U.S. patent application number 16/498844 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-15 for helmet.
The applicant listed for this patent is SHOEI CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Taku NIMURA, Masayuki SHIDA.
Application Number | 20210106092 16/498844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005307205 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210106092 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIDA; Masayuki ; et
al. |
April 15, 2021 |
HELMET
Abstract
Sealability between a helmet and a shield is improved. The
helmet includes a main hat body, a shield, and a seal member. The
main hat body is substantially spherical and includes an aperture
window that opens forward to provide a field of view to a wearer.
The shield is connected to a pair of turning mechanisms protruding
from two side faces of the main hat body, and is movable between a
closed position at which the shield is located so as to close off
the aperture window and an open position at which the shield is
located so as to open the aperture window. When the shield is at
the closed position, the seal member seals a gap between an upper
edge of the shield and an upper edge of the aperture window of the
main hat body from a vicinity of one of the turning mechanisms to a
vicinity of another of the turning mechanisms. An upper end portion
of the shield is inflected toward the main hat body at least at
upper edges of left and right end portion vicinities of the seal
member.
Inventors: |
SHIDA; Masayuki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; NIMURA; Taku; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SHOEI CO., LTD. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005307205 |
Appl. No.: |
16/498844 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2018/003869 |
371 Date: |
September 27, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 3/222 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A42B 3/22 20060101
A42B003/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2017 |
JP |
2017-063032 |
Claims
1. A helmet comprising: a substantially spherical main hat body
including an aperture window that opens forward to provide a field
of view to a wearer; a shield connected to a pair of turning
mechanisms protruding from two side faces of the main hat body, the
shield being movable between a closed position at which the shield
closes off the aperture window and an open position at which the
shield opens the aperture window; and a seal member that, when the
shield is at the closed position, seals a gap between an upper edge
of the shield and an upper edge of the aperture window from a
vicinity of one of the turning mechanisms to a vicinity of another
of the turning mechanisms of the main hat body, wherein at least a
part of an upper end portion of the shield, at vicinities of upper
edges of left and right end portions of the seal member, is
inflected toward the main hat body, and the part of the upper end
portion of the shield abuts the seal member when the shield is at
the closed position.
2. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the upper end portion
of the shield is inflected toward the main hat body at the upper
edge from one end portion of the seal member to another end portion
of the seal member.
3. The helmet according to claim 1, further comprising cover
members that cover rear sides of the turning mechanisms, the cover
members being connected with the left and right end portions of the
seal member, and closing off gaps between the main hat body and
left and right rear portions of the shield.
4. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein the helmet is a
full-face type helmet including a chin guard below the aperture
window, and the cover members are integral with the chin guard.
5. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein a chin guard is
connected to the turning mechanisms, the chin guard being movable
between a first position at which the chin guard is located lower
than the upper edge of the aperture window and a second position at
which the chin guard is located higher than the upper edge of the
aperture window, and the cover members being formed to be
continuous with the chin guard.
6. The helmet according to claim 5, wherein, when the chin guard is
at the first position, upper faces of the seal member at the left
and right end portions of the seal member form continuous surfaces
with upper faces of the cover members.
7. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the left and right end
portions of the seal member are at rear sides relative to left and
right end portions of the aperture window.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to improving sealability of a
shield of a helmet.
RELATED ART
[0002] A principal component of a helmet, which is worn by a rider
of a two-wheeled powered vehicle or the like, is a main hat body
structured by an outer side shell and an inner side liner. The
outer side shell is formed of a hard synthetic resin and the inner
side liner is formed of an impact-absorbing material such as a foam
material or the like. The main hat body of the helmet has a
substantially spherical shape, is open downward in order for a
wearer to put on the helmet, and is provided with an aperture
window at a front to provide the wearer with a field of view.
Ordinarily, a transparent shield is disposed at the aperture
window. By closing off the aperture window, the shield may prevent
the ingress of wind, rain and the like through the aperture window,
while assuring the wearer's field of view. The shield is connected
to a pair of turning mechanisms that protrude from both of side
faces of the main hat body. The shield is structured to be movable
between a position that closes off the aperture window and a
position that opens the aperture window.
[0003] A "full-face" type helmet includes a chin guard below the
aperture window. By covering the jaw area of a wearer, the chin
guard protects the jaw area from a strike, impact or the like when,
for example, the wearer falls. A "flip-up" type helmet is also well
known, in which a chin guard is structured to be movable in an
upward direction relative to the main hat body. Thus, it is
possible to switch between the safety provided by the full-face
type, which is important during high-speed running and the like,
and the open feeling given by an "open-face" type helmet that does
not include a chin guard, which is desired during low-speed running
and when stopped.
[0004] European Patent No. 1,847,192 discloses a technology that
provides reliable sealing when a visor (corresponding to the
"shield" of the present application) of a helmet is closed, by
including a gasket in a support frame of the visor. U.S. Pat. No.
4,524,465 discloses a sealing structure of a helmet in which a
gasket at an upper end of a visor makes area contact with an upper
portion of an aperture window and/or a lower end of the visor makes
area contact with a sealing lip at an upper end of a chin protector
(corresponding to the "chin guard" of the present application).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. S61-132604
discloses a shield screen (corresponding to the "shield" of the
present application) that makes area contact with an upper edge of
a window (corresponding to the "aperture window" of the present
application) and an upper end edge of a jaw protection plate
(corresponding to the "chin guard" of the present application) such
that air does not leak through.
SUMMARY
Technical Problem
[0005] In a helmet with a shield, because there is a gap between
the shield and a main hat body, water may ingress inside the
helmet, particularly at times of bad weather with strong wind, rain
or the like, times of long-duration running in wet weather, and the
like. In order to prevent water ingression, a structure has been
employed in which rubber (below referred to as "the window rubber")
is provided at a peripheral edge of an aperture window in order to
seal the gap between the shield and the aperture window. Thus, the
gap between the shield and the main hat body is closed off. If
water ingresses to an inner side of this shield, the wearer may be
distracted, causing an impediment to safe running. Therefore,
preventing ingression of water into an area of the wearer's view is
particularly important. Specifically, a technique has been devised
of locating left and right ends of the window rubber, where water
is more likely to ingress, away from the aperture window, that is,
relocating positions of the left and right ends of the window
rubber toward a rear of the helmet such that, even when water
ingresses, the water is kept outside the area of the wearer's view
as much as possible.
[0006] However, a pair of turning mechanisms are provided at two
side faces of the main hat body. The turning mechanisms are
connected with two end portions of the shield and make the shield
movable in a vertical direction. Consequently, in order to relocate
the positions of the left and right ends of the window rubber
toward the rear of the helmet, both the shape of the shield must be
changed and the turning mechanisms themselves must be relocated
toward the rear of the helmet. However, with regard to reducing
weight of the helmet and assuring safety, it is required that
structures of the turning mechanisms be kept as simple as possible.
As a result, there is a limit on relocation of the turning
mechanisms toward the rear of the helmet, which means that
positions of the turning mechanisms at the side faces of the main
hat body are restricted to some extent. Thus, it is impractical to
set locations which is susceptible to water ingression completely
outside the area of the wearer's view.
[0007] Because each turning mechanism is structured by various
members, when a helmet is viewed from above, the turning mechanisms
have shapes that protrude to some extent from the outer surface of
the main hat body. Therefore, in order to fill gaps between the
main hat body and the shield at peripheries of the turning
mechanisms, thicker sealing members than the window rubber attached
to a middle portion of the aperture window are required. These
sealing members are formed integrally with the window rubber or are
structured as separate members in line with the window rubber.
However, exposure of this window rubber and sealing members at the
surface of the helmet adversely affects the visual design of the
helmet.
[0008] These issues are even more prominent in a flip-up type
helmet in which a chin guard is moved relative to the main hat
body. In a flip-up type helmet, because the chin guard is
structured to be movable in a vertical direction relative to the
main hat body, the chin guard is also connected to the turning
mechanisms. Thus, with the addition of the thickness of the chin
guard, protrusion of the turning mechanisms is even greater, as a
result of which sealing members are more bulky. When sealing
members are more bulky, strength of contact of the sealing members
with the shield falls, as a result of which water ingression
prevention performance deteriorates. Accordingly, further sealing
members are added to supplement the sealing members around the
turning mechanisms. However, adding sealing members in a manner
that does not impede movement of the shield or the chin guard is
difficult.
[0009] In a flip-up type helmet, in order to overcome the
disadvantages described above, a structure can be employed in which
the two end portions of the window rubber are relocated further
toward the rear of the helmet such that, even if water ingresses,
the water is directed outside the area of the wearer's view.
However, turning mechanisms for lifting up the chin guard and
turning mechanisms for raising and lowering the shield are both
provided at the two side faces of the main hat body. Therefore,
positional constraints on the turning mechanisms are more severe
than in an ordinary full-face type helmet. If the positions of the
turning mechanisms are relocated rearward, the shield must be
elongated to the rear, as a result of which the shield is larger
and heavier. Hence, in a flip-up type helmet, the visual design is
likely to be adversely affected and it is complicated to reliably
eliminate leaks.
[0010] The technology recited in European Patent No. 1,847,192
causes contact between a shield and a helmet by providing a gasket
between the shield and the helmet. However, the gasket is
inevitably larger than the shield and the weight of the helmet is
increased. In addition, gaps may be formed between the gasket and
the helmet. The technologies recited in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,465 and
JP-A No. S61-132604 reliably provide area contact between a shield
and a window rubber at the middle of an aperture window, but may
not completely prevent leaks into a helmet through the peripheries
of turning mechanisms.
[0011] The present invention has been devised in consideration of
the problems of the related technologies described above. An object
of the present invention is to provide a helmet that may improve
sealability between a main hat body and a shield of the helmet and
that may, for any of various types of helmet, prevent water
ingression into the helmet at times of bad weather.
Solution to Problem
[0012] In order to address the subject described above, a helmet
according to the present invention includes a substantially
spherical main hat body that includes an aperture window that opens
forward to provide a field of view to a wearer, a shield that is
connected to a pair of turning mechanisms protruding from two side
faces of the main hat body, the shield being movable between a
closed position at which the shield closes off the aperture window
and an open position at which the shield opens the aperture window,
and a seal member that, when the shield is at the closed position,
seals a gap between an upper edge of the shield and an upper edge
of the aperture window from a vicinity of one of the turning
mechanisms to a vicinity of another of the turning mechanisms of
the main hat body. At least a part of an upper end portion of the
shield, at vicinities of upper edges of left and right end portions
of the seal member, is inflected toward the main hat body, and the
part of the upper end portion of the shield abuts the seal member
when the shield is at the closed position.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0013] According to the present invention, a helmet is provided
that improves sealability between a main hat body and a shield of
the helmet and that may, for any of various types of helmet,
prevent water ingression into the helmet at times of bad
weather.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a helmet according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when a shield is
closed and a chin guard is down.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
open and the chin guard is down.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
open and the chin guard is up.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a section, taken along
line x-x in FIG. 1, of the helmet according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present invention when the shield is closed and
the chin guard is down.
[0018] FIG. 5A is a left side view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
closed and the chin guard is down.
[0019] FIG. 5B is a right side view showing a positional
relationship between a cover member and a seal member when the chin
guard is down.
[0020] FIG. 5C is a right side view, corresponding to FIG. 5B,
showing a positional relationship between the cover member and the
seal member when the chin guard starts to be opened from down to
up.
[0021] FIG. 5D is a right side view, corresponding to FIG. 5B,
showing a positional relationship between the cover member and the
seal member when the chin guard is up.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a section in which
region p in FIG. 5A is cut in a front-and-rear direction.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a section in which
region q in FIG. 5A is cut in a left-and-right direction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] A helmet according to the present invention includes a main
hat body and a shield. The main hat body is provided with an
aperture window that provides a field of view to a rider of a
two-wheeled powered vehicle or the like who is wearing the helmet.
The shield is connected to the main hat body and opens and closes
the aperture window. A gap between the aperture window and the
shield is sealed by a seal member, in order to prevent water
ingression through a gap between the aperture window and the shield
when the helmet is worn and the two-wheeled vehicle runs for a long
duration during bad weather with strong wind, rain or the like.
Left and right ends of the seal member are relocated as far as
possible toward the rear such that, even in the event of water
ingression into the helmet, the water does not enter an area of the
wearer's view.
[0025] The shield is retained between a pair of turning mechanisms
that allow opening and closing of the shield, the turning
mechanisms are provided at two side faces of the main hat body. The
turning mechanisms incorporate components known as "shield bases"
that are turned about turning axes substantially orthogonal to the
side faces of the main hat body. As a result, the pair of turning
mechanisms protrude from the left and right side faces of the main
hat body. Thicknesses of the turning mechanisms are sufficient for
retaining the shield with an appropriate strength, and positions of
the turning mechanisms are specified to be within predetermined
ranges.
[0026] Conventionally, left and right ends of a seal member are
disposed further toward the front of a helmet than turning
mechanisms. Because these turning mechanisms have a certain
thickness, the closer the left and right ends of the seal member
approach to the turning mechanisms, the higher the seal member must
rise from the side faces of the main hat body. When an amount of
rise of the seal member is larger, strength of contact against the
shield decreases, as a result of which ingression prevention
performance may fall. Accordingly, separate sealing members are
added at the left and right ends of the seal member to compensate
for the fall in ingression prevention performance.
[0027] However, when the left and right ends of a seal member are
relocated further to the rear, separate sealing members may not be
added, because the sealing members would interfere with opening and
closing movements of the shield. Accordingly, in the present
exemplary embodiment, instead of separate sealing members being
added at the left and right ends of the seal member, an upper edge
end portion of the shield is inflected toward the main hat body.
Sealability of the gap between the shield and the main hat body is
improved and the gap is eliminated. In addition, air resistance of
the upper end portion of the shield is reduced. Thus, ingression of
water into the helmet is prevented, aerodynamic performance is
improved, and wind noise is reduced.
[0028] Below, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of a helmet according to the exemplary embodiment
of the present invention when a shield is closed and a chin guard
is down. As shown in FIG. 1, in a helmet 1 according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a substantially
spherical main hat body 10 and a shield 20 are connected. A lower
portion of the main hat body 10 is provided with an aperture
portion that is open such that a wearer can insert their head and
put on the main hat body 10. An aperture window 11 is provided at
the front of the main hat body 10. The wearer can see forward
through the aperture window 11.
[0029] The shield 20 is movable, by means of a pair of turning
mechanisms 12a and 12b, between a closed position at which the
shield 20 is fixed so as to close off the aperture window 11 and an
open position at which the shield 20 is fixed so as to open the
aperture window 11. The shield 20 may be formed of a transparent
resin material such as a polycarbonate or the like.
[0030] The turning mechanisms 12a and 12b are provided at two side
faces of the main hat body 10. In FIG. 1, the turning mechanism 12a
at the left side face is connected with the shield 20 and
incorporates a component such as a shield base or the like (not
shown in the drawings) that allows the shield 20 to turn about a
turning axis that is substantially orthogonal to the left side face
of the main hat body 10. Although not shown in the drawings, the
turning mechanism 12b is similarly provided at the right side face
of the main hat body. Because of the incorporated components, the
turning mechanisms 12a and 12b protrude from both the side faces of
the main hat body 10.
[0031] A chin guard 13 is provided below the aperture window 11 at
the front of the main hat body 10. The chin guard 13 covers a jaw
area of the wearer and protects the jaw area from a strike, impact
or the like, for example, during a fall. The chin guard 13 is
formed as a separate body from the main hat body 10, is connected
to the turning mechanisms 12a and 12b, and turns relative to the
main hat body 10. The chin guard 13 is connected to be movable
between a first position, at which the chin guard 13 is fixed lower
than an aperture window upper edge 111, and a second position, at
which the chin guard 13 is fixed higher than the aperture window
upper edge 111. A turning axis of the chin guard 13 need not match
the turning axis of the shield 20. When the turning axis of the
chin guard 13 does not match the turning axis of the shield 20, a
structure is possible in which the chin guard 13 is connected to
components that are separate from the shield bases to which the
shield 20 is connected.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
open and the chin guard is down. Structures of respective portions
of the helmet 1 are the same as in FIG. 1 except for the shield 20
being at the open position. Therefore, the respective portions are
not described.
[0033] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
open and the chin guard is up. Structures of respective portions of
the helmet 1 are the same as in FIG. 1 except for the shield 20
being at the open position and the chin guard 13 being up (at the
second position). Therefore, the respective portions are not
described.
[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a section, taken along
line x-x in FIG. 1, of the helmet according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present invention when the shield is closed and
the chin guard is down. The x-x section is a substantially
horizontal plan view passing through a vicinity of the aperture
window upper edge 111.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a seal member 14 that seals a
gap between the main hat body 10 and the shield 20 is provided at
the main hat body 10. The seal member 14 is provided at a
peripheral edge of the aperture window 11, sealing the gap between
the shield 20 and the aperture window 11. Locations in which the
seal member 14 is provided are positions of the main hat body 10
that correspond with an upper edge of the shield 20 when the shield
20 is at the closed position, and are in the vicinity of the
aperture window upper edge 111. The seal member 14 is provided so
as to seal from a vicinity of the turning mechanism 12a at the left
side to a vicinity of the turning mechanism 12b at the right side.
Because the turning mechanisms 12a and 12b protrude from the two
side faces of the main hat body 10 as mentioned above, the seal
member 14 is formed such that a left end 141a and a right end 141b
of the seal member 14 are formed with greater thickness than a
middle portion of the seal member 14. It is desirable if the left
end 141a and right end 141b of the seal member 14 are structured so
as to be at the rear side relative to left and right ends of the
aperture window 11, as locations of the left end 141a and right end
141b, which has a relatively large risk of water ingression, may be
made distant from the area of the wearer's view. The seal member 14
may be structured as an integral window rubber from a resilient
material such as a rubber or the like. The seal member 14 may also
be structured by a window rubber and sealing members that are
successively formed of a resilient material such as a rubber or the
like.
[0036] Cover members 15a and 15b are correspondingly provided at
rear peripheries of the turning mechanisms 12a and 12b of the main
hat body 10. The cover members 15a and 15b are provided so as to be
connected with the left end 141a and right end 141b of the seal
member 14. Thus, gaps between the main hat body 10 and left and
right rear portions of the shield 20 are closed off and water
ingression is prevented. In addition, the turning mechanisms 12a
and 12b may be protected from impacts. The cover members 15a and
15b may be formed of resin or the like as separate members from the
main hat body 10 and the shield 20. The cover members 15a and 15b
may be formed to cause the main hat body 10 to protrude in
periphery regions of the turning mechanisms 12a and 12b. The cover
members 15a and 15b are provided so as to cover at least rear sides
of the turning mechanisms 12a and 12b. Thus, the peripheries of the
turning mechanisms 12a and 12b are sealed by the seal member 14 and
the cover members 15a and 15b.
[0037] FIG. 5A is a left side view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the shield is
closed and the chin guard is down. As shown in FIG. 5A, the cover
member 15a is provided so as to cover the rear side of the turning
mechanism 12a. In this case, if an upper face of the seal member 14
and an upper face of the cover member 15a form a continuous
surface, the shield 20 can be formed as a continuous surface that
corresponds with the continuous surface of the seal member 14 and
the cover member 15a. Consequently, it is desirable, as there are
fewer step shapes, the ingression prevention effect is improved,
appearance is excellent, and fabrication is simple.
[0038] FIG. 5B is a right side view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention when the chin guard
is down. As shown in FIG. 5B, in the present exemplary embodiment
the cover member 15b at the right side is attached to the chin
guard 13. Although not shown in the drawings, the cover member 15a
at the left side is attached to the chin guard 13 similarly to the
cover member 15b at the right side. When the chin guard 13 is down,
an upper end portion 151b of the cover member 15b overlaps with the
right end 141b of the seal member 14 and, although not shown in the
drawings, an upper end portion 151a of the cover member 15a
overlaps with the left end 141a of the seal member 14.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 5C and FIG. 5D, when the chin guard 13 is
opened from down to up, the upper end portion 151b of the cover
member 15b moves away from the right end 141b of the seal member
14, and the upper end portion 151a of the cover member 15a moves
away from the left end 141a of the seal member 14. Note that the
shield 20 is not depicted in the drawings of FIG. 5B to FIG.
5D.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a section in which
region p in FIG. 5A is cut in the front-and-rear direction. As
shown in FIG. 6, the seal member 14 is provided at the main hat
body 10 in the vicinity of the aperture window upper edge 111. The
shield 20 is inflected such that the upper edge thereof approaches
the main hat body 10, and the inflected portion abuts against the
seal member 14.
[0041] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the helmet according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a section in which
region q in FIG. 5A is cut in the left-and-right direction. As
shown in FIG. 7, the shield 20 is inflected such that the upper
edge thereof approaches the main hat body 10, and the inflected
portion abuts against the left end 141a of the seal member 14
provided at the main hat body 10.
[0042] In the present exemplary embodiment, the chin guard 13 is
connected by the pair of turning mechanisms to be movable between
the first position at which the chin guard 13 is fixed lower than
the aperture window and the second position at which the chin guard
13 is fixed higher than the aperture window. However, structures of
a chin guard are not limited thus. The chin guard 13 may be formed
integrally with the main hat body 10 so as to not be movable.
Further, a helmet may be formed with only the main hat body 10 and
the shield 20, with no chin guard 13.
[0043] According to the present invention as described hereabove,
due to the shield being inflected, a seal member is pressed while
being tightly contacted. Therefore, the present invention provides
an effect that may not be provided by conventional technologies in
that, for any of various types of helmet, leaks into the helmet at
times of bad weather is prevented. In addition, effects of
improving aerodynamic performance and reducing wind noise are
provided.
[0044] Hereabove, the present invention has been described using an
exemplary embodiment, but embodiments of the present invention are
not to be limited by the exemplary embodiment described above. That
is, alternative embodiments, additions, modifications, omissions
and other changes may be applied within the scope of what a person
skilled in the art may devise. Provided the operational effect of
the present invention is achieved, any mode is to be encompassed by
the technical scope of the present invention.
* * * * *