GB2497371A

GB2497371A - Adjusting device for adjustable forehead band for a protective helmet

Info

Publication number: GB2497371A
Application number: GB1207616.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stefan Effmann; Jan Muscow
Original assignee: Draeger Safety AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Draeger Safety AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2011-12-08
Filing date: 2012-05-02
Publication date: 2013-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-02
Also published as: AU2012216301A1; CN103156323A; GB2497371B; DE102011120594A1; CN103156323B; FR2983688B1; AU2012216301B2; DE102011120594B4; GB201207616D0; AT13053U1; GB2497371B8; FR2983688A1

Abstract

An adjusting device for use with an adjustable forehead band for a helmet comprises an adjusting wheel 12, which comprises an adjusting washer 15, a locking washer 14 and a toothed ring 16 between the adjusting washer 15 and the locking washer 14, wherein free ends 2, 4 of the forehead band are accommodated in opposite directions in slots 7, 9 run between the adjusting washer 15 and the locking washer 14, and rows of teeth 3, 5 of the free ends 2, 4 of the forehead band engage in the toothed ring 16. The adjusting wheel 12 is fixed in a rotatable manner to a guide seat 6 on which the slots 7, 9 are also located. The adjusting wheel 12 is preferably attached to the guide seat 6 by a bolt.

Description

Device with an adjustable forehead band for a protective helmet The invention relates to a device of an adjustable forehead band for a protective helmet.

Since the human head is individually very different with regard to the head shape, such as the head circumference, width and height, helmets generally have systems for adaptation to difference head sizes. On the one hand, this serves to generate a comfortable fit and on the other hand to ensure a firm and secure fit of the helmet in order to safeguard the protection function.

Nowadays, the helmets available on the market have adaptation systems for different head sizes, which are adjusted either beforehand, i.e. when the helmet has not been put on, or afterwards when the helmet has been put on. Precisely the category of helmets which enables a so-called adaptation of the head size from the exterior is finding increasing popularity among users, since the helmet can be adapted individually and also depending on the given situation without the helmet having to be taken off. The head-circumference adjustment is the type of adjustment which has the greatest effect on a good fit of the helmet. Most systems that are used are so-called adjusting wheel systems, wherein a wheel is rotated, the effect of which is that two toothed racks move towards one another by means of a toothed wheel. Full-shell helmets extend farther downwards, especially in the region of the back of the neck, than for example motorcycle helmets which for the most part are half-shell helmets. The adjustment mechanism or the operation for the head-width adjustment can thus either be fitted on the helmet shell or can lie beneath the helmet shell. A head-width adjustment lying beneath the helmet shell is more difficult to access for operation.

Many helmet manufacturers use adjustment mechanisms for the head-width adjustment which are fitted directly on the helmet trim. The adjusting wheel including a guide for the toothed racks, a latching mechanism for fixing the adjusted head width and the uncoupling mechanism for releasing the fixed head-width adjustment are designed such that the latter are applied in a housing on the head support ring. This housing is held together either by means of screws or by snap-in hook systems in order to ensure the function in the interior.

There is known from DE 198 82 440 B4 an adjustable forehead band with a toothed ring mechanism, wherein the free ends of the forehead band are provided with rows of teeth and are disposed so as to overlap one another. The free ends are moved towards one another by means of the adjustment knob which is provided with a toothed wheel engaging in the rows of teeth, and the length of the forehead band is thereby increased or decreased. The known toothed ring mechanism requires a large number of individual parts which have to be held together in a housing.

The present invention seeks to provide a device of the aforementioned kind which comprises few individual parts and can be assembled in a straightforward manner.

The present invention is as claimed in the claims.

The advantage of the device according to the present invention consists in the fact that two free ends of the forehead band, which are accommodated so as to be displaceable in opposite directions in a guide seat, are adjusted by means of a toothed ring which comprises a locking washer at its rear end facing the guide seat and an adjusting washer at the other end. The locking washer lies adjacent to the guide seat and the free ends of the forehead band, which are provided with rows of teeth engaging in the toothed ring, run at one end in slots which are connected to the guide seat, both above and below the toothed ring and between the locking washer and the adjusting washer of the adjusting wheel. The free ends of the forehead band thus fix the locking washer to the guide seat and thus secure the adjusting wheel to the guide seat without additional measures being required.

To adjust the forehead band, it therefore requires, apart from the free ends of the forehead band and the guide seat which are in any case present, only a specially designed adjusting wheel, which comprises a toothed ring lying between two washers. The washer lying adjacent to the guide seat as a locking washer is pressed by the free ends of the forehead band against the guide seat, as a result of which the adjusting wheel is fixed to the guide seat. The free ends of the forehead band run above and below the toothed ring and are provided with rows of teeth engaging in the toothed ring. The free ends of the forehead band are guided in slots on the guide seat in such a way that they run parallel to one another and the toothed ring lies in between. For this purpose, two slots as first double slots are located above the toothed ring for the first free end of the forehead band and second double slots are located below the toothed ring for the second free end of the forehead band.

A hinge connection is provided for securing the adjusting wheel to the guide seat, in such a way that a bolt is present on the guide seat and the adjusting wheel comprises a hole formed corresponding thereto. For the assembly, the adjusting wheel is first placed onto the bolt and the locking washer thereby lies adjacent to be guide seat. The locking washer is designed with a diameter such that it projects into the region of the double slots and is overlapped by the free ends of the forehead band. The free ends of the forehead band are then introduced into the double slots above and below the toothed ring.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an adjusting device of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic rear view of the device of figure 1; and Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the adjusting wheel of the device of figures 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 illustrates, in a perspective view, an adjusting device 1 for a forehead band (not represented in detail) which comprises a first free end 2 with a first row of teeth 3 and a second free end 4 with a second row of teeth 5. To accommodate free ends 2, 4, there are provided in a guide seat 6 first slots 7 which form a first double slot 8 and second slots 9 in the form of a second double slot 10 are located beneath first double slot 8. Guide seat 6 possesses between double slots 8, 10 a bolt 11 for receiving an adjusting wheel 12. Adjusting wheel 12 possesses for this purpose a hole 13 formed corresponding to bolt 11.

Figure 2 shows a rear view of adjusting device 1 according to figure 1. Identical components are denoted by the same reference numbers as in figure 1. Adjusting wheel 12 is provided with a locking washer 14 at its rear side and an adjusting washer 15 is located at the front side. A toothed ring 16, which engages in rows of teeth 3, 5 of free ends 2, 4 of the forehead band, is disposed between locking washer 14 and adjusting washer 15.

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of adjusting wheel 12 with adjusting washer 15, located on which there is a rotary knob not represented in detail, locking washer 14 and toothed ring 16 lying between locking washer 14 and adjusting washer 15. The clear distance between adjusting washer 15 and locking washer 14 is dimensioned such that free ends 2, 4 of the forehead band are displaceable between adjusting washer 14 and locking washer 14 and rows of teeth 3, 5 engage in toothed ring 16.

For the assembly of adjusting device 1, adjusting wheel 12 is first placed onto bolt 11 along arrow A corresponding to figure 1. Adjusting wheel 12 is thus connected in a rotary manner to guide seat 6. Free ends 2, 4 of the forehead band are then introduced along arrow B into double slots 8, 10, in such a way that rows of teeth 3, point in the direction of toothed ring 16.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS1. A device with an adjustable forehead band for a protective helmet, comprising: a first free end of the forehead band with a first row of teeth; a second free end of the forehead band with a second row of teeth; a guide seat with a first slot for receiving the first free end and a second slot disposed at a distance from the first slot, said second slot for receiving the second free end; an adjusting wheel, which comprises an adjusting washer, a locking washer and a toothed ring between the adjusting washer and the locking washer, wherein the free ends are accommodated in opposite directions in the slots, run between the adjusting washer and the locking washer, and the rows of teeth on the free ends are constituted as engaging in the toothed ring; and a hinge connection between the adjusting wheel and the guide seat.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. The device according to claim 1, in which the hinge connection comprises a bolt on the guide seat and a hole on the adjusting wheel for receiving the bolt.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the slots are constituted as double slots disposed on both sides of the toothed ring in a manner guiding the free ends parallel to one another on both sides of the toothed ring.</claim-text>