Hands-free switch system
AssigneeHourglass Medical LLC
InventorJeremy B. Ross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A head-worn system has one or more illumination, imaging, communication, and/or other controlled elements electrically connected to a switch element (e.g., a piezo switch) positioned on the head-worn system so as to be overlying an area of a wearer's masseter muscle when worn on the wearer's person. The switch element is configured to be activated responsive to clenching of the wearer's jaw. The one or more controlled elements may be arranged to provide directional lighting/imaging from the point of view of the wearer, for example from the area of the wearer's zygomatic bones, when the head-worn system is worn on the wearer's person.
Claims15
An actuator element for a hand-free switch system, said actuator element comprising a moveable portion and a switch having a control element responsive to movement of said moveable portion to effect a change in an output of said switch, said switch hingibly attached on a helmet by a biased arrangement, said biased arrangement configured to keep the switch in one or another of a first position or a second position, said first position being with the switch worn adjacent an exterior of a wearer's face so as to facilitate activation/deactivation of the switch by movement of the moveable portion in response to flexing of muscles associated with the wearer's jaw, and said second position being with said switch is moved away from the wearer's face by an amount sufficient to engage a detent that prevents its return to the first position adjacent the wearer's face unless manually adjusted by the wearer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.