Mounting system for accessories on a safety helmet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11246367-B2
Application number	US-201916513102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Jun 17, 2005
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A hinge mechanism for attaching ear accessories to a helmet allows an accessory to be attached at a point outside the helmet shell utilizing, for example, a slidable mounting rail, and to reach under the edge of the helmet shell so that the accessory is supported in contact with the wearer's head. The hinge mechanism is well suited for use in connection with military helmets that have a “bulge” or protrusion over the ear.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mounting facility for a safety helmet having a helmet shell and retention straps affixed thereto, the mounting facility comprising:
a fixture, attachable to the helmet shell, for securely receiving a plurality of accessories, wherein the fixture comprises a rail having a recessed retaining groove configured to slidably, adjustably, and simultaneously receive the plurality of accessories thereon; and
at least one aperture aligning with at least one existing through-hole in the helmet shell for facilitating common affixation of the mounting facility and retention straps thereto,
wherein the fixture extends horizontally and then at a downward angle, and
wherein a portion of the fixture which extends at the downward angle includes an attachment feature for accepting at least one different accessory thereon.

2. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein the fixture has an inner curved surface having a contour conforming to an outer surface of the helmet shell.

3. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein the recessed retaining groove comprises a flat inner surface and a pair of angled side walls opposed to the flat inner surface.

4. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture is disposed proximate to a bottom edge of the fixture.

5. The mounting facility of claim 1 further comprising:
a front connecting element coupled to the fixture, the front connecting element including a recessed attachment surface configured to receive an accessory distinct from the plurality of accessories received by the fixture.

6. The mounting facility of claim 5 , wherein the fixture is a first fixture and the mounting facility further comprises:
a second fixture, attachable to the helmet shell, comprising a rail having a recessed retaining groove configured to slidably, adjustably, and simultaneously receive the plurality of accessories thereon, and
wherein the first fixture and the second fixture are connected to one another by the front connecting element.

7. The mounting facility of claim 6 , wherein the front connecting element, the first fixture, and the second fixture together encircle approximately three-fourths of an outer surface of the safety helmet.

8. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional profile of the recessed retaining groove has a dove-tail shape.

9. A helmet comprising:
a helmet shell having an outer surface and at least one existing through-hole; and
a mounting rail attached to the outer surface of the helmet shell, the mounting rail including at least one aperture aligned with the at least one existing through-hole in the helmet, facilitating common affixation of the mounting rail and retention straps to the helmet, the mounting rail extending horizontally and then at a downward angle relative to a bottom edge of the helmet, a bottom edge of the mounting rail being disposed on the outer surface of the helmet shell above the bottom edge of the helmet, the mounting rail including a recessed retaining groove extending in and along the mounting rail and configured to slidably, adjustably, and simultaneously receive a plurality of accessories thereon.

10. A method comprising:
providing a mounting rail including a recessed retaining groove configured to slidably, adjustably, and simultaneously receive a plurality of accessories thereon, the mounting rail having at least one aperture;
placing the mounting rail on an outer surface of a helmet;
aligning the at least one aperture of the mounting rail with at least one existing through-hole for attaching retention straps in the helmet; and
inserting a fastener into the at least one aperture and the at least one existing through-hole to affix the mounting rail to the helmet.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a cross-sectional profile of the recessed retaining groove has a dove-tail shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein placing the mounting rail on the outer surface of the helmet includes positioning a bottom edge of the mounting rail such that the bottom edge of the mounting rail is on the outer surface of the helmet above a bottom edge of the helmet when the mounting rail is affixed to the helmet.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
mounting a front connecting element to the outer surface of the helmet; and
coupling the front connecting element to the mounting rail.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mounting rail is a first mounting rail, and
wherein the front connecting element is disposed between the first mounting rail and a second mounting rail, the first mounting rail being disposed on a first side of the helmet and the second mounting rail being disposed on a second side of the helmet.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the front connecting element connects the first mounting rail to the second mounting rail.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
sliding a first accessory of the plurality of accessories into the recessed retaining groove of the mounting rail, and
sliding a second accessory of the plurality of accessories into the recessed retaining groove of the mounting rail while the first accessory is coupled to the recessed retaining groove.

17. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein a bottom edge of the fixture is configured to generally align with a top edge of an ear protrusion of the safety helmet when the fixture is affixed to the safety helmet.

18. The mounting facility of claim 6 further comprising:
a rear connecting element coupling the first fixture to the second fixture,
wherein the rear connecting element is configured to conform to an outer surface of the helmet shell, and
wherein the rear connecting element is opposite the front connecting element.

19. The mounting facility of claim 1 wherein the fixture is a first fixture and the mounting facility further comprises:
a second fixture, attachable to the helmet shell, comprising a rail having a recessed retaining groove for slidably and adjustably receiving at least one of the plurality of accessories thereon, wherein the rail is configured to simultaneously receive multiple accessories of the plurality of accessories; and
a connecting element coupling the first fixture to the second fixture, wherein the connecting element is configured to conform to an outer surface of the helmet shell.

20. The mounting facility of claim 1 further comprises:
a front connecting element having a recessed attachment surface and configured to be attached to a front surface of the safety helmet for attachment of an accessory distinct from the plurality of accessories received by the fixture.

21. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein the recessed retaining groove has a length which extends horizontally along the fixture, and
wherein the recessed retaining groove is configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of accessories at different portions along the length of the recessed retaining groove.

22. The mounting facility of claim 1 , wherein attachment feature includes one or more threaded holes configured to threadably mount the at least one different accessory therein.

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Rogers David C
• Rogers Charles H
• Keith-Lucas Darwin
• Noordzij Duco W

Classifications

• A42B3/166 Primary

  Integral hearing protection · CPC title

• A42B3/0406 Primary

  Accessories for helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/04

  Parts, details or accessories of helmets · CPC title

• G02B23/12

  with means for image conversion or intensification · CPC title