U.S. patent application number 14/243942 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-09 for cycling helmet with high aerodynamic efficiency.
This patent application is currently assigned to RUDY PROJECT, SPA. The applicant listed for this patent is RUDY PROJECT, SPA. Invention is credited to John COBB.
Application Number | 20140298570 14/243942 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48579300 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140298570 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
COBB; John |
October 9, 2014 |
CYCLING HELMET WITH HIGH AERODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY
Abstract
An aerodynamic cycling helmet is described, comprising a shell
developed along a longitudinal direction, from a front area to a
rear area, the said rear area extending beyond an inner portion of
the shell provided with an occipital support of the head, the said
shell being symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane of
symmetry containing the longitudinal direction and extended in two
opposing side walls from a temporal area and the area of the ear to
the rear area. On each of the side walls, the helmet is provided
with a respective air intake, which is open and passing through the
shell and the shell includes in the rear area, within the shell,
respective surfaces for channelling the flow of air that are
capable of straightening, parallel to the longitudinal direction,
the air flow derived from each of the air intakes and of
channelling the flow, within the shell, in the direction of the
rear area of the shell.
Inventors: |
COBB; John; (Tyler,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RUDY PROJECT, SPA |
TREVISO |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
RUDY PROJECT, SPA
TREVISO
IT
|
Family ID: |
48579300 |
Appl. No.: |
14/243942 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/410 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 3/066 20130101;
A42B 3/0493 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/410 |
International
Class: |
A42B 3/04 20060101
A42B003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 3, 2013 |
IT |
PD2013A000082 |
Claims
1. An aerodynamic cycling helmet comprising a shell developed along
a longitudinal direction (X), from a front area to a rear area, the
rear area extending beyond an inner portion of the shell provided
with an occipital support of the head, the shell being symmetrical
with respect to a longitudinal plane of symmetry (S) containing the
longitudinal direction (X) and being extended in two opposing side
walls extending from a temporal area and the area of the ear to the
rear area, the shell having a transverse cross-section of greatest
dimension transverse to the longitudinal direction, such
cross-section being defined by the intersection of the shell with a
plane (M) perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S)
and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), -comprising on
each of the side walls, a respective air intake, which is open and
passing through the shell, located in an area of the shell between
the transverse cross-section of greatest dimension and the rear
portion of the shell, essentially behind the occipital support
area, and by the fact that the shell comprises in the rear area,
and within the shell, respective surfaces for channelling the flow
of air, capable of straightening, parallel to the longitudinal
direction (X), the air flow derived from each of the intakes and of
channelling this flow, within the shell, in the direction of the
rear area of the shell, so as to impart to the current of the flow,
as it exits the shell, a directional component that is
predominantly axial, parallel to the longitudinal direction
(X).
2. The cycling helmet according to claim 1, wherein, starting from
each of the air intakes and extending in the interior of the shell,
there is a respective surface portion for channelling the air flow,
derived from the corresponding air intake, in the direction of the
rear area, cooperating, in the function of straightening the air
flow, with a directional tailpiece provided at the centre of the
rear area of the shell, the tailpiece having a symmetrical shape
with respect to the plane of longitudinal symmetry (S) and
comprising opposing faces developed parallel to the plane of
symmetry (S), each of the faces cooperating with the corresponding
channelling surface portion facing it, to straighten the air flow
derived from the corresponding air intake as it exits the rear area
of the helmet.
3. The cycling helmet according to claim 2, wherein each
channelling surface portion has an extrados surface profile that
diverges from the course of the shell profile contiguous with it,
starting from the corresponding air intake in the direction of the
rear area, so as to define, in the rear area of the shell, together
with the directional tailpiece, the shell outlet section for the
air flow derived from the corresponding air intake and straightened
by the channelling surfaces.
4. The cycling helmet according to claim 3, wherein the profile of
the extrados surface of each of the channelling surface portions is
conceived as a wing profile, of the type prescribed according to
the NACA classification.
5. The cycling helmet according to claim 1, wherein the sectional
profile of each of the air intakes develops in a plane
perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of extension (X) of the
helmet.
6. The cycling helmet according to claim 2, comprising an extension
element of the directional tailpiece, which is removably attached
to the tailpiece at its free extremity, to increase the surface
breadth of the corresponding faces of the directional
tailpiece.
7. The cycling helmet according to claim 1, comprising in the front
area of the shell at least a first pair of ventilation apertures,
passing through the thickness of the shell and made symmetrical
with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S), the
ventilation apertures being capable of being selectively shut off
by a closure element capable of being removably attached to the
ventilation apertures.
8. The cycling helmet according to claim 7, wherein the closure
element has a shape such that it is flush with the outer surface of
the shell, when attached to close the ventilation apertures.
9. The cycling helmet according to claim 7, wherein there is a
second pair of ventilation apertures, passing through the thickness
of the shell, provided in the rear area of the shell, symmetrical
with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S).
10. The cycling helmet according to claim 1, including on the
extrados surface of the shell a dorsal ridge extending
longitudinally from the front anterior area in the direction of the
rear area, which has a symmetrical shape and arrangement with
respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S) of the
helmet.
11. The cycling helmet according to claim 1, wherein provision is
made for a visor capable of being removably attached to the front
area of the shell. to 12. The cycling helmet according to claim 8,
wherein there is a second pair of ventilation apertures, passing
through the thickness of the shell, provided in the rear area of
the shell, symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal plane of
symmetry (S).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a cycling helmet with high
aerodynamic efficiency.
[0002] The invention falls within the technical scope of protective
helmets for cycling, particularly in the specific field of helmets
designed for speed races, including, for example, so-called time
trials and the cycling competitions involved in the Triathlon
event.
[0003] In this context, helmets are designed to perform two main
functions, namely to provide adequate protection of the cyclist's
head against falls or knocks and to reduce as far as possible the
aerodynamic resistance to progress, by attempting to achieve the
maximum aerodynamic efficiency. In addition to these main
qualities, the helmet must also provide appropriate ventilation to
the areas of the cyclist's head that are protected by the helmet,
in order to obtain a corresponding adequate level of comfort during
the conduct of the sport.
BACKGROUND
[0004] In order to achieve the properties described above, the
structure of such helmets is often the result of a compromise
between characteristics that are not easily reconciled. For
example, while the presence of apertures created through the shell
of the helmet encourages ventilation, such a structure does not
allow a high aerodynamic efficiency to be obtained, due to the
surface discontinuities produced on the shell by the presence of
the apertures in the helmet, which increase the coefficients of
drag. On the other hand, surface conformations of the helmet
specifically designed to maximise the aerodynamic coefficients, by
combining surface continuity of the shell with special curvatures
of the same, in order to minimise resistance to progress, are often
in conflict with the need to ensure suitable comfort of fit and
ventilation inside the helmet.
[0005] In the field of helmets designed for speed races or for
cycling races in which the need to try to increase aerodynamic
efficiency is of the first importance, one of the main problems
encountered is limiting the turbulence of the air in the rear area
of the helmet, where--due to the system of pressures induced by the
dynamics of the air flow that streams over the surface of the
helmet--instabilities are generated in the layers of the air
current by the presence of turbulences and vortices, producing a
loss of aerodynamic efficiency, which is reflected negatively in
the cyclist's performance results. What is more, given the high
speeds that the rider can reach in races of this type, the
resistances and losses of aerodynamic efficiency can reach levels
that significantly affect the performance results.
SUMMARY
[0006] The main aim of the invention is to provide a cycling helmet
structurally and functionally designed to achieve an improved
aerodynamic efficiency with respect to the traditional solutions,
overcoming the limits encountered with reference to the cited prior
art, while simultaneously providing the helmet structure with
suitable protection and ventilation capacity for the practice of
cycling disciplines, and particularly for speed cycling.
[0007] The invention achieves this and the other aims set out
below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be
made clearer by the following detailed description of a preferred
embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cycling helmet realised
according to the invention, [0010] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view
of the helmet shown in FIG. 1, [0011] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the
top of the helmet shown in the preceding figures, [0012] FIG. 4 is
an elevation view of the back of the helmet shown in the preceding
figures, [0013] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bottom of the helmet
shown in the preceding figures, [0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view
of the helmet shown in the preceding figures, with a first
accessory attached to the same, and [0015] FIGS. 7 and 8 are
respectively a side elevation view and a frontal view of the helmet
according to the invention, with other accessories fitted to the
same.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Embodiments of the invention will now be described. The
following detailed description of the invention is not intended to
be illustrative of all embodiments. In describing embodiments of
the present invention, specific terminology is employed for the
sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be
limited to the specific terminology so selected. It is to be
understood that each specific element includes all technical
equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a
similar purpose.
[0017] With reference to the above figures, the numeral 1 marks a
cycling helmet with high aerodynamic efficiency, realised according
to the present invention.
[0018] The helmet 1 comprises a shell 2, whose thickness is defined
between opposing inner and outer surfaces of the shell,
respectively marked as 2a and 2b, the shell's inner surface 2a
being capable of wrapping around a substantial portion of the
user's head.
[0019] The shell 2 is developed along a longitudinal direction,
marked X in the plan view shown in FIG. 3, from a front area 3 to a
rear area 4 (which extends to the level of the user's shoulders
with the helmet in place), the said rear area 4 extending beyond an
inner portion 5 of the shell provided with an occipital support 6
of the head. The said support 6 is conveniently of the adjustable
type and are integrated, in a manner known per se, into a strap
fastening system 7 with tightening in the area of the
chin-strap.
[0020] The shell 2 is made symmetrical with respect to a
longitudinal plane of symmetry, indicated by S and containing the
longitudinal direction X (in the plan view of FIG. 3, the plane of
symmetry S is perpendicular to the plane of the sheet, as well as
containing the X-axis).
[0021] The shell 2 is extended in two opposing side walls 2c, 2d,
each of which is extended from a temporal area and the area of the
ear to the rear area 4.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 3, the shell 2 also has a transverse
cross-section of greatest dimension transverse to the longitudinal
direction X, such cross-section being defined by the intersection
of a transverse plane M running perpendicular to the longitudinal
plane S and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X.
[0023] On each side wall 2c, 2d, the helmet is provided with a
respective air intake 8a, 8b, which is open and passing through the
shell and is located in an area of the shell between the transverse
cross-section of greatest dimension and the rear portion of the
shell (FIG. 3), essentially behind the occipital support area (FIG.
5). The profile of the cross-section of each of the air intakes 8a,
8b develops preferably in a plane running essentially at
right-angles to the longitudinal direction X.
[0024] The air intakes 8a, 8b are designed, as will be explained in
greater detail below, to collect a volume of air that runs into the
helmet laterally and to channel this volume of air, within the
shell, into the rear area 4 of the helmet, straightening the flow
lines of the air predominantly along the longitudinal direction X,
in order to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the flow in the
rear area of the helmet.
[0025] To this end, in the rear area 4, inside the shell 2, air
flow channelling surfaces are provided that are capable of
straightening, parallel to the axial direction X, the air flow
derived from each of the intakes 8a, 8b, and of channelling this
flow, along the inner surface 2a of the shell, in the direction of
the rear area 4, so as to impart to the current of the flow, as it
exits the shell, a directional component that is predominantly
axial, parallel to the axial direction X. For explanatory purposes,
FIG. 5 shows in schematic form the progress of some lines of flow
of the air current that impinges on the helmet, their deviation at
the openings of the air intakes, and the straightening effect to
which they are subjected, induced downstream of the air intakes,
until they exit the helmet in the rear area.
[0026] In detail, identified within the shell, starting from each
of the air intakes 8a, 8b, is a respective surface portion 9a, 9b
for channelling the air flow, derived from the corresponding air
intake, in the direction of the rear area 4, cooperating, in the
function of straightening the air flow, with a directional
tailpiece 10, which is provided at the centre of the rear area of
the shell. The said tailpiece 10 is erected from the inner surface
2a of the shell and has a symmetrical shape with respect to the
plane of longitudinal symmetry S. The labels 10a, 10b mark opposing
faces of the tailpiece 10, developed parallel to the plane S, each
of the said faces cooperating with the corresponding channelling
surface portion 9a, 9b facing the same, to straighten the air flow
derived from the intake and send it to the exit from the helmet, in
the rear area, with a predominantly axial direction.
[0027] In this manner, an air flow with a predominantly axial
direction is sent beyond the rear area of the helmet, in the region
of the cyclist's shoulders, with a speed and volume different from
those that characterise the traditional air flow that streams over
the helmet in the said rear area. This rear area is usually
characterised by strong instabilities and turbulences in the flow,
due to the effect of the low pressure states induced by the air
flow dynamics generated by the presence of the helmet, and this
instability also produces vortices, with consequent losses of
energy and aerodynamic efficiency. This instability is countered by
channelling straightened air into the said area; the air is taken
in upstream, through the air intakes of the helmet, and is
channelled by the flow straightening system described above.
[0028] The system described, which combines the effect of the
lateral air intakes with that of the directional tailpiece and the
surface portions channelling the air inside the shell, performs two
main functions.
[0029] The first and primary function is to straighten the flow
directed into the rear part of the helmet, in order to limit
turbulence and eliminate the vortices produced in this area,
allowing the straightened flow to reach the shoulder region by
stabilising the current, with a consequent improvement of
aerodynamic efficiency.
[0030] A second function can also be identified in the improved
internal ventilation of the helmet, which is brought about by the
flow straightening system. Thanks to the presence of pressure
differentials that are created starting from the flow pick-up area
of the air intakes, in the direction of the rear area of the
helmet, the resulting accelerations of the air flow enhance the
ventilation inside the helmet, thus improving the evaporation of
sweat and perspiration in general.
[0031] Returning to the structure of the straightening system, with
particular reference to FIG. 3, each surface channelling portion
9a, 9b has a surface profile, both at the inner surface 2a and the
outer surface 2b, that diverges from the course of the rest of the
shell profile contiguous with it. For example, in the plan view
shown in FIG. 3, starting from the air intake, the extrados profile
in the channelling area 9a, 9b diverges from the course of the
contiguous shell profile (indicated by a dashed line in the
figure), and extends away from the latter to the rear area 4. In
this area, thanks to the projecting shape of the surface portions
9a, 9b with respect to the rest of the shell profile, the said
portions define, together with the directional tailpiece 10, a
shell outlet section 2 for the air flow derived from the intakes
8a, 8b and straightened by the straightening system described. The
rear outlet section may also be formed with a pair of recesses 12,
symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry S and defining a
sort of outlet port for the straightened flow in the rear area of
the helmet (FIG. 4).
[0032] In addition, the profile of the extrados surface (belonging
to the outer surface 2b of the shell) of each of the channelling
surface portions 9a, 9b is preferably conceived as a wing profile,
for example of the type prescribed according to the NACA
classification, in order to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of
the said surface.
[0033] The label 15 also marks an extension element of the
directional tailpiece 10, which may be removably attached to the
tailpiece, as an extension of the free extremity of the tailpiece,
if it is desirable to increase the breadth of the corresponding
opposite faces of the tailpiece 10 (FIG. 6).
[0034] The labels 20a, 20b mark a pair of ventilation apertures
provided in the front area 3 of the helmet. The said apertures are
formed through the thickness of the shell 2 and are made
symmetrical to each other with respect to the plane of symmetry S.
Conveniently, the apertures 20a, 20b may be capable of being
selectively shut off by a closure element 21, capable of being
removably attached to the helmet, fitting over the apertures. The
said closure element 21 has a shape such that it is flush with the
outer surface 2b of the shell, when attached to close the
ventilation apertures.
[0035] A second pair of ventilation apertures 22a, 22b is provided
in the rear area 4 of the helmet, as clearly shown in FIG. 4. The
apertures 22a, 22b are also formed through the thickness of the
shell 2 and are symmetrical to each other with respect to the
longitudinal plane of symmetry.
[0036] The label 25 marks a dorsal ridge developed centrally on the
outer extrados surface 2a of the shell 2, at the crown of the
shell, running continuously along the longitudinal direction X,
from the front anterior area 3 to the rear area 4. The structure of
the ridge 25 is also symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal
plane of symmetry S. Such a dorsal ridge, which offers low frontal
resistance to progress, is advantageous for converting lateral
stresses (due, for example, to side winds hitting the helmet) into
stresses with components directed predominantly along the
longitudinal direction, which are favourable to the overall
aerodynamic efficiency of the helmet.
[0037] Finally, the label 30 marks a visor capable of being
removably attached to the helmet in the front area of the same and
conveniently realised as a mono-lens mask. The visor 30 may,
alternatively, be conceived as a mask realised with a double-lens
structure, with an inner and an outer lens sandwiched together, in
which the lenses extend over the entire forward field of
vision.
[0038] The invention thus achieves the established aims, affording
the described advantages with respect to the known solutions.
[0039] In particular, it provides the main advantage that can be
achieved with the invention, aimed at improving the stability of
the air current in the rear area of the helmet, which is subjected
to fluid dynamic perturbations by the presence of the helmet itself
and the cyclist's neck and shoulders, by eliminating the
turbulences and vortices induced in this area by the fall in
pressure in the layers of air that stream over the rear area of the
helmet.
[0040] While the invention herein disclosed has been described in
specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous
modifications and variations can be made thereto by those skilled
in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *