GB2126076A - Aircrew helmet - Google Patents

Abstract

An aircrew helmet assembly rendered minimal in weight by being void in ear regions thereof and having a visor which is integral with an oronasal respirator mask. The mask is anchored to the helmet so as to be close to the wearer's face. The earphones preferably incorporate active noise reduction means and the helmet a retractable sun visor. The visor may be linked to the helmet by a NBC protective membrane, preferably retractable with memory, the ear voids similarly covered, and the assembly may have an NBC protecting membrane skirt.

Description

SPECIFICATION Lightweight aircrew helmet assembly The present invention relates to protective helmet assemblies suitable for use by aircrew.

A current aircrew helmet assembly is adapted to cover the whole of an aircrewman's head except his face, and carries mobile visors so that the assembly provides for impact protection of the whole head. The helmet per se is also required to carry one or more electro-optical devices used in target acquisition and weapon aiming. The dual requirements of impact protection and equipment mounting can conflict in the senses both of items relating to impact resistance interfering physically and electronically with the operation of the equipment and of the equipment mounting weakening the helmet structure and impeding visor, say movement, and compete for permissible weight, weight distribution and bulk.

The present invention provides a helmet assembly by which the scope for this conflict and competition is practically attenuated.

According to the present invention a helmet assembly for use by aircrew comprises: a helmet, an impact resistant visor for covering at least the upper face of a wearer, an oronasal respirator mask, means anchored in the helmet for holding the respirator mask to the face, and earpieces carrying earphones, the helmet comprising an impact resistant shell adapted substantially to envelop the head excepting the face and the ear regions thereof, the respirator mask and the visor being attached one to the other, and the earpieces interfitting the helmet in the ear regions thereof.

Mounting the visor on the respirator mask confers a number of important advantages. It minimises the weight and bulk of the visor material itself and obviates the use of helmet mounted pivots which pose weight and electronics problems. It reduces the likelihood of optical distortion by the visor of physical interference between the visor and sighting apparatus.

It readily permits a sun visor to be mounted within a sheath formed in the helmet and slidably deployable, the sun visor also then being capable of not affording optical distortion or physical interference. This in turn simplifies arrangements by which electronic apparatus can be mounted on the helmet.

It will be appreciated that the visor is not, in contradistinction to that in the respirator described in UK Patent Specification 1,587,121, attached to a head enveloping hood, so that means directing demist gas over the visor internal surface is not required. Preferably a gap at the visor, helmet, face interfaces is arranged to permit environmental air to keep the visor free of condensation. Particularly at the top thereof, however, the visor may carry edge cushioning to avoidvisor/face chafing and damage by the visor to the face on impact.

In an embodiment of the invention intended for protective use in a toxic environment the visor and the helmet may be linked by a substantially impermeable membrane around the sides and top of the face, the membrane being made of butyl or neoprene or both perhaps, and preferably having bellowed folds and a memory permitting the visor to be lifted away from the helmet for donning and doffing purposes, with the membrane adapting elastically a non-obtrusive configuration when the visor is returned to an in-use configuration.This embodiment of the invention may incorporate means for blowing air over the internal visor surface, such as those described in UK Patent Specification 1,587,121. It may also incorporate means, such as a bellowed skirt of butyl or neoprene or both, for protecting the neck of a wearer, the means extending from the helmet and visor lower edges.

The visor may be articulated in the cheek region thereof, to permit the visor and respirator readily to adapt to various face shapes. Similarly the voids in the helmet ear regions may be large enough to permit the earpieces to cover ears of various sizes and locations, for a toxic environment a membrane may cover the ear voids.

The earpieces may have an impact resistant outer shell. Their size can be minimized if they incorporate active noise reduction (ANR) means.

The helmet may be formed of a reinforced plastics material, preferabiy a kevlar and carbon fibre reinforced plastics material.

Helmet assmeblies in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a first helmet assembly, and Figure 2 is a front elevation of a second helmet assembly.

The helmet assembly illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a helmet 10, a visor 11, an oronasal respirator mask 12, visor-to-helmet anchorage means 13, and earpieces 14. The helmet 10, which is made of a kevlar and carbon fibre reinforced plastics, has voids in the region of the ears, to accommodate the earpieces 14. These voids are large enough to allow the earpieces 14 to cover ears in many of the positions in which they may be found on the heads of the appropriate size, while the earpieces incorporate an active noise reduction (ANR) facility, and are consequently only large enough to cover the statistically largest human ear.A sun visor 1 5 is siidably retractable in the helmet, being extendable to cover the optical portion of the visor 1 The visor 11 is integral with the oronasal mask 12 and thus is adapted to be close to the wearer's face. It carries cushion means 1 6 approximate its upper edge to prevent chafing between the visor and the face and to assist in absorbing impact. The visor/mask combination carries a breathing air inlet 17, an exhalate outlet 18, a microphone 19 and nose occluder means 20.

The helmet assembly illustrated in Figure 2 is intended for a nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) defenece role. The helmet, visor, visor anchorage, mask and earpieces are as described with reference to Figure 1, except that the ear voids are sealed with a membrane 30, the visor edge is sealed to the helmet edge by a folding membrane 31, and the visor/respirator carries an inlet 32 for visor demisting/helmet purging air deflector means 33 for directing that air over the surface of the visor 11 ahead of the eyes, and an outlet non return valve 34 for the air.

The hood and visor assembly carries a skirt 35 having bellows 35a in the neck region thereof.

The folds in the membrane 31 are memorised in the material, so that after extension they return to a folded, non-obstructive, configuration. They are continued down into the bellows 35a to permit ready donning and doffing of the assembly. The membranes 30, 31 and the skirt 35 are made of a butyl/neoprene sandwich.

Claims (Filed on 17/8/83) 1. A helmet assembly for use by aircrew comprising a helmet, an impact resistant visor for covering at least the upper face of the wearer, an oronasal respirator mask, means anchored in the helmet for holding the respirator mask to the face, and earpieces carrying earphones, the helmet comprising an impace resistant shell adapted substantially to envelop the head excepting the face and the ear regions thereof.

the respirator mask and the visor being attached one to the other, and the earpieces interfitting the helmet in the ear regions thereof.

2. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 and having a sun visor mounted within a sheath formed in the helmet and slidably deployable.

3. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and having a gap at the visor, helmet and face interfaces arranged to permit environmental air to keep the visor free of condensation.

4. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and wherein the visor and the helmet are linked by a substantially impermeable membrane around the sides and top of the face.

5. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 4 and having bellowed folds and a memory permitting the visor to be lifted away from the helmet for donning and doffing purposes, with the membrane adapting elastically to a non-obtrusive configuration when the visor is returned to an inuse configuration.

6. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 and incorporating means for blowing air over; the internal visor surface.

7. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 and incorporating means for protecting the neck of a wearer, the means extending from the helmet and visor lower edges.

8. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the neck protection means comprises a bellowed skirt.

9. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and wherein the visor carrying edge cushioning to avoid visor/face chafing and damage by the visor to the face on impact.

10. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the visor is articulated in the cheek region thereof, to permit the visor and respirator to adapt to various face shapes.

1 A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the voids in the helmet ear regions are large enough to permit the earpieces to cover ears of various sizes and locations.

12. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein a membrane covers the ear voids.

13. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the earpieces have an impact resistant outer shell.

1 4. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the earpieces incorporate active noise reduction (ANR) means.

15. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the helmet is formed of a reinforced plastics material.

16. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 5 and wherein the helmet is fabricated for a kevlar and carbon fibre reinforced plastics material.

1 7. A helmet assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (16)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 18, a microphone 19 and nose occluder means 20. The helmet assembly illustrated in Figure 2 is intended for a nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) defenece role. The helmet, visor, visor anchorage, mask and earpieces are as described with reference to Figure 1, except that the ear voids are sealed with a membrane 30, the visor edge is sealed to the helmet edge by a folding membrane 31, and the visor/respirator carries an inlet 32 for visor demisting/helmet purging air deflector means 33 for directing that air over the surface of the visor 11 ahead of the eyes, and an outlet non return valve 34 for the air. The hood and visor assembly carries a skirt 35 having bellows 35a in the neck region thereof. The folds in the membrane 31 are memorised in the material, so that after extension they return to a folded, non-obstructive, configuration. They are continued down into the bellows 35a to permit ready donning and doffing of the assembly. The membranes 30, 31 and the skirt 35 are made of a butyl/neoprene sandwich. Claims (Filed on 17/8/83)

1. A helmet assembly for use by aircrew comprising a helmet, an impact resistant visor for covering at least the upper face of the wearer, an oronasal respirator mask, means anchored in the helmet for holding the respirator mask to the face, and earpieces carrying earphones, the helmet comprising an impace resistant shell adapted substantially to envelop the head excepting the face and the ear regions thereof.

the respirator mask and the visor being attached one to the other, and the earpieces interfitting the helmet in the ear regions thereof.

2. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 and having a sun visor mounted within a sheath formed in the helmet and slidably deployable.

3. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and having a gap at the visor, helmet and face interfaces arranged to permit environmental air to keep the visor free of condensation.

4. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and wherein the visor and the helmet are linked by a substantially impermeable membrane around the sides and top of the face.

5. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 4 and having bellowed folds and a memory permitting the visor to be lifted away from the helmet for donning and doffing purposes, with the membrane adapting elastically to a non-obtrusive configuration when the visor is returned to an inuse configuration.

6. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 and incorporating means for blowing air over; the internal visor surface.

7. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 and incorporating means for protecting the neck of a wearer, the means extending from the helmet and visor lower edges.

8. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the neck protection means comprises a bellowed skirt.

9. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and wherein the visor carrying edge cushioning to avoid visor/face chafing and damage by the visor to the face on impact.

10. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the visor is articulated in the cheek region thereof, to permit the visor and respirator to adapt to various face shapes.

1 A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the voids in the helmet ear regions are large enough to permit the earpieces to cover ears of various sizes and locations.

12. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein a membrane covers the ear voids.

13. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the earpieces have an impact resistant outer shell.

1 4. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the earpieces incorporate active noise reduction (ANR) means.

15. A helmet assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the helmet is formed of a reinforced plastics material.

16. A helmet assembly as claimed in claim 1 5 and wherein the helmet is fabricated for a kevlar and carbon fibre reinforced plastics material.

1 7. A helmet assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.