Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
  • A42B3/32—Collapsible helmets; Helmets made of separable parts ; Helmets with movable parts, e.g. adjustable
  • A42B3/326—Helmets with movable or separable chin or jaw guard

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to full-face protective headwear such as full-face helmets. More particularly but not exclusively, the present invention is concerned with a flip-up mechanism for a full-face helmet.
• a flip-up mechanism is provided between the shell and the chin bar.
• the shells used on such flip-up helmets have generally flat sides to allow the pivoting action of the chin bar between these two positions. This imposes aesthetic limitations on the styling of the helmet.
• a relatively large gap must be maintained between the chin bar and the shell to allow the pivoting action. This gap increases the noise level inside the helmet.
• An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a flip- up mechanism for a full-face helmet.
• a protective headwear comprising a shell, a chin bar, and a mounting assembly for pivotally mounting the chin bar to the shell so as to be pivotable between a closed position and an open position, the mounting assembly comprising a female portion and a male portion mounted to the female portion, wherein when pivoting the chin bar from the closed position to the open position, one of the female and male portions rotates relative to the other causing a longitudinal displacement of one of the female and male portions with respect to the other thereby widening the chin bar during passage from said closed position to said open position
• a mounting assembly for a flip-up protective headwear comprising a shell and a chin bar for pivotally mounting the chin bar to the shell, the mounting assembly comprising a female portion and a male portion mounted to the female portion, wherein when pivoting the chin bar from a closed position to an open position, one of the female and male portions rotates relative to the other causing a longrtudi ⁇ al displacement of one of the female and male portions with respect to the other thereby widening the chin bar during passage from the closed position to the open position
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flip-up helmet provided with a flip-up mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; the helmet being shown in a closed position;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the flip-up helmet of Figure 1 shown in an open position
• Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of the helmet of
• Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view similar to Figure 3 but showing the inside surface of the chin bar;
• Figure 5A is a rear view of the flip-up helmet of Figure 1 , the chin bar being in a closed position;
• Figure 5B is a sectional rear view similar to Figure 5A illustrating the helical screw assembly when the chin bar is in the closed position
• Figure 6A is a rear view of the flip-up helmet of Figure 1 , the chin bar being in an open position;
• Figure 6B is a sectional rear view similar to Figure 6A illustrating the helical screw assembly when the chin bar is in the open position DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
• an illustrative embodiment of the present invention is concerned with a flip-up mechanism allowing smooth movements of the chin bar of a flip-up style full-face helmet between open and closed positions.
• the flip-up mechanism includes a helical screw assembly that has a relatively large thread so configured as to widen the chin bar when the chin bar is pivoted towards its open position and replace the chin bar in its narrow configuration when it is pivoted back towards its closed position.
• FIG. 1 of the appended drawings a protective headwear such as a flip-up style full face helmet 10 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be described.
• the full face helmet 10 includes a shell 12 and a pivotable chin bar 14.
• the chin bar 14 is pivotally mounted to the shell 12 via a helical screw assembly 16 that allow the chin bar 14 to be pivoted between the closed position illustrated in Figure 1 and the open position illustrated in Figure 2.
• the chin bar 14 also includes a transparent face shield 15 conventionally pivotally mounted thereto. Since face shields such as 15 are believed well known in the art, they will not be further discussed herein.
• the chin bar 14 and the shell 12 are provided with a locking mechanism (not shown) that selectively lock the chin bar 14 in the closed position for safety purpose.
• a locking mechanism (not shown) that selectively lock the chin bar 14 in the closed position for safety purpose.
• the flip-up mechanism includes a mounting assembly such as a three part helical screw assembly 16 defined by a female portion 18, secured to the shell 12, a male portion 20 mounted to the female portion 18 and a fastener 22 secured to the male portion 20; a ramp 24 mounted to the external surface of the shell 12 and a skid 26 secured to the inner surface of the chin bar 14.
• the female portion 18 of the three part helical screw assembly 16 is mounted to the shell 12 from the inside of the shell 12 as is apparent from Figure 3.
• the female portion 18 is provided with a shoulder portjon 19 so configured as to abut the inside surface of the shell 12.
• An adhesive (not shown) may be used to fixedly mount the female portion 18 to the shell 12
• the female portion 18 includes a central aperture 28 provided with engaging elements such an internal double relatively large helical thread 30 to allow the male portion 20 to be inserted therein as will be described hereinbelow.
• the male portion 20 has a generally cylindrical outer surface and is configured and sized as to enter the central aperture 28 of the female portion 18
• the male portion 20 includes engaging elements such as an external double relatively large helical thread 32 corresponding to the double relatively large helical internal thread 30 of the female portion 18 Accordingly, rotation of the male portion 20 within the female portion 18 causes a longitudinal displacement of one portion with respect to the other, caused by the contact between the internal and external threads of these elements.
• the male portion 20 also includes a central threaded aperture (see numeral 34 in Figures 5B and 6B) allowing the fastener 22, including external treads (not shown) to be mounted thereto as will be discussed hereinbelow.
• the male portion 20 includes longitudinal projections 36 configured and sized as to interconnect with cutout portions 38 (see Figure 4) of the chin bar 14
• the three part helical screw assembly 16 is assembled as follows.
• the female portion 18 is mounted to the shell 12 and secured thereto
• the male portion 20 is then threadingly inserted in the central opening 28 of the female portion 18
• the chin bar 14 is mounted to the shell 12 by aligning the cutout portions 38 with the longitudinal projections 36 and by threadingly inserting the fastener 22 into the threaded aperture 34 of the male portion 20 from the outside surface of the chin bar 14.
• the operation of the three part helical screw assembly 16 will be described hereinbelow.
• the flip up mechanism also includes a ramp 24 and a corresponding skid 26
• the ramp 24 is fixedly mounted to the outside surface of the shell 12 via fasteners or adhesives (not shown).
• the skid 26 is mounted at a corresponding location on the inner surface of the chin bar 14, better seen in Figure 4, for cooperation with the ramp 24.
• the ramp 24 has a thin portion 40 so thickening as to end in a thick portion 42
• the ramp 24 also has an irregularity in its thickening in the form of a bump 44
• the contact between the skid 26 and the ramp 24 help the widening of the chin bar 14 upon opening thanks to the thickening of the ramp 24.
• the bump 44 provides a resting place for the skid 26 when the chin bar 14 reaches its open position shown in Figure 2.
• the f ⁇ ctionaf engagement between the skid 26 and the bump 44 of the ramp 24 may easily be overcome by the user that desires to move the chin bar from the open position to the closed position.
• Figures 5A and 5B of the appended drawings that both illustrate a rear view of the helmet 10 when the chin bar 14 is in the closed position shown in Figure 1.
• the gap between the chin bar 14 and the shell 12 is relatively narrow when the chin bar 14 is in the closed position.
• Figure 5B illustrates the various elements of the flip-up mechanism described hereinabove As can be seen from this figure, the male portion 20 is enclosed in the female portion 18, thereby positioning the chin bar 14 in a narrow configuration.
• Figures 6A and 6B are similar to Figures 5A and 5B but illustrate the chin bar 14 in the open position shown in Figure 2.
• the male portion 20 is partly outside the female portion 18, thereby positioning the chin bar 14 in a widened configuration
• the widening of the chin bar 14 is caused by the corresponding relatively large threads 30 and 32 of the female 18 and male 20 portions, respectively.
• the pivoting action required to move the chin bar 14 from the closed position of Figure 1 to the open position of Figure 2 causes the male portion 20 to partially egress the female portion 18, causing the widening of the chin bar 14.
• This widening of the chin bar 14 during the passage of the chin bar 14 from the closed position to the opened position has many advantages. For example, it is possible to design a chin bar 14 that is more aerodynamic since the gap between the chin bar 14 and the shell 12 is narrower Also, the size of the chin bar 14 in the area of the fastener 22 may be kept smaller and with a concave inner surface to better fit with the shell 12 Indeed, should there be no widening of the chin bar 14 during operation, the facing surface of the chin bar 14 and the shell 12 should be kept generally flat and parallel to allow the pivoting of the chin bar 14.
• the shell 12 is provided with resilient sealing elements in the form of a top seal 46 and a bottom seal 48, both secured to the external surface of the shell 12. These resilient sealing elements 46 and 48 are compressed when the chin bar 14 is pivoted from the open position to the closed position, providing a good seal between the chin bar 14 and the shell 12. Accordingly, the gap between the chin bar 14 and the shell 12 is minimal and adequately sealed, thus reducing the sound generated by the wind at the interface between the chin bar 14 and the shell 12,
• the present invention provides a flip-up mechanism allowing smooth movements of the chin bar of a flip-up style full- face helmet between open and closed positions.
• the flip-up mechanism includes a mounting assembly such as helical screw assembly that has a relatively large thread so configured as to widen the chin bar when the chin bar is pivoted towards its open position and replace the chin bar-' in a riarrow configuration when it is pivoted bacK towards its closed position

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• Helmets And Other Head Coverings (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38371160

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

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Family Cites Families (4)

• 2007
  • 2007-02-16 EP EP07701794A patent/EP1988790A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-02-16 WO PCT/CA2007/000245 patent/WO2007093062A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-02-16 CA CA002642409A patent/CA2642409A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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