Sun shield

Abstract

A sun shield for protection of the back of the head, ears, and nape of the neck that can be worn directly on the head or attached to headgear to provide lightweight, air permeable protection from the hazardous rays of the sun. The sun shield includes a flexible, breathable fabric sun shield attached to a closed loop elastic band that adjustably fits the user's head or headgear. At least one weight is attached to the lower edge of the fabric sun shield so that the sun shield will not be lifted by the wind during use. The weight may be permanently or removably attached to the fabric. Supplemental restraining devices may be attached to the sun shield for securing it to the headgear or sunglasses of the wearer. The weights and attachment devices of the sun shield ensure that the sun protection remains in place under windy conditions.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 671,682 filed Apr. 15, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to apparel and hat or cap attachments. The present invention more specifically relates to fabric sun shields for protection of the back of the head, ears, and nape of the neck that can be worn directly on the head or attached to a hat or cap. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Any individual spending time outdoors may experience the undesirable effects of solar radiation upon unprotected parts of the body, such as heat exhaustion, sun stroke, sunburn, and skin cancer. This is especially true in locations having intense sunlight and high temperatures. Direct exposure of the head and neck can be especially hazardous, since body temperature is greatly affected by such radiation....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention provides sun protection for the back of the head, ears, and nape of the neck that can either be used with or without headgear such as a cap, hat, or hardhat. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes a flexible, breathable fabric sun shield attached to a closed loop elastic band that adjustably fits the circumference of the crown of the user's head or the crown of the user's cap. At least one weight is attached to the lower edge of the flexible fabric sun shield so that the sun shield will not be lifted by the wind during use by the wearer. These weights may be permanently or removably attached to the fabric. There may be at least one supplemental restraining device, such as a clip, for securing the sun shield to the headgear of the wearer. The present invention is inexpensive, simple to manufacture, versatile, and easy to use. The sun shield attachment can be quickly and conveniently attached to a baseball-type cap, a hard hat, or various other types of conventional head gear. The device may also be worn directly on the head. The weights and attachment devices of the sun shield ensure that the sun protection remains in place under windy outdoor conditions.

Problems solved by technology

Any individual spending time outdoors may experience the undesirable effects of solar radiation upon unprotected parts of the body, such as heat exhaustion, sun stroke, sunburn, and skin cancer.

Direct exposure of the head and neck can be especially hazardous, since body temperature is greatly affected by such radiation.

Moreover, the skin of the head and neck is sensitive and tends to easily burn.

Often, however, the back of the head, ears, and nape of the neck are left unprotected, with resulting increased risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

These fabric shields, however, frequently blow away from the head and neck, thus exposing the skin to the sun.

This causes a problem for the wearer, particularly when the fabric does not fall back into place, but rather catches on the headgear or simply remains in a tucked or lifted position.

If the wearer is working or otherwise is unable to free his hands to adjust the fabric back into position, the neck and ears remain partially or fully exposed, thus defeating the purpose of the sun shield.

Particularly for workers who spend long hours in the sun, this decrease in protection can greatly increase ultraviolet radiation exposure time and skin health risks.

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