Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-08
2001-11-06
Neas, Michael A. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311338
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective helmet, and more particularly to an arrangement for holding or maintaining the helmet in position on the head of the wearer, as well as to the devices for adjusting the holding arrangement, especially a chin strap.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Protective helmets are known, which are used in various fields and worn by a variety of users, such as bicyclists, motorcyclists, firefighters, skiers, and others, such as soldiers, aircraft or helicopter pilots. All of the current helmets, regardless of their use, have an outer rigid shell with the general shape of a sphere including a facial opening, and whose cavity thus formed has protective and comfort padding elements adapted to nest the user's head. Furthermore, the helmet is conventionally held on the user's head by a holding arrangement, such as a flexible chin strap fixed to the lateral portions of the helmet. The current devices for connecting the chin strap are completely unsatisfactory, since they are inefficient, often unreliable, and very unaesthetic. The removal or positioning of the helmet is most often quite difficult; the adjustment thereof is delicate and often does not allow a proper positioning and retention. The helmet is then uncomfortable for the wearer, and it does not fulfil its protective function in good conditions.
Furthermore, once the helmet is positioned and tightened on the user's head, it has free strap ends that can hinder the wearer's movements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks with an arrangement that is simpler, more reliable and easier to implement. To this end, an object of the present invention is to reinforce the holding of the helmet while increasing the comfort for the user, by improving the adjustment and positioning of the helmet on his/her head. Moreover, it advantageously enables the elimination of all unnecessary strap portions left free by adjustments of the conventional type.
According to a main characteristic of the protective helmet according to the invention, the latter is formed by a main outer shell that has a longitudinal plane of symmetry, and is of the type having a holding and positioning arrangement adapted to allow its fastening to the user's head, this arrangement having a set of flexible straps, wherein the holding and positioning arrangement includes a system for adjusting the length of the straps, at least one element of which is constituted by a pulley, or a pulley-type element or device.
According to an embodiment of the protective helmet according to the invention, the holding and positioning arrangement includes a chin strap constituted by a set of flexible straps, the chin strap thus being constituted by a front strap and a rear strap joining one another in their middle portion, whereas the front strap is constituted by a left portion of the front strap and by a right portion of the front strap, and the rear strap is constituted by a left portion of the rear strap and by a right portion of the rear strap, the left portions being joined at a point of convergence, while the right portions are also joined at a point of convergence, the points of convergence being adapted to be connected to one another to fasten the helmet.
According to a complementary characteristic of the protective helmet according to the invention, the strap portions have a length adjustment mechanism.
According to another characteristic of the protective helmet of the invention, the adjustment mechanism for the strap is constituted by a pulley, or pulley-type element or device.
According to an alternative embodiment of the protective helmet, each pulley device is constituted by a lever buckle arranged on a strap portion, and by a complementary return buckle fixed to the main outer shell of the helmet in the area of the point where the strap portion is attached to the shell.
According to this alternative embodiment, the strap portion passes through the buckle starting from the point where it is affixed to the main outer shell, passes through a guide of the lever buckle, then comes back to pass in the complementary return buckle, before slidably passing again beneath the pivoting lever arm that is susceptible of blocking the sliding.
According to another characteristic of the protective helmet according to the invention, the set of flexible straps includes a front strap and a rear strap that is formed by a left strap portion and a right strap portion, and the connection of the ends of the left and right portions of the rear strap to the shell is made by means of an intermediate connecting piece having the shape of an inverted Y.
Furthermore, according to an alternative embodiment of the protective helmet, the rear intermediate connecting piece is semi-rigid, and it is journaled about its point of fastening to the shell in a transverse plane orthogonal to the longitudinal plane of symmetry, so as to be able to assume the shape of the nape of the user's neck.
According to another characteristic of the protective helmet according to the invention, the chin strap has at least one self-connecting and self-disconnecting buckle, this automatic buckle, and more particularly the connecting zone, being arranged at the point of convergence of the left portion of the front strap with the left portion of the rear strap.
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patent: 4741054 (1988-05-01), Mattes
patent: 4856119 (1989-08-01), Haberle
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patent: 5581819 (1996-12-01), Garneau
patent: 5794272 (1998-08-01), Workman et al.
patent: 5983405 (1999-11-01), Casale
patent: 0643933 (1995-03-01), None
patent: WO 94/23606 (1994-10-01), None
Gallet S.A.
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Neas Michael A.
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