US4970631A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Headband device for holding flashlight
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-04-02
•
Granted: 1990-11-13
•
Expires: 2010-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A device for holding a miniature high intensity flashlight along the side of the person's head to direct the beam of light in a path vertically positioned at the line of sight of the individual wearing the device. The device includes an elastic strap with overlapping ends held together with VELCRO® attachments with a tubular strap through which the body of the flashlight is inserted and held in position on the strap. The rear end of the flashlight is held with VELCRO® attachment or a corrugated spring clip against an inclined bearing surface block holding the end of the flashlight away from the person's head and allowing the rear end of the flashlight to be fixed to the bearing surface of that block at any height.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy E. Marshall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:16
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21V; F21V21/00; F21V21/08; F21V21/0832; A; A41; A41D; A41D20/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S362/00; Y10S362/804
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A device to hold a flashlight on the head of a person the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end, the device comprising: (a) a strap to fit around the person's head, (b) first means to adjust the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) holding means on the strap to hold the flashlight to the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) a support member attached to the strap comprising an essentially vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap, wherein the support member is positioned rearwardly of the holding means a sufficient distance to allow the rear end of the flashlight to rest on the bearing surface when the flashlight is held in the holding means, and (e) vertical adjustment means to hold the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
177 words
A device to hold a flashlight on the head of a person the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end, the device comprising: (a) a strap to fit around the person's head, (b) first means to adjust the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) holding means on the strap to hold the flashlight to the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) a support member attached to the strap comprising an essentially vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap, wherein the support member is positioned rearwardly of the holding means a sufficient distance to allow the rear end of the flashlight to rest on the bearing surface when the flashlight is held in the holding means, and (e) vertical adjustment means to hold the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the first means comprises that the strap is elastic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the first means comprises two ends of the strap overlapping each other and complimentary hook and loop fabric surface attachment swatches attached on mating overlapping ends of the strap.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises: (a) a band having two ends and a median section, which is attached to the strap in a vertical alignment, and (b) complimentary hook and loop fabric surface attachment swatches attached on opposite sides of the band and on opposite ends of the band.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the support member is a block of rigid flexible polymeric plastic foam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the bearing surface is sloped frontwardly toward the strap in relation to the outside surface of the strap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the support member comprises a horizontal width sufficient to place the bearing surface a sufficient distance from the strap that the flashlight beam is focusable at a point on the line of sight of the person looking straight ahead.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the vertical adjustment means comprises: (a) a hook or loop fabric surface attachment swatch attached on the bearing surface of the support member, and (b) a complimentary hook or loop fabric surface attachment swatch attached on the rear end of the flashlight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the flashlight comprises a projection from the rear end with a hole through the projection, and the vertical adjustment means comprises a metal member formed in a corrugated pattern on one exposed end of a size and shape to interfit into the hole in the flashlight projection and the exposed end being attached in a vertical alignment to the support member abutting the bearing surface.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
261 words
A device to hold a flashlight on the head of a person, the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end with a projection from the rear end with a hole through the projection, the device comprising: (a) a strap to fit around the person's head, (b) first means to adjust the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) holding means on the strap to hold the flashlight to the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) a support member attached to the strap rearwardly of the holding means a sufficient distance to allow the rear end of the flashlight to rest on the bearing surface when the flashlight is held in the holding means, wherein the support member comprises an essentially vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap positioned a sufficient horizontal distance from the strap that the flashlight beam is focusable at a point on the line of sight of the person looking straight ahead, and (e) vertical adjustment means to hold the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member comprising a metal member formed in a corrugated pattern on one exposed end of a size and shape to interfit into the hole in the flashlight projection and the exposed end being attached in a horizontal alignment to the support member abutting the bearing surface.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
261 words
A device to hold a flashlight on the head of a person, the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end with a projection from the rear end with a hole through the projection, the device comprising: (a) a strap to fit around the person's head, (b) first means to adjust the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) holding means on the strap to hold the flashlight to the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) a support member attached to the strap rearwardly of the holding means a sufficient distance to allow the rear end of the flashlight to rest on the bearing surface when the flashlight is held in the holding means, wherein the support member comprises an essentially vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap positioned a sufficient horizontal distance from the strap that the flashlight beam is focusable at a point on the line of sight of the person looking straight ahead, and (e) vertical adjustment means to hold the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member comprising a metal member formed in a corrugated pattern on one exposed end of a size and shape to interfit into the hole in the flashlight projection and the exposed end being attached in a horizontal alignment to the support member abutting the bearing surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the first means comprises that the strap is elastic.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the first means comprises two ends of the strap overlapping each other and complimentary hook and loop fabric surface attachment swatches attached on mating overlapping ends of the strap.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the holding means comprises: (a) a band having two ends and a median section, which is attached to the strap in a vertical alignment, and (b) complimentary hook and loop fabric surface attachment swatches attached on opposite sides of the band and on opposite ends of the band.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the support member is a block of rigid flexible polymeric plastic foam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the bearing surface is sloped frontwardly toward the strap in relation to the outside surface of the strap.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
228 words
A method to hold a flashlight on the head of a person, the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end, the device comprising: (a) fitting a strap around the person's head, (b) adjusting the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) detachably attaching the flashlight to the strap using a holding means on the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) resting the rear end of the flashlight on a an essentially vertical bearing surface of a support member attached to the strap rearwardly of the holding means, the position of bearing surface of the support member being a sufficient distance to allow the rear end to rest on the bearing surface while the flashlight is held in the holding means, (e) focusing the flashlight beam at a point on the line of sight of the person looking straight ahead, wherein the vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap is positioned a sufficient horizontal distance from the strap to allow said focusing, and (f) vertically adjusting the focus of the flashlight means by detachably attaching the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
228 words
A method to hold a flashlight on the head of a person, the flashlight comprising a tubular body, a front end from which a beam of light is emitted and a rear opposite end, the device comprising: (a) fitting a strap around the person's head, (b) adjusting the size of the strap to firmly hold the strap horizontally around the person's head above the person's eyes, (c) detachably attaching the flashlight to the strap using a holding means on the strap in a generally horizontal position on a side of the person's head, (d) resting the rear end of the flashlight on a an essentially vertical bearing surface of a support member attached to the strap rearwardly of the holding means, the position of bearing surface of the support member being a sufficient distance to allow the rear end to rest on the bearing surface while the flashlight is held in the holding means, (e) focusing the flashlight beam at a point on the line of sight of the person looking straight ahead, wherein the vertical bearing surface facing away from the strap is positioned a sufficient horizontal distance from the strap to allow said focusing, and (f) vertically adjusting the focus of the flashlight means by detachably attaching the rear end of the flashlight in any chosen position vertically on the bearing surface of the support member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 16 wherein vertically adjusting the focus of the flashlight comprises attaching a hook or loop fabric surface attachment swatch attached on the rear end of the flashlight to a complimentary hook or loop fabric surface attachment swatch on the bearing surface of the support member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the flashlight comprises a projection from the rear end with a hole through the projection, and vertically adjusting comprises attaching a metal member with a section formed in a corrugated pattern proximate an exposed end, the section being attached in a horizontal alignment abutting the bearing surface, and vertical adjusting further comprises interfiting the section into the hole in the flashlight projection.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-11-12 | 1994-05-14 | 1994-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-11-12 | 1998-05-14 | 1998-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-11-12 | 2002-05-14 | 2002-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |