Helmet retention system with adjustable buckle

• US 5,123,121 A
• Filed: 03/13/1991
• Issued: 06/23/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bell Helmets Incorporated (Easton-Bell Sports Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helmets Incorporated (Easton-Bell Sports Incorporated)
• Inventors: Broersma, Lester V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neas, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/668,728
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 2/171.3, 2/171.4, 2/172, 2/181.8, 2/182.5, 2/184.5, 2/410, 2/411, 2/414, 2/421, 2/425, 24/172, 24/198, 24/200, 24/315
• US Class Current: 2/421
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/066 specially adapted for cycling helmets, e.g. for soft shelled helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/08 Chin straps or similar retention devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/281 Air ducting systems
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/04 without movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4093 Looped strap

Abstract

A helmet retention system includes a junction plate which, when tilted relative to the wearer'"'"'s cheek, loosens its grip, on a chin strap. The plate has a triangular cross section cross piece with narrow lands having edges normally gripping the chin strap. Also, the helmet has a lower outer side which loops about the helmet and is shaped to grip a replaceable textile band, which is decorative.

The helmet includes a strap section that extends crosswise of the uppermost, forward, domed extent of the helmet; and, the helmet may typically have air inflow and outflow openings, and an air flow channel, relative to which the strap section extends crosswise.

Claims

1. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

(a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

(b) a relatively thin outer shell having dome shape to fit closely over solely the domed upper extent of the foam plastic shell, and

(c) first openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(d) a first retention band extending through said first openings, the band including a section that extends between the foam plastic shell and the thin outer shell between the foam plastic shell and the thin outer shell between said first openings, the band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(e) a front air inlet through the outer shell, a rear air discharge outlet through the outer shell, and an air flow channel extending adjacent the foam plastic shell and rearwardly between the inlet and the outlet,

(f) said band section that extends between said openings also passing crosswise relative to the air flow channel,

(g) second openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(h) an additional retention band extending through said second openings, the additional band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(i) said additional band also passing transversely between said second openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said air flow channel opens toward the interior of the helmet, at locations along the length of the channel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the front air inlet faces forwardly at the front of the helmet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said band section that extends between said first openings also passes across and above the air flow channel.

5. The system of claim 1 including connection means attached to lower extents of the first retention band.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the foam plastic shell has a surface that limits downward placement of the outer shell thereon.

7. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

b) a relatively thin outer shell having dome shape to fit closely over solely the domed upper extent of the foam plastic shell, and

c) openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

d) a retention band extending through said openings, the retention band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

e) the band including a section that extends between said openings and also passes crosswise of the top of said foamed plastic shell upwardly domed upper extent, forwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell,

f) additional openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

g) an additional retention band extending through said additional openings, the additional band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

h) said additional band also passing transversely between said additional openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell.

8. In a helmet the combination comprising:

a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

b) a relatively thin outer shell having dome shape to fit closely over the domed upper extent of the foam plastic shell, and

c) a looping ledge on the foam shell, which limits downward placement of the thin shell on the foam shell,

d) a first retention band extending through first openings in the plastic shell to extend transversely of an air flow channel formed within said shell.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said outer shell is very thin and said ledge is upward facing and is spaced above the lowermost edge extent of the foam plastic shell, whereby the thin shell covers only an upper extent of the foam plastic shell above the level of the ledge.

10. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

(a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

(b) openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(c) a retention band extending through said openings, the band including a section that extends at an upper side of the foam plastic shell and between said openings, the band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(d) a front air inlet through the foam plastic shell, a rear air discharge path from the plastic shell, and an air flow channel extending adjacent the foam plastic shell and rearwardly directionally between the inlet and the outlet,

(e) said band section that extends between said openings also passing crosswise relative to the air flow channel,

(f) additional openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(g) an additional retention band extending through said additional openings, the additional band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(h) said additional band also passing transversely between said additional openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped shell, and

(i) a thin outer shell extending solely over the domed upper extent of the foam plastic shell and in confining relation to said retention band that extends between said openings.

11. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

(a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly dome upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

(b) the shell shaped to receive an outer cover fitting closely over solely the dome upper extent of the foam plastic shell, the shell defining an air flow channel that extends between front and rear openings in the shell, and

(c) side openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(d) a retention band extending through said side openings, the band including a section that extends at an upper side of the foam plastic shell and between said side openings, the band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(e) said band section that extends between said side openings also passing transversely relative to said air flow channel, forwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell,

(f) additional openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(g) an additional retention band extending through said additional openings, the additional band hanging downwardly and within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(h) said additional band also passing transversely between said additional openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped shell.

12. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head, and a relatively thin outer shell having dome shape to fit closely over solely the domed upper extent of the foam plastic shell,

b) a downwardly and inwardly tapering outer lower surface on the foam shell, which intersects the domed upper extent of the shell at a line of demarcation,

c) openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

d) a forward retention band extending through said openings, the band including a section that extends at an upper side of the foam plastic shell and between said openings, the band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

e) said band section that extends between said openings also passing transversely of said foamed plastic shell, forwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell, said band section also extending crosswise and above an air flow channel formed by the shell to extend between a front air inlet and rear air outlet in the shell,

f) additional openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

g) an additional retention band extending through said additional openings, the additional band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

h) said additional band also passing transversely between said additional openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped outer shell.

13. In a helmet system, the combination comprising:

(a) a relatively thick, rigid foam plastic shell having helmet shape, the shell having an upwardly domed upper extent, and a lower side extent which faces outwardly and loops about the shell interior, which is hollow to fit over the wearer'"'"'s head,

(b) openings through the foam plastic shell at locations spaced at opposite sides of an upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(c) a retention band extending through said openings, the band including a section that extends at an upper side of the foam plastic shell and between said openings, the band hanging downwardly within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(d) a front air inlet through the foam plastic shell, a rear air discharge path from the plastic shell, and an air flow channel extending adjacent the foam plastic shell and rearwardly directionally between the inlet and the outlet,

(e) said band section that extends between said openings also passing crosswise relative to said air flow channel,

(f) additional openings through the foam plastic shell at additional locations spaced at opposite sides of said upright plane that bisects the helmet and extends longitudinally forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto,

(g) an addition retention band extending through said additional openings, the additional band hanging downwardly and within and below the helmet interior at two locations to attach to the wearer'"'"'s head,

(h) said additional band also passing transversely between said additional openings and crosswise relative to said vertical plane, rearwardly of the uppermost portion of the dome shaped shell, and

(i) a thin outer shell extending solely over the domed upper extend of said retention band that extends between said openings.