Protective Helmet Structure

Abstract

A protective helmet of hard thermoplastic synthetic resin is provided with a flexible harness having a sweatband strap extending around the inside of the crown at the lower edge of the crown with a plurality of integral projecting portions extending upwardly and inwardly from the strap toward the center of the crown. At the terminal end of each of the projecting portions there is provided an integral outwardly protruding generally cylindrical hollow cup which opens inwardly and which has a through opening in the bottom of the cup of a smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the cup. A plurality of inwardly extending studs integral with the crown pass, one through each of the openings of the cups. Friction may be relied upon to hold the cups in place or heat may be applied to the end of the stud inside of the receiving cup to expand the end of the stud and hold the harness more firmly to the helmet.

Parent Case Text

This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 77,516, filed Oct. 2, 1970, now abandoned.

Description

An object of the present invention is to provide a cheap and easily constructed fastening for holding a protective harness inside of a hard hat helmet. Many such fastenings have been tried but either they were too expensive or they did not provide a satisfactory fastening.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the specification and the accompanying drawings and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a protective helmet with which this invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view, enlarged, of the helmet of FIG. 1 equipped with the protective harness of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view of the adjustable portion of the headband strap, enlarged, taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmental sectional view, enlarged, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2; while

FIG. 5 is a fragmental sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing an alternative connection between the harness and the helmet.

A protective helmet, sometimes called a hard hat, is shown in FIG. 1 being constructed of thermoplastic synthetic resin material such as polypropylene or "Cycolac", which is a high-impact, styrene-type, rigid, thermoplastic resin sold under that trademark by Marbon Chemical Company. Other similar hard thermoplastic resins might be used.

FIG. 2 shows a protective harness secured inside the crown portion 10 of the helmet shown in FIG. 1. This harness has a sweatband strap 11 extending entirely around the inside of the crown at approximately the height of the temples of the wearer. This harness is made of a flexible material, such as polyethylene. The strap is preferably made adjustable as shown in FIG. 3 by providing an outwardly extending button 12 on the band portion 11a and a plurality of through openings 13 on the band portion 11b, one of which is adapted to fit over the button 12. Cross straps 14 are provided on the strap portion 11a under which the strap portion 11b is adapted to pass. The parts are so flexible that the strap portion 11b may be held under the cross portions 14 with any selected opening 13 in firm engagement on the button 12.

The harness includes a plurality of integral projecting portions, three of which are indicated at 15 and one at 16. The three portions 15 are alike being generally triangular in shape with a generally trapezoidal through opening 15a in each one. These projecting portions extend upwardly and inwardly from the strap 11 toward the center of the crown. As best shown in FIG. 4, the inner end of each of these projecting portions has an integral outwardly protruding generally cylindrical hollow cup 17 opening inwardly. There is a through opening 18 in the bottom of each of the cups of a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the cup.

On the crown, there are a plurality of inwardly extending studs 19 integral with the crown portion 10. Each of these studs is so positioned and of a size to pass through one of the openings 18 in one of the cups 17 when the harness is snugly assembled inside of the helmet in position for use. With all of the parts assembled in a position similar to that shown in FIG. 4, a heated tool is applied to the innermost end of each of the studs 19 so as to spread the thermoplastic material as shown at 19a to a size larger than the opening 18 so as to generally form a weld on the inside of the cup 17 so as to hold a member 15 or 16 firmly secured to the crown portion 10. The fastening for the projecting member 16 is exactly like that shown for the member 15 in FIG. 4.

An alternative fastening is shown in FIG. 5. Here, everything is the same as discussed in connection with FIG. 4 except that the stud 19, integral with the crown portion 10, is left straight and cylindrical as molded and is not riveted at its end. The stud 19 here is a snug, frictional fit in the opening 18, and, because each stud 19 is at an angle to the vertical when the helmet is on the head of the wearer, the harness is securely retained in the position shown.

In the case of both FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the inner end of the stud 19 stops short of the planar edge of the associated cup 17 so that a blow on the helmet may cause a cup 17 to strike the head of the wearer, but the hard stud 19a or 19 will not strike his head.

Preferably, a protective padding strip of felt, foam rubber, or the like, is provided between the strap 11 and the helmet. This is shown at 20 and preferably is secured by adhesive to the outer face of the strap 11.

Preferably also, a central protective pad of the same material is provided at 21 in the very center of the top of the crown of a thickness greater than the projecting length of the cups 17 so as to protect the head of the wearer from blows at this point.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A protective helmet of hard thermoplastic synthetic resin and a flexible protective harness inside thereof, said helmet having a crown portion, said harness having a sweatband strap extending around the inside of said crown at approximately the height of the temples of the wearer, said harness including a plurality of integral projecting portions extending upwardly and inwardly from said strap toward the center of said crown, the inner end of each of said projecting portions having an integral outwardly protruding generally cylindrical hollow cup opening inwardly, there being a through opening in the bottom of each said cup of a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said cup, there being a plurality of inwardly extending studs integral with said crown, each of said studs being so positioned and of a size to pass through one of said through openings of one of said cups when said harness is snugly assembled inside of said helmet, and the inner end of each of said studs being expanded adjacent the inside of said cup bottom to a size larger than its associated through opening, whereby each of said harness projecting portions is firmly held in said helmet and each of said cups protects the head of the wearer against injury from its associated stud.

2. A protective helmet as defined in claim 1, including a protective padding strip between said strap and said helmet and secured to the outer face of said strap.

3. A protective helmet of hard thermoplastic synthetic resin and a flexible protective harness inside thereof, said helmet having a crown portion, said harness having a sweatband strap extending around the inside of said crown at approximately the height of the temples of the wearer, said harness including a plurality of integral projecting portions extending upwardly and inwardly from said strap toward the center of said crown, the inner end of each of said projecting portions having an integral outwardly protruding generally cylindrical hollow cup opening inwardly, there being a through opening in the bottom of each said cup of a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said cup, there being a plurality of inwardly extending studs integral with said crown, each of said studs being so positioned and of a size to pass with friction through one of said through openings of one of said cups when said harness is snugly assembled inside of said helmet, each stud being positioned on said crown portion to lie at an angle to the vertical when the helmet is on the head of the wearer so that the associated cup will not slip off its stud, and the inner end of each of said studs stopping short of the planar edge of its associated cup, whereby each of said harness projecting portions is firmly held in said helmet and each of said cups protects the head of the wearer against injury from its associated stud.