GB2464749A

GB2464749A - Helmet with goggles attached thereto

Info

Publication number: GB2464749A
Application number: GB0624632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Joseph O'brien
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-09
Filing date: 2006-12-09
Publication date: 2010-05-05
Also published as: GB0624632D0

Abstract

A helmet with goggles attached comprises a helmet6having slots4through which straps3of the goggles5pass through. The strap3is tightened by means of a rotatable ratchet lock1which is mounted on the outside rear of the helmet. The ratchet lock1thereby operates to adjust the length of the straps3. The slots may be positioned on opposite sides of the helmet with the straps3passing from the inside to outside of the helmet. The slots4may be sloping. The lock1may be operable with one hand.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

This invention basically relates to an adjustable turn-lock ratchet to mount goggles to a helmet/head protection. Goggles are used for a wide variety of purposes. Goggles are worn e.g. by construction workers, miners, firemen and rescue services as a protection against falling objects. There are many types of goggles for sports use e.g. hockey players, football players, skiers, bobsleigh and sledges drivers, cyclists and horse riders etc. The use of goggles by motorcyclists is increasing. This invention relates to goggles to be fitted on helmets/head protection in general for any goggle has to be secured when worn on the face so that it will remain in place even if the wearer makes abrupt head movements, and so enable the goggles to totally fulfil their protective fi.inction in the event of any serious incident. As a general rule, goggles are held in place by means of a one-piece elastic strap with a buckle that is attached to the goggles and passed around the head to secure the goggles to the wearers face. When this method is used the goggles have to be removed from the wearers head totally, usually with both hands and stretching the elastic strap to adjust the elastic length for fit. Either onto the wearers' helmet/head protection, or wearers face The turn-lock ratchet eliminates the above adjusting procedure, as by using the turn-lock ratchet with a one-hand movement, the user would not have to remove the goggles from the face or the helmet' head protection for adjustment. The turn-lock ratchet system also eliminates wear and tear on the elastic straps, as when removing the goggles from the face or head/helmet protection the elastic is released from tension through the ratchet system thereby prolonging the working life of the goggles.

SIJMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

Hence it is the task of this invention to make provision for a turn-lock ratchet to fit goggles to a helmet head protection with an adjustable ratchet strap that overcomes the problems described above. The wearer should be able to put the goggles on the helmet, head or head protection quickly, and use a finely adjustable tightening force to tighten the strap or straps quickly and comfortably by himself, with just one hand. The turn-lock ratchet should also enable the wearer to tighten or loosed the straps easily and quickly, with just one hand at any time when the goggles are being worn on the face. Equally, the wearer should be able to loosen the straps quickly and easily so the goggles can be removed from the face and placed securely back onto the helmet, head or head protection. These tasks are solved by this turn-lock ratchet system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES.

Various embodiments of such goggle mounted ratchet with an adjustable strap will be presented, and their handling and special features explained, in the following description and with reference to the drawings in which.

FIG.!: is a side view of a helmet with a strap that can be adjusted by means of a (I) turn-lock ratchet; 1.Tum-lock Ratchet. 2.Coimecting straps.3 Elastic straps. 4.Slot or bracket.

5.Goggles.6 Helmet Shell.

FIG.2: is a top view, an exploded drawing, of a (6) helmet with a (2) straps that can be adjusted by means of a (1) turn-lock ratchet.

FIG.3 the assembled (1) turn-lock fastener (Fig 1) with Geneva mechanism iii a vertical section; FIG.4 (I) the turn-lock fastener with Geneva mechanism in a partial section; FIG.5 a turn-lock fastener with (2) curved grooves acting as cam discs on a construction workers helmet, seen from the rear; FIG.6 a side view of a helmet (Fig 1) with a strap that can a be adjusted by means of a turn-lock fastener;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

FIG I shows a side view of a helmet with straps that can be tightened and released by means of a (I) turn-lock fastener, which is operated with one hand.

Each (6) helmet wearer has to individually adjust the length of the (3) goggle straps for head size variance. For this purpose of fitting adequately to the face, the tension is adjusted by means of the said (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener This (1) turn-lock fastener is the core element in the design of a (3) goggle strap of this type i.e. a(3) goggle strap that can be tightened, adjusted and released with just one hand. It basically comprises a curved housing and a rotating knob situated on the back of the housing which can be rotated in conjunction with the two (2) plastic straps which pass out of the housing on opposite sides. A rotary actuator construction inside the housing of the( 1) turn-lock fastener allows the (2) plastic straps to be tightened or released by turning a rotating knob. To achieve this, the rotary actuator construction is used to turn a wheel, for example on which the ends of the(3) elastic goggle straps are wound, in one direction or the other so that, by rotating the knob as required, the effective length of (2) plastic straps can be modified in opposite directions, thereby providing a loosening and tightening of said straps and therefore of the straps overall.

Such (1) turn-lock fasteners may be used in a variety of constructiom. One possible construction is described below with reference to the exploded verticallhorizontal section shown in FIG.4 Beginning at the bottom, one sees first the curved housing of the (1) turn-lock fastener, with (4) guide channels, through which the corresponding ends of(2) plastic straps pass out of the housing on opposite sides. The rotating knob tightens the (3) goggles straps as this occurs. By turning in the opposite direction the pulling straps are unwound, and the strap is loosened.

FIG 5. Shows how (1) turn-lock fastener is incorporated, and its function in a plastic shell. On both sides of the (1) turn-lock fastener the (6) shell has recesses in the form of slits running radially from (I) turn-lock fastener knob in the direction of the straps converging from the sides, said mounted sLits being a few centimetres long through which the two straps converge from each side of the helmet.

When ratchet system of (1) turn-lock fastener is fully extended on the left and right of rotating knob, slides can be pulled to their outermost position and the strap is then sufficiently loosened for the wearer to adjust (5) goggles to be slipped on over the wearer's face. After putting on the (5) goggles the(1) turn-lock fastener is turned with one hand., which can be done when wearing a glove and(S) goggles element is pulled flush against the face to suit the wearer. Hence the (5) goggles can be put on and tightened as required by the wearer himself. The (2) two straps are adjusted to their optimum length and secured by means of the( I) turn-lock ratchet after which the (2) straps basically remain secure.

When the (5) goggles need to be removed by the wearer the rotating knob is rotated in the opposite direction using one hand only.

The (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener is the core element in realismg a (3) goggle strap of this type i.e. which can be tightened, adjusted and released with just one hand, one element other inventions in time to come may imitate by one means or another other adjustable designs of a (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener. The importance of this invention is adapting and replacing a portion of the (3) elastic straps with the(l) turn-lock ratchet system or similar to make it easier to fit (5) goggles to a users face either in conjunction with a helmet, head protection or directly to the head.

It is obvious, of course, that many different types of helmetigoggles can be fitted with the basic system allowing the (5) goggles to be directly or indirectly adjusted by means of such a (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener and then fixed in each position. Equally embodiments where corresponding straps with (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener are also possible. The (1) turn-lock ratchet fastener can also be mounted in some other position on the (6) helmet. E.g. on the sides. Its (2) straps are then guided around the (6) helmet shell in such a manner that they can tighten the strap as required to secure the (5) goggles.