two openings
(not shown) for each LED, so that a total of four openings extend through the
housing 322 and
324 to the cavity 331, to receive the leads of the LEDs 306 and 308. The four
openings will be
configured to each receive a lead from the two LEDs 306 and 308 that are
received in each
housing 322, 324. The leads pass through the openings to an area that is
exterior of the light
holder 300 where the leads can then be electrically connected to a switch,
circuit board, power
source or other component by an electrical connection therebetween, such as
wiring, traces, or
other electrical paths. This configuration allows the housings 322, 324 to
each receive and hold
two or more LEDs in an orientation to direct beams of illumination in a
forward and/or
downward direction below the brim 116. Each housing portion 322 and 324 can
fixedly hold
one LED oriented to be the high beam light source such as at a small cant
angle relative to the
brim axis B, e.g. 10 degrees, with the other LED being fixedly held so that it
is oriented to be the
low beam or look down light source, e.g. at a 25 degrees cant angle to the
brim axis B. In this
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manner, the low beam and high beam create a stereo effect for providing
enhanced depth
perception due to their spacing from each other across the base 302 in the
spaced housing
portions 322 and 324. Alternatively, each housing portion 322 and 324 can be
configured so that
they hold the LEDs in only one orientation, i.e., either high beam or low
beam, both housing
portions can be configured so that they all hold their respective LEDs therein
at the same
orientation such as in the low beam orientation, or the housing portions 322
and 324 can be
configured so that each LED directs light along a different axis with respect
to the brim axis B.
[00170] In another embodiment and referring now to FIGS. 15B-15J, an
alternative light
holder 350 is shown that is similar to the light holder 300 described above.
The light holder 350
includes a mounting base 352 similar to the mounting base 302 described above
having an upper
surface 353 and a lower surface 354 and a fore-and-aft axis P. Two holder
portions 355 extend
downwardly from the lower surface 354. The holder portions 355 may include
housings or
bezels 360 and 361 spaced from each other and extending from the lower surface
354 of the
mounting base 352. The bezels 360 and 361 may each have a body 370 with a neck
portion 371
that extends away from the mounting base 352 and an angle thereto to space at
least a portion of
the body 370 from the mounting base 352 and create an undercut between the
neck portion 371
and the mounting base 352. The body 370 is sized to receive and hold two
separate light sources
372 and 373, where the light sources 372 and 373 are preferably LEDs. As
previously described,
the LEDs can project a cone of light along an axis. In one form, the LED 372
can be a 5mm
LED for projecting an approximately 10-15 degree cone of light, having an
energy level of
approximately 20,000 MCD, and the LED 373 can be a 3mm LED for projecting an
approximately 40 degree cone of light having an energy level of approximately
10,000 MCD;
however, other LED sizes can also be used. The body 370 can include two
distinct cavities 381
and 382 that are each sized to receive a LED with a dividing wall 383
separating the cavities 381
and 382 The cavities 381 and 382 have a common outer wall 370a extending
therearound. The
common outer wall 370a includes a first cavity annular wall portion 381a
extending about the
first cavity 381 and second cavity annular wall portion 382a extending about
the second cavity
382. As mentioned previously with respect to other light holder embodiments,
the LEDs can be
recessed within the cavities 381 and 382 to block incident light from the LED.
[00171] In one form, the first cavity annular wall portion 381a has an
inner diameter that is
larger than the inner diameter of the second cavity annular wall portion 382a.
In one form, the
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inner diameter of the first cavity inner wall portion 381a is about 5 mm, and
the inner diameter
of the second cavity inner wall portion is about 3 mm; however, other
diameters could also be
used. As previously mentioned above, in one form, the cavity 381 and LED
therein for the high
beam illumination is larger than the cavity 382 and LED therein for the low
beam illumination.
This larger size allows for generally brighter illumination as well as
illuminating farther
distances from the light holder 350 when compared to a smaller LED. For
instance, the large
LED can be a 20,000 MCD light source, with the small LED being a 10,000 MCD
light source;
however other LED energy levels could also be used. Furthermore, the smaller
LED is both
thinner and shorter than the larger LED. The shorter length allows the smaller
LED, which is
canted at a greater angle relative to the mounting base axis P than the larger
LED, to be received
within the body 370 of the bezels 360 and 361 while allowing the body 370 to
have a streamlined
appearance. The openings 384 and 385 corresponding to the larger and smaller
cavities 381 and
382 can also be larger and smaller, respectively. For example, the larger and
smaller cavities
381 and 382 can have a substantially constant diameter. In another form, the
cavities 381 and
382 can have substantially the same diameter as the LEDs received therein
(FIGS. 151 and 15J).
[00172] The cavities 381 and 382 of each of the bezels 360 and 361 can have
different angles
of inclination relative to the fore-and-aft axis P of the mounting base 352.
For example, one
cavity 381 can fixedly hold one LED oriented to be the high beam light source,
while the other
cavity 382 can fixedly hold one LED oriented to be the low beam light source
so that the bezel
360 projects two cones of light from the LEDs at different angles of
inclination relative to the
axis P, as described above.
[00173] As shown in FIGS. 15F and 15G, the first and second cavity annular
wall portions
381a and 382a can have different the outer profiles. The first and second
cavity annular wall
portions 381a and 382a have rearward ends 381b and 382b and forward ends 381c
and 382c. In
the illustrated form, the second cavity annular wall portion 382a projects
away from the
mounting base 352 at a generally constant angle of inclination so that the
wall portion 382a has a
varying predetermined height from the mounting base 352, and the first cavity
annular wall
portion 381a has a curved profile at the rearward end 381b and a generally
constant height
extending from the from the rearward end 381b to the forward end 381c. As
such, more of the
first cavity annular wall portion 381a projects beyond the second cavity
annular wall portion
382a at or adjacent the rearward ends 381b and 382b than at the forward ends
381a and 382c.
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The annular wall portions 381a and 382a have heights relative to the mounting
base 352 that
generally conform to the angles of inclination of the first and second
cavities 381 and 382.
[00174] In another form, the annular wall portions 381a and 382a can have
the same outer
profiles, so that the common outer wall 370a has a consistent outer profile.
In this form, the
cavities 381 and 382 can each have the same inner diameter for receiving the
same sized LED,
while maintaining different angles of inclination as described above. In
another form, the
cavities 381 and 382 can be oriented to have the same angle of inclination.
[00175] In one form, the two bezels 360 and 361 extend from the mounting
base 352 having
a generally mirrored configuration such that the smaller and more downward
oriented cavities
382 and the LEDS therein are located outboard of the larger cavities 381 and
the LEDs therein.
However, the smaller LEDs could also be inboard of the larger LEDs.
Furthermore, the larger
LEDs could be configured to be the low beam LEDs with the smaller LEDs
configured to be the
high beam LEDs. Thus, when the two bezels 360 and 361 extend from the mounting
base 352,
the light holder 350 has four total LEDs for providing illumination to areas
both near and far. By
way of a non-limiting example, the high beam LED 372 can be oriented to have
an angle of
inclination X of about 7-7.5 degrees from the mounting base axis P, while the
low beam LED
373 can be oriented to have an angle of inclination Y of about 25-40 degrees
from the mounting
base axis P. These angles of inclination are merely illustrative and not
limiting; other angles of
inclination could also be used. By having both the high beam and low beam LEDs
received
within the light holder 350, the brim 116 can be free of LEDs mounted at the
perimeter edge or
upper surface thereof, thereby providing for a more concealed and streamlined
appearance of the
hat.
[00176] In another form, the light holder 350 can include a single bezel
360 mounted along
the mounting base axis P. The bezel 360 can include two cavities 382, each
canted and sized to
receive a low beam LED 373 similar to the above, so that the bezel 360 can
project two cones of
light downwardly at approximately 25 degrees relative to the mounting base
axis P. Of course,
other angles of inclination could also be used. In other forms, the single
bezel 360 can be used
with the various approaches mentioned above having different cavity sizes,
angles of inclination,
or combinations thereof. The mounting base 352 could also include more than
two bezels.
[00177] The bezels 360 and 361 each include two distinct openings 384 and
385 in the upper
surface 353 of the mounting base 352 that each correspond to the two distinct
cavities 381 and
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382 of each of the bezels 360 and 361. The two openings 384 and 385 are
configured to receive
the leads from each of the two LEDs that are received in the cavities 381 and
382 of each of the
bezels 360 and 361. The leads pass through the openings 384 and 385 to an area
exterior to the
light holder 350 where they can be electrically connected to a switch, circuit
board, power source
or other component by an electrical connection therebetween, such as via
wiring. The openings
384 and 385 may each include a dividing rib 384a and 385a therein that bisects
each of the
cavities 381 and 382 adjacent the corresponding opening 384 or 385 for keeping
the leads of the
LED within the cavity 381 or 382 separate to provide for easier coupling to
the wiring of the
electrical components. The upper surface 353 of the mounting base 352 is
generally flat so that
the upper surface 353 can sit relatively flush to the brim insert 287 or the
covering material 291,
depending on whether the light holder 350 is installed on the outside of the
covering material 291
or the inside of the covering material 291.
[00178] Alternatively, the mounting base 352 can also include a plurality
of standoff ribs 388
extending from the upper surface 353 of the mounting base 350. These ribs 388
can aid in
spacing the upper surface 353 of the light holder 350 from the surface of the
brim 116 to which
the light holder 350 is mounted. By spacing the light holder 350 from the
mounting surface of
the brim 116, the leads from the LEDs and any electrical connections thereto
can run along the
upper surface 353 of the mounting base 352 between the light holder 350 and
the brim 116. The
ribs 388 can be relatively the same height as the electrical wires that
connect to the light holder
350; however, the ribs 388 can also have greater heights to create larger
spacing for
accommodating additional adhesives or other materials between the light holder
350 and the
brim 116. The generally flat surface configuration of the upper surface 353 of
the mounting base
350 and/or the standoff ribs 388 are not limited to the embodiment of light
holder 350 and can be
applied to other light holder embodiments described herein.
[00179] The features and configuration of the light holder 350 described
above may be used
in combination with other light holder embodiments described herein.
Furthermore, the light
holder 350 may be mounted to the brim 116 in the variety of ways described
herein with respect
to other light holder embodiments, such as internally with the mounting base
352 between the
covering material 291 and the brim insert 287 (FIG. 15D) or externally with
the covering
material 291 between the mounting base 352 and the brim insert 287 (FIG. 15E).
As shown in
FIG. 15D, when the mounting base 352 is mounted between the covering material
291 and the
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brim insert 287, the covering material 291 includes at least one opening 371a
sized to receive the
body 370 and neck portion 371 therethrough. The covering material 291 can
include multiple
openings 371a to accommodate a light holder 350 with multiple bezels 360 or
361.
[00180] In another example and referring to FIGS. 16-20, a lighted hat 412
is shown having a
brim 416 with a covering portion or mounting patch 400 extending along a
section of the brim
416 to provide a discrete surface to which the light holder 200 can be
mounted. The mounting
patch 400, therefore, may be provided on the lower brim covering material 291.
The mounting
patch 400 may be slightly larger than the footprint of the light holder 200
described above to
provide a surface on which the entire mounting base 202 can be received. In
one example, the
mounting patch 400 may be an elongate area having a racetrack configuration of
embroidered
stitching, one or more additional fabric layers, or one or more fabric layers
having an elongate
embroidered portion thereon. Preferably, the mounting patch 400 is embroidered
stitching
extending through the covering material 291 to form the covering patch portion
400 on both
sides of the lower brim covering material 291. In another example, the patch
400 may be silk
screen paint, an ironed on patch, a double layered fabric or paper material,
or any other material
creating a larger, rougher, or stiffer portion of the brim 416. The patch 400
may be stitched to
the fabric material 291 to form a thicker portion of the brim 416, but still
be in a thin or flat
configuration thereby allowing the lighted hat 412 and specifically the brim
416 of the hat 412 to
maintain its natural streamlined appearance. For example, the thickness of the
lower layer 291
of fabric material can be approximately less than 0.5 mm and the thickness of
the embroidered
patch portion 400 can be approximately 1 mm.
[00181] Preferably and as shown in FIG. 17, the mounting patch 400 is
formed of
embroidered stitching that forms an outer surface 404 with a stiffened,
textured, or roughened
surface characteristics formed via a plurality of adjacent and tightly packed
stitches, needlework,
other stitching to form the patch 400 thereof of yarn or thread. The outer
surface 404 can include
alphanumeric or graphical content, such as a logo or insignia to mark the name
of a company or
producer of the product. The stitching of the embroidery preferably extends
through the fabric
291; thus, the mounting patch 400 also has an embroidered inner surface 406
that can include
similar tightly packed stitches, needlework, or other stitching to form an
inner stiffened, textured,
or roughened surface consistent with the characteristics of embroidery or
other needlework or
stitching techniques. The inner surface 406 sits below and spaced from a lower
major surface
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408 of the brim 416 and provides an enhanced mounting surface for receipt of
the light holder
200 described above. The textured inner surface 406 may provide more stability
for attaching
the mounting base 202 of the light holder 200 thereby creating a more secured
attachment to the
covering material 291 of the brim (which is preferably fabric) to prevent
against any unwanted
shifting or sliding of the light holder 200 during operation. By
way of example, the
embroidered stitching can have a stitch density of approximately 1800 stitches
per square inch
with threads that arc approximately 0.005 inch thick.
[00182] The
light holder 200 may be attached to the inner or inward oriented surface 406
of
the mounting patch 400 by adhesive, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding,
heat welding, or other
fastening mechanisms. In one example, the light holder 200 is attached by
adhesive 405, such as
a hot melt glue or cyanoacrylate, placed between the lower surface 210 of the
mounting base 202
and the inner surface 406 of the mounting patch 400 to provide a secure
attachment between the
light holder 200 and the preferable fabric material covering the brim, as best
shown in FIG. 18.
Commonly, material used for the brim covering material 291 in baseball style
hats is a fabric that
tends to have wicking properties that transfer liquids or fluid through the
material by the process
of capillary action. Thus, if liquid adhesive is used to mount the light
holder 200 directly to the
fabric, the adhesive (which may be heated to a generally liquid state for
fastening the light holder
200 to the brim covering material 291) will also wick through the brim
covering material 291
and transfer by capillary action through the material 291 to an outer section
of the brim covering
material 291 that generally corresponds to the area that the light holder 200
is attached to. This
may result in an undesirable stain or blemish on an outside section of the
brim covering material
291.
[00183] The
mounting patch 400, on the other hand, provides a surface to mount the light
holder 200 that is configured so that the adhesive will generally not wick
therethrough or is thick
enough so that the adhesive cures or solidifies before is reaches the outer
surface 404 thereof. In
one example, the mounting patch 400 may be a non-wicking thread, yarn, paper,
or other fabric
material, such as the tightly stitched embroidered patch, which is effective
to keep the outer
surface 404 generally free of the adhesive such that there are no stains or
blemishes on the outer
surface 404 or another outside section of the brim covering material 291. The
patch 400 may
also be thicker than the brim covering material 291 or have multiple layers so
as to block the
liquid adhesive from passing through the material 291 to the outer surface
404. If the surface
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400 is thicker than the brim material 291, as mentioned above, the adhesive
may harden and cure
before it has time to reach the outer surface 404. Moreover, in the example
where the light
holder 200 is sewn or stitched to the brim, use of the mounting patch 400 may
adequately
conceal the sewing marks or stitching on the outer surface 404 due to its
increased thickness
thereby presenting a more aesthetic appearance.
[00184] The mounting patch 400 also has openings 410 and 411 sized and
arranged to allow
the housings 222 and 224 of the light holder 200 to pass therethrough to a
location below the
brim 416. The light holder 200 may be attached to the patch 400 where the
lower surface 210 of
the mounting base 202 engages with the inner surface 406 of the patch 400 and
is attached
thereto by the thin layer adhesive 405 described above (FIG. 18) so as to
allow the brim 416 to
maintain a thin and natural appearance. The openings 410 and 411 may be
aligned with brim
covering openings 294 and 295 thereby providing a complete passageway from an
area located
in the brim 416 (from the brim space 296) to an area located exterior and
below the brim 416.
This configuration allows the annular housings 222 and 224 to pass at least
partially through
both the openings 294 and 295 and the openings 410 and 411 so as to allow
illumination to be
provided from the light sources 206 and 208 secured in the annular housing 222
and 224.
[00185] Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, the brim 416 may also include an
activation switch
441 mounted thereto. The brim covering material 291 may also include a switch
covering
portion 414 that may include features and characteristics similar to the
mounting patch 400
discussed above. By one approach, the switch covering 414 may be generally
circular and sized
to overlap the activation switch 441 contained within the brim and covered by
the brim fabric
291. The switch covering 414 may be formed by embroidered stitching that
extends through the
brim material 291 to form an inner surface 417 and an outer surface 418 (on
opposite sides of the
lower brim cover material 291) that both have textured or roughened surfaces
similar to those
discussed above with the patch 400. In this example, the activation switch 441
may be a push-
button switch having an actuator in the form of a plunger capable of being
depressed to activate
at least one light source to an illuminated state. The plunger may be
depressed again to
deactivate a light source that is currently in the illuminated state or to
change the state of any
other light source that is in electrical communication with the components of
the lighted hat 412.
The activation switch 441 may be located between the brim covering material
291 and a lower
major surface 408 of the brim insert. Without the switch covering 414, a user
may have
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difficulty finding the location of the activation switch 441 and the plunger
thereof when the
switch 441 is covered by the brim covering material 291. This can cause a user
to push on a
portion of the brim covering material 291 that is not in general alignment
with the plunger of the
activation switch 441. In addition, a user may push the brim covering material
402 so as to
contact the plunger of the activation switch 441, however, the brim covering
material 402 will
slide across the plunger without actually causing the plunger to be depressed
since the area of the
brim being pushed is not generally aligned with the switch plunger. With the
greater rigidity
provided by the thicker, embroidered switch cover 414, perfect alignment with
the switch
plunger is less important as long as the user pushes on the switch cover 414
to shift it toward the
brim insert since the more rigid switch cover 414 will still depress the
switch plunger.
[00186] The outer surface 418 of the switch cover 414 may have a similar
textured surface as
described when discussing the outer surface 404 of the mounting patch 400. The
texture of the
outer surface 418 provides the user with an indication of the location of the
plunger of the
activation switch 441 by finger touch. In one example, a user only needs to
run a finger along
the relatively smooth brim covering material 291 until it runs across the
textured outer surface
418 thereby indicating to the user where the activation switch 441 is located.
Moreover, the
texture of the outer surface 418 provides more traction for a user's finger
making it more
difficult for the finger to slip off or shift from the outer surface 418 while
attempting to depress
the activation switch 441. Likewise, the inner surface 416 has a similar
texture as described
when discussing the inner surface 406 of the mounting patch 400. In one
example, the plunger
of the activation switch 441 is mounted in the brim 416, such as to the
insert, to be spaced from
the inner surface 417 in the brim 416. As a user presses on the outer surface
418, the brim
covering material 291 moves to contact the plunger of the activation switch
441. The texture of
the inner surface 417 provides a roughened surface to contact the plunger
thereby allowing the
plunger to be more easily depressed while keeping the plunger from sliding or
shifting away
from the brim covering material 291.
[00187] Turning to an additional example and referring to FIGS. 21 and 22,
a light holder
cover 500 may be used to help secure and/or conceal the light holder 200 to
the brim fabric 291.
The light holder cover 500 may be made of a flexible plastic or tubber
material and include
projections or hoods 502 and 504 positioned to receive the housings 222 and
224, respectively,
of the light holder 200. Each projection 502 and 504 includes an opening 506
to allow
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illumination from the light sources 206 and 208 to illuminate a distance below
the brim 116 and
near the wearer. The light holder cover 500 could also be of aluminum or other
heat dissipating
material.
[00188] The light holder cover 500 will preferably be fastened to an
outside section of the
brim covering material 291, but may be fastened to the light holder 200 or the
housings 222 and
224 thereof. For example, the light holder 200 may have slots 508 located on
the mounting base
202 and configured to receive staples. In this example, staples may be
inserted through portions
of the light holder cover 500, the brim covering material 291, and be received
securely through
the slots 508 of the light holder 200 in a sandwich assembly. Such
construction securely fastens
the light holder 200 to the cover 500 with the brim covering material 291 in a
sandwiched
configuration between the light holder 200 disposed at the inside surface 292
of the brim
covering material 291 and the light holder cover 500 disposed at the outside
surface of the brim
covering material 291.
[00189] In another example, the light holder 200 may be connected to the
light holder cover
500 by sewing or stitching the light holder 200 to the light holder cover 500
with the brim
covering material 291 sandwiched therebetween. In still another example, the
light holder 200
may be attached to an outside section of the brim covering material 291, and
the light holder
cover 500 may then be attached directly to the light holder 200 or cover 291
via an adhesive,
glue, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding, staples or other fastening
mechanisms. The rubber or
flexible material of the cover 500 helps provide a strong and flexible housing
for the light holder
200 and helps protect the light sources contained therein from damage caused
by any contact
while still allowing the light sources to provide illumination at a location
forwardly and below
the brim 116.
[00190] Referring now to FIG. 23, another embodiment of a lighted headgear
610 is shown
having a crown 612 and a brim portion 616 having light sources configured to
provide
illumination in a generally forward direction. The brim portion 616 may
contain a high beam
light source 34 disposed at a perimeter edge 629 thereof configured to provide
illumination in a
generally forward direction. The high beam light source 34, is preferably an
LED configured to
be at least partially recessed in the brim portion 616, as described above, so
as to be substantially
concealed and thereby maintain the natural and streamlined appearance of the
lighted headgear
610. A low beam light source 36 may be disposed at a location underneath the
brim 616 to
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provide illumination in a direction forwardly and below the brim 616 as
described above. The
low beam light source 36 may be LEDs received in the light holder 200 as
generally described
above. In this embodiment, the brim portion 616 and the light holder 200
thereon may be
constructed of a substantially one piece body where the holder 200 is
integrally attached or
molded to the brim portion 616. A common method of manufacturing that could be
used to
provide this configuration may be an injection molding manufacturing process.
This
configuration generally provides an integral and strong light holder 200 fused
below the brim
portion 616 to provide illumination in a direction below the brim portion 616.
In another
example, the entire lighted hat 610 may be a one piece body that includes the
light holder 200
and the high beam light source 34. This may provide added stability to the
entire hat thereby
making it more durable for a variety of different activities.
[00191] Referring to FIGS. 24-30, another exemplary form of lighted
headgear 700 is
illustrated including one or more light sources 702 configured to illuminate
in multiple
directions. The headgear 700, in the form of a baseball-type hat, is
illustrated having a crown
704 and a brim 706 projecting forwardly from a lower, forward edge portion 708
of the crown
704. In this embodiment, the hat 700 is designed to provide illumination from
the light sources
702 mounted to the brim 706, which are generally configured to direct
illumination to at least
two different directions and/or distances from the hat 700. The light sources
702 can have light
cones with a range of about 15 degrees to about 40 degrees, as discussed
above.
[00192] Similar to the light sources discussed with the previous
embodiments, the plurality of
light sources 702, which are preferably LEDs, can be configured and disposed
on the lighted hat
700 to provide illumination in multiple directions. In the illustrated form,
the brim 706 of the
lighted hat 700 generally extends in a fore-and-aft direction along a brim
axis B. The lighted hat
700 has at least one light source 703 positioned to direct light generally
along the brim fore-and-
aft axis B and at least one light source 705 mounted on the brim 706 to direct
light at an angle
relative to the brim axis B, such as along the axis T that extends downward
from and transversely
or obliquely to the brim axis B. In these embodiments, the light sources 702
are configured to
illuminate objects in areas that are different distances away from the hat
700. For example, the
light source 703 configured to emit light along the brim axis B will provide
illumination upon an
object or a location at a distance relatively far away from the wearer, such
as approximately four
feet to approximately six feet from the wearer, and the light source 705
configured to emit light
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at an angle to the brim axis B along the axis T will provide illumination upon
an object or a
location at a distance closer to the wearer, such as at a reading or working
distance of
approximately 3 inches to approximately 30 inches, without requiring the
wearer to shift his head
in any given direction. This configuration allows multiple distances to be
illuminated
simultaneously or at alternating times to thereby allow a wearer to see both
objects at a distance
and objects at a closer distance without substantial tilting or movements of
the head or of the
lighted hat 700 worn thereon.
[00193] In this form, the hat 700 includes an externally mounted light
holder or hat lighting
assembly 710 to house and/or receive at least one lower light source 705, and
preferably two
lower light sources 705, in a fixed orientation to direct light along the axis
T to an area forwardly
and below the brim 706. The external light holder 710 mounts to or adjacent an
outer lower
major surface 714 of the brim 706, so that the light sources 705 direct light
generally away from
the lower major surface 714 of the brim 706. The light holder 710 and
components thereof may
be made from a resilient and/or flexible material such as a rubber or plastic
material so that the
light holder 710 can conform and bend with the brim 706. The material used to
make the light
holder 710 may further be opaque such that light emitted from the light
sources 705 substantially
cannot pass therethrough to prevent stray light from getting into the eyes of
a wearer of causing a
glare in eyeglasses worn by a wearer.
[00194] Referring to FIGS. 24-25, the external light holder 710 includes a
mounting base 716
with an integral light holder portion 718. The mounting base 716 preferably
has a generally thin
and flat configuration, e.g. approximately 1 mm thick, to minimize the
thickness of the mounting
base 716 so that the brim 706, with the light holder 710 thereon, maintains a
generally natural
streamlined and thin appearance similar to a traditional brim. The mounting
base 716 also
includes an upper surface 720 configured to be positioned adjacent the outer
lower major surface
714 of the brim 706 and a lower surface 722 configured to face an area below
the brim 706. As
discussed in more detail below, the upper surface 720 is attached to the
outside of the covering
material extending across the lower surface of the brim. By one approach, the
upper and lower
surface portions 720, 722 are generally rectangular with rounded ends to have
a generally flat,
racetrack configuration.
[00195] In the illustrated form, the holder portion 718 includes standoffs,
offsets or ribs 725
projecting from the upper surface portion 720 (FIG. 26) and lighting housing
portions or bezels
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726 projecting from the opposite, lower surface portion 722, such as along the
axis T discussed
above. In one approach, the bezels 726 are in the form of a tubular housing
having a cavity 724
therein for the light sources 705 with the axis T extending centrally
therethrough. In one
example, the axis T can meet the brim axis B at an angle in the range of about
15 degrees to
about 40 degrees. The bezels 726 are configured to at least partially receive
and support at least
a bottom surface 728 of the light sources 705. As illustrated, the housing
portions 726 project
along the axis T to minimize the material projecting downward from the lower
major surface 714
of the brim 706 to minimize interference with a wearer's field of view.
Preferably, an inner
surface of each cavity 724 is sized and has a profile to substantially match
the shape of the light
sources 705 such as the lenses of the LED's so that the light sources 705 are
tightly held in a
fixed orientation therein. By one approach, the bezels 726 are more rigid than
adjacent portions
of the mounting base 716.
[00196] In one form, the light sources 705 are LEDs with a lens portion 730
and a radially
projecting annular flange 732 positioned rearwardly from the lens portion 730.
The cavities 724
can include an annular projection 734 followed longitudinally by an annular
groove 736 sized to
receive and hold the flange 732 of the light source 705. The projection 734 is
configured to flex
to allow the flange 732 past during installation of the light source 705 in
the cavity 724 and
thereafter to return to shape to rearwardly support the flange 732.
[00197] By one approach, the bezels 726 may have a longitudinal length such
that a wall 727
forming the bezels extends beyond the lens portions 730 of the light sources
705. In this
configuration, the light cone of the light source 705 may partially intersect
with an inside surface
735 of the cavity 724. This allows the cavity 724 to protect the light source
705 from damage if
the lighted hat 700 is dropped. Additionally, this configuration provides more
focused light from
the LED and keeps stray light from reaching the wearer's eyes and interfering
with the gaze of
the wearer because a distal end 721 of the cavity provides a blinder or
blinder device positioned
between the LED 705 and the wearer's eyes. If the wearer has glasses on, such
stray light
reaching the lenses of the glasses can caused undesirable glare when the
lights are turned on.
Alternatively, the bezels 726 may have a longitudinal length that extends
axially beyond an
illumination generating component, such as a light chip 737 of the light
source 705, but not
beyond the lens portion 730. This configuration allows the light source 705 to
provide a portion
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of more direct illumination to a location below the brim without substantial
interference or
reflection from the cavity 724 and also provides the blinder function as
described above.
[00198] The light holder 710 further includes a switch covering portion 738
(FIG. 25). The
switch covering portion 738 can be positioned intermediate of the housing
portions 726 along the
base 716 as illustrated in FIGS. 25, 27, and 29, to one side of the housing
portions 726 on the
base 716 as illustrated in FIG. 30, or other suitable locations, such as
generally in front or back
of the housing portions 726. The switch covering portion 738 can be a portion
of flexible
outwardly curved or convex material, which can be utilized to identify the
location of the hat
switch 742 and/or to provide a space into which a pushbutton actuator 740 of
the switch 742 can
be located as shown in FIG. 27. The switch 742 then electrically connects to
the light sources
705 to control power thereto. Preferably, the bezels 726 extend further down a
vertical axis V
that extends generally perpendicular to the brim axis B than the switch
covering portion 738.
Thus, the bezels 726 act as a switch guard to block in some cases, unintended
activation of the
switch because the bezel may stop an adjacent surface (such as a nested hat
brim for example)
from engaging the switch 742. This may also provide protection on sides of the
switch 742
adjacent to the housing portions 726, such as against unwanted actuation of
the switch 742 or
damage to the switch 742 from dropping the hat or the like. Alternatively, the
switch 742 can be
spaced from the light holder 710, such as discussed above.
[00199] As previously mentioned, the external light holder 710 can be of
rubber or
elastomeric material. As such, the light holder 710 can be formed by molding
which allows for
indicia, such as a company brand or product name, to be readily molded into
the lower surface
722 thereof. To this end, the switch covering portion 738 may further include
alphanumeric
and/or graphical content, such as a company trademark.
[00200] The light sources 705 disposed in the light holder 710 may be high
intensity LEDs
that output high intensity cones of light. In such an instance, the light
holder 710 may further
include a heat sink 745 therein, such as composed of aluminum, tin, or other
conductive material
to spread out the heat generated by the LEDs. The heat sink 745 may be in
thermal
communication with the LEDs and positioned around the cavities 724, sandwiched
between the
holder and brim, extending through portions of the mounting base 716, or in
other appropriate
locations in the hat brim.
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[00201] In this embodiment, the light holder 710 is attached to the outside
of the lower major
surface 714 of the brim 706, such as by stitching, staples, adhesive, welding,
or the like, and
more preferably to a outer covering material 744 disposed on the lower major
surface 714 of the
brim 706 as best shown in FIGS. 24, 26, 27, and 28. To this end, the light
holder 710 may
include a groove or channel 746 adjacent a perimeter edge 748 of the light
holder 710. The
groove 746 advantageously provides a thinner cross section through which a
needle or staple
may pass to secure the holder to the brim or, alternatively, substantially
conceals threading,
staples, or other mechanical fastening element from view because such fastener
is received
within the groove 746. Additionally, openings 750 (FIGS. 26, 27, and 28) may
be provided in
the covering material 744 through which the offsets or ribs 725 can extend so
that the holder 710
(and in particular the holder base 716 thereof) can be mounted flush to the
brim. Beneficially,
the offsets 725 can include an upper shoulder 752 configured to abut or
contact the lower major
surface 714 of the brim 707, such as to space the mounting base 716 from the
lower major
surface 714 of the brim 707. The switch 742, discussed above, can then be
positioned within this
small space provided by the offsets 725 in alignment with the switch covering
portion 738, as
illustrated in FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG. 28 provides an alternative form in which
the offsets include
a pair of spaced ribs 725, which provides a more stable engagement of the
holder 716 to the
lower surface of the brim 706. FIG. 29 provides yet another alternative form
of the offsets or
ribs 725 where an upper portion of the bezels 726 extend through the base 716
and project
beyond the upper surface 720. In this form, the ribs 725 are mounted to rear
portions of the
bezels 726.
[00202] Referring back to FIG. 24, the lighted hat 700 further includes at
least one upper
light source 754 mounted to a perimeter edge 756 of the brim 706, and
preferably a front edge
758 of the brim 706, which may include a relatively narrow cone of light, such
as about a 15
degree to a about 20 degree light cone. The upper light source 754 is
positioned to extend from
the perimeter edge 756 of the hat brim 706 to direct light forwardly of the
wearer. The upper
LED can be received in a central, forward notch of the brim 707 and be tightly
engaged
thereabove and therebelow by the upper and lower fabric covering material to
be captured
therebetween. By one approach, the upper light source 754 extends generally
parallel to the brim
axis B. By another approach, the upper light source 754 can be canted relative
to the brim axis B
from 0 degrees to about 15 degrees downwardly from the brim axis B, and
preferably 5 to 15
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degrees. More particularly, the upper light source 754 may be a 20,000 MCD
light emitting
diode having a 20 degree light cone that is canted downwardly from the brim
axis B extending
through the hat brim 706 by about 5 degrees. Together the upper light source
754 and the
downward light sources 705 received in the light holder 710 may illuminate
multiple distances.
[00203] As illustrated in FIG. 24, electrical connections 760 extend
between the switch 742,
the lower light sources 705, the upper light source 754, and a power source
762, such as batteries
mounted to the crown 704 and specifically the sweatband 764 thereof, or other
electrical
generation mechanisms. The electrical connections 760, such wiring, may be
disposed adjacent
the brim 706 or within grooves provided in the brim 706 and specifically in
the brim insert 287
or simply captured between the insert and fabric covering. So configured, the
switch 742 can be
actuated to light the light sources 705, 754 sequentially independently from
each other or
simultaneously so a wearer of the lighted hat can illuminate areas at
different distances. As
shown, the power source is in the hat crown, but this is only exemplary as the
power source may
be located anywhere on the hat.
[00204] Referring now to FIGS. 31-39, alternative configurations of
lighting on a hat brim
800 to project light to at least two different areas and/or directions are
provided. In general,
these embodiments are described with the brim 800 having an upper major
surface 802 and a
lower major surface 804, which may have an upper fabric covering portion 806
and/or a lower
fabric covering portion 808 disposed thereon, respectively. The below
embodiments are
described with respect to the positioning of one or more light sources 810 and
different brim
configurations. It is to be understood that the light sources 810 can be
electrically coupled to a
power source disposed on or within the brim 800 or other portion of the hat,
such as a crown
portion. The configurations may further include a switch electrically coupled
to the light sources
810 and the power source to control power to the light sources 810. The switch
may be disposed
on the brim 800 or other portions of the hat, such as the crown. Each of the
embodiments of
FIGS. 31-39 can be used individually, in any combination, or combined with any
of the
previously described embodiments.
[00205] In the embodiment of FIGS. 31 and 32, a pivoting module 812 is
mounted to or
adjacent the upper major surface 802 of the brim 800, may be contained within
a cavity formed
in the brim 800, or mounted about the brim 800. The pivoting module 812
includes a pivot base
814 mounted to the brim 800, and is preferably secured to or through the upper
fabric covering
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portion 806 by adhesive, stitching, hardware, welding, or the like. The base
814 rotatably or
pivotably attaches to a light module 816 through a pivot point 817 extending
generally transverse
to the brim axis B. The light module 816 includes a cavity 819 therein
configured to receive at
least one light source 818 such that the light source 818 projects light
forwardly of the module
816. In one approach, an inner surface 820 of the module cavity 819 includes a
reflective
coating, material, or layer so that portions of a light cone projected from
the light source 818
contacting the inner surface 820 are reflected back into the forwardly
projecting light beam to
project out of an opening 822 in the front of the projection portion 816. The
opening 822 may
have a transparent or translucent covering or window disposed thereacross to
provide further
protection for the light source 818. To facilitate pivoting, the brim 800 may
also include an
opening or cut-out 823 sized to allow the module 816 to pivot downwardly
therethrough, as
shown in FIG. 32. So configured, the light module 812 can be manipulated by a
wearer to pivot
up and down between a forwardly directing position, as shown in FIG. 31 above
the brim, and a
downwardly directing position, such as shown in FIG. 32 extending through and
below the brim.
Preferably, the light module 812 is configured to maintain positioning at any
desired angle, such
as by pressure fitting the pivot point 817, tightening the pivot point 817,
having a plurality of
notches or grooves cooperating with ridges between the base 814 and the module
816, or the
like.
[00206] In FIG. 33, another embodiment of a light module 824 is shown
mounted to or
adjacent the upper major surface 802 of the brim 800. The light module 824
includes a pivot
base 826 mounted to the upper major surface 802, such as to or through the
upper fabric covering
portion 806 by adhesive, stitching, hardware, welding, or the like. The base
826 rotatably or
pivotably attaches to a projection module 828 through a pivot point 829
extending generally
transverse to the brim axis B. The projection module 828 is sized to receive
one or more light
sources 810, and preferably two light sources 810 therein. Preferably, the
module 828 includes
the two light sources both facing in the forward direction, but one is
configured as a downward
light source 830 and the other is configured as a forwardly directing light
source 832. In one
form, the downwardly projecting light source 830 can be secured within the
projection module
828 to direct light in a generally downward direction and the forwardly
projecting light source
832 can be secured within the projection module 828 to direct light in a
generally forward
direction along the brim axis B. Both light sources 830 and 832 can be
oriented along the brim
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axis B with a light redirecting mechanism 834 (L e. prism, mirror, and the
like) positioned in front
of the downward light 830 to redirect light emitted from the downwardly
projecting light source
830 generally downwardly and transverse to the axis B. That is, both lights
830 and 832 project
light along the brim axis B, but the light redirecting mechanism 834 redirects
the light beam
from the light source 830 to be projected at an oblique angle to the brim axis
B. In one form, the
light redirecting mechanism 834 is adjustable to allow a wearer of the hat to
alter the direction of
illumination to a variety of distances below and/or forwardly of the brim 800.
The brim 800
further includes a window 836 of transparent or translucent material
positioned adjacent the
projection module 828, and preferably along the path of downward light
projection to allow the
downwardly projected light from the light source 830 and light redirecting
mechanism 834 to
pass through the window 836 to an area below the brim 800. As illustrated, the
window 836
extends through the brim 800 and may includes an upper brim window portion
838, a middle
brim window portion 840, and a lower brim window portion 842, where each
portion is
transparent or translucent. Alternatively, the window 836 could be a single
piece secured to the
brim 800 and the fabric covering portions 806, 808 or an opening could be
provided through the
brim 800 and/or the fabric covering portions 806, 808 to at least partially
allow the light cone
projected by the downwardly directed light source 830 to pass therethrough.
[00207] Next, FIGS. 34 and 35 illustrated yet another embodiment of a
lighted hat to project
illumination in multiple directions. In this embodiment, the brim 800 includes
at least two light
sources 810 to direct light in two different areas. Specifically, a lower
light source 844 is
mounted to the lower major surface 804 of the brim 800, such as through the
lower fabric
covering portion 808, as illustrated in FIG. 34. Alternatively, the lower
light source 844 may
extend through an opening 845 provided in the lower fabric covering portion
808, as illustrated
in FIG. 35. The lower light source 844 can be mounted generally perpendicular
to the brim axis
B to direct illumination along the axis T as shown, or can be mounted at an
angle to the brim axis
B to direct light to a more forwardly position, as discussed above. The brim
800 further includes
an upper light source 846 mounted to a perimeter 848 of the brim 800 generally
along the brim
axis B. The upper light source 846, however, may be slightly angled with
respect to the brim
axis B, as discussed above. So configured, the upper and the lower light
sources 846, 844 are
mounted to the brim 800 to provide light to different directions and/or areas
and in particular
illumination in directions that are perpendicular to each other.
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[00208] Yet another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 36. In this
embodiment, the brim 800
again includes at least two light sources 810 to direct light in two different
areas or along two
different axes. Specifically, a lower light source 850 is mounted to the lower
major surface 804
of the brim 800. In this embodiment, the brim 800 and/or the lower fabric
covering portion 808
thereof includes a downwardly projecting canopy or enclosure 852 that houses
the lower light
source 850 underneath the brim 800. The canopy 852 is preferably transparent
or translucent or
has a transparent or translucent window portions thereof so that light
projected from the lower
light source 850 can pass therethrough to illuminate an area below the brim
800. Alternatively,
the lower fabric covering portion 808 itself may be sufficiently transparent
or translucent so that
the light from the light source 850 can project therethrough. As illustrated,
the lower light source
850 is canted with respect to the brim axis B to extend along the axis T;
however, other angles
can be utilized as discussed above. In one form, the canopy 852 can be formed
of a generally
stiff material to provide protection for the lower light source 850 from
damage, such as when the
hat is dropped or stacked. In another form, the canopy 852 can be formed of a
generally flexible
material, so that a wearer can manipulate the canting of the lower light
source 850. This
embodiment further includes an upper light source 854 mounted to a perimeter
856 of the brim
800 generally along the brim axis B. The upper light source 854, however, may
also be slightly
angled with respect to the brim axis B, as discussed above.
[00209] Turning to FIG. 37, another embodiment is illustrated with the brim
800 having at
least two light sources 810 to direct light in two different areas or
directions. A lower light
source 858 is received within the brim 800 such as in a cavity or other space
therein and is
substantially concealed from view. The lower light source 858 is preferably
secured in a
downward direction transverse, and in some approaches perpendicular, to the
brim axis B, as
illustrated in FIG. 37. A light redirecting mechanism 860 (i.e. prism, mirror,
and the like) is
mounted to the lower major surface 804 of the brim 800 in a position below the
lower light
source 858 so that the mechanism 860 redirects light projected downwardly from
the lower light
source 858 to a more forward direction, such as along the brim axis B. In one
form, the
mechanism 860 can pivot relative to the brim axis B so that a user may also
redirect light from
the light source 858 to a range of areas by altering the angle of the
mechanism 860 so that the
lower light source 858 can project light into the reading or viewing area
discussed with the
previous embodiments. An upper light source 862 can additionally be mounted to
a perimeter
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864 of the brim 800 generally along the brim axis B. The upper light source
862, however, may
also be slightly angled with respect to the brim axis B, as discussed above.
[00210] In FIG. 38, the brim 800 includes at least two light sources 810
mounted to the lower
major surface 804 to direct light to different areas or in different
directions. The brim 800 and/or
the lower fabric covering portion 808 includes a downwardly extending canopy
or enclosure 866
that encloses both light sources 810 therein between the lower major surface
804 of the brim 800
and the canopy 866. Preferably, the canopy 866 may be generally wedge shaped
and formed
from transparent or translucent materials and/or includes one or more
transparent or translucent
windows adjacent each light source. In this form, the canopy includes the
light sources 810 with
a downwardly directed light source 868 that extends and projects illumination
along the axis T
and a forwardly directed light source 870 that projects illumination along the
brim axis B, as
discussed above. The light source 870 can alternatively be angled with respect
to the brim_ axis
B, as discussed above. In one form, the canopy 866 can be formed of a
generally stiff material to
provide protection for the light sources 868, 870 from damage, such as when
the hat is dropped
or stacked. In another form, the canopy 866 can be formed of a generally
flexible material, so
that a wearer can manipulate the canting of the light sources 868, 870 as
desired. As shown, the
canopy 866 is a wedge-like enclosure depending below the brim lower surface
804 to minimize
the thickness of the brim.
[00211] In FIG. 39 a pivoting light module 872 is mounted to the lower
major surface 804 of
the brim 800, such as to or through the lower fabric covering portion 808. The
light module 872
includes a pivot base 874 mounted to the lower major surface, such as by
adhesive, stitching,
hardware, welding, or the like. The light module 872 further includes a
projection module 876
rotatably or pivotably attached to the base 874 through a pivot point 877
generally transverse to
the brim axis B. The projection module 876 includes a hollow interior forming
a cavity 879
sized to receive at least one light source 878 therein. By one approach, an
interior surface 880 of
the module cavity 879 may include a reflective coating, layer, or materials
disposed at least
partially thereon so that portions of a light cone emitted from the light
source 878 that contact the
interior surface 880 are reflected to project out of an opening 882 of the
projection module 876.
The opening 882 may further include a transparent or translucent window or
covering
thereacross to provide further protection for the light source 878. So
configured, the projection
module 876 can be manipulated to a range of positions between a first position
to direct light
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generally forwardly and along the brim axis B to a second position directing
light perpendicular
to the brim axis B as well as an infinite number of positions therebetween.
This allows a wearer
of the lighted hat to alter the illumination direction of the light source
878. This can be achieved,
for example by pressure fitting the pivot point 877, tightening the pivot
point 877, having a
plurality of notches or grooves cooperating with ridges between the base 874
and the module
876, or the like.
[00212] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 40-45, a light holder 900
includes a
mounting base 902 having an upper surface 903, a lower surface 904, and a fore-
and-aft
centerline axis P. The light holder 900 further includes a holder portion or
bezel 905 that extends
away from the lower surface 904 of the base 902. The bezel 905 includes a body
portion 906
having a curved profile, such as generally banana or gun shaped. The body
portion 906 includes
a neck portion 907 that spaces at least a front end 907a of the body portion
906 from the
mounting base 902. In the illustrated form, the front end 907a projects beyond
a front end 907b
of the mounting base. Alternatively, the mounting base front end 907b can
project beyond the
body front end 907a. The body 906 includes a plurality of cavities 908 therein
for receiving a
plurality of light sources 909, which are preferably LEDs. The cavities 908
are separate from
each other with dividing walls 910 therebetween so that each cavity 908 can
receive one of the
plurality of LEDs 909 therein. The cavities 908 can be of different diameters,
so that a first or
relatively large cavity 911 can receive a relatively large LED 912 therein,
and a second or
relatively small cavity 913 can receive a relatively small LED 914 therein.
The large LED 912
can be a 5mm 20,000 MCD LED and the small LED 914 can be a 3mm 10,000 MCD LED;
however, other sizes and energy levels can also be used. In one form, the
diameter of the first
cavity 911 is about 5 mm, and the diameter of the second cavity 913 is about 3
mm; however,
other diameters corresponding to larger or smaller LEDs could also be used.
[00213] As previously mentioned with respect to other light holder
embodiments, the LEDs
can be recessed within the cavities 908 to block incident light.
[00214] In one form, the large LED 912 is the high beam light source
(similar to light source
372 described above) and the small LED 914 is the low beam light source
(similar to light source
373 described above). More particularly, the first or large cavities 911 have
a first angle of
inclination relative to the mounting base axis P, and the second or small
cavities 913 have a
second angle of inclination relative to the mounting base axis P that is
greater than the first angle
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of inclination of the first cavity 911. Thus, the LEDs received in the second
cavities 913 will
direct light in a more downward direction relative to the LEDs received in the
first cavities.
[00215] By one approach, the bezel 905 includes a common opening 916 in the
upper surface
903 of the mounting base 902 that is in communication with each of the
plurality of cavities 908
of the body 906. The cavities 908 are configured to receive the LEDs 909 with
the leads 909a
extending upwardly therefrom so that the leads 909a of the LEDs 909 extend
upwardly from
their respective cavities 908 and through the common opening 916 to an area
exterior of the
mounting base 902. The leads 909a can be connected to a switch device, circuit
board, power
source, or other electrical component via an electrical connection such as,
for example, electrical
wiring, traces, or the like. The mounting base 902 can have a generally curved
profile that is
generally complementary to the curved shape of the brim 116.
[00216] In one form, the body 906 has a common outer wall 906a extending
therearound.
The common outer wall 906a includes a first wall portion 911a extending about
the first cavities
911 and two second annular wall portions 913a extending about the second
cavities 913 and
disposed on lateral sides of the first wall portion 911a.
[00217] The first wall portion 911a and the second annular wall portions
913a have rearward
ends 911b and 913b and forward ends 911c and 913c. The second annular wall
portions 913a
project from the mounting base at a generally constant angle thereto so that
the wall portions
913a have a varying predetermined height from the mounting base 902. The first
wall portion
911a has an upstanding curved profile at the rear end 911a thereof and a
slightly downwardly
tapering profile extending from the rear end 911a to the forward end 911c
thereof. As such,
more of the first wall portion 911a projects beyond the second cavity annular
wall portion 913a
at or adjacent the rearward ends 911b and 913b than at the forward ends 911c
and 913c. The
wall portions 911a and 913a have heights relative to the mounting base 902
that generally
conform to the angles of inclination of the first and second cavities 911 and
913.
[00218] In another approach (FIGS. 43C and 43D), the common outer wall
portion 906a has
a generally flat surface portion 906b extending between two generally flat
parallel side portions
906c of the body 906, with the body having a curved rear portion 906d. The
cavities 911 and
913 can be formed as bores through the body 906 at different angles of
inclination relative to the
mounting base axis P joining at the common opening 916 as previously described
above. The
bores 911 and 913 can alternatively have separates openings at the mounting
base 902. The
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body 906 and mounting base 902 can be of a unitary construction, so that the
cavities 911 and
913 being bored through the body results in the body 906 being thicker at
areas rearward of the
smaller cavity 913 than at areas rearward of the larger cavity 911.
[00219] In one approach, the bezel 905 includes six cavities 908 with four
being the large
cavities 911 and two being the small cavities 913. Each of the six cavities
908 has a LED 909
received therein, with the large cavities 911 receiving the large LED 912, and
the small cavities
913 receiving the small LED 914. Two of the four large cavities 911 are on one
side of the
mounting base axis P, with the other two large cavities 911 on the opposite
side of the mounting
base axis P; however, other configurations are also possible. The four large
cavities 911 are
adjacent each other to create a "four-in-a-row" configuration or bank 916 of
four large LEDs 912
that is generally centered in the body 906. The two small cavities 913 are
located on opposite
sides of the bank 916 so that the small LEDs 914 are spaced from each other at
approximately
the same distance from the mounting base axis P. Thus, in this configuration,
the bank 916 of
four large LEDs 912 is sandwiched between the two small LEDs 914 to create a
six LED bank
918. Similar to the light holder 350 described above, the small cavities 913
receiving the small
LEDs 914 therein have an angle of inclination Y relative to mounting base axis
P to project the
low beam illumination at a downward angle from the mounting base axis P, and
the large
cavities 911 receiving the large LEDs 912 therein have an angle of inclination
X that is less than
the angle Y of the small cavity 913, so the large LEDs 912 will project the
high beam
illumination more forwardly than the small LEDs 914. The angles of inclination
X and Y can
vary as desired. In one form, the angle X can be about 7-7.5 degrees, and the
angle Y can be
about 25-40 degrees.
[00220] In another approach, the bezel 905 can include four cavities 908,
with two of the
cavities being the large cavities 911 and two of the cavities being the small
cavities 913, with the
small cavities 913 being outboard of the large cavities 911 similar to the
above description. In
this approach, one large cavity 911 and one small cavity 913 are on one side
of the mounting
base axis P, with the other large cavity 911 and the other small cavity 913 on
the opposite side of
the mounting base. In other approaches, the bezel 905 could include five,
eight, ten, or some
other total number of cavities 908. For instance, the bezel 905 could include
two cavities each
having a light source similar to light holder 350. In another form, the bezel
905 could include
cavities that are all of the same size. It will be understood that ability of
the bezel 905 to
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accommodate one or more cavity sizes and/or one or more cavities allows for
various
combinations of cavity quantities and cavity sizes, or combinations thereof.
Moreover, the
bezels 905 can orient the LEDs therein to direct light along a variety of
angles of inclination with
respect to the brim portion, including three, four, or more different angles,
in symmetrical and
non-symmetrical configurations.
[00221] The light holder 900 can be mounted to the brim 116 in the variety
of ways described
herein with respect to the other light holder embodiments. In one form, the
mounting base 902 is
mounted to the outside surface 293 of the lower brim covering material 291
with the brim
covering material 291 extending between the mounting base 902 and the brim
insert 287. In
another form, the mounting base 902 is mounted between the brim insert 287 and
the lower brim
covering material 291, with the covering material 291 extending over the
mounting base 902,
and the body 906 and neck portion 907 extending through an opening 920 in the
covering
material 291. The opening 920 is sized to receive the body 906 and neck
portion 907
therethrough when the light holder 900 is mounted in the manner. The mounting
base 902 can
be made of a plastic material and curved to conform to the generally curved
shape of the brim
116, or it could have a generally flat shape. However, other materials and
shapes of the
mounting base 902 can also be used as previously described with respect to
light holder 200.
[00222] As described above, the LEDs 909 each have leads 909a extending
therefrom for
connecting to various electrical components. In one form, the light holder 900
is coupled to a
power source 962 mounted to the crown portion of a hat and a switch 941
mounted to the brim
116. The power source 962 is electrically connected to the switch 941, which
are both
electrically connected to the LEDs 909 via an electrical connection 960, such
as wiring, traces,
circuit boards, or the like. The LEDs 909 can be connected in series or
parallel, or a combination
of both, depending on the desired illumination capability of the light holder
900. For instance,
the switch 941 may be configured to alternate between a full "on" state and a
full "off" state. In
such configuration, all six LEDs 909 are connected in series or parallel and
feed off a single wire
coming from the switch. In another configuration, the switch may be configured
to sequentially
illuminate the smaller LEDs 914 only, both the small LEDs 914 and large LEDs
912, and then
the large LEDs 912 only. In such a configuration, the small LEDs 914 and large
LEDs 912 are
separately connected to the switch 941, and the switch 941 is configured to
activate the desired
LEDs 909 upon sequential actuations of the switch. Other configurations are
also possible, such
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as each LED 909 being separately connected to the switch 941 and/or a
different order of
activation when sequentially actuating the switch 941.
[00223] In one embodiment, the light holder 900 is coupled to two switch
devices 942 and
943 mounted to the brim 116. One switch device 942 is mounted to one side of
the brim 116
with the other switch device 943 mounted to the other side of the brim 116.
The switches 942
and 943 may be mounted to the lower surface 288 of the brim insert 287, with
the brim covering
material 291 covering the switches 942 and 943 in a manner similar to that
shown in FIGS. 19
and 20. The covering material 291 may include stitching at the location of
each switch device
942 and 943 for indicating their location. One switch 942 can be electrically
coupled to three of
the six LEDs 909 of the light holder 900, with the other switch 943 coupled to
the remaining
three LEDs of the light holder 900. Thus, in this configuration, the user can
selectively activate
or cycle through one set of three LEDs 909 by actuating the connected switch
942. The user can
similarly activate the other LEDs 909 by actuating the other switch 943.
Further alterations to
the two switch configuration are also possible. For instance, one switch 942
could be coupled to
all of the large LEDs 912 for illuminating relatively far distances via the
high beam, while the
other switch 943 could be coupled to all of the small LEDs 914 for
illuminating relatively close
distances via the low beam.
[00224] In one form, the LEDs 909 connected to the switch 942 can be red
LEDs for
producing a generally red illumination, with the LEDs 909 connected to the
switch 943 being
white LEDs for producing a generally white illumination. In this
configuration, the red LEDs
909 can be two of the large LEDs 912 mounted adjacent each other on one side
of the mounting
base axis P and the small LED 914 mounted on the same side. The remaining
three white LEDs
are the LEDs 909 on the opposite side of the mounting base axis P. Thus, for
instance, a user
can choose to use only red light at night to preserve the user's night vision
after deactivating the
illumination of the red LEDs, or the user may choose to activate the white
light for a fuller light
spectrum.
[00225] Other configurations of the order of the red and white LEDs 909 are
also possible,
such as alternating red and white from one end of the bezel 905 to the other.
Furthermore, more
than two switches 941 could be attached to the brim 116 for providing
additional control of the
multiple LEDs or a single switch 941 could be used to cycle through the
various color or
illumination states as desired. While the above description refers to red and
white LEDs, other
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colors or color combinations could also be used. For example, another color
LED could be used
to preserve night vision and another color could be used for a fuller light
spectrum. In another
form, the LEDs can be configured to project ultraviolet illumination.
Ultraviolet illumination
can be useful in crime scenes or for blood tracking while hunting, or for
producing "black light."
[00226] The various embodiments of light holders described herein can be
mounted to the
brim 116 in a variety of ways. For purposes of discussion, the light holder
200 will be
referenced, but other embodiments can be installed similarly, such as light
holder 300, 350, 900,
etc. described above. As previously described, the light holder 200 can be
mounted to the brim
116 as illustrated and described with reference to FIGS. 10-13D, such as
mounting between the
brim insert 287 and the lower brim covering material 291 or mounting
externally to the outside
surface 293 of the lower brim covering material 291. The light holder 200 can
also be mounted
externally in a variety of ways. As previously described, the upper surface
212 of the mounting
base 202 can be attached to the outside surface 293 of the brim covering
material 291 by
adhesive, staples, Velcro, sewing, stitching, ultrasonic welding, or other
fastening mechanisms.
When the light holder 200, or other light holder embodiments described herein,
is mounted
externally and on top of the covering material 291, the covering material 291
can include an
opening therethrough that is generally covered by the mounting base 202 so
that the electrical
connections of the various light holders can run between the covering material
291 and the brim
insert 287 for connecting to various electrical components such as switches,
power sources, or
the like. Alternatively, electrical connections from the mounting base 202 can
be inserted
through the covering material 291.
[00227] When the light holder 200 is mounted via ultrasonic welding, the
mounting base 202
can be made from a plastic material suitable for being ultrasonically welded.
The plastic
material of the mounting base is melted according to known ultrasonic welding
methods to create
an ultrasonic weld connection between the mounting base 202 and the outside
surface 293
similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 13A. In another form, the upper
surface 212 of the
mounting base 202 can be ultrasonically welded to the lower major surface 288
of the brim insert
287 similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 12. In yet another form, the
lower surface 210
can be ultrasonically welded to the inside surface 292 of the lower brim
covering material 291
similar to the configuration shown in FIGS. 10-11. Alternatively, the brim
portion 116 may be
free of a covering material across the lower major surface 288 with the upper
surface 212 of the
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mounting base 291 ultrasonically welded directly thereto. The ultrasonic weld
is created using
high frequency vibrations. In one form, the vibrations are applied across the
mounting base 202
so that the majority of the upper surface 212 is vibrated to create an
ultrasonic weld connection
and bond between the majority of the upper surface 212 and the mounting
surface of the brim,
such as the outside surface 293 of the covering material 291 or the lower
surface 288 of the brim
insert 287. Similarly, the majority of the lower surface 210 can
ultrasonically welded to the
inside surface 292 of the covering material 291. In another form, the
periphery of the mounting
base 202 can be vibrated to create an ultrasonic weld bond about the periphery
of the mounting
base 202. The mounting base 202 can be similarly attached or mounted to the
upper major
surface of the brim.
[00228] In another form and with reference to FIGS. 46-49D, the light
holder 200 can be
mounted to the brim portion via fasteners 1210 such as, for example, 1/4 turn
screws or other
screw type fasteners. In such a mounting configuration, the mounting base 202
of the light
holder 200 can include a plurality of holes 1212 for receiving the screws 1210
therethrough.
Plugs 1213 may optionally be inserted into the holes 1212 after fastening. The
brim portion 116
can include threaded inserts 1214 received therein that are spaced to
correspond to the spacing of
the holes 1212 through the mounting base 202. The covering material 291 of the
brim can
extend over the brim insert 287 to present a streamlined appearance with
openings 1216 therein
corresponding to the location of the threaded inserts 1214.
[00229] The fasteners 1210 can pass through the mounting base 202 and the
covering
material 291 to externally mount the light holder 200 to the outside surface
293 of the covering
material 291 so that a portion of the covering material 291 extends between
the mounting base
202 and the brim insert 287. In one form, the holes 1212 are each located
inboard of the
housings 222 and 224. In another form, the holes 1212 are each located
outboard of the housings
222 and 224. Similarly, when the light holder 200 includes only a single
housing 222, the holes
1212 can be located on opposite sides of the housing 222. This mounting
configuration could
also use a single hole 1212, or more than two holes 1212, with various
locations through the
mounting base 202 if desired.
[00230] In one approach, as shown in FIG. 49B, the threaded insert 1214 is
in the form of a
speed nut 1214a that includes a plurality of prongs 1214b extending from a
periphery of a
threaded base portion 1214c. In this approach, the brim insert 287 includes a
fastener hole 1215
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therethrough. The speed nut 1214a is located on the upper surface 286 of the
brim insert 287 at
the location of the fastener hole 1215. The light holder hole 1212 is aligned
with the brim
fastener hole 1215 so that the fastener 1210 will pass through the light
holder 200 and the brim
insert 287 to be received by the speed nut 1214, wherein the speed nut will be
drawn toward the
brim insert 287 such that the prongs 1214b grip the brim insert 287 and secure
the light holder
200. In one form, the covering material 290 extends across the brim insert
upper surface 286
with the speed nut 1214 therebetween. However, the cover material 290 could
also include holes
therethrough at the location of the fastener holes 1215 if later replacement
of the speed nut 1214
is desired.
[00231] In another approach, as shown in FIG. 49C, the threaded insert 1214
is in the form of
a press fit threaded insert 1214d. The press fit insert 1214d has a generally
cylindrical shape and
includes a pair of arm portions 1214e extending from a flange or base 1214f
thereof. The arm
portions 1214e have internal threading 1214g and a gripping external surface
1214h. The brim
insert 287 can include a recess 1215a in which the press fit insert 1214d is
received. The recess
1215a generally has a diameter that is slightly smaller than the outer
diameter of the press fit
insert 1214d so that the press fit insert is frictionally received within the
recess 1215a. The light
holder 200 is attached as described above with fasteners 1210 so that the arms
portions 1214e
will flex outward, creating a tighter fit between the insert 1214d and the
recess 1215a. In another
approach, the recess 1215a can be in the form of a through hole similar to
hole 1215 described
above. In another approach, the press fit insert 1214d can be configured to
receive a quarter turn
fastener.
[00232] In another approach, the threaded insert 1214 can be molded
directly to the brim
insert 287 during the brim molding process rather than being press-fit. In
such an approach, the
threaded inserts 1214 are disposed in the brim similarly to the press-fit
insert 1214, but without
requiring a friction connection between the threaded insert 1214 and the brim
insert 287.
[00233] As shown in FIG. 49D, in another approach, the threaded inserts
1214 can be
installed in or mounted to the mounting base 202 of the light holder 200, with
the fastener 1210
being screwed into the mounting base 202 through the brim. For example, the
mounting base
202 can include one or more posts or projections 1216 extending from the upper
surface 212
thereof. The posts 1216 can be of unitary construction with the mounting base
202, and having a
cavity or through-hole 1216a therethrough for receiving the fastener 1210
therein. The cavity
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1216 can be threaded or self tapping fasteners can be used to create the
threaded connection
therebetween. Similarly, the mounting base 212 could include the threaded
inserts 1214 rather
than the brim, or the speed nut 1214 could be disposed on the mounting base
202 rather than on
the brim. In each case, the brim insert 287 includes the brim fastener hole
1215 so the fastener
1210 can pass therethrough to be received by the threaded connection of the
mounting base 202.
[00234] In another example and with reference to FIGS. 50-57, the light
holder 200 can be
mounted to the brim portion 116 via a snap fit connection. With reference to
FIGS. 50 and 51, in
one form, the snap fit connection can include a coupling member/portion or
mounting protrusion
1220 extending away from the lower major surface 288 of the brim insert 287.
The upper major
surface of the brim insert can have a similar configuration. The brim portion
116 can include
covering material 291 extending across the lower major surface 288 of the brim
insert 287 with
an opening 1221 therein aligned with the mounting protrusion 1220 so that the
mounting
protrusion can extend therethro ugh. The size of the opening 1221 generally
conforms to the
footprint of the coupling member 1220, which in the illustrated form is
generally rectangular.
The coupling member 1220 may be integrally formed with the brim insert 287 or
can be a
separate component secured thereto. The coupling member 1220 is generally box-
shaped,
having a generally rectangular configuration. In one form, the coupling member
1220 includes
two undercut portions 1224 on opposite sides thereof for making the snap fit
connection. The
couple member 1220 can further include rounded edges 1226 to make snap fit
connection easier.
The undercut portions 1224 are configured for receiving corresponding portions
of the mounting
base 202 as and the edges 1226 are configured for being received by
corresponding portions of
the mounting base 202 for completing the snap fit connection, as further
described below.
[00235] The mounting base 202 includes an upwardly extending pair of arms
or cam portions
1230 configured to be received by the undercut portions 1224 of the coupling
member 1220.
The cam portions 1230 include inwardly extending finger or flange portions
1232 that can
resiliently flex outwardly to cam around the edges 1226 of the mounting
protrusion 1220, so that
the undercut portions 1224 can receive the finger portions 1232. The cam
portions 1230 may
have a greater height than the height of the coupling member 1220 to create a
space between the
mounting base 202 and the coupling member 1220 so that electrical wiring can
extend from
between the mounting base and the protrusion for connection to various
electronic components
described herein, such as a power source or switch. The mounting base 202 is
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mounted externally in this configuration so that the covering material 291
extends between the
cam portions 1230 and the brim insert 287. In another form, the brim insert
can include the cam
portions 1230, with the mounting base 202 having the coupling member 1220 for
creating the
snap fit connection.
[00236] In another form of snap fit connection and referring now to FIGS.
52-57, the brim
portion 116 can include a plurality of connection members or posts 1240
extending from the
lower major surface 288 of the brim insert 287. The posts 1240 are preferably
integrally formed
within the brim insert 287, but can be mounted thereto as desired. The posts
1240 can include a
rounded head portion 1242 for being received by a corresponding reception
portion of the light
holder 200. The head portion 1242 is generally wider than a base 1243 of the
post 1240 so that
the head 1242 can be secured in the snap fit connection. In one form, the brim
insert 287
includes four spaced posts 1240; however, other numbers of posts 1240 can also
be used, such as
two, three, five, six, or more. The posts 1240 can be centrally located along
the brim axis B at
center of the lower major surface 288 of the brim insert 287 for centrally
mounting the light
holder 200; however, the posts 1240 can also be located at different areas
along the brim insert
287 depending on the desired location of the light holder 200.
[00237] The mounting base 202 includes a plurality of connection member
receptors or arm
pairs 1250 extending therefrom for receiving the posts 1240 of the brim
portion 116. Each arm
pair 1250 includes two or more opposing arms 1251 with inwardly extending
fingers 1252 that
define an opening 1253 between the fingers 1252. The arms 1251 are configured
to resiliently
flex outwardly when receiving the heads 1242 of the posts 1240. The rounded
head 1242 of the
post 1240 will deflect the fingers 1252 outwardly so that the fingers 1252
will cam around the
head 1242 and snap back inwardly once the head 1242 is received above the
fingers 1252 and the
fingers 1252 align with the relatively smaller width of the base 1243 The arms
1251 have a
generally curved shape (FIG. 53C) for receiving the head 1242. In this manner,
the heads 1242
of the posts 1240 are secured within the arm pairs 1250 so that the light
holder 200 is secured to
the brim 116. The mounting base 202 will be generally spaced from the lower
major surface 288
of the brim insert 287 so that the electrical connections of the light holder
200 can extend from
between the mounting base 202 and the brim insert 287 for connecting to other
electrical
components, such as a power source or a switch. In an alternative
configuration, the posts 1240
could extend from the light holder 200 and the arms 1251 could extend from the
brim insert 287,
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or a combination of arms 1251 and posts 1240 could extend from both the light
holder 200 and
the brim insert 287 in order to ensure a proper mounting orientation.
[00238] The brim insert 287 can also similarly include a second set of
posts 1240a located off
to the side of the plurality of posts 1240 used for mounting the light holder
200. This additional
plurality of posts can be used to connect other components, such as a switch
device 1241 or other
control panel (FIG. 53B) for actuating the light source 206 mounted to the
light holder 200. For
example, the switch device 1241 could include connection member receptors 1251
for mounting
to the posts 1240a. In another form, the switch device 1241 could include the
posts 1240a with
the brim insert 287 having the connection member receptors 1251 for creating
the snap fit
connection.
[00239] In one approach, the brim insert 287 can also include covering
material 291
extending over the brim portion lower surface 288. The covering material 291
can include
openings 1280 for allowing the posts 1240 to extend therethrough. In this
mounting
configuration, the covering material 291 will extend between the brim insert
287 and the
mounting base 202.
[00240] The brim insert 287 can include a peripheral edge portion 1260 and
a thin inner
portion 1261. In one approach, the edge portion 1260 is about 2.5 mm thick and
5 mm wide, and
the inner portion 1261 is about 1 mm thick. The thin inner portion 1161
reduces the weight of
the brim insert 287 relative to a brim insert 287 having a generally uniform
thickness. The edge
1260 provides stability to the brim 116 and creates the appearance of a
uniform brim thickness.
In one approach, the brim insert 287 can further include a thick inner wall
portion 1262 adjacent
the snap fit connection for providing additional stability to the brim 116.
[00241] The upper covering material 290 can extend over the upper major
surface 286 of the
brim insert 287 for providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance of the brim
116. The covering
material 290 can wrap around the raised edge 1260 of the brim insert 287 and
across the lower
major surface 288. The edge portion 1260 can tend to space the covering
material 291 from the
lower major surface 288 of the brim insert 287. When the light holder 200 is
mounted via the
snap fit connection, the brim covering material 291 can tend to abut the
mounting base 202,
creating the appearance the brim 116 is of uniform thickness.
[00242] In another embodiment and with reference to FIGS. 58-60D, a light
holder or light
module 1300 can include a housing 1302 having a body 1303 with a fore-and-aft
centerline axis
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P with a power source 1304 and switch device 1306 mounted thereto or received
therein. The
combination of the light holder 1300, power source 1304, and switch 1306
creates a light module
assembly 1308 that can be preferably mounted to the brim 116 as a unit, and
easily removed or
replaced if necessary. In one form, the housing 1302 has a generally elongate
shape and includes
an upper portion 1310 and lower portion 1312. The lower portion 1312 can have
two bezels
1322 and 1324 extending therefrom for receiving light sources 1326 and 1328,
respectively.
Alternatively, a single bezel 1322 could be used having one or more light
sources therein, such
as one of the bezels described above. As described above with respect to other
light holder
embodiments, the light sources 1326 and 1328 can be LEDs configured to project
a cone of light
along an axis of inclination. The axis of inclination of the LED corresponds
to the axis of
inclination of the bezels that receive and orient the LEDs therein. That
various light cones, LED
sizes and power, etc. referenced above with respect to other light holder
embodiments could be
used with light holder 1300. Moreover, the bezels can take any of the forms
discussed herein.
[00243] The upper portion 1310 includes a power source compartment 1314 for
receiving the
power source 1304 therein. The compartment 1314 can include an outer door
1314a or other
covering portion for securing the power source 1304 therein. The power source
1304 can be a
plurality of disc shaped batteries, rechargeable batteries such as a lithium
ion battery or nickel-
metal hydride battery, cylindrical shaped batteries, such as AA or AAA
batteries, capacitors, or
other removable and/or rechargeable power sources. The power source 1304 is
electrically
connected to the switch device 1306 and the LEDs 1326 and 1328 by wires,
traces, circuit
boards, or the like. The switch device 1306 can be in the form of a pushbutton
switch or a slide
switch, or other suitable switch devices.
[00244] The switch device 1306 is mounted to a lower outer surface 1316 of
the lower
portion 1312 of the housing body 1303 for easy access by a user when the hat
is being worn. In
one form, the switch device 1306 is mounted to the general center of the lower
outer surface
1316; however, the switch device 1316 can also be mounted to other locations
of the housing,
such as to a front surface 1316a, rear surface 1316b, or side surface 1316c of
the housing 1302.
The bezels 1322 and 1324 also extend from the lower outer surface 1316. In one
form, the two
bezels 1322 and 1324 are located on laterally opposite sides of the switch
device 1306. The
bezels 1322 and 1324 can each include a single LED or two or more LEDs as
previously
described with respect to the various light holder embodiments. In another
form, the switch
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device 1306 can be mounted to one side of the lower outer surface 1316, with a
single bezel or
housing 1322 extending from the other side. The bezels 1322 and 1324 can be
configured to
receive the LEDs 1326 and 1328 to direct beams of light at various angles,
orientations,
intensities, colors, etc. as described above with respect to the various light
holder embodiments.
For example, the bezel 1322 could include two or more LEDs having different
angles of
inclination similar to light holder 350 described above.
[00245] The assembly 1308 includes electrical connections or wiring 1331
and/or a printed
circuit board 1332 that connect the power source 1304, the switch 1306, and
the LEDs 1326 and
1328. Therefore, the assembly 1308 does not require connection to an outside
power source or
switch to operate the assembly 1308; however, the assembly 1308 could also
include such an
auxiliary electrical connection if desired to connect to other components. The
assembly 1308
can be mounted externally to the brim 116 in the variety of ways mentioned
herein. For
example, the assembly 1308 can include a plurality of holes 1330 through the
body 1303 so the
assembly 1308 can be mounted to the brim 116 via screws and threaded inserts,
or the housing
could include the threaded inserts or similar and the fasteners could extend
through the brim 116
as previously described above with respect to other embodiments. In another
form, the assembly
1308 can connect to the brim via the snap fit connections described above. The
light holder 1300
is preferably mounted externally so that the covering material 291 extends
between the upper
portion 1310 and the brim insert 287. Therefore, the light holder 1300 can be
removed as a unit
and be changed, repaired, replaced, etc.
[00246] In one approach, the assembly 1308 can have a generally curved
shape for
cooperating with the curved shape of the brim 116. For example, the upper
portion 1310 can
have a generally convex outer surface 1310a and the lower portion 1312 can
have a generally
concave outer surface 1312a. The battery compartment 1314 can have a curved
shape to
conform to the upper portion curved lower surface 1310a.
[00247] In another approach, the light holder 1300 can include a solar cell
1350. The solar
cell 1350 can be mounted to the upper portion 1310. In one approach, the solar
cell 1350 can be
mounted to the battery compartment cover 1314a. The light holder 1300 can be
mounted to a
brim 116 of a hat via one of the mounting approaches described above with
respect to other light
holders. In one approach, the light holder 1300 is mounted externally so that
the covering
material 291 extends between the light holder 1300 and the brim insert 287.
The brim 116 can
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further have an opening 1352 therethrough having a location and shape
corresponding to the
solar cell 1350 so that the solar cell 1350 will receive ambient light through
the opening 1352.
The solar cell 1350 is electrically connected to the power source 1304 for
charging the power
source 1304. In one approach, the opening 1352 is located generally along a
fore-and-aft
centerline of the brim 116 between the crown portion and a brim outboard edge;
however, other
mounting locations could also be used.
[00248] The brim 116 can also include a cover portion 1360 having a
transparent portion
1361, such as glass or plastic. The cover portion 1360 is disposed across the
opening 1352 so
that ambient light can pass therethrough for reaching the solar cell 1350
while protecting it from
damage and providing the brim 116 with an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
The cover
portion 1360 can include upper and lower flange portions 1362 and 1363 that
are configured to
receive the brim 116 therebetween. The flange portions 1362 and 1363, as well
as the brim 116
sandwiched therebetween, can include one or more through-holes 1364 for
receiving a fastener
1365 therethrough. The fastener 1365 can mount the light holder 1300 to the
cover portion via
the threaded connections previously described herein, such as with threaded
inserts 1366
mounted to the cover portion 1360, speed nuts, self tapping fasteners screwed
into the cover
portion 1360, or the like. Similarly, the light holder 1300 could include the
threaded insert or the
like, with the fastner extending from above and through the brim 116.
[00249] Referring now to FIGS. 61-75, another exemplary form of lighted
headgear 1400 is
illustrated having a crown portion 1402 and a brim portion 1404. The headgear
includes a lower
light source 1406, preferably an LED, mounted to a lower surface 1408 of the
brim portion 1404,
and an upper light source 1410, preferably an LED, mounted to an upper surface
1412 of the
brim 1404. The brim 104 may include a brim insert portion 1405. The lower
light source 1406
can be mounted to the lower surface 1408 via a light holder 1414. The brim
lower surface 1408
may also include a brim lower covering material 1415 that extends across the
brim insert 1405.
The light holder 1414 and lower light source 1406 can be one of the various
light holder
embodiments previously described for mounting one or more light sources to a
lower surface of
a brim including both internal and external mounting configurations previously
described herein.
In one form, the upper light source 1410 is a three Watt LED having
approximately 80-100
lumens and the lower light source 1406 is one or more 10,000 MCD LEDs;
however, other
energy level LEDs could also be used.
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[00250] Turning now to the upper light source 1410, a hinge base 1420 is
mounted to the
brim upper surface 1412. The hinge base 1420 includes a generally flat base
portion 1422 and a
pair of hinge mounts 1424 extending from an upper surface 1426 of the hinge
base 1422. The
hinge mounts 1424 include holes 1428 therethrough with a central hinge axis H
running
therebetween. The generally flat base portion 1422 includes a fore-and-aft
axis P that is
generally perpendicular to the hinge axis H. The brim portion 1404 can include
upper surface
covering material 1430 extending over the brim insert 1405, and the base
portion 1422 can be
mounted externally to the upper surface covering material 1430. Alternatively,
the hinge base
1420 can be mounted directly to the brim portion 1404, with the covering
material 1430 having
an opening 1432 for the hinge mounts 1424 to extend therethrough. Moreover,
the hinge base
1420 can be mounted to the brim portion 1404 according to the previously
described mounting
methods for the other light holder embodiments described herein, such as with
adhesive, sewing,
Velcro, ultrasonic welding, mechanical connections, or the like.
[00251] The upper light source 1410 is mounted to the brim upper surface
1412 via a hinge
connection. The upper light source 1410 is received within a light holder 1438
in the form of a
"headlight style" light housing assembly 1440. The housing assembly 1440 has a
generally
elongate shape and includes a light housing member 1442 with a depending hinge
portion 1444
that is preferably integral with the housing member 1442. The depending hinge
portion includes
a hole 1445 therethrough for connecting to the hinge base 1420. The housing
member 1442
includes the upper light source 1410 mounted therein. The housing member 1442
includes
electrical connections 1446 extending therefrom. The housing member 1442
preferably includes
external threading for connecting a cover member 1450 thereto. The cover
member 1450
includes corresponding internal threading for connecting to the housing member
1442. The
cover member 1450 further includes a cone shaped light focusing and enhancing
member 1452
having a generally parabolic shape. The cover member 1450 includes a
transparent window or
lens 1454 for the beam of light to project therethrough.
[00252] The housing assembly 1440 has a central axis L along which the
upper light source
1410 is oriented. The upper light source 1440, in the form of an LED, is
configured to project a
beam of light therefrom along the axis L. Thus, as the housing assembly axis L
is pivoted about
the hinge axis H, the direction of the beam of light from the upper light
source 1410 can be
adjusted. The upper light source 1410 is mounted within the housing assembly
1440 inward of a
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forward end 1450a so that the beam of light is received by the enhancing
member 1452. The
light beam will intersect the enhancing member 1452 for being reflected
therein to provide for an
enhanced and directed beam of illumination along the axis L. In one form, the
enhancing
member 1452 is in the form of a parabolic reflector 1452a that receives an LED
1440a within a
cone or lens portion 1452b of the parabolic reflector 1452a. The resulting
beam of light 1452c is
in the form of a spot beam configured to illuminate far away distances such as
greater than 50
feet. Of course, closer distances are illuminated as well. In one form, the
LED 1440 is coupled
to a heatsink (not shown) for dissipated heat therefrom.
[00253] The light housing assembly 1440 is pivotably mounted to the hinge
base 1420 to
create the hinge connection. A cylindrical hinge member 1456 extends through
the hole of the
depending hinge portion 1444 and is secured at each end to the hinge mounts
1424 of the hinge
base 1420. The hinge portion 1444 is frictionally mounted to the hinge mounts
1424, so the light
housing assembly 1440 with the upper light source 1410 therein can be pivoted
about the hinge
axis H and held in place by the friction of the hinge connection. Therefore,
the hinge connection
allows the light housing assembly 1440 to be manually adjusted for projecting
light upwardly
from the brim portion 1404, forwardly from the brim portion 1404, or even
downwardly from the
brim portion 1404. When adjusted to the project light downwardly, the brim
1404 can block a
portion of the beam of light to shield the user's eyes while providing
illumination to areas
forwardly and downwardly from the user. In one form, when the light housing
assembly 1440 is
angled downwardly such that it contacts the brim 1404, the angle of
inclination Z between a
fore-and-aft brim axis B and a central axis L of the light housing assembly
1420 is about 12.5
degrees; however other angles of inclination could also be used. The friction
between the hinge
base 1420 and the hinge portion 1444 allows the positioning of the light
housing assembly 1440
to remain relatively stationary until further adjustment by the user.
[00254] In another form, the hinge portion 1444 could extend from the hinge
base 1420 with
the hinge mounts 1424 depending from the light housing assembly 1440 to create
the hinge
connection. In another form, the hinge connection could be in the form of a
ball-and-socket
connection between the hinge base 1420 and the light housing assembly 1440 so
that the light
housing assembly can be rotationally adjusted in addition to being pivotably
adjusted.
[00255] As shown in FIGS. 68-70, the light housing assembly 1440 and the
lower light
source 1406 mounted to the brim lower surface 1408 are electrically connected
to a power source
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1460 and a switch device 1462 mounted to the hat 1400. The power source 1460
can be
mounted to the crown portion 1402. The switch device 1462 can be mounted to
the brim portion
1404. The electrical connectors 1446 of the light housing assembly 1440 can
extend through a
hole 1447 in the brim 1440 to connect with electrical wiring 1449 for
connecting the power
source 1460, the switch device 1462, the light housing assembly 1440 having
the upper light
source 1408, and the lower light source 1406. The electrical wiring 1449 is
preferably
sandwiched between the brim lower covering material 1415 and the brim insert
1405. A
schematic of the electrical connection of the upper light source 1408, the
lower light source
1406, the power source 1460, and the switch device 1462 is illustrated in FIG.
70; however other
electrical connections could also be used.
[00256] In another form, and with reference to FIGS. 71-75, the light
housing assembly 1440
and hinge base 1420 can be removably mounted to the brim upper surface 1412
via a sliding
connection. A hinge base receptor 1470 is mounted to the brim upper surface
1412 via adhesive,
fasteners, or other known connection methods. The hinge base receptor 1470
includes a
generally flat surface or floor portion 1472 having electrical connections
1474 thereon. The
hinge base receptor 1470 also includes a pair of wall portions 1476 with
inward facing
cantilevered edges 1478. The light housing assembly 1440 is configured similar
to the above
description, with a depending hinge portion 1444 pivotably mounted to the
hinge mounts 1424 of
the hinge base 1420. In this configuration, the hinge base 1420 is mounted to
the hinge base
receptor 1470 rather than to the brim upper surface 1412. The hinge base 1420
includes a
mounting flange 1480 that corresponds to the shape of the wall portions 1476
of the hinge base
receptor 1470 so the hinge base 1420 can be slidably received within the wall
portions 1476.
The hinge base receptor 1470 will frictionally receive and hold the hinge base
1420 therein. The
hinge base receptor 1470 can further include a stopwall portion 1482 to ensure
the hinge base
1420 is properly received within the hinge base receptor 1470.
[00257] The hinge base 1420 further includes a lower surface 1484 having
electrical
connections 1486 thereon that correspond to the electrical connections 1474 of
the floor portion
1472. The hinge base 1420 is received within the hinge base receptor 1470 to
create the sliding
connection therebetween that aligns the electrical connections 1486 and 1474
completing an
electrical connection therebetween. The light housing assembly 1440 is
electrically connected to
the hinge base 1420 via a wiring harness or the like. The hinge base receptor
1470 is electrically
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connected to the power source 1460 and the switch 1462 via electrical wiring
1490. Thus, the
upper light housing assembly 1440 can be electrically connected to the power
source 1460 and
switch 1462 through the sliding connection between the hinge base 1420 and the
hinge base
receptor 1470 for providing power and actuating the operation of the upper
light source 1410, as
illustrated schematically in FIG. 75. In another form, the hinge base 1420 and
hinge base
receptor 1470 can be free of electrical contacts, with the second light source
1410 being
electrically connected to the power source 1460 and switch 1462 via an
auxiliary connection.
[00258] With reference to FIGS. 76-77, an alternative lighted headgear 1500
is provided in
the form of a visor 1502. The visor includes a head fitting portion 1504 in
the form of a band
1506, and a brim portion 1508 extending in a forward direction from the band
1506. One or
more light sources 1510 can be mounted to the brim portion via a light holder
1512. The light
holder 1512 and method of mounting can correspond to the various embodiments
previously
described herein with respect to lighted hats.
[00259] The band 1506 can include a front portion 1520 for wicking away
sweat similar to
the front portion of a baseball cap sweatband. The band 1506 can also include
a rear portion
1522 extending from opposite sides of the front portion and being connected at
the rear opposite
the brim portion 1508. The front portion 1520 has a relatively higher profile
than the rear
portion for covering a user's forehead and/or allowing for indicia to be shown
thereon. The rear
portion 1522 has a relatively lower profile for providing airflow to the
user's head and a
streamlined appearance. In one form, the rear portion 1522 is made of an
elastic material. In
another form, the rear portion 1522 can be a relatively inelastic fabric
material similar to the
front portion that has an adjustable connection such as Velcro or other rear
cap connection types.
[00260] A switch device 1530 is mounted to the brim portion 1508 for
actuating the light
source 1510. A power source 1532 is mounted to the band 1506 for providing
power to the light
source 1510.
[00261] The power source 1532 is preferably mounted to the front portion
1520 due to the
higher profile hiding the power source 1532 from view. The front portion 1520
includes a pair
of front side portions 1534 extending from opposite sides of the brim 1508.
The front side
portions 1534 are configured to extend along the side of a user's head for
providing a
comfortable mounting location for the power source 1532. For instance, if the
power source
1532 were mounted to the front portion 1520 adjacent the brim 1508, the power
source could
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press against a user's forehead and cause discomfort. The side portions 1534
include an inner
pouch 1540 having an opening 1541 for receiving the power source 1532. In one
form an
optional Velcro style fastener 1542 closes the pouch 1540 securing the power
source 1532
therein. The front portion 1520 can extend to various distances away from the
brim 1508. For
instance, the front portion 1520 can extend such that the rear portion 1522 is
minimized or even
eliminated, such that the front side portions 1534 connect to each other at
the rear of the
headgear. The pouch 1540 is preferably mounted adjacent a rearward end 1534a
of one of the
front side portion 1534. For example, if the side portions 1534 extend behind
the cars of a user,
the pouch 1540 would be located behind the ears of the user. If the side
portions 1534 extend to
the rear of the band 1506 so that they connect to each other, the pouch 1540
would be located at
the back of a user's head.
[00262] With reference to FIGS. 78-79, headgear such as a lighted hat 1600
is provided
having a crown portion 1602 and a brim portion 1604 extending forwardly
therefrom. The
lighted hat 1600 includes a light source mounted to the brim 1604 electrically
connected to a
switch device and a power source according to one of the various embodiments
described herein.
The lighted hat 1600 includes a removable covering portion 1610 extending
across an upper
surface 1612 of the brim 1604. The covering portion 1610 has a generally
curved profile having
a similar shape and curvature as the brim upper surface 1612 so the covering
portion 1610 and
brim 1604 will have a streamlined appearance. The covering portion 1610 can
include indicia or
other marking for describing or decorating the lighted hat 1600.
[00263] The covering portion 1610 is secured to the crown portion 1602 via
a pair of stakes
1614. The stakes 1614 can be made from a nylon material or other flexible
material. The stakes
1614 have opposing "T" shaped ends 1615. The covering portion 1610 includes a
pair of holes
1616 through opposite sides of the covering portion 1610. The holes 1 616 are
preferably located
adjacent the intersection of the brim 1604 and the crown portion 1610 when the
covering portion
1610 is disposed on the brim 1604. The stakes 1614 are inserted through the
holes 1616 and
further through the stitching of the crown portion 1602. The "T" shaped ends
1615 are flexible
and resilient so that they will flex when inserted through the holes 1616
and/or the crown portion
1602, and flex back to extend across the holes 1616 and or the crown portion
1610. The
coveting portion 1610 can thereby be secured to the lighted hat 1600 for
providing removable
indicia thereon. Mounting the covering portion 1610 in this manner allows for
a user to pivot the
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covering portion 1610 about the two stakes 1616 to lift the covering portion
1610 away from the
brim 1604 to view the brim upper surface 1612. The covering portion 1610 can
also be easily
removed by cutting the stakes 1614 when the covering portion 1610 is no longer
desired. While
the covering portion 1610 has been described with reference to a lighted hat,
the covering
material 1610 can also be used for other headgear such as visors, traditional
baseball caps, or the
like, with or without light and power sources mounted thereto.
[00264] A lighted stocking cap 1700 is shown in FIGS. 80A and 81-83 sized
to fit on the
head of a wearer. The stocking cap 1700 has a dome-shaped crown 1702 with a
lower hat band
portion 1704 that extends around a lower edge portion 1706 of the stocking cap
1700. In one
form, the hat band 1704 includes a section of crown material that is doubled
over and secured to
an inner surface 1705 of the crown 1702, such as by stitching, adhesive,
ultrasonic welding, or
the like. As such, the hat band 1704 includes the loop of crown material
forming an enclosed
pocket 1707 extending around the lower portion of the stocking cap 1700. The
stocking cap
1700 can be of a fabric material and can have elastic properties if desired.
[00265] The lighted cap 1700 further includes a lighting assembly 1708 that
is mounted
thereto to generally project light forwardly or more specifically forwardly
and downwardly from
the cap 1700. The lighting assembly 1708 includes one or more light sources
1710, a power
source 1712, a switch device 1714, and electrical connections 1716, such as
wires, circuit boards,
traces, or the like, extending therebetween.
[00266] Turning now to FIG. 83, the power source 1712 can be contained in a
power source
module which can include a power source housing 1718 sized to receive one or
more batteries
1720 therein. The batteries 1720 can be replaceable batteries, such as coin
cell, AA, AAA, or the
like. In this form, the housing 1718 can further include a removable or moving
door 1722, that
can pivot or slide on the housing 1718 such as via a tongue and groove
structure 1723, so that a
user can remove and replace the batteries 1720. Alternatively, the battery
1720 can be a
rechargeable battery and, as such, the housing can be sealed together against
opening, if desired.
The housing 1718 can also include a handle or loop 1724 on an end or side
thereof sized to
receive a loop of material 1726 therethrough, which can then be secured to the
cap 1700 as by
stitching. As such, the loop of material 1726 secures the housing 1718 to the
cap 1700.
[00267] The housing 1718 can further be sized to receive the switch device
1714 therein. In
the illustrated form, the switch device 1714 is a push button switch device
having a switch base
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1728 and a switch actuator 1730 that projects away from the switch base 1728
and is shiftable
with respect thereto. As such, the switch base 1728 can be disposed within the
housing 1718 and
the housing 1718 includes an opening 1732 sized to receive the actuator 1730
therethrough. The
actuator 1730 is then accessible to a user of the lighted cap 1700 to shift
the light sources 1710
between on and off configurations.
[00268] In order to protect against inadvertent actuation, the housing 1718
can include a
recessed well 1734 having the opening 1732 centrally therein. The activation
point of the
actuator 1730, i.e., the point at which the light sources 1710 are switched
between on and off
configurations, can then correspond to a location where an upper surface 1736
of the actuator
1730 is shifted from above to being below a raised surface 1738 of the housing
1718 extending
around the recess 1734 and the actuator 1730 therein. With this configuration,
the switch device
1714 cannot be actuated by pressing the housing 1718 against a flat surface,
such as could easily
happen if the cap 1700 were left on a table, for example. Instead, a user has
to at least partially
press the actuator 1730 down into the recess 1734.
[00269] Advantageously, the housing 1718 and the loop of material 1726 can
be secured and
disposed within the pocket 1707 of the hat band 1704 to substantially keep the
housing 1718
hidden from view. As such, the hat band 1704 can include an opening 1740 on an
inner surface
1742 thereof so that a user of the cap 1700 can access the housing 1718
through the opening
1740 such as for replacing the batteries 1720 disposed therein.
[00270] In order to provide lighting forward of the cap 1700, the light
sources 1710 are
mounted to a forward portion 1744 of the cap, and more specifically to a
lower, forward portion
of the cap 1700 within the lower band 1704 thereof. The light sources 1710 can
be mounted in
any of the ways described above, including, for example, the modules and light
holders mounted
to the exterior surfaces of the brim portions. In this example, the exteriorly-
mounted modules
and light holders would mount to a forward surface of the cap 1700 rather than
the brim portion
as described above. In another example as shown, the light sources 1710 are
received within a
light holder 1746 having a mounting base 1748 and one or more light holder or
bezel portions
1750, such as those described above. In the illustrated form, the light holder
portions 1750 are
each sized to receive two light sources 1710 in two distinct cavities 1752
therein. The cavities
1752 of each light holder portion 1750 extend at different angles with respect
to one another so
that the light holder 1750 is configured to orient light sources to project
light along axes that are
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at different angles with respect to the cap 1700 so that light is projected in
different directions,
such as disclosed with respect to FIGS. 15A-15H. As shown, however, the
cavities 1752 can
have the same dimensions so that the axes along which light is projected are
substantially
parallel and the light holder portions 1750 can have an elliptical cross-
section.
[00271] Next, the cap 1700 can include a mounting patch 1754, as discussed
above,
extending along a portion of the hat band 1704. The mounting patch 1754
includes openings
1756 therein sized to allow the light holder portions 1750 to extend
therethrough so that the
mounting base 1748 abuts and extends adjacent to an inner surface of the
mounting patch 1754.
The mounting patch 1748 provides a surface to mount the light holder 1746 that
is configured so
that adhesive disposed therebetween will generally not wick all the way
forwardly through the
cap band concealing the adhesive from view, but securely attaching the light
holder 1746 to the
cap 1700. The lighting assembly 1708 can then be fully received within the
loop of material of
the hat band 1704 with the wires 1716 extending between the light sources 1710
and the power
source housing 1718. This conceals the lighting assembly 1708 from view and
spaces the
assembly 1708 from the head of a wearer.
[00272] By another approach, a stand-alone patch member or appliqué 1762,
such as that
shown in FIG. 82 can be ultrasonically welded to the cap 1700, and
specifically the hat band
1720 thereof, using standard equipment. The appliqué 1762 is constructed of a
suitable material
for ultrasonic welding, such as an elastomer. Moreover, the appliqué 1762 can
include openings
1764 therein configured to align with openings in the hat band, such as the
openings 1756
described above, configured to allow the light holder portions 1750 to extend
therethrough. With
this approach, the appliqué 1762 would prevent any adhesive used to attach the
light holder 1746
to the cap 1700 from being visible. Additionally, the appliqué 1762 can have a
logo 1766 or
other indicia printed or embossed thereon for easy branding or decoration of
the cap 1700.
[00273] Another form of cap 1770 is shown in FIGS. 80B and 80C The cap 1770
of this
form includes the dome-shaped crown 1702 with the lower hat band portion 1704
and can
include the loop of crown material forming the enclosed annular pocket 1707
extending around
the lower portion of the stocking cap 1700. The lighted cap 1770 further
includes the lighting
assembly 1708, described above, mounted thereto to generally project light
forwardly or
forwardly and downwardly from the cap 1770. The lighting assembly 1708 of this
form also
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includes the one or more light sources 1710, the power source 1712, the switch
device 1714, and
the electrical connections 1716 extending therebetween.
[00274] Rather than projecting through the opening 1756 or 1764 described
above, however,
the light sources 1710 of this form are mounted to a back mounting plate 1772
that is configured
to be secured to the forwardly facing portion 1744 of the cap 1770, such as by
ultrasonic
welding, stitching, adhesive, or the like. Leads of the light sources 1710
pass through the back
plate 1772 into the pocket 1707 to electrically connect with the other
components of the lighting
assembly 1708, including the power source 1712 and the switch device 1714. The
back plate
1772 can be sized to accommodate any number of light sources 1710 thereon,
such as three as
shown in FIG. 80B, less than three, such as one or two, or more than three.
Next, a lens or
transmissive cover portion or member 1774 is mounted to the back plate 1772,
such as by
ultrasonic welding, adhesive, or the like, so that the light sources 1710 are
captured between the
lens member 1774 and the back plate 1772. So configured, the light sources
1710 are protected
against damage from water. Alternatively, the lens portion 1774 can be
integral with the back
plate and the light sources 1710 disposed therebetween. If desired, the light
sources 1710 can be
mounted to project light forwardly, as shown, or can be canted to project
light fowardly and
downwardly.
[00275] FIGS. 84 and 85 are directed to a light module 1800 that has a
housing 1802 having
a lighting assembly 1804 therein. The lighting assembly 1804 includes one or
more light sources
1806, a switch device 1808, and a power source 1810 all operably coupled
together by electrical
leads 1812 and traces on a circuit board 1814. The light sources 1806 are
received within a light
holder, which can take any of the shapes and configurations described herein.
In the illustrated
form, two central cavities 1816 have a relatively larger diameter to receive a
larger LED and the
two outer cavities 1820 have a relatively smaller diameter to receive a
smaller LED, as discussed
above. Moreover, the smaller cavities 1820 can be configured to orient the
LEDs received
therein to project their light along axes that are directed more downwardly
relative to the larger
cavities 1816, as discussed above. The housing 1802 is sized to receive a pair
of coin cell
batteries therein in side-by-side, stacked configurations. Additionally, the
switch device 1808 is
illustrated as a slide switch having an actuator 1824 configured to be shifted
laterally by a user;
however, other switches as described herein can also be utilized. In a
preferred form, the light
module 1800 can further include a back seal member 1826 that is ultrasonically
or otherwise
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secured to a brim member 1828 prior to attachment of the module housing 1802.
The back seal
member can include rolled or enlarged edges 1828 that surround the module
housing 1802. As
such, the back seal member 1826 prevents any moisture from traveling through
the brim portion
1828 and damaging the light assembly 1804. As shown, the module housing 1802
can connect
to the brim portion 1828 using screws 1830, as discussed above, or anything
other suitable
method described herein.
[00276] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of
modifications,
alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described
embodiments
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such
modifications,
alterations, and combinations, are to be viewed as being within the scope of
the invention.
