GB2361408A - Protective headgear - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective helmet principally for cyclists and motorcyclists, and comprising an outer rigid shell (10) made up from several separable parts (A, B, C, D). Each part has an inner impact absorbing layer (14) attached thereto. The impact absorbing layer has one part of a touch and close fastener, and a removable inflatable envelope lining has the other part of the touch and close fastener. Means such as toggle clamps are provided to assemble the parts into a complete rigid helmet which can nevertheless be broken down into the separate parts and readily stowed to occupy considerably less space than a one piece helmet. The helmet may alternatively be clamped together by means of flexible ties passing around the helmet.

Description

2361408 - P09931 - PROTECTIVE HEAD GEAR THIS INVENTION concerns protective

headgear and particularly, though not exclusively, helmets of the kind used by cyclists and motor cyclists to protect them against head injuries in the event of an accident.

To meet legislation and for the purposes of safety, such helmets must be capable of withstanding quite severe impact whether it be applied at a single location or over a larger area of the head. These helmets are consequently very bulky, and a cyclist or motor cyclist would often prefer not to have to carry the helmet with them upon leaving the vehicle or to store the helmet thereon.

The present invention is derived from the belief that should it be possible to render a helmet collapsible into several parts so that storage and transportation will be facilitated but such a desire must be commensurate with maintaining adequate protective qualities in the helmet when in use.

The desire to provide a collapsible helmet which is readily stored or carried has particular importance where it is intended to have the helmet in readiness for a passenger or pillion rider.

According to the present invention there is provided protective headgear comprising an outer rigid shell made up from at least two separable parts; an impact absorbing inner layer made up from at least two separable semi-rigid panels, at least one for each shell part and attached or attachable thereto; and means for removably clamping the shell parts and the panels together to form a complete and rigid unit.

Preferably, the outer shell is of glass fibre or carbon fibre. The separable semirigid panels are preferably permanently bonded to the shell parts and have on their inner surfaces one part of a two-part touch-and-close fastener the other part of which is attached to a removable lining.

The shell parts and/or panel parts may have inter-engaging formations such as tongue-and-groove formations.

The lining may be forrned as an inflatable envelope thus to provide a snug fit for the wearer, the envelope being removable from the remainder of the headgear.

Preferably, the shell parts and panels are separable into a sufficient number of pieces to be stored substantially flat.

Preferably, the clamping means includes a plurality of toggle clamps parts of which are attached respectively to parts of the shell, and the semi-rigid panels are recessed to ommodate the toggle clamps which thus lie flush with or beneath the rims of such recesses internally of the headgear.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a motor cyclist's helmet made in accordance with the invention and in an assembled form.

Fig. 2 is an exploded side view showing the separate parts of the helmet; Fig. 3 is an exploded rear view showing the separate parts of the helmet; Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an internal view of parts of the helmet prior to assembly; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts assembled.

Figs. 7A and 7B are elevation and plan respectively of a different arrangement of the parts of the helmet.

Figs 8A and 8B are elevation and plan respectively of a still further alternative arrangement of the parts; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a still further arrangement of the parts; Fig. 10 is a rear view of a helmet incorporating an alternative clamping means; Fig. 11 is a cross-section showing how the clamping means is retained on the helmet wall; and Fig. 12 is a front view.

Referring now to the drawings, a motor cyclists helmet of the kind having a visor (not shown) which may be pivoted down to cover the face and eyes of the wearer comprises an outer shell 10 made up from four separable parts A, B, C, D which may be clamped together to form a rigid and complete helmet as illustrated in Fig. 1.

To afford adequate rigidity to the assembled helmet it may be necessary for the separable parts to have tongue and groove formations such as are illustrated at 12 which will be of sufficient overlapping extent to ensure the necessary rigidity.

Within the outer shell parts of the helmet and bonded thereto are separable semi-rigid panels 14 of a dense, preferably closed-cell foamed material.

On the inner surface of each semi-rigid panel is a sheet 15 being one part of a two part touch-and-close fastener, for example of the type sold under the registered trade mark VELCRO.

Having the other part 16 of said fastener attached to its outer surface is an inflatable envelope 17 shown inflated in Figs. 4 & 6.

Fig. 5 shows two separable parts of the helmet with a toggle clamp 18 ready for closure upon joining of the two parts together. It will be seen that the semi-rigid panels on the two parts are recessed at 19 to accommodate the toggle clamps 18 whereby when they are closed, they lie entirely within the recesses 19 beneath the rim thereof.

Fig. 6 shows the assembly closed.

The inflatable envelope 17 will include an inflation valve and bulb (not shown) and it is envisaged that the envelope will occupy the entire area of the interior of the helmet and can be inflated to provide a snug fit for the wearer.

To dismantle the helmet the envelope 17 must first be deflated and removed whereupon by opening the toggle clamps 18 the helmet may be divided into some or all of its parable parts thus to provide a collection of parts which are more readily stored and transported than would be a composite one-piece helmet.

By making the shell parts 10 from a lightweight but strong material such as carbon fibre and by providing the inflatable envelope 17 the intermediate semi-rigid foamed layer 14 may be of lesser thickness than with conventional helmets and this again provides for compactness when the helmet is dismantled.

Any number of separate shell parts and internal panels may be provided commensurate with no severe loss of rigidity and impact resistance, and the number chosen will be determined by the degree to which the helmet is to be collapsible for convenience.

It will be appreciated that a motor cyclist's helmet such as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings is required to wrap around the entire head of the wearer whereas a cyclist's helmet is flatter and can thus more easily be broken down into separate parts. The requirements for rigidity and impact absorption are not so great for cyclists as for motor cyclists. In the case of a cyclist's helmet the outer shell may be made up from a number of strips running longitudinally front-to-back with their joints staggered to ensure rigidity when assembled. It is not essential to include the inflatable envelope but this provides a snug fit and a further degree of impact absorption and is readily collapsed when deflated.

Referring now to Figs. 7A and 7B, the helmet may comprise four pieces as indicated. This is for a helmet of the kind which does not encompass the chin.

Figs. 8A and 813A show a similar helmet divided into five pieces one of which is at the crown with the four additional side pieces joining the comers of the central crown. Fig. 9 alternatively shows a similar arrangement but wherein the side pieces join at the front and back and at each side.

Referring now to Figs 10 to 12, there is illustrated an additional or alternative fixing means for clamping the parts of the helmet together. In this case, a pair of flexible ties or wires 20 is clamped at 21 to the rear of the helmet and passes around the exterior thereof in grooves 22 and terminate in a toggle clamp 23 which when closed draws the wires 20 tightly around the helmet within the grooves 22.

In place of the toggle clamps 18 of Figs. 5 and 6, or the toggle clamp 23 of Figs. 10 to 12, or indeed in place of the wires 20 in Figs. 10 to 12 webbing may be provided which is pulled taut and then fixed by some form of fastening. The various clamping devices can be provided intemally and/or externally of the helmet.

Claims (14)

1. Protective headgear comprising an outer rigid shell made up from at least two separable parts; an impact absorbing inner layer made up from at least two separable semi-rigid panels, at least one for each shell part and attached or attachable thereto: and means for removably clamping the shell parts and the panels together to form a complete and rigid unit.

2. Protective headgear according to Claim 1, wherein the outer shell is of glass fibre or carbon fibre.

3. Protective headgear according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the separable semi-rigid panels are permanently bonded respectively to the shell parts.

4. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, wherein the semi-rigid panels have on their inner surfaces one part of a two-part touch-and-close fastener, and including a removable lining to which is attached the other part of said touch-and-close fastener.

5. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, wherein the semi-rigid panels are of a foamed material.

6. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, wherein the shell parts have inter-engaging edge formations such as tongue and groove formations.

7. Protective headgear according to Claim 4, wherein the removable lining is an inflatable envelope.

8. Protective headgear according to Claim 7, wherein the inflatable envelope includes an inflation valve and bulb to enable the envelope to be inflated when the assembled helmet is located on the head of the wearer.

9. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, wherein the shell parts and sem i- rigid panels are separable into a sufficient number of pieces to be stored substantially flat.

10. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, wherein the clamping means includes a plurality of toggle clamps parts of which are attached respectively to parts of the shell, the semi-rigid panels being recessed to accommodate the toggle clamps which thus lie flush with or beneath the rims of such recesses internally of the headgear when assembled.

11. Protective headgear according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the clamping means comprises one or more flexible ties adapted to pass around the exterior of the helmet when assembled.

12. Protective headgear according to Claim 11, wherein the exterior surface of the helmet includes recessed grooves to accommodate the flexible ties.

13. Protective headgear according to any one of Claims I to 9, wherein the clamping means comprises webbing and means whereby it may be pulled taut and removably attached to a fastening.

14. Protective headgear according to any preceding claim, in the form of motorcyclist's helmet, the rigid shell having one or more parts which are disposed to be located in front of the wearer's chin.