US20240122311A1

US20240122311A1 - Customizable Visor Clip

Info

Publication number: US20240122311A1
Application number: US18/357,154
Authority: US
Inventors: Zephaniah Smalley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-07-24
Filing date: 2023-07-24
Publication date: 2024-04-18

Abstract

A custom visor clip with exclusive customization services is provided for enhancing personalization and branding in sports equipment. The visor clip allows players to display custom numbers, letters, and logos, thereby expressing their individuality and team pride. The patentee holds exclusive customization rights, enabling the provision of professional and reliable customization services for various sports and activities. The visor clip offers secure attachment, improved visibility, and a durable construction, ensuring its functionality during athletic activities.

Description

PRIOR ART

Visors for sports helmets, particularly those used in football, lacrosse, and other contact sports, often come with built-in clips to attach visors or face shields. These visors offer protection from harsh weather conditions, UV rays, and potential impact during gameplay. However, existing visor attachment mechanisms lack personalization options, limiting athletes' ability to express their individuality or display team identity.
Traditional visor clips are typically plain and lack any means for customization, leaving athletes with minimal options to distinguish themselves or showcase team branding.
There is a need for an innovative visor clip that addresses these limitations and provides athletes and teams with a secure, durable, and customizable attachment mechanism for their sports helmets.

REFERENCES

Jarvis, E. (1998). “Impact resistant face shield for sporting helmets.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,848.
Goodhand, S. (2001). “Helmet face protector attachment system,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,719.
Tipp, A. (2010). “Helmet attachment clip.” Publication Number: 20100122402.
Tipp, A. (2013). “Helmet attachment clip.” U.S. Pat. No. 8,381,317.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Football and lacrosse players commonly use visor clips to secure their visors to helmets. However, existing visor clips lack customization options, limiting players' ability to personalize their equipment. To address this need, there is a demand for an innovative visor clip that provides a dedicated area for custom numbers, letters, and logos. The present invention fulfills this need by introducing a custom visor clip with exclusive customization services. The present invention relates to helmet accessories, specifically custom visor clips for sports helmets. The invention pertains to a visor clip designed to securely attach and customize visors or face shields on sports helmets, providing athletes with personalization and team branding opportunities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention introduces a custom visor clip for sports helmets, offering a revolutionary approach to enhance helmet accessories. The custom visor clip is designed to securely attach visors or face shields to sports helmets while allowing for a wide range of personalization and team branding opportunities.
The custom visor clip comprises a clip body that seamlessly attaches to the sports helmet using screws, snaps, clips, or adhesive, ensuring a firm and reliable grip. The clip body is made from a resilient material that withstands rigorous athletic activities, providing athletes with a dependable solution to secure their visors during gameplay.
A key innovative feature of the custom visor clip is the integration of a customizable faceplate into the clip body. The faceplate serves as a dedicated area for displaying custom numbers, letters, logos, or color options. Athletes and teams can personalize the visor clip to feature their jersey numbers, names, team logos, or team colors, enhancing their sense of identity and unity during competitions.
The custom visor clip offers various customization techniques, such as engraving, printing, embossing, and attaching adhesive decals, allowing for high-quality and visually appealing personalization. Furthermore, the custom visor clip provides a valuable branding opportunity for teams, sponsors, and equipment manufacturers, promoting visibility and recognition during televised events and games.
In conclusion, the custom visor clip invention represents a significant advancement in the field of sports equipment and helmet accessories. Its customizable nature, secure attachment mechanism, and team branding potential make it an indispensable accessory for athletes and teams alike, elevating both performance and aesthetic appeal.
Please note that this background of the invention is a general summary and should be tailored to accurately reflect the unique features and advantages of your custom visor clip invention. The background section should provide sufficient context to introduce the invention and explain the problem it addresses in the related art. As always, consulting with a qualified patent attorney or agent can help you refine and optimize this section to meet the specific requirements of your patent application.
The custom visor clip with exclusive customization services offers several advantages:
Enhanced Player Identity: Players can express their individuality and team pride by displaying custom numbers, letters, and logos on the visor clip. This fosters a sense of ownership and personal branding.
Professional Customization Services: The patentee provides exclusive customization services, guaranteeing high-quality and durable customizations. The use of premium materials and precise application techniques ensures the visor clips meet the expectations of players and teams.
Improved Visibility and Branding: The custom numbers, letters, and logos on the visor clip significantly enhance visibility on the field. Players can be easily identified, and teams can leverage the visor clips as a branding tool for increased recognition and team unity.
Secure Attachment and Functionality: The visor clip maintains a secure attachment to the helmet without compromising its functionality. It provides a reliable and stable connection, ensuring the visor remains in place during athletic activities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 2 is a front view of the visor clip displaying a logo.

FIG. 3 is a diagonal view of the visor clip displaying a logo.

FIG. 4 is a diagonal view of the visor clip that is blank.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a visor clip that covers an entire bar of a facemask.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a visor clip that covers the top of a facemask bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 that show that the visor clip can be customized to display all sports jersey numbers and many different logos. These numbers and logos can be attached to the visor clip in several ways. The following are examples. CNC Machined Metal Clip:
The custom visor clip is precision-crafted using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining techniques. A solid block of metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel, is meticulously shaped and carved to create the clip body. The faceplate is an integral part of the clip body, featuring a smooth surface suitable for engraving custom numbers, letters, logos, or color options. CNC machining ensures high precision and durability, providing athletes with a sturdy and long-lasting visor attachment.
Injection Molded Plastic Clip: The custom visor clip is manufactured through injection molding, using durable and lightweight plastic materials like ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or polycarbonate. Injection molding allows for efficient mass production, ensuring uniformity and consistency across multiple clips. The customizable faceplate, seamlessly integrated into the clip body, is designed to accommodate various customization techniques, including printing, embossing, and adhesive decals.
3D Printed Composite Clip: The custom visor clip is created using advanced 3D printing technology with a composite material blend, combining strength and flexibility. The 3D printing process enables complex geometries and customized designs, making it ideal for individualized visor clips. The faceplate area offers a blank surface, perfect for custom logos, numbers or team branding. The 3D printing process allows for rapid prototyping and iterative design improvements.
Die-Cast Metal Clip with Enamel Inlays: The custom visor clip is produced using the die-casting method, utilizing zinc alloy or other metals. The clip body is carefully cast into shape, allowing for intricate details and design features. The faceplate area includes recessed sections filled with colored enamel, showcasing custom numbers, letters, logos, or team colors. The enamel inlays add a vibrant and eye-catching appearance to the visor clip.
Laser-Cut Acrylic Clip: The custom visor clip is fabricated from acrylic sheets using laser-cutting technology. Laser cutting precisely shapes the clip body, providing clean edges and smooth surfaces. The faceplate is designed with customizable dimensions, allowing for accurate placement of custom elements. The acrylic material is transparent or colored, allowing for creative design possibilities, including engraved patterns and frosted effects.
Carbon Fiber and Resin Composite Clip: The custom visor clip is manufactured using carbon fiber and resin composite materials, resulting in a lightweight yet robust clip body. Carbon fiber's strength-to-weight ratio ensures durability, while the resin provides a smooth and uniform surface for customizations. The faceplate area accommodates printed or adhered custom graphics, offering a high-end and modern aesthetic.
Handcrafted Leather Clip: The custom visor clip is meticulously handcrafted using premium leather. The leather is shaped and stitched to form the clip body, with attention to detail and craftsmanship. The customizable faceplate features a natural surface, suitable for custom branding using embossing or hot stamping techniques. The leather material offers a unique and luxurious feel to the visor clip.
These are just a few examples of how the custom visor clips can be made, showcasing various manufacturing methods and materials that can be used to create innovative and personalized sports helmet accessories. The choice of manufacturing process and materials may vary depending on factors such as cost, design complexity, intended use, and desired visual appeal.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show the design of the visor clip with and without a logo to illustrate how the visor clip is enhanced when a logo is present as well as to show the blank space that is reserved for customization of the athlete.
FIGS. 5 and 6 show that no matter the design of the visor clips, whether it covers an entire bar of a facemask or just the front of a bar, the visor clip is designated to have a flat front faceplate to display customization.
The patentee holds exclusive rights to provide customization services for the custom visor clips.
This includes the sole authority to offer custom numbers, letters, and logos on the visor clips for football and lacrosse helmets. Furthermore, the patentee has the exclusive right to provide customization.
The patentee actively protects their intellectual property rights related to the custom visor clip and exclusive customization services. This includes registering trademarks, copyrights, and design patents associated with the visor clip design, customization techniques, and branding elements. The patentee remains vigilant in monitoring and enforcing their intellectual property rights to prevent unauthorized use or infringement by third parties.
Building upon the success of the custom visor clip, the patentee explores opportunities to expand their product offerings. This may involve developing and introducing related products that complement the visor clip. By expanding the product line, the patentee can cater to a broader range of customization needs and provide comprehensive solutions for athletes and teams.
All such alterations and adaptations fall within the scope of the claims attached herewith, as long as they are interpreted with the extent to which they are rightfully, legally, and justly entitled.

Claims

1. A custom visor clip for sports helmets, comprising: a. A clip body designed to securely attach to a sports helmet; b. A customizable faceplate integrated into the clip body, wherein the faceplate provides a dedicated area for displaying custom numbers, letters, logos, or color options.

2. The custom visor clip of claim 1, wherein the customizable faceplate is made of a durable and visually appealing material, suitable for engraving, printing, embossing, or attaching adhesive decals.

3. The custom visor clip of any preceding claim, wherein the custom numbers, letters, logos, or color options are selected by an athlete or team, enabling personalization and team branding opportunities.

4. The custom visor clip of any preceding claim, further comprising a detachable faceplate, allowing athletes and teams to switch between multiple custom faceplates for different events or branding purposes.

5. The custom visor clip of any preceding claim, wherein the clip body is available in a variety of colors, allowing athletes and teams to select a clip body color that complements their team uniform or personal style.

6. The custom visor clip of any preceding claim, wherein the custom visor clip is exclusive to the patentee, and the patentee holds sole authorization to provide professional customization services for the visor clip.

7. A method for customizing a visor clip for sports helmets, comprising: a. Receiving custom design specifications from an athlete or team, including desired numbers, letters, logos, or color options; b. Applying the custom design specifications onto a dedicated area of the visor clip faceplate through techniques selected from the group consisting of engraving, printing, embossing, or attaching adhesive decals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the custom design specifications are digitally applied to the faceplate, enabling high-resolution and intricate designs.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the custom design specifications are securely protected with a clear coating or scratch-resistant material, preserving the appearance of the customizations during sports activities.