HELMET MOUNTING SYSTEM

• US 20150282549A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Galvion Ltd. (Galvion Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Revision Military Incorporated (Revision Military)
• Inventors: Lebel, Stphane, Giroux Bernier, Dominic, McGinn, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 10,492,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/04 Parts, details or accessories of helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12

Abstract

Systems and methods for selectively attaching an accessory mount to a helmet are disclosed. A carrier may be used to position the accessory mount on the helmet. The accessory mount may be positioned on the helmet without engaging the rim of the helmet. The carrier may be compatible with various accessory mounts to permit mounting of different accessories.

The accessory mount may be a powered mount for attachment to a Night Vision Device (NVD) such as Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVG), or the accessory mount may be a non-powered accessory mount.

Claims

1. A helmet system comprising:

a helmet having a rim with a downwardly-facing rim portion;

an accessory mount; and

a carrier attachable to the helmet only above the downwardly-facing rim portion;

wherein the accessory mount is removably couplable to the carrier.

2. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the accessory mount is insertable into the carrier from the back of the carrier.

3. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the back of the carrier faces the helmet when the carrier is attached to the helmet, and the accessory mount attaches to the back of the carrier.

4. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the carrier includes a central portion and at least one peripheral portion.

5. The helmet system of claim 4, wherein the central portion supports the accessory mount and the at least one peripheral portion attaches the carrier to the helmet.

6. The helmet system of claim 4, wherein the at least one peripheral portion comprises an arc-shaped arm that conforms to the helmet.

7. The helmet system of claim 4, wherein the central portion comprises a frame that fully surrounds a perimeter of the accessory mount.

8. The helmet system of claim 4, wherein the central portion and the at least one peripheral portion are integrally formed.

9. The helmet system of claim 4, wherein the at least one peripheral portion is configured to be attached to an accessory.

10. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is compatible with receiving and retaining a first accessory mount and a second accessory mount, the first and second accessory mounts being different types of accessory mounts.

11. The helmet system of claim 10, wherein the first accessory mount comprises a powered accessory mount and the second accessory mount comprises a non-powered accessory mount.

12. The helmet system of claim 11, wherein the powered accessory mount includes electrical contacts configured to power a device that is mounted to the powered accessory mount.

13. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the accessory mount comprises a mounting plate.

14. The helmet system of claim 1, wherein the downwardly-facing rim portion is configured and arranged to form a seal against an accessory.

15. The helmet system of claim 14, wherein the accessory comprises a face shield, a visor, or goggles.

16. The helmet system of claim 1, further comprising a shim that is configured to attach to the accessory mount and secure the accessory mount to the carrier.

17. The helmet system of claim 16, wherein the carrier includes tabs, and the shim is slidable between the accessory mount and the tabs.

18. A helmet system comprising:

a helmet; and

a carrier for an accessory mount, the carrier having a front and a back,

wherein the back of the carrier faces the helmet when the carrier is attached to the helmet, and wherein the carrier is constructed and arranged to removably receive and retain an accessory mount through the back of the carrier.

19. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the carrier comprises a frame that fully surrounds a perimeter of the accessory mount when the accessory mount is attached to the frame.

20. The helmet system of claim 18, further comprising the accessory mount.

21. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the helmet includes a downwardly-facing rim portion and the carrier is attachable to the helmet only above the downwardly-facing rim portion.

22. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the back of the carrier faces the helmet when the carrier is attached to the helmet and the accessory mount attaches to the back of the carrier.

23. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the carrier includes a central portion and at least one peripheral portion, and wherein the central portions supports the accessory mount and the at least one peripheral portion attaches the carrier to the helmet.

24. The helmet system of claim 23, wherein the at least one peripheral portion is configured to be attached to an accessory.

25. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the carrier is compatible with receiving and retaining a first accessory mount and a second accessory mount, the first and second accessory mounts being different types of accessory mounts.

26. The helmet system of claim 25, wherein the first accessory mount comprises a powered accessory mount and the second accessory mount comprises a non-powered accessory mount.

27. The helmet system of claim 26, wherein the powered accessory mount includes electrical contacts configured to power a device that is mounted to the powered accessory mount.

28. The helmet system of claim 18, wherein the accessory mount comprises a mounting plate.

29. The helmet system of claim 21, wherein the downwardly-facing rim portion is configured and arranged to form a seal against an accessory.

30. The helmet system of claim 29, wherein the accessory comprises a face shield, a visor, or goggles.

31. The helmet system of claim 18, further comprising a shim that is configured to attach to the accessory mount and secure the accessory mount to the carrier.

32. The helmet system of claim 31, wherein the carrier includes tabs, and the shim is slidable between the accessory mount and the tabs.

33. A method of attaching an accessory mount to a helmet, the method comprising:

providing a first accessory mount onto which a helmet accessory can be mounted;

removably coupling the first accessory mount to a carrier; and

attaching the carrier to a helmet only above a downwardly-facing rim portion of the helmet.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

removing the first accessory mount from the carrier; and

coupling a second accessory mount to the carrier, wherein the first accessory mount is a different type of accessory mount as compared to the second accessory mount.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first accessory mount comprises a powered accessory mount and the second accessory mount comprises a non-powered accessory mount.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising mounting an accessory to the accessory mount.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the carrier has a front and a back and the step of removably coupling the first accessory mount to the carrier comprises inserting the accessory mount into the carrier at the back of the carrier.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the back of the carrier faces the helmet when the carrier is attached to the helmet.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising abutting an accessory against the downwardly-facing rim portion of the helmet.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the step of abutting an accessory against the downwardly-facing rim portion of the helmet forms a seal between the rim and the accessory.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the accessory comprises a face shield, a visor, or goggles.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising sliding a shim between the accessory mount and tabs on the carrier to secure the accessory mount to the carrier.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising attaching the shim to the accessory mount.