U.S. patent application number 11/348425 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for drop-down eye protection for safety helmets.
This patent application is currently assigned to Artisent, Inc.. Invention is credited to Edward R. Hall, Joseph E. Patterson, David C. Rogers.
Application Number | 20060236438 11/348425 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37185276 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060236438 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rogers; David C. ; et
al. |
October 26, 2006 |
Drop-down eye protection for safety helmets
Abstract
Hinged receivers are provided in the space above the wearer's
ears on either side of a helmet, and protective eyewear received
within the receivers is accommodated for stowage in a space toward
or at the front of the helmet.
Inventors: |
Rogers; David C.; (Boston,
MA) ; Hall; Edward R.; (Somerville, MA) ;
Patterson; Joseph E.; (Auburn, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GOODWIN PROCTER LLP;PATENT ADMINISTRATOR
EXCHANGE PLACE
BOSTON
MA
02109-2881
US
|
Assignee: |
Artisent, Inc.
Boston
MA
|
Family ID: |
37185276 |
Appl. No.: |
11/348425 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60650147 |
Feb 7, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/6.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 3/185 20130101;
F41H 1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/006.7 |
International
Class: |
F41H 1/04 20060101
F41H001/04 |
Goverment Interests
GOVERNMENT FUNDING
[0002] This invention was made with Government support under
Contract No. DAAD16-01-C-0061 awarded by the U.S. Army. The
Government has certain rights in the invention.
Claims
1. For use in connection with a protective helmet comprising a
shell, a rotational assembly facilitating stowage and withdrawal of
protective eyewear, the assembly comprising: a. a pair of receivers
for receiving the eyewear; and b. means facilitating rotation of
the receivers between a stowage position, with the eyewear within
the helmet shell, and an operational position in front of a
wearer's eyes.
2. The rotational assembly of claim 1 wherein the eyewear comprises
a pair of substantially straight arms and the receivers
frictionally engage the arms.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotation-facilitating means
is attached to at least one receiver and extends so as to be
accessible to the wearer when the eyewear is in the stowage
position.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotation-facilitating means
are configured to act on the eyewear and extend so as to be
accessible to the wearer when the eyewear is in the stowage
position.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the helmet comprises a headband
and the rotational assembly is configured to engage the
headband.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotational assembly is
configured to engage an interior surface of the helmet shell.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the helmet comprises a liner and
the rotational assembly is configured to engage the liner.
8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each receiver comprises a draw
line.
9. A protective helmet comprising: a. a shell comprising an
interior with sufficient space to contain, when the helmet is worn,
protective eyewear in a stowed configuration; and b. within the
shell, a rotational assembly configured to receive the eyewear and
facilitate movement between a stowage position, with the eyewear
within the helmet shell, and an operational position in front of a
wearer's eyes.
10. The helmet of claim 9 wherein the eyewear comprises a pair of
substantially straight arms that are frictionally engaged by the
rotational assembly.
11. The helmet of claim 9 further comprising a compressible
material within the shell for frictionally engaging the eyewear to
retain it in the stowed position.
12. The helmet of claim 9 further comprising a flexible protruding
member within the shell for mechanically engaging the eyewear to
retain it in the stowed position.
13. The helmet of claim 9 wherein the rotational assembly is
configured to engage an interior surface of the helmet shell.
14. The helmet of claim 9 further comprising a liner, the
rotational assembly being configured to engage the liner.
15. The helmet of claim 9 further comprising a headband, the
rotational assembly being configured to engage the headband.
16. The helmet of claim 15 wherein the headband comprises a
flexible loop for engaging the eyewear, downward pressure on the
flexible loop brings the eyewear into the operational position.
17. The helmet of claim 9 wherein each receiver comprises a draw
line.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefits of U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/650,147, filed on Feb. 7, 2005,
the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to safety helmets, in particular a
device to provide integrated eye protection which may be used by
the helmet wearer or optionally stowed in a protected area.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Helmets for head protection are worn in a variety of
environments and for various purposes. While some helmets provide
full-face protection by means of a transparent face shield, other
helmets are open-faced. In open-face helmets, if eye protection is
desired, it may be added by the wearer optionally wearing
eyeglasses or goggles. In either case there are disadvantages. For
example, the fit of the helmet around the temples may interfere
with the eyeglass frames, making it difficult or uncomfortable for
the eyeglasses to slide back and over the ears. The elastic strap
or the frames of goggles may also interfere with the helmet shell
or other accessories on the helmet. Even when glasses or goggles
are properly adapted to a helmet, sometimes by special designs,
often they must be stowed in a separate area when they are not
needed. As a result, eyeglasses or goggles may be lost or damaged
while not in use. Additionally, the need to stow the eye protection
in a separate area can result in delay or difficulty in locating
and adjusting it when the need arises. A need therefore exists for
attaching commercially available eyewear to a protective helmet
such that it can be readily deployed or stowed according to the
user's need, and optionally removed from the helmet for stand-alone
use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, hinged tubular
receivers are provided in the space above the wearer's ears on
either side of a helmet, and the protective eyewear is accommodated
for stowage in a space toward or at the front of the helmet. The
receivers may be attached to the helmet, the liner, or components
of the suspension system such as a headband that circumscribes the
head. Protective eyewear having substantially straight arms is
manually inserted into the receivers. The eyewear may be adjusted
for proper fit by sliding the arms within the tubes of the
receivers, which may, in some embodiments, engage the arms of the
eyewear frictionally to maintain position following wearer
adjustment of the eyewear to properly sit on the bridge of the
nose.
[0006] The receivers themselves may be attached by a rotating,
hinged or otherwise pivotable element, typically at a point
rearward of the wearer's ear, for wearer adjustment as well as for
rotating the eyewear upward to a stowed position. Space is provided
within the helmet (e.g., between the shell and the impact liner and
suspension components at the front of the helmet) to accommodate
protective stowage of the eyewear between the wearer's head and the
outer shell of the helmet. Means for securing the eyewear in the
stowed position and allowing it to be deployed easily may include,
for example, a flexible clip attached to the headband or the helmet
shell within the stowage area and extending downward so that it is
accessible to the wearer. When the eyewear is placed in the up
position, the flexible clip mechanically engages it to resist the
eyewear inadvertently dropping down. When the wearer wants to
deploy the eyewear, the flexible clip is pulled, thereby releasing
the eyewear so that it can be manually pulled down and adjusted to
fit the wearer's face. Alternatively or in addition, the stowage
area can be lined with a compressible foam sized so that the
eyewear is frictionally engaged between the compressible foam and
the impact liner (or suspension components at the front of the
helmet) when the eyewear is pushed up for stowage by the
wearer.
[0007] The present invention thereby provides protected and readily
available stowage for the eyewear when not in use, and allows the
use of many standard eyewear products that easily can be fitted to
the helmet without the need for tools.
[0008] Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention comprises a
pivoting assembly facilitating stowage and withdrawal of protective
eyewear with respect to a helmet. The assembly comprises a pair of
receivers for receiving the eyewear and means facilitating rotation
of the receivers between a stowage position, with the eyewear
within the helmet shell, and an operational position in front of a
wearer's eyes. In general, the eyewear comprises a pair of arms and
the receivers frictionally engage the arms.
[0009] In a second aspect, the invention comprises a safety helmet
including a shell and, within the shell, a pivoting assembly
facilitating stowage and withdrawal of protective eyewear. The
pivoting assembly comprises a pair of receivers for receiving the
eyewear, and means facilitating rotation of the receivers between a
stowage position, with the eyewear within the helmet shell, and an
operational position in front of a wearer's eyes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer
to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the
drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally
being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In
the following description, various embodiments of the present
invention are described with reference to the following drawings,
in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows the right side of a helmet with protective
eyewear in the down position;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows the right side of a helmet with protective
eyewear indicated in the stowed position.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of
one of the receivers, in this case the receiver on the right side
of the helmet.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of one
of the receivers.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a helmet with protective eyewear
in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, a helmet shell 51 is shown from
the right side of the wearer's head (the left side has symmetrical
features). Protective eyewear 53 is shown in its normally worn
position on the wearer's face with arms 55 inserted into the
receivers 57 of the present invention, as further described below.
A stowage space 60, described in greater detail in connection with
FIG. 5, is located inside the front of helmet shell 51. FIG. 2
shows the eyewear 53 in the stowed position in the stowage space
60. In the stowed position, the eyewear 53 is within the envelope
of the helmet shell.
[0017] The helmet 51 is secured to the wearer's head by a
conventional chin-strap 61. In a preferred embodiment, a pair of
pull-tabs 63 (the right tab being shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) slide
along the downward portion of chin-strap 61 and are attached to the
receivers 57 by a draw line 69. To lower the eyewear from the
stowage space 60, the wearer pulls downward on the pull-tabs 63 on
left and right sides of the helmet 51. This pulling action is
transmitted via the draw line 69 to the receivers 57, causing the
receivers to rotate about a pivot 72 until the eyewear 53 descends
from the stowage space 60. Additional adjustment by the wearer to
fit the eyewear 53 precisely onto the bridge of the wearer's nose
may be accomplished by sliding the arms 55 of the eyewear 53
longitudinally within the receivers 57.
[0018] One embodiment of the receivers 57 (in this case the
receiver on the right side of the helmet 51) is shown in FIG. 3.
The receiver 57 is preferably fabricated from a semi-flexible
material (e.g., ABS or polyethylene plastic) to form an elongated
tubular shape. The opening 75 at the front of the receiver is sized
to allow the arms 55 of eyewear frames to be inserted and to flex
the material of the receiver 57 as necessary to provide a
frictional engagement therewith. The receiver 57 also has a
mounting hole 72, which fits over a post 78 on an interior
element--e.g., the headband 81--of the helmet. The receiver 57 can
be retained on the post 78, while remaining free to rotate, by any
suitable expedient; the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3 uses a
pair of cut-outs 84a, 84b, which fit over complementary tabs 87a,
87b of retention post 78. When the receiver 57 is first mounted
onto the headband 81, it is oriented such that the cut-outs 84a,
84b align with and pass over the tabs 87a, 87b. The angular
displacement between cut-outs 84a, 84b and the tabs 87a, 87b is
such that receiver 57 may be rotated through its normal range of
positions without aligning the tabs and the cut-outs, thereby
ensuring retention of receiver 57 on post 78.
[0019] Also shown in FIG. 3 is the pull-tab 63 attached by means of
draw line 69 to a connecting area 90 of the receiver 57. The draw
line 69 can be made of plastic (e.g., nylon or polyester) or
natural fibers such as cotton, woven or monofilament, and may be
secured to the pull-tab 63 and connecting area 90 by a knot, loop,
welding or other means conventional in the art. The length of the
draw line 69 is chosen so that when the receiver 57 is rotated to
the uppermost position for stowage, the pull-tab 63 is still
accessible below the edge of the helmet shell 51.
[0020] An alternate embodiment of the present invention, which
dispenses with the draw line, is shown in FIG. 4. In this
embodiment, a flexible loop 93 is provided at the front of the
headband 81, and may be attached to or integral with the headband.
The headband 81 and flexible loop 93 may be fabricated from
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. Flexible loop 93 has a
protruding feature 95 designed to mechanically engage the bridge 96
of the eyewear 53 when the latter is pushed up into the stowed
position. The loop 93 extends downward to provide an exposed end
99, which is accessible to the wearer when the eyewear 53 is in the
stowed position. To lower the eyewear to the operational position,
the wearer pulls on the exposed end 99 of flexible loop 93, thereby
urging the eyewear downward and releasing the engagement between
protruding feature 95 and bridge 96. Further adjustment is
accomplished by the wearer manually pulling the eyewear the
remaining distance to fully remove it from stowage area 60 and
sliding the arms 55 within the opening 75 in each of the receivers
57 so that the eyewear rests comfortably on the wearer's nose.
[0021] A better view of the interior of a helmet in accordance with
the invention is shown in FIG. 5. The helmet shell 51 includes an
interior wall 100, the headband 81 mounted to the shell and
generally concentric with its outer contour, and, optionally, a
liner 105. The headband 81 generally comprises a flexible (e.g.,
plastic) band that may be fabricated as a thin, flat component
which is curved into a circular shape by, for example, joining its
ends together. The band may, for example, be fabricated by
injection molding, but alternative fabrication techniques as are
well known in the art can also be used. The ends of the band 107a,
107b, may be joined at the back of the wearer's head in a manner
that allows adjustment of the circumference of the headband. The
headband 81 generally also comprises a plurality of connecting arms
108 to facilitate joinder to the helmet shell 51 at multiple
positions. The receivers 57 may be pivotably engaged to headband
81, as described above, or may instead be pivotably engaged to the
interior wall 100 or even to the liner 105 as indicated at 109 and
110, respectively.
[0022] The stowage space 60 is generally between the interior wall
100 and the headband 81. A compressible foam pad 111 lies between
the interior wall 100 and the protective eyewear 53 to protect the
lenses from abrasion. The eyewear 53 can be retained in the stowed
position by frictional contact with pad 111 or other suitable
expedient; the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 uses a mechanical
engagement between protruding feature 95 and the bridge 96 of the
eyewear 53. A cutout 114 in pad 111 allows the flexible loop 93 to
move when the exposed end 99 is manually pulled by the wearer.
[0023] Having described certain embodiments of the invention, it
will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other
embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The
described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only
illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *