Counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield
One embodiment of a shield assembly that automatically positions itself into a user's field of view when the user tilts their head up to look skyward, protecting their face and eyes from hazards from above such as falling debris and dangerous UV rays and returns to a position out of the user's field of view when the user resumes looking forward. The same embodiment provides for a hands free method of lowering and raising the visor assembly in and out of the user's field of view by simply tilting their head. The same embodiment also provides for a one finger operation to lock the visor into a desired position.
1. A counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield in combination with headwear comprising:
a shield assembly, the shield assembly comprising:
a shield acting as a load to a counter balance weight; the shield having a left and right side,
each said left and right side of the shield comprises: a shield retaining tab protrusion coupled to a weight housing; and a mounting block configured to couple to each said weight housing, wherein the mounting block and said weight housing are pivotally coupled together, the mounting block comprising: a seating surface; a mounting block tab; and a plurality of locking holes; wherein said weight housing comprises a housing cover fitting over a housing unit that comprises: a cavity; the cavity contains a plurality of shifting weights acting as the counter balance weight, wherein said plurality of shifting weights are of shape, size, and consistency that allows them to move freely and relatively independent of one another throughout the cavity; a housing pivot hole; and a pendulum weight cavity; the pendulum weight cavity housing a pendulum which ensures stability and maintains a predetermined counterbalanced angle relative to a horizontally level plane of the shield assembly.
2. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , wherein the weight housing further comprises a housing shield retaining dimple.
3. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 2 , wherein the shield retaining tab protrusion of the shield assembly fits within the housing shield retaining dimple of the housing unit.
4. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot arm coupling the mounting block to the weight housing.
5. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , wherein the mounting block further comprises: a limit slot, the limit slot further comprising: a limit slot protrusion; and a lower and an upper limiting surface.
6. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , wherein the weight housing further comprises a locking peg hole which receives a locking peg for locking the shield in a desired position.
7. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , wherein the mounting block further comprises a mounting block pivot hole.
8. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locking holes locks the shield assembly in a down, middle, or up position.
9. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 8 , further comprising a pivot arm coupling the mounting block to the weight housing.
10. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 8 , wherein the mounting block further comprises: a limit slot comprising:
a limit slot protrusion; and a plurality of limiting surfaces.
11. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 8 , wherein the weight housing further comprises a plurality of holes locking the shield assembly at a plurality of angles.
12. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 11 , wherein one of the plurality of holes of the weight housing is a locking peg hole which receives a locking peg for locking the shield in a desired position.
13. The counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield of claim 8 , wherein the mounting block further comprises a mounting block pivot hole.
14. A counter balanced, hands free, self positioning, protective shield, for headwear comprising:
a shield acting as a load to a counter balance weight; the shield having a left and right side,
each said left and right side of the shield comprises: a weight housing comprising a housing shield retaining dimple receiving a shield retaining tab protrusion of a shield assembly; a mounting block pivotally coupled to the weight housing, the mounting block comprising: a substantially flat horizontal mounting surface; a substantially flat vertical mounting surface, wherein the horizontal and vertical mounting surface is configured to couple to the headwear; and a plurality of locking holes; a housing unit of the weight housing comprising: a cavity; the cavity housing a plurality of shifting weights acting as the counter balance weight, wherein said plurality of shifting weights are of shape, size, and consistency that allows them to move freely and relatively independent of one another throughout the cavity; and a pendulum weight cavity; the pendulum weight cavity housing a pendulum which ensures stability and maintains a predetermined counterbalanced angle relative to a horizontally level plane of the shield assembly; and a housing cover fitting over the housing unit.