Mandible guard attachment system

• US 9,700,096 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoey, Alissa L
• Application Number:
  US13/563,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 2422, 2424
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/18 Face protection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/326 Helmets with movable or separable chin or jaw guard

Abstract

A contact surface, such as a seating surface on a mandible guard is adjustable such that variations in helmet geometry and/or mandible geometry can be accommodated. The mandible guard may be fixedly attached to a helmet with an attachment arm, yet be configured to permit adjustment of the height of the contact surface to reduce or eliminate a gap between the helmet and a guard portion of the mandible guard. A tilt arrangement may be provided between the attachment arm and the guard portion of the mandible guard to allow a wearer to adjust a pitch angle of the guard portion relative to the attachment arm.

Claims

1. A mandible guard for a helmet, comprising:

a guard portion configured to extend from a first side of the helmet to a second, opposite side of the helmet when the mandible guard is attached to the helmet, the guard portion positioned to provide protection to a user'"'"'s face;

a first attachment device adapted to attach the guard portion to the first side of helmet, the first attachment device including a first attachment portion and a first attachment arm;

a second attachment device adapted to attach the guard portion to the second side of the helmet, the second attachment device including a second attachment portion and a second attachment arm;

a first contact surface associated with the first attachment device and adapted to contact a second contact surface of the first side of the helmet when the mandible guard is attached to the helmet;

a third contact surface associated with the second attachment device and adapted to contact a fourth contact surface of the second side of the helmet when the mandible guard is attached to the helmet;

a first pivotal connection to pivotally connect a first side of the guard portion to the first attachment arm; and

a second pivotal connection to pivotally connect a second side of the guard portion to the second attachment arm;

wherein

the first contact surface is selectively adjustable relative to the guard portion between a first adjustment position where the first contact surface is spaced a first distance from the guard portion and a second adjustment position where the first contact surface is spaced a second, different distance from the guard portion, wherein the first contact surface is held in the first adjustment position by the first attachment device when the first contact surface is adjusted to the first adjustment position, and the first contact surface is held in the second adjustment position by the first attachment device when the first contact surface is adjusted to the second adjustment position;

the third contact surface is selectively adjustable relative to the guard portion between a third adjustment position where the third contact surface is spaced a third distance from the guard portion and a fourth adjustment position where the third contact surface is spaced a fourth distance, different from the third distance, from the guard portion, wherein the third contact surface is held in the third adjustment position by the second attachment device when the third contact surface is adjusted to the third adjustment position, and the third contact surface is held in the fourth adjustment position by the second attachment device when the third contact surface is adjusted to the fourth adjustment position; and

the guard portion is pivotable relative to the first and second attachment arms via the first and second pivotal connections to adjust a pitch angle of the guard portion relative to the first and second attachment arms.

2. The mandible guard as in claim 1, wherein the first attachment portion includes at least two attachment points which are configured to attach to the helmet such that in an attached position, the first attachment device does not pivot relative to the helmet.

3. The mandible guard as in claim 2, wherein the mandible guard includes a first adjustment member, the first adjustment position of the first contact surface includes the first adjustment member in a first position, and the second adjustment position of the first contact surface includes the first adjustment member in a second position, different from the first position.

4. The mandible guard as in claim 3, further comprising a helmet.

5. The apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the first adjustment member is movable up and down relative to the mandible guard.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the first contact surface comprises an upwardly-facing surface on the first adjustment member.

7. The apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the first contact surface is configured to contact a downwardly-facing contact surface of a rim of the helmet when the mandible guard is attached to the helmet.

8. The apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the first adjustment member comprises a threaded screw that is movable up and down via rotation of the screw.

9. The apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the first adjustment member is continuously adjustable along a range of vertical positions.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein adjustments to the pitch angle with the first and second pivotal connections do not affect the distance of the first contact surface from the second contact surface when the mandible guard is attached to the helmet.

11. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein when the first contact surface is in the first adjustment position, the first contact surface is out of contact with the second contact surface of the helmet, and when the first contact surface is in the second adjustment position, the first contact portion is in contact with the second contact surface of the helmet.

12. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the second contact surface is a rim of the helmet.