GB2260888A

GB2260888A - Safety helmets

Info

Publication number: GB2260888A
Application number: GB9120847A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Forrest Boyle
Original assignee: ILES OPTICAL Ltd
Current assignee: ILES OPTICAL Ltd
Priority date: 1991-10-01
Filing date: 1991-10-01
Publication date: 1993-05-05
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-01
Also published as: GB2260888B; GB9120847D0

Abstract

Rigid plastics safety helmet with an integral peak 3 connected to a crown part 2 by hinge means, e.g. by hinge groove 6, to enable the peak to be snapped into an upright or forwardly projecting position with an over centre locking action. Marginal sections 10 of the hinge have a similar radius of curvature to that of a transverse cross section of the peak. Upward displacement of the peak facilitates upward viewing by a wearer. <IMAGE>

Description

SAFETY HELMETS The present invention relates to safety helmets and, more particularly, to industrial safety helmets of the type worn on building sites and in factories where there is a risk of head injury.

Typically, such an industrial safety helmet comprises a protective shell moulded from tough, rigid, lightweight plastics material, such as, polypropylene, the crown part of the shell having an internal harness so that the shell fits comfortably onto the head of a wearer. The shell is moulded of different shapes for different purposes and may include a large or small peak projecting from the crown part for shielding the eyes of a wearer and/or supporting a protective transparent visor. Where a wearer is required continually to look upwards, the peak has hitherto been omitted so as to facilitate upward visibility. However, a peak is always desirable and the present invention has for an object to provide a safety helmet having a peak which can be readily displaced so as to improve upward visibility for the wearer.

Accordingly, the invention consists in a safety helmet comprising a shell having a peak projecting from a crown part of the helmet, in which the peak is joined to the crown part via hinge means permitting the peak to be flipped into an upwardly projecting position from its normal forwardly projecting position, and vice versa.

Preferably, the shell is moulded from plastics material and the peak is integrally joined to the crown via hinge means which is adapted to retain the peak in its upwardly projecting or upright position when it is flipped into that position. To this end, the hinge means may comprise a groove extending transversely of the peak adjacent the crown and in the undersurface of the peak, this hinge groove having a longitudinal axis or configuration in plan such as to provide an over centre locking action whereby when the peak is moved upwardly from its normal position, it snaps into and is retained in its upright position, and vice versa.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the peak has an arcuate shape of large radius in cross section and the longitudinal axis of the hinge groove is similarly radiused in plan, at least over marginal sections thereof adjacent opposite sides of the peak. Such complimentary radii ensure that the hinge groove produces the effect of an over centre lock so that, when the peak is flipped upwardly, the hinge locks out at a position in which the peak projects upwardly at approximately 900 from its normal position. Stiffening webs may be provided inboard of the hinge groove adjacent opposite sides of the peak to reduce flexing and distortion during actuation of the peak.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the protective shell of a safety helmet embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the helmet Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the peak, Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section of the peak illustrating the hinge groove in greater detail, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the shell showing the peak in its upwardly projecting position.

Referring to the drawings, the protective shell 1 of the safety helmet is moulded from tough rigid plastics material, such as, polypropylene and comprises a domeshaped crown 2 and a peak 3. The crown 2 is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis and is moulded internally with suitable fixing means (not shown) for an internal harness so that the crown may be comfortably seated on the head of a wearer.

In cross section, the peak 3 is of arcuate shape of large radius and has a bead 4 extending around its periphery. Adjacent the front of the crown 2 the undersurface 5 of the peak is moulded with a groove 6 extending transversely for the full width of the peak and forming a hinge line via which the peak is joined to the crown 2. At opposite ends of the groove, the bead 4 is cut-away by means of notches 7. As illustrated in detail in Figure 4, the hinge groove 6 is of frustro-triangular shape in section and, in depth, may be two thirds of the thickness of the peak. For example, in one embodiment, the peak is 3mm thick and the hinge groove is 2mm deep and has sides 8 tapering at 30 .

In plan, the axis of the hinge groove 6 comprises three sections, that is, a central section 9 which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the peak, and marginal sections 10 at opposite ends of the central section 9 which are of arcuate shape extending about the crown and having radii similar to the radius of the arcuate cross sectional shape of the peak. Stiffening webs 11 are moulded inboard of the hinge underneath the peak and adjacent opposite sides thereof to reduce flexing and distortion during movement of the peak, as described below.

The hinge groove 6 enables the peak 3 to be manually flipped upwardly from its normal position, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, to an upwardly projecting position, as illustrated in Figure 5, which is approximately at right angles to the normal position, thereby to facilitate upward visibility for a wearer. The axial shape of the hinge groove 6 causes it to produce the effect of an over centre lock so that when the peak 3 is flipped upwardly, it snaps into its upright position and is retained or locked in that position. Conversely, when upward visibility is no longer important, the wearer may manually flip the peak downwardly into its normal position, during which movement the hinge groove again acts as an over centre device so that the peak snaps into and is retained in its normal position.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the crown 2 and peak 3 of the shell may be changed from those illustrated to suit any particular use for which the helmet may be intended.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Safety helmet comprising a shell having a peak projecting from a crown part of the helmet in which the peak is joined to the crown part via hinge means permitting the peak to be flipped into an upwardly projecting position from its normal forwardly projecting position and vice versa.

2. Helmet as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shell is moulded from plastics material.

3. Helmet as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the peak is integrally joined to the crown via the hinge means which is adapted to retain the peak in its upwardly projecting position when it is flipped into that position.

4. Helmet as claimed in claim 3 wherein the hinge means comprises a groove extending transversely of the peak adjacent the crown.

5. Helmet as claimed in claim 4 wherein the groove is in the undersurface of the peak.

6. Helmet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hinge means has a longitudinal axis or configuration in plan such as to provide an over centre locking action whereby when the peak is moved upwardly from the forwardly projecting position it snaps into and is retained in its upright position and vice versa.

7. Helmet as claimed in claim 6 wherein the peak has an arcuate shape of large radius in transverse cross section and the longitudinal axis of the hinge means at least over marginal sections is similarly radiused in plan.

8. Helmet as claimed in claim 7 wherein a central section of the hinge means is substantially perpendicular to a fore and aft longitudinal axis of the peak.

9. Helmet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein stiffening webs are provided inboard of the hinge means adjacent opposite sides of the peak.

10. Helmet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.