Headband with impact protection

Inventors: Adrienne Yeung (San Jose, CA); C. Douglass Thomas (Saratoga, CA)

A42B1/08 A41D13/0158 A41D20/00

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12690635
App. No.: 19/098,939
Granted: Jul 28, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A protective clothing device having an article of clothing having an inner layer and/or an outer layer is disclosed. The protective clothing device may have thin force absorbing members coupled to the inner layer or outer layer of the article of clothing. The force absorbing members can have overlapping or interlaced portions for enhanced protection even when the protective clothing device expands. In one embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a protective hat. In another embodiment, the protective clothing device may be a headband.

Claims (28)

1 . A protective headband having a circular configuration, comprising:

a fabric covering having a hollow interior, an upper portion, and a lower portion;

a first force absorbing member being positioned on the upper portion of the fabric covering such that the first force absorbing member extends around the circular configuration with opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member being next to one another and separated by a first gap;

a second force absorbing member being positioned to cover the first gap and to also overlap with a portion of each of the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member; and

a third force absorbing member being positioned on the lower portion of the fabric covering such that the third force absorbing member extends around the circular configuration with opposing end portions of the third force absorbing member being next to one another and separated by a second gap; and

a fourth force absorbing member being positioned to cover the second gap and to also overlap with a portion of each of the opposing end portions of the second force absorbing member.

2 . The protective headband of claim 1 , comprising:

a first elastic member secured to the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member such that the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member are biased towards one another, the elastic member being attached to an inner surface or an outer surface of the first force absorbing member,

wherein the first elastic member is enclosed by the hollow interior of the fabric covering and is unattached to the fabric covering.

3 . The protective headband of claim 1 , comprising

a second elastic member secured to the opposing end portions of the second force absorbing member such that the opposing end portions of the second force absorbing member are biased towards one another, the elastic member being attached to an inner surface or an outer surface of the first force absorbing member,

wherein the second elastic member is enclosed by the hollow interior of the fabric covering and is unattached to the fabric covering.

4 . The protective headband of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion and lower portion of the fabric covering is separated by a stitch line beginning at a first end of the fabric covering to a second end of the fabric covering; and

wherein the first force absorbing member and the second force absorbing member are separated.

5 . The protective headband of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, third, and forth force absorbing members comprises urethane foam and has a thickness of approximately 1 to 5 mm.

6 . A protective headband having a circular configuration, comprising:

a fabric covering having a hollow interior;

a first force absorbing member being positioned within the hollow interior of the fabric covering such that the first force absorbing member extends around the circular configuration with opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member being next to one another and separated by a first gap;

a second force absorbing member being positioned to cover the first gap and to also overlap with a portion of each of the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member; and

a first elastic member secured to the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member such that the opposing end portions of the first force absorbing member are biased towards one another.

7 . The protective headband of claim 6 , wherein the first force absorbing member comprises urethane foam and has a thickness of approximately 1 to 5 mm.

8 . A protective headband having a circular configuration, comprising:

a fabric covering having a hollow interior including an upper portion and a lower portion;

a first force absorbing member being positioned at the upper portion of the fabric covering such that the first force absorbing member extends around the circular configuration; and

a second force absorbing member being positioned at the lower portion of the fabric covering such that the second force absorbing member extends around the circular configuration.

9 . The protective headband of claim 8 , wherein the upper portion and lower portion of the fabric covering is separated by a stitch line.

10 . The protective headband of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second force absorbing members comprises urethane foam and has a thickness of approximately 1 to 5 mm.

11 . The protective headband of claim 10 , wherein the upper portion and lower portion of the fabric covering is separated by a stitch line.