GB2115685A - Crash helmet visor - Google Patents

Abstract

A transparent visor 1 for a motor cyclist crash helmet is provided with an aperture 3 covered by a replaceable panel of transparent sheet material 7 so that the panel can be removed and discarded when it has become severly scratched and relatively cheaply replaced by a new panel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Crash helmet visor The invention relates to visors for motor cyclists crash helmets.

In recent years it has become accepted, and in some countries compulsory, for motor cyclists to wear crash helmets in order to reduce the incidence of injury and death resulting from road accidents. However, in order that the wearing of a crash helmet shall not in one respect tend to even more accidents, it is necessary that 'the wearer shall be offered unrestricted vision, equally when looking straight ahead and when looking backwardly over the shoulder.

Such vision is afforded by providing the helmet with a wide opening to the front which is covered by a visor of transparent material. The central portion of the visor tends in use to become scratched by stones and the like flung up from a road surface or by abrasion caused by the wearer in wiping the visor clear of moisture, and this scratching leads to a reduction in clarity of vision.

According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a visor of transparent sheet material for a motor cyclist crash helmet, said visor being provided with an aperture covered by a replaceable panel of transparent sheet material.

The panel is preferably slidingly mounted on the visor in grooves. The grooves may be provided on the outer face of the visor. The grooves may be defined by strips of flexible transparent material.

The strips and the panel are preferably of material at least as flexible as the visor itself.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is an elevation of a visor shown flat; and Fig. 2 is a section on line II to II of Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1 the visor 1 comprises a piece of transparent flexible sheet material shaped to fit over the face opening of a crash helmet. In its peripheral shape and in the provision of mounting slots 2, the visor is conventional.

Centrally of the visor 1 is a substantially rectangular orifice 3, the position and dimensions of which corresponds to the area of the visor which in practice is most susceptible to loss of transparency by scratching. Above and below the orifice 3, strips 4, 5 of flexible transparent material are attached to the sheet 1, by adhesive or other means. Strips 4 are secured directly to the visor 1 parallel with one another whilst strips 5 are secured to strips 4 and, being wider than strips 4, in such a manner as to project beyond strip 4 so as to provide elongate grooves 6 open towards the orifice 3.

The spacing and thickness of the strips 4 are such that the grooves 6 allow the introduction of a panel 7 of flexible transparent sheet material and its removai when required, but the fit is sufficiently tight to prevent the inadvertent removal of the panel 7.

The panel 7 is of larger superficial dimensions than the orifice 3 so that as shown in Fig. 1 it completely covers the opening and when the panel 7 is in place the visor presents a complete barrier to wind.

The strips 4 and 5 and the panel 7 are at least as flexible as the material of visor 1, and the manner in which the strips 4 and 5 are secured to the material are such as to allow the visor to be bent out of the flat plane shown as is required for fitting to a helmet. Moreover, the strips and panel are of equal transparency as the material of visor 1 and the manner in which they are attached to the visor is such as not substantially to reduce the clarity of the wearer's vision therethrough.

The panel 7 is arranged against that surface of the visor 1 away from the wearer's face. In other embodiments not shown the orifice 3 and the panel 7 may have curved ends.

In use of the visor, that portion of the panel 7 covering the opening 3 will, according to experience, become scratched in the course of time and when the visibility through the panel has reached an unacceptable level, it is a simple matter for the user to withdraw the scratched panel by sliding it out of the grooves 6 and repiacing it by sliding into the grooves a new clear panel. Because the panels 7 are of relatively simple shape and much smaller size than the visor it is expected that they will be relatively inexpensive and it is believed that the replacement of a scratched panel by a new one will not be resisted on the grounds of cost and the arrangement can be expected therefore to increase road safety by encouraging motor cyclists to drive with clear forward vision.

1. A visor of transparent sheet material for motor cyclist crash helmet, said visor being provided with an aperture covered by a replaceable panel of transparent sheet material.

2. A visor according to claim 1 wherein the panel is slidingly mounted in grooves on the visor.

3. A visor according to claim 2 wherein the grooves are provided on the outer face of the visor.

4. A visor according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the grooves are defined by strips of flexible transparent material.

5. A visor according to claim 4 wherein the strips and the panel are of material at least as flexible as the visor.

6. A visor of transparent sheet material for a motor cyclist crash helmet substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Crash helmet visor The invention relates to visors for motor cyclists crash helmets. In recent years it has become accepted, and in some countries compulsory, for motor cyclists to wear crash helmets in order to reduce the incidence of injury and death resulting from road accidents. However, in order that the wearing of a crash helmet shall not in one respect tend to even more accidents, it is necessary that 'the wearer shall be offered unrestricted vision, equally when looking straight ahead and when looking backwardly over the shoulder. Such vision is afforded by providing the helmet with a wide opening to the front which is covered by a visor of transparent material. The central portion of the visor tends in use to become scratched by stones and the like flung up from a road surface or by abrasion caused by the wearer in wiping the visor clear of moisture, and this scratching leads to a reduction in clarity of vision. According to the invention, therefore, there is provided a visor of transparent sheet material for a motor cyclist crash helmet, said visor being provided with an aperture covered by a replaceable panel of transparent sheet material. The panel is preferably slidingly mounted on the visor in grooves. The grooves may be provided on the outer face of the visor. The grooves may be defined by strips of flexible transparent material. The strips and the panel are preferably of material at least as flexible as the visor itself. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is an elevation of a visor shown flat; and Fig. 2 is a section on line II to II of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1 the visor 1 comprises a piece of transparent flexible sheet material shaped to fit over the face opening of a crash helmet. In its peripheral shape and in the provision of mounting slots 2, the visor is conventional. Centrally of the visor 1 is a substantially rectangular orifice 3, the position and dimensions of which corresponds to the area of the visor which in practice is most susceptible to loss of transparency by scratching. Above and below the orifice 3, strips 4, 5 of flexible transparent material are attached to the sheet 1, by adhesive or other means. Strips 4 are secured directly to the visor 1 parallel with one another whilst strips 5 are secured to strips 4 and, being wider than strips 4, in such a manner as to project beyond strip 4 so as to provide elongate grooves 6 open towards the orifice 3. The spacing and thickness of the strips 4 are such that the grooves 6 allow the introduction of a panel 7 of flexible transparent sheet material and its removai when required, but the fit is sufficiently tight to prevent the inadvertent removal of the panel 7. The panel 7 is of larger superficial dimensions than the orifice 3 so that as shown in Fig. 1 it completely covers the opening and when the panel 7 is in place the visor presents a complete barrier to wind. The strips 4 and 5 and the panel 7 are at least as flexible as the material of visor 1, and the manner in which the strips 4 and 5 are secured to the material are such as to allow the visor to be bent out of the flat plane shown as is required for fitting to a helmet. Moreover, the strips and panel are of equal transparency as the material of visor 1 and the manner in which they are attached to the visor is such as not substantially to reduce the clarity of the wearer's vision therethrough. The panel 7 is arranged against that surface of the visor 1 away from the wearer's face. In other embodiments not shown the orifice 3 and the panel 7 may have curved ends. In use of the visor, that portion of the panel 7 covering the opening 3 will, according to experience, become scratched in the course of time and when the visibility through the panel has reached an unacceptable level, it is a simple matter for the user to withdraw the scratched panel by sliding it out of the grooves 6 and repiacing it by sliding into the grooves a new clear panel. Because the panels 7 are of relatively simple shape and much smaller size than the visor it is expected that they will be relatively inexpensive and it is believed that the replacement of a scratched panel by a new one will not be resisted on the grounds of cost and the arrangement can be expected therefore to increase road safety by encouraging motor cyclists to drive with clear forward vision. CLAIMS

1. A visor of transparent sheet material for motor cyclist crash helmet, said visor being provided with an aperture covered by a replaceable panel of transparent sheet material.

2. A visor according to claim 1 wherein the panel is slidingly mounted in grooves on the visor.

3. A visor according to claim 2 wherein the grooves are provided on the outer face of the visor.

4. A visor according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the grooves are defined by strips of flexible transparent material.

5. A visor according to claim 4 wherein the strips and the panel are of material at least as flexible as the visor.

6. A visor of transparent sheet material for a motor cyclist crash helmet substantially as described with reference to the drawings.