Flying Insect Repelling Hat

Abstract

Here is disclosed a hat having a crown and a brim, the brim having a peripheral edge, a front portion a back portion, and opposite left and right side portions. Left, right, front and back electric fans are positioned on the brim adjacent the peripheral edge. The left, right, front and back electric fans are each configured to blow air downwardly away from the crown at a rate of at least 10 cfm. The left, right, front and back electric fans are positioned 90° from each other on the brim. The device further includes a control unit mounted in the hat and operatively coupled to the left, right, front and back electric fans for driving the fans, the control unit having at least one storage battery. Finally, the device includes a switch coupled to the control unit for turning the fans on and off.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates generally to devices for repelling insects which can be worn.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Flying insects such as mosquitoes and black flies often make outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, hunting, gardening, surveying or fishing difficult to bear. The constant buzzing and biting of these flying insects is both annoying and distracting and, where there is the threat of west nile virus, it can also be a health hazard. In order to lessen the problem posed by mosquitoes and black flies, various products have been introduced. One such product is DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) which is an oily liquid which can be applied directly to the skin. The deet, when applied evenly to the user's skin, is actually quite effective in preventing mosquitoes and black flies from biting; however, any patch of skin which is not covered by deet will be exposed and prone to being bitten. Unfortunately, deet can be very irritating for some peopl...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a device for repelling flying insects when worn on a user's head. It consists of a hat with a brim and different electric fans placed on the front, back, left, and right sides of the brim. The electric fans blow air downward to repel insects. The device is battery powered and has a switch to turn the fans on and off. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a convenient and effective way to repel flying insects when wearing a hat.

Problems solved by technology

Flying insects such as mosquitoes and black flies often make outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, hunting, gardening, surveying or fishing difficult to bear.

The constant buzzing and biting of these flying insects is both annoying and distracting and, where there is the threat of west nile virus, it can also be a health hazard.

The deet, when applied evenly to the user's skin, is actually quite effective in preventing mosquitoes and black flies from biting; however, any patch of skin which is not covered by deet will be exposed and prone to being bitten.

Unfortunately, deet can be very irritating for some people, particularly if it gets in the eyes.

Furthermore, deet feels slippery and oily when applied to the skin and has an unpleasant odor.

As a result, people are reluctant to use deet, particularly on the face and head.

However, hats with fabric screen insect guards are often uncomfortable to wear and also interfere with the wearer's vision.

While these devices can be partially effective for a short period of time under ideal conditions, in real world applications the aerosol repellents tend to drift away and the device loses its effectiveness.

Furthermore, the insect repellent in these clip on devices has to be replenished every four hours, making them expensive to operate.

Also, clip on chemical based insect repellents are generally not suitable for use by small children.

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