Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-30
2001-10-02
Neas, Michael A. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295653
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to helmets, and more particularly, to helmets worn by vehicle racing professionals and amateurs, and recreational users of motorcycles, open and closed cockpit racing vehicles, racing boats, and jet aircraft.
2. Description of the Background Art
Helmets in various forms have been used throughout history to protect the cranial area of the wearer. Full head helmets usually have an open portion in the front of the helmet to allow the wearer to see. This open portion is hereinafter referred to as the view window. These helmets may be equipped with a face shield or visor that deflects on-coming wind and protects the wearer's face and eyes. The shape of the helmet relates to the amount of aerodynamic drag that the wearer experiences. Therefore, different shapes have been developed over recent years to reduce aerodynamic drag of the helmet as it is exposed to the effects of the air flowing through, for example, the cock-pit of a car or over the windshield of a motorcycle.
Recent advancements in motorcycles, race cars, speed boats, and jet aircraft have enabled these vehicles to reach excessive speeds. In fact, a new car produced by a major car company has recently entered the record books for breaking the sound barrier on dry land. At such high speeds, the time allowed to make navigational decisions is minimal.
To a speed racer, concentration is of the utmost importance. Piloting a speeding vehicle requires a high degree of hand-eye coordination especially for those operating a motorcycle. Seeing upcoming traffic or racing opponents helps ensure his or her safety. Motorcycle users are particularly susceptible to serious injury due to unseen traffic because they do not have a steel shell to protect them from errant motorists or even their own mistakes. Moreover, driving a motorcycle which cannot stand by itself as it hurtles across twisting pavement at ultra high speed is serious business. The wrong decision may lead to severe injury or even death of the driver, passengers, or other persons. Therefore, having as broad a field of view as possible, particularly frontal and peripheral, is essential in making life or death split-second navigational decisions.
Many changes have been made in the design of helmets in the past years. These changes include airduct ventilation systems, visor attachments, helmet padding, shell composition, etc. Many of these changes make the helmet more aerodynamic, light weight, and/or comfortable when worn, yet do not increase the wearer's field of view, particularly frontal and peripheral, when wearing the helmet. Having a clear view of the road is crucial in maneuvering the vehicle safely, particularly when moving at high speed. For example, when competing in a race, a high speed racer may change position on a straightaway while other racers, also traveling at high speed, may be to the left and right of the racer. A racer, such as a motorcycle racer, may be in a “racing tuck” on curves. When in a racing tuck, the racer is at a steep angle with respect to the ground, thus making peripheral vision particularly important. Existing helmets have many blind spots that obstruct the wearer's field of view, especially in the sides of the helmet at eye level. These blind spots result from a thick inner padding and/or a small frontal opening of the helmet.
The purpose of this inventive helmet is to help increase the concentration level of users of speed vehicles by eliminating the obstacle of blind spots when wearing their protective helmet, particularly in frontal and peripheral views. As the speed of vehicles continues to increase, so must the technology of protective gear such as helmets. One cannot exist without the other in order to ensure the user's safety when operating speed vehicles.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a helmet which provides a broader range of frontal and peripheral vision than previous helmets have provided while maintaining the strength of the helmet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventive helmet solves the above stated problems. The inventive helmet provides a wearer with a greater frontal and peripheral view. This is achieved by a unique structure of the lower and side rims and by narrowing the thickness of the helmet at the side rims at a location near the wearer's eye level.
The inventive helmet comprises an outer shell and an inner shell. The front of the helmet has a view window which exposes at least a portion of the wearer's face. The view window is defined by an upper rim, a lower rim, a right rim, and a left rim.
The lower rim extends from the front of the helmet to about the wearer's auditory canal. The upper rim is separated from the lower rim and loosely tracks the path of the lower rim. The upper rim is connected to the lower rim on both the right and left sides by the right and left rims, respectively. The lower rim drops in at least a single step fashion at locations substantially below each of the wearer's eyes as it extends towards the rear of the view window. This structural design increases the wearer's frontal field of view without compromising the strength and/or safety of the helmet.
The side rims at the rear of the view window are not of the same configuration of the conventional speed helmet. The rear of the view window of conventional speed helmets are rounded. The side rims of the inventive helmet preferably have a straight slant that extends backwards from bottom to top toward the front of the auditory canal and then at about eye level angles forward to the top rim of the view window. Preferably, the deepest portion of the view window is located at approximately the wearer's eye level. Alternatively, the rear of the view window angles straight back. These preferred structures maximize the wearer's view of the road without reducing a large amount of the shell and padding of the helmet. This structural design increases the wearer's frontal and peripheral fields of view.
In addition, a portion of the inner padding located on the right and left sides of the inventive helmet is minimally reduced in thickness so as to eliminate any blind spots and increase the wearer's field of view. The inventive helmet comprises areas of reduced inner padding as well as narrow portions formed in the outer shell of the helmet which increase the wearer's frontal and peripheral fields of view. The minimally reduced thickness of the inner padding and the narrow portions eliminate the blind spots found in prior art helmets. This is achieved by narrowing the sides of the helmet from a narrow portion at the view window which becomes less narrow towards the middle to back of the helmet. Preferably, this area of reduced thickness is located substantially at a wearer's eye level. The narrow portion may preferably “resurface” to the conventional helmet thickness at about the middle to rear of the side of the helmet. This preferred structure maximizes the user's frontal and peripheral fields of view without significant reduction in the protective properties of the helmet. Accordingly, the blind spots usually associated with conventional helmets are virtually eliminated.
This increased field of view allows the wearer to have a better peripheral view of the road. This may enable the wearer to make split-second driving decisions. For example, the inventive helmet decreases the chance of an accident occurring because the driver lost sight of an object in the blind spots associated with conventional helmets.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 283940 (1986-05-01), Bally
patent: D. 323225 (1992-01-01), Gallet
patent: 3991422 (1976-11-01), Saotome
patent: 4028743 (1977-06-01), Christensen
patent: 4209858 (1980-07-01), Coenen
patent: 4291418 (1981-09-01), Zeisler
patent: 5575018 (1996-11-01), Rothrock et al.
patent: 5669079 (1997-09-01), Morgan
Bell Auto Racing Helmet Advertisement, copyright date 1996.
AGV Q3R Helmet Review (date unknown).
AGV R3 Helmet Advertisement (date unknown)
Kroll Michael I.
Neas Michael A.
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