US20100000007A1

US20100000007A1 - Hat with a Fan and Filter

Info

Publication number: US20100000007A1
Application number: US12/112,118
Authority: US
Inventors: Jess W. Wood
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-30
Filing date: 2008-04-30
Publication date: 2010-01-07

Abstract

A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein may include a head covering portion for covering a portion of a head of a user, a visor portion connected to the head covering portion. The visor portion may include a fan apparatus and a detachably connected filter to cooperate with the fan apparatus to provide filtered air to the user. The fan apparatus may include a fan motor, and the fan apparatus may include a fan blade. The fan apparatus may be connected to a power source to power the fan apparatus, and the power source may include a battery. The power source may include a solar powered device, and the visor portion may include an aperture to cooperate with the motor assembly.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fan units for use in conjunction—with hats or any other head gear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a hand-held fan to create a flow of air across the face of the user and such a fan usually incorporates an electrical motor unit powered by one or more dry cell batteries to cause rotation of an impeller blade. Such a fan is held in the user's hand and therefore that hand is occupied during such use, leaving only one hand free for normal use.
Furthermore, some degree of concentration is needed to maintain the direction of air-flow towards the face, or other parts to be cooled, and when both hands are needed to be in use, the fan must be switched off and set down which may not always be convenient.
British Patent 1528476 discloses a fan for mounting in part of a hat or other head gear wherein two spaced apart disc-like members, each provided with openings through which air may be directed, have mounted for rotation therebetween the impeller of a fan unit. The construction of such a device is complicated as it includes ears or tabs for detachably securing the fan to the selected head gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,496 discloses a battery-driven fan for attachment to the brim or peak of a hat or cap, and having an adjustable visor for directing the air-flow onto the forehead or face of the user. That arrangement necessitates the visor being mounted before the user's eyes and prevents a clear view forwards. It is generally distracting and objectionable particularly if the user is participating in a sport, e.g. a ball game, at the time. Furthermore, the fan unit is retained on the brim of a hat by means of a resilient retaining ring which does not afford reliable permanent or semi-permanent mounting of the fan unit within the brim of the hat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,620 discloses an electrically driven fan mounted on the brim or crown of a cap or other head gear being manufactured from plastic, and readily mountable on the head gear without the need for special tools or skills. Dry cell batteries are mounted in the crown of the hat and the impeller of the fan units acts within a recess within the fan unit to pull air downwardly across the face of the user.

SUMMARY

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the head of the present invention with the filter removed;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the hat of the present invention with the filter attached;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the visor of the present invention with the filter attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Air pollution which includes pollen and other contaminants are great concern to individuals today. The above devices have addressed to a limited degree the problem of heat while wearing a hat, but none of these devices have addressed the problem of pollution and the corresponding hay fever, asthma and allergies which results from the pollution and pollen which are prevalent in the air today. Mounting a fan in the visor of a hat provide significant advantages. Having an unfiltered fan which blows air in the face of the user increases the amount of the pollen and pollution which reaches the user of the fan. The present invention eliminates or significantly reduces the problem of pollen and pollution by applying a detachable filter to the fan to filter the pollen and pollution delivered to the user. The filter can be detached, and a new filter can be attached in order to avoid the problem of a clogged filter.
In order for the fan and filter to be beneficial to the user, a fan and filter is placed within the visor of a hat which may be a baseball cap in order to deliver a stream of fresh filtered air to the face of the user; although, other locations are within the scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates a hat 100 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The hat 100 includes a head covering portion 103 which is illustrated as a dome shaped device which may be either flexible or rigid. The bottom peripheral edge of the head covering portion 103 is connected to a visor portion 105 which extends outwards from the head covering portion 103 and is used to deflect the rays of the sun from entering the eyes of the user. The visor portion 105 includes an aperture 133 which extends through the visor portion 105 and a shown as being substantially rectangular; however, other shapes are within the scope of the invention. A motor assembly 111 is mounted within the aperture 133 by Velcro, clips, buttons hooks or other ways of attachment. The motor assembly 111 includes a motor 110 to drive motor blades 109 in order to collect the incoming air illustrated as element 113 and direct the air to the face of the user as illustrated by element 115. The motor assembly 111 is connected to the power wire 117 which is connected to one end of the power source 119.
The power source 119 may be a battery or a solar powered device. A power wire 117 is connected between the opposing end of the power source 119 to the power switch 131 to switch the motor 110 (FIG. 3) on and off. FIG. 1 additionally illustrates a detachable filter 107 which is detachably connected to the visor portion 105 or to the motor assembly 111 by Velcro, hooks, buttons or other attachment devices. The detachable filter 107 may be shaped to cooperate with the aperture 133 within the visor portion 105, and the detachable filter 107 may be cleanable so that the same filter 107 can be reused. FIG. 1 illustrates that the detachable filter 107 is not connected to the hat 100.
FIG. 2 illustrates a hat 100 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The hat 100 includes the head covering portion 103. The bottom peripheral edge of the head covering portion 103 is connected to the visor portion 105 which extends outwards from the head covering portion 103. The visor portion 105 includes an aperture 133 which extends through the visor portion 105. A motor assembly 111 is mounted within the aperture 133 (as shown in FIG. 1). The motor assembly 111 includes a motor 110 to drive motor blades 109 (as shown in FIG. 1) in order to collect the incoming air illustrated as element 113 and direct the air to the face of the user as illustrated by element 115. The motor assembly 111 is connected to the power wire 117 which is connected to one end of the power source 119. A power wire 117 is connected between the opposing end of the power source 119 to the power switch 131 to switch the motor 110 on and off. FIG. 2 additionally illustrates a detachable filter 107 which is detachably connected to the visor portion 105 or to the motor assembly 111 by Velcro, hooks, buttons or other attachment devices. The detachable filter 107 may be shaped to cooperate with the aperture 133 within the visor portion 105. FIG. 2 illustrates that the detachable filter 107 is connected to the hat 100.
FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the motor assembly 111 which includes the motor 110 and the filter 107 within the aperture 133 of the visor portion 105.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Claims

1. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein, comprising:

a head covering portion for covering a portion of a head of a user;

a visor portion connected to the head covering portion;

wherein the visor portion includes a fan apparatus and a detachably connected filter to cooperate with the fan apparatus to provide filtered air to the user.

2. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 1, wherein the fan apparatus includes a fan motor.

3. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 1, wherein the fan apparatus includes a fan blade.

4. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 1, wherein the fan apparatus is connected to a power source to power the fan apparatus.

5. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 4, wherein the power source includes a battery.

6. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 4, wherein the power source includes a solar powered device.

7. A hat with a cooling fan mounted therein as in claim 1, wherein the visor portion includes an aperture to cooperate with the motor assembly.