EP2976957B1 - Protective helmet with movable chin guard with automatic lifting mechanism for the screen - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a protective helmet, in particular for a motorcyclist.

It relates more particularly to a protective helmet of the type comprising a shell on which are mounted mobile screen and chinrest.

• une configuration dite « intégral » dans laquelle la mentonnière est fermée sur l'avant du casque et procure une protection de la portion faciale du menton, et
• une configuration dite « jet » dans laquelle la mentonnière est ouverte et placée sur l'arrière du casque, au-delà du sommet de la coque, pour dégager le visage du porteur tout en gardant le casque en place sur le crâne, tout en évitant d'avoir une mentonnière saillante en position ouverte pour, d'une part, éviter des lésions graves des cervicales au porteur en cas de chute et de blocage par frottement contre le sol ou d'autres obstacles et pour, d'autre part, optimiser l'aérodynamisme du casque dans la position ouverte de la mentonnière.

Such helmets are known to offer a dual configuration, namely:

• a configuration called "integral" in which the chin guard is closed on the front of the helmet and provides protection of the facial portion of the chin, and
• a configuration called "jet" in which the chin guard is open and placed on the back of the helmet, beyond the top of the shell, to clear the wearer's face while keeping the helmet in place on the skull, while avoiding to have a prominent chin protractor in the open position to, on the one hand, avoid serious cervical damage to the wearer in case of fall and frictional blocking against the ground or other obstacles and on the other hand, to optimize the aerodynamics of the helmet in the open position of the chin strap.

It is thus known from the document EP 1 806 986 to design a protective helmet in which the chin strap has two lateral branches each provided with a slide in which is engaged at least one guide pin fixed on the shell, so that the chin strap slides along these guide fingers between the open and closed positions, and the screen has two lateral arms articulated on the hull.

To guarantee the waterproofness of the helmet in "full" configuration, this document EP 1 806 986 proposes that the screen, when lowered, bears against an upper outer edge of the closed chin bar, and the chin strap cooperates with shaped guide means for guiding it in a non-circular trajectory, combining rotation and translation, whereby the chin guard deviates from the hull and tilts backward over the screen to its open position.

This particularly advantageous solution however has the disadvantage that when the chinrest is in the open position and the screen is in the lowered position, the wearer must manually raise the screen to allow the chinrest to return to the closed position.

This manual lifting of the screen, prior to the closure of the chin guard, has a disadvantage from a security point of view. Indeed, if the wearer wishes to bring his chinrest forward in the closed position, while driving, it must make two movements, namely raise the screen and then rock the chinrest forward, thus contributing to increase the time manipulation and to reduce vigilance the time of the operation.

The present invention aims to solve this problem by providing a helmet equipped with at least one automatic lifting mechanism of the screen when the chinrest is moved from the open position to the closed position.

• une came rotative solidaire d'un doigt de guidage, ledit doigt de guidage étant monté pivotant sur la coque selon un axe de rotation transversal et étant lié en rotation à la branche latérale correspondante de la mentonnière par coopération de forme avec sa glissière, et
• un élément suiveur solidaire d'un bras latéral de l'écran, où la came et l'élément suiveur sont en contact au moins partiel selon une surface de came donnée.

Such a mechanism is known from the document EP 1 101 419 . However it includes a cam secured to the chinrest which imposes a movement to the follower of the screen. To solve the problem, the invention provides a protective helmet, particularly for motorcyclists, of the type comprising a shell on which are mounted movable a screen and a chinrest, the chinrest being movable between a closed position on the front of the hull and an open position in which the chinrest is positioned at the rear of the shell beyond the top of the shell, the chin strap having two lateral branches each provided with a slide in which is engaged at least one guide pin fixedly secured. on the shell, so that the chin strap slides along these guide fingers between its two positions, and the screen being movable between a lowered position and a raised position and having two lateral arms articulated on the shell, this helmet being remarkable in that it comprises an automatic lifting mechanism of the screen configured to raise at least partially the screen from its positio n lowered during the movement of closing the chin strap from its open position to its closed position, the lifting mechanism of the screen comprising at least one cam follower system comprising:

• a rotary cam integral with a guide pin, said guide pin being pivotally mounted on the shell along a transverse axis of rotation and being rotatably connected to the corresponding lateral branch of the chin guard by shape cooperation with its slide, and
• a follower element secured to a side arm of the screen, wherein the cam and the follower are in at least partial contact with a given cam surface.

Thus, thanks to this lifting mechanism with cam-follower system (s), the tilting of the chinrest forward from the open position, concomitantly causes the lifting of the screen, initially lowered, taking advantage of the or each guide pin which guides the chin in its movement to rotate one or two rotating cams which will act on one or two respective follower elements to raise the screen.

In this way, the operation of closing the chinrest, by bringing it back from forward, is done in a single operation without manual manipulation of the screen beforehand, with the advantage of saving time safety and vigilance for the helmet wearer.

It is conceivable to have only one cam-follower system, which will be located to the right or to the left of the hull, or to have two cam-follower systems, which will be located to the right and to the left of the hull. .

According to one characteristic, the or each cam follower system is shaped so that, starting from a configuration in which the chinrest is in the open position and the screen is in lowered position, when the cam pivots under the effect of the movement closing the chin guard, said cam comes into contact with the follower element and controls the displacement of the screen by acting on the follower element in the direction of at least a partial recovery of the screen.

In the aforementioned configuration, the cam and the follower member may be in contact, so that the lifting of the screen starts as soon as the chinrest begins to tilt forward.

Alternatively, in this configuration, the cam is spaced from the follower member with a predefined mounting clearance, and comes into contact with the follower element after the chin guard has traveled a certain portion of the return path to the position. closed. Thus, the lifting of the screen does not start immediately when the chinrest leaves its open position.

According to another characteristic, the or each cam follower system is shaped so that, starting from the first configuration, when the cam pivots under the effect of the closing movement of the chinrest, the cam drives the displacement of the screen by acting on the follower element in the sense of raising the screen to a partially raised intermediate position, and then the cam and the follower member leave the contact once the screen in said intermediate position while the cam continues to rotate until the chinrest reaches its closed position.

Thus, the or each cam follower system causes a partial lifting of the screen under the effect of the closing movement of the chinrest, to allow degrees of freedom necessary for the proper operation of the lifting mechanism of the chinrest. Indeed, by ensuring that the or each cam leaves the contact with its follower before the screen is in the raised position (thus locked in the fully raised position), it avoids a blocking potential situation.

In a particular embodiment, the lifting mechanism further comprises at least one biasing element urging the screen from the intermediate position to the raised position.

Thus, the return element or elements, preferably of the elastic return element type, take over from the cam follower system (s) in order to finish raising the screen, once the or each cam has left contact with its element. follower and left the screen in its intermediate position partially raised.

Advantageously, each lateral arm of the screen supports, at a free end, a hinge pin slidably mounted in an oblong hole provided on a wall integral with the shell.

Thus, this oblong hole allows a displacement of the screen from front to back, or from back to front, thus allowing a complex movement of the screen, combining translation and rotation, advantageous for the concomitant kinematics of the screen and the chin strap, and particularly to bring the screen closer to the hull when it is raised to facilitate the passage of the chin guard over the screen.

In a particular embodiment, each lateral arm of the screen supports a pin engaged in an arcuate groove mounted on the shell to impose a trajectory not completely circular to the screen between its lowered and raised positions.

These arcuate grooves guide the screen in the complex motion described above, while ensuring sufficient mechanical strength of the screen on the shell.

Advantageously, the arcuate grooves are shaped to impose a trajectory combining translation and rotation in which when raising the screen, starting from the lowered position, the screen first deviates from the hull to the front , then follows a rotational movement, and finally approaches the hull to the raised position.

This complex trajectory is of course authorized thanks to the oblong orifices mentioned above.

According to a possibility of the invention, each lateral branch of the chinrest supports, on an inner face, at least one guiding pin engaged in a groove formed on a side wall integral with the shell, said groove defining a trajectory of the chinrest not entirely circular, combining rotation and translation, between its open and closed positions.

These grooves, in which the respective guide pins slide, ensure the guidance of the chin strap according to the aforementioned non-circular path, which allows the chin strap, starting from the closed position, to deviate from the shell (in other words move it forward, either in a pure translation movement or in a combination of translation and rotation movement), then tilt backwards from the shell, passing over the screen, and reach the rear hull (beyond the top of the hull) to end up in the closed position. It is advantageous that, at the end of this opening movement of the chinrest, the chinrest approaches the rear of the shell to reach its final closed position.

According to another possibility of the invention, at least one guiding pin is in abutment against a corresponding guide pin when the chin guard is in the closed position.

Thus, at least one guide pin, which optionally supports a cam, serves as a stop for the corresponding guide pin.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, each groove has a starting portion which mainly defines a translation movement towards the front of the chin guard when it is opened from the closed position, so that the guide pin away from the guide finger before said guide finger begins to pivot with the chinrest or has rotated a few degrees.

Thus, when opening the chin guard, the rotation of the guide pin does not hinder the departure of the guide pin, starting from the closed position of the chin.

The present invention also relates to the characteristic according to which at least one guide pin comprises an outer portion of shape oblong substantially complementary with the slide in which said guide pin is engaged.

This oblong portion embraces the interior of the slide and thus causes the rotation of the guide finger when the slide rotates (that is, when the chinrest rotates).

According to a possibility of the invention, the or each cam has a protruding lug deviating radially from the transverse axis of rotation of the corresponding guide pin; this projecting tab defining at least partly the cam surface driving the displacement of the follower element, and thus the displacement of the screen.

According to another possibility of the invention, when the screen is in the lowered position and the chinrest in the closed position, the screen bears against an upper outer rim of the chin guard, with in particular an inner face of the screen in support against a seal carried by the outer upper edge of the chinrest.

Thus, the seal is optimal by being equivalent to that of a conventional full-face helmet with fixed chin.

• les figures 1 et 2 sont des vues schématiques de côté d'un casque conforme à l'invention, avec des éléments absents et d'autres transparents pour visualiser un système came-suiveur, dans une configuration (figure 1) dans laquelle la mentonnière est en position fermée et l'écran est en position abaissée et dans une autre configuration (figure 2) dans laquelle la mentonnière est en position ouverte et l'écran est en position abaissée ;
• la figure 3 est vue schématique en perspective d'une partie du casque des figures 1 et 2, illustrant l'articulation de l'écran sur la coque ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique éclatée et en perspective (côté intérieur) illustrant les éléments de montage de l'écran et de la mentonnière sur la coque ;
• les figures 5 à 12 sont des vues schématiques illustrant partiellement le casque des figures 1 et 2 dans différentes configurations successives, chaque figure présentant une première vue à échelle réduite illustrant de manière complète l'écran et la mentonnière et une seconde vue à échelle agrandie (ou zoomée) illustrant un mécanisme de relevage automatique dans les différentes configurations, avec :
  • en figure 5, une première configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière est en position ouverte et l'écran est en position abaissée ;
  • en figure 6, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière a commencé a basculé vers l'avant et a commencé à relever l'écran grâce aux systèmes came-suiveur ;
  • en figure 7, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière a continué de basculer vers l'avant et l'écran a atteint la positon intermédiaire partiellement relevée grâce aux systèmes came-suiveur ;
  • en figure 8, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière n'a pas bougé tandis que l'écran a atteint sa position relevée grâce aux éléments de rappel élastique ;
  • en figure 9, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière a fini de basculer vers l'avant et a atteint sa position fermée, tandis que l'écran est resté dans sa position relevée ;
  • en figure 10, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière est restée dans sa position fermée, tandis que l'écran a été abaissé jusqu'à sa position abaissée ;
  • en figure 11, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière a été remontée et écartée vers l'avant par rapport à la coque, et l'écran a été en partie relevé ;
  • en figure 12, une configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière a été basculée vers l'arrière et a atteint sa position ouverte, et l'écran a été relevé et a atteint sa position relevée ;
• la figure 13 présente plusieurs vues schématiques illustrant partiellement le mécanisme de guidage de la mentonnière qui entraîne en rotation les cames pour le casque des figures 1 et 2, lors de la fermeture de la mentonnière en partant d'une position ouverte (figure (a)) jusqu'à une position ouverte (figure (f)), et avec quatre positions intermédiaires successives (figures (c), (d) et (e)) ;
• les figures 14 à 16 des vues schématiques en perspective de détails du casque des figures 1 et 2, illustrant essentiellement un doigt de guidage et sa came dans la position fermée de la mentonnière.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description below, of an example of non-limiting implementation, with reference to the appended figures in which:

• the Figures 1 and 2 are schematic side views of a helmet according to the invention, with missing elements and other transparencies to visualize a cam-follower system, in a configuration ( figure 1 ) in which the chinrest is in the closed position and the screen is in the lowered position and in another configuration ( figure 2 ) in which the chinrest is in the open position and the screen is in the lowered position;
• the figure 3 is schematic perspective view of part of the helmet Figures 1 and 2 , illustrating the articulation of the screen on the hull;
• the figure 4 is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view (inside) illustrating the mounting elements of the screen and the chin strap on the shell;
• the Figures 5 to 12 are schematic views partially illustrating the helmet of Figures 1 and 2 in different successive configurations, each figure presenting a first view on a reduced scale illustrating complete way the screen and chinrest and a second enlarged (or zoomed) view illustrating an automatic lifting mechanism in the various configurations, with:
  • in figure 5 a first configuration in which the chinrest is in the open position and the screen is in the lowered position;
  • in figure 6 , a configuration in which the chinrest began to tilt forward and began to lift the screen through cam-follower systems;
  • in figure 7 a configuration in which the chin rest continued to tilt forwards and the screen reached the partially raised intermediate position with cam-follower systems;
  • in figure 8 a configuration in which the chin rest has not moved while the screen has reached its raised position thanks to the elastic return elements;
  • in figure 9 a configuration in which the chinrest has finished tilting forwards and has reached its closed position, while the screen has remained in its raised position;
  • in figure 10 a configuration in which the chin rest has remained in its closed position, while the screen has been lowered to its lowered position;
  • in figure 11 a configuration in which the chin strap was raised and spread forward with respect to the hull, and the screen was partially raised;
  • in figure 12 a configuration in which the chinrest was tilted backwards and reached its open position, and the screen was raised and reached its raised position;
• the figure 13 presents several schematic views partially illustrating the guide mechanism of the chin strap which rotates the cams for the helmet of the Figures 1 and 2 when closing the chin strap from an open position (Figure (a)) to an open position (Figure (f)), and with four successive intermediate positions (Figures (c), (d) and (e));
• the Figures 14 to 16 schematic perspective views of helmet details of Figures 1 and 2 , essentially illustrating a guide finger and its cam in the closed position of the chinrest.

With reference to the figures, a helmet 1 according to the invention comprises a rigid shell 2 generally shaped spherical cap open, intended to be worn on the head of a wearer and to protect it. The helmet 1 also comprises a screen 3 and a chinrest 4 mounted mobile on the shell 2.

• une position dite abaissée (visible sur les figures 1, 2, 3, 5 et 10) dans laquelle l'écran 3 est dans sa position la plus basse et se positionne en face du visage, et en particulier en face du nez et des yeux du porteur ;
• une position dite relevée (visible sur les figures 8, 9 et 12) dans laquelle l'écran 3 est dans sa position la plus basse et se positionne en face de la partie frontale de la coque 2 qui couvre le front du porteur.

The screen 3 is movable between two extreme positions, namely:

• a so-called lowered position (visible on Figures 1, 2 , 3 , 5 and 10 ) in which the screen 3 is in its lowest position and is positioned in front of the face, and in particular in front of the nose and eyes of the wearer;
• a so-called raised position (visible on figures 8 , 9 and 12 ) in which the screen 3 is in its lowest position and is positioned in front of the front portion of the shell 2 which covers the front of the carrier.

The screen 3 has a central visor 30 of curved shape, made of a transparent material and secured to two lateral arms 31 articulated on the shell 2, and in particular on the right and left side walls of the shell 2. In a particular embodiment , the lateral arms 31 are articulated on flanges 20 fixed integrally on the shell 2.

Each lateral arm 31 has a free end, opposite to the central visor 30, which integrally supports a hinge pin 32. This hinge pin 32 is in the form of a cylindrical rod and projects towards the This hinge pin 32 terminates in an enlarged head 320 which forms a stop for the hinge axis 32.

The hinge axis 32 of each lateral arm 31 is slidably mounted inside an oblong orifice 21 formed through in the corresponding flange 20. The enlarged head 320 transversely blocks the hinge axis 32 inside the oblong orifice 21. The oblong orifice 21 extends rectilinearly substantially from front to back, and has a closer front bottom. from the front of the helmet 1 and a rear bottom located closer to the back of the helmet 1.

Each lateral arm 31 also integrally supports a pin 33 projecting towards the inside of the shell 2 and disposed at a predefined distance from the hinge axis 32, close to the central visor 30.

The pin 33 of each lateral arm 31 is engaged in an arcuate groove 22 formed on a guide piece 23 integral with the shell 2, and more specifically fixed integrally on the flange 20.

The lateral arm 31, the hinge axis 32 and the pin 33 can be made in one piece, as in the example illustrated in the figures, or in several elements fixed together. The guide piece 23 is a separate piece of the flange 20 and is fixed thereto, in particular by screwing or riveting, in the example illustrated in the figures, and in a variant the guide piece 23 and the flange 20 are formed of one piece.

• une portion inférieure délimitée par le fond inférieur de la gorge 22, sensiblement rectiligne ;
• une portion intermédiaire sensiblement en arc de cercle, présentant une courbure orientée vers l'avant du casque ; et
• une portion supérieure délimitée par le fond supérieur de la gorge 22.

Each arcuate groove 22 has a general "U" shape and has three successive portions:

• a lower portion delimited by the lower bottom of the groove 22, substantially rectilinear;
• an intermediate portion substantially in a circular arc, having a curvature oriented towards the front of the helmet; and
• an upper portion delimited by the upper bottom of the groove 22.

The lower and upper bottoms of the groove 22 are situated substantially at the same distance from the oblong orifice 21, and these bottoms are the parts of the groove which are closest to the oblong orifice 21.

In the lowered position of the screen 3, each pin 33 is housed in the lower bottom of the corresponding groove 22 and the hinge pin 32 is housed in the rear bottom of the oblong orifice 21. In the raised position of the 3, each pin 33 is housed in the upper bottom of the corresponding groove 22 and the hinge pin 32 is housed in the rear bottom of the oblong orifice 21.

Between the lowered and raised positions of the screen 3, each pin 33 circulates in the intermediate portion of the corresponding groove 22 and the hinge pin 32 is housed in the front bottom of the oblong orifice 21.

• dans une première phase, chaque axe d'articulation 32 se déplace vers l'avant à l'intérieur de l'orifice oblong 21 et concomitamment chaque pion 33 monte dans la portion inférieure de la gorge 22, de sorte que l'écran 3 s'avance et s'écarte de la coque 2 vers l'avant tout en amorçant sa montée ;
• dans une deuxième phase, l'axe d'articulation 32 est bloqué dans le fond avant de l'orifice oblong 21 et concomitamment chaque pion 33 monte dans la portion intermédiaire de la gorge 22, de sorte que l'écran 3 pivote vers le haut autour des axes d'articulation 32, tout en restant écarté de la coque 2 ;
• dans une troisième phase, chaque axe d'articulation 32 se déplace vers l'arrière à l'intérieur de l'orifice oblong 21 et concomitamment chaque pion 33 monte dans la portion supérieure de la gorge 22, de sorte que l'écran 3 se rapproche de la coque 2 tout en terminant sa montée.

Thus, when the screen 3 is raised from its lowered position and going up to the raised position, three phases are observed:

• in a first phase, each hinge pin 32 moves forward within the oblong hole 21 and concomitantly each pin 33 rises in the lower portion of the groove 22, so that the screen 3 s move forward and away from hull 2 forward while starting up;
• in a second phase, the hinge axis 32 is locked in the front bottom of the oblong hole 21 and concomitantly each pin 33 goes up in the intermediate portion of the groove 22, so that the screen 3 pivots upwardly about the hinge pins 32, while remaining separated from the shell 2;
• in a third phase, each hinge axis 32 moves rearwardly within the oblong hole 21 and concomitantly each pin 33 rises in the upper portion of the groove 22, so that the screen 3 becomes close to the hull 2 while finishing its climb.

The lower and upper bottoms of the grooves 22 have recesses which form bearings ensuring a stable hold of the pins 33 within these funds. The intermediate portion of each groove 22 is bordered on the rear side by a notched edge which allows stepwise displacement of the screen 3.

Each lateral arm 31 has a so-called follower element 34 which is in the form of a portion projecting downwards from a lower edge of the lateral arm 31. This follower element 34 is made of material with the lateral arm 31, but would have could be achieved independently and fixed on the lateral arm 31.

• une position dite ouverte (visible sur les figures 2, 5 et 12) dans laquelle la mentonnière 4 est positionnée sur l'arrière de la coque 2, au-delà se son sommet ;
• une position dite fermée (visible sur les figures 1, 9, 10, 14 et 15) dans laquelle la mentonnière 4 est positionnée sur l'avant de la coque 2 et se positionne en face du menton du porteur.

The chin rest 4 is movable between two extreme positions, namely:

• a so-called open position (visible on figures 2 , 5 and 12 ) in which the chinrest 4 is positioned on the rear of the shell 2, beyond is its top;
• a so-called closed position (visible on figures 1 , 9 , 10 , 14 and 15 ) in which the chinrest 4 is positioned on the front of the shell 2 and is positioned in front of the chin of the carrier.

Preferably, the chin guard 4 is provided with a locking system (not shown) on the shell 2 in the closed position.

The chinrest 4 has a central protective body 40 of curved shape, integral with two lateral branches 41 articulated on the shell 2, and in particular on the right and left side walls of the shell 2.

Each lateral branch 41 supports, on an inner face, a guiding pin 42 (visible on the Figures 14 to 16 ), this guide pin 41 being fixed in a housing provided on a stud 43 (visible on the figure 4 ) provided on the internal face of the lateral branch 41.

Each guiding pin 42 is slidably engaged in a groove 24 formed on a side wall or plate 25 integral with the shell 2. Each plate 25 covers the corresponding lateral arm 31 of the screen 3, and the flange 20. The groove 24 is formed through the plate 25 concerned, and has a generally curved shape and defines a guide rail for the guiding pin 42. We will usefully refer to the document EP 1 806 986 which describes in detail such a groove.

In addition, it should be noted that these grooves 24 define a complex trajectory of the not completely circular chin 4, combining rotation and translation, between its open and closed positions. In addition, unlike the groove example given in the document EP 1 806 986 each groove 24 has a fully curved shape, without rectilinear portion and without angle.

• une portion de départ bordée par un fond de départ 241 dans lequel est positionné le pion de guidage 42 lorsque la mentonnière 4 est en positon fermée (voir figures 9, 10, 14 et 15), cette portion de départ définissant une trajectoire d'écartement de la mentonnière vis-à-vis de la coque 2 vers l'avant lors de l'ouverture de la mentonnière 4, avec une amorce concomitante de montée pivotante de la mentonnière 4 ;
• une portion intermédiaire définissant une trajectoire de basculement de la mentonnière vers l'arrière de la coque 2, en passant par-dessus l'écran 3, avec un retournement de la mentonnière 4 entre environ 160 et 190° par rapport à la position fermée ;
• une portion d'arrivée bordée par un fond d'arrivée 242 dans lequel est positionné le pion de guidage 42 lorsque la mentonnière 4 est en positon ouverte (voir figures 5 et 12), cette portion d'arrivée définissant une trajectoire de rapprochement de la mentonnière contre l'arrière de la coque 2 avec un terminaison concomitante de descente pivotante de la mentonnière 4.

Each groove 24 has a substantially ellipsoidal slotted shape, with mainly three successive portions:

• a starting portion bordered by a starting base 241 in which is positioned the guiding pin 42 when the chin guard 4 is in closed position (see Figures 9, 10 , 14 and 15 ), this starting portion defining a spacing path of the chinrest vis-à-vis the shell 2 forward during the opening of the chin 4, with a concomitant primer pivotally mounted on the chin 4;
• an intermediate portion defining a tilting trajectory of the chinrest towards the rear of the shell 2, passing over the screen 3, with a reversal of the chin 4 between about 160 and 190 ° relative to the closed position;
• an arrival portion bordered by an inlet bottom 242 in which is positioned the guiding pin 42 when the chinrest 4 is in open position (see figures 5 and 12 ), this arrival portion defining a path of approach of the chinrest against the rear of the shell 2 with a concomitant termination of pivoting descent of the chinrest 4.

In addition, each lateral branch 41 has a slide 44 made in the form of an oblong through slot, and in which is slidably engaged a guide pin 26 fixed on the shell 2. Thus, during the complex trajectory of the chin guard 4, the chin rest 4 slides along the guide fingers 26 between its two extreme positions.

Each guide pin 26 has a through hole in which is engaged a rod 27 for fixing, in particular by screwing, on the shell 2. Thus, each guide pin 26 is pivotally mounted on the shell 2 along a transverse axis of rotation defined by the stem 27.

• une portion externe 261 de forme oblongue sensiblement complémentaire avec la glissière 44, cette portion externe 261 étant engagée à l'intérieur de la glissière 44 de sorte que le doigt de guidage 26 est lié en rotation avec la branche latérale 41 de la mentonnière 4, autrement dit le doigt de guidage 26 pivote selon son axe de rotation transversal concomitamment à la rotation de la mentonnière 4 ;
• une portion intermédiaire 262 cylindrique, rétrécie par rapport à la portion externe et prévue pour s'engager à l'intérieur d'une fente 28 oblongue ménagée sur un bord de la platine 25 ; et
• une portion interne 263 formant une came, élargie par rapport à la portion intermédiaire 262 et présentant une patte saillante 264 s'écartant radialement de l'axe de rotation transversal du doigt de guidage 26.

Each guide finger 26 has three portions:

• an outer portion 261 oblong substantially complementary with the slideway 44, this outer portion 261 being engaged inside the slideway 44 so that the guide finger 26 is rotatably connected with the lateral branch 41 of the chinrest 4, in other words the guide pin 26 pivots along its transverse axis of rotation concomitantly with the rotation of the chinrest 4;
• an intermediate portion 262 cylindrical, narrowed relative to the outer portion and adapted to engage within an oblong slot 28 formed on an edge of the plate 25; and
• an inner portion 263 forming a cam, widened with respect to the intermediate portion 262 and having a projecting lug 264 deviating radially from the transverse axis of rotation of the guide finger 26.

With reference to Figures 14 and 16 the protruding lug 264 is curved and has a concave front surface 2641 (that is, bulging inwardly of the protruding lug 264), a convex dorsal surface (that is, bulging outwardly of the prosthesis), and an apex 2643 joining the front and back surfaces 2641, 2642.

In situation, the outer portion 261 of the guide finger 26 extends on the outer side of the plate 25 to cooperate with the slideway 44, while the cam 263 extends on the inner side of the plate 25 to cooperate with the element. follower 34 of the corresponding lateral arm 31 (as described later); the intermediate portion 262 blocking the guide finger on the plate 25.

Thus, during the complex trajectory of the chin guard 4, the chin strap 4 slides along the guide fingers 26 between its two extreme positions, and concomitantly the guide fingers 26 rotate around their respective axes of rotation, thereby causing the rotation of the cams 263, as illustrated on the figure 13 which represents a tilting sequence of the chin strap from its open position ( Figure 13 (a) ) to its closed position ( Figure 13 (f) ) with guide pin 42 running in groove 24.

In the closed position of the chin guard 4, and as visible on the figures 1 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 (f) , 14 and 15 , the guide finger 26 is angularly positioned so that the protruding lug 264 of the cam 263 is oriented towards the front of the helmet 1, and more specifically with its top 2643 facing the front and bottom of the helmet 1 in situation on the carrier. In this closed position, and as visible on the Figures 14 and 15 , the guiding pin 42 bears against the convex dorsal surface 2642 of the protruding lug 264. Moreover, in this closed position, the follower element 34 can not come into contact with the cam 26, whatever the position of screen 3; a hollow 2644 (referenced on the figure 14 ) can be provided on the cam 26, in the continuity of the convex dorsal surface 2642 of the protruding lug 264, so that the follower element 34 is not in contact with the cam 26 when the screen 3 is in position lowered.

In the open position of the chin rest 4, and as visible on the figures 2 , 5 , 12 and 13 (a) , the guide finger 26 is angularly positioned so that the protruding lug 264 of the cam 263 is oriented toward the rear of the helmet 1, and more specifically with its top 2643 facing the rear and the top of the helmet 1 in situation on the wearer. In this open position, and as visible on the Figure 13 (a) , the guiding pin 42 bears against the convex dorsal surface 2642 of the projecting lug 264. In addition, in this open position, the follower element 34 bears against the cam 26, and more specifically against the concave frontal surface. 2641 of the projecting lug 264, when the screen 3 is in the lowered position, and visible on the figures 2 and 5 . By cons, in this open position, the follower element 34 is not in contact with the cam 26 when the screen 3 is in the raised position, as visible on the figure 12 .

It should be noted that the shapes of the cam 26 and the follower element 34 are such that, when the chinrest 4 is in the open or closed position, the screen 3 is free to move between its lowered and raised positions.

The two cam assemblies 26 - follower element 34, respectively to the right and to the left of the helmet 1, thus form cam-follower systems, where each cam 26 defines a cam surface (itself defined mainly by the surfaces 2641, 2642 and by the top 2643 of the projecting tab 264) for contact with the follower element 34; these two cam-follower systems forming an automatic lifting mechanism of the screen 3 configured to partially raise the screen 3 from its lowered position during the closing movement of the chin guard 4 from its open position to its position closed.

• en référence à la figure 5, dans une première configuration dans laquelle la mentonnière 4 est en position ouverte et l'écran 3 est en positon abaissée, chaque pion de guidage 42 est situé sur le fond d'arrivée 242 de la rainure 24 correspondante et vient en appui contre la surface dorsale convexe 2642 de la patte saillante 264 de la came 263 concernée, et chaque élément suiveur 34 est en appui contre la surface frontale concave 2641 de la patte saillante 264 concernée ;
• en référence à la figure 6, la mentonnière 4 commence à être basculée vers l'avant (comme schématisé par la flèche B) et de manière concomitante l'écran 3 commence à se relever automatiquement (comme schématisé par la flèche R), car chaque came 26 a commencé à pivoter (grâce aux doigts de guidage 26 entraînés en rotation par coopération avec les glissières 44) et chaque came 26 agit sur l'élément suiveur 34 correspondant, faisant ainsi pivoter les bras latéraux 31 et donc l'écran 3 (pivotement de chaque bras latéral 31 autour de son axe d'articulation 32 avec guidage concomitant du pion 33 dans la gorge 22 correspondante, et chaque élément suiveur 34 est en contact avec la surface frontale concave 2641 de la patte saillante 264 de la came 263 concernée), et en même temps chaque pion de guidage 42 circule dans le rail 24 ;
• en référence à la figure 7, la mentonnière 4 continue de basculer vers l'avant (comme schématisé par la flèche B) et de manière concomitante l'écran 3 continue de se relever automatiquement (comme schématisé par la flèche R), jusqu'à une position intermédiaire partiellement relevée de l'écran 3 où chaque pion 33 se situe à la fin de la portion intermédiaire de la gorge 22 et donc au début de la portion supérieure de la gorge 22 (chaque pion 22 n'étant pas encore logé dans le fond supérieur de la gorge 22 correspondante), et où chaque came 26 est à la fin de son contact avec l'élément suiveur 34 correspondant (et plus spécifiquement chaque élément suiveur 34 est en contact avec le sommet 2643 de la patte saillante 264 de la came 263 concernée de sorte qu'une fois passé ce contact avec le sommet 2643, l'élément suiveur 34 ne peut plus être entraîné en pivotement par la came 26) ;
• en référence à la figure 8, l'écran 3 est sollicité vers la position relevée (comme schématisé par la flèche RE) grâce à des organes de rappel élastique 5 qui sont montés sur les platines 25 et qui agissent sur les bras latéraux 31, ce mouvement final de relevage de l'écran 3 de la position intermédiaire partiellement relevée de la figure 7 jusqu'à la position relevée de la figure 8 ne se faisant que grâce à ces organes de rappel élastique 5, les cames 26 n'agissant plus sur le mouvement de l'écran 3 ;
• en référence à la figure 9, la mentonnière 4 a fini de basculer vers l'avant et a passé par-dessus l'écran 3 jusqu'à atteindre la position fermée, l'écran 3 étant resté dans sa position relevée, et les cames 26 ayant quittées le contact avec les éléments suiveur 34 correspondants ;
• en référence à la figure 10, l'écran 3 peut être abaissé (comme schématisé par la flèche A) jusqu'à atteindre sa position abaissée, avec la mentonnière 4 restée en position fermée, sans pour autant que les cames 26 ne reprennent le contact avec les éléments suiveur 34 correspondants.

A locking sequence of the chin rest 4, initially with a screen 3 in the lowered position, is described below with reference to the Figures 5 to 10 :

• with reference to the figure 5 in a first configuration in which the chinrest 4 is in the open position and the screen 3 is in lowered position, each guide pin 42 is located on the bottom of arrival 242 of the groove 24 corresponding and bears against the surface convex dorsal 2642 of the protruding lug 264 of the cam 263 concerned, and each follower element 34 bears against the concave front surface 2641 of the protruding lug 264 concerned;
• with reference to the figure 6 , the chin rest 4 begins to be tilted forward (as shown by the arrow B) and concomitantly the screen 3 begins to rise automatically (as shown by the arrow R), since each cam 26 began to rotate (Thanks to the guide fingers 26 driven in rotation by cooperation with the slides 44) and each cam 26 acts on the corresponding follower element 34, thereby pivoting the lateral arms 31 and thus the screen 3 (pivoting of each lateral arm 31 around its hinge axis 32 with concomitant guidance of the pin 33 in the corresponding groove 22, and each follower element 34 is in contact with the concave frontal surface 2641 of the protruding lug 264 of the cam 263 concerned), and at the same time each guiding pin 42 circulates in the rail 24;
• with reference to the figure 7 , the chin rest 4 continues to swing forward (as shown by the arrow B) and concomitantly the screen 3 continues to rise automatically (as shown by the arrow R), to a partially raised intermediate position of the screen 3 where each pin 33 is located at the end of the intermediate portion of the groove 22 and therefore at the beginning of the upper portion of the groove 22 (each pin 22 is not yet housed in the upper bottom of the throat 22), and where each cam 26 is at the end of its contact with the corresponding follower element 34 (and more specifically each follower element 34 is in contact with the top 2643 of the projecting lug 264 of the cam 263 concerned so that once past this contact with the top 2643, the follower element 34 can no longer be pivoted by the cam 26);
• with reference to the figure 8 , the screen 3 is biased towards the raised position (as shown by the arrow RE) with elastic return members 5 which are mounted on the plates 25 and which act on the lateral arms 31, this final lifting movement of the screen 3 of the partially raised intermediate position of the figure 7 to the raised position of the figure 8 being done only thanks to these elastic return members 5, the cams 26 no longer acting on the movement of the screen 3;
• with reference to the figure 9 , the chin rest 4 has finished tilting forwards and has passed over the screen 3 until reaching the closed position, the screen 3 having remained in its raised position, and the cams 26 having left contact with the corresponding follower elements 34;
• with reference to the figure 10 , the screen 3 can be lowered (as shown by the arrow A) to reach its lowered position, with the chin 4 remained in the closed position, without the cams 26 do not make contact with the follower elements 34 corresponding .

Each elastic return member 5 may be in the form of a helical spring having a branch fixed on the plate 26 (thus fixed on the shell 2) and another branch acting on the corresponding lateral arm 31. As a variant, each elastic return member 5 may be in the form of an elastically deformable blade or any other elastically deformable member acting on the corresponding lateral arm 31 to move the screen 3 from the partially raised intermediate position of the figure 7 to the raised position.

• en référence à la figure 10, l'écran 3 est en position abaissée et la mentonnière 4 est en position fermée ;
• en référence à la figure 11, l'écran 3 est relevé (comme schématisé par la flèche RM) manuellement et automatiquement au moyen d'un mécanisme complémentaire non illustré, et la mentonnière 4 commence son mouvement d'ouverture (comme schématisé par la flèche OU) au cours de laquelle chaque pion de guidage 42 quitte le contact avec la came 26 avant que la came 26 ne commence à pivoter avec la mentonnière (autrement dit la mentonnière 4 se déplace principalement selon un mouvement de translation, avec éventuellement quelques degrés de rotation concomitante, de sorte que les pions de guidage 42 se sont avancés dans la rainure 24 tandis que la came 26 n'a pas pivoter ou alors n'a pivoter que de quelques degrés) ;
• en référence à la figure 12, la mentonnière 4 a fini de basculer vers l'arrière (comme schématisé par la flèche BR) jusqu'à atteindre sa position fermée.

An opening sequence of the chinrest 4, initially with a screen 3 in the lowered position, is described below with reference to the Figures 10 to 12 :

• with reference to the figure 10 , the screen 3 is in the lowered position and the chin 4 is in the closed position;
• with reference to the figure 11 , the screen 3 is raised (as shown by the arrow RM) manually and automatically by means of a complementary mechanism not shown, and the chinrest 4 begins its opening movement (as shown by the OR arrow) during which each guiding pin 42 leaves the contact with the cam 26 before the cam 26 starts to pivot with the chinrest (that is to say the chinrest 4 moves mainly in a translational movement, possibly with a few degrees of concomitant rotation, so that the guiding pins 42 have advanced in the groove 24 while the cam 26 does not rotate or rotate only a few degrees);
• with reference to the figure 12 , the chin rest 4 has finished tilting backwards (as shown by the arrow BR) until it reaches its closed position.

Moreover, as visible on the figure 1 it should be noted that when the screen 3 is in the lowered position and the chinrest 4 in the closed position, the screen 3 bears against an upper outer rim 46 of the chin guard 4, in particular with an inner face of the visor central 30 of the screen 3 bearing against a seal 47 carried by the outer upper edge 46 of the chinrest 4.

Of course the implementation example mentioned above is not limiting and other improvements and details can be made to the helmet according to the invention, without departing from the scope of which is limited by the attached claims, where other forms of cams and / or other forms of follower member and / or more particularly other forms of cam surfaces may for example be made.

Claims (12)

1. A protective helmet (1), in particular for motorcyclist, of the type including a shell (2) on which a screen (3) and a chin guard (4) are movably mounted, said chin guard (4) being movable between a closed position on the front of the shell (2) and an open position in which the chin guard (4) is positioned at the rear of the shell (2) beyond the top of the shell (2), the chin guard (4) having two lateral branches (41) each provided with a slide (44) in which at least one guide finger (26) securely fixed on the shell (2) is engaged, so that the chin guard (4) slides along said guide fingers (26) between its two positions, and said screen (3) being movable between a lowered position and a raised position and having two lateral arms (31) hinged on the shell (2), said helmet (1) comprising a lifting mechanism for automatically lifting the screen (3) configured to lift at least partially the screen (3) from its lowered position during the closing movement of the chin guard (4) switching from its open position to its closed position, the lifting mechanism of the screen (3) including at least one cam-follower system, said helmet being characterized in that the cam-follower system comprises:

   - a rotary cam (263) secured to a guide finger (26), said guide finger (26) being pivotally mounted on the shell (2) along a transverse axis of rotation and being rotatably linked to the corresponding lateral branch (41) of the chin guard (4) by shape cooperation with its slide (44), and

   - a follower element (34) secured to a lateral arm (31) of the screen (3), wherein the cam (263) and the follower element (34) are at least partially in contact according to a given cam surface.
2. The helmet (1) according to claim 1, wherein the or each cam-follower system is configured so that, starting from a first configuration in which the chin guard (4) is in the open position and the screen (3) is in the lowered position, when the cam (263) pivots under the effect of the closing movement of the chin guard (4), said cam (263) comes into contact with the follower element (34) and drives the movement of the screen (3) by acting on the follower element (34) in the direction of an at least partial lifting of the screen (3).
3. The helmet (1) according to claim 2, wherein the or each cam-follower system is configured so that, starting from the first configuration, when the cam (263) pivots under the effect of the closing movement of the chin guard (4), the cam (263) drives the movement of the screen (3) by acting on the follower element (34) in the direction of a lifting of the screen (3) until a partially raised intermediate position, and then the cam (263) and the follower element (34) leave the contact once the screen (3) is in said intermediate position while the cam (263) continues to pivot until the chin guard (4) reaches its closed position.
4. The helmet (1) according to claim 3, wherein the lifting mechanism further includes at least one elastic return element (5) urging the screen (3) from the intermediate position to the raised position.
5. The helmet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each lateral arm (31) of the screen (3) supports, at a free end, a hinge axis (32) slidably mounted in an oblong orifice (21) provided on a wall (20) secured to the shell (2).
6. The helmet (1) according to claim 5, wherein each lateral arm (31) of the screen (3) supports a pin (33) engaged in an arcuate groove (22) mounted on the shell (2) to impose a non entirely circular path to the screen (3) between its lowered and raised positions.
7. The helmet (1) according to claim 6, wherein the arcuate grooves (22) are shaped to impose a path combining translation and rotation in which, when lifting the screen (3), starting from the lowered position, the screen (3) first moves away from the shell (2) toward the front, then follows a rotational movement, and finally moves closer to the shell (2) until the raised position.
8. The helmet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each lateral branch (41) of the chin guard (4) supports, on an inner face, at least one guide pin (42) engaged in a slot (24) formed on a lateral wall (25) secured to the shell (2), said slot (24) defining a non entirely circular path of the chin guard (4), combining rotation and translation, between its open and closed positions.
9. The helmet (1) according to claim 8, wherein at least one guide pin (42) is in abutment against a corresponding guide finger (26) when the chin guard (4) is in the closed position.
10. The helmet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one guide finger (26) includes an external portion (261) having an oblong shape which is substantially complementary with the slide (44) in which said guide finger (26) is engaged.
11. The helmet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each cam (263) has a protruding tab (264) radially moving away from the transverse axis of rotation of the corresponding guide finger (26).
12. The helmet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when the screen (3) is in the lowered position and the chin guard (4) in the closed position, said screen (3) bears against an outer upper rim (46) of the chin guard (4), in particular with an inner face of the screen (3) bearing against a seal (47) carried by the outer upper rim (46) of the chin guard (4).

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