U.S. patent number 3,665,451 [Application Number 05/068,339] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-23 for head attached safety light.
Invention is credited to Constant E. Keith.
United States Patent |
3,665,451 |
Keith |
May 23, 1972 |
HEAD ATTACHED SAFETY LIGHT
Abstract
A head supported safety light device primarily for use when
riding a bike, walking alongside a dimly lighted road or traversing
a similarly dangerous area. It comprises a readily attachable
harness embodying an adjustable head encircling strap suspended and
held by a complemental bridle-like strap saddled over the wearer's
head. An encased flashlight battery is perched atop the bridle-like
strap and is cooperable with current conducting wires and a
suitable switch. These wires are passed upwardly through tubular
hingedly mounted arms which are ornamental, if desired, and which
have socket members atop the elevated upper ends equipped with
easy-to-see bulbs with or without built-in flashers.
Inventors: |
Keith; Constant E. (Theodore,
AL) |
Family
ID: |
22081926 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/068,339 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/321;
362/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21L
2/00 (20130101); F21V 33/0076 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21S
8/00 (20060101); G08b 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/6.4W,2ME,1F ;46/228
;2/171 ;340/321 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Prince; Louis R.
Assistant Examiner: Yasich; Daniel M.
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. A safety light designed and adapted for use by adults or
children when riding a bike or walking along a dark road or a
similar dimly lighted unsafe area, a head supported safety light
comprising: a head embracing harness embodying two coacting
flexible straps, (1) a head encircling strap having a forward
forehead portion, side temple bridging portions and overlapping
separably and adjustably connected rearward end portions and (2) an
inverted U-shaped bridle-like suspension and restraining strap
which is adapted to bridge over the crown of the wearer's head and
which has depending lower ends united with median portions of said
side temple portions, and complemental self-contained safety light
means characterized by a pair of vertically elongated upstanding
arms having lower ends hingedly and clampingly mounted on said side
temple portions and having upper free ends provided with
screw-threaded socket members, said socket members being provided
with readily viewable and accessible as well as removably mounted
flashlight bulbs operatively connected to power supply means, said
arms being tubular and relatively high with the socket member
normally occupying a plane well above the plane of said U-shaped
suspension strap, the upper portions of said arms being
longitudinally bowed, the lower end portions being substantially
V-shaped in side elevation and having rearwardly directed
ornamental wings, said side temple portions having outstanding
studs on which said lower end portions are hingedly clampingly
mounted.
2. The head supported safety light defined in and according to
claim 1, and in combination, said power supply means comprising a
flashlight battery, clip means for said battery removably mounting
said battery atop a median portion of said U-shaped strap, a
housing mounted on said median portion and enclosing said battery,
an off-and-on switch also mounted atop said median portion, and
current conducting wires passing through the hollow portions of
said arms and operatively connected at outer ends with the
respective bulbs and at inner ends with said switch and battery
respectively.
3. The head supported safety light defined in and according to
claim 1 and, in combination, resilient clip means cooperatively
mounted atop a median portion of said U-shaped strap, said power
supply means comprising a flashlight battery removably mounted in
said clip means, a housing detachably mounted on said median
portion and enclosing said clip means and battery, an off-and-on
switch cooperatively associated with said battery, and current
conducting wires operatively connecting said battery with
respectively cooperable flashlight bulbs.
4. A readily applicable and removable safety light structurally
designed and functionally adapted for use by adults or children
when, for example, riding a bike, walking along a dark road, or
traversing a similar dimly lighted unsafe area, a head supported
safety light comprising, in combination, a head embracing harness
embodying a circumferentially adjustable head encircling strap, an
inverted U-shaped bridle-like harness positioning and retaining
strap adapted to bridge itself across the crown of the wearer's
head and having depending lower ends structurally and supportively
united with oriented and coordinating portions of said head
encircling strap, a pair of elongated arms adapted to assume
vertical upstanding positions when in use, said arms having lower
ends hingedly and clampingly connected with coacting portions of
said straps, said arms having upper free ends provided with readily
viewable and accessible flashlight bulbs, upper portions of said
arms being longitudinally bowed, said arms having lower end
portions provided with rearwardly directed ornamental wings, a
flashlight battery, a housing mounted atop a median portion of said
bridle-like strap and protectively mounting and enclosing said
battery, an off-and-on switch cooperatively associated with said
housing and battery, and current conducting means for conducting
current from said battery to said flashlight bulbs.
Description
This invention relates to safety light devices which are designed
and expressly adapted to be attached to and worn on the head of the
user and has to do with an innovation which lends itself to
feasible use by adults or children and is characterized by a
readily applicable and removable head embracing harness, a pair of
flashlight or equivalent bulbs, and elevating and positioning means
which functions to present the lighted bulbs for use in an
efficient and reliable manner.
Intermittently actuatable safety lights which are attachable to the
head of pedestrian users are not, as is known, new in the field of
endeavor herein under advisement. Many and varied styles and forms
of head-mounted safeguarding lights have been offered for use by
others. Although several prior patents could perhaps be properly
mentioned here it will suffice for background purposes to cite only
the Samuel Campanell patent, that is U.S. Pat. No. Re 24,631.
An object of the present invention is to advance the art of
head-mounted and supported safety lights and, in so doing, to
provide an adaptation which lends itself to practical use by adults
and children and is feasible and serviceable when the wearer is
called upon to ride a bicycle or to walk along a dark road or to
traverse a dimly lighted area.
Briefly the safety light device is characterized by a readily
attachable and detachable head-embracing harness which is
conformingly adapted and can be removably attached to and worn on
the head of the wearer, said harness being provided with a
complemental self-contained source of illumination which lends
itself to readily and reliably recognizable use whether the wearer
is riding a bike, walking, or in some other manner traversing a
poorly and dimly lighted area.
More specifically the source of light or light means is
characterized by a pair of vertically elongated upstanding arms
which are supported at their lower ends on component parts of the
harness. These arms have socket members on their upper free ends
and the socket members are provided with unobstructedly viewable
and accessibly and removably mounted flashlight bulbs. These arms,
if desired, can be ornamentally designed in any one of a number of
different ways. In addition, the lower detachably and hingedly
mounted or bracketed ends can, if desired, be provided with
uniquely designed and attractive wings when, for example, the
device is worn not only for utility but fun-provoking purposes,
particularly when the wearer is a youngster.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a head attached safety
light device or appliance, for example, the ornamental style which
is adapted to be worn, as illustrated, on the head of a
youngster.
FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale in perspective with a portion
shown in section and wherein all of the essential component parts
are illustrated in oriented and coordinating relationship.
FIG. 3 is a section taken approximately on the plane of the
horizontal section line 3--3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of
the indicating arrows.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the vertical section
line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
As will be evident from the views of the drawing, the component
parts of the overall ready-to-use attachment are made, if desired,
of suitable moldable commercial plastic materials.
The aforementioned head-embracing harness is denoted by the numeral
6. This harness is made up primarily of two straps or bands which
are of flexible material and are appropriately broad so that they
may be conveniently and fittingly applied to the head of the wearer
in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. The first or primary
head-encircling strap is of requisite length and when in use is
adapted to snugly and conformingly ring the wearer's head. This
strap has a forward portion 8 which bridges the forehead and is
provided with suitable ventilating holes 10. The median
temple-bridging portions are denoted at 12. One terminal rear end
portion is denoted by the numeral 14 and the free tip 16 thereof is
provided with a headed pin or detent 18 which is adapted to be
selectively snapped and fitted into keeper holes 20 provided at
longitudinally spaced points in the other free end portion 21. The
terminal of this end portion is provided with a buckle-like loop 22
which slidingly receives the end 14 whereby to thus provide a strap
which not only encircles the head but is adjustable and can be made
to fit with requisite nicety. The bridle-like inverted U-shaped
strap is denoted by the numeral 24 and has a central crest portion
26 and depending end portions 28, integrally joined with the median
portions 12 as brought out in FIG. 2 in particular. To the ends
desired the median portions 12 are provided at diametrically
opposite points (FIG. 3) with suitably anchored outstanding studs
or adapters 30 having axial screw-threaded sockets 32 formed
therein. These adapters serve as mountings for the paired
upstanding arm units 34. Each unit comprises an upstanding tubular
or hollow arm 36 of requisite height which is suitably curved for
design or ornamenting purposes as is evident from both FIGS. 1 and
2. The upper end of the arm is provided with an appropriate
internally screw-threaded socket member 38 which serves to
accommodate the attachable and detachable flashlight bulb 40. The
lower substantially V-shaped end portion of the arm has a central
or bight portion 42 which is positioned and stabilized against the
end of the aforementioned adapter stud 30. This end portion is
apertured to accommodate a screw-threaded shank 44 of a winged nut
46 which is mounted and assembled in the manner illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular. Thus the lower end portions of the
arms are detachably and adjustably mounted. Each lower end portion
is preferably provided with a rearwardly upwardly directed
ornamental wing-like extension 48 which is delineated primarily for
ornamental purposes when worn by children as illustrated in FIG. 1.
The power source for illuminating the bulbs 40 preferably
comprises, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a flashlight battery 50 which
is retentively fitted into suitably attached clip means 52, the
clip means and battery being confined in an elongated appropriately
shaped housing or case 54. This case is provided on its flanged
side walls with ribs 56 which fittingly snap into grooves in ribs
58 which are provided therefor. A finger-gripping knob 60 is
provided on one wall to facilitate attaching and removing the
hood-like housing and in a manner to facilitate access to the dry
cell battery 50. The numeral 62 (FIG. 2) designates an appropriate
off-and-on switch which is mounted on the crest 26 toward one end
of the battery housing. This switch is incorporated in the wiring
means which is here shown as embodying appropriate wires 64 (FIG.
2) which are passed through the hollow portions of the arms and are
appropriately connected to the flashlight bulbs 40 (not detailed).
The wires have flexible portions 66 also as shown in FIG. 2 and
these portions are superimposed on the strap 24 which is saddled
over the head of the user when in use. The inner ends of the wires
are appropriately electrically connected with the battery (not
detailed). It follows that the hingedly mounted bulb-equipped units
or arms 36 can be swung forwardly, rearwardly or positioned upright
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As already mentioned it is within the
purview of the inventive concept to employ arms which are colorful
and ornamental or to merely use simple tubular arms which are
straight from end to end (not shown). It is reiterated that the
invention is primarily adapted for safety purposes when riding a
bike or walking along a dark road and for other purposes where a
light source is or would be desirable.
It is also within the purview of the invention to employ
self-contained intermittent flashers (not shown) which could be
built into the socket members 30 or incorporated in the wiring
means between the switch 62 and battery 50.
The manner in which the head-encircling band 8 is attachable and
usable for adjustment purposes is believed to be evident from the
description and views of the drawing. Likewise the manner in which
the inverted U-shaped bridle-like strap 24 is saddled over the
crown of the head of the user is self-evident particularly from
FIG. 1. Other significant aspects of the concept both from the
standpoint of a toy and a safety light source of significant
utility are thought to be understood. Accordingly, a more extended
description is believed to be unnecessary.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention as claimed.
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