Hard hat suspension

Abstract

A hard hat suspension is provided for use in a hard hat for protecting a wearer's head. The hard hat comprises a rigid outer shell. The suspension comprises a central portion for resting on the wearer's head, and a plurality of resilient impact absorbing corrugated strap members depending from the central portion. At least some, or all, of the strap members comprise a corrugated segment and terminate in an uncorrugated attachment end that is configured for attachment to an inner surface of the rigid outer shell. The suspension may be of unitary construction or may be formed of separate strap members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hard hat suspension for use in a hard hat for protecting a wearer's head, comprising:
 a central portion for resting on the wearer's head; and   a plurality of resilient impact absorbing corrugated strap members depending from the central portion,   at least some of the plurality of strap members comprising a corrugated segment and terminating in an uncorrugated attachment end that is configured for attachment to the hard hat.   
     
     
         2 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of strap members comprises the corrugated segment and terminates in the uncorrugated attachment end. 
     
     
         3 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strap members are distributed substantially equidistantly about the perimeter of the central portion of the suspension. 
     
     
         4 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strap members comprises four strap members positioned in a substantially X-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 4 , wherein the strap members are positioned to define a first pair of opposing obtuse angles within the X-shape, and a second pair of opposing acute angles within the X-shape. 
     
     
         6 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 4 , wherein the four strap members comprise two pairs of diagonally opposing strap members, each diagonally opposing strap member being substantially parallel to the other strap member in its pair. 
     
     
         7 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 4 , wherein the central portion is elongated in one dimension to position the strap members for attachment to the rigid outer shell with minimal stress. 
     
     
         8 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 4 , wherein the uncorrugated attachment end of each strap member is angled with respect to the corrugated segment of the strap member. 
     
     
         9 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 4 , wherein the diagonally opposing strap members are offset from one another. 
     
     
         10 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated segment of at least one of the strap members comprises two rows of corrugations. 
     
     
         11 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 10 , wherein the two rows of corrugations define an aperture therebetween. 
     
     
         12 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated segment of each of the strap members comprises ridges which project towards the inner surface of the rigid outer shell. 
     
     
         13 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 12 , wherein the ridges are separated by flat spacer portions configured to comfortably abut the wearer's head. 
     
     
         14 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the central portion defines a central aperture for weakening the central portion and improving shock absorption. 
     
     
         15 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 14 , wherein the central aperture is ovoid. 
     
     
         16 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated segment of each strap member comprises at least three ridges. 
     
     
         17 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated segment of each strap member comprises at least four ridges. 
     
     
         18 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the suspension is of unitary construction. 
     
     
         19 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 18 , wherein the central portion and the strap members of the suspension are integrally formed. 
     
     
         20 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of strap members comprises four strap members, and suspension comprises first and second straps, each of the first and second suspension straps comprising two of the plurality of strap members, the first and second suspension straps each having an uncorrugated central section, the uncorrugated central sections of the first and second suspension straps overlapping with one another to form the central portion. 
     
     
         21 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 20 , wherein the uncorrugated central section of the first suspension strap is recessed such that when it overlaps with the uncorrugated central section of the second suspension strap, the resulting formed central portion is substantially flat and level with the rest of the suspension straps. 
     
     
         22 . The hard hat suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises a plurality of separate straps, and wherein each of the plurality of separate straps comprises two of the plurality of strap members, the straps each having an uncorrugated central section, the uncorrugated central sections of the straps overlapping with one another to form the central portion. 
     
     
         23 . A hard hat for receiving and protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 a rigid outer shell; and   a hard hat suspension including a central portion for resting on the wearer's head, and a plurality of resilient impact absorbing corrugated strap members depending from the central portion, at least some of the plurality of strap members comprising a corrugated segment and terminating in an uncorrugated attachment end that is configured for attachment to the hard hat.   
     
     
         24 . A hard hat for receiving and protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 a rigid outer shell; and   a suspension comprising a central portion for resting on the wearer's head, and a plurality of resilient impact absorbing strap members depending from the central portion, at least some of the plurality of strap members comprising a corrugated segment and terminating in an uncorrugated attachment end that is configured for attachment to an inner surface of the rigid outer shell.