WO1997019606A1

WO1997019606A1 - A safety helmet and method of manufacture

Info

Publication number: WO1997019606A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1996/000135
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Winstone Aitken Bennett
Original assignee: David Winstone Aitken Bennett
Priority date: 1995-11-30
Filing date: 1996-12-02
Publication date: 1997-06-05
Also published as: GB9803948D0; GB2320414A; GB2320414B

Abstract

This invention provides a safety helmet (1) with a face shield or visor (4). The face shield or visor is able to be displaced to an out-of-use position (4b) when not particularly required for protection. The displacement of the face shield is such so as to allow some upward displacement of the face shield as well as rotation into or over the helmet. This upward movement of the face shield allows other protective eyewear to be cleared before substantial rotation of the face shield takes place.

Description

A SAFETY HELMET AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a safety helmet and, in particular, a safety helmet providing a face shield or visor which may be rotated or otherwise displaced from its normal position to an out of use position when the visor is not required.

Many safety helmets such as, in particular, safety helmets for fire fighters provide visors or face shields to shield the face of a user. Such helmets preferably provide some form of displacement of the face shield so that the shield may be displaced from its protective position in front of the face of a user to an out of use position. This allows a user to gam additional ventilation and freedom from any obstruction in front of the face when the face shield is not particularly required for protection.

It is also known for such helmets to displace the face shield into the crown of the helmet so that, as the face shield is shifted to an out of use position, the face shield nests within the outer shell of the fire helmet.

So far such conventional fire helmets have mounted the face shield to the sides of the helmet through the provision of a single pivotal mounting on either side of the helmet. Thus the rotation of the face shield is a substantially pure rotation about a single axis. This can lead to the rotating face shield contacting other protective eye wear during movement from out of use to in use positions and may also provide restricted ventilation when in the in use position It may be desirable to provide an alternative form of movement for the face shield to vary the movement of the face shield about a user's face.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safety helmet which will overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art or at least provides the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a safety helmet comprising: a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; a face shield pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said face shield is pivotally mounted to rotate about a fixed and a sliding pivot point on each side of the helmet.

In a second aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a method of manufacturing a helmet comprising the steps of: providing or manufacturing a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; mounting a face shield to be pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said method includes a step of mounting said face shield to rotate about a fixed and a sliding pivot point on each side of the helmet

Further, there is provided a helmet comprising: a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; a face shield pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said face shield is pivotally connected to said shell portion on each side by two arms which are pivotally connected to said face shield and said shell at spaced apart pivot points.

Further aspects of this invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description of preferred embodiments will now be provided with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 : shows a side elevational view of a safety helmet in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2: shows a side elevational view of a safety helmet in accordance with a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the invention can be seen to be embodied in a fire helmet. Although the invention may be used in a variety of different types of helmet, the preferred embodiments will be described with reference to a fire helmet.

The fire helmet 1 shown in figure 1 is provided with an outer shell 2 forming a substantially rigid layer of protection as with the outer layer of other safety helmets. Although the helmet may be of any particular design, most such safety helmets have a rigid outer layer to encase an inner liner 3 and attached thereto. In general, the inner liner 3 provides for some spacing between the outer shell 2 and a user's head to provide for some compression in the helmet should an object strike the helmet while in use.

A face shield or visor 4 is shown in a series of different positions. It can be seen that the face shield 4 substantially covers a user's face and can be displaced from the first position 4a in which the face shield covers a user's face to a second 4b in which the face shield is in an out of use position and leaves a user's face substantially uncovered. In circumstances where the face shield is not required, a user may prefer to lift the face shield to allow for easier ventilation, improved vision or simply out of preference.

Also shown in Figure 1 is an intermediate position of the face shield indicated by position 4c in which the face shield is part way between the first and second positions 4a and 4b respectively. It can be seen that the face shield 4 is supported and pivotally mounted to rotate about at least two axes being provided by a primary mounting 5 and a secondary mounting 6. It can be seen in Figure 1 that the secondary mounting 6 allows both rotation of the face shield 4 about the mounting 6 but also movement of the mounting 6 from positions 6a, 6b and 6c to accord with the face shield positions 4a, 4b and 4c respectively.

By using at least two substantially parallel axes about which the face shield 4 may be rotated, some flexibility in the movement or displacement of the face shield 4 can be provided by changing the type or position of those mountings. For example, it can be seen that this preferred example provides a support arm 8 from a primary mounting 5 to a top portion 7 of the face shield 4, as represented by the portion 7b of the face shield when it is in the out of use position This connection incorporates the use of the support arm 8 being an upper support arm which is pivotally connected to the upper portion 7 of the face shield 4 and rotates about the mounting 5. Thus, the upper portion 7b of the face shield 4 and, in particular, that portion closest to the pivotal connection 9 between the support arm 8 and the face shield 4 transcribes a substantially circular arc about the primary mounting 5.

In contrast, the second pivotal mounting being the secondary mounting 6, connects the face shield 4 directly at the point of rotation. However, the pivotal mounting and, as a result, the axis about which the face shield 4 is mounted is also displaceable in a linear direction along the line of a lower support arm 10. This is demonstrated by the position 6a, 6b and 6c achievable by the secondary mounting 6 throughout movement of the face shield 4 between the first and second positions. Lower support arm 10 is secured closely to shell 2 to provide rigid support to face shield 4 at mounting 6.

The lower support arm 10 is itself mounted on the helmet or the inner liner as desired through mountings 1 1 and 1 2. This lower support arm acts as a guide to allow the second mounting 6 some limited linear displacement throughout the moving of the face shield 4.

It can also be seen that clips 1 3 and 14 or other suitable engagement means can be provided on the guide means 10 to engage the secondary mounting 6 when in the first position 6a or in the second position 6b.

In the preferred form the mountings 5 and 6 are replicated on the opposed side of the helmet for improved securement of the face shield.

This embodiment allows for a primarily linear displacement of the face shield 4 in the initial moving from a first position 6a towards a second position 6b followed by rotation of the lower portion of the face shield away from a user's face and the upper portion of the face shield being brought within the outer shield 2 of the helmet 1 . As shown in this preferred example, this second position may nest a substantial portion of the face shield 4 between the inner liner 3 and the outer shell 2.

In use, the embodiment in Figure 1 can be provided with the face shield 4 in a first position in which the pivot 6 is provided in position 6a. As a user pushes the face shield forward towards the out of use position or second position, the initial movement is rotation of the upper support arm 8 about the mounting 5 and mainly linear movement of the second mounting 6 along a support arm or guide 1 0. This will remove the secondary mounting 6 from the locking position provided by the clip 1 3.

Once significant vertical displacement of the face shield 4 has occurred, the face shield will then rotate backwards with the primary mounting 5 pulling the upper portion of the face shield 4 into the position as indicated by 7b and the secondary mounting will travel through the position 6c towards the final position 6b in which it is held in the out of use or second position by the clip 14.

Referring now to figure 2 an alternative embodiment is shown. Face shield 21 is pivotally connected to shell portion 20 by substantially parallel arms 22 and 23. Arm 22 is pivotally connected to shell portion 20 at pivot point 24 and to face shield 21 at pivot point 26 Arm 23 is pivotally connected to shell portion 20 at pivot point 25 and to face shield 21 at pivot point 27. Rather than pivotally connecting arms 22, 23 to shell 20 they may be pivotally connected to liner 30.

Face shield 21 can move between a raised position 21 and lowered position 21 ' as shown. By adjusting the length of arms 22 and 23 and moving pivot points 24 and 25 the desired motion of the face shield as it is moved between the lowered and raised positions can be achieved. The arrangement can be such that greater clearance can be provided between the face shield and the user whilst the face shield 21 still rotates upwardly and inwardly towards the crown of a helmet.

It will be appreciated that the location of the pivot points and length of arms 22 and 23 may be adjusted to provide the desired movement of the face shield relative to the shell portion 20. Further, although figure 2 shows an embodiment in which face shield 21 may be raised within the front portion 28 of shell portion 20 it is to be appreciated that this embodiment may also be used where the face shield is raised outside shell 20.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides for a safety helmet in which the face shield can be provided in a first or in use position as well as a second or out of use position. In travelling from the first position to the second position, the movement is such as to provide some significant clearance between the lower portions and, in particular, lower portion 1 5 of the face shield 4 and the face of a user, in particular in the region of the eyes. This may allow a user to wear conventional eye wear such as additional protective eye wear or prescription eye wear. The invention so endeavours to leave adequate room for ventilation.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A safety helmet comprising: a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; a face shield pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said face shield is pivotally mounted to rotate about a fixed and a sliding pivot point on each side of the helmet.

2. A safety helmet as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face shield is pivotally mounted such that an upper portion, opposite the face shield, is displaced further away from the helmet than a lower portion of said face shield as the face shield is raised.

3. A safety helmet as claimed in claim 2 wherein said face shield is connected to said helmet by a primary mounting to said upper portion of said face shield and a secondary mounting to said lower portion of said face shield.

4. A safety helmet as claimed in claim 3 wherein said secondary mounting is capable of both rotation and at least linear displacement.

5. A safety helmet as claimed in claim 4 wherein said secondary mounting comprises a pivotal connection to a guide means such that the pivotal connection allows some rotation and the guide means allows the pivotal mounting to be displaced in at least a linear direction with respect to said helmet.

6. A safety helmet as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein said primary and secondary mountings comprise two primary and secondary mountings provided on opposed sides of said face shield.

7. A safety helmet as claimed in any one of the preceding said shell portion comprises an outer shell portion and said face shield displaces to an out of use position in which said face shield is at least partially housed within said outer shell portion.

8 A safety helmet as claimed in claim 7 wherein said helmet further includes an inner liner and said face shield is at least partially disposed between said inner liner and outer shell when in said out of use position.

9. A method of manufacturing a helmet comprising the steps of: providing or manufacturing a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; mounting a face shield to be pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said method includes a step of mounting said face shield to rotate in the manner hereinbefore described.

1 0. A method of manufacturing a helmet as claimed in claim 9 wherein said method includes mounting said face shield through the connection of a primary mounting on an upper portion of said face shield and a secondary mounting on a lower portion of said face shield and wherein said secondary mounting is capable of both rotation and at least linear displacement with respect to said helmet.

1 . A method of manufacturing a helmet as claimed in claim 1 0 wherein, the primary mounting is attached by an arm to a point fixed to either the shell and/or liner and rotates about this point.

2. A method of manufacturing a helmet as claimed in claim 1 0 wherein the secondary mounting is a pivot mounted to a fixed arm which allows the pivot to both slide and rotate.

3. A helmet comprising: a shell portion to at least partially encase a user's head; a face shield pivotally mounted with respect to said helmet and displaceable between a first or covering position and a second or open position; and wherein said face shield is pivotally connected to said shell portion on each side by two arms which are pivotally connected to said face shield and said shell at spaced apart pivot points.

4. A safety helmet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A method of manufacturing a safety helmet as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.