Self-tinting helmet visor and method of making same

• US 20040034898A1
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Bruegl, Juergen
• Application Number:
  US10/227,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/9
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/226 with sunscreens, e.g. tinted or dual visor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/022 Use of special optical filters, e.g. multiple layers, filters for protection against laser light or light from nuclear explosions, screens with different filter properties on different parts of the screen; Rotating slit-discs optical filters per se G02B5/20

Abstract

Helmet visor with a solar cell device that is arranged directly on the helmet visor, wherein the helmet visor can be darkened or tinted through voltage that is generated by a solar cell device and loses its tint that has been created by the voltage in the de-energized state.

Claims

1. Helmet visor,

wherein a solar cell device is arranged directly on or adjacent the helmet visor, and

wherein the helmet visor can be darkened or tinted via voltage generated by the solar cell device and loses tint that has been created by the voltage in a de-energized state.

2. Helmet visor according to claim 1, wherein the helmet visor contains a transparent carrier body, onto which an electrically darkenable layer is applied or into which the electrically darkenable layer is integrated.

3. Helmet visor according to claim 2, wherein the layer is tinted in color in accordance with an amount of the voltage generated by the solar cell device.

4. Helmet visor according to claim 3, wherein the layer can be continuously tinted.

5. Helmet visor according to claim 3, wherein the darkenable layer is an electrically darkenable film, which is flexible, and which has been applied to the carrier body and is electrically connected with the solar cell device.

6. Helmet visor according to claim 4, wherein the darkenable layer is an electrically darkenable film, which is flexible, and which has been applied to the carrier body and is electrically connected with the solar cell device.

7. Helmet visor according to claim 1, wherein the solar cell device contains one or more solar cells.

8. Helmet visor according to claim 3, wherein the solar cell device contains one or more solar cells.

9. Helmet visor according to claim 4, wherein the solar cell device contains one or more solar cells.

10. Helmet visor according to claim 5, wherein the solar cell device contains one or more solar cells.

11. Helmet visor according to claim 2, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

12. Helmet visor according to claim 3, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

13. Helmet visor according to claim 4, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

14. Helmet visor according to claim 5, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

15. Helmet visor according to claim 7, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

16. Helmet visor according to claim 11,

wherein the helmet visor contains a lower edge area close to a chin and an upper edge area close to a forehead, and

wherein the solar cell film is arranged in the upper edge area close to the forehead or in the lower edge area close to the chin of the helmet visor.

17. Helmet visor according to claim 11, wherein the solar cell film takes on a shape of a strip, which extends substantially transversely across the upper edge area close to the forehead of the helmet visor.

18. Helmet visor according to claim 16, wherein the solar cell film takes on a shape of a strip, which extends substantially transversely across the upper edge area close to the forehead of the helmet visor.

19. Helmet, comprising a helmet visor,

wherein a solar cell device is arranged directly on or adjacent the helmet visor, and

wherein the helmet visor can be darkened or tinted via voltage generated by the solar cell device and loses tint that has been created by the voltage in a de-energized state.

20. Helmet visor according to claim 19, wherein the helmet visor contains a transparent carrier body, onto which an electrically darkenable layer is applied or into which the electrically darkenable layer is integrated.

21. Helmet visor according to claim 20, wherein the layer is tinted in color in accordance with an amount of the voltage generated by the solar cell device.

22. Helmet visor according to claim 21, wherein the layer can be continuously tinted.

23. Helmet visor according to claim 21, wherein the darkenable layer is an electrically darkenable film, which is flexible, and which has been applied to the carrier body and is electrically connected with the solar cell device.

24. Helmet visor according to claim 20, wherein the solar cell device is a flexible solar cell film, which has been applied onto the carrier body of the helmet visor.

25. Helmet visor according to claim 24,

wherein the helmet visor contains a lower edge area close to a chin and an upper edge area close to a forehead, and

wherein the solar cell film is arranged in the upper edge area close to the forehead or in the lower edge area close to the chin of the helmet visor.

26. Helmet, comprising a helmet visor, wherein the helmet visor contains a transparent carrier body, onto which an electrically darkenable layer is applied or into which the electrically darkenable layer is integrated.

27. Glasses, comprising a solar cell device which is arranged directly on the glasses and lenses can be darkened or tinted via an voltage that is generated by the solar cell device and lose tint that has been created by the voltage in a de-energized state.

28. Helmet visor, wherein the helmet visor contains a transparent carrier body, onto which an electrically darkenable layer is applied or into which the electrically darkenable layer is integrated.

29. A tintable transparent assembly, comprising:

a transparent material,

a tintable layer arranged in or on the transparent material and capable of tinting or darkening a field of view of the transparent material, and

a solar cell device arranged on or adjacent the transparent material, the tintable layer being darkened or tinted via voltage generated by the solar cell device,

wherein the tintable material substantially loses the darkening or tinting in a de-energized state.

30. A method of making a helmet visor, comprising:

providing the helmet visor which is operatively darkenable or tintable via voltage, and

arranging a solar cell device directly on or adjacent the helmet visor,

wherein the voltage is operatively generated by the solar cell device, and the helmet visor operatively loses tint that has been operatively created by the voltage in a de-energized state.