Adjustable helmet for a hockey or lacrosse player

• US 9,345,282 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bauer Hockey, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bauer Hockey Incorporated (Old PSG Wind-down Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gnreux, Marie-Claude, Durocher, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, CAMERON A
• Application Number:
  US13/548,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20130025033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 241/7, 241/0, 241/8, 242/5, 242/0, D28/70, D28/78, D29/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/16 Ear protection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/32 Collapsible helmets; Helmets made of separable parts ; Helmets with movable parts, e.g. adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/324 Adjustable helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00

Abstract

An adjustable helmet having first and second shells and a single actuator comprising at least one tooth, the single actuator being moveable between: a first locked position, wherein the at least one tooth retains the first and second shells and the first and second shells define a first hollow space; a released position, wherein the at least one tooth no longer retains the first and second shells such that one of the first and second shells is moveable relative to the other of the first and second shells; and a second locked position, wherein the at least one tooth retains the first and second shells and the first and second shells define a second hollow space, the second hollow space being different than the first hollow space.

Claims

1. An adjustable helmet for receiving a head of a hockey or lacrosse player, said helmet comprising:

a) a first shell portion;

b) a second shell portion, said first and said second shell portions being moveable one with relation to the other to adjust a fit of the helmet on the player'"'"'s head;

c) an adjustment mechanism, including;

i) an actuator including at least one tooth, the actuator being mounted to the second shell portion;

ii) an aperture on the second shell portion configured to receive the tooth;

iii) an elongated band including a plurality of apertures arranged longitudinally on the band and configured for receiving individually the tooth;

iv) the band being associated with the first shell portion and extending to the second shell portion such that relative movement between the first and the second shell portions produces a corresponding movement between the band and the aperture on the second shell portion;

v) the actuator being pivotally moveable between a locked position and a released position, in the locked position the tooth extending in the aperture on the second shell portion and in one of the apertures on the band, in the released position the tooth clearing the one aperture of the band to allow the band to be repositioned relative the aperture on the second shell portion;

vi) wherein the second shell portion has an outer side and an opposite inner side, the adjustable helmet including a base member oriented towards the inner side of the second shell portion, the band being located between the second shell portion and the base member;

vii) wherein the base member registers with the aperture on the second shell portion and when the actuator is in the locked position, the tooth engages the base member;

viii) wherein when the actuator is in the released position, the tooth disengaging from the base member;

ix) wherein the band slidingly moves relative to the base member when the first shell portion and the second shell portion are moved one with relation to the other;

x) wherein the actuator constitutes a single control operable by the player to adjust a relative position of the first shell portion with relation to the second shell portion.

2. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein the base member has an aperture, the tooth penetrating the aperture when the actuator is in the locked position.

3. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 2, wherein when the actuator is in the released position, the tooth clears the aperture on the base member.

4. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 3, wherein the base member remains stationary with relation to the second shell portion when the first and second shell portions move one with relation to the other.

5. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a plurality of teeth.

6. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 5, wherein the plurality of teeth are configured to engage simultaneously a plurality of apertures on the band when the actuator is in the locked position.

7. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 6, wherein the second shell portion includes a plurality of apertures for receiving respective teeth of the actuator when the actuator is in the locked position.

8. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 7, wherein the base member includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the plurality of teeth.

9. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 7, wherein the teeth are curved.

10. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 8, wherein the second shell portion includes a recess for receiving the actuator, when the actuator is in the locked position.

11. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 10, wherein the helmet has a longitudinal axis extending centrally along the helmet, the longitudinal axis intersecting the actuator.

12. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 11, wherein the actuator pivotally moves between the locked position and the released position about an axis that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

13. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 12, wherein the helmet has a pair of spaced apart ridge portions on an exterior surface of the helmet, the ridge portions extending longitudinally on the top portion of the helmet and on a back portion thereof, the actuator residing between the ridge portions.

14. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 13, wherein the first shell portion is a front portion of the shell and the second shell portion is a rear portion of the shell.

15. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a cam member.

16. An adjustable helmet as defined in 15, wherein the cam member is operable in response to a pivotal movement of the actuator.

17. An adjustable helmet for receiving a head of a hockey or lacrosse player, said helmet comprising:

a) a front shell portion;

b) a rear shell portion, said front and said rear shell portions being moveable one with relation to the other to adjust a fit of the helmet on the player'"'"'s head;

c) an adjustment mechanism, including;

i) an actuator constituting a single finger operated control for adjusting a position of the front shell portion with relation to the rear shell portion, the actuator including a plurality of teeth;

ii) a plurality of rows of apertures configured for receiving the teeth of the actuator, the plurality of rows of apertures being associated with the front shell portion and extending to the rear shell portion such that when the front shell portion is moved with relation to the rear shell portion, the plurality of rows of apertures move relative to the rear shell portion, whereby the apertures of the plurality of rows of apertures define multiple adjustment positions between the front and the rear shell portions;

iii) the actuator being pivotally moveable between a locked position and a released position, in the locked position the teeth engaging at least one aperture in each row of apertures, in the released position the teeth clearing all apertures of the plurality of rows of apertures;

iv) wherein the rear shell portion has an outer side and an opposite inner side, the adjustable helmet including a base member facing the inner side of the rear shell portion, the plurality of rows of apertures being located between the second shell portion and the base member;

v) wherein the base member remains stationary with relation to the rear shell portion when the front and rear shell portions move one with relation to the other;

vi) wherein the plurality of rows of apertures slidingly move relative to the base member when the front shell portion and the rear shell portion are moved one with relation to the other;

vii) wherein the rear shell portion includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the teeth of the actuator when the actuator is in the locked position;

viii) wherein the base member includes a plurality of apertures registering with the apertures on the rear shell portion;

ix) wherein in the locked position the teeth of the actuator are configured to engage the apertures of the base member;

x) wherein in the released position, the teeth of the actuator clear the apertures of the base member;

d) said helmet including on an outer surface thereof a pair of ridge portions in a spaced apart relationship extending on a top portion of the helmet and on a back portion thereof, the actuator being located between the ridge portions.

18. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 17, wherein the rear shell portion includes a recess for receiving the actuator, when the actuator is in the locked position.

19. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 18, wherein the helmet has a longitudinal axis extending centrally along the helmet, the longitudinal axis intersecting the actuator.

20. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 19, wherein the actuator pivotally moves between the locked position and the released position about an axis that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

21. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 20, wherein the actuator includes a cam member.

22. An adjustable helmet as defined in claim 21, wherein the cam member operates in response to a pivotal movement of the actuator.