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(11) | EP 0 052 067 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Protection helmet without metallic connections for motor and pedal cyclists Schutzhelm für Motorradfahrer u. Fahrradfahrer Casque de protection destiné aux motocyclistes et cyclistes |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] This invention relates to a protective helmets such as are used by motor and pedal cyclists and sportsmen having a helmet shell and an eye shield both of non metallic material, in which the eye shield is rotatably mounted on the'shell so as to be movable between an operative position and a raised inoperative position, said helmet shell and eye shield being held connected by virtue of the resiliency of the material of the eye shield or the helmet shell or both.
[0002] In some known helmets or protective hats a transparent eye shield is rotatably connected to the shell so as to be movable between an operative position to a raised inoperative position by means of metallic screws, pins, bolts clips (see US-A-2.834.017) or non metallic hinged means (see US-A-4.210.972).
[0003] During an accident, i.e. during a frontal impact, this causes the wounding of the face of the motor or pedal cyclist, since the convex shape of the eye shield changes into a concave one because the eye shield cannot detach itself from the shield.
[0004] In the protective helmet according to the present invention, on the contrary, the eye shield, which is not transparent, is mounted in such a way to detach itself easily from the shell, during a frontal impact, passing under the shell, when the impact takes place against the prominent front part of the shell and it is transmitted to the shoulders of the motor or pedal cyclist without any consequences.
[0005] The protective helmet according to the present invention is therefore characterized in that the helmet shell has at the front thereof, above the face thereof, receiving apertures which receive spaced pins which are integral parts of the eye shield and that said eye shield is rotatable on the spaced pins, in the helmet shell, enabling it to be rotated between said positions and to allow its detachment from the shell during an impact, said eye shield having to the rear thereof, a clasp portion which resiliently clasps the peripheral edge of the shell when the eye shield is in the operative position in order to hold them resiliently in said operative position.
[0006] The non-metallic material of the shell, eye shield and/or goggles band retention clip, is preferably a stampable elastic synthetic resin or a polyester resin reinforced with glass fibres.
[0007] The helmet according to the present invention, having the helmet shell, eye shield and/or goggles band retaining clip made of non-metallic material, and connectable by virtue of the resiliency of material used, ensures the prevention of corrosion and rusting and jamming resulting from corrosion and rusting.
[0008] The aspects of the present invention are illustrated in an embodiment of each, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a helmet according to and embodying the aspects of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the helmet shell of the helmet shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the eye shield of the helmet shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a side view in section and to an enlarged scale of a detail of the helmet shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 5 is a front view of the goggles band retention clip of the helmet shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is the sectional side view according to Fig. 1 during an impact.
[0009] Referring to the drawings, the illustrated helmet comprises a helmet shell 1, an eye shield 2, and a goggles band retention clip 3. Each of these three parts is made of elastic synthetic resin, and the parts are connected by snap fitting together relying on the resiliency of the material used for the parts. The eye shield 2 and clip 3 are capable of being disconnected from and connected to the helmet shell 1 repeatedly and by snap fitting action, and to this end there are complimentary projections and recesses on the respective parts, which projections and recesses are produced by the method of forming the parts, for example, stamping, moulding or the like. Each of the parts is a one-piece item.
[0010] It can be appreciated therefore that the inter- conection of the parts 1, 2 and 3 does not require the use of any metallic means such as rivets or press studs, which could in use corrode, fail or jam.
[0011] The arrangement which is used for connecting the eye shield 2 to the helmet shell 1, consists in that the helmet shell has at the front above the face aperture, two recesses apertures, loop holes or bores 4 and 5, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, which receive pins 6, 7 as shown in Fig. 3 which are integral parts of the eye shield 2. Additionally, the eye shield is provided at the rear with a hook or clasp portion 8 which is also formed during the manufacture of the eye shield, and in the operative position shown in Fig. 1, the clasp 8 frictionally and resiliently engages the front peripheral edge 1' as shown in Fig. 1, of the helmet shell. The eye shield 2 can be moved against the holding action of the hook 8 to an upper, out of the way and inoperative position, and is still retained connected to the shell 1 by virtue of the pins 6 and 7 engaging recesses 4 and 5 in resilient fashion.
[0012] As regards the goggles band retention clip 3, which is illustrated in enlarged scale in Figs. 4 and 5, this clip is a substantially U-shaped component having inner and outer limbs 3' and 3" of different lengths the expression inner and outer being applied to the respective positions taken by the limbs 3' and 3" when the clip is clipped to the helmet shell as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The outer limb 3' has at its end an inwardly directed projection which bears resiliently against the outside of the helmet shell 1, thereby to define a closed loop 9 for receiving a goggles band. The band is inserted in the loop 9 simply by flexing the branch or arm 3" to move the free end of such arm clear of the shell 1, the band is inserted and then the arm is released and it springs back to the position shown in Fig. 4.
[0013] The inner limb 3 is provided with an inwardly extending pin 3', which is snapped fitted in an aperture 10 provided in the region 1"', whereby the clip 3 is resiliently held to the lower rear edge 1" of the helmet shell. To disconnect the clip, the end of the inner limb 3 is deflected resiliently inwardly relative to the shell 1 to release the pin 3'" from the hole 10.
[0014] Other arrangements for the connection of the clip 3 to the shell 1 are possible. For example, instead of the pin being provided on the clip 3, the helmet shell 1 could be formed with a protuberance drawn out during the formation of the shell 1, to engage a recess in the limb 3' of the clip. Alternatively, such a protuberance might have a recess for receiving the pin 3' when provided on the clip 3.
[0015] The shape of the various parts may be altered to suit requirements, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and it is not necessary that the eye shield should be rotatable on the shell 1, or that the band clip should be located at the rear of the helmet. There could be two of the described band clips respectively at the sides of the helmet shell 1.
[0016] The protective helmet for' motor and pedal cyclists according to the present invention has three important advantages with respect to the helmets according to the cited prior art, namely:
1) Since it is manufactured only by moulding all its parts, without any drilling, screwing or riveting operations, the manufacturing time involved is half or a third of the time required to manufacture all of the known helmets; this does considerably reduce its price.
2) After a considerable amount of laboratory researches, it has been found that the drilling, screwing and riveting operations on the known helmet shells may produce stresses which are the cause of the breakages of the said shells during an impact (accident).
[0017] In view of the fact that the helmet according to the present invention no parts are drilled, screwed or riveted, said stresses cannot occur.
3) (The most important one) The eye shield 2 (Fig. 1) of the helmet according to the present invention is not transparent (as it is instead the shield 2, Fig. 1, of the US-A-2.834.017 or the shield 32, Fig. 1 of the US-A-4.210.972) so that during the ride, the same must lie under the eyes of the motor or pedal cyclist (Fig. 6), the eyes being protected by goggles, the band of which is retained by the rear clip 3.
[0018] In said position i.e. placed under the eyes, the shield allows the aeration of the cyclist's face, which is very pleasant for him.
[0019] Furthermore the eye shield 2 according to the present invention, is not pivoted, nor hinged to the shell 1, as it is the case of all the cited prior art, but it is simply retained by the two pins 6, 7 (Fig. 3) which engage themselves in resilient fashion into the recesses 4 and 5 of the shell (Fig. 2).
[0020] During an accident, i.e. during a frontal impact (collision) in the direction of the arrow / of Fig. 6, the eye shield 2 detaches itself easily from the shell 1 in the direction of the arrow D, i.e. passing under the shell 1, so that the impact takes place against the prominent part 1' of the shell and is transmitted to the shoulders of the motor or pedal cyclist without any consequences.
[0021] On the contrary, in a helmet according to the prior art, having an eye shield pivoted or hinged to the shell (as it is in the case in Fig. 1 of the US-A-2.834.017 or in Fig. 1 of the US-A-4.210.972), the front impact / causes the wounding of the cyclist's face, since the convexe shape of the eye shield changes into a concave one and the eye shield cannot detach itself from the shell.
1. A protective helmet for motor and pedal cyclists having a helmet shell and an eye
shield, wherein said helmet shell (1) and eye shield (2) are of non-metallic material,
the eye shield (2) is rotatably mounted on the shell so as to be movable between an
operative position and a raised inoperative position, the eye shield and shell being
connected by virtue of the resiliency of the material of the eye shield or the helmet
shell or both, characterised in that the helmet shell has at the front thereof, above
the face thereof, receiving apertures (4, 5) which receive spaced pins (6, 7) which
are integral parts of the eye shield (2) and that said eye shield is rotatable on
the spaced pins (6, 7), in the helmet shell enabling it to be rotated between said
positions and to allow its detachment from the shell during an impact, said eye shield
(2) having to the rear thereof, a clasp portion (8) which resiliently clasps the peripheral
edge of the shell (1) when the eye shield is in the operative position in order to
hold ' them resiliently in said operative position.
2. A protective helmet according to claim 1 characterised in that the helmet has a
helmet shell and a goggles band clip, the helmet shell (1) and goggles band clip (3)
are of non-metallic material, the goggles band clip (2) is clipped preferably on the
rear of the shell so as to form a loop at the rear of the helmet for receiving the
band of a pair of goggles worn by the user of the helmet, the goggles clip and shell
being held connected by virtue of the resiliency of the material of the goggles clip
or the helmet shell or both, whereby, for the holding of the band clip to the helmet
the use of rivets, screws, press studs or other metallic parts, which can cause stresses
in the shell and which are liable to oxidation, corrosion and jamming, is not necessary.
3. A helmet according to claim 2, characterised in that the goggles clip (3) is U-shaped
in cross section and the limbs (3', 3") of the clip (3) lie to opposite sides of the
shell (1), the limb (3") which lies to the outside of the shell having a projection
at the end thereof which rests on the shell (1), keeping the adjacent portion of the
limb (3") out of contact with the shell (1) thereby defining said loop (9) for receiving
the goggles band.
4. A helmet according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the inner limb (3') of
the clip (3) has a pin (3"') which is resiliently received in a bore (10) in the shell
(1) or in a recess in a protuberance (1"') on the inside of the shell (1).
5. A helmet according to any of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the helmet shell
(1) and the eye shield (2) or the goggles clip (3), or all three are of stampable
elastic synthetic resin.
6. A helmet according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the helmet shell
(1) and the eye shield (2) or the goggles clip (3), or all three are of polyester
resin reinforced by glass fibre.
1. Schutzhelm für Motorradfahrer und Fahrradfahrer mit einer Helmschale und einem
Augenschild, wobei die Schale (1) und das Schild (2) aus einem nicht-metallischen
Material bestehen, das Schild (2) derart drehbar and der Schale befestigt ist, daß
es zwischen einer wirksamen Stellung und einer unwirksamen Stellung, in der es sich
in einem angehobenen Zustand befindet, bewegbar ist, und das Schild und die Schale
aufgrund der Elastizität des Materials des Schildes oder der Schale oder beider zusammengehalten
werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Schale vorne oberhalb des Gesichtsausschnittes
Ausnahmeöffnungen (4, 5) für voneinander auf Abstand befindliche Stifte (6, 7) aufweist,
die einstückig mit dem Schild (2) ausgebildet sind, und daß das Schild mit den Stiften
(6, 7) in der Schale drehbar gelagert ist derart, daß es zwischen den besagten Stellungen
gedreht werden kann und daß es sich bei einem Stoß von der Schale löst, wobei das
Schild (2) hinten einen Klemmabschnitt (8) aufweist, der in elastischer Weise mit
dem Umfangsrand der Schale (1) verklemmt, wenn sich das Schild in seiner unwirksamen
Stellung befindet, um es in elastischer Weise in der unwirksamen Stellung zu halten.
2. Schutzhelm nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Helm eine Helmschale
und eine Klammer für ein Brillenband aufweist, wobei die Schale (1) und die Klammer
(3) für das Brillenband aus nicht-metallischem Material bestehen, die Klammer (2)
für das Brillenband vorzugsweise hinten am Helm zur Bildung einer Schleife auf der
Hinterseite des Helms für die Aufnahme des Bandes einer von Helmbenutzer getragenen
Brille festgeklemmt ist, und wobei die Brillenbandklammer und die Schale aufgrund
Elastizität des Materials der Brillenbandklammer oder der Schale oder beider Zusammengehalten
werden, so daß für die Befestigung der Brillenbandklammer am Helm auf Nieten, Schrauben,
Preßbolzen oder andere metallische Teile, die in der Schale Spannungen verursachen
und sich festfressen können und der Oxidation und Korrosion unterliegen, verzichtet
werden kann.
3. Schutzhelm nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Brillenbandklammer
(3) im Querschnitt U-förmig ausgebildet ist, wobei die Schenkel (3', 3") der Klammer
(3) auf den entgegengesetzten Seiten der Schale (1) liegen, der Schenkel (3"), der
auf der Außenseite der Schale liegt, einen Vorsprung an seinem Ende aufweist, der
an der Schale (1) aufliegt, so daß der angrenzende Abschnitt des Schenkels (3") nicht
an der Schale (1) anliegt, um so die Schleife (9) für die Aufnahme des Brillenbandes
zu bilden.
4. Helm nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der innere Schenkel (3')
der Klammer (3) einen Stift (3"') aufweist, der in einer Bohrung (10) in der Schale
(1) oder in einer Ausnehmung in einem Vorsprung (1 "') auf der Innenseite des Schale
(1) elastisch aufgenommen ist.
5. Helm nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Helmschale
(1) und das Augenschild (2) oder die Brillenbandklammer (3) oder alle drei aus einem
stempelbaren elastischen Kunststoff bestehen.
6. Schutzhelm nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Helmschale
(1) und das Augenschild (2) oder die Brillenbandklammer (3) oder alle drei aus einem
glasfieberverstärkten Polyesterharz bestehen.
1. Casque de protection pour motocyclistes et cyclistes ayant un coque de casque et
une visière, dans lequel ladite coque de casque (1) et le visière (2) sont en matière
non métallique, la visière (2) étant monté pour tourner sur la coque de façon à pouvoir
être déplacée entre une position active et une position inactive relevée, la visière
et la coque étant maintenues en liaison par l'élasticité de la matière de la visière,
de la coque de casque ou des deux, caractérisé en ce que la coque de casque présente
à l'avant, au-dessus de sa face, des ouvertures réceptrices (4, 5) qui reçoivent des
broches écartées (6, 7) faisant parties intégrantes de la visière (2) et que ladite
visière peut tourner sur les broches écartées (6, 7) dans la coque de casque qui lui
permettent de tourner entre lesdites positions et lui permettent de se détacher de
la coque lors d'un impact, ladite visière (2) ayant à l'arrière une partie d'attache
(8) qui s'enclenche élastiquement sur le bord périphérique de la coque (1) quand la
visière est dans sa position active afin de la maintenir élastiquement dans ladite
position active.
2. Casque de protection selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le casque
comprend une coque de casque et une pince pour ruban de lunettes, la coque de casque
(1) et la pince pour ruban de lunettes (3) sont en matière non métallique, la pince
pour ruban de lunettes (3) est serrée de préférence à l'arrière de la coque de façon
à former une boucle à l'arrière du casque pour recevoir le ruban de lunettes utilisées
par l'usager du casque, la pince à lunettes et la coque étant maintenues associées
par l'élasticité de la matière de la pince à lunettes, de la coque de casque ou des
deux, de sorte, que, pour le maintien de la pince à lunettes sur le casque, il n'est
pas nécessaire d'utiliser des rivets, des vis, des boutons à pression au d'autres
parties métalliques qui peuvent établir des contraintes dans la coque et qui sont
sujets à une oxydation, une corrosion et un coincement.
3. Casque selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que la pince à lunettes (3)
est en coupe à profil en U et les branches (3', 3") de la pince (3) s'appliquent contre
les faces opposées de la coque (1), la branche (3") qui se trouve à l'extérieur de
la coque ayant à son extrémité un prolongement qui repose contre la coque (1) en maintenant
la partie adjacente de la branche (3") hors de contact avec la coque (1) et en limitant
ainsi ladite boucle (9) pour recevoir le ruban des lunettes.
4. Casque selon la revendication 2 ou la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le
branche intérieure (3') de la pince (3) présente une broche (3"') qui est reçue élastiquement
dans un trou (10) de la coque (1) ou dans un trou à travers une protubérance (1"')
sur la face intérieure de la coque (1
5. Casque selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que la
coque de casque (1) et la visière (2) ou la pince à lunettes (3) ou les trois parties
sont en résine synthétique élastique estampable.
6. Casque selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que la
coque de casque (1) et la visière (2) ou la pince des lunettes ou les trois parties
sont en résine de polyester renforcée par fibres de verre.