GB2495948A

GB2495948A - Motorcycle helmet retention system

Info

Publication number: GB2495948A
Application number: GB201118494A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Hunt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-10-26
Filing date: 2011-10-26
Publication date: 2013-05-01
Also published as: GB201118494D0

Abstract

A motorcycle safety helmet 1 worn by a motorcycle rider has safety anchor points 2,3 to which a rider attaches a safety tether 4. The tether is threaded through and under a retention bar within apparatus 6 worn by the rider. The anchor points are preferably made from titanium. The apparatus containing the retention bar may be a back protector hump integrated into a motorcycle protective bodysuit, or a hump attached to a wearer by straps across the midriff and shoulders. The tether may have a quick release function. The combination of safety tether and retention bar removes the risk of the helmet being removed from the riders head in the event of an impact.

Description

I

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY HELMET RETENTION SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of reducing the risk of a motorcycle rider's safety helmet becoming removed from the rider's head during a heavy impact accident.

2. Description of the related art

With potentially enormous pressures exerted onto a rider's safety helmet's chin-strap retention system during an accident, the potential for improving the probability of the helmet remaining on the rider's head has been identified.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention a method of helmet retention extra to the currently widely used & commonly known chin-strap system, the method comprising the steps of;-a retention strap adjoining the helmet to a rider's torso; said retention strap affixed to a plurality of torso-wearable apparatus; said retention strap once affixed to torso-wearable apparatus forming a strong bond between the rider's helmeted head and torso.

BRTEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWiNGS

Figure 1 shows a motorcycle helmet and protective bodysuit from the rear, tethered together; Figure 2 shows a motorcycle helmet displaying anchor points for the tether that adjoins said helmet to the bodysuit; Figure 3 details an example tether with example anchor points separate of the helmet; Figure 4 shows a view from above of a back protector hump', incorporated into many motorcycle road & all race protective bodysuits, but shown separated from its suit in this instance; Figure 5 shows a profile view of the same back protector hump shown separated from its suit in this instance; Figure 6 shows a medium close-up, diagonal profile embodiment of the helmet attached to the bodysuit; Figure 7 shows another body-wearable back protector apparatus designed as wholly separate to a protective bodysuit, with the helmet tethered to it.

DETAILED DESCRTPTJON OF EXAMPLE EMBUDJMENTS

(Al] drawings NOT TO SCALE) Figure 1 A motorcycle rider 18 shown in rear view wears a helmet 1 with at the lower left rear-side of the helmet area 2 and at the lower right rear-side of the helmet area 3 example anchor points made from titanium metal or another material suitably strong to cope with high loads of force or strong impact. To these anchor points can be attached a tether 4, comprising eyelets (not shown) made from the same material as the anchor points, and a fabric webbing material strap. A motorcycle protective bodysuit 5 has at its upper back area an integrated back protector hump 6 with at its top-most area 20 a recess 15 bridged by a retention bar 16 through & under which the tether 4 can travel. In an example of use the rider fixes a tether eyelet to the helmet l's left-hand anchor point 2, feeds the tether 4 through the recess 15 in the back protector hump 6, under the retention bar I 6 and out the other side, and fiXeS the remaining tether eyelet to the helmet l's right-hand anchor point 3, thus creating a strong bond between helmet and the rider's torso.

Figure 2 A motorcycle helmet 1 is shown in profile view with anchor point 2 shown in the bottom right area of the embodiment, and anchor point 3 on the opposite side (not shown). Anchor points 2 and 3 are affixed to the helmet I via a riveted or other suitably strong method, and in this embodiment are circular in design but could be of any other shape and size.At the anchor's central point is a raised protrusion 8 around which the tether eyelet affixes, more detail on which will follow later.

Figure 3 In this embodiment the tether 4 is shown in detail, with example eyelets 9 and 10 showing example cut-out central areas comprising larger cut-out areas 11 and 12 graduating to smaller cut-out areas 13 and 14. Also n in this embodiment are shown, separate from the helmet, example anchor points 2 and 3 in detail from above and in profile, with protrusion piece(s) 8.

Tn an example of use it will be appreciated that eyelets 9 and tO's larger cut-out areas 11 and 12 will be placed over protrusion piece(s) 8, and eyelets 9 and I 0 will be pulled so as to ensure protrusion 8 slides into the smaller cut-out areas 13 and 14, designed to be a perfect fit to ensure retention of the tether once the fixing has occurred and until said fixing has been undone. in another embodiment, tether eyelets 9 and I 0 and/or protrusion piece(s) 8 could have a spring-loaded or clip mechanism (not shown) or another method of mechanical retention (not shown) to hold tether eyelets 9 and 10 securely in place whilst the Invention is in operation, and could have a quick-release function (not shown) for extra safely and convenience. It will also be appreciated that tether 4 could be adjustable, more on which will follow.

Figure 4 Bodysuit-integrated back protector hump 6 is shown from above (separated from its bodysuit), and shows the top surface area 20. This top surface area 20 has a recess 15 here shown shaded, over which spans a retention bar 16 in titanium metal, formed carbon fibre or Keviar or a combination of all materials or another suitably strong material, which has been fabricated into back protector hump 6.

Figure 5 Back protector hump 6 is this time shown in profile, again separate from its bodysuit. Recess area 1 5 is shown again this time in perforated line, with retention bar 16 also labelled. Recess area 15 is shown as if back protector hump 6 is transparent so it can be seen through the embodiment.

Figure 6 In this embodiment a rider 18 is shown wearing helmet 1, attached to which is tether 4 via the method of affixing as described in Figure 3. The tether 4 has been attached to bodysuit 5 via back protector hump 6, on the top-most surface area 20 of which has a recess area is as described in Figures 4 and 5. Spanning recess area 15 is retention bar 16 under which has been threaded tether 4. It will be appreciated that once said tether 4 has been affixed to anchor point 2, threaded through recess area I 5 and under fabricated retention bar 1 6, then affixed to helmet anchor point 3 (not shown), a strong bond has been created between the rider's head and torso in addition to that bond created by the commonly used chin-strap helmet retention system. It will also be appreciated that tether 4 being adjustable allows the rider to alter its size, ensuring the head does not suffer restricted movement. It is intended that the rider find the optimal length of the adjustable tether 4 to ensure non-restricted head movement for the action of looking down if required (i.e. moving the chin towards the chest); the action of looking left to right will be unhindered by the fact the tether 4 flows freely under retention bar 1 6, borrowing' length from either side as required to complete the action. The optimal length of tether 4 will allow unrestricted head movement as it will not be pulled taut, but will crucially be short enough to help prevent [in conjunction with the separate. currently used chin-strap system] the helmet being removed should the rider suffer an accident, The tether 4 will have a maximum length achievable (not shown) ensuring it cannot be exceeded so the Invention cannot be rendered useless by the tether 4 being too tong so as not to help prevent the helmet 1 being removed in an accident; the tether 4 will also be available in various sizes to suit various rider heights to address any potential for problem a one size fits all' policy could bring with regard head mobility versus helmet retention.

Custom, non-adjustable tethers (not shown) could conceivably be produced for professional riders; such tethers would be bespoke fined creations, tested with the rider to achieve the optinium balance of their head's mobility versus the length of tether needed to ensure helmet retention during an accident.

Figure 7 This embodiment shows a new back protector hump I?, which is not and has never been integrated within a protective bodysuit. This embodiment shows new back protector hump 17 attached to the rider 18 via straps 19 around the midriff and across the shoulders, and conceivably through the crotch area (not shown) to ensure maximum strength of fixing. New back protector hump 17 can be worn over or under clothing. At its top-most surface area 20 is a recess 15 and retention bar 16 as described previously in Figures 4 and 5, through & under which is fed tether 4 to affix to helmet l's anchor points 2 and 3 via the method as described in Figure 3. It will also be appreciated that any torso-wearable apparatus may not include a back protector hump, and could provide another means (not shown) of attaching a tether so as to create a strong bond between helmet 1 and rider 18's torso.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims 1. A method of motorcycle helmet retention, the method comprising the first step of a motorcycle helmet having two anchor points, one at its lower rear left side and one at its lower rear right side.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A method according to claim 1 in which a two-ended tether is attachable to said anchor points.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A method according to claims 1 and 2 in which a motorcycle rider attaches one end of the tether to one of said anchor points.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A method according to any preceding claim in which a plurality of human torso-wearable apparatus separate to the helmet possesses a fabricated retention bar system.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A method according to claims 2 to 4 in which a rider threads an unattached end of a tether through & under a retention bar system fabricated into a plurality of human torso-wearable apparatus.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A method according to any preceding claim in which a rider attaches a previously unattached other end of a tether to a remaining helmet anchor point.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A method according to claims 2 to 6 in which a rider may first thread a tether through & under a retention bar system fabricated into a.plurality of human torso-wearable apparatus, then attach the tether to two helmet anchor points.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A method according to any preceding claim in which a physical link between the rider's helmeted head and his torso-wearable apparatus has been created.</claim-text>