Sports helmet with adjustable chin strap system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10905936-B2
Application number	US-201916247307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Aug 2, 2013
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A protective sports helmet that includes a chin strap system that allows for rapid, one-handed adjustment of a chin strap assembly by the player while he/she is wearing the helmet is provided. The chin strap assembly includes a protective chin cup and a pair of straps extending from opposed sides of the chin cup and having a plurality of securing elements. The assembly also includes a pair of adjustable connectors affixed to the helmet and that include a central opening that receives an extent of the strap and a lever that engages a portion of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in a first direction, and prevents movement of the strap in a second direction when the lever is engaged with at least one of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in both the first and second directions when the lever is not engaged with the securing elements.

First claim

We claim:

1. A protective football helmet configured to be worn by a player engaged in football activities, the helmet comprising:
a shell having a crown portion, two opposed side portions, a front portion extending between the side portions, and a rear portion extending between the side portions, wherein each side portion includes an ear opening formed through the shell and a securement opening formed through the shell;
a faceguard;
a chin strap assembly comprising a chin cup, a strap, and an adjustable connector, the adjustable connector having: (i) a housing including an opening configured to receive an extent of the strap, (ii) a lever residing within the housing and being configured to engage a portion of the strap and (iii) a fastener extending into the securement opening and into a portion of the housing to secure the adjustable connector to an outer surface of the helmet shell;
wherein the adjustable connector allows for sliding movement of the strap in a first direction corresponding to tightening of the strap relative to the shell;
wherein the adjustable connector prevents sliding movement of the strap in a second direction corresponding to loosening of the strap due to engagement of the lever with said portion of the strap; and
wherein the adjustable connector allows sliding movement of the strap in the second direction after an actuation force is applied to the lever causing the lever to disengage with said portion of the strap.

2. The football helmet of claim 1 , wherein the interaction between the strap and connector allows for one-handed adjustment whereby sliding movement of the strap in the second direction results from the player actuating the lever and pulling the strap with one hand.

3. The football helmet of claim 1 , wherein the housing is defined by a top wall, a lower mating portion and opposed side walls, wherein the side walls extend upward from the lower mating portion and the top wall extends between the side walls.

4. The football helmet of claim 3 , wherein the lever includes a rear segment that engages said portion of the strap.

5. The football helmet of claim 3 , wherein the lever includes a front segment that extends beyond a front edge of the top wall to expose the front segment, said exposed front segment of the lever resides below the top wall.

6. The football helmet of claim 1 , wherein when the actuation force is applied to a front segment of the lever, the lever pivots such that a rear segment of the lever disengages said portion of the strap to allow the strap to be moved in the second direction.

7. The football helmet of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable connector includes a biasing member operably connected to the lever, wherein the biasing member exerts a force on the lever that biases a rear segment of the lever into engagement with the said portion of the strap.

8. The football helmet of claim 7 , wherein the actuation force applied to the front segment of the lever overcomes the force exerted by the biasing member on the lever, whereby the lever pivots such that the rear segment of the lever disengages said portion of the strap to allow the strap to be moved in the second direction.

9. The football helmet of claim 7 , wherein the biasing member is a spring.

10. The football helmet of claim 1 , wherein the shell includes a securement opening and a portion of the housing extends into the securement opening when the adjustable connector is coupled to the outer surface of the shell.

11. A protective football helmet comprising:
a shell having a crown portion, two opposed side portions, a front portion extending between the side portions, and a rear portion extending between the side portions, wherein each side portion includes an ear opening formed through the shell;
a faceguard;
a chin strap assembly consisting essentially of a chin cup with an internal padding layer, an elongated strap that lacks securement elements along its length, and an adjustable connector;
the adjustable connector having: (i) a housing defining a central opening that receives an extent of the strap, (ii) a lever residing within the housing and being configured to engage a portion of the strap, and (iii) a fastener that extends into a portion of the housing to secure the adjustable connector to an outer surface of the shell below the ear opening; and

wherein the adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in a first direction corresponding to tightening of the strap relative to the shell;
wherein the adjustable connector prevents movement of the strap in a second direction corresponding to loosening of the strap due to engagement of the lever with said portion of the strap.

12. The football helmet of claim 11 , wherein the lever includes both a rear segment that engages said portion of the strap and a front segment that is configured to receive an actuation force.

13. The football helmet of claim 12 , wherein the adjustable connector includes a biasing member operably connected to the lever, wherein the biasing member exerts a force on the lever that biases the rear segment of the lever into engagement with said portion of the strap.

14. The football helmet of claim 13 , wherein the actuation force applied to the front segment of the lever overcomes the force exerted by the biasing member on the lever whereby the lever pivots such that the rear segment of the lever disengages said portion of the strap to allow the strap to be moved in the second direction.

15. The football helmet of claim 11 , wherein the shell has a recessed receptacle formed in the outer surface of the shell and configured to receive an extent of the housing in a secured position, and wherein the securing opening is located within the recessed receptacle.

16. A chin strap assembly for use with a protective football helmet configured to be worn by a player engaged in football activities, the chin strap assembly comprising:
a chin strap assembly comprising a chin cup, a strap, and an adjustable connector, the adjustable connector having: (i) a housing including an opening configured to receive an extent of the strap, (ii) a lever residing within the housing and being configured to engage a portion of the strap and (iii) a fastener extending into a portion of the housing and configured to secure the adjustable connector to an outer surface of a helmet shell;
wherein the adjustable connector allows for sliding movement of the strap in a first direction corresponding to tightening of the strap;
wherein the adjustable connector prevents sliding movement of the strap in a second direction corresponding to loosening of the strap due to engagement of the lever with said portion of the strap; and
wherein the adjustable connector allows sliding movement of the strap in the second direction after an actuation force is applied to the lever causing the lever to disengage with said portion of the strap.

17. The chin strap assembly of claim 16 , wherein the interaction between the strap and connector allows for one-handed adjustment whereby sliding movement of the strap in the second direction results from the player actuating the lever and pulling the strap with one hand.

18. The chin strap assembly of claim 16 , wherein the housing is defined by a top wall, a lower mating portion and opposed side walls, wherein the side walls extend upward from the lower mating portion and the top wall extends between the side walls.

19. The chin strap assembly of claim 18 , wherein the lever includes a rear segment that engages said portion of the strap.

Assignees

• Riddell

Inventors

• Tryner Andrew
• Bologna Vittorio

Classifications

• A42B3/08 Primary

  Chin straps or similar retention devices · CPC title

• A42B3/205

  Chin protectors · CPC title

• A42B3/328

  with means to facilitate removal, e.g. after an accident · CPC title

• A63B71/10 Primary

  for the head ({A63B71/081 takes precedence } ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00) · CPC title