U.S. patent number 3,910,269 [Application Number 05/449,777] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-07 for integrated helmet and mask structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sierra Engineering Co.. Invention is credited to William K. Ansite, John J. Mitchell, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,910,269 |
Ansite , et al. |
October 7, 1975 |
Integrated helmet and mask structure
Abstract
For flying personnel there is provided a hard shell helmet
suitably padded and held out of close contact with the head. An
integrated visor assembly has an articulated attachment to the
helmet movable between an operative position over the wearer's face
and a lifted position extending over the top of the helmet removed
from the face. Compound leverage elements making up the attachment
determine a path of movement for the visor assembly such that it
travels an irregular path allowing it to first lift clear of
contact with the face and then travel upwardly to its lifted
position. An inflatable seal extends around the perimeter of the
visor assembly, the seal being inflated with air from the oxygen
supply for the breathing mask when in operation over the face of
the wearer and being collapsed when deflated providing additional
clearance for ease of removal from the face and for storage in its
lifted position.
Inventors: |
Ansite; William K. (Glendale,
CA), Mitchell, Jr.; John J. (Arcadia, CA) |
Assignee: |
Sierra Engineering Co. (Sierra
Madre, CA)
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Family
ID: |
26944989 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/449,777 |
Filed: |
March 11, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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255838 |
May 22, 1972 |
3833935 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
128/201.24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B
3/228 (20130101); A42B 3/288 (20130101); B64D
10/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A42B
3/28 (20060101); A42B 3/04 (20060101); A42B
3/18 (20060101); A42B 3/22 (20060101); B64D
10/00 (20060101); A62B 007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/141,142,146.7,142.3,142.7,142.2,142.5 ;2/6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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996,207 |
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Dec 1951 |
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FR |
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815,498 |
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Jun 1959 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Cohen; Lee S.
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 255,838, filed May 22,
1972.
Claims
Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support
of Letters Patent is:
1. An integrated helmet and mask structure for the head and face of
a wearer, said structure comprising a hard helmet shell, a visor
assembly including a mask shell and having an articulated
attachment on each side to the helmet shell and valve means on the
mask shell including a supply of breathing gas for directing such
gas to the mask structure, said mask shell having an inner surface
adapted to face the face of the wearer, means for moving the mask
shell toward and away from a position adjacent the face of a
wearer, a hollow sealing tube extending around the edge of the mask
shell on the side thereof facing the face, said sealing tube having
a fixed sealed attachment to said mask shell, a hose in
communication between the valve means and the sealing tube for
introducing breathing gas from the supply for the valve means into
said tube, said tube having a normally collapsed condition in a
direction perpendicular with respect to the inner surface of the
mask shell at all locations of attachment, said sealing tube being
withdrawn from the adjacent face of the wearer when not subject to
gas under pressure and an inflated condition when subject to gas
under pressure, the tube when in inflated condition under pressure
of gas from said gas supply being adapted to have a sealing
relationship with the face of the wearer.
2. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein
said valve means is mounted on the helmet shell and includes a mask
supply line and a seal supply line, and a valve actuator in
operative relationship with the seal supply line.
3. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 2 wherein
said valve actuator has an open condition when out of engagement
with a portion of said articulated attachment wherein there is an
open connection for gas under mask pressure to said sealing tube,
said valve actuator having a closed condition when said articulated
attachment is at a position of engagement with said valve actuator
wherein there is a closed connection shutting off gas under mask
pressure to the sealing tube whereby the tube is deflated.
4. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein
the sealing tube is an endless tube extending around the perimeter
of said mask shell.
5. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 4 wherein
there is a transverse section of sealing tube extending across the
interior of said mask shell at a location intermediate an eye
surrounding area and an oral-nasal surrounding area, and wherein
said transverse section is connected to the sealing tube and
subject to respectively inflated and collapsed conditions when the
remainder of the sealing tube is subject to respectively inflated
and collapsed conditions.
6. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 5 wherein
there is a flexible web between said transverse section of the
sealing tube and said oral-nasal surrounding area of the visor,
said web comprising a flexible attachment for the sealing tube to
the visor.
7. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein
said sealing tube has a long dimension substantially perpendicular
to said inner surface and a substantially short dimension at right
angles thereto, said sealing tube having a normally collapsed
condition in the direction of said long dimension to which it
returns when not subject to internal air pressure.
Description
As aircraft capabilities continuously involve increased speeds,
demands upon the men who fly them experience a change which, in
part, adds greatly to the mental and physical stresses experienced.
Physical discomforts are variable in nature and additive. Movement
within the cockpit is confined and restricted. Added to this is the
weight and restrictiveness of equipment worn by the pilot and crew
and the heat generated within his personal flight safety equipment
which, over long periods of flight duty, create extensive
discomfort. Personal flight equipment can be said to comprise
chiefly of a flight protection helmet equipped with oxygen mask,
head-set or ear phones and a smoke-protective visor.
Respecting currently available personal equipment, a complaint and
consequently a defect in addition to being too hot, too heavy,
excessively cumbersome and too restrictive, is that the equipment
has too many non-integrated components. Whatever remedy may be
offered, however, the protection must still include protection
against head injury as a result of buffeting or turbulence upon
ejection, cabin or cockpit decompression, either explosive or
otherwise, and eye protection from the smoke of cabin or cockpit
fires as well as from spalling.
It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new
and improved helmet and mask integrated structure wherein the mask
and communication equipment are so connected to the helmet itself
as to present a more integrated combination which, at the same
time, is cool and comfortable when worn.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
helmet and mask integrated structure which is low in profile
despite the need for a leverage or related mechanism to permit the
mask assembly to be removed from the face.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and
improved helmet and mask integrated structure provided with an
inflatable seal between the mask assembly and the face of the
wearer which can, when desired, be inflated automatically by oxygen
pressure normally supplied to the mask and which provides for
sufficient mask clearance of the face during donning.
Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a
mask assembly including an inflatable seal which is of such design
and construction that it can be readily fitted to faces of
different shape and size without need for changing the shape and
size of the mask assembly and associated helmet shell.
With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the
construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of
the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as
hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the helmet and
mask integrated structure shown in operating position on the head
of a wearer.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure of FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the circular
line 3 of FIG. 2 with the seal inflated.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but with
the seal deflated.
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but with the
visor assembly lifted into inoperative position.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 6--6 of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line
7--7 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a second form of the invention
shown in position on the head of a wearer.
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the same form of the device as
in FIG. 8 but with the visor assembly lifted into inoperative
position.
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of another form of the device
shown in operative position.
FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 10 but
with the visor assembly lifted into inoperative position.
FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of a modified form of the
invention as shown in operative position on the head of a
wearer.
FIG. 13 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 12 but with the
visor assembly lifted into inoperative position.
In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of
illustration, there is shown a hard helmet shell 10 equipped with a
visor assembly indicated generally by the reference character 11
shown mounted on the head 12 of a wearer with the visor assembly in
operative position applied to the wearer's face 13. A visor cover
14 is fixed in position at the crown of the helmet shell and
provides a pocket 15. Extending through the helmet shell is a
series of ventillating perforations 16, and perforations 17 in the
visor cover assist the perforations 16 which open into the pocket
15. Perforations serve two functions; to provide for ventilation;
to reduce weight, yet still provide protection. A shock or energy
absorbing liner 18 extends around the entire inner surface of the
helmet shell, the liner being of some appropriate foam cushion.
For supporting the helmet shell and perforce the helmet and mask
integrated structure on the crown of the head 12, there is provided
a sling 20 extending fore and aft and to which are applied a
forehead cross-web 21, a crown cross web 22, a rear cross-web 23
and a nape cross-web 24 attached to the sling at the junctions
shown. The sling and cross-webs are provided with elastomer pads
25, 26, 27 and 28 of appreciable depth sufficient to support the
helmet shell in a position removed from contact with the head of
the wearer providing a space from which heat from the wearer's head
can pass outwardly through the perforations 16. A chin strap 29
serves to hold the sling and cross-webs in position, the chin strap
and the cross-webs being all attached to a lateral webbing 30
surrounding the wearer's ears.
it will be understood that the lining of the helmet shell normally
is spaced clear of the head of the wearer and that this spacing may
vary to some extent depending upon the shape of the wearer's head
and the height of the elastomer pads. The pads, moreover, are
yieldable and the sling and cross-webs are likewise yieldable so
that should there be an impact on the helmet shell sufficient to
compress the pads at one location or another, the wearer's head
will strike the liner. The liner is of a character capable of
absorbing the impact and the energy is dissipated, thereby
protecting the head of the wearer.
it should be noted that the attachment of the ear cups to the
helmet is flexible to allow lateral spreading to clear the ears for
rapid donning. These flexible attachments facilitate folding ear
cups into the inside of helmet shell for minimum storage
volume.
The visor assembly 11 in this embodiment consists of two parts,
namely, an eye area shell section 31 at a location surrounding the
eyes of the wearer and an oral-nasal area shell section 32 which is
the portion usually identified as a breathing mask and upon which
is mounted a regulator 33 capable of accommodating appropriate
valving (not shown) for an air or oxygen line 34 and a microphone
(not shown) supplied by a microphone line 35.
In this embodiment there is also provided a compensated exhalation
valve 36 and a relief valve 37 of substantially conventional
construction.
For sealing the perimeter of the visor assembly to the face 13 of
the wearer, use is made of a seal indicated generally by the
reference character 40 which in the chosen embodiment is a hollow
tube, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
tube extends around the lower and side edges of the oral-nasal area
shell section 32, the side edges of the eye area shell section 31
and across the upper or forehead portion of the eye area shell
section 31 at a location slightly removed from an upper edge 41. To
the extent described, the seal is continuous and endless. In
addition, there is a transverse section 42 of the seal which
extends across the eye area shell section near the line 43 of
junction between the eye area shell section and the oral-nasal area
shell section. As shown in FIG. 2, the transverse section 42 is
actually attached to a web 44 which lies inside of the eye area
shell section 31. The transverse section, moreover, is in
communication with the seal 40 at the point of junction.
For inflating the seal, use is made of an air line 45, shown in
FIG. 1, which extends from an air switch 46 supplied in turn from
the mask regulator 33.
In the air or oxygen line 34 is interposed an air valve 47 on which
is an actuator button 48 which normally tends to move to a shutoff
position. As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator button is moved to an
"on" position by engagement therewith of a portion of a composite
arm 50. A microphone switching arrangement also might be
incorporated to switch "off" an external microphone (boom
microphone) and switch on the microphone inside the mask.
As shown in FIG. 7 in company with FIG. 1, the composite arm
consists of a plunger 51, an outer end of which is attached to a
bracket 52 which, in turn, has a pivotal attachment 53 to the side
of the oral-nasal area shell section 32.
A telescoping sleeve 54 forms a connection between the plunger 51
and a hollow cylinder 55. The cylinder is in turn attached by means
of a screw 56 to a bracket 57, the bracket being part of an arm 58
which has a pivotal attachment 59 to the helmet shell 10.
As shown in FIG. 7, a spring 60 has one end 61 secured by a spring
keeper 62 to the plunger 51 and has its other end 63 secured to a
keeper 64 which is anchored to the bracket 57. The spring under
tension is biased to draw the visor assembly in a direction from
left to right as viewed in FIG. 1 so that the seal 40 is drawn into
engagement with the face 13 of the wearer.
To assist in shifting the visor assembly 11 from the operative
position shown in FIG. 1 to the withdrawn position of FIG. 5, use
is made of a slot 65 in the visor cover 14 within which travels the
shank 66 of a knob 67, the shank 66 being riveted at 68 to an
adjacent edge 69 of the eye area shell section 31.
Although only one side of the visor assembly is shown in FIG. 1, it
will be understood that the other side is identical except for
being a right-hand side counterpart of the composite arm 50 and the
slot 65 containing the shank 66. Connected as described, the visor
assembly and helmet shell are an integrated structure in that,
except for the upward and downward motion about the pivot joints,
the visor assembly is firmly held in a fixed relationship with
respect to the helmet shell.
When the visor assembly is to be moved from the operative position
of FIG. 1 to the elevated position of FIG. 5, the mask regulator,
protruding as it does, can be made use of in a sense as a handle
when the visor assembly is lifted upwardly or counter clockwise as
viewed in FIG. 5.
When this occurs, the arm 58 is moved from its position of
engagement with the actuator button 48 and the air valve 47 then
closes off the air line 34 so that no air flows either to the mask
regulator 33 or to the seal 40 through the air line 45.
When this circumstance prevails, the seal 40 will collapse to the
position shown in FIG. 4 by reason of the fact that the seal
initially is given the collapsed form of FIG. 4 when molded.
Collapsing as described, a sealing face 70 has a seal 40, which is
the portion of the seal which actually engages the skin on the face
13 and draws away from the skin an appreciable distance, namely,
about half the inflated height of the seal as shown in FIGS. 3 and
4. This provides adequate clearance so that when the mask assembly
is lifted progressively from the position of FIG. 1 to the position
of FIG. 5, there will be no resistance to its lifting.
Additionally, when the mask assembly is elevated, the composite arm
50 then in an over-center position functions to pull the visor
assembly toward the visor cover 14 until the eye area shell section
is drawn into the pocket 15.
Conversely when the mask assembly is to be lowered into operating
position, the mask regulator 33 and visor assembly is swung
downwardly or counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, initially
extending the spring 60 as it swings, until the positions of FIG. 1
are then accomplished. At this point the arm 58 engages the
actuator button 48 thereby to admit automatically air from the air
or oxygen line 34 to the mask regulator 33 and thence into the
mask. At the same time, air under pressure passes through the air
switch 46 and air line 45 into the seal 40 causing it to be
inflated to the position of FIG. 3. In this position the sealing
face 70 will be drawn gently into engagement with the face of the
wearer thereby sealing all of that portion of the visor assembly
which is defined by the perimeter of the seal as shown in FIGS. 1,
2 and 5.
In the form of invention of FIGS. 8 and 9, there is substituted for
the composite arm 50 a compound lever assembly consisting of a
lever arm 75 and lever arm 76. The lever arm 75 has a bent end
section 77 extending at right angle to the lever arm, the end
section 77 having a pivot connection 78 to the edge of the
oral-nasal area shell section 32.
The lever arm 76 has a pivot connection 79 to an ear receptacle 80
which is an integral part of the helmet shell 10. An extension 81
of the lever arm 76 protrudes below the ear receptacle and there is
a pivot connection 82 between the lever arm 75 and the lever arm 76
at a location not far removed from the pivot connection 79. An
actuator button 83 on an air valve 84 serves to automatically open
the air valve when the extension 81 is in the position shown in
FIG. 8 thereby to inflate the seal 40 while the visor assembly is
in a position against the face 13 of the wearer.
Conversely when the visor assembly is lifted to the position of
FIG. 9, the extension 81 moves out of engagement with the actuator
button 83 thereby permitting the air valve to close and cut off the
air supply whereupon the seal 40 collapses in the manner previously
described. in this form of invention, an air line 85 extends from
the air valve 84 to a side portion of the seal 40 as shown in FIG.
8.
When the visor assembly is in the operating position of FIG. 8 and
the wearer wishes to press it more snugly against his face, the
extension 81 can be employed to help tighten the seal by pushing
rearwardly against the extension. When it has been pushed far
enough, a locking button 86, of substantially conventional
construction, can be turned to tighten engagement of a corner tab
87 of the eye area shell section 31 to the visor cover 14 which is
immediately adjacent the end of the slot 65.
When the visor assembly is to be lifted clear of the face the
locking button 86 is loosened. The visor assembly can then be
lifted to the position of FIG. 9. Meanwhile the locking button and
its attached shank 88 move to the opposite end of the slot 65 and
there again can be tightened so as to be capable of holding the
visor assembly in the elevated position until it is to be
released.
Additionally, this engagement of the extension 81 from the actuator
button 83 causes the air valve 84 to shut off the supply of air and
the seal 40 thereupon will collapse.
In the form of invention of FIGS. 10 and 11, the visor cover 14' is
cut away at 90 and the slot 65 dispensed with. A lever system of
three lever arms is made use of for holding and guiding the visor
assembly relative to the helmet shell. The lever system consists of
a lever arm 91 having a bent section 92 at one end which by means
of a pivot connection 93 is attached to a corner 94 of a
transparent visor 95. A lever arm 96 has a pivot conection 97 to an
ear receptacle 98 which is an integral part of the helmet shell 10.
A pivot connection 99 interconnects the lever arm 91 with the lever
arm 96.
Another lever arm 100 has a pivot connection 101 at one end to the
visor 95 about midway between the top and the bottom. At the other
end of the lever arm is a pivot connection 102 which connects the
lever arm 100 to the lever arm 96 at a location farther away from
the pivot connection 97 than the pivot connection 99 previously
described. An extension 103 of the lever arm 96 protrudes to a
position below the ear receptacle 98.
An actuator button 104 on an air valve 105 serves a function
similar to the previously described actuator button 83 in that in
the lowered or operative position of FIG. 10, the actuator button
104 is tripped by the lever arm 100 and causes the air valve to
open thereby to inflate a seal 40'. When the visor assembly is
lifted to the position of FIG. 11, the lever arm 100 is moved free
of the actuator button 104 causing it to shut off the supply of air
whereupon to collapse the seal 40'.
In this form of the invention the visor 95 is substantially a
single piece transparent visor which covers the surface of the
wearer's face 13 both above and around the eyes and around and
below the nose and mouth. In this way a single perimetrical seal
40' extending around the edge of the visor 95 forms a seal between
the visor and the face of the wearer. An air line 106 communicates
between the air valve 105 and the seal 40' so that air from an air
or oxygen line 34' can be made to supply both air pressure for the
seal 40' and air to the mask regulator 33 which communicates with
the area beneath the visor 95 in a substantially conventional
manner.
A somewhat different form of helmet and mask integrated structure
is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. There a visor cover 110 mounted on a
helmet shell 111 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending
extensions 112 in each of which is a track 113. A shoe 114 on
either side of an eye area shell section 115 is curved to match the
curvature of the track 113 and is adapted to slide with respect to
the track as the eye area shell section is moved upwardly from the
position in FIG. 12 to the position of FIG. 13. A mask section 116
adapted to extend around the nose and mouth of the wearer is
integrally attached to the eye area shell section along the line
117.
A seal 40" of the same general character as the seals 40 and 40'
heretofore described, extends around the perimeter of the eye area
shell section 115 and the mask section 116, the seal being supplied
with air through an air line 118 fed from a mask regulator 119. The
mask regulator is in turn supplied by an air line 120.
To additionally hold and guide the eye area shell section and hence
what constitutes a mask assembly, there is provided a pair of lift
arms 121, one on each side, one only being shown in FIGS. 12 and
13. The lift arm 121 is pivoted beneath a pivot connection 122, the
pivot connection being mounted upon and anchored to an ear
receptacle 123.
The ear receptacle 123 is made to act substantially integrally with
the helmet shell 110 by employment of a rear strap 124 and an upper
strap 125. The straps may be either a synthetic plastic resin
material or a spring metal material which by flexing in the
direction of the flat areas permits the ear receptacles to be
easily moved upwardly away from the head and ears of the wearer
when the helmet is to be donned and which, upon release, will cause
the ear receptacles to be sprung inwardly into contact with the
area around the ears of the wearer by virtue of the return acting
spring effect of the straps 124 and 125. A chin strap 126 helps
hold the assembly in place.
Here, again, except for the movement up and down of the visor and
mask combination relative to the helmet shell, the helmet shell and
the visor and mask combination have only very limited movement in
any other direction thereby making them a substantially integrated
structure, which fits under the visor cover 110 when elevated to
the position of FIG. 13, and which snugly seals around the face of
the wearer in the position of FIG. 12.
While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is
conceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is
recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope
of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details
disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims
so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.
* * * * *