Adjustable helmet for a hockey or lacrosse player

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375766-B2
Application number	US-201916399479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	Jul 27, 2011
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

An adjustable helmet having first and second shells and a single actuator comprising at least one tooth, the single actuator being moveable between: a first locked position, wherein the at least one tooth retains the first and second shells and the first and second shells define a first hollow space; a released position, wherein the at least one tooth no longer retains the first and second shells such that one of the first and second shells is moveable relative to the other of the first and second shells; and a second locked position, wherein the at least one tooth retains the first and second shells and the first and second shells define a second hollow space, the second hollow space being different than the first hollow space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustable sports helmet, said helmet comprising:
a) a first shell portion;
b) a second shell portion, said first and said second shell portions being moveable one with relation to the other to adjust a fit of the helmet on a wearer's head;
c) an adjustment mechanism, including:
i) an actuator including at least one tooth, the actuator being mounted to the second shell portion;
ii) an aperture on the second shell portion configured to receive the tooth;
iii) an elongated band associated with the first shell portion and extending to the second shell portion such that relative movement between the first and the second shell portions produces a corresponding movement between the band and the aperture on the second shell portion, the band including a plurality of apertures arranged longitudinally on the band and configured for receiving individually the tooth;
iv) the actuator being moveable between a locked position and a released position, in the locked position the tooth extending in the aperture on the second shell portion and in one of the apertures on the band, in the released position the tooth clearing the one aperture of the band to allow the band to be repositioned relative the aperture on the second shell portion;
v) wherein the second shell portion has an outer side and an opposite inner side, the adjustable helmet including a backing member on the inner side of the second shell portion, the band being located between the second shell portion and the backing member;
vi) wherein the band slidingly moves relative to the backing member when the first shell portion and the second shell portion are moved one with relation to the other;
vii) wherein the actuator constitutes a single control operable by the wearer to adjust a relative position of the first shell portion with relation to the second shell portion;
viii) wherein the backing member registers with the aperture on the second shell portion and when the actuator is in the locked position, the tooth engages the backing member, and when the actuator is in the released position, the tooth disengages from the backing member.

2. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 1 , wherein the backing member has an aperture, the tooth penetrating the aperture when the actuator is in the locked position.

3. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 2 , wherein when the actuator is in the released position, the tooth clears the aperture on the backing member.

4. AnThe adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 3 , wherein the backing member remains stationary with relation to the second shell portion when the first and second shell portions move one with relation to the other.

5. AnThe adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a plurality of teeth.

6. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 5 , wherein the plurality of teeth are configured to engage simultaneously a plurality of apertures on the band when the actuator is in the locked position.

7. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 6 , wherein the second shell portion includes a plurality of apertures for receiving respective teeth of the actuator when the actuator is in the locked position.

8. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 7 , wherein the backing member includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the plurality of teeth.

9. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 7 , wherein the teeth are curved.

10. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 8 , wherein the second shell portion includes a recess for receiving the actuator, when the actuator is in the locked position.

11. AnThe adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 7 , wherein the helmet has a longitudinal axis extending centrally along the helmet, the longitudinal axis intersecting the actuator.

12. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 11 , wherein the actuator pivotally moves between the locked position and the released position about an axis that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

13. AnThe adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 12 , wherein the helmet has a pair of spaced apart ridge portions on an exterior surface of the helmet, the ridge portions extending longitudinally on the top portion of the helmet and on a back portion thereof, the actuator residing between the ridge portions.

14. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first shell portion is configured to cover at least partially a front region and side regions of a wearer's head when the helmet is worn and the second shell portion is configured to cover at least partially a rear region of the wearer's head when the helmet is worn.

15. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a cam member.

16. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in 15 , wherein the cam member is operable in response to a pivotal movement of the actuator.

17. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 1 , wherein the helmet is a hockey helmet or a lacrosse helmet.

18. An adjustable sports helmet, said helmet comprising:
a) a first shell portion;
b) a second shell portion, said first and said second shell portions being moveable one with relation to the other to adjust a fit of the helmet on a wearer's head;
c) an adjustment mechanism, including:
i) an actuator including at least one tooth, the actuator being mounted to the second shell portion;
ii) an aperture on the second shell portion configured to receive the tooth;
iii) an elongated band associated with the first shell portion and extending to the second shell portion such that relative movement between the first and the second shell portions produces a corresponding movement between the band and the aperture on the second shell portion, the band including a plurality of apertures arranged longitudinally on the band and configured for receiving individually the tooth;
iv) the actuator being moveable between a locked position and a released position, in the locked position the tooth extending in the aperture on the second shell portion and in one of the apertures on the band, in the released position the tooth clearing the one aperture of the band to allow the band to be repositioned relative the aperture on the second shell portion;
v) wherein the second shell portion has an outer side and an opposite inner side, the adjustable helmet including a backing member on the inner side of the second shell portion, the band being located between the second shell portion and the backing member;
vi) wherein the band slidingly moves relative to the backing member when the first shell portion and the second shell portion are moved one with relation to the other;
vii) wherein the actuator constitutes a single control operable by the wearer to adjust a relative position of the first shell portion with relation to the second shell portion;
viii) wherein the actuator includes a plurality of teeth configured to engage simultaneously a plurality of apertures on the band when the actuator is in the locked position;
ix) wherein the second shell portion includes a plurality of apertures for receiving respective teeth of the actuator when the actuator is in the locked position.

19. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 18 , wherein the backing member includes a plurality of apertures for receiving the plurality of teeth.

20. The adjustable sports helmet as defined in claim 18 , wherein the teeth are curved.

Assignees

• Bauer Hockey Llc

Inventors

• Durocher Jacques
• Genereux Marie-Claude

Classifications

• A63B71/10

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

• A42B3/16

  Ear protection devices · CPC title

• A42B3/32

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

• A42B3/324 Primary

  Adjustable helmets · CPC title