AU2021218057A1

AU2021218057A1 - Safety helmet

Info

Publication number: AU2021218057A1
Application number: AU2021218057A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stefan Kerkhoff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-04-09
Filing date: 2021-08-17
Publication date: 2022-10-27

Abstract

A safety helmet comprises at least one strap that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet between first and second positions on the safety helmet. The strap is adapted to receive a utensil to secure the utensil to the safety helmet. The safety helmet comprises first and second fasteners for securing the strap to the safety helmet at the first and second positions respectively and a tensioning mechanism for adjusting a tension of the strap. 1/5 10 30 18 24 26 22 16 20 FIG. 1

Description

1/5

10

30

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FIG. 1

SAFETY HELMET

Field

[0001] The present invention relates to safety helmets and, more particularly, to a safety helmet comprising an adjustable attachment mechanism for attaching utensils to the helmet.

Background

[0002] Safety helmets are commonly worn in construction, mining and other workplace environments to protect a person's skull from injury due to impacts with objects and falling debris and from electric shocks. For example, a hard hat is commonly worn by construction workers which comprises an outer shell fabricated from a durable material, such as rigid plastic. The hard hat may also include a shock-absorbing lining headband and a crown strap that keeps the outer shell spaced apart from the wearer's head.

[0003] A variety of utensils may be attached to a hard hat by the wearer. For example, when working underground or in poor light conditions an electric lamp and a battery pack may be attached to the hat. The utensils are commonly attached using an elasticated strap that is placed around the perimeter of the hard hat. Each utensil is attached to a portion of the strap using clips or similar attachment means. During use, the strap can become misaligned or can work itself loose causing inconvenience and danger to the user.

[0004] In an effort to address these problems, zip ties may be bound around the elasticated strap and through two slotted apertures that are commonly provided on the sides of a hard hat for attaching face shields and ear muffs. However, this procedure is fiddly and time consuming to perform and pliers must be used to cut the zip ties and detach the utensil. Furthermore, heavy utensils that are attached to a hard hat, such as electric lamps and battery packs, often still move around during use when zip ties are employed. This is particularly a problem when the wearer is performing manual tasks that cause the hard hat to be subjected to strong vibrational forces, such as drilling.

[0005] The preceding discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

Summary

[0006]According to the present invention there is provided a safety helmet, wherein the safety helmet comprises: at least one strap that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet between first and second positions on the safety helmet, wherein the strap is adapted to receive a utensil to secure the utensil to the safety helmet; first and second fasteners for securing the strap to the safety helmet at the first and second positions respectively; and a tensioning mechanism for adjusting a tension of the strap.

[0007] The tensioning mechanism may comprise a slot provided in the first of the fasteners, the slot being adapted to receive an end section of the strap, and a clamp arrangement to fasten the end section releasably in the slot.

[0008] The clamp arrangement may comprise a lever that is pivotably moveable relative to the safety helmet between a fastened condition and a loosened condition, wherein an end of the lever proximal the slot bears against the end section when the lever is moved into the fastened condition.

[0009] The end of the lever may comprise an undersurface that bears against the end section when the lever is moved into the fastened condition.

[0010] The undersurface of the end of the lever may be a cam surface.

[0011] The strap may extend laterally across a front-facing surface of the safety helmet between the first and second positions.

[0012] The strap may be elastic or inelastic.

[0013] The safety helmet may comprise: first and second straps attached to the safety helmet, each of the straps being adapted to receive and secure a utensil to the safety helmet; and first and second tensioning mechanisms for adjusting a tension of, respectively, the first and second straps, wherein the first of the straps extends laterally across a front-facing surface of the safety helmet, and wherein the second of the straps extends laterally across a rear-facing surface of the safety helmet.

[0014] The present invention also provides an apparatus for securing a utensil to a safety helmet, wherein the apparatus comprises: at least one strap that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet between first and second positions on the safety helmet, wherein the strap is adapted to receive the utensil to secure the utensil to the safety helmet; first and second fasteners for securing the strap to the first and second positions respectively; and a tensioning mechanism for adjusting a tension of the strap.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0015] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a safety helmet according to an example embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a further isometric view of the safety helmet;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the safety helmet; FIG. 4A is a side elevation view of the safety helmet; FIG. 4B is a front elevation view of the safety helmet; FIG. 4C is a further side elevation view of the safety helmet; FIG. 4D is a rear elevation view of the safety helmet; and FIG. 5 is a further side elevation view of the safety helmet, wherein a lamp is attached to the safety helmet by a front-facing strap of the safety helmet, and wherein a battery pack is secured to the safety helmet by a rear-facing strap of the safety helmet.

Description of Embodiments

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an example embodiment of the present invention provides safety helmet 10 comprising at least one strap 12 that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet 10 between first and second positions on the safety helmet 10, wherein the strap 12 is adapted to receive a utensil 14 to secure the utensil 14 to the safety helmet 10. The safety helmet 10 also comprises first and second fasteners 16, 18 for securing the strap 12 to the safety helmet 10 at the first and second positions respectively and a tensioning mechanism 20 for adjusting a tension of the strap 12.

[0017] More particularly, in the example depicted the tensioning mechanism comprises an elongate slot 20 provided in the first fastener 16, wherein the slot 20 receives an end section 22 of the strap 12, and a clamp arrangement 24 that is configured to fasten the end section 22 releasably into the slot 20. The clamp arrangement may comprise a lever 24 that is pivotably moveable relative to the safety helmet 10 between a fastened condition and a loosened condition. In each of FIGS. 1 to 5, the lever 24 is shown in its fastened condition and is lying generally flat against the outer surface of the helmet 10. When in its loosened condition, the lever 24 may outwardly project away from the outer surface of the helmet 10.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, an innermost end 26 of the lever 24 that is proximal to the slot 20 may comprise an undersurface that bears against the end section 22 of the strap 12 in the slot 20 when the lever 24 is moved into the fastened condition. For example, the undersurface of the lever end 26 that faces the surface of the helmet 10 may be a cam surface. The cam surface may be dimensioned such that it presses inwardly onto the end section 22 of the strap 12 when the lever 24 is pivoted towards the fastened condition, thus clamping the end section 22 against the helmet 10.

[0019] At the end of the strap 12 that is opposed to the first fastener 16, the second fastener 18 may fixedly attach the end onto the surface of the safety helmet 10. The second fastener 18 may comprise a buckle, clip or similar attachment device. In other examples, the second fastener 18 may comprise adhesive or one or more holes (not shown) provided in the helmet 10 that receive and retain the end of the strap 12. The two opposed ends of the strap 12 may be held by the first and second fasteners 16, 18, respectively, such that the strap 12 extends laterally across a front-facing surface of the safety helmet 10. The strap 12 may be elastic or inelastic. In examples where the strap 12 is inelastic, the strap 12 may comprise an elongate rectangular strip of non-stretchable fabric material, such as cotton, nylon, polyester or polypropylene.

[0020] The safety helmet 10 may also comprise a second strap 30 that is attachable to a rear-facing surface of the safety helmet 10. The strap 30 may be materially identical to the first strap 12 and may comprise attachment means similar or identical to the first and second fasteners 16, 18 for securing the strap to the safety helmet 10 and for tensioning the strap 30.

[0021] In use, each strap 12, 30 may be used to secure a utensil to the safety helmet 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the frontmost strap 12 may be used to attach an electric lamp 14 to the front of the helmet 10. The lamp 14 may comprise a clip member 34 that may be slotted underneath the strap 12 so that the lamp 14 is held in front of the strap 12. The rearmost strap 30 may be used to attach a battery pack 36 for powering the electric lamp 14 to the rear of the helmet 10. The battery pack 36 may be placed underneath the strap 30 such that it is held against the surface of the helmet 10 by the tension in the strap 30. In other examples, the battery pack 36 may be provided with a clip member (not shown) that extends over the strap 30 and down the frontside of the strap 30 when the battery pack 36 is held underneath the strap 30 as depicted in FIG. 5.

[0022] Because the tension of each strap 12, 30 is adjustable, the straps 12, 30 are advantageously able to secure a wide range of different objects and utensils to the helmet 10, each having different weights and dimensions. The tension in the straps 12, 30 may be adjusted to suit each object and utensil, and may also be advantageously loosened when the objects and utensils need to be detached from the helmet 10. The safety helmet 10 that is depicted comprises a hard hat of the type that is commonly used in the construction and mining industries, but it will be appreciated that safety helmet 10 may comprise other types of hats and headgear in other examples.

[0023] The skilled addressee will appreciate that certain features shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 may be illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been shown to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the features may be exaggerated relative to other features to facilitate an understanding of the various example embodiments exemplifying the principles described herein. Also, common but well understood features that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to provide a less obstructed view of these various examples. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein adopt the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

[0024] The location and disposition of the features depicted in the FIGS. 1 to 5 may vary according to the particular arrangements of the embodiment(s) as well as of the particular applications of such embodiment(s). References to positional descriptions in this specification, such as'lower'and 'upper', and associated forms such as 'uppermost' and 'lowermost', are to be taken in context of the relevant example embodiments shown in the figures and are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the principles described herein to the literal interpretation of the term, but rather as would be understood by the skilled addressee.

[0025] For the purpose of this specification, the word "comprising" means "including but not limited to", and the word "comprises" has a corresponding meaning.

[0026] The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A safety helmet, comprising: at least one strap that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet between first and second positions on the safety helmet, wherein the strap is adapted to receive a utensil to secure the utensil to the safety helmet; first and second fasteners for securing the strap to the safety helmet at the first and second positions respectively; and a tensioning mechanism for adjusting a tension of the strap.

2. The safety helmet according to claim 1, wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises a slot provided in the first of the fasteners, the slot being adapted to receive an end section of the strap, and a clamp arrangement to fasten the end section releasably in the slot.

3. The safety helmet according to claim 2, wherein the clamp arrangement comprises a lever that is pivotably moveable relative to the safety helmet between a fastened condition and a loosened condition, and wherein an end of the lever proximal the slot bears against the end section when the lever is moved into the fastened condition.

4. The safety helmet according to claim 3, wherein the end of the lever comprises an undersurface that bears against the end section when the lever is moved into the fastened condition.

5. The safety helmet according to claim 4, wherein the undersurface of the end of the lever is a cam surface.

6. The safety helmet according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap extends laterally across a front-facing surface of the safety helmet between the first and second positions.

7. The safety helmet according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap is elastic.

8. The safety helmet according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the strap is inelastic.

9. The safety helmet according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the safety helmet comprises: first and second straps attached to the safety helmet, each of the straps being adapted to receive and secure a utensil to the safety helmet; and first and second tensioning mechanisms for adjusting a tension of, respectively, the first and second straps, wherein the first of the straps extends laterally across a front-facing surface of the safety helmet, and wherein the second of the straps extends laterally across a rear-facing surface of the safety helmet.

10. An apparatus for securing a utensil to a safety helmet, the apparatus comprising: at least one strap that is dimensioned to extend at least in part around a perimeter of the safety helmet between first and second positions on the safety helmet, wherein the strap is adapted to receive the utensil to secure the utensil to the safety helmet; first and second fasteners for securing the strap to the first and second positions respectively; and a tensioning mechanism for adjusting a tension of the strap.