Hard hat lamp attachment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213087-B2
Application number	US-201916706410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Nov 21, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A hard hat with symmetric front and back mounting ridges to support a headlamp is described. The hard hat provides mounting ridges to receive insertion slots of a rigid mounting bracket that fit around the ridges. The rigid mounting bracket includes channels to loop a strap through the channels and support a lamp on the bracket. The strap may include a hook and loop fastener system to enable attachment of a variety of lamps to the rigid support bracket. In this way, the hard hat can support a wide variety of headlamps attached to the rigid mounting bracket without destructive alterations to the hard hat. Clips may be added to the rigid mounting bracket to secure or lock the bracket in place during operation and prevent accidental knocks or jarring of the headlamp.

First claim

I claim:

1. A hard hat lighting system, comprising:
a lamp;
a hard hat with a mounting ridge comprising opposite edges, the mounting ridge located on a side of the hard hat;
a mounting bracket that securely and removably mounts to the mounting ridge of the hard hat, the mounting bracket removably coupled to the lamp, the mounting bracket comprising:
receiving slots engaged to opposing edges of the mounting ridge to couple the mounting bracket to the mounting ridge; and
a flexible strap that couples the lamp to the mounting bracket, the lamp being removably coupled from the flexible strap and the flexible strap being removably coupled to the mounting bracket.

2. The hard hat system of claim 1 , wherein the hard hat comprises a front mounting ridge and a rear mounting ridge, and wherein the receiving slots interchangeably couple to both the front mounting ridge and the rear mounting ridge.

3. The hard hat system of claim 1 , further comprising a hook fastener location on one end of the flexible strap and a loop fastener location on an opposite end of the flexible strap, the hook and loop fastener locations couple to removably secure the flexible strap on the mounting bracket.

4. The hard hat system of claim 1 , further comprising an endcap at one end of the flexible strap, wherein the endcap is captured at an insert of the mounting bracket and couples the flexible strap within the mounting bracket.

5. The hard hat system of claim 1 , further comprising passageways through a section of the lamp that receives the flexible strap to couple the lamp to the mounting bracket.

6. The hard hat system of claim 1 , further comprising a channel through the mounting bracket, wherein a portion of the flexible strap passes through the channel to secure the lamp to the mounting bracket.

7. The hard hat system of claim 1 , further comprising a clip that locks into a recess of the mounting ridge to lock the mounting bracket on the mounting ridge of the hard hat.

8. A rigid mounting bracket with a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the rigid mounting bracket comprising:
a pair of opposing receiving slots, wherein a first receiving slot is on the first end and a second receiving slot is on the second end;
a flexible strap; and
a pair of opposing channels, wherein a first channel is on the first end and a second channel is on the second end, the flexible strap passing through the first and second channel;
wherein the opposing receiving slots receive a ridge of a hard hat, and the receiving slots partially enclose the ridge and couple the rigid mounting bracket on the hard hat.

9. The rigid mounting bracket of claim 8 , further comprising a clip on a side of the first receiving slot, the clip configured to slide into a recess of a ridge on a hard hat and lock the mounting bracket and lamp on the ridge.

10. The rigid mounting bracket of claim 8 , wherein a lamp is located between the first channel on the first end and the second channel on the second end.

11. The rigid mounting bracket of claim 10 , wherein the flexible strap secures the lamp against the rigid mounting bracket, wherein the rigid mounting bracket is between the flexible strap and the lamp, the lamp being located on one side and the flexible strap being located on another opposite side of the rigid mounting bracket.

12. The rigid mounting bracket of claim 8 , further comprising a hook fastener location and a loop fastener location on the flexible strap, the hook fastener location, and the loop fastener location couple and removably secure the flexible strap on the mounting bracket.

13. The rigid mounting bracket of claim 12 , further comprising an endcap at one end of the flexible strap, the endcap having a dimension that is larger than an insert through the rigid mounting bracket, wherein the endcap of the flexible strap is coupled to the insert to capture the flexible strap at the insert.

14. A hard hat lighting system, comprising:
a lamp;
a hard hat with a front mounting ridge on a front side surface and a rear mounting ridge on a rear side surface;
a rigid mounting bracket that securely and removably mounts to either the front mounting ridge or the rear mounting ridge of the hard hat, the rigid mounting bracket removably coupled to the lamp, the rigid mounting bracket comprising:
receiving slots that receive the mounting ridge and removably couple the rigid mounting bracket to one of the front side surface or the rear side surface of the hard hat;
a flexible strap that couples the lamp to the rigid mounting bracket, the lamp being removably coupled from the flexible strap and the flexible strap being removably coupled to the rigid mounting bracket;
a channel extending through the rigid mounting bracket that receives the flexible strap;
a clip that locks into a recess of the mounting ridge to lock the rigid mounting bracket and the lamp on one of the front or rear mounting ridges of the hard hat.

15. The hard hat lighting system of claim 14 , wherein the rigid mounting bracket is biased, wherein edges of the front or rear mounting ridge press against the receiving slots of the rigid mounting bracket to provide a securing biasing force when the rigid mounting is secured to the hard hat.

16. The hard hat lighting system of claim 14 , wherein the channel has a height between 10 mm and 50 mm.

17. The hard hat lighting system of claim 14 , further comprising two outermost channels on either end of the rigid mounting bracket and extending through the rigid mounting bracket and two medial channels located between the two outermost channels and extending through the rigid mounting bracket.

18. The hard hat lighting system of claim 17 , wherein a distance between the two outermost channels is between 50 mm and 150 mm, and a distance between the two medial channels is between 25 mm and 55 mm.

19. The hard hat lighting system of claim 17 , further comprising an inlet channel located between a first medial channel and a first outermost channel, wherein the first medial channel and the first outermost channel are located on a first side of the rigid mounting bracket, the inlet channel having a dimension that is smaller than an endcap at one end of the flexible strap, wherein the endcap of the flexible strap is coupled to the inlet channel to capture the flexible strap.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Hyma Steven W

Classifications

• A42B3/0446 Primary

  intended to light the way ahead · CPC title

• A42B3/0406

  Accessories for helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/044 Primary

  Lighting devices, e.g. helmets with lamps · CPC title

• A42B3/042

  Optical devices (night vision goggles G02B23/12) · CPC title

• A42B3/0426

  Rear view devices or the like · CPC title