Protective headgear and optical-filter cartridge removably mountable thereto

Abstract

Protective headgear and an optical filter cartridge that is removably mountable thereto, and methods of removably inserting such a cartridge and removing such a cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective headgear for use with an optical-filter cartridge that is removably mountable in the protective headgear, the protective headgear comprising:
 a main body comprising a forward-facing portion with an optically transmissive window,   a rear-facing frame that laterally surrounds the window and that comprises a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and that comprises a first-end section and a second-end section, at first and second, longitudinally-opposite ends of the frame; and,
 a first retainer that is attached to the main body at a location proximate the first-end section of the frame, which first retainer comprises a rearward portion that at least partially defines a first space that is between at least a part of the rearward portion of the first retainer and at least a part of the first-end section of the frame, which first space is configured to receive a first end of an optical-filter cartridge; 
 and, 
 a second, deflectable retainer that is attached to the main body at a location proximate the second-end section of the frame, which second, deflectable retainer comprises a rearward portion that at least partially defines a second space that is between at least a part of the rearward portion of the second, deflectable retainer and at least a portion of the second-end section of the frame, which second space is configured to receive a second end of the optical-filter cartridge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The protective headgear of  claim 1  wherein the first retainer comprises a first, longitudinal sidewall with a forward base that is proximate a surface of the first-end section of the rear-facing frame, which first sidewall protrudes generally rearwardly from the forward base of the first sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The protective headgear of  claim 2  wherein the first sidewall protrudes generally rearwardly from the forward base of the first sidewall, a distance that is at least as great as a thickness of the optical-filter cartridge at the first end of the optical-filter cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The protective headgear of  claim 2  wherein the first retainer is a non-deflectable retainer, in which the rearward portion of the first retainer comprises a first, non-deflectable beam that comprises an elongate extent that is generally aligned with a transversely-aligned elongate extent of the first-end section of the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The protective headgear of  claim 4  wherein the first sidewall comprises an elongate extent that is generally aligned with a transversely-aligned elongate extent of the first-end section of the frame, and wherein at some location along the elongate extent of the first sidewall, the first sidewall is connected to the first, non-deflectable beam, so as to enhance the ability of the beam to resist deflecting rearwardly. 
     
     
         6 . The protective headgear of  claim 5  wherein the first sidewall protrudes generally rearwardly from the forward base of the first sidewall to a rearward end of the first sidewall, and wherein the first, non-deflectable beam is provided by a flange that extends from the rearward end of the first sidewall, in a direction that is generally longitudinally toward the second end of the frame. 
     
     
         7 . The protective headgear of  claim 1  wherein the second, deflectable retainer comprises a second, deflectable beam with a long axis that is generally aligned with the transverse direction of the frame and that is generally parallel to a major plane of the second-end section of the frame. 
     
     
         8 . The protective headgear of  claim 7 , and wherein the second, deflectable beam is rearwardly spaced away from the second-end section of the frame so that when the second, deflectable beam is in a zero-force condition, a distance from a forward-facing surface of the second, deflectable beam to a surface of the second-end section of the frame, is at least about as great as a thickness of the optical-filter cartridge at the second end of the optical-filter cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . The protective headgear of  claim 7  wherein the second, deflectable beam comprises a deflectable portion that is forwardly and rearwardly deflectable between a first, forward position that is a retaining position in which a retaining tab that protrudes generally forwardly from the second, deflectable beam toward the second-end section of the frame, is positioned to prevent any longitudinally outward movement of the second end of the optical-filter cartridge beyond a predetermined distance past the second, deflectable beam; and, a second, rearward position that is a non-retaining position in which the retaining tab does not interfere with longitudinally outward movement of the second end of the optical-filter cartridge. 
     
     
         10 . The protective headgear of  claim 9  wherein the second, deflectable beam comprises an elongate length and wherein the deflectable portion of the second, deflectable beam is located generally proximate the middle of the elongate length of the second, deflectable beam; and, wherein first and second transverse ends of the second, deflectable beam are connected to other portions of the second, deflectable retainer so that first and second transverse end portions of the elongate beam are not deflectable. 
     
     
         11 . The protective headgear of  claim 10  wherein the second, deflectable beam comprises a free span over which the second, deflectable beam is not in contact with any other portion of the second, deflectable retainer, which free span is longer than a transverse width of the optical-filter cartridge. 
     
     
         12 . The protective headgear of  claim 7  wherein at least the second, deflectable beam of the second, deflectable retainer is made of the same material as other components of the second, deflectable retainer and is integrally molded therewith. 
     
     
         13 . The protective headgear of  claim 1  wherein the second, deflectable retainer is made of the same material as the first retainer and is integrally molded therewith. 
     
     
         14 . The protective headgear of  claim 1  wherein the second, deflectable retainer and the first retainer are made of the same material as the main body of the protective headgear and are integrally molded therewith. 
     
     
         15 . The protective headgear of  claim 1  wherein the second, deflectable retainer does not comprise a longitudinal sidewall, so that upon deflection of the second, deflectable retainer from the first, retaining position, to the second, non-retaining position, the second end of the optical-filter cartridge can be slidably moved longitudinally outward past the second, deflectable retainer. 
     
     
         16 . The protective headgear of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one auxiliary retainer that is located longitudinally beyond the second, deflectable retainer, and that prevents the second end of the optical-filter cartridge from moving longitudinally outward past the auxiliary retainer. 
     
     
         17 . The protective headgear of  claim 1 , further comprising a first transverse sidewall that prevents any movement of any portion of the optical-filter cartridge transversely outward past the first transverse sidewall; and, a second transverse sidewall that prevents any movement of any portion of the optical-filter cartridge transversely outward past the second transverse sidewall in a direction generally opposite the direction of movement prevented by the first transverse sidewall,
 wherein the first and second transverse sidewalls are made of the same material as the second, deflectable retainer and the first retainer and the main body of the protective headgear, and are integrally molded therewith.   
     
     
         18 . The protective headgear of  claim 1 , comprising an optical-filter cartridge that is removably mounted in the main body of the protective headgear by way of being positioned rearwardly adjacent the rear-facing frame and held in that position by the first retainer and the second, deflectable retainer. 
     
     
         19 . The protective headgear of  claim 18 , further comprising an optical cover pane that is disposable and replaceable and that is positioned forward of the optical-filter cartridge and rearward of the rear-facing frame, so that a laterally outwardmost border of the optical cover pane is in between a perimeter portion of the optical-filter cartridge and at least a portion of the frame. 
     
     
         20 . A method of removing an optical-filter cartridge from a holder of a protective headgear, the method comprising:
 deflecting a second, deflectable retainer that is at a second end of the holder, from a first position into a second, non-retaining position in which the second, deflectable retainer does not prevent longitudinally outward movement of a second end of the cartridge;   slidably moving the cartridge generally longitudinally toward the second end of the holder so as to move a second end of the cartridge longitudinally outward past the second, deflectable retainer and so as to move a first end of the cartridge longitudinally inward out of a space that is partially defined by a first retainer at a first end of the holder; then,   rotating the cartridge about a rotation axis that is proximate the second end of the optical-filter cartridge so as to move the first end of the optical-filter cartridge generally rearwardly along an arcuate path, to a position that is rearward of the first retainer; then,   moving the cartridge generally toward the first end of the holder, but at an off-angle relative thereto, which off-angle is established by the rotating of the cartridge and which off-angle provides that the first retainer does not interfere with the moving of the cartridge generally toward the first end of the holder,
 wherein the moving of the cartridge generally toward the first end of the holder causes the cartridge to be removed from the holder. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the second, deflectable retainer comprises a deflectable beam with a deflectable portion and wherein the deflecting of the second, deflectable retainer into the second, non-retaining position comprises manually deflecting the deflectable portion of the deflectable beam generally rearward; and, wherein after the slidable moving of the cartridge generally toward the second end of the holder and during the rotating of the cartridge, a portion of the cartridge is located between at least a portion of the second, deflectable retainer and a second-end portion of a frame of the protective headgear. 
     
     
         22 . A method of removably mounting an optical-filter cartridge into a holder of a protective headgear that comprises a window laterally surrounded by a frame, the method comprising:
 deflecting a second, deflectable retainer that is at a second end of the holder into a second, non-retaining position in which the second, deflectable retainer does not prevent longitudinally outward movement of the second end of the cartridge past the second end of the holder;   moving the cartridge toward the second end of the holder to a position in which the second end of the cartridge is longitudinally past the second, deflectable retainer and in which a portion of the cartridge is located between a deflectable portion of the second, deflectable retainer and a second-end section of the frame of the protective headgear; then   rotating the cartridge about a rotation axis that is proximate the second end of the cartridge so as to move a first end of the cartridge generally forwardly along an arcuate path generally toward the frame of the protective headgear; then   slidably moving the optical-filter cartridge generally longitudinally toward the first end of the holder, so as to move the first end of the cartridge into a space at least partially defined between a rearward member of the first retainer and a first-end section of the frame of the protective headgear, so that a longitudinal sidewall of the first retainer prevents any further longitudinal movement of the cartridge toward the first end of the holder; then   deflecting the second, deflectable retainer into a first position in which the second, deflectable retainer prevents any longitudinally outward movement of the second end of the cartridge.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein in the absence of any externally-applied deflecting force, the second, deflectable retainer is biased toward the first, retaining position, and wherein the deflecting of the second, deflectable retainer from the first, retaining position to the second, non-retaining position is performed manually by the fingers of a person, without the use of any motorized apparatus and without the use of any tool.