Ear sun protector

Abstract

An ear sun protector that is attachable to a hat. The ear protector includes a clip having a front clip portion and a rear clip portion that are coupled at a bottom planar portion, where the front clip portion and the rear clip portion define a gap therebetween configured to accept a rim of the hat. The ear protector also includes a curved sunlight blocking portion that is affixed to a front face of the front clip portion and that is generally perpendicular relative to the clip. The sunlight blocking portion sits above an ear of a user when the ear protector is clipped to the hat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ear protector comprising:
 a clip including a front clip portion and a rear clip portion that are coupled together by a bottom portion that allows the front clip portion and the rear clip portion to be spaced apart and define a gap therebetween; and   a sunlight blocking portion affixed to a front face of the front clip portion, said sunlight blocking portion extending away from the front face of the front clip portion and being generally perpendicular relative to the clip such that the sunlight blocking portion sits above a region of an ear of a user when the ear protector is clipped to a hat that is being worn by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The ear protector according to  claim 1  wherein the sunlight blocking portion has a curved shape such that a center portion is higher than edge portions when the ear protector is affixed to the hat. 
     
     
         3 . The ear protector according to  claim 1  wherein an inside edge of the sunlight blocking portion that is affixed to the front face of the front clip is convex such that it is shaped to the contour of a human head. 
     
     
         4 . The ear protector according to  claim 1  wherein the gap includes an upper area and a lower area where the lower area is wider than the upper area. 
     
     
         5 . The ear protector according to  claim 4  wherein the front clip portion includes an angled portion that forms the wider lower area. 
     
     
         6 . The ear protector according to  claim 5  wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the angled portion. 
     
     
         7 . The ear protector according to  claim 6  wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the angled portion about one-quarter of an inch from the bottom portion. 
     
     
         8 . The ear protector according to  claim 1  wherein the front clip portion is taller than the rear clip portion. 
     
     
         9 . The ear protector according to  claim 1  wherein the ear protector is made of plastic. 
     
     
         10 . An ear protector comprising:
 a clip including a front clip portion and a rear clip portion that are coupled together by a bottom portion that allows the front clip portion and the rear clip portion to be spaced apart and define a gap having a top opening, said gap including an upper area and a lower area where the lower area is wider than the upper area, said top opening being operable to receive an edge of a hat and the wider lower area being configured to hold a rim of the hat; and   a sunlight blocking portion affixed to a front face of the front clip portion, said sunlight blocking portion extending away from the front face of the front clip portion and being generally perpendicular relative to the clip such that the sunlight blocking portion sits above a region of an ear of a user when the ear protector is clipped to the hat that is being worn by the user, wherein an inside edge of the sunlight blocking portion that is affixed to the front face of the front clip portion is convex such that it is shaped to a contour of a human head.   
     
     
         11 . The ear protector according to  claim 10  wherein the sunlight blocking portion has a curved shape such that a center portion is higher than edge portions when the ear protector is affixed to the hat. 
     
     
         12 . The ear protector according to  claim 10  wherein the front clip portion includes an angled portion that forms the wider lower area. 
     
     
         13 . The ear protector according to  claim 12  wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the angled portion. 
     
     
         14 . The ear protector according to  claim 13  wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the angled portion about one-quarter of an inch from the bottom portion. 
     
     
         15 . The ear protector according to  claim 10  wherein the front clip portion is taller than the rear clip portion. 
     
     
         16 . The ear protector according to  claim 10  wherein the ear protector is made of plastic. 
     
     
         17 . An ear protector that is removably clippable to a hat so as to be positioned to block sunlight for a user's ear, said ear protector comprising:
 a clip including a front clip portion and a rear clip portion that are coupled together by a bottom portion that allows the front clip portion and the rear clip portion to be spaced apart and define a gap having a top opening, said gap includes an upper area and a lower area where the lower area is wider than the upper area, wherein the front clip portion includes an angled portion that forms the wider lower area, said top opening being operable to receive an edge of the hat and the wider gap area being configured to hold a rim of the hat; and   a sunlight blocking portion affixed to a front face of the front clip portion, said sunlight blocking portion extending away from the front face of the front clip portion and being generally perpendicular relative to the front clip portion and the rear clip portion such that the sunlight blocking portion sits above a region of an ear of the user when the ear protector is clipped to the hat, wherein an inside edge of the sunlight blocking portion that is affixed to the front face of the front clip is convex such that it is shaped to a contour of a human head, and wherein the sunlight blocking portion has a curved shape such that a center portion is higher than edge portions when the ear protector is affixed to the hat, and wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the angled portion.   
     
     
         18 . The ear protector according to  claim 17  wherein the sunlight blocking portion is affixed to the front face of the front clip portion about one-quarter of an inch from the bottom portion. 
     
     
         19 . The ear protector according to  claim 17  wherein the front clip portion is taller than the rear clip portion. 
     
     
         20 . The ear protector according to  claim 17  wherein the ear protector is made of plastic.