Multi-component helmet construction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10959472-B2
Application number	US-201815925485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2018
Priority date	Nov 29, 2012
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A motorsport helmet includes a shell having a lower edge, a liner extending along an interior of the shell, and a support portion coupled to the shell and extending between the shell and the liner adjacent the lower edge. In some configurations, when the helmet is positioned on a DOT Standard No. 218 test head form, a portion of the lower edge is above the test line and a portion of the lower edge is below the test line, and the support portion extends from the portion of the lower edge that is above the test line to a location below the test line. The helmet may also include a muzzle adapted to cover the mouth and chin area of a wearer, and a magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling the muzzle to the shell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorsport helmet comprising:
a shell;
a liner extending along an interior of the shell comprising a liner rear extension that extends downwardly from a lower edge of the shell;
a support portion coupled to the shell and extending between the shell and the liner adjacent the lower edge of the shell, the support portion comprising an attachment lip sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the outer surface of the liner that extends along the interior of the shell when the shell is positioned over the attachment lip, a rear extension on the support portion extending downwardly from the lower edge and along the liner rear extension;
a lower extension sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the attachment lip, the lower extension extending below the lower edge of the shell and covering the rear extension of the support portion and the liner rear extension;
a muzzle releasably coupled to the shell and adapted to cover the mouth and chin area of a wearer; and
a magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling the muzzle to the shell, wherein the magnetic coupling assembly is secured to the lower extension at a location below the lower edge of the shell.

2. The motorsport helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a ratchet assembly extending between the magnetic coupling assembly and the lower extension.

3. A helmet comprising:
a protective shell at a top of the helmet and adapted to couple to a head of a wearer,
a liner extending along an interior of the protective shell comprising a liner rear extension that extends downwardly from a lower edge of the protective shell;
a support portion coupled to the shell and extending between the shell and the liner adjacent the lower edge of the shell, the support portion comprising an attachment lip sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the outer surface of the liner that extends along the interior of the shell when the shell is positioned over the attachment lip, a rear extension on the support portion extending downwardly from the lower edge and along the liner rear extension;
a lower extension sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the attachment lip, the lower extension extending below the lower edge of the shell and covering the rear extension of the support portion and the liner rear extension,
first and second strap assemblies coupled to respective first and second sides of the lower extension, the first strap assembly and the second strap assembly each comprising a respective ratchet assembly comprising a plurality of saw-tooth grooves thereon for ratcheting engagement with a corresponding respective first and second receiver on the respective first and second sides of the lower extension;
a muzzle adapted to cover a mouth and chin of the wearer, the muzzle comprising ventilation openings adapted to permit air to enter the muzzle; and
a first magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling a first side of the muzzle to the first strap assembly and a second magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling a second side of the muzzle to the second strap assembly.

4. The helmet of claim 3 , wherein the ventilation openings are positioned on sides of the muzzle.

5. The helmet of claim 3 , further comprising a breath box coupled to the muzzle and configured to be positioned between the muzzle and the wearer.

6. The helmet of claim 5 , wherein the breath box is formed of a resilient material more resilient than the muzzle.

7. A helmet comprising:
a protective shell at a top of the helmet and adapted to couple to a head of a wearer;
a liner extending along an interior of the shell comprising a liner rear extension that extends downwardly from a lower edge of the shell;
a support portion coupled to the shell and extending between the shell and the liner adjacent the lower edge of the shell, the support portion comprising an attachment lip sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the outer surface of the liner that extends along the interior of the shell when the shell is positioned over the attachment lip, a rear extension on the support portion extending downwardly from the lower edge and along the liner rear extension;
a lower extension sandwiched between, and overlapping with, the lower edge of the shell and the attachment lip, the lower extension extending below the lower edge of the shell and covering the rear extension of the support portion and the liner rear extension;
a muzzle adapted to cover a mouth and chin of the wearer;
a first magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling a first side of the muzzle to the protective shell; and
a first strap assembly coupled between the first magnetic coupling assembly and the lower extension, the first strap assembly comprising a ratchet assembly comprising a plurality of saw-tooth grooves thereon for adjustably ratcheting engagement with a first receiver on the helmet.

8. The helmet of claim 7 , further comprising a second magnetic coupling assembly releasably coupling a second side of the muzzle to the lower extension.

9. The helmet of claim 8 , further comprising a second strap assembly coupled between the second magnetic coupling assembly and the lower extension, each of the first and second strap assemblies comprising a plurality of saw-tooth grooves thereon for adjustably ratcheting engagement with respective first and second receivers on the lower extension.

10. The helmet of claim 7 , further comprising a breath box coupled to the muzzle and configured to be positioned between the muzzle and the wearer.

11. The helmet of claim 10 , wherein the breath box is formed of a resilient material more resilient than the muzzle.

12. The helmet of claim 11 , wherein the muzzle comprises at least one ventilation opening adapted to permit air to pass through the muzzle into the breath box.

13. The helmet of claim 7 , further comprising a liner extending along an interior of the shell, and a support portion coupled to the shell and extending between the shell and the liner adjacent a lower edge of the shell.

Assignees

• Bell Sports Inc

Inventors

• Cram Daniel

Classifications

• A42B3/04 Primary

  Parts, details or accessories of helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/32

  Collapsible helmets; Helmets made of separable parts {; Helmets with movable parts, e.g. adjustable} · CPC title

• A42B3/06

  Impact-absorbing shells, e.g. of crash helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/205

  Chin protectors · CPC title