GB1576410A

GB1576410A - Safety helmets

Info

Publication number: GB1576410A
Application number: GB5427076A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Charles Owen and Co BOW Ltd
Current assignee: Charles Owen and Co BOW Ltd
Priority date: 1976-12-30
Filing date: 1976-12-30
Publication date: 1980-10-08

Description

(54) SAFETY HELMETS (71) We, CHARLES OWEN & COMPANY (Bow) LIMITED, a British Company, of 82/102 Hanbury Street, London, El 5JN, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to safety helmets in which a transparent panel or panels is placed in front of the wearer's eyes. The invention has been particularly developed for "crash" helmets for motor cyclists but it is applicable to other types of safety helmet.

One of the difficulties encountered with crash helmets having transparent panels in front of the wearer's eyes is the susceptibility to clouding over (particularly in cold weather) when moisture condenses on them from the wearer's breath. If separate goggles are worn, they will generally fit closely such that the breath cannot reach the back of the transparent panels. However with a motor cycle crash helmet having its own transparent panel or panels for protecting the wearer's eyes against the elements, the helmet generally cannot fit tightly around the wearer's eyes.

In accordance with the present invention we provide a safety helmet having a transparent panel or panels arranged to be in front of the wearer's eyes, or an opening arranged to be front of the wearer's eyes such that a transparent panel can be mounted in front of the opening, wherein a resilient member is arranged behind the panel for opening to engage the wearer's nose and cheeks below the wearer's eyes to inhibit his breath rising and clouding the panel or panels or the transparent panel when mounted in front of the opening which resilient member is a tapered flap removably or fixedly secured to the helmet so as to be below the wearer's eye level, the flap having a maximum height in the centre and rearwardly opening substantially vertical central fold to embrace the wearer's nose.Desirably the flap should be sufficiently stiff to stand up in front of the wearer's nose so that it is automatically correctly placed when the helmet is put on.

The central fold can be achieved for example by making the flap, like the rest of the helmet lining, of foam material covered with fabric or leather and gathering together and stitching or gluing the innermost side of the foam or the fabric or leather along a vertical line. In the case of a helmet with a movable transparent visor, the opening in the helmet shell is normally finished with a U-shaped edge-covering. The flap can be secured to the shell before the edgecovering is fastened in position so that a neat finish is obtained.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a crash helmet with the visor up; Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the helmet of Fig. 1. with the lower part broken away to show a central vertical section; and Fig. 3. is an underneath plan view of the helmet of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the helmet is basically conventional in design and comprises a rigid shell 1, lining panels 2 of fabric-covered foam material, straps 3, and an opening 4 at the front for the wearer to see through. The lower edge of the shell and the rim of the opening 4 are covered with a U-shaped trim strip 7. A conventional plastics material transparent panel or visor 10 is pivotally mounted on screws 11 and can be secured in the down position by press studs 12, 13.

A resilient flap 14 is made of a folded sheet of woven fabric or leather 15 enclosing resilient foam 16. The flap 14 is detachably fixed to the helmet shell 1. To this end the edges of the fabric or leather 15 are removably secured, or fixedly secured eg by gluing to the lower edge of the opening 4 beneath the trim strip 7 (Fig.

2). As shown the flap 14 has a maximum height in the centre and tapers to each side. A vertical fold is provided in the centre of the flap 14 by gathering the foam and stitching it through the fabric or leather along a vertical line 16 (Fig. 3). In this way the flap 14 is made sufficiently stiff to stand up in front of the wearer's nose so that it is automatically correctly placed when the helmet is put on.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A safety helmet having a transparentpanel or panels arranged to be in front of the wearer's eyes, or an opening arranged to be in front of the wearer's eyes such that a transparent panel can be mounted in front of the opening, wherein a resilient member is arranged behind the panel or opening to engage the wearer's nose and cheeks below the wearer's eyes to inhibit the wearer's breath rising and clouding the panel or panels or the transparent panel when mounted in front of the opening which resilient member is a tapered flap removably or fixedly secured to the helmet so as to be below the wearer's eye level, the flap having a maximum height in the centre and a rearwardly opening substantially vertical central fold to embrace the wearer's nose.

2. A safety helmet according to claim 1, wherein the flap is formed so as to be sufficiently stiff to stand up in front of the wearer's nose.

3. A safety helmet according to claim 1 -or claim 2, wherein the flap is made of foam material covered with fabric or leather.

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

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

detachably fixed to the helmet shell 1. To this end the edges of the fabric or leather 15 are removably secured, or fixedly secured eg by gluing to the lower edge of the opening 4 beneath the trim strip 7 (Fig.

2). As shown the flap 14 has a maximum height in the centre and tapers to each side. A vertical fold is provided in the centre of the flap 14 by gathering the foam and stitching it through the fabric or leather along a vertical line 16 (Fig. 3). In this way the flap 14 is made sufficiently stiff to stand up in front of the wearer's nose so that it is automatically correctly placed when the helmet is put on.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A safety helmet having a transparentpanel or panels arranged to be in front of the wearer's eyes, or an opening arranged to be in front of the wearer's eyes such that a transparent panel can be mounted in front of the opening, wherein a resilient member is arranged behind the panel or opening to engage the wearer's nose and cheeks below the wearer's eyes to inhibit the wearer's breath rising and clouding the panel or panels or the transparent panel when mounted in front of the opening which resilient member is a tapered flap removably or fixedly secured to the helmet so as to be below the wearer's eye level, the flap having a maximum height in the centre and a rearwardly opening substantially vertical central fold to embrace the wearer's nose.
2. A safety helmet according to claim 1, wherein the flap is formed so as to be sufficiently stiff to stand up in front of the wearer's nose.
3. A safety helmet according to claim 1 -or claim 2, wherein the flap is made of foam material covered with fabric or leather.
4. A safety helmet substantially as here inbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.