CA2536844A1

CA2536844A1 - Helmet with top vent mechanism

Info

Publication number: CA2536844A1
Application number: CA 2536844
Authority: CA
Inventors: Stephane Dion
Original assignee: JIANGMEN PENGCHENG HELMETS Ltd
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-16
Filing date: 2006-02-16
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Also published as: WO2007093054A1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an air vent mechanism for a helmet.
The air vent mechanism includes a helmet having a top portion thereof with an opening in fluid communication with the inside thereof. A door member is pivotally mounted about the opening between a closed position for sealing the opening and at least one open position providing for air to enter the helmet.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

[0001] HELMET WITH TOP VENT MECHANISM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a vent mechanism for a helmet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a helmet with a top vent mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Protective helmets for vehicles such as motorcycles, mopeds, motorized tricycles, motor-crosses, bicycles and the like are well known. These helmets typically include an outer protective shell with internal resilient liner material for cushioning the wearer's head from impact. This protective liner material exhibits heat insulating properties.
To alleviate heat retention in the helmet which causes discomfort to the user, holes and a plurality of frontal vents have been provided in the art.

[0004] A drawback of the prior art is that it does not provide for an adequate top vent mechanism.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the invention is to provide an improved vent mechanism for helmets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air vent mechanism for a helmet comprising: a helmet, the helmet comprising a top portion thereof; the top portion comprising an opening in fluid communication with the inside of the helmet, a door member moveably mounted about the opening; wherein the door member is pivotable between a closed position sealing the opening and at least one open position providing for air to enter and/or to exit the helmet.

[0007] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a top vent mechanism for selectively modulating the amount of air entering the helmet during modulation.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0009] In the appended drawings, where like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout and where:

[0010] Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a helmet having a top vent mechanism in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention, with the top vent mechanism being disassembled;

[0011] Figure IA is an enlarged exploded view of the top vent mechanism of Figure 1;

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a helmet having a top vent mechanism of Figure 1, the top vent mechanism being shown assembled and in a closed position;

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of a helmet having a top vent mechanism similar to Figure 2, with the top vent mechanism being shown in a first opened position;

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of a helmet having a a top vent mechanism similar to Figure 2, with the top vent mechanism being shown in a second opened position; and [0015] Figure 5 is a lateral sectional view according to line 5-5 of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in further details by the following non-limiting example.

[0017] Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a helmet 10 having a shell 12 with a face shield 14, a lower face guard 16 and a neck opening 18 at the underside of the helmet 10. Helmet 10 is also shown having a vent mechanism 20 mounted to a top portion 22 thereof.

[0018] In this illustrated non-limiting example, the vent mechanism 20 is mounted on a motorcycle helmet, yet the skilled ar6san will easily appreciate that the vent mechanism of the invention, such as vent mechanism 20, is not limited to a specific helmet type and can be mounted to a variety of helmets as can be contemplated by the ordinary skilled artisan.

[0019] Turning now to Figures 1 and 5, an illustrative embodiment of vent mechanism 20 will now be described in accordance with the present invention.

[0020] The helmet includes an open cavity 24 at the top portion 22 thereof. Open cavity 24 defines a mouth rim 26, an inner peripheral wall 28 and floor 30 having an air inlet 32 leading to the inside of helmet 10. As will be described herein, the helmet top cavity 24 is configured to receive a door member 34, an outer frame 36 and a positioning member 38.

[0021] In the present non-limiting illustration, the cavity 24, the door member 34, and the outer frame 36 are shown having a general triangular-like configuration, yet the skilled artisan will understand that other suitable shapes and designs can be contemplated within the context of the present invention.

[0022) The door member 34 includes a longitudinal pivot rod 40 extending from the front base edge 42 thereof, via extension members 44.
Pivot rod 40 is pivotally wedged within hinge-members (not shown) extending from the underside 46 (see Figure 5) of front base side 48 of frame 36.

[0023] Frame 36 defines an opening 37 and includes snap members 50 and 51 extending beyond the peripheral edge 52 thereof.

Snap members 50 and 51 are so configured as to be snuggly fltted within receiving apertures 54 and 55 formed within the inner peripheral wall 28 of the open cavity 24. In the present exemplified construction, the frame 36 includes two front snap members 50 (only one shown in Figure 1) extending from its base side 48, as well as two rear snap members 51 (only one shown in Figure 1) near extending from its lateral sides 56 and 58. Correspondingly, the peripheral inner wall 28 includes two front receiving apertures 54 as well as two rear receiving apertures 55. The two rear receiving apertures 55 are formed within the respective to top sides 60 of the outwardly protruding lateral wall portions 62 and 64 of the inner peripheral wall 28. Of course, a variety of easily available ways of mounting the frame 36 to a helmet top cavity 24 can be contemplated by a person having ordinary skill in the art.

[0024] The cavity floor 30 also includes grooves 66 providing a space for the frame hinge-members pivotally holding the pivot rod 40 of the door member 34.

[0025] The door member 34 is hence pivotally movable within the vertical space provided by cavity 24 beneath the frame 36, as shown by arrow V (Figure 5), in relation to the frame 36 which is fixedly mounted to the helmet 10 about mount-rim 26. Accordingly, the door member 34 includes a pair of lateral stopper members or fins 68 and 70 respectively extending from the lateral sides 72 and 74 thereof as well as a door-positioning member 76 also in the form of a fin and extending from the rear rounded tip 78 thereof. The inner wall 28 provides recessed portions 80 and 82, which respectively provide a clearance for fins 68 and 70 during movement of the door member 34.

[0026] The door member 34 is upwardly biased, as shown by arrow U, via biasing members 84 in the form of springs in the illustrated example.
In the exemplified construction, biasing springs 84 are mounted to the floor 30 at receiving holes 86 and 88 and are fixed to the underside 89 (see Figure 5) of the door member 34. Fins 68, 70 and 76 as well as extension members 44 abut the underside 46 (see Figure 5) of the frame 36 thereby stopping the door member 34 from being moved beyond the opening 37 defined by frame 36.

[0027] The positioning fin 76 of door member 34 acts with the positioning member 38 in order to position the door member 34 at predetermined positions as will be explained below.

[0028] The positioning member 38 is mounted to the frame 36 at the rear rounded tip portion 90 thereof (see Figure 1). Portion 90 includes an aperture 92 for receiving a ridge 94 upwardly extending from the positioning member 38. Aperture 92 provides a horizontal moving space for ridge 94 as shown by arrow H. Ridge 94 is fastened to a lever 96, via fastener 98. In this ways the lever 96 and the positing member 38 are locked together about the frame 36. Furthermore, lever 96 lockingly and slidably sits on the rear rounded tip portion 90 of frame 36 and spans a length to fully seal aperture 92 as well an adjacent second aperture 100.

[0029] The positioning member 38 is forwardly biased, as shown by arrow F, via a biasing member 102 such as a spring, for example. Biasing spring 102 is mounted at one end to a support 104 protruding from a flap 106 downwardly extending from the underside 46 of the rear rounded tip portion 90. Biasing spring 102 is mounted at its opposite end to a support 108 rearwardly protruding from a front portion 110 (see Figure 1) of positioning member 38.

[0030] For reasons which will be detailed below, the lever 96 provides the user to move the positioning member 38 against the biasing force of member 102 as shown by arrow R until a tail portion 99 thereof abuts the flap 106.

[0031] The font portion 110 of the positioning member 38 includes a pair of top and bottom frontal embossments 112 and 114 respectively separated by a groove 116 therebetween. The top embossment 112 defined a groove 118 with the underside of the frame 36 and a shoulder 120 adjacent to groove 116. The bottom embossment 114 defines a shoulder 122 adjacent to an inclined portion 124 of the floor 30 leading to air inlet 32.

[0032] In the illustrated example, the door member 34 can be placed at three positions namely positions I, II and III respectively shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, thereby moving the door between a closed position a slightly-opened position and a wider opened position so as to selectively provide for air to enter helmet 10 for ventilation thereof.

[0033] In this respect, when the door member 34 is closed (position I) as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the fin 76 is within groove 118 being pushed, via biasing springs 84, along with fins 68 and 70 against the underside of frame 36 thus sealing the opening 37. Hence, in position I the helmet 10 is non-aerated.

[0034] When the user needs ventilation, the door member 34 is manually pushed downwards (as shown by arrow D in Figure 5), causing the flexible fin 76 to flexibly slide along embossment 112 so as to reach and engage groove 116. The biasing springs 84 push the door member 34 upwards (as shown by arrow U) causing the fin member 76 to pushingly abut shoulder 120 thereby locking the door member 34 in position II which provides for a slight opening allowing a small air stream into the cavity 24. The user can further manually push the door member 34 downwards (as shown by arrow D) in order to widen the opening so as to allow a greater air stream into the cavity 24 as shown in Figure 4 when the door member 34 is in position III. When moving from position II to III, the fin member 76 flexibly slides along embossment 114 so as to reach and engage groove a space 126 (see Figure 5) between the front portion 110 of the push member and the inclined portion 124 of the cavity floor 30.
The floor 30 stops the downward descent of the door member 34. The biasing springs 84 push the door member 34 upwards (as shown by arrow U) causing the fin member 76 to pushingly abut shoulder 122 thereby locking the door member 34 in position Ill.

[0035] Air enters the helmet 10 from the opening 37 streaming into cavity 24 and then through inlet 32 towards the inside of the helmet 10. Air can directly reach the user's head (not shown) via a channel 128 or through a plurality of perforations formed in the protective inner insulation 130. Of course, the air stream will increase with the riding speed of the user, thus the user can modulate ventilation via their riding speed and the size of the opening 376. Furthermore, helmet ridges that surround the top vent mechanism 20 can also provide for directing air into the opening 37.

The skilled artisan may contemplate a variety of air directing formations about a top vent opening such as opening 37 [0036] When the user wishes to close the opening and place the door member back into position I, whether from position II or III, the user slides lever 96 rearwardly (as shown by arrow R) against the basing force of spring 102 thereby disengaging a front portion 110 from the fin member 76 and providing a clearance therefore which allows for the biasing springs 84 to push the door member 34 upwards (as shown by arrow U) until fins 68, 70 and 76 are stopped by the underside 46 of the frame member 36.

[0037] The skilled artisan will easily appreciate that the positioning member 38 can provide a plurality of stoppers as well as stopper types for stopping a protrusion, such as a fin 76 at different positions along the vertical working space provided by the helmet top cavity 34. A variety of levers for disengaging the positioning member 38 from the door member 34 can also be contemplated by those having skills in the art.

[0038] The door member 34 and frame 36 surrounding the door can be provided in a variety of suitable or aerodynamic materials, sizes and configurations.

[0039] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation. Hence, although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit, scope and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An air vent mechanism for a helmet comprising:
a helmet comprising a top portion thereof; said top portion comprising an opening in fluid communication with the inside of said helmet, a door member moveably mounted about said cavity;
wherein said door member is pivotable between a closed position sealing said opening and at least one open position providing for air to enter the helmet.