Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-21
2002-12-10
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S063000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06490729
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to quickly attaching a goggle to and releasing a goggle from a helmet.
BACKGROUND
Goggles have been available in the market place for many years. Goggles can be attached to a user's headwear such as a fireman's or construction worker's helmet. Other goggles are used by sports enthusiasts such as motorcycle riders, pilots, skydivers and skiers.
For some uses, such as a prolonged activity like skiing, a goggle can be attached to and detached from the helmet at the leisure of the user. Since the user knows when a particular activity will begin, and knows that he or she will most likely wear the goggles throughout the duration of the event or activity, the need for a quickly attachable and releasable goggle is minimal.
For other uses, such as fighting fires, there is a need to quickly attach and release the goggles, often when the user is busy doing something else and has only one hand free. Some previous mounting systems have required two hands to join two mating parts together. Some other systems require the dexterity of an un-gloved hand to attach or release the goggle from the helmet. In emergency scenarios, removing one's gloves can be a waste of precious time, or dangerous if in the vicinity of sharp or burning objects. Also, a goggle is often desired as eye protection by fire fighters and rescue personnel because a face shield alone does not provide the level of eye protection required in an environment filled with smoke or airborne debris.
Therefore, there is a need for a goggle mounting system that permits quick attachment to and release of a goggle from the helmet with one hand and while wearing gloves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides system, and methods for quickly attaching a goggle to a helmet and releasing the goggle from the helmet. Such systems and methods are desirable in activities of uncertain duration or which may involve abrupt changes in the type of activity or physical environment, such as fire fighting and emergency rescue. The present invention is simple to use, can be used with a helmet having a face shield, and can be readily used by someone wearing gloves. It also permits quick and simple assembly during manufacture of the helmet or field retrofit. A bracket body, which is an element of the invention, is easily installed with minimum of tools and it is also readily releasable if replacement is required.
Thus one aspect of the present invention provides a bracket body, with a retaining post that extends in a first direction and a mounting bracket that extends in a second direction. The retaining post has a distal portion that has a portion with a greater cross section than the remainder of the retaining post. The invention further includes a strap with a first end that is attachable to a goggle and a second end with an opening. The opening is sized to pass interferingly over the segment, or portion, of the distal portion having the greater cross section.
In some embodiments, the opening in the second end of the strap may be resilient to allow for some distortion or stretching during the interfering passage. The opening may be a grommet attached at the second end of the strap and that grommet may be comprised of a resilient material. Alternatively, the greater cross section portion of the retaining post may be a resilient member, such as a washer attached to the retaining post.
Another embodiment provides for the retaining post to be separated in an axial direction along a portion of its length thus forming at least two fingers. When the opening in the second strap end is passed over the greater cross section portion, the fingers can flex substantially towards one another to permit passage of the opening.
In some embodiments the first direction of the retaining post and the second direction of the mounting bracket may be substantially opposite, whereas in other embodiments the angle between the two directions may be substantially less than 180 degrees.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a mounting stud rather than a mounting bracket as described above. The mounting stud provides a different means of attachment of the bracket body to a helmet as described below in the Detailed Description.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides for the first direction and the second direction as disclosed above to define an angle of substantially less than 180 degrees. Also, the retaining post and the opening in the strap are sized to allow passage over each other. The bracket body is mounted to a helmet so the angle between the first and second directions may generally dispose the retaining post somewhat upwardly and/or rearwardly relative to the front of the helmet. This permits the tension in the strap to retain the opening around the retaining post without a requirement for there to be an enlargement of the distal end that would result in interfering passage. Consequently, due to the angle as defined above, a mirror image bracket body and associated strap may be required if a symmetrical installation is preferred. An alternative to this aspect is to curve the retaining post in such a manner that when attached to a helmet the post curves upwardly and/or rearwardly relative to the front of the helmet. The net effect of a curved retaining post, in terms of securing the strap thereon, will be substantially the same as the previously described angled retaining post.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides for a bracket body, as described above, with a first snap member extending in the first direction instead of a retaining post. Additionally, a second snap member, which is capable of releasable engagement with the first snap member, may be attached to the second end of the strap.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a bracket body with first retaining means extending in a first direction for retaining a strap, and mounting means extending in a second direction for mounting the bracket body to a helmet. The strap could include means for attaching the strap to a goggle and a second retaining means for retaining the strap to the first retaining means. The first retaining means may be a retaining post and the second retaining means may be a grommet. Alternatively, the first retaining means may be a first snap member and the second retaining means may be a second snap member, wherein the first and second snap members are capable of releasable engagement.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides for a bracket body which is mountable to the brim of a helmet. The bracket body comprises in part a retaining post with a resilient member mounted to a distal portion thereof. The bracket body also comprises a mounting bracket substantially opposite the retaining post. The mounting bracket is formed with a slot therein which defines a first and second slot wall. The slot is adapted to slidably engage the brim of a helmet between the first and second slot walls. A fastener passes through the mounting bracket and through the first slot wall so that the bracket body is secured to the helmet brim by interaction of the fastener and the second slot wall. A strap is provided having a first end, which is attachable to a goggle, and a second end with a grommet therein. The grommet has an opening which is sized to pass interferingly over the resilient member. A further embodiment of this aspect includes a resilient washer mounted to the distal portion of the retaining post.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide only a bracket body incorporating separately or in various combinations the attributes of the bracket bodies disclosed above.
In additional aspect, the present invention provides various bracket body and strap aspects and embodiments as disclosed above in combination with a goggle.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides the various bracket body and strap aspects and embodiments as disclosed above in combination with a goggle and a helmet.
It is intended that the various aspects and of the present invention disclo
Eye Safety Systems, Inc.
Graybeal Jackson Haley LLP
Moran Katherine
Nerbun Peter
LandOfFree
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