US3548415A - Air conditioned helmet - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1970 w. A. WATERS AIR CONDITIONED HELMET 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1; ess

FIG.

JNVliN'I'UR. WILLIAM A. WATERS FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1970 w. A. WATERS AIR CONDITIONED HELMET Filed Jul 1, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FEG. 3

FIG. 5

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lNl/E/VTOR. WILLIAM A. WATERS ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1970 w. A. WATERS AIR CONDITIONED HELMET 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1968 20 PM. a

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//VVE/VTO/?. WILLIAM A. WATERS United States Patent 3,548,415 AIR CONDITIONED HELMET William A. Waters, 3548 E. 49th St., Tulsa, Okla. 74135 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 572,522, Aug.

15, 1966, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 566,681, July 20, 1966. This application July 1, 1968, Ser. No. 741,535

Int. Cl. A42b 3/00; A42c 04 U.S. Cl. 2171.3 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A helmet provides conditioned air, either cooling or heating, by the operation of a battery-operated fan or blower mounted in the dome of the helmet which directs the fiow of air over a tempreature control panel of coolant or heat source between the fan and the head of the wearer, directing such air downwardly over the head, neck and shoulders of the wearer.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This invention is a continuation-in-part and improvement of copending application S.N. 572,522 filed Aug. 15, 1966, now U.S. Pat. 3,391,407, which was a continuationin-part of application S.N. 566,681 filed July 20, 1966, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE APPLICATION An ever-present need arises for sportsmen or those whose work requires exposure to the elements for maintaining comfort to the head, neck and shoulder area. Such need arises for extreme conditions of high temperature where cooled air is required, or vice-versa. The prior art as shown and described in the aforesaid applications, and cited prior art, does not provide for an efiective means for changing from one temperature condition to another. That is, no provision is made for providing heated or cooled air in a convenient manner.

More particularly, this invention provides, as an object, a helmet of the type set forth in said prior applications and patent wherein the helmet includes means for cooling the circulated air by evaporation, refrigeration, or cooling of the air, in addition to heating elements for heating the More particularly this invention provides a helmet including a removable element therein between a miniaturized and preferably battery operated blower or fan in which a cooling or heating object is positioned. Preferably this object comprises a form of removable drawer.

In addition it is an object of this invention to depict a form of air movement means including a type of miniaturized squirrel carge blower for the purpose of overcoming noise and vibration found in using fan blades.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of this invention incorporating a removable temperature control panel or drawer.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 depicting the drawer in position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view depicting the helmet of this invention including a removable temperature control drawer and a modified form of air circulation means.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of another modification of this invention.

3,548,415 Patented Dec. 22, 1970 DESCRIPTION ,OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the helmet 10 of this invention includes in the upper portion of the dome an air circulation fan shown by the dotted lines and identified by the numeral 12. Insertable within the upper portion of the dome with suitable clearance below the fan, is a temperature control panel or drawer 14 of this invention which includes an outwardly protruding edge 16 for inserting and withdrawing the drawer from opening 17. The drawer is supported in the helmet by shoulder 19. A rectangular opening 18 formed in the drawer is adapted to include support bracing 20 at the bottom thereof to hold a particular temperature control means as herein defined therein.

Typical of the temperature control means for use therein for either heating or cooling includes:

Heating 1) A removable grid, screen or pad 76' which is heated by an electrical power source either batteries 82 or outside source as, for example, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8 by connection at openings 22.

(2) A pad 72' for a flameless heater or containing chemicals which heat upon reaction with other chemicals or water as, for example, shown in FIG. 10.

Cooling (1) A refreezable gel in a pad 72 for cooling as, for example, shown in FIG. 10. The pad is removable as by snap 74.

(2) A pad or sponge means 86 wherein evaporation of the liquid therein cools the air as, for example, shown in FIG. 11.

(3) A hollow heat exchange grid or condenser coil 88 within which is charged gas such as Freon which is allowed to controllably escape, as for example through opening 90 using set screw 92. the expansion thereof causing cooling of the grid. The grid is rechargeable.

Other means includes utilization of thermo-electric principles or thermo-chemical heat pipe principles to either provide heat addition or heat removal.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the helmet 10 is shown adaptable to receive a squirrel cage type blower fan of a miniature size which is adapted to be housed and retained to the inner dome portion of the helmet by plurality of vibration reducing members 30, which supports the outer housing 32. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer housing 32 includes an inner housing 34 which is connected together at the bottom by a plurality of cross members 36 with space therebetween to permit the downflow of air. Coaxially rotatable between the inner housing 34 and the outer housing 32 are a plurality of blower vanes 38 which are connected to a support member 40. The support member 40 is attached to a shaft and motor 42' which is driven, as for example by small batteries 44 and -46. The electric connection is attached to a switch knob 50 located in the upper portion of the helmet. Typically a helmet includes a headband portion 60 which is inner connected and spaced from the inside periphery of the helmet by a plurality of support brackets 62. Although the apparatus of this invention is adaptable to present helmet sizes, in some instances larger upper dome areas may be necessary to include the fan or blower and temperature control drawer of this invention.

In operation of usage, if it is desired to cool or heat, the temperature control drawer 14 is removed from the helmet and the type of temperature or air conditioning means 15 as shown in FIG. 3 or coil 88 as shown in FIG. 9 is inserted within the space 18. Typically the tray is adapted to be removed and inserted posteriorly within the defined drawer space where it is held snugly. Thereafter the blower or fan switch is turned on providing circulating cooled or heated air as the case may be, over the top of the head of the wearer and around the neck and shoulders providing comfort thereby.

Other modifications are shown in the views of FIGS. 6 and 7, the former being a modification of my prior patent. That is, helmet 10 includes a horizontal screen 70 to which a pad 72 having means to provide heat such as a catalytic type is retained as by snaps 74 to the screen. The embodiment of FIG. 7 is a further modification using a resistance heating effect to a grid or screen 76, the electricity being supplied to connections 78 either from a battery or other power source. Grid 76 can be the type found in electric blankets or heated fiying suits or the like and is retained to the inside of the helmet by insulated retainer 80.

What is claimed:

1. A helmet comprising:

a head covering crown portion having a vertical height adapted to space the top portion thereof in substantial distance above the top of the wearers head and having an inner surface above a lower edge;

spaced support brackets secured about said inner surface near said lower edge and extending inwardly thereof, an annular lower headband secured to said spaced support brackets, said support brackets providing an inner space between said inner surface and said annular narrow headband;

a battery operated motor and fan attached to said helmet centrally within the top thereof, said fan or blower having blades oriented to circulate air down- 4 wardly within the head covering, and through the space between said inner surface and said annular narrow headband; and

a removable temperature control drawer means, said drawer means selectively adaptable to contain heating or cooling means, and said drawer means being inserted and positioned horizontally within said helmet from the exterior thereof so as to be between said fan or blower and said annular headband yet above the top of the head of the wearer thereof.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature control drawer means comprises an electrically heated resistance wire grid, including means to supply electricity for heating said grid.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said temperature control drawer means includes a heat exchange condenser.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said temperature control drawer means including a refreezable gel pad designed to allow circulation therethrough.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said temperature control drawer means includes a pad containing means to supply heat.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said temperature control drawer means includes a pad or sponge saturated with evaporatable liquid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,737,460 11/1929 Johnson.

2,335,630 11/1943 Bachardy 2-7 3,070,803 1/1963 Slepicka 27 3,295,511 1/1967 Crouzet 2205X 3,391,407 7/1968 Waters 27 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner G. H. KRIZMANICHI, Assistant Examiner

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