Head cooling device body, head cooling device, and head cooling device-equipped cap

Abstract

A head cooling device-equipped cap 100 includes a head cooling device 1 and a cap 2. The head cooling device 1 includes a device body 11 and a fan 12. The device body 11 includes: an air intake part 1122, which is an opening for taking air into the fan 12; and an air delivery part 113 for delivering the air, which is taken in by the fan 12, from the air intake part 1122 to the inside of the cap 2. The device body 11 includes an upper surface part 111 constituting an upper surface, and a lower surface part 112 constituting a lower surface. The air intake part 1122 is formed on the lower surface part 112. The air delivery part 113 is formed between one end section of the upper surface part 111 and one end section of the lower surface part 112.

Description

Head cooling device body, head cooling device and hat with head cooling device

[0001] The present invention relates to a head cooling device body, a head cooling device, and a hat with a head cooling device.

[0002] When people are active outdoors, they often wear hats to reduce the adverse effects of direct sunlight, but when wearing such hats, the parts of the head that come into contact with the hat can become hot and humid, causing discomfort. Therefore, hats equipped with a cooling plate made of a Peltier element or the like to cool the head of the wearer are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-194004

[0004] With a hat equipped with such a cooling plate, the part of the wearer's head that comes into contact with the cooling plate can be cooled, but the area that can be cooled is limited to only the part of the head that comes into contact with the cooling plate, so the cooling efficiency for the wearer's head is not excellent.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to make it possible to efficiently cool the head of a hat wearer.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a head cooling device main body, which comprises an air intake section which is an opening for taking in air into a fan, and an air delivery section for delivering the air taken in by the fan from the air intake section into the hat.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention provides the head cooling device body according to the first aspect, comprising an upper surface portion constituting the upper surface, and a lower surface portion constituting the lower surface.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is the head cooling device body according to the second aspect, wherein the air intake portion is formed on the lower surface portion.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is the head cooling device body of the second aspect, wherein the air delivery portion is formed between one end of the upper surface portion and one end of the lower surface portion.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is the head cooling device main body described in claim 4, wherein one end of the upper surface portion is formed to bend or curve upward, and one end of the lower surface portion is formed to bend or curve upward.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides the head cooling device body of the fourth aspect, further comprising a connecting means for connecting the head cooling device body to a hat near the one end of the upper surface portion.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides the head cooling device body according to the first aspect, further comprising a guide path that guides the air taken in from the air intake portion to the air delivery portion.

[0013] The invention described in claim 8 is the head cooling device main body described in claim 7, wherein the guide path is formed between two wall portions, one end of which is located near the air intake portion and the other end of which is located near the air discharge portion.

[0014] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the head cooling device main body according to the eighth aspect, wherein the distance between the two wall portions is wider at the other end portion than at the one end portion.

[0015] A tenth aspect of the present invention provides the head cooling device body of the ninth aspect, wherein the distance between the two wall portions at the other end is equal to the width of the air delivery portion.

[0016] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the head cooling device main body of the fourth aspect, wherein the upper surface portion covers the side surface of the lower surface portion except for a portion where the air delivery portion is formed.

[0017] The invention as set forth in claim 12 is the head cooling device body as set forth in claim 1, which is formed to have the shape of a brim of a hat.

[0018] The invention described in claim 13 is a head cooling device comprising: a head cooling device main body described in any one of claims 1 to 12; and a fan attached to the head cooling device main body so as to take in air from the air intake portion.

[0019] The invention as set forth in claim 14 is the head cooling device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan.

[0020] The invention described in claim 15 is the head cooling device described in claim 13, wherein the air intake section is formed on the underside of the head cooling device main body, and the fan is stored between the upper and lower surfaces of the head cooling device main body, and sends out air taken in from the underside of the fan via the air intake section toward the side of the fan.

[0021] The invention described in claim 16 is a hat with a head cooling device, comprising: the head cooling device described in claim 13; and a hat body.

[0022] A seventeenth aspect of the present invention provides a hat with a head cooling device according to the sixteenth aspect, further comprising a spacer for forming a gap between the hat and the wearer's head.

[0023] According to the present invention, the head of a person wearing a hat can be cooled efficiently.

[0024] 3 is a perspective view of a hat with a head cooling device according to an embodiment, seen from diagonally above. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hat with a head cooling device according to an embodiment, seen from diagonally below. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a hat with a head cooling device according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the hat with a head cooling device according to an embodiment is disassembled. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the V-V line in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the underside of the device body of the head cooling device of the hat with a head cooling device according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view of a plate-like member used to form a spacer provided in the hat of the head cooling device according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a spacer provided in the hat of the head cooling device according to an embodiment, seen from diagonally front. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a spacer provided in the hat of the head cooling device according to an embodiment, seen from diagonally rear.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, and various modifications can be made to the embodiments described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0026] In the following description, the state in which the wearer is wearing the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 is used as a reference, and the direction in front of the wearer is defined as front, the direction behind the wearer as rear, the direction above the wearer as up, the direction below the wearer as down, the right direction of the wearer as right, the left direction of the wearer as left, the axis along the front-to-back direction as X-axis, the axis along the left-to-right direction as Y-axis, and the axis along the up-to-down direction as Z-axis. Also, when describing parts of the head cooling device-equipped hat 100, such as the head cooling device 1 and hat 2, the directions will be defined based on the state in which they are attached to the head cooling device-equipped hat 100.

[0027] [1. Configuration of the embodiment] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the hat 100 with head cooling device according to this embodiment comprises a head cooling device 1 and a hat 2, and circulates air between the hat 2 and the wearer's head to evaporate sweat from the wearer's head, thereby cooling the wearer's head with the heat of vaporization generated during evaporation.

[0028] [(1) Head Cooling Device] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the head cooling device 1 comprises a device main body 11 connected to the front of the hat 2, a fan 12 for introducing air into the device main body 11, a power supply unit 13 for supplying power to the fan 12, and a circuit board 14 for controlling the power supplied from the power supply unit 13 to the fan 12. The air taken into the device main body 11 from the air intake unit 1122 by the fan 12 is sent out from the air delivery unit 113, thereby circulating air in the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head.

[0029] [a. Device main body] The device main body 11 is the part of the head cooling device 1 that forms the outer surface of the head cooling device 1 excluding electrical components such as the fan 12, power supply 13, and circuit board 14, and is formed to have the shape of a hat brim.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the device main body 11 comprises an upper surface portion 111 that forms the upper surface, and a lower surface portion 112 that forms the lower surface. Between the rear end of the upper surface portion 111 and the rear end of the lower surface portion 112, there is formed an air delivery portion 113, which is an opening for delivering air taken into the device main body 11 by the fan 12 into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head, and there is formed inside the device main body 11 a guide path 114 for guiding the air taken into the device main body 11 by the fan 12 to the air delivery portion 113.

[0031] [(a) Top surface portion] The top surface portion 111 is a portion that forms the top surface of the device main body 11, and as shown in Figures 1 to 5, is formed to have the shape of a hat brim in a plan view, with the center rising upward in the Y-axis direction and the left and right ends curved downward.

[0032] 2, 4, and 5, the upper surface portion 111 is larger than the lower surface portion 112 at the front end and the left and right end portions. As a result, the upper surface portion 111 is formed so as to cover the entire side surface (end portion in plan view) of the lower surface portion 112 except for the rear end portion where the air delivery portion 113 is formed.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the upper surface portion 111 has a bent portion 1111 at its rear end that is bent upward, and is formed so that the rear end faces upward. Note that instead of bending at a single point as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rear end of the upper surface portion 111 may be gradually curved so that the rear end faces upward. Also, the rear end of the upper surface portion 111 may face upward by combining bending and curving. In the present invention, "bending or curving" includes any of bending only, curving only, and a combination of bending and curving.

[0034] 5, such bent portion 1111 is formed so that the rear end of top surface portion 111 is inclined upward with respect to the X axis and rearward with respect to the Z axis at the center of top surface portion 111 in the Y axis direction. In other words, if a state in which top surface portion 111 is tilted 90 degrees forward with respect to the Z axis is defined as 0 degrees, and a state in which top surface portion 111 is tilted 90 degrees backward with respect to the Z axis is defined as 180 degrees, then bent portion 1111 is formed so that the rear end of top surface portion 111 is at an angle between 90 degrees and 180 degrees.

[0035] 4 and 5, an apparatus-side connecting means 1112, which is a hook-and-loop fastener, is provided on the upper surface of the bent portion 1111 as a connecting means for connecting the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2. Note that the apparatus-side connecting means 1112 may be anything that can connect the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2, and may be a button, a fastener, or the like, in addition to the hook-and-loop fastener.

[0036] [(b) Lower surface portion] The lower surface portion 112 is a portion that forms the lower surface of the device main body 11, and as shown in Figures 2, 4, 5, and 6, is formed to have the shape of a hat brim in a plan view, with the center rising upward in the Y-axis direction and the left and right ends curved downward.

[0037] 2, 4, and 5, the lower surface portion 112 is smaller than the upper surface portion 111 at the front end and the left and right end portions. As a result, the upper surface portion 111 covers the entire side surface (end portion in plan view) of the lower surface portion 112, except for the rear end portion where the air delivery portion 113 is formed, as described above.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2, 4, 5, and 6, the lower surface portion 112 has a curved portion 1121 that curves upward at its rear end, and is formed so that the rear end faces upward. Note that instead of gradually curving as shown in Figures 2, 4, 5, and 6, the rear end of the lower surface portion 112 may face upward by bending at a single point, similar to the bent portion 1111 of the upper surface portion 111. Alternatively, the rear end of the lower surface portion 112 may face upward by combining bending and curving.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, this curved portion 1121 is formed so that the rear end of the lower surface portion 112 is inclined upward with respect to the X axis and backward with respect to the Z axis at the center of the lower surface portion 112 in the Y axis direction.

[0040] 2, 4, 5, and 6, an air intake portion 1122, which is an opening for taking in air into the fan 12, is formed in the center of the lower surface portion 112 in the Y-axis direction. The air intake portion 1122 is a circular hole that is formed so as to penetrate the lower surface portion 112 in the vertical direction.

[0041] 4 to 6, a fan mounting wall 1123, which is a wall that protrudes upward and has a substantially circular shape in plan view, is formed around the air intake 1122 on the upper surface of the underside 112. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the fan mounting wall 1123 is formed so that a portion of the rear end thereof in plan view becomes an interrupted opening 11231, and the other portion surrounds the periphery of the air intake 1122.

[0042] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, behind the fan mounting wall 1123 on the upper surface of the lower surface 112, there is formed a first taxiway forming wall 1124 which is a wall that protrudes upward in a planar view so as to connect the right end of the opening 11231 and the right rear end of the lower surface 112, and a second taxiway forming wall 1125 which is a wall that protrudes upward in a planar view so as to connect the left end of the opening 11231 and the left rear end of the lower surface 112.

[0043] The length by which the first taxiway forming wall portion 1124 and the second taxiway forming wall portion 1125 protrude upward is equal to the distance between the upper surface portion 111 and the lower surface portion 112, and the first taxiway forming wall portion 1124 and the second taxiway forming wall portion 1125 are formed so that their entire upper ends are in contact with the lower surface of the upper surface portion 111, as shown in Figure 5.

[0044] As a result, a space is formed between the first guideway forming wall 1124 and the second guideway forming wall 1125, with no openings except for the front end connected to the opening 11231 of the fan mounting wall 1123 and the rear end connected to the air discharge section 113, and this space becomes the guideway 114 that guides the air taken into the device main body 11 from the air intake section 1122 by the fan 12 to the air discharge section 113.

[0045] 6, the distance in the Y-axis direction in a plan view between the first taxiway forming wall portion 1124 and the second taxiway forming wall portion 1125 (the width of the taxiway 114 in a plan view) is equal to the width of the air delivery portion 113 in the Y-axis direction at the connection portion with the air delivery portion 113 at the rear end, and is equal to the width of the opening 11231 in the Y-axis direction at the connection portion with the opening 11231 of the fan mounting wall portion 1123 at the front end. In other words, the width of the taxiway 114 in a plan view gradually increases from the front end to the rear end.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 2, the underside of the lower surface portion 112 is provided with a switch 1126 for switching the power supplied to the fan 12 on and off, and an on / off display portion 1127 for displaying whether the power supplied to the fan 12 is on or off.

[0047] The configuration of the switch 1126 and the on / off display unit 1127 is not particularly limited as long as they can switch the power supplied to the fan 12 on / off and display the on / off status of the power supplied to the fan 12. The on / off display unit 1127 may, for example, be provided with two LEDs of different colors, and the different LEDs may be made to emit light corresponding to the on / off status of the power supplied to the fan 12. Furthermore, the on / off display unit 1127 may also display the strength of the power supplied to the fan 12 in addition to the on / off status of the power supplied to the fan 12.

[0048] [b Fan] The fan 12 is a device for creating an air flow that takes in air into the device body 11 through an air intake section 1122 formed in the device body 11 and sends it out of the device body 11 from the air discharge section 113 of the device body 11, and is attached between the upper surface section 111 and the lower surface section 112 of the device body 11 so as to be positioned above the air intake section 1122, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5.

[0049] The fan 12 is a centrifugal fan that blows air in a direction approximately perpendicular to the rotation axis, and as shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, it is equipped with blades 121 that generate air flow, a motor 122 that rotates the blades 121, and an upper cover 123 that covers the upper part of the blades 121 and the motor 122.

[0050] The shape of the blades 121 is not particularly limited as long as it can blow air taken in a direction perpendicular to the portion of the underside 112 where the air intake portion 1122 is formed (a direction tilted slightly forward relative to the upward direction in FIG. 5 ) toward the side of the fan 12, i.e., a direction perpendicular to the air intake direction (a direction tilted slightly upward relative to the rearward direction in FIG. 5 ). The motor 122 is also not particularly limited as long as it can rotate the blades 121.

[0051] 4 and 5, the upper cover 123 includes a side portion 1231 located on the side and an upper portion 1232 located on the top. In plan view, the side portion 1231 has substantially the same shape as the fan mounting wall portion 1123 formed on the lower surface 112 of the device body 11, and in plan view, a portion of the rear end forms an interrupted opening 12311, while the other portion is formed to surround the periphery of the blades 121. In addition, the upper portion 1232 is formed to cover the entire upper surface of the portion surrounded by the side portion 1231.

[0052] As a result, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, by attaching the fan 12 to the underside 112 of the device main body 11 so that the side portion 1231 of the upper cover 123 and the fan mounting wall portion 1123 are combined, a space without any openings is formed around the blades 121 of the fan 12, except for the opening formed by the combination of the opening 11231 of the fan mounting wall portion 1123 and the opening 12311 of the upper cover 123, and the air intake portion 1122.

[0053] [c. Power Supply Device] The power supply device 13 is a device for supplying power to the fan 12, and is formed, for example, from a lithium-ion battery pack. As shown in Fig. 4, the power supply devices 13 are provided in two locations, one on the left and one on the right of the fan 12, between the top surface 111 and the bottom surface 112 of the device body 11. The power supply device 13 located on the right side of the fan 12 is not shown. The power supply devices 13 and the fan 12 are connected by a cable (not shown).

[0054] The specific configuration of the power supply device 13 is not particularly limited as long as it can supply power to the fan 12. The number of power supply devices 13 provided is also not particularly limited, and there may be only one, or a larger number of power supply devices 13 may be provided.

[0055] [d Circuit Board] The circuit board 14 is a plate-like member provided with various circuits for controlling the power supplied from the power supply device 13 to the fan 12. As shown in Fig. 4, two circuit boards 14 are provided in correspondence with the power supply devices 13, one on each side of the fan 12, between the upper surface 111 and the lower surface 112 of the device body 11. The circuit board 14 on the right side of the fan 12 is not shown. The circuit boards 14 and the power supply devices 13 are connected by a cable (not shown).

[0056] The specific configuration of the circuit board 14 is not particularly limited as long as it can control the power supplied from the power supply device 13 to the fan 12. The number of circuit boards 14 provided is also not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the number of circuit boards 14 provided corresponds to the number of power supply devices 13 provided.

[0057] [(2) Hat] As shown in Fig. 5, the hat 2 includes a top 21, which is a sheet-like member arranged on the outer surface side, a lining 22, which is a sheet-like member arranged on the inner surface side, and a spacer 23, which is arranged between the top 21 and the lining 22 and is formed of a plate-like member that is harder than the sheet-like members forming the top 21 and the lining 22, and is formed into a hat shape without a substantially hemispherical brim. The hat 2 is worn by a wearer so as to cover the wearer's head. The top 21, the lining 22, and the spacer 23 are all connected by sewing or other methods so that no gaps are formed between them.

[0058] By using a material with low breathability for the outer fabric 21 and a sheet-like member made of a moisture-permeable material for the lining 22, the air sent out from the air delivery section 113 of the head cooling device 1 flows along the wearer's head and is then discharged to the outside from an opening formed at the rear of the hat by overlapping a rear opening 211 of the outer fabric 21 with a rear opening 221 of the lining 22, as described below. This forms an air flow path from the fan 12 attached to the head cooling device 1 to the opening, and by evaporating sweat from the wearer's head, it is possible to cool a wide area of ​​the wearer's head.

[0059] The surface of the hat 2 that faces the wearer when worn is the inner surface of the hat 2, and the opposite surface is the outer surface of the hat 2.

[0060] 1 to 5, the outer material 21 is a substantially hemispherical sheet-like material that forms the outer surface of the hat 2. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the sheet-like material that forms the outer material 21, and it is sufficient to use a fabric made of natural fibers such as cotton or synthetic fibers such as polyester.

[0061] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the outer fabric 21 has a rear opening 211 on the rear surface, which is formed by providing a mesh member in an opening formed in a sheet-like member.

[0062] [b] Lining As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, the lining 22 is a sheet-like member formed into a substantially hemispherical shape with substantially the same size and shape as the outer material 21, and forms the inner side of the hat 2. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the sheet-like member forming the lining 22, and as with the outer material 21, any moisture-permeable material may be used, such as fabric made of natural fibers such as cotton or synthetic fibers such as polyester. Note that if the lining 22 is made of a mesh material, the wearing comfort of the wearer can be improved.

[0063] 2 and 5, the lining 22 has a rear opening 221 on the rear surface, which is formed by providing a mesh member in an opening formed in a sheet-like member. The rear opening 221 of the lining 22 is formed at a position overlapping the rear opening 211 of the outer fabric 21.

[0064] 4, the inner surface of the lining 22 near the front end is provided with a hook-and-loop fastener as a hat-side connecting means 222 for connecting the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2. By connecting the hook-and-loop fastener as the device-side connecting means 1112 provided on the head cooling device 1 with the hook-and-loop fastener as the hat-side connecting means 222 provided on the hat 2, the hat 2 and the head cooling device 1 can be connected as shown in FIGS.

[0065] The hat-side connecting means 222 may be any means capable of connecting the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2, and may be any means corresponding to the device-side connecting means 1112 provided on the head cooling device 1.

[0066] [c Spacer] As shown in Figure 5, the spacer 23 is provided between the outer fabric 21 and the lining 22 of the hat 2, and is a means for making the hat 2 harder and stabilizing its shape compared to a hat made of only the outer fabric 21 and the lining 22, thereby preventing the hat 2 from adhering tightly to the wearer's head and making it easier to form a gap between the hat 2 and the wearer's head. Note that any object that has the effect of making it easier to form a gap between some object is considered to be included in the term "spacer", regardless of the means used.

[0067] [(a) Spacer Configuration] The entire spacer 23 is formed in a plate shape using a resin material such as polypropylene, etc. That is, the spacer 23 is formed to be harder than the sheet-like material forming the outer fabric 21 and the sheet-like material forming the lining fabric 22.

[0068] 8 and 9, the spacer 23 is formed symmetrically. That is, the spacer 23 is composed of a right side portion 231, which is located to the right of the center in the Y-axis direction and is positioned on the right side of the wearer's head when the hat 2 is worn, and a left side portion 232, which is located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and is positioned on the left side of the wearer's head when the hat 2 is worn, and the right side portion 231 and the left side portion 232 are connected by a connecting portion 233, which is positioned in front of the wearer's head when the hat 2 is worn.

[0069] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the right and left side portions 231 and 232 are not connected above or behind the wearer's head, but are connected only at a connection portion 233 located in front of the wearer's head when the hat 2 is worn.

[0070] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the right surface portion 231 has a right opening 2311, which is an opening formed in the center when viewed from the Y-axis direction, and the left surface portion 232 has a left opening 2321, which is an opening formed in the center when viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0071] Furthermore, as described above, the right side portion 231 and the left side portion 232 are connected only at the connection portion 233, and as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the spacer 23 is formed so that the rear portion is divided into left and right portions, and a rear opening 211 of the outer fabric 21 and a rear opening 221 of the lining 22 are formed at positions overlapping with such dividing portions.

[0072] As a result, the opening formed on the back of the hat 2 when these overlap functions as an air exhaust section that exhausts air introduced into the hat 2 (into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head) by the head cooling device 1.

[0073] [(b) Method of Forming Spacers] The spacers 23 are formed by bending a flat plate-like member made of a resin material such as polypropylene into a three-dimensional shape. The plate-like member that is the base of the spacers 23 is referred to as plate-like member P.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7, the plate-like member P is formed so that when it is inverted about the axis of symmetry S in a plan view, it has a shape that is line-symmetric and overlaps with itself.

[0075] As shown in Figure 7, the plate-like member P has a first protrusion P1 and a second protrusion P2 that protrude to one side of the symmetric axis S, and a third protrusion P3 and a fourth protrusion P4 that protrude to the other side of the symmetric axis S.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 7 , the first protrusion P1 has a tip bent toward the second protrusion P2 and facing the second protrusion P2, and the third protrusion P3 has a tip bent toward the fourth protrusion P4 and facing the fourth protrusion P4. The tip of the first protrusion P1 may be gradually curved toward the second protrusion P2 rather than being bent at a single point toward the second protrusion P2 as shown in FIG. 7 . The tip of the third protrusion P3 may be gradually curved toward the fourth protrusion P4 rather than being bent at a single point toward the fourth protrusion P4 as shown in FIG. 7 . The first protrusion P1 may be bent and curved in combination so that its tip faces the second protrusion P2, and the third protrusion P3 may be bent and curved in combination so that its tip faces the fourth protrusion P4.

[0077] 8 and 9, in such a plate-like member P, the tip of the first protrusion P1 is connected to the tip of the second protrusion P2, and the tip of the third protrusion P3 is connected to the tip of the fourth protrusion P4, thereby forming the spacer 23. The connection method is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, welding by heat or bonding using a predetermined adhesive.

[0078] In other words, in this case, one side of the symmetrical axis S on which the first protrusion P1 and the second protrusion P2 are formed becomes the right surface portion 231 of the spacer 23, and the opening surrounded by the first protrusion P1 and the second protrusion P2 becomes the right opening portion 2311.

[0079] Furthermore, the other side of the symmetrical axis S on which the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4 are formed becomes the left surface portion 232 of the spacer 23, and the opening surrounded by the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4 becomes the left opening portion 2321.

[0080] [2. Description of Usage State] The usage state of the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0081] First, the wearer of the hat 100 with head cooling device connects the device side connection means 1112 of the head cooling device 1 to the hat side connection means 222 of the hat 2, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, and then puts the hat 100 with head cooling device on their head with the head cooling device 1 connected to the hat 2.

[0082] In this way, the rear surface of the curved portion 1121 of the lower surface portion 112 of the device body 11 of the head cooling device 1 comes into contact with the wearer's forehead to support the head cooling device-equipped hat 100, and the air delivery portion 113 of the device body 11 of the head cooling device 1 can be positioned in front of the wearer's forehead. That is, in the device body 11, the curved portion 1111 of the upper surface portion 111 functions to adjust the delivery angle of the air delivered from the air delivery portion 113 (to direct the delivered air diagonally upward) and also functions for connection to the hat 2, and the curved portion 1121 of the lower surface portion 112 functions to adjust the delivery angle of the air delivered from the air delivery portion 113 and also functions to support the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 when worn.

[0083] In this state, when the switch 1126 provided on the head cooling device 1 is operated to activate the fan 12, air outside the head cooling device 1 is taken into the device body 11 of the head cooling device 1 through an opening serving as an air intake section 1122 formed on the underside section 112 of the head cooling device 1.

[0084] The air taken into the device body 11 by the fan 12 is guided to the rear end of the head cooling device 1 by a guide path 114 formed between the upper surface 111 and the lower surface 112 of the device body 11, and is discharged outside the device body 11 from the air discharge section 113.

[0085] As described above, the air delivery section 113, which is located in front of the wearer's forehead, is located in the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head, and therefore the air delivered from the air delivery section 113 is introduced into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head.

[0086] The air introduced into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head circulates within the space, and then is discharged to the outside through the gap between the lower end of the hat 2 and the wearer's head, as well as through an opening at the back of the hat 2 formed by the overlapping rear opening 211 of the outer fabric 21, rear opening 221 of the lining 22, and rear dividing portion of the spacer 23.

[0087] [3 Effects of the embodiment] According to the hat with head cooling device 100 of this embodiment, the device body 11 of the head cooling device 1 is equipped with an air intake section 1122 which is an opening for taking in air into the fan 12 attached to the device body 11, and an air discharge section 113 for discharging the air taken into the device body 11 by the fan 12 from the air intake section 1122 into the hat 2 (into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head).

[0088] This allows the air sent out from the air sending section 113 to circulate in the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head, evaporating the sweat from the wearer's head, thereby making it possible to cool a wide area of ​​the wearer's head.Therefore, the wearer's head can be cooled more efficiently than when, for example, a cooling plate is used to cool only the part of the wearer's head that comes into contact with the cooling plate.

[0089] Furthermore, the device main body 11 has an upper surface portion 111 that forms its upper surface and a lower surface portion 112 that forms its lower surface, and the air intake portion 1122 is formed on the lower surface portion 112. As the air intake portion 1122 faces downward, it becomes easier to prevent rain, dust, etc. from entering the device main body 11 through the air intake portion 1122, and the air intake portion 1122 becomes less noticeable, which also improves the appearance of the hat 100 with head cooling device.

[0090] In addition, the air delivery section 113 is formed between the rear end of the upper surface section 111 and the rear end of the lower surface section 112, and the rear end of the upper surface section 111 is bent or curved upward, and the rear end of the lower surface section 112 is bent or curved upward, so that the air delivered from the air delivery section 113 is directed diagonally upward (between the upward and rearward directions in FIG. 5).

[0091] This allows air to be blown in a direction along the wearer's head, making it easier for air to circulate inside the hat 2 and further improving the cooling efficiency for the wearer's head.

[0092] In addition, by providing a hook-and-loop fastener as device-side connecting means 1112 for attaching the device main body 11 of the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2 near the rear end of the upper surface portion 111, it becomes easy to attach the head cooling device 1 to the hat 2.

[0093] Furthermore, since the device main body 11 is provided with a guide path 114 that guides the air taken into the device main body 11 from the air intake section 1122 to the air discharge section 113, the proportion of air taken into the device main body 11 by the fan 12 that is not guided to the air discharge section 113 can be reduced, and the cooling efficiency for the wearer's head can be further improved.

[0094] Furthermore, since the guideway 114 is formed between two wall sections, namely the first guideway forming wall section 1124 and the second guideway forming wall section 1125, one end of which is located near the air intake section 1122 and the other end of which is located near the air discharge section 113, it becomes easier to guide the air taken into the device main body 11 by the fan 12 further to the air discharge section 113.

[0095] Furthermore, since the distance (distance in the Y-axis direction) between the first taxiway forming wall portion 1124 and the second taxiway forming wall portion 1125 is wider at the end portion located near the air discharge section 113 than at the end portion located near the air intake section 1122, it is possible to spread the air flow formed by the fan 12 toward the air discharge section 113 and discharge air from a wide range of the air discharge section 113.

[0096] Furthermore, since the distance (distance in the Y-axis direction) between the first guideway forming wall portion 1124 and the second guideway forming wall portion 1125 at the end portion located near the air delivery section 113 is equal to the width of the air delivery section 113, it becomes possible to deliver air from the entire air delivery section 113, making it easier to circulate air over a wide area of ​​the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head.

[0097] Furthermore, the upper surface 111 of the device main body 11 is formed to cover the side of the lower surface 112 except for the rear end where the air delivery section 113 is formed, which makes it easier to prevent rainwater from entering the device main body 11 between the upper surface 111 and the lower surface 112.

[0098] Furthermore, since the fan 12 attached to the device main body 11 is a centrifugal fan that takes in air from the air intake section 1122, it is easier to increase the wind pressure compared to when a propeller fan is used, for example, and since the air taken in by the fan 12 from the bottom surface is sent out toward the side of the fan 12, there is no need to change the direction of the air flow formed by the fan 12 after it is sent out from the fan 12.

[0099] Furthermore, by forming the air intake section 1122 on the underside of the device body 11 and storing the fan 12 between the upper surface section 111 and the lower surface section 112 of the device body 11, the fan 12 becomes difficult to see from the outside, which facilitates improving the appearance of the head cooling device-equipped hat 100. Furthermore, by storing the power supply unit 13 and circuit board 14 for operating the fan 12 between the upper surface section 111 and the lower surface section 112 of the device body 11 in addition to the fan 12, these components become difficult to see from the outside, which facilitates further improving the appearance of the head cooling device-equipped hat 100.

[0100] Furthermore, by providing the hat 2 with the spacer 23 attached so as to be in contact with the outer fabric 21 and lining 22, which are sheet-like members that form the hat 2, the hat 2 becomes harder, its shape is more stable, and it is less likely to adhere to the wearer's head, compared to a hat formed only from sheet-like members such as the outer fabric 21 and lining 22. This makes it easier for air gaps to form around the wearer's head, improving the breathability around the wearer's head when wearing the hat.

[0101] In addition, the spacer 23 has a right side portion 231 located on the right side of the head of the wearer of the hat 2, and a left side portion 232 located on the left side of the wearer's head, and the right side portion 231 and the left side portion 232 are connected by a connection portion 233 located in front of the wearer's head, making it difficult for both the portion of the hat 2 located on the right side of the wearer's head and the portion located on the left side of the wearer's head to come into close contact with the wearer's head.

[0102] Furthermore, since the right and left side portions 231 and 232 are connected only at the connection portion 233 located in front of the wearer's head, it becomes easier to adjust the angle at which the right and left side portions 231 and 232 are connected, making it easier to use the same spacer 23 for multiple types of hats of different sizes.

[0103] Furthermore, since the spacer 23 is formed from the planar plate-like member P, it can be easily manufactured at low cost. That is, although the spacer 23 can be formed three-dimensionally from the beginning by a method such as resin molding, it is easier to form the spacer 23 from the planar plate-like member P, and is therefore advantageous in terms of cost.

[0104] Furthermore, since the plate-like member P that forms the spacer 23 is formed to have a linearly symmetrical shape, it is possible to form a spacer 23 that is symmetrical on both sides. Furthermore, since the plate-like member P has a first protrusion P1 and a second protrusion P2 that protrude to one side of the symmetrical axis S, and a third protrusion P3 and a fourth protrusion P4 that protrude to the other side of the symmetrical axis S, it is possible to easily form the spacer 23 simply by connecting the first protrusion P1 and the second protrusion P2 and connecting the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4.

[0105] This also results in the formation of an opening in the spacer 23 surrounded by the first protrusion P1 and the second protrusion P2, and an opening surrounded by the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4, thereby forming a spacer having a right opening 2311 and a left opening 2321.

[0106] Furthermore, by bending or curving the first protrusion P1 toward the second protrusion P2 and the third protrusion P3 toward the fourth protrusion P4, it becomes easier to connect the first protrusion P1 and the second protrusion P2, and it also becomes easier to connect the third protrusion P3 and the fourth protrusion P4.

[0107] Furthermore, the hat 2 comprises an outer material 21, which is a sheet-like member arranged on the outer surface side, and a lining 22, which is a sheet-like member arranged on the inner surface side, and the spacer 23 is provided between the outer material 21 and the lining 22, so that the spacer 23 cannot be seen from either the outer surface side or the inner surface side, which makes it easier to improve the appearance of the hat 2.

[0108] Furthermore, the spacer 23 is formed so that the rear part is divided into left and right parts, and at positions corresponding to these divisions, a rear opening 211 is formed in the outer fabric 21 and a rear opening 221 is formed in the lining 22, thereby forming an opening at the rear of the hat 2 through which air can be discharged from inside the hat 2. This promotes the discharge of air from the rear of the hat 2.

[0109] Even if the hat 2 does not have an opening on the back side, it is still possible to exhaust air from the gap between the lower end of the hat 2 and the wearer's head, but by forming an opening on the back side of the hat 2, it is possible to more smoothly exhaust air that has been introduced into the space between the hat 2 and the wearer's head after circulating within that space.

[0110] [4. Modifications] Modifications of the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 according to the above embodiment will be described.

[0111] In the above description of the configuration, the hat 2 is provided with the outer fabric 21, which is a sheet-like member disposed on the outer surface side, and the lining 22, which is a sheet-like member disposed on the inner surface side, and the spacer 23 is provided between the outer fabric 21 and the lining 22. In this regard, from the perspective of improving the appearance of the hat 2, it is preferable to provide both the outer fabric 21 and the lining 22 as described above, but it is also possible to provide a configuration in which the lining 22 is not provided and the spacer 23 is attached to the inner surface of the outer fabric 21. In this case, too, the spacer 23 is not visible when the hat is being worn, so there is no problem with the appearance of the hat when in use.

[0112] Furthermore, in the explanation of the above configuration, in the device main body 11 of the head cooling device 1, the first guideway forming wall portion 1124 and the second guideway forming wall portion 1125 that form the guideway 114 protrude upward from the lower surface portion 112, with their upper ends contacting the upper surface portion 111. However, instead of this, the guideway 114 may be formed by two wall portions protruding downward from the upper surface portion 111, with their lower ends contacting the lower surface portion 112.

[0113] In the above description of the configuration, the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 is composed of the head cooling device 1 and the hat 2, which are formed separately and connected by a hook-and-loop fastener, but these may also be formed as an integral unit that is not detachable from the beginning. In this case, too, of such an integrally formed article, the brim portion where the fan is provided corresponds to the head cooling device, and the portion that is worn on the wearer's head corresponds to the hat.

[0114] In addition, in the above description of the configuration, the head cooling device-equipped hat 100 is described as a cap-type hat having a brim only at the front as a whole, but instead, it may be formed into a hat-type hat shape having a brim around the entire circumference of the hat. In this case, the device body of the head cooling device is formed into the shape of the brim of a hat-type hat (a ring shape that extends around the entire circumference of the hat), and an air intake part is provided on the underside thereof, and an air delivery part is provided on all or part of the inner end that is attached to the hat.

[0115] Furthermore, in the above description of the configuration, the outer fabric 21 of the hat 2 has a rear opening 211, the lining 22 has a rear opening 221, and these overlap with the rear dividing portion of the spacer 23 to form an opening on the rear side of the hat 2. However, it is also possible for the outer fabric 21 and the lining 22 to not have rear openings 211 and 221, respectively, and for the entire hat to be made of a sheet-like material with low breathability. In this case, the rear openings of the hat 2 will not be able to promote air discharge, but air can still be discharged from the gap between the bottom end of the hat 2 and the wearer's head.

[0116] The present invention can be used in a head cooling device main body that can efficiently cool the head of a person wearing a hat.

[0117] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Hat with head cooling device 1 Head cooling device 11 Device body (head cooling device body) 111 Upper surface 1111 Bent portion 1112 Device side connection means (connection means) 112 Lower surface 1121 Curved portion 1122 Air intake portion 1124 First taxiway forming wall portion (wall portion) 1125 Second taxiway forming wall portion (wall portion) 113 Air discharge portion 114 Taxiway 12 Fan 13 Power supply device 14 Circuit board 2 Hat (hat body) 21 Outer material 211 Rear opening 22 Lining 221 Rear opening 222 Hat side connection means 23 Spacer 231 Right surface portion 2311 Right opening 232 Left surface portion 2321 Left opening 233 Connection portion P Plate-shaped member P1 First protrusion P2 Second protrusion P3 Third protrusion P4 Fourth protrusion S Target axis

Claims

1. A head cooling device body comprising: an air intake section which is an opening for taking in air into a fan; and an air discharge section for discharging the air taken in by the fan from the air intake section into the hat.

2. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 1, comprising an upper surface portion constituting the upper surface, and a lower surface portion constituting the lower surface.

3. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air intake portion is formed on the lower surface portion.

4. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 2, wherein said air delivery section is formed between one end of said upper surface section and one end of said lower surface section.

5. A head cooling device body as set forth in claim 4, wherein said one end of said upper surface portion is formed so as to be bent or curved upward, and said one end of said lower surface portion is formed so as to be bent or curved upward.

6. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a connecting means for connecting said head cooling device body to a hat, said connecting means being disposed adjacent said one end of said upper surface portion.

7. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a guide path for guiding the air taken in through said air intake section to said air delivery section.

8. A head cooling device main body as set forth in claim 7, wherein said induction path is formed between two wall portions, one end of which is located in the vicinity of said air intake portion and the other end of which is located in the vicinity of said air discharge portion.

9. A head cooling device body according to claim 8, wherein the distance between the two wall portions is wider at the other end portion than at the one end portion.

10. A head cooling device body as claimed in claim 9, wherein the distance between said two wall portions at said other end is equal to the width of said air delivery portion.

11. The head cooling device body according to claim 4, wherein said upper surface portion covers the side surface of said lower surface portion except for a portion where said air delivery portion is formed.

12. The head cooling device body according to claim 1, which is formed to have the shape of a hat brim.

13. A head cooling device comprising: a head cooling device body according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and a fan attached to the head cooling device body so as to take in air from the air intake portion.

14. A head cooling device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said fan is a centrifugal fan.

15. A head cooling device as described in claim 13, wherein the air intake section is formed on the underside of the head cooling device main body, the fan is stored between the upper and lower surfaces of the head cooling device main body, and air taken in from the underside of the fan via the air intake section is sent out in the lateral direction of the fan.

16. A hat with a head cooling device, comprising: the head cooling device according to claim 13; and a hat body.

17. A hat with a head cooling device according to claim 16, further comprising a spacer for forming a gap between the hat and the wearer's head.

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