JPH0137482B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a protective helmet. In particular, the present invention relates to a helmet particularly suitable for use with an inhalation mask.

Helmets of the type used by firefighters and police often must be used in conjunction with an inhalation mask, ie, a face mask that is provided with a suitable air filter and supply and that has clear vision lenses in front of the eyes.

The helmet typically includes an interior web assembly that supports a rigid outer shell of the helmet that is not in full contact with the user's head.
Inhalation masks have a flexible skirt that snugly engages the user's face and is usually held in place by the skirt's own laces for an airtight seal.

Removal of the helmet, donning of the inhalation mask, and re-donning of the helmet would normally be considered unacceptable, especially in the hazardous environments in which such assemblies are used. This is because the helmet does not fit properly over the laces of the inhalation mask. Although it has been proposed specifically to shape the mask so that it can fit within the facial opening of a helmet, there are no known systems for safely fitting an inhalation mask with which a helmet is used over the full range of head dimensions. Moreover, the procedure for putting on and taking off the inhalation mask was cumbersome.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved inhalation mask and helmet assembly.

Another object is to provide an inhaler mask and helmet assembly which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and which can fit tightly onto the face of any user of the helmet.

The helmet according to the present invention has a right side part and a left side part, and a face notch opening forward is formed between these both sides, and a neck opening opening downward is formed below both sides. double shell,
Support means on the inside of the shell with a facial notch on the front of the wearer's face and a neck opening around the neck to support the shell above the wearer's head, and support means on the left and right sides of the shell on the outside of the shell. and is generally symmetrical about a vertical plane between the sides and bisecting said notch and aperture.

Inhalation masks that can be used with this helmet include:
a mask capable of comfortably engaging the face of a wearer of the helmet through a facial cutout, a front part capable of engaging said anchoring element and each pivotally pivoted to the mask, and a rear part fitted into the front part; a left and right hook including a forwardly hooked portion which bears on said rear portion and is capable of engaging the rear of each anchor element when the mask is applied to the face of the helmet wearer through the face cutout; An inhaler including respective spring means coupled between a rear portion and each front portion, the spring means comprising:
The hook portions are engaged over each anchor element and fit the rear portion into each front portion when the mask is applied to the helmet wearer through the face cutout, thereby placing the mask within the face cutout of the helmet. It is taut to be pulled back against the user's face.

According to another feature of the invention, the anchoring element is integral with each side of the shell. Each hook further includes latching means for holding the front and rear portions apart against the force of the spring means except when the respective hook portion is engaged over its respective anchor piece. The hook portion and the front portion support respective interlocking latch structures forming the latching means, and the hook portion supports one of the structures for interlocking and resisting relative displacement of both portions. position and the other position of the structure not in contact with each other. Additionally, in each hook, one of the respective front portions and the hook portion is formed with a series of serrated teeth capable of engaging the structure of the other of the respective front portion and the hook portion. and move away from each other to prevent movement of the other. The hook is part of the mask, so when it is not used, the helmet does not have to have any unnecessary configurations.

This device therefore makes it possible to put on the mask very quickly. The user erects the arms by first pulling out each rear section and hook section until they engage. The mask is then placed on the wearer's face and the arms are swung to release the latch structure and receive the hooks in the anchors. When properly fitted, the serrated teeth prevent undesired separation of the front and rear sections of the mating mold, so that only the user or other person skilled in operating this assembly should remove the mask. be able to.

Each hook according to the invention is provided with a flexible but non-extendable element which is respectively connected between the front and rear parts and limits their movement away from each other. In this way, an accidental separation of the front part from the rear part of each arm is not possible. The helmet further includes a transparent face shield that extends over the shell between a lowered position in front of the entire face cutout and a raised position located above the face cutout between the walls of the shell. Pivotably supported.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5, a rigid synthetic resin helmet shell 1 is provided with a strip assembly 2 as a support means on the inside of the shell, which also supports a lens 4. It can be used with a generally standard inhalation mask 3 having a Shell 1 is the wearer's face F
The face notch 1a located in front of the wearer's neck N
A neck notch 1b is formed through which the body passes. It is symmetrical around a vertical plane of symmetry P (Figure 3) and has a pair of side parts 1c (third side) that go over the ears of the wearer.
and FIG. 5).

The strip assembly 2 is bisected by a plane of symmetry and comprises an outer annular strip 5 sloping upwardly and forwardly and lying generally in a plane, which is connected to the facial cutout 1a.
heading to The annular strip is attached to the shell body 1 with 6 rivets.
The rivet is fastened at two equally spaced points and in turn is fastened by clips 7 midway between these rivet attachment points 6 to an inner annular band 8 which is placed around the wearer's head like a head band. engage. One of the clips 7 is configured like an adjustable buckle, like a hard hat or the like, allowing the length of the strip 8 to be varied to suit different dimensions of the head.

The upper strap assembly 2 has front, central and rear radial strips 9, 10 and 11 extending downwardly from a common longitudinal strip 12, the longitudinal strips generally being located at the ears of the wearer. It is located in a plane P towards the point 18 where it is located. The longitudinal strip 12 has a clip or buckle 13 for adjusting its length, and the strips 9, 10 and 11 have respective buckles 15, 1
6 and 17, these buckles are also adjustable and riveted to the respective side 1c of the shell offset from said position 18. Earphones or listening holes can thus be provided at these locations 18. The tether strip 14 extends downwardly from the center of the rear strip 11 to the rear center of the shell 1 to facilitate donning and removal of the helmet. A chin strap 19 with an end extending toward point 18 and attached near location 18 by a suitable adjustable clip or buckle passes under the wearer's chin.

It is thus possible to adjust the strips 9 and 10 in order to set the vertical position of the shell 1 on the wearer's head. Adjustment of the strips 10 and 11 can adjust their front versus rear position. Once properly adjusted for the wearer, the helmet is easy to put on and take off, is placed in the same position on the wearer's head each time, and is attached securely enough to prevent the helmet from being easily thrown off. right.

As shown in FIG. 4, strips 9, 10, 11
It is also possible to fix all 19 and 19 on a single buckle disk 22, which has self-tightening slots 20 and 21 for the strips 9, 10 and 11, and other bows for the strip 19. It has a shaped slot 23.

The mask 3 is held in place on the face F by two identical hook elements or arms 25, which are shown in more detail in FIG. can be engaged on the anchor element 24 of the. Each arm 25 has a lens 4 at its front end.
It is pivotably pivoted about a vertical axle pin 30 of a sturdy mounting portion 26 which is in turn fixed to a surrounding sturdy frame 27. The arm portion 25 is connected to the pin 3
It is formed by a tubular forward part 28 pivotally mounted on the cylindrical part 28 and a rear part 29 surrounded and fitted therein and carrying a vertical pivot pin for the hook part 31. A tension spring 33 is engaged at its front end with the pivot pin 30 and at its rear end with the pin 32 and pulls the two parts 28 and 29 towards each other and also pulls the flexible but non-stretchable cable 3
4 is also connected between these two pins 30 and 32 to prevent them from moving too far apart from each other.

The front part 28 has teeth 35 on the outer side of its rear end which can engage the front surfaces of teeth 36 formed on the inner surface of the outer part 37 of the hook part 31. Hook part 3
1 is thus pulled back away from the mask 3, as shown in FIG. This prevents the two parts from moving back towards each other and holds the two parts in a so-called "knock position".

Wearing the mask 3 on the helmet can be held in place by hand, with the user first pulling the two hook arms 25 into the locked position and then fitting the mask 3 onto his or her face. The flexible skirt of the mask 3 forms an airtight seal. 5 and 6, the arms 25 are then moved along the axis 38 as shown by arrow 38 until they reach the position shown in FIG.
0, and in this position the hook part 31
The front inner end 39 of the anchor 24 is connected to the front side 1c of the anchor 24.
and pivot the hook portion 31 about the axis 32 as shown by arrow 40.

This action disengages teeth 35 and 36 from each other and causes rear portion 29 and hook portion 31 to move until hook portion 31 engages anchor 24 as shown in FIG.
It snaps forward under the force of spring 33 as shown by arrow 41.

The outer surface of each forward portion 28 is formed with a series of serrations 42 having a forward facing right angle surface, and the inner portion 37 of the hook portion is formed with opposing serrations 43 capable of engaging the teeth 42. , locks the two elements 28 and 29 so that they cannot be pulled apart.

Mask 3 is removed by pulling the front portion of each hook 31 out of engagement of teeth 42 and 43, thereby causing hook 31 to be pulled back from anchor 24. In this way, the mask 3 cannot be accidentally knocked off or pulled off, and in fact can be easily removed by a person who is familiar with its operation.

The shell 1 is provided with a tubular foam rubber seal 44 around the facial opening 1a, which engages the rigid frame 27 of the mask 3 and provides a second barrier of protection for the wearer. Once the helmet is properly adjusted, the mask 3 will fit perfectly to the wearer;
And can be installed immediately.

The devices of FIGS. 8 and 9 are similar to the devices of FIGS. 1-7, and like reference numbers refer to functionally similar structures. The arm 25 now extends at an angle and the anchor 24 is secured in place by a fastener. The upper strips 9 to 11 are then integrated into a single piece and fixed in position 18 by rivets.

The shell body 1 is provided with a two-part cushioning member 45 on the wearer's forehead to ensure that the wearer's face F always has a predetermined space at the rear of the facial opening regardless of the size of the head. do. This facilitates attachment of the face mask 3.

The upper shell 1 has a double wall at least in the front part, and has an inner wall 49 and an outer wall 50 defining a pocket, and an inner lens 47 and an outer shield 4.
8 is provided. The lens 47 is tinted for protection from the sun and can be pivoted from the upper position shown to a lowered position in front of the upper position of the facial opening 1a. Shield 48 is located in front of lens 47 and is transparent and substantially larger than lens 47. At its front end is a blind (shade plate) 51
is formed, which protects the wearer's throat in the lowered position (not shown). The shielding lens 47 and shielding 48 are made of durable synthetic resin and can be used together or separately depending on whether the mask 3 is used. When not in use, these are stored safely and securely inside the helmet shell 1.

The helmet assembly according to the present invention can be adjusted to fit a wide range of sizes and allows even the largest or smallest head wearers to simultaneously wear an inhaler or air supply mask. The mask is quickly and easily secured to a helmet while maintaining a good seal with the wearer's face.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a helmet/inhaler assembly according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembly according to the invention taken along a vertical front-back symmetry plane. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane 3--3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the modification of the detail shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a detail of the invention taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1 in the open position; Figures 6 and 7 are views similar to Figure 5, but showing details in the closed and fully closed positions, respectively.
8 and 9 correspond to FIGS. 1 and 2, but are views of other assemblies according to the invention. 1... Shell, 2... Band assembly, 3... Inhalation mask, 8... Inner annular band, 9, 10, 11...
...Radial strip, 12...Longitudinal strip, 15,1
6,17...Batsukuru, 25...Arm, 26...
Mounting part, 28... Front part, 29... Rear part, 31
...Hook part, 33...Spring, 35, 36...
teeth.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Rigidity having a right side and a left side, a facial notch that opens forward between these both sides, and a neck opening that opens downward below both sides. A double shell body, supporting means on the inside of the shell having a facial notch on the front of the wearer's face and a neck opening around the neck for supporting the shell on the head of the wearer, and on the outside of the shell. a helmet comprising rearwardly directed anchoring elements fixed to the left and right sides of the shell and generally symmetrical about a vertical plane located between the two sides and bisecting said notch and opening; and a facial notch. a mask capable of comfortably engaging the face of a wearer of the helmet through the helmet; and left and right hooks, including forwardly hooked portions that are supported by said rear portion and that can engage the rear of each anchor element when the mask is applied to the face of the helmet wearer through the face cutout; an inhaler including respective spring means connected between the hook portion and each front portion, the spring means being configured such that the hook portion is engaged over the respective anchoring element and the mask is inserted into the helmet through the facial cutout. in combination with an inhaler, the rear section of which is tensioned to fit into each front section, thereby pulling the mask back into the face cutout of the helmet and against the user's face when placed on the wearer; A helmet for use with an inhalation mask characterized by: 2. A helmet for use with an inhalation mask according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring elements are integral with each side of the shell. 3. Each hook further includes latching means for holding the anterior and posterior portions apart against the force of the respective spring means except when the respective hook portion is engaged over the respective anchor piece. A helmet for use with an inhalation mask according to claim 1, comprising: 4. one side of the structure in which the hook part and the front part support respective interlocking latch structures forming the latching means, and the hook part interlocks and prevents relative displacement of both parts; 4. A helmet for use with an inhalation mask according to claim 3, which is pivotably pivoted at the rear between a position and the other position of the structure that does not contact each other. 5. In each hook, one of the respective forward and hook portions is formed with a series of serrated teeth capable of engaging the structure of the other of the respective forward and hook portions; 5. A helmet for use with an inhalation mask according to claim 4, wherein the helmets are spaced apart from each other in positions to prevent movement of the other. 6. Each hook is provided with a flexible but non-extendable element, each of which is connected between the front and rear parts and restricts their movement away from each other. A helmet for use with an inhalation mask according to paragraph 1. 7. The helmet further includes a transparent face shield,
Claim 1, wherein the shield is pivotably pivoted on the shell between a lowered position in front of the overall facial cutout and a raised position located above the facial cutout between the walls of the shell. A helmet for use with the inhalation mask according to item 1.