US20130031692A1

US20130031692A1 - Helmet Accessory For Holding Tools

Info

Publication number: US20130031692A1
Application number: US13/204,230
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Wayne Wratten
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-08-05
Filing date: 2011-08-05
Publication date: 2013-02-07

Abstract

A tool holding helmet accessory for sport helmet or military helmet. The accessory is injection molded in accordance to a helmet and is removablely mountable to a helmet. Tool holding patches are mounted on the surface of the accessory for holding various light weight tools.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

The present application relates to a helmet, and more particularly to an accessory that enable helmets capability of holding lightweight tools.
Note that the points discussed below may reflect the hindsight gained from the disclosed inventions, and are not necessarily admitted to be prior art.
Modern military helmets may have an inside pad and four-point retention system, similar to the cushions and straps found on bicycle helmets, providing impact protection and comfort for the wearer. A mounting bracket for a monocular night vision device has been designed to attach to the front. It can also be fitted with a pair of straps on the rear to keep protective eyewear in place, as well as cloth helmet cover in varying camouflage patterns including three-color desert.
However, military helmets generally have a smooth outer surface that may be made of metal or ballistic material, making them difficult for carrying tools, such flashlights, night vision goggles, infrared lights, mini cameras, GPS and other light weight tools.
Other types of helmets, such as helmets for skateboarding, snowboarding, or mountain climbing may also benefit from an accessory that can hold certain tools or needed necessities.
Injection molding with light weight plastic material or resin has been used in improving safety of sport helmets, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,450 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,706. Injection molding has also been used to form a reflective sheet of patterns on a helmet for improved safety or ornamental purpose. Injection molding is a good way for making a tight fit tool holding accessory to a helmet.

SUMMARY

The present application discloses novel helmet accessory for holding light weight tools on a helmet, especially for a military helmet.
In one embodiment, an exterior tightly fitting accessory shell is created for a helmet by injection molding. Mounting holes are made for fixedly disposing a tool holding packet.
In one aspect of an embodiment, the accessory shell is tightly fit to the exterior surface of a helmet, and is fixedly mounted with removable nuts and bolts or other mounting options such as hook and loop tape.
In another aspect of an embodiment, tool holding packets are shaped to match the contour of an accessory shell and are fixedly mounted to the shell with removable nuts and bolts.
In another aspect of an embodiment, the accessory shell is made of light-weight foaming plastic or thermo-resistant resin. The shell accessory is configured to be easily taken off the helmet by loosening or removing the mounting nuts and bolts.
With fixedly mounted accessory shell, light-weight tools such as a talking GPS, night vision goggles, infra-red lights may be carried on a helmet on the head, freeing up hands for other important tasks such as camera usage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show important sample embodiments of the invention and which are incorporated in the specification hereof by reference, wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an example helmet accessory to fit to a helmet of the front side in accordance with this application.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of an example helmet accessory to fit to a helmet of the behind side in accordance with this application.

FIG. 2A shows the front side of a perspective view of an example helmet accessory fixedly amounting to a military helmet in accordance with this application.

FIG. 2B shows the rear side of a perspective view of an example helmet accessory fixedly amounting to a military helmet in accordance with this application.

FIG. 3A shows the front side of a perspective view of an example tool holding fixtures to fixedly amount to a helmet accessory in accordance with this application.

FIG. 3B shows the rear side of a perspective view of an example tool holding fixtures to fixedly amount to a helmet accessory in accordance with this application.

FIG. 4A shows the front side of a perspective view of an example tool holding helmet accessory fitting to a helmet in accordance with this application.

FIG. 4B shows the rear side of a perspective view of an example tool holding helmet accessory fitting to a helmet in accordance with this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to presently preferred embodiments (by way of example, and not of limitation). The present application describes several embodiments, and none of the statements below should be taken as limiting the claims generally.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and description and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, some areas or elements may be expanded to help improve understanding of embodiments of the invention.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and the claims, if any, may be used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or composition that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or composition.
It is contemplated and intended that the design apply to suitable helmets, for example, helmet for skateboarding, helmet for snowboarding, helmet for mountain and rock climbing, etc. where extra-space for tool carrying is limited and tools are necessarily required; for clarity reason, the examples are given based on military helmet, but an ordinary person in the art would know the variations to modify the design to accommodate other types of helmets and uses.
For example the tool holding helmet accessories may be used for photographing or moving making from the angle of an athlete's head.
In reference to FIG. 1A, and 1B, a helmet accessory is made to tightly fit to the exterior contour of a military helmet. The helmet accessory shell may be made through injection molding with thermoplastic or thermo resin materials. Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a helmet mold cavity where it forms an accessory shell that tightly fits to the configuration of a helmet. Holes for mounting are made so that the accessory shell is mounted fixedly onto a helmet to provide additional gripping force.
In reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, helmet accessory shell 201 is made in the exact configuration to the exterior contour of helmet 205, both the front side and the rear side. For military helmet, the original military helmet exterior features are maintained. Also it may be cost efficient that an injection mold may be designed to be used for making both the helmet and the helmet accessory shell with a slight adjustment of the size of the mold. Mounting holes 203 are drilled both on the front side and the rear side to fixedly mount accessory shell 201 to helmet 205.
Accessory shell 201 itself may have a matching lip points on the front and back sides at the edges that fit over the end edges of a military or law enforcement helmets. Accessory shell 201 is then secured to helmet 205 using the matching bolt mounting holes 203 and the bolts, either from the mounting system of the helmet or by new additions, giving the accessory shell itself a strong mounting platform. Colors and patterns including camouflage type patterns can be injection molded into the accessory shell. Additionally lip point to cover lip points are not only to front and back but top the side of the helmet as well.
In reference to FIG. 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B, tool holding patches 301 and 303 are then fixedly disposed on the exterior surface of helmet accessory 307 by bolts 305 or other means. Rail systems including pica tinny type rails and night vision shrouds may be first directly molded into the plastic accessory shell making the holding patches easily fit into the shape and be mounted securely. (Or other accessories molded into the shell). It is further noted that the helmet shell itself with or without tools or injection molding tools into the helmet shell is an accessory in by itself. The helmet can function as an accessory itself by being used as an accessory with patterns such as any type of camouflage directly molded into shell at manufacture utilizing the shell covering that camouflage can be directly molded into the accessory shell.
Said shell accessory can also have ballistic materials directly impregnated into the accessory shell itself.
The mounting patches are configured to be capable of holding several tools including flashlights, night vision goggles, infrared lights, helmet counter weights, mini cameras, GPS, and/or goggles etc.
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a tremendous range of applications, and accordingly the scope of patented subject matter is not limited by any of the specific exemplary teachings given. It is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of appended claims.
Additional general background, which helps to show variations and implementations, may be found in the following publications, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,450, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,706 and US Patent Application Publication US 2002/0002732 A1.
None of the description in the present application should be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element which must be included in the claim scope: THE SCOPE OF PATENTED SUBJECT MATTER IS DEFINED ONLY BY THE ALLOWED CLAIMS. Moreover, none of these claims are intended to invoke paragraph six of 35 USC section 112 unless the exact words “means for” are followed by a participle.
The claims as filed are intended to be as comprehensive as possible, and NO subject matter is intentionally relinquished, dedicated, or abandoned.

Claims

1. An accessory for a helmet for carrying a lightweight tool, comprising:

an shell formed by molding of said helmet, having an interior surface forming a shape that fits said helmet exterior surface, and an exterior surface exposing to eyesight;

a mounting fixture for removablely securing said interior surface of said shell with said helmet exterior surface; and

a tool holder fixedly mounted on said exterior surface of said shell.

2. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said tool holder is configured to hold a night flash.

3. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said tool holder is configured to hold night vision goggles.

4. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said tool holder is configured to hold an infrared light, a helmet counter weight, a mini camera, GPS, and goggles.

5. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said helmet is for snow boarding.

6. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said helmet is for rock climbing.

7. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said helmet is for skateboarding.

8. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said helmet is for military use.

9. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said helmet is for skiing.

10. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said shell is made of a foamy material.

11. The accessory for a helmet of claim 1, wherein said shell is made of thermoplastic resin.