Hard hat with fan

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12336587-B2
Application number	US-202418410562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2024
Priority date	Jan 30, 2023
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Various hard hat fan systems are provided. In a certain embodiment, fan system includes an impact absorbing layer with a channel that defines a recessed surface which extends into the impact absorbing layer away from an inner surface of a shell of a hard hat. Together, the inner surface of the shell and the recessed surface define a duct configured to provide fluid communication between an inlet of the channel and an air vent positioned along the channel. In another embodiment, fan system includes a mounting bracket with first and second cam levers which may be actuated into a locked position, and first and second channels. When in the locked position, the first and second cam levers bias the edges of a mounting ridge of the shell against the first and second channels of the mounting bracket such that the mounting bracket is retained on the shell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hard hat fan system, comprising:
a shell having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface;
a fan coupled to the outer surface of the shell;
an impact absorbing layer, comprising:
an outer surface coupled to the inner surface of the shell;
an inner surface opposite the outer surface of the impact absorbing layer, the inner surface of the impact absorbing layer defining an interior region configured to receive a head of a user;
a recessed surface formed in the outer surface of the impact absorbing layer, the recessed surface defining a channel extending along the outer surface of the impact absorbing layer; and
an air vent extending from the recessed surface, through the impact absorbing layer, and to the inner surface of the impact absorbing layer; and

a primary duct extending between the fan and the impact absorbing layer, the primary duct directing air into an inlet side of the channel;
wherein the channel defines a secondary duct between the outer surface of the impact absorbing layer and the inner surface of the shell, such that air flows from the inlet side of the channel to the air vent and into the interior region; and
wherein the hard hat fan system is configured to provide fluid communication for air between an exterior of the shell and the interior region.

2. The hard hat fan system of claim 1 , wherein the fan comprises an intake positioned on a front surface of the fan facing away from the outer surface of the shell and an outlet positioned on a bottom of the fan below the intake.

3. The hard hat fan system of claim 2 , wherein a first end of the primary duct is coupled to the outlet of the fan and a second end of the primary duct, opposite the first end, abuts the inner surface of the impact absorbing layer.

4. The hard hat fan system of claim 1 , wherein the shell is formed from a first material and the impact absorbing layer is formed from a second material that is different from the first material.

5. The hard hat fan system of claim 1 , wherein the channel terminates within the impact absorbing layer such that an end portion of the channel is spaced from an outer perimeter of the impact absorbing layer.

6. The hard hat fan system of claim 5 , wherein the air vent is located in the end portion of the channel.

7. The hard hat fan system of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a length defined between the inlet side and an end portion that is less than a length of the impact absorbing layer defined along a central axis of the impact absorbing layer.

8. The hard hat fan system of claim 1 , wherein the shell includes an uninterrupted surface along the channel such that there are no openings extending between the recessed surface and the outer surface of the shell.

9. A hard hat fan system, comprising:
a shell having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface;
a fan coupled to the outer surface of the shell; and
an impact absorbing layer coupled to the inner surface of the shell; the impact absorbing layer comprising:
at least one channel extending a distance along the length of the impact absorbing layer, the at least one channel defining a recessed surface extending into the impact absorbing layer away from the inner surface of the shell; and
an air vent positioned along the recessed surface and extending through the impact absorbing layer;

wherein the inner surface of the shell and the recessed surface of the impact absorbing layer define a duct configured to provide fluid communication between an inlet of the channel and the air vent.

10. The hard hat fan system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one channel terminates within the impact absorbing layer such that an end of the channel is spaced from an outer perimeter of the impact absorbing layer.

11. The hard hat fan system of claim 10 , wherein the inlet of the at least one channel has a greater width than a width of the end of the at least one channel.

12. The hard hat fan system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one channel includes a plurality of bending sections between the inlet and the end.

13. The hard hat fan system of claim 10 , wherein the impact absorbing layer is centered on and extends along a central axis, wherein the at least one channel is a first channel, and wherein the inlet of the first channel is located closer to the central axis than the end of the first channel.

14. The hard hat fan system of claim 13 , wherein the first channel comprises a first section extending from the inlet of the first channel and a second section extending from the end of the first channel, and further comprising a second channel, wherein the second channel comprises a third section extending from the inlet of the second channel and a fourth section extending from the end of the second channel.

15. The hard hat fan system of claim 14 , wherein the first section and the third section are concave with respect to each other.

16. The hard hat fan system of claim 15 , wherein the second section and the fourth section are convex with respect to each other.

17. The hard hat fan system of claim 9 , wherein the shell includes an uninterrupted surface along the channel such that there are no openings extending between the recessed surface and the outer surface of the shell.

18. A hard hat fan system, comprising:
a shell configured to receive a head of a user, the shell comprising:
an outer surface; and
a mounting ridge extending away from the outer surface, the mounting ridge having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge;

a mounting bracket configured securely and removably couple to the mounting ridge, the mounting bracket comprising:
a mounting plate having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface;
a first channel on the back surface of the mounting plate configured to couple to the first edge of the mounting ridge;
a second channel opposite the first channel along the back surface of the mounting plate is configured to couple to the second edge of the mounting ridge;
a first cam lever pivotally coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate opposite the first channel; and
a second cam lever pivotally coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate opposite the second channel, wherein the first cam lever and second cam lever are configured to actuate between an unlocked position and a locked position; and

a fan coupled to mounting bracket;
wherein, when the first cam lever and the second cam lever are actuated into the locked position, the first cam lever biases the first edge of the mounting ridge against the first channel, and the second cam lever biases the second edge of the mounting ridge against the second channel such that the mounting bracket is retained on the shell.

19. The hard hat fan system of claim 18 , wherein the mounting plate extends along a longitudinal axis, the first cam lever actuates along a first pivot axis, and the second cam lever actuates along a second pivot axis, and wherein the first pivot axis and second pivot axis are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mounting plate.

20. The hard hat fan system of claim 18 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises:
a first side ridge adjacent to the first channel extending away from the back surface of the mounting plate; and
a second side ridge adjacent to the second channel extending away from the back surface of the mounting plate;
wherein the first side ridge and second side ridge are configured to engage with the outer surface of the

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Adams Caleb C
• Bauters Trent T
• Brown Jesse J
• Lee Bryce M
• Lombardi Samuel L
• Popp James C
• Sosnowski Christopher
• Whitburn Thomas S
• Zeilinger Todd A

Classifications

• A42B3/28

  Ventilating arrangements (A42B3/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A42B3/281

  Air ducting systems · CPC title

• A42B3/283

  Air inlets or outlets, with or without closure shutters · CPC title

• A42B3/142

  with restraining or stabilizing means, e.g. nape straps (A42B3/085 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A42B3/286 Primary

  with forced flow, e.g. by a fan · CPC title