EP0475318A2

EP0475318A2 - Protective helmet used in driving vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP0475318A2
Application number: EP91115200A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Naoki Kurai
Original assignee: Dainippon Ink and Chemicals Co Ltd
Current assignee: DIC Corp
Priority date: 1990-09-12
Filing date: 1991-09-09
Publication date: 1992-03-18
Also published as: EP0475318A3; JPH04126812A

Abstract

A protective helmet which a driver wears in driving a vehicle which comprises; a helmet body having a front opening; and a windshield plate detachably coupled to the helmet body in such a manner as to close and open the front opening of the helmet, CHARACTERIZED by comprising: a pair of locking substrates (8) secured to the helmet body at both sides thereof, a pair of windshield plate locking elements (12) is provided on both sides, and a pair of windshield plate cover members (19) provided on both sides. Each locking substrate (8) includes a first annular axis portion (2) and a second annular axis portion (4) provided outside the first annular axis portion (2) so that the second annular axis portion (4) is coaxial with the first annular axis portion (2), and elastic pawls (6 and 7) formed above and below the axis portions which are bendable to lock or unlock the windshield plate (5). Each windshield plate locking element (12) including an annular rotary axis portion (9) rotatably put on the first annular axis portion (2), a cut (10) formed in the outer periphery of the annular rotary axis portion (9), and a lever (11) extended from the outer periphery of the annular rotary axis portion (9). Each windshield plate cover member (19) is detachably engaged with the locking section of the windshield plate (5) and the windshield plate locking element (12) with the locking substrate (8) from above.

Description

Background of the Invention

This invention relates to a protective helmet with a transparent windshield plate which a driver wears in driving a vehicle, and more particularly to an improvement in structure of the protective helmet.
In general, in a conventional protective helmet of this type, its windshield plate adapted to cover the front opening of the helmet is secured to the helmet body with a pair of opening-degree adjusting members mounted on both sides of the protective helmet body and screws. The conventional protective helmet suffers from various difficulties that, for instance, it is rather troublesome to attach the windshield plate to the helmet body or to detach it therefrom. and the screws are loosened during use. In order to eliminate these difficulties, a windshield plate holding structure has been disclosed by Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 309612/1988 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application"). More specifically, two types of windshield plate holding structures have been proposed. In the first type, a force is applied to a fixing member in a predetermined direction which is provided on the surface of a windshield plate retaining cover member, thereby to attach the windshield to the helmet body or to detach it therefrom. In the second type, a force is applied to the whole windshield plate retaining cover member in a predetermined direction, to connect the windshield plate to or disconnect it therefrom. The two types of windshield plate holding structures still suffer from another difficulty that, when an external force is applied to the cover member surface or the fixing member in the predetermined direction during driving or if the engagement of the cover member is insufficient, the windshield plate comes off the helmet body readily.

Summary of the Invention

In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide a protective helmet which a driver wears in driving a vehicle in which firstly the windshield plate is locked to the helmet body without using fixing screws which otherwise appear in the outer surface, secondly the cover members for protecting the windshield plate holding sections are positively secured without causing the fixing members to appear in the surface of the windshield plate retaining cover members, and thirdly, similarly as in the helmet body, the windshield plate cover members have smooth surfaces; that is, they have no protrusion in their surfaces, whereby the hissing noise or turbulence is considerably small which may be produced when the driver wearing the helmet drives a vehicle, and, when he falls to the ground, the resistance of the helmet against the ground surface is sufficiently low. That is, the invention is intended to provide a protective helmet which can be cleaned or painted with ease, and which is excellent in safety, in comfortableness, and in external appearance.
The foregoing object of the invention has been achieved by the provision of a protective helmet which a driver wears in driving a vehicle which comprises; a helmet body having a front opening; and a windshield plate detachably coupled to the helmet body in such a manner as to close and open the front opening of the helmet, according to the invention, comprises:

a pair of locking substrates (8) which are secured to the outer surfaces of the helmet body at the right and left securing points, respectively, each locking substrate (8) including: a first annular axis portion (2) formed around the securing point, and a second annular axis portion (4) provided outside the first annular axis portion (2) in such a manner that the second annular axis portion (4) is coaxial with the first annular axis portion (2); and elastic pawls (6 and 7) formed above and below the axis portions which are bendable to lock or unlock the windshield plate (5);
a pair of windshield plate locking elements (12) provided on both sides of the helmet body, each windshield plate locking element including an annular rotary axis portion (9) rotatably put on the first annular axis portion (2) of the locking substrate (8), a cut (10) formed in the outer periphery of the annular rotary axis portion (9), and a lever (11) extended from the outer periphery of the annular rotary axis portion (9);
a pair of elastic ratchet elements (18) provided on both sides of the helmet body, each elastic ratchet element having a protrusion (17) which is engaged with recesses (15 and 16) which are formed in an arcuate end portion (14) of the windshield plate 5 which is slidably turned around the second annular axis portion (4) of the locking substrate (8); and
a pair of windshield plate cover members (19) provided on both sides of the helmet body, each windshield plate cover members adapted to detachably engage the locking section of the windshield plate (5) and the windshield plate locking element (12) with the locking substrate (8) from above.

In the protective helmet, each of the windshield plate locking elements (12) may have an upright wall (13) extended from the outer periphery of the annular rotary axis portion in such a manner that the upright wall (13) is adjacent to the cut (10), and another upright wall (13') at the end of the lever (11
In the protective helmet, each of the windshield plate cover members (19) may have engaging protrusions (22 and 23) on the rear surface thereof which are L-shaped in section. The engaging protrusion (22) is inserted in an inserting recess (24) which is formed in the upper portion of the locking substrate (8), while the engaging protrusion (23) is inserted in a groove (25) formed in the lower portion of the locking substrate (8). The windshield plate cover member is rotatably engaged with the locking substrate (8) and has a pawl (21) which is adapted to hold the upper surface of the engaging protrusion (23) in the groove (25).
In the protective helmet, the first axis portion (2) and the second axis portion are coupled to each other through a horizontal plate-shaped member (27) provided thereon.
In the protective helmet, each of the elastic ratchet elements (18) is integral with the locking substrate (8), and substantially larger in thickness than the locking substrate (8).
In the protective helmet, the elastic pawl (6) has a base (28) whose outer surface is arcuate being coaxial with the outer periphery of the second annular axis portion (4).
The components employed in the invention are preferably made of synthetic resin; however, the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. That is, they may be formed by using resins such as polycarbonate and polyacetal according to their functions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a helmet body, part of a windshield plate, and various components for connecting the windshield plate to the helmet body;
Fig. 2 is a plan view showing part of the windshield plate;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a locking substrate;
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a windshield plate locking element;
Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a windshield plate cover member locking element;
Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a windshield plate cover member;
Fig. 7 is a side view of a windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate closed which is coupled to the helmet body;
Fig. 8 is also a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate opened;
Fig. 9 is a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate cover member locking element turned to remove the windshield plate cover member;
Fig. 10 is a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate locking element 12 released to remove the windshield plate after removal of the windshield plate cover member;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 7;
Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 7;
Fig. 13 is also a sectional view taken along line C-C in Fig. 7; and
Fig. 14 is a plan view showing another example of the windshield plate locking element.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

One preferred embodiment of this invention is as shown in Figs. 1 through 13.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a helmet body 30, part of a windshield plate 5 coupled to the helmet body 30, and various components for connecting the windshield plate to the helmet body. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing part of the windshield plate 5. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a locking substrate 8. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a windshield plate locking element 12. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a windshield plate cover member locking element 20. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a windshield plate cover member 19.
Fig. 7 is a side view of a windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate 5 closed (during driving of the vehicle) which is coupled to the helmet body. Fig. 8 is also a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate 5 locked to the helmet body 30 being raised to open the front opening 40 of the helmet body.
Fig. 9 is a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate cover member locking element 20 turned to remove the windshield plate cover member 19. Fig. 10 is a side view of the windshield plate locking section with the windshield plate locking element 12 released to remove the windshield plate 5 after removal of the windshield plate cover member 19. Fig 11 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 7. Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 7. Fig. 13 is also a sectional view taken along line C-C in Fig. 7. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing another example of the windshield plate locking element.

The protective helmet according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises: the helmet body 30. The helmet body 30 has on each of the right and left sides the locking substrate 8; the windshield plate 5, the windshield plate locking element 12, the windshield plate cover member 19; the windshield plate cover member locking element 20; and screws 50 for securing the locking substrate 8 to the helmet body 30.
The windshield plate 5 is formed as follows: A predetermined polycarbonate plate is formed into a flat plate having a predetermined configuration. The flat plate thus formed is curved as required by heat treatment. The windshield plate 5 has a sector- shaped hole 27 and two recesses 15 and 16 in each of its both end portions, to engage with locking members.
The windshield plate 5 is fixedly coupled to the helmet body 30 as follows: The lever 11 of the windshield plate locking element 12 is inserted from behind the locking substrate 8 into a cut 3 formed in a second axial member 4 until it appears in the upper surface of the locking substrate, while the annular rotary axis portion 9 of the windshield plate locking element 12 is put on the first axis portion of the locking substrate 8. Under this condition, the windshield plate locking element 12 is secured to the helmet body 30 in such a manner that the screw 50 is inserted into a through-hole 31 with a seat which is formed in the first axis portion 2 at the center, and is tightened with a screw hole 60 formed in the helmet 30. In this operation, the windshield plate cover member locking element 20 is engaged with an annular axis portion 3 formed on the rear side of the locking substrate 8, and similarly as in the case of the windshield plate locking element, the windshield plate cover member locking element 12 is secured to the helmet body 30 with the screw 50.
Thereafter, the windshield plate locking element 12 is set as shown in Fig. 10. In this case, in the windshield plate locking element, the cut 10 is positioned inside the elastic pawl 6, so that the latter 6 can be bent downward in Fig. 10 with ease. Next, with the windshield plate 5 set as shown in Fig. 10, the substantially circular end portion of the windshield plate 5, which is located below a hole 27 formed in each end portion of the windshield plate 5, is engaged with the outside of the elastic pawl 6 of the locking substrate 8, while the arcuate end portion 14 of the windshield plate, which is located below the hole 27, is positioned on the elastic pawl 7 of the locking element 12. Under this condition, the windshield plate 5 is pushed down with the fingers. In this case, the elastic pawl 6 is bent, or both the elastic pawls 6 and 7 are bent toward each other as the case may be. Thus, the windshield plate is locked with the aid of the elastic pawls. Thereafter, the windshield plate locking element 12 is turned to the position as shown in Fig. 9. In this operation, the rotary axis portion 9 of the windshield plate locking element 12 is turned, so that the body of the rotary axis portion 9, which has no cut, is engaged with the elastic pawl 6. In this engagement, the elastic pawl 6 maintains the windshield plate 5 locked; that is, it is not bent to the extent that the windshield plate 5 is released. In this connection, preferably those components are so designed in dimension that the windshield plate 5 is slightly locked by the elastic pawls 6 and 7; however, it can be readily unlocked with the hand.
On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the locking substrate 8 further has an elastic ratchet element 18 extending from the end portion of the substrate 8. A protrusion 17 is formed at an end portion of the rachet element 18 in such a manner that the protrusion 17 is brought in contact with an arcuate end portion 14 of windshield plate 5. A pair of recesses (15 and 16) are formed on the arcuate end portion 14, in such a manner that the protrusion 17 is engaged with the recess 16 in a click manner when the windshield plate 5 is opened as shown in Fig. 8, and that the protrusion is engaged with the recess 15 in a click manner when the windshield plate 5 is closed as shown in Fig. 7. Each of the elastic ratchet elements 18 is substantially larger in thickness than the locking substrate (8).
Now, a method of installing the windshield plate cover member 19 whose surface is smooth and curved will be described.
Now, a method of installing the windshield plate cover member 19 whose surface is smooth and curved will be described. Engaging protrusions 22 and 23 L-shaped in section are formed on the upper and lower portion of the rear surface of the windshield plate cover member 19, respectively. The engaging protrusion 22 is inserted in an inserting recess 24 formed by bending the upper end portion of the locking substrate 8, while the engaging protrusion 23 is engaged with a groove 25 formed in the lower portion of the locking substrate 8. Under this condition, the windshield plate cover member locking element 20 rotatably engaged with the annular axis portion 28 of the locking substrate 8 which is located adjacent to the groove 25 is turned with its lever 11, thus securing the windshield plate cover member 19 with the pawl 21 of the windshield plate cover member locking element 20 set on the engaging protrusion 23.
When it is required to replace or wash the windshield plate, the later can be removed by practicing the above-described method substantially in reverse order. This will be described in more detail.
First, in order to remove the windshield plate cover member 19, the lever 11 of the windshield plate cover member locking element 20 held as shown in Fig. 8 is turned counterclockwise to the position as shown in Fig. 9. That is, the windshield plate cover member 19 can be removed by turning the lever 11 in this way. Thereafter, the lever 11 of the windshield plate locking element 12 held as shown in Fig. 9 is turned to the position as shown in Fig. 5 so that the elastic pawl 6 can be bent. Under this condition, the windshield plate is removed by pulling it sidewards with the hand.
As is apparent from the above description, the windshield plate 5 and the windshield plate cover member 19 can be readily coupled to and removed from the helmet body.
The windshield plate and the windshield plate cover member can be coupled to or removed from the helmet body more readily by modifying the elastic pawls 6 and 7 as follows: That is, as shown in Fig. 11, the elastic pawls 6 and 7 are slightly inclined so as to leave the edges of the windshield plate 5 with which they are engaged.
In addition, in order to more positively lock the windshield plate 5 to the helmet body 30; that is, in order to eliminate the trouble that the windshield plate 5 comes off the helmet body 30 during driving, the windshield plate locking element 12 may be modified as shown in Fig. 14. That is, an upright wall 13 is formed adjacent to the cut 10, and another upright wall 13' is provided at the end of the lever 11.
The windshield plate can be readily coupled to or removed from the helmet body with the levers. In addition, the windshield plate can be positively secured to the helmet body.
The windshield plate cover member has no protrusion on its surface, thus being secure in use. For the same reason, the helmet produces no hissing noise.
While the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A protective helmet which a driver wears in driving a vehicle which comprises; a helmet body having a front opening; and a windshield plate detachably coupled to said helmet body in such a manner as to close and open said front opening of said helmet, CHARACTERIZED by comprising:

a pair of locking substrates (8) which are secured to the outer surfaces of said helmet body at the right and left securing points, respectively, each locking substrate (8) including: a first annular axis portion (2) formed around the securing point, and a second annular axis portion (4) provided outside said first annular axis portion (2) in such a manner that said second annular axis portion (4) is coaxial with said first annular axis portion (2); and elastic pawls (6 and 7) formed above and below said axis portions which are bendable to lock or unlock said windshield plate (5);

a pair of windshield plate locking elements (12) provided on both sides of said helmet body, each windshield plate locking element including an annular rotary axis portion (9) rotatably put on said first annular axis portion (2) of said locking substrate (8), a cut (10) formed in the outer periphery of said annular rotary axis portion (9), and a lever (11) extended from the outer periphery of said annular rotary axis portion (9); and

a pair of windshield plate cover members (19) provided on both sides of said helmet body, each windshield plate cover member adapted to detachably engage the locking section of said windshield plate (5) and said windshield plate locking element (12) with said locking substrate (8) from above.

2. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 1, CHARACTERIZED further comprising:

a pair of elastic ratchet elements (18) on both sides of said helmet body, each elastic ratchet element having a protrusion (17) which is engaged with recesses (15 and 16) which are formed in an arcuate end portion (14) of said windshield plate (5) which is slidably turned around said second annular axis portion (4) of said locking substrate (8)

3. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that each of said windshield plate locking elements (12) has an upright wall (13) extended from the outer periphery of said annular rotary axis portion in such a manner that said upright wall (13) is disposed in adjacent to said cut (10), and another upright wall (13') at the end of said lever (11).

4. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that each of said windshield plate cover members (19) has engaging protrusions (22 and 23) on the rear surface thereof which are L-shaped in section, said engaging protrusion (22) is inserted in an inserting recess (24) which is formed in the upper portion of said locking substrate (8), while said engaging protrusion (23) is inserted in a groove (25) formed in the lower portion of said locking substrate (8), and that a windshield plate locking members 20 are further provided, each rotatably engaged with said locking substrate (8) and having a pawl (21) which is adapted to hold the upper surface of said engaging protrusion (23) in said groove (25).

5. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said first axis portion (2) and said second axis portion (4) are coupled to each other through a horizontal plate-shaped member (27) provided thereon.

6. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 2, CHARACTERIZED in that each of said elastic ratchet elements (18) is integrally formed with said locking substrate (8), and substantially larger in thickness than said locking substrate (8).

7. A protective helmet as claimed in claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said elastic pawl (6) has a base portion (28) whose outer surface is arcuate being coaxial with the outer periphery of said second annular axis portion (4).