Headwear-attachable mounting device for supporting a lighting device or other tool or accessory, or a kit including the same

Abstract

There have been shown and described embodiments of a mounting device, or a kit including the same, for supporting a light or other tool or accessory from a hat or helmet.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 340,340, filed May 10, 2022, entitled “HEADWEAR-MOUNTABLE MOUNTING DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A LIGHTING DEVICE OR OTHER TOOL OR ACCESSORIES, OR KITS CONTAINING SAME,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of headwear-attachable attachment devices, for example for attaching tools and accessories such as lights to hats or helmets, or kits including one or more straps and / or one or more clips and / or one or more alternative fasteners that can be used to attach the straps and / or lights to various types of headwear. [Background technology]

[0003] Headwear-mountable lights, including various helmet-mountable lights, are known in the art. Examples of these lights include the Vantage Lite and Vantage II Lite manufactured and sold by Streamlight, Inc., Eagleville, Pennsylvania, the assignee of the present application. Existing helmet-mountable lights are either clipped directly to the helmet or supported by a strap stretched around the helmet, with the strap oriented to be approximately parallel to the bottom edge or brim line of the helmet. Additionally, some existing headwear-mountable lights can be clipped to the brim of the headwear. When mounted on a strap that runs through the outside of the helmet, the light is typically attached to a strap on one side of the helmet (e.g., above one ear) or on the front of the helmet (e.g., in front of the forehead). In these locations, the mounted light can cause the helmet to become unbalanced and prevent the attachment of additional tools or accessories to the helmet. For example, in the case of military, rescue, or safety helmets, a front mounted light may interfere with night vision goggles (NVGs) that are mounted on the front of the helmet, and in the case of firefighter helmets, may interfere with identification plates that are typically located on the front of firefighter helmets. Additionally, side mounted lights may interfere with the use of headsets, earmuffs, visors, radios, and other accessories that are located in the same location on the helmet or attached to the helmet.

[0004] Thus, there is a need for an improved attachment device including a strap for a headwear-mountable lighting device, and / or a kit including a strap and clip for the same, that overcomes the shortcomings present in related prior art devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Further aspects of the inventive concept include the following.

[0006] Aspect 1: A helmet mounting device adapted to be attached to a helmet having a first mounting portion located on a first side of the helmet and a second mounting portion located on a second side of the helmet, the helmet further having a vertex, The helmet mounting device comprises: a strap having a first end and a second end; a first clip attached to a first end of the strap and specially adapted to be attached to the first attachment portion; a second clip attached to the second end of the strap and specially adapted to be attached to the second attachment portion; Equipped with A helmet mounting device, wherein when the first clip is attached to the first mounting portion and the second clip is attached to the second mounting portion, the strap is disposed on or near the apex of the helmet.

[0007] Aspect 2: The helmet mounting device of aspect 1, further comprising a lighting device attachable to a strap at or near the apex of the helmet.

[0008] Aspect 3: A helmet mounting device as described in aspect 2, wherein the lighting device further comprises a first slot and a second slot through which the strap can pass.

[0009] Aspect 4: A helmet mounting device as described in aspect 3, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, and when the strap is passed through the first slot and the second slot, the lighting device can rotate relative to the strap.

[0010] Aspect 5: The helmet mounting device of Aspect 1, further comprising an adapter attachable to either the first end or the second end of the strap, the adapter having a central portion, a first arm, and a second arm, the first arm extending from the central portion along a first axis and the second arm extending from the central portion along a second axis, each of the first axis and the second axis being misaligned with the axis of the strap, and each of the first arm and the second arm being adapted to be attached to either the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion.

[0011] Aspect 6: A helmet attachment device as described in Aspect 5, wherein the first arm includes a first hook and the second arm includes a second hook.

[0012] Aspect 7: A helmet attachment device as described in Aspect 1, wherein each of the first clip and the second clip has at least one hook portion.

[0013] Aspect 8: A helmet mounting device as described in Aspect 1, wherein each of the first clip and the second clip has a portion adapted to releasably engage with a slot or rail of an accessory on the helmet.

[0014] Aspect 9: A strap having a first end and a second end; a first clip removably attachable to a first end of the strap, the first clip being specially adapted to attach to a first attachment portion located on a first side of a first type of helmet, the first type of helmet having an apex; a second clip removably attachable to a second end of the strap, the second clip being specially adapted for attachment to a second attachment portion located on a second side of a second type of helmet; a third clip removably attachable to a first end of the strap, the third clip being specially adapted to attach to a first attachment portion located on a first side of a second type of helmet, the second type of helmet having an apex; a fourth clip removably attachable to a second end of the strap, the fourth clip being specially adapted for attachment to a second attachment portion located on a second side of a second type of helmet; A kit comprising: When the first clip is attached to a first end of the strap, the second clip is attached to a second end of the strap, the first clip is attached to a first mounting portion of the first type helmet, and the second clip is attached to a second mounting portion of the first type helmet, the strap is disposed over or near the apex of the first type helmet; When a third clip is attached to a first end of the strap and a fourth clip is attached to a second end of the strap, the third clip is attached to a first mounting portion of the second type helmet and the fourth clip is attached to a second mounting portion of the second type helmet, the strap is disposed over or near the apex of the second type helmet, the kit.

[0015] Aspect 10: The kit of aspect 9, further comprising a lighting device attachable to a strap at or near the apex of the helmet.

[0016] Aspect 11: The kit of aspect 10, wherein the lighting device further comprises a first slot and a second slot through which the strap can pass.

[0017] Aspect 12: The kit of aspect 11, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, and when the strap is passed through the first slot and the second slot, the lighting device can rotate relative to the strap.

[0018] Aspect 13: The kit of Aspect 9, further comprising an adapter attachable to either the first end or the second end of the strap, the adapter having a central portion, a first arm, and a second arm, the first arm extending from the central portion along a first axis and the second arm extending from the central portion along a second axis, each of the first axis and the second axis being misaligned with the axis of the strap, and each of the first arm and the second arm being adapted to be attached to either the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion.

[0019] Embodiment 14: The kit of embodiment 13, wherein the first arm comprises a first hook and the second arm comprises a second hook.

[0020] Embodiment 15: The kit of embodiment 9, wherein each of the first clip and the second clip has at least one hook portion.

[0021] Aspect 16: The kit described in Aspect 9, wherein each of the third clip and the fourth clip has a portion adapted to releasably engage with a slot or rail of an accessory positioned on a first side or a second side of the first type helmet or the second type helmet.

[0022] Aspect 17: The kit described in Aspect 15, wherein each of the third clip and the fourth clip has a portion adapted to releasably engage with a slot or rail of an accessory positioned on a first side or a second side of the first type helmet or the second type helmet.

[0023] Aspect 18: A lighting body having a first slot and a second slot, and a strap including a pair of pins and a pair of pin covers, the strap adapted to enable attachment of the lighting body to an item that can be pierced by the pair of pins, by placing the strap on one side of the item, piercing the pair of pins into the item, placing the lighting body on an opposite side of the item, passing each of the pins through a first slot and a second slot, respectively, of the lighting body, and placing each of the pair of pin covers on each of the pair of pins, each of the pin covers adapted to fit over and removably cover each of the pair of pins; The lighting device comprises:

[0024] Aspect 19: A lighting device as described in Aspect 18, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, and when the lighting body is attached to the strap via the first slot and the second slot, the lighting body can rotate relative to the strap. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] Devices according to the present disclosure will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a first helmet-mounted device according to the present disclosure, shown in a mounted configuration with respect to a first exemplary helmet and including a first embodiment of a lighting device mounted thereto; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first exemplary helmet in a separated configuration. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a first clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure; FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a first clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure; FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a perspective view of a helmet-mounted apparatus according to the present disclosure, shown in a mounted configuration with respect to a first exemplary helmet and including a second embodiment of a lighting device mounted thereto; [Figure 6]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a third helmet mounting device according to the present disclosure, shown in a configuration mounted to a second exemplary helmet. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a strap holder component of the third helmet mounting device. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a strap holder component of the third helmet mounting device. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fourth helmet mounting device according to the present disclosure, shown in a configuration mounted to a third exemplary helmet. [Figure 12] 13 is a perspective view of a third clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view of a third clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fourth exemplary helmet to which the mounting device according to the present disclosure can be attached. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fourth clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fourth clip for a mounting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first lighting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first lighting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a first side view of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a second side view of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] 1 is a schematic diagram of a helmet mounting kit including a strap and multiple clips according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 23]FIG. 1 is a side view of a lighting device and clip for mounting to a helmet in accordance with the present disclosure. [Figure 24] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the present disclosure. [Diagram 25] 1A and 1B show front and top perspective views of another embodiment of a lighting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 26] A rear, bottom, partially exploded perspective view is shown. [Figure 27] 1 shows a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a lighting device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 28] 3 shows another embodiment of a mounting device according to the present disclosure attached to the exemplary helmet of FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 29] 1 shows a front view of another embodiment of a lighting device according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 30] FIG. 1 is a top view of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The following detailed description provides exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the embodiments disclosed herein. Rather, the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments provides those skilled in the art with an effective description for implementing exemplary embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

[0028] To facilitate description of the disclosure and / or invention as claimed, the specification and claims may use directional terms (e.g., up, down, left, right, etc.) to describe portions of the disclosure and / or invention. These directional definitions are intended only to aid in the description of the embodiments and the invention as defined in the claims, and are not intended to limit the disclosure or the invention as defined in the claims in any manner. Additionally, reference numerals introduced in the specification with respect to the drawings may be repeated in one or more subsequent figures without further description in the specification to provide context for other features.

[0029] When an element is described as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it should be understood that the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intervening elements. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, it should be understood that there are no intervening elements. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., "between" and "directly between," "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," etc.).

[0030] In safety, rescue, work site, military, or related applications, where a helmet is typically worn with a light mounted on the helmet, it is desirable or necessary to illuminate the surroundings while keeping the user's hands free. Existing helmet mountable lights are either clipped directly onto the helmet or supported by a strap stretched around the helmet, with the strap positioned so that it is approximately parallel to the bottom edge or brim line of the helmet. When mounted on a strap positioned on the outside of the helmet, the light is typically mounted on a strap on one side of the helmet (e.g., above one ear) or on the front of the helmet (e.g., in front of the forehead). In these locations, the mounted light may unbalance the helmet's weight and interfere with the attachment of additional tools or accessories to the helmet. For example, on military, rescue, or safety helmets, a front mounted light may interfere with night vision goggles (NVGs) mounted on the front of the helmet, and on firefighter helmets, an identification plate typically located on the front of the firefighter helmet may also interfere. Additionally, side-mounted lights may interfere with the use of headsets, earmuffs, visors, radios, or other accessories that are contemporaneously located on or attached to the helmet.

[0031] Additionally, some existing headwear mountable lights can be attached to the brim of the headwear via a clip, however, even if clipped to the center of the brim, mounting the light in this location can obstruct the user's vision and cause an uncomfortable weight imbalance.

[0032] Thus, there is a need for an improved mounting device including a strap for a helmet-mountable lighting device, and / or a kit including the strap and clip, that overcomes the shortcomings present in related prior art devices. Accordingly, Applicant has developed embodiments of a mounting device including one or more straps and clips that can be attached to various helmet configurations such that the strap extends over the apex (i.e., crown, apex, or top) of the helmet and across the user's head on which the lighting device is supported. In this arrangement, the lighting device is generally positioned along the centerline of the user's body, with its weight distributed approximately in the center of the user's head, and in a position that does not interfere with other helmet attachments, tools, or accessories that the user may wish to use (such as NVGs, headsets, earmuffs, visors, radios, etc.). Applicant has also developed various mounting devices and methods for flexible hats (such as baseball caps), as described below.

[0033] In some embodiments according to the present disclosure, one or more straps may be attached to a pair of clips sized and shaped to be attached to a particular type of helmet, for example, to an accessory slot on a safety helmet (e.g., hard hat, see Figs. 1-4, or MSA Gallet rescue helmet, see Figs. 14-16), around the brim of a firefighter helmet (see Figs. 6-10), or to a tactical accessory slot on a military helmet (see Figs. 11-13). The straps may extend beyond the apex of the helmet, allowing one or more lights to be attached to the straps at the apex of the helmet if higher light output is required, or along the length of the straps (i.e., above the apex of the helmet, in a direction approximately between the temples). The straps may be adjustable or fixed in length and made of fabric, elastic, or elastic fabric material. One or more strap and clip pairs suitable for a particular type of helmet may be sold together as a standalone product, with the clips either removable or fixed to the straps. Alternatively, the straps may be sold as a kit with multiple pairs of clips for different types of helmets. The straps may be provided with a silicone lining to help the straps stay in place on the helmet.

[0034] 1 to 4, one embodiment of a helmet mounting device 20 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. In this embodiment, the helmet mounting device 20 includes a strap 22 and a pair of clips 30a, 30b. In this embodiment, the strap 22 includes two fastening loops 24, 26 at both ends, and the length of the strap 22 is not adjustable.

[0035] In this embodiment, the helmet attachment device 20 is shown attached to a first type of helmet 10, which is a common type of workplace safety helmet also known as a hard hat. The helmet 10 has a first side 13 including a first attachment portion 12 and a second side 14 including a second attachment portion (not shown, but identical to the first attachment portion 12). The helmet 10 further includes a brim 16 and has an apex 15 that corresponds approximately to the highest point of a user's head when the helmet 10 is worn. In this embodiment, the clip 30a is removably attachable to the attachment portion 12 and the clip 30b is removably attachable to an attachment portion located on the second side 14 of the helmet 10. When both clips 30a, 30b are attached to the helmet 10 in this manner, the strap 22 is disposed on or near the apex 15 of the helmet 10, such that the lighting device 132 may be attached to the strap 22 anywhere along its length, including at or near the apex 15 of the helmet 10.

[0036] As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, clip 30a (which should be understood to be identical to clip 30b) includes an upper portion 32 that includes a strap slot 34 and a lower portion 36 that includes a depressible portion 38 and a stepped portion 40. In this embodiment, strap slot 34 has an open side that allows either of fastening loops 24, 26 of strap 22 to slide therein, thereby allowing clip 30a to be quickly attached to and detached from strap 22, for example, to allow a different type of clip to be attached to strap 22, as described further below. In another embodiment, clips 30a, 30b may be permanently attached to strap 22 in a manner such that clips 30a, 30b cannot be replaced with other types of clips.

[0037] Returning to Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the stepped portion 40 is sized and shaped to releasably engage a slot (not labeled) in the mounting portion 12 of the helmet 10. Slotted helmets such as those shown in Figures 1-3 are known in the art. However, for ease of illustration, the helmet 10, including the mounting portion 12, is depicted as transparent in Figure 3. The lower portion 36 of the clip 30a is mounted within the mounting portion 12 of the helmet 10 by pressing the clip 30a downward into the mounting portion 12 until the stepped portion 40 overcomes the slot in the helmet 10, lies below the slot in the helmet 10, and clicks into place. The lower portion 36 of the clip 30a can be partially deformed through a gap (not labeled) surrounding the depressible portion 38. The lower portion 36 of the clip 30a can be removed from the mounting portion 12 of the helmet 10 by pushing the depressible portion 38 of the clip 30a from the inside until the stepped portion 40 disengages from the slot in the helmet 10, and then pulling the clip 30a upwardly away from the mounting portion 12.

[0038] A first embodiment of a lighting device 132 (described in more detail below) is shown attached to the strap 22 in FIG. 1. With reference to FIGS. 17 and 18, the lighting device 132 includes a strap slot 134a with a gap 136a and a strap slot 134b with a gap 136b. The gaps 136a, 136b allow the strap 22 to be removably secured within the strap slots 134a, 134b, and the strap 22 may be disposed above or below the lighting device 132 to hold the lighting device 132 in place on the strap 22. FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a lighting device 50 attached to the strap 22 of the helmet mounting device 20 via a clip 52. It should be understood that any number of mechanisms may be used to attach the lighting device to the helmet mounting device illustrated and described herein, including, but not limited to, various slots, clips, clamps, brackets, or fasteners. When the lighting device 132 is attached to a helmet or other item, the arcuate curvature of the slots 134a, 134b allows the lighting device 132 to be partially rotated to orient the lighting device 132 as desired.

[0039] Another embodiment of a helmet mounting device 64 according to the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 6-10. In this embodiment, the helmet mounting device 64 includes a strap 66 and a pair of clips 80a, 80b. In this embodiment, the strap 66 includes a fixed loop 70 at one end and an adjustable loop 72 at the opposite end. The length of the strap 66 is adjustable via a buckle 68 in a known manner.

[0040] In this embodiment, the helmet attachment device 64 is shown attached to a second type of helmet 54, a firefighter's helmet. The helmet 54 has a first side 56 that includes a first attachment portion 55 (in this case, a portion of the brim that extends around the entire circumference of the helmet 54) and a second side 57 that includes a second attachment portion (in this case, another portion of the brim 55).

[0041] The helmet 54 further includes an apex 58, a front identification surface 62 (typically displaying fire department information) and a ridge 60 extending forward between the apex 58 and the identification surface 62. In this embodiment, the helmet mounting device 64 further includes a strap holder 74. The strap holder 74 includes a ridge support 76 that fits snugly over the ridge 60 of the helmet 54 and a pair of strap slots 78a, 78b through which the strap 66 is threaded. The strap holder 74 holds the strap 66 in a desired position near the apex 58 of the ridge 60 of the helmet 54 while minimizing the possibility of damage to the strap 66. The strap holder 74 also serves to relatively secure the clips 80a, 80b in position along the brim 55, i.e., minimizing forward and rearward sliding of the clips.

[0042] In this embodiment, clips 80a, 80b are removably attached to mounting portions (brims) 55 on first and second sides 56, 57, respectively, of helmet 54. With both clips 80a, 80b attached to helmet 54 in this manner, strap 66 is disposed on or near apex 58 of helmet 54, such that a lighting device (such as lighting device 132 or lighting device 50) can be attached to strap 66 anywhere along its length, including at or near apex 58 of helmet 54.

[0043] 9 and 10, clip 80a (which should be understood to be identical to clip 80b) includes an upper portion 82 that includes a strap slot 84 and a lower portion 86 that includes a pair of hook portions 88a, 88b. In this embodiment, strap slot 84 has an open side to allow either fixed loop 70 or adjustable loop 72 of strap 66 to slide therein, thereby allowing clip 80a to be quickly attached to and detached from strap 66, for example, as will be further described below, different types of clips may be attached to strap 66. In another embodiment, clips 80a, 80b may be permanently attached to strap 66 in a manner such that clips 80a, 80b cannot be replaced with other types of clips.

[0044] 9 and 10, in this embodiment, the hook portions 88a, 88b are sized and shaped to releasably engage the brim (mounting portion) 55 of the helmet 54 by hooking the inner surfaces of the hook portions 88a, 88b to the brim (mounting portion) 55 of the helmet 54 and applying pressure to the brim 55 via an elastic restoring force applied to the clips 80a, 80b by the straps 66. To attach the clips 80a, 80b to the brim 55, the straps 66 are stretched so that the clips 80a, 80b are aligned with the brim 55 on both sides 56, 57, and then the clips 80a, 80b are released in place, and to remove the clips 80a, 80b, the straps 66 are stretched until the clips 80a, 80b are no longer aligned with the brim 55, and then the straps 66 are released.

[0045] Next, another embodiment of the helmet mounting device 100 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to Figures 11 to 13. In this embodiment, the helmet mounting device 100 includes a strap 102 and a pair of clips (only one of the clips 106 is shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the strap 102 includes two fastening loops (only one of the fastening loops 104 is shown in the figure), and therefore the length of the strap 102 is fixed.

[0046] In this embodiment, the helmet mounting device 100 is shown mounted to a third type of helmet 92, i.e., a known type of military helmet. The helmet 92 has a first side 94 that includes a first mounting portion 98 (in this case, an accessory slot) and a second side 95 that includes a second mounting portion, i.e., a second accessory slot identical to the accessory slot on the first side 94. The first mounting portion 98 (accessory slot) includes an opening 99 located on its front side. The helmet 92 further includes an apex 93 and an accessory bracket 96 located on the front for holding additional accessories (e.g., a visor or night vision goggles).

[0047] As best seen in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the clip 106 includes an upper portion 108 that includes a strap slot 110 and a lower portion 112 that includes a slot-engaging portion 114. In this embodiment, the clip 106 can be removably attached to the attachment portion (accessory slot) 98 of the first side 94 of the helmet 92 by placing the slot-engaging portion 114 into the opening 99 and then sliding it further into the accessory slot 98. The clip 106 can be removed from the accessory slot 98 in the reverse order. When the clip (including the clip 106) is attached to the helmet 92 in this manner, the strap 102 is disposed on or near the apex 93 of the helmet 92, allowing a lighting device (e.g., lighting device 132 or lighting device 50) to be attached anywhere along the length of the strap 102, including at or near the apex 93 of the helmet 92.

[0048] In this embodiment, the strap slot 110 has an open side that allows any of the fastening loops (e.g., fastening loop 104) to slide through, thereby allowing the clip 106 to be quickly attached and detached from the strap 102, e.g., allowing different types of clips to be attached to the strap 102, as described further below. In another embodiment, the clips (including clip 106) may be permanently attached to the strap 102 in a manner that makes them non-interchangeable with other types of clips.

[0049] With reference now to FIG. 14, a fourth type of helmet 116 will be described in detail, namely a known type of rescue helmet sold under the trademark MSA Gallet by Hobrand BV, The Netherlands. The helmet has a first side 118 including a first mounting portion 120 (in this case an accessory slot) and a second side 119 including a second mounting portion, i.e. a second accessory slot, identical to the accessory slot in the first side 118. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various accessories may be removably secured to the first mounting portion (accessory slot) 120. The helmet 116 further comprises an apex 117. For ease of illustration, only the first mounting portion / accessory slot 120 of the helmet 116 is shown in solid lines in FIG. 14.

[0050] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, a clip 122 may be provided as part of a helmet mounting apparatus or kit of the present invention to removably engage a mounting portion (accessory slot) 120 of a helmet 116. In this embodiment, the clip 122 includes an upper portion 124 including a strap slot 126 and a lower portion 128 including a slot engagement portion 130. The clip 122 may be removably attached to the mounting portion (accessory slot) 120 of a first side 118 of the helmet 116 by pushing the slot engagement portion 130 downward into the mounting portion (accessory slot) 120. To remove the clip 122 from the mounting portion (accessory slot) 120, a portion of the slot engagement portion 130 is pushed from inside the helmet 116 and then the clip 122 is pulled upward. In this manner, when a clip (including clip 122) is attached to helmet 116 with a strap (e.g., strap 22, strap 66, or strap 102) attached, the strap is routed over or near the apex 117 of helmet 116, allowing a lighting device (e.g., lighting device 132 or lighting device 50) to be attached anywhere along the length of the strap, including a location at or near the apex 117 of helmet 116.

[0051] 17-21 show various images of the lighting device 132 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition to the strap slots 134a, 134b described above, the lighting device 132 includes a front PCB cover 138 that includes a printed circuit board (PCB) that controls the flood lens 140 and spot lens 142 on the front of the lighting device 132, a battery door 152 that houses and conceals one or more batteries (e.g., lithium rechargeable batteries or one or more replaceable batteries) and is retained by a thumb screw 154, and a rear PCB cover 144 that includes a PCB that controls a button 146 and a pair of tail lights 148a, 148b. The button 146 can be used to switch between spot light and flood light modes (i.e., alternate between the flood lens 140 and the spot lens 142), change the intensity of the light, and / or turn the tail lights 148a, 148b on and off. In some embodiments, the tail lights 148a, 148b are always on when either the spot lens 142 or the flood lens 140 are on, and in alternative embodiments, the user can select whether to use the tail lights 148a, 148b. In some embodiments, the tail lights 148a, 148b emit a blue light and are used to locate or identify the user from behind in low visibility environments (e.g., dark, smoky, and / or foggy). As further shown in the schematic diagrams of FIGS. 19-21, a hinge pin 155 for opening and closing the battery door 152 passes through the battery door 152 and is held in place by the front PCB cover 138 and the rear PCB cover 144. Fasteners 150a, 150b are used to hold the rear PCB cover 144 in place, and fasteners 150c, 150d are used to hold the front PCB cover 138 in place.

[0052] 22, in some iterations, a helmet attachment apparatus according to the present disclosure may be provided as a kit 156 with one or more straps and multiple clip pairs, including, for example, a pair of "over the brim" clips 80a, 80b shown in Figures 6, 9, and 10, a pair of "accessory slot" clips 30a, 30b shown in Figures 1-5, a pair of "accessory rail" clips 106 shown in Figures 11-13, and / or a pair of "accessory slot" clips 122 shown in Figures 15 and 16. The various clip pairs can be alternately attached to the straps to allow attachment to multiple different types of helmets right out of the box. The kit 156 may further include a fixed length strap (such as strap 22 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 and strap 102 in FIG. 11), an adjustable length strap (such as strap 66 in FIGS. 6 and 7 and strap 158 in FIG. 22), two fixed length straps of different lengths, or both a fixed length strap and an adjustable length strap. As further shown in FIG. 22, the strap 158 is constructed from an elastic fabric material with an outer side 160 uncoated (or covered with a silicone material) and an inner side 162 covered with a silicone material to enhance grip to the helmet material. The strap 158 may further include a known type of "tri-glide" buckle 166 for length adjustment and two loops, an adjustable length loop 168 and a fixed loop 164 that is sewn in this embodiment. A kit according to the present disclosure may be sold with one or more units of any of the lighting devices described herein or any other lighting devices that can be attached to a strap.

[0053] An additional embodiment of a lighting device 170 that may be sold with one or more straps and / or clip pairs in accordance with the present disclosure is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 23 and 24. In this embodiment, the lighting device 170 comprises a body 172 (which in this embodiment may be made of extruded aluminum) attached to a clip 182 adapted for attachment to a strap or instead directly to headwear. In this embodiment, the body 172 is attached to the clip 182 via a tilt hinge 180, which allows a user to fine-tune or tilt the body 172 to achieve a desired angle of light emitted therefrom. Such a hinge may also be provided in the lighting device 50 of Fig. 5. Returning to the lighting device of Figs. 23 and 24, the body 172 further comprises a button 178 that functions as an on / off and mode selection switch, a battery door with a latch 176 for concealing one or more rechargeable or replaceable batteries, and a tail light 174 (which in this embodiment may also be blue in color to allow the user to see it from behind in low light conditions).

[0054] Another embodiment of the lighting device 190 will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 25 and 26. Figure 25 shows a front top perspective view of the lighting device 190, and Figure 26 shows a rear bottom exploded perspective view of the lighting device 190. In this embodiment, the lighting device 190 uses disposable batteries (e.g., 3x "AAA" size batteries) and includes a body 192 that hides a PCB (not shown) and a battery door 194 attached to the body 192 via a hinge pin 196 to hide a battery compartment (not shown) in which the disposable batteries are housed. The battery door 194 is held closed by a thumbscrew 198 that threadably engages a nut 200 that is rotationally secured to the underside of the body 192. Thus, the battery door 194 can be opened by rotating the thumbscrew 198 in the opposite direction until it disengages from the nut 200 and the battery door 194 can be lifted off the body 192.

[0055] As with the other embodiments described above, the lighting device 190 includes a pair of slots 202a, 202b through which one or more straps can be passed to hold the lighting device 190 in a desired position on an article of headwear, as well as a flood lens 204, a spot lens 206, and a button 208 that is used to toggle between flood and spot modes and to switch the lighting device 190 between on and off states. In this embodiment, the lighting device 190 further includes a hat strap 212 that is used to attach the lighting device 190 to a soft hat (e.g., baseball cap) or other item (e.g., clothing or fabric) that can be pierced with pins 214a, 214b on the hat strap 212, as an alternative to using an attachment strap. As shown in FIG. 26, the hat strap 212 is worn under the soft hat, with the pins 214a, 214b passing through the hat and each passing through a respective one of the slots 202a, 202b, each covered by a pin cover 216a, 216b. The pin covers 216a, 216b hold the lighting device 190 in place while protecting the user from accidental injury from the pins 214a, 214b. The underside of the body 192 is further provided with pads 210a, 210b for user comfort. Additionally, when the lighting device 190 is attached to an item such as a hat, the arcuate curvature of the slots 202a, 202 allows the lighting device 190 to be partially rotated to orient the lighting device 190 as desired.

[0056] Another embodiment of the lighting device 220 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 27. In this embodiment, the lighting device 220 uses a rechargeable battery and includes a body 222 that hides a PCB (not shown). In this embodiment, the lighting device 220 includes a charging port 224 (e.g., a USB-C port), a light 226 that indicates the charging status, and a cover (omitted from FIG. 27 for ease of illustration) attached to the body 222 via a hole 228, which is used to cover the charging port 224 and protect it from dirt, liquids, damage, etc. As with the other embodiments described above, the lighting device 220 includes a pair of slots 230a, 230b through which one or more straps can be threaded to hold the lighting device 220 in a desired position on the headwear article, as well as a flood lens 232, a spot lens 234, and a button (not shown) on the back that is used to switch between flood and spot modes and to switch the lighting device 220 between on and off states. In this embodiment, the lighting device 220 further includes a hat strap 236 and pin covers 238a, 238b that are structurally and functionally identical to the hat strap 212 used in the embodiment of FIGS.

[0057] Applicant further owns embodiments of the present disclosure in which any version of the lighting device can be attached to headwear, clothing, or other items using hook-and-loop or other reclosable types fasteners, such as the Dual Lock® reclosable fastener patch manufactured by 3M Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. In any embodiment, the lighting device is either provided with a pre-attached fastening mechanism on the back of the lighting device or provided separately within the package, and / or such fastening mechanism may be included separately as part of a kit of parts that includes one or more straps, hooks, and / or other attachment accessories, as described herein.

[0058] It should be understood that any of the lighting devices according to the present disclosure may be provided with product specifications that meet the Class 1 Division 1 (C1D1) standards of the National Electrical Code, meaning that under normal operating conditions they are safe for use in situations where flammable vapors or gases are continually or frequently present (i.e., they are explosion-proof under these conditions).

[0059] FIG. 28 shows another embodiment of a mounting device accessory that includes a pair of adapters (only one adapter 240 is shown in FIG. 28), each adapter having a central portion 242 and a pair of arms 244a, 244b extending from the central portion 242 to form a general "U" shape, the arms 244a, 244b being disposed in front of and behind the mounting portion 12, respectively. Each arm 244a, 244b has a hook 246a, 246b disposed at the end thereof, respectively, that is configured to grip a helmet brim (e.g., brim 16 of helmet 10). The adapter 240 includes a pair of wire-shaped hoops that span over earmuffs (or other accessories) that are attached to the helmet 10 via the mounting portion 12 on one or both sides of the helmet 10. In this configuration, a strap (e.g., strap 250) extends beyond the apex 15 of the helmet 10 and is attached at both ends to a clip (e.g., clip 252 having a hook portion 254) configured to be attached to a central portion 242 of the adapter 240. The strap 250 has an axis 251 when attached across the apex 15 of the helmet 10, and the arms 244a, 244b similarly have respective axes 245a, 245b, which do not align with the axis 251 of the strap 250, creating an "offset" attachment location relative to the helmet 10 and its attachment portion 12. If ear protection (or other accessories) are not used on either or both of the attachment portions (e.g., attachment portion 12), the adapter 240 may be omitted and the strap hooks (e.g., hook portions 254) may be attached directly to the brim 16 of the helmet 10. It should be understood that, alternatively, a pair of adapters 240 may be permanently attached to the straps.

[0060] 29 and 30 show another embodiment of a lighting device 260 according to the present disclosure, which may be used with any of the straps, clips, or other accessories disclosed herein. It should be understood that this embodiment of the lighting device is substantially similar to the embodiment of the lighting device 220 shown in FIG. 27, and thus, for ease of explanation, not all parts have been labeled in FIG. 29 and 30. Furthermore, it should be understood that the modifications shown in the embodiment of FIG. 29 and 30 and described below may be used with any of the embodiments of the lighting device shown and described herein.

[0061] In this embodiment, the lighting device 260 includes a body 262 and a pair of hinges 264a, 264b, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 29 and FIG. 30, which rotatably attach a pair of side portions 268a, 268b, respectively, to the body 262 about a pair of axes 266a, 266b, respectively. It should be understood that any suitable type of hinge mechanism may be used for the hinges 264a, 264b. Each side portion 268a, 268b includes a slot 270a, 270b, respectively, for passing a strap or other support mechanism, as described above. In this embodiment, the angle of the side portions 268a, 268b can be freely adjusted relative to the body 262 about the hinges 264a, 264b, allowing the lighting device 260 to better conform to the curvature of a helmet, a user's head, or other irregular surfaces to which the lighting device 260 may be attached.

[0062] Although exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods described herein have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many additional modifications to the exemplary embodiments are possible without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the systems and methods described herein. Accordingly, these and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the systems and methods described herein. The systems and methods described herein may be more appropriately defined by the following exemplary claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10, 54, 92, 116 Helmets 12, 98, 120 First mounting part 13, 56, 94, 118 First aspect 14, 57, 95, 119 Second Aspect 15, 58, 93, 117 Vertex 16, 55 Brim 20 Mounting device 22, 66, 102, 158, 250 Straps 24, 26, 70, 104, 164 fixed loop 30a, 30b, 80a, 80b, 106, 122, 182 Clips 36 Lower 38 Depressible part 40 Stepped section 60 Ridge 62 Identification Surface 64, 100 Helmet mounting device 68 Buckle 168 Adjustable Loops, 74 Strap holder 76 Raised Support 82, 124 Upper 86, 112 Lower 88a, 88b hook part 96 Accessory bracket 99 Opening 50, 132, 170, 190, 220, 260 Lighting equipment 78a, 78b, 84, 110, 126, 134a, 134b Strap slots 120 Accessory Slots 136a, 136b Gap 114, 130 Slot engagement portion 138, 144 PCB cover 140, 204, 232 Flood Lens 142, 206, 234 Spot Lens 146, 208 Button 148a, 148b, 174 Taillight 150a, 150b zipper 154 Thumb screw 155 Hinge pin 152, 194 Battery door 160 outside 162 Inside 166 Buckle 172, 192, 222 Main unit 176 Latch 178 Buttons 180 Tilt Hinge 182 clips 196 Hinge pin 200 Nuts 210a, 210b pads 212, 236 Hat Strap 214a, 214b pins 216a, 216b Pin cover 224 Charging port 226 Light 228 holes 230a, 230b, 270a, 270b slots 240 Adapter 242 Central part 244a, 244b Arm 245a, 245b, 251, 266a, 266b axis 246a, 246b Hook 254 Hook part 264a, 264b hinge 268a, 268b side part

Claims

1. 1. A helmet mounting device adapted to be attached to a helmet having a first mounting portion located on a first side of the helmet and a second mounting portion located on a second side of the helmet, the helmet further having an apex, The helmet mounting device comprises: a strap having a first end and a second end; a first clip attached to a first end of the strap and specially adapted to be attached to the first attachment portion; a second clip attached to a second end of the strap and specially adapted to be attached to the second attachment portion; Equipped with A helmet mounting device, wherein when the first clip is attached to the first mounting portion and the second clip is attached to the second mounting portion, the strap is disposed on or near an apex of the helmet.

2. The helmet mounting device of claim 1 further comprising a lighting device attachable to the strap at or near the apex of the helmet.

3. The helmet mounting device of claim 2 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a first slot and a second slot through which the strap may pass.

4. 4. The helmet mounting device of claim 3, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, and wherein the lighting device can rotate relative to the strap when the strap is threaded through the first slot and the second slot.

5. 2. The helmet mounting device of claim 1, further comprising an adapter attachable to either a first end or a second end of the strap, the adapter having a central portion, a first arm, and a second arm, the first arm extending from the central portion along a first axis and the second arm extending from the central portion along a second axis, each of the first axis and the second axis being misaligned with an axis of the strap, and each of the first arm and the second arm being adapted to be attached to either the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion.

6. 6. The helmet mounting device of claim 5, wherein the first arm includes a first hook and the second arm includes a second hook.

7. The helmet attachment device of claim 1 , wherein the first clip and the second clip each have at least one hook portion.

8. 2. The helmet mounting device of claim 1, wherein the first clip and the second clip each have a portion adapted to releasably engage a slot or rail of an accessory on the helmet.

9. a strap having a first end and a second end; a first clip removably attachable to a first end of the strap, the first clip being specially adapted to attach to a first attachment portion located on a first side of a first type of helmet, the first type of helmet having an apex; a second clip removably attachable to a second end of the strap, the second clip being specially adapted to attach to a second attachment portion located on a second side of a second type of helmet; a third clip removably attachable to a first end of the strap, the third clip being specially adapted to attach to a first attachment portion located on a first side of the second type helmet, the second type helmet having an apex; and a fourth clip removably attachable to a second end of the strap, the fourth clip being specially adapted to attach to a second attachment portion located on a second side of the second type of helmet; and A kit comprising: when the first clip is attached to a first end of the strap, the second clip is attached to a second end of the strap, the first clip is attached to a first mounting portion of the first type helmet, and the second clip is attached to a second mounting portion of the first type helmet, the strap is disposed on or near an apex of the first type helmet; When the third clip is attached to a first end of the strap, the fourth clip is attached to a second end of the strap, the third clip is attached to a first mounting portion of the second type helmet, and the fourth clip is attached to a second mounting portion of the second type helmet, the strap is disposed on or near the apex of the second type helmet.

10. 10. The kit of claim 9, further comprising a lighting device attachable to the strap at or near the apex of the helmet.

11. The kit of claim 10 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a first slot and a second slot through which the strap can pass.

12. 12. The kit of claim 11, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, and wherein the lighting device can rotate relative to the strap when the strap is threaded through the first slot and the second slot.

13. 10. The kit of claim 9, further comprising an adapter attachable to either the first end or the second end of the strap, the adapter having a central portion, a first arm, and a second arm, the first arm extending from the central portion along a first axis and the second arm extending from the central portion along a second axis, each of the first axis and the second axis being misaligned with an axis of the strap, and each of the first arm and the second arm being adapted to be attached to either the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion.

14. 14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the first arm comprises a first hook and the second arm comprises a second hook.

15. The kit of claim 9 , wherein the first clip and the second clip each have at least one hook portion.

16. 10. The kit of claim 9, wherein each of the third clip and the fourth clip has a portion adapted to releasably engage with a slot or rail of an accessory located on a first side or a second side of the first type helmet or the second type helmet.

17. 16. The kit of claim 15, wherein each of the third clip and the fourth clip has a portion adapted to releasably engage a slot or rail of an accessory located on a first side or a second side of the first type helmet or the second type helmet.

18. a lighting body having a first slot and a second slot; and a strap including a pair of pins and a pair of pin covers, the strap adapted to enable attachment of a lighting body to an item that can be pierced by the pair of pins, by placing the strap on one side of the item, piercing the pair of pins into the item, placing the lighting body on an opposite side of the item, passing each pin through a first slot and a second slot of the lighting body, respectively, and placing each of the pair of pin covers on each of the pair of pins, such that each pin cover is adapted to fit over and removably cover each of the pair of pins; The lighting device comprises:

19. 20. The lighting device of claim 18, wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has an arcuate curvature, such that when the lighting body is attached to the strap via the first slot and the second slot, the lighting body can rotate relative to the strap.

Images