EP0993784B1 - Protective helmet - Google Patents

Abstract

The crash helmet for a motorcyclist has a visor (3) attached to the shell (2) and a chin piece (4) which can be lifted by rotation over the visor towards the rear of the shell. The chin piece has an axis of rotation offset upwardly with respect to the visor pivot axis (5) to allow pivoting without touching the surface of the visor.

Description

The present invention relates to a protective helmet including a screen attached to the helmet shell and a chin strap attached to the shell and capable of being lifted by above the screen towards the rear of the hull by a movement of rotation.

The invention will find its application particularly in safety accessories for motorcycling or motoring.

Any other application, in particular in the field of sport, is also targeted by the invention.

Protective helmets come in a variety of forms depending on the degree of protection and the configuration desired by the user. We especially know helmets incorporating a screen and a chin strap. The chin rest is in some cases fixed and integral with the shell; we then call these helmets full-face helmets.

In another case, it may be interesting that the chin strap can be lifted relative to the shell in particular for driving in hot weather.

The invention is part of these helmets allowing the chin strap to be raised above the screen.

Current protective helmets meeting this principle are not entirely satisfactory.

We first know helmets with a chin rest and a screen which can be lifted along concentric axes. For sealing requirements, a seal is placed, preferably fixed on the chin rest, and suitable for lean on the lower part of the screen when the chin strap and screen are in the lowered position.

When the chin rest and the screen are concentric and we wish to raise the chin rest, we note an important friction of the joint over the entire surface of the screen. This friction quickly damages the screen which decreases the driver visibility. In addition, the possible presence elements such as dust further increases scratches on the screen.

As a result, the lifespan of displays is currently limited and regular replacement must be made.

Furthermore, in order not to damage too strongly and too much quickly the screen, we are led to use little seals resistant because very flexible. This affects a good seal and also limits the life of the seals.

Furthermore, when the user, in the rest position, wear the helmet in hand at the chin strap, seals currently used are very quickly damaged because they are not designed to withstand pressure or friction caused by the hands.

Helmets with concentric chin and visor have the disadvantage of being inconvenient to use when you want to raise the chin strap or the screen. Indeed, there is a lot of support between the chin rest and the screen through the joint. As the chin rest and the screen follow the same recovery trajectory, we have to fight the adhesion resistance of the joint to raise one of the elements.

As a result, helmets with chin straps and visors concentric do not give full satisfaction so much to the level of their cost than their use.

We know more sophisticated systems allowing complex chin movements.

• FR-A-2.595.212 qui montre un casque de protection avec une coque sur laquelle est articulée une partie rabattable autour d'un axe 8 mais qui ne divulgue pas les moyens de relèvement de la présente invention.
• DE-A-2.846.636 qui divulgue un casque dans lequel la mentonnière n'est relevable qu'avec la visière.
• EP-A-0.797.935 qui concerne un casque intégral notamment pour motocycliste comprenant un dispositif pour ouvrir et fermer la mentonnière.
• EP-A-0.258.552 qui concerne un casque intégral équipé d'une pièce jugulaire mobile et animée de mouvements de translation et de rotation.
• EP-A-0.334.773 qui présente un casque de protection sans jugulaire et système d'amortissement des mouvements du dispositif d'assujettissement des casques sans jugulaire.

In this context, the following patent applications can be cited:

• FR-A-2.595.212 which shows a protective helmet with a shell on which a hinged part is articulated about an axis 8 but which does not disclose the lifting means of the present invention.
• DE-A-2,846,636 which discloses a helmet in which the chin rest can only be lifted with the visor.
• EP-A-0.797.935 which relates to a full face helmet in particular for a motorcyclist comprising a device for opening and closing the chin rest.
• EP-A-0,258,552 which relates to an integral helmet equipped with a movable chin strap and driven with translational and rotational movements.
• EP-A-0.334.773 which presents a protective helmet without chinstrap and system for damping the movements of the device for securing helmets without chinstrap.

According to these last three documents, a combined movement of translation and rotation is performed to raise the chin.

These systems first have the disadvantage of being not very simple and therefore to cause a significant manufacturing cost. Of more, their use is impractical given the complexity of the movements that the user must print at the chin.

Furthermore, these systems essentially have for object to allow a particular raising of the chin rest especially for an application on the top of the helmet in support as close as possible to the hull surface. They therefore not intended to limit or even eliminate friction caused by the raising of the chin strap on the screen.

As a result, seal wear problems and of sealing as mentioned for the helmets with chin rests and concentric screen are found for headsets to chinrest liftable by combined translational movement and of rotation.

The state of the art also incorporates under article 54 (3) and (4) EPC document EP-A-0953300.

This document presents a protective helmet for driver of a vehicle comprising a shell, a visor and a chin guard in which said visor and said chin guard are able to rotate substantially independently of each other relative to the hull and wherein said visor and said chin guard rotates relative to their own axis of rotation positioned at a suitable distance one of the other.

The present invention is a protective helmet having intended to remedy the drawbacks of the devices current.

One of the first objects of the invention is to reduce or even eliminate wear on the seal when raising the chin rest.

For this, the helmet presented here has the advantage of eliminating any friction between the chin strap and the screen.

In doing so, the invention also has the advantage of reducing heavily wear the screen since the existing scratches so far by the passage of the chin strap on the outer surface of the screen are removed.

Another object of the invention is to allow the use more effective seals.

To do this, the helmet presented here has the advantage of not not limit the choice of seal according to a need for flexibility to prevent wear on the screen. So we can choose a joint much more rigid than at present whose longevity will be larger and allowing better sealing.

In addition, seals such as seals may be used in foam covered with resistant synthetic or natural leather, particularly waterproof and allowing pleasant contact with especially when the user is wearing the helmet hand.

Another object of the invention is to allow better adjustment of the seal on the screen when the chin strap and screen are in the lowered position.

To do this, given that no friction is caused when the chin strap is raised, the helmet could be carried out in such a way as to exert significant support from the attached to the lower part of the screen in the lowered position.

Furthermore, the present invention allows an increase in the chin strap to the back of the hull. In contrary to current devices using a combination of a rotational and translational movement, here it is possible raise the chin bar completely and pass it towards the back of the helmet. In this way, the chin behavior raised has less wind resistance and has a additional aesthetic appearance.

Other goals and advantages will emerge during the description which follows which is however only given indicative title.

• un écran attaché à la coque du casque
• une mentonnière attachée à la coque et apte à être relevée par dessus l'écran vers l'arrière de la coque par un mouvement de rotation.

The present invention relates to a protective helmet, in particular usable in motorcycling, comprising:

• a screen attached to the helmet shell
• a chin strap attached to the shell and able to be raised over the screen towards the rear of the shell by a rotational movement.

According to the invention, the chin rest has an axis of rotation shifted upwards relative to the screen axis for raising the chin strap without friction on the screen.

The screen is capable of being raised relative to the shell by a rotational movement following an interior trajectory at that of the chin rest by the offset of their axes of rotation.

The protective helmet has an intermediate piece ensuring the attachment of the screen and the chin strap on the shell and allowing their rotational movement by means guiding in rotation.

The rotating guide means consist of two circular and offset axis sections cooperating with a hole formed on the screen and another hole formed on the chin.

The screen guide section and its corresponding hole have a larger diameter than the guide section of the chin strap and its corresponding hole.

The guide section of the screen has a border for lateral support of the screen.

The intermediate part has a bore for the passage a screw to be fixed in the shell, the screw head resting on the outside of the chin rest.

The intermediate piece comprises a lug cooperating with a oblong hole in the screen to limit angular displacement of it.

The chin strap has a seal that applies to the part bottom of the screen when the chin rest is lowered, said joint being in foam covered with leather.

The chin strap has on its inside and above of each hole, a relief capable of lifting the chin guard during of its raising, when passing opposite the border.

The attached drawings are given by way of example indicative and not limiting. They represent a mode of embodiment according to the invention. They will help to understand easily the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the helmet. protection according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view for the visualization of the cooperation of the constituent elements of the helmet according to the invention.

Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment in which a relief is formed.

Screen 3 is not shown in Figure 4.

The protective helmet 1 shown here has a shell 2 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The shell 2 will be made in a current manner and ensures the much of the user's head protection. The more often, the shell 2 is of an almost spherical shape and allows you to attach the other components of the helmet.

Among these elements, there is first of all a screen 3. Screen allows outside visibility for the driver while protecting his vision from disruptive elements like the wind.

The screen 3 is fixed on either side of the shell 2 as as shown in FIG. 2. This fixing is carried out according to a attachment pin 5 presented in FIGS. 1 and 2 and passing through right through the hull 2.

The shape of the screen 3 is not limited but the most often adapted to that of hull 2 to ensure its continuity on the front of the helmet 1.

In a particular embodiment, the screen 3 is liftable relative to the hull 2. The possibility of raising the screen 3 is for example illustrated in FIG. 1 according to arrow B. The attachment axis 5 of screen 3 is then also an axis of rotation.

To strengthen the rigidity of helmet 1 and increase the user safety at chin level, helmets often include a chin rest.

The chinrest 4 according to the invention as illustrated in Figure 1 is liftable relative to the shell 2 on which she is attached.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the chin rest 4 can be place in the lowered position and its upper part apply on the lower part of screen 3. The chinrest 4 can also be raised and even tilted fully back of the hull 2 in another position of use.

Preferably, the chin rest 4 has a seal 7 also shown in Figure 1. This seal 7 applies when the screen 3 is in the lowered position on its lower part. The seal 7 then seals. according to the invention, axis 5 of the screen 3 and axis 6 of the chin rest 4 are offset. More precisely, axis 6 is shifted towards the high relative to axis 5.

In this way, an increase in the chin strap 4 without friction on the screen 3.

The trajectory of the chin rest 4 is illustrated in Figure 4 and takes place well above screen 3 and its recovery trajectory.

In a particular embodiment, the helmet protection 1 includes an intermediate piece 8 ensuring the attachment of the screen 3 and the chin strap 4 to the shell 2. The intermediate part 8 also has the function of allow the rotation movement of the screen 3 and the chin rest 4 and for this purpose includes guiding means in rotation.

As shown in Figure 2, we will use a intermediate piece 8 for each side of the shell 2.

The means for guiding in rotation may be constituted in different ways and in particular to be consisting of two sections 9, 10. These sections 9, 10, such that illustrated in figure 2, are circular and offset one of the other. We thus realize the offset of axes 5 and 6 of screen and chin rest 4.

To perform the rotation movement of screen 3 and chinrest 4, we will realize on these two elements two holes 11 and 12 respectively cooperating with the sections 9 and 10 respectively.

In a particular embodiment, a section 9 of larger diameter with respect to section 10. The diameters of the holes 11 and 12 formed on the screen and the chin rests will be chosen accordingly.

As illustrated in Figure 2, this mode of realization allows first mounting of the screen on the shell 2 then an assembly of the chin rest 4. This can apply on the flat of the section 9 by its inner face.

To effectively maintain screen 3 at the level of section 9, this will preferably include a border 13 for lateral retention of the screen 3.

This border as illustrated in FIG. 2 may not be only partial.

The border 13 can be completed by a portion of the border of section 10. Indeed, the offset of the axes and the section dimensions can be chosen so that that the area of the section 10 exceeds that of the section 9.

To finalize the assembly of the elements and ensure attachment to the shell 2, the intermediate piece 8 may have a bore 14 for the passage of a screw to be fixed in the shell 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the screw can pass through successively the hole 12 formed in the chin strap 4, the hole 11 formed in the screen 3 and the bore 14 of the part intermediate 8. At the end of assembly, the screw head will rest on the outer face 15 of the chin rest 4. The intermediate piece 8, the screen 3 and the chin rest 4 are then effectively attached to the shell 2.

In a particular embodiment, the part intermediate 8 also includes a lug 16 cooperating with an oblong hole 17 formed in the screen 3. In this way, we can limit the angular displacement of the screen 3.

Due to the offset circular trajectory of the chin strap 4 opposite the shell 2 and the screen 3, all friction of the seal 7 on the screen 3 is eliminated.

Therefore, we can use a joint type 7 in a much wider range of choice. Including the joint 7 can be much more rigid than joints current. In a particular embodiment, it is made of foam covered with synthetic leather.

The assembly of the constituent elements of the helmet 1 according to the invention can be carried out as follows.

Initially, the intermediate part 8 is attached to hull 2. We will use an intermediate piece 8 per hull side 2.

It is then possible to introduce the holes 11 formed on the screen in sections 9 of each intermediate piece 8.

The presence of a border 13 ensures lateral support of screen 3 relative to shell 2.

Chinrest 4 can then be applied on each side of shell 2 and lean on the ends of screen 3. The hole 12 formed in the chin strap will cooperate with the section 10 of the intermediate piece 8.

To finalize the attachment, a screw can be attached to the through different elements, in the material of the shell 2.

Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment in which a relief 18 is formed on the chin rest 4, at the level from each of its ends.

Figure 3 shows schematically the location of the relief 18, at above hole 12 and on the inside of the end of the chin strap (i.e. substantially above the axis 6).

In the lowered position, the relief 18 does not act and the chin strap 4 is optimally applied to shell 2.

During the raising, the relief 18 comes opposite the edge 13 which constitutes a projection on the part intermediary 8. Their cooperation causes the chin guard 4 relative to the shell 2 and thus avoids scratches or too high resistance to lifting.

The relief 18 may have the shape illustrated in the figure 3 (substantially oblong) and, in section, in FIG. 4. A plastic part with an inclined face 19 can be used.

More precisely, the relief 18 present on the face inside of the chin rest 4 can be inserted between the inner lining 20 and the rigid body 21 of the chin rest 4.

It is thus completely invisible and the sliding of the trim 20 on the edge 13 prevents jamming at the recovery.

This produces a protective helmet that is used very convenient way having a high gasket quality and avoiding premature wear of the screen. Through elsewhere, a chinrest 4 can be raised and possibly up to the rear part of the hull 2 without scratching it.

REFERENCES

1. Helmet.

2. Hull.

3. Screen.

4. Chinrest.

5. Screen axis.

6. Chin axis.

7. Seal.

8. Intermediate piece.

9. Screen section.

10. Chin section.

11.Screen hole.

12. Chin hole.

13.Bordure.

14.Alésage.

15. Chin exterior.

16.Ergot.

17.Elong hole.

18.Relief

19.Tilted face

20.Garniture

21. Rigid body

Arrow A

Arrow B

Claims (10)

1. Helmet (1), notably for use by motorcyclists, including:

   a visor (3) attached to shell (2) of helmet (1)

   a chin guard (4) attached to the shell (2) and able to be raised over the visor (3) by rotation towards the back of the shell (2) and so that

   chin guard (4) has a point of rotation (6) positioned towards the top relative to the point of rotation (5) of visor (3) for raising chin guard (4) without catching on visor (3)

   visor (3) is capable of being raised relative to shell (2) by a rotational movement along a trajectory which is positioned inside that of chin guard (4) by offsetting their axes of rotation (5, 6)

   characterised in that

   it has a middle part (8) for attaching visor (3) and chin guard (4) on shell (2) and enabling their rotation by rotational guidance means.
2. Helmet according to claim 1 characterised in that
      the features for rotational guidance consist of two circular and offset guides (9, 10) acting with a hole (11) on visor (3) and another hole (12) on chin guard (4).
3. Helmet (1) according to claim 2 characterised in that
      section (9) for guiding visor (3) and its corresponding hole (11) have a larger diameter than the guide for chin guard (4) and its corresponding hole (12).
4. Helmet (1) according to claim 2 characterised in that
      guide (9) on visor (3) includes an edge (13) for maintaining visor (3) on the side.
5. Helmet (3) according to claims 1 to 4 characterised in that
      middle part (8) has a bored hole (14) for inserting a screw to be fixed in shell (2), the screw head bearing on the outer face of chin guard (4).
6. Helmet (1) according to claims 1 to 5 characterised in that
      middle part (8) includes a pin (16) acting with an oblong hole (17) in visor (3) to limit its angular movement.
7. Helmet (1) according to claims 1 to 6 characterised in that
      chin guard (4) includes a sealing strip (7) applying on the lower part of visor (3) when chin guard (4) is lowered, said sealing strip (7) being in leather-lined foam.
8. Helmet (1) according to claim 4 characterised in that
      the chin guard includes on its inside surface and above each hole (12), a raised feature (18) serving to lift chin guard (4) when raised, as it passes over edge (13).

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