Climate controlled headgear apparatus

Abstract

A headgear apparatus for delivering temperature conditioned air including passively or actively cooled, heated, or ventilated air to the interior of a shell is disclosed. A device housing which enshrouds a device for providing temperature conditioned air is placed on a rear portion of the shell. The device housing has air inlets and air rejector vents for delivering fresh air to and removing heated air from the device, and is configured to reduce the heated air from re-entering the device through the air inlets. The headgear apparatus is designed to withstand impact forces without injuring the wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A headgear apparatus, comprising:
 a shell including a first opening of such dimensions as to permit receipt onto the head of a wearer, the shell having a top portion shaped to fit over the upper scalp of the wearer, and a rear portion shaped to fit over at least a portion of the back of the head of the wearer;   a device housing positioned on the rear portion of the shell, the device housing comprising a generally curved surface that emerges from an upper part of the device housing in contact with and emerging away from the shell extending downward toward the first opening of the shell, in which the device housing has two generally vertical side-walls nearly perpendicular from the curved surface, the device housing forming a cavity between the shell and an outer surface of the device housing in which an at least one air inlet is formed in the device housing, the device housing configured for detachment from the shell upon impact of the headgear apparatus;   an air conducting layer distributed about substantially an entire interior of the shell; and,   a device for producing a pressurized stream of air, the device receiving intake air from the at least one air inlet of the device housing and producing a pressurized stream of air in fluid communication with the air conducting layer.   
     
     
         2 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the at least one air inlet is formed in both of the two generally vertical side-walls of the device housing. 
     
     
         3 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the device and the device housing are configured to deform and absorb energy during an impact to the headgear apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the device housing is removably coupled to the shell. 
     
     
         5 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the device is detachably coupled to the shell with a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 2 , in which the device housing further comprises a rejector air outlet for exiting heated air, in which the rejector air outlet is positioned to prevent the exiting heated air from entering the at least one air inlet. 
     
     
         7 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 6 , in which the rejector air outlet is formed in the generally curved surface of the device housing. 
     
     
         8 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 6 , in which the device is a heat pump, in which the air moving past a hot place of the heat pump is exited to the rejector air outlet of the device housing. 
     
     
         9 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 8  is configured such that air moving past a cold place of the heat pump is caused to flow forward through the air conducting layer adjacent the scalp of the wearer. 
     
     
         10 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 1 . in which the device is a Positive Coefficient Temperature type resistive heating element. 
     
     
         11 . A headgear apparatus, comprising:
 a shell including a first opening of such dimensions as to permit receipt onto the head of a wearer, the shell having a top portion shaped to fit over the upper scalp of the wearer, and a rear portion shaped to fit over at least a portion of the back of the head of the wearer;   a device housing positioned on the rear portion of the shell, an upper part of the device housing in contact with and emerging away from the shell extending downward toward the first opening of the shell, the device housing forming a cavity between the shell and an outer surface of the device housing, the device housing having at least one air inlet, the device housing configured for detachment from the shell upon impact of the headgear apparatus;   an air conducting layer distributed about substantially an entire interior of the shell; and,   a device for producing a pressurized stream of air, the device receiving intake air from the at least one air inlet of the device housing and producing a pressurized stream of air in fluid communication with the air conducting layer.   
     
     
         12 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the device and the device housing are configured to deform and absorb energy during an impact to the headgear apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the device housing is removably coupled to the shell. 
     
     
         14 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the device is detachably coupled to the shell with a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         15 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the device housing further comprises a rejector air outlet for exiting heated air, in which the rejector air outlet is positioned to prevent the exiting heated air from entering the at least one air inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 15 , in which the device is a heat pump, in which the air moving past a hot place of the heat pump is exited to the rejector air outlet of the device housing. 
     
     
         17 . A headgear apparatus, comprising:
 a shell including a first opening of such dimensions as to permit receipt onto the head of a wearer, the shell having a top portion shaped to fit on the upper scalp of the wearer, and a rear portion shaped to fit on at least a portion of the back of the head of the wearer;   a device housing positioned on the rear portion of the shell, the device housing in contact with and emerging away from the shell extending downward toward the first opening of the shell, the device housing forming a cavity between the shell and an outer surface of the device housing, the device housing having at least one air inlet, the device housing configured for detachment from the shell upon impact of the headgear apparatus; and,   a device for cooling the scalp of the wearer, the device receiving air from the at least one air inlet.   
     
     
         18 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 17 , in which the device and the device housing are configured to deform and absorb energy during an impact to the headgear apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 17 , in which the device housing further comprises a rejector air outlet for exiting heated air, in which the rejector air outlet is positioned to prevent the exiting heated air from entering the at least one air inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The headgear apparatus of  claim 19 , in which the device is a heat pump, in which the air moving past a hot place of the heat pump is exited to the rejector air outlet of the device housing.