CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a non-provisional application that claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/420,563, filed December 7, 2010; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention in general relates to headgear and in particular to headgear supporting an electronic visual display for hands-free viewing by a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] While the need for hands-free operation of a cellular telephone has been addressed through the past decades through resort to headsets, Bluetooth earpieces, and Bluetooth equipped vehicles as embodied, for instance, in US2004/0204207, comparable solutions do not exist for hands-free usage of an electronic visual display. As portable electronic devices are capable of transmitting navigational and other forms of real-time data, there is an ever-increasing need for the ability to constantly reference the display while in motion. Current options include the securing of such a display to a vehicle dashboard for use while driving or handheld operation remote from a vehicle. These conventional methods have met with limited success, as these methods require detachment of the device upon exiting the vehicle and handheld usage, respectively.

[0004] Thus, there exists a need for headgear capable of supporting an electronic visual display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A personal wear article is provided that mounts and secures a device with an electronic visual display, and allows for hands-free operation and visual reference to the display. In embodiments, the personal wear article may take the form of a helmet, hat, headband, or other forms of headgear. Devices that may be mounted or secured to the personal wear article may include 3G and 4G cellular telephones, portable GPS navigation devices, iPods ®, iTouches ® and other movie playing devices. Reflective optics are provided to communicate a noninverted image of the display through a plane defined by the eyes of a user. Reflective optics suitable for communicating a noninverted image of the display include two mirrored surfaces angled to each other, or a prism cut to provide at least two internal reflections such that a noninverted image of the display is communicated to the image site plane of the user. Reflective optics are mounted to the headgear by way of a retainer arm or alternatively are distinct from the headgear and instead are mounted to an eye glass frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Fig. 1 is a side view of an inventive article; and

[0007] Fig. 2 is a side view of a headband embodiment of an inventive article; and

[0008] Fig. 3 is a side view of a glasses embodiment of an inventive article.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention has utility as a personal wear article for mounting an electronic visual display and allows for hands-free operation and visual reference to the display.

[0010] Referring now to Fig. 1, an inventive article is depicted generally at 10. The article 10 includes an article of headgear 12. While the headgear 12 is depicted as a helmet in Fig. 1, it is appreciated that a hat or a headband with at least two hard point engagements 14 and 16 is capable of supporting an electronic visual display 18. The visual display 18 is integrated into a portable electronic device 20. Suitable devices 20 operative herein illustratively include 3G and 4G cellular telephones, portable GPS navigation devices, iPods ®, iTouches ®, and other movie playing devices. As many devices 20 have a gyroscopic screen orientation feature, optionally the device 20 is loaded with software that locks the screen position to facilitate user viewing with an inventive article 10. By way of example, screen view is locked in an inverted orientation, vertical orientation or horizontal orientation depending on mounting geometry for the device 20. Preferably, the device 20 operates a software application that keeps the display 18 turned on and thereby suppress the energy-saver mode common to a device 20 not receiving inputs or user interaction for defined periods of time. Preferably, the hard points 14 and 16 form a continuous barrier against any emissions emanating from the device 20. A securement 22 is attached to the headgear 12 that contributes to retaining and orienting the device 20.

[0011] A headband embodiment of an inventive article is depicted in Fig. 2 where like numerals correspond to the meaning attributed thereto with respect to Fig. 1.

[0012] A securement 22 provides a third contact point for selectively retaining the device 20 in contact with hard points 14 and 16. The securement 22 is present in several forms including a hanger, a threaded fastener, or a pocket formed to encompass a device 20. Optionally, a prong 24 is provided that is complementary to a device portal, such portals illustratively including a charging, accessory, or data link. Prong 24 is appreciated to further stabilize the device 20 upon engagement with securement 22 against hard points 14 and 16. The prong 24 is optionally connected to a battery 21 for charging the device 20.

[0013] To afford balance to an inventive article, especially those involving lightweight headgear, a counterweight 21 such as a battery for powering the device 20 is optionally positioned on a portion of the headgear to overlie the occipital or parietal bones of a user head.

[0014] Reflective optics 26 are provided to communicate a noninverted image of the display 18 through a plane P defined by the eyes of a user. Reflective optics 26 suitable for this purpose include two mirrored surfaces angled as shown in Fig. 1 or a prism, as illustrated in Fig. 2, cut to provide at least two internal reflections such that a noninverted image of the display 18 is communicated to the plane P. Reflective optics 26 are mounted to the headgear 12 by way of a retainer arm 28 or alternatively, are distinct from the headgear 12 and instead are mounted to a glasses frame 30 as shown in Fig. 3.

[0015] To facilitate ease of viewing and simplified reflective optics, preferably the screen 18 is positioned at an angle a relative to plane P of between 30 and 135 degrees when the inventive article 10 adorns a human user head. More preferably, the angle a is between 45 and 80 degrees.

[0016] Optionally, a camera 47 distinct from the device engages a component of the article 10 or eyeglasses frame 30 to afford non- frontal viewing such as a rear- view or side view viewing or with magnification provide a magnified view in any direction relative to the user eyes. The output of camera 47 being communicated to the display 18 by wired or wireless communication.

[0017] Optionally, the article 10 includes at least one component 49 such as a speaker, a solar cell, various sensors, such as those for motion, radiation of a light or radioactive nature, or sensors for controlling the article 10 with hand gestures or speech; or an earbud 51.

[0018] Patent documents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. These documents and publications are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document or publication was specifically and individually incorporated herein by reference.

[0019] The foregoing description is illustrative of particular embodiments of the invention, but is not meant to be a limitation upon the practice thereof. The following claims, including all equivalents thereof, are intended to define the scope of the invention.