Device for adjusting head band for protective helmet

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective helmet, and more specifically a device for adjusting the helmet adapted to promote its positioning and adjusting as well as its fitting to the size of the user's head.

[0002] Protective helmets have long been commonly used in various fields, whether for professional use as is the case for the military, plane or helicopter pilots, the police, or firefighters, or for civil or private use, as is the case for motorcycle riders, rally or race car drivers, or workers on a worksite.

[0003] These prior art helmets are generally formed of an external rigid shell and an inner liner adapted to allow the positioning of the helmet and to promote the comfort of the user. They can also comprise an inner envelope of a synthetic material adapted to dampen the impacts.

[0004] In these helmets, multiple types of adjustments are known to allow a precise positioning of the helmet and an adequate tightening of the tightening means in order to give optimum comfort to the one using the helmet. However, the prior art adjusting devices are not entirely satisfactory as they do not allow a sufficiently precise adjustment or require one to remove the helmet in order to carry out these adjustments. Additionally, they are generally complicated to implement and often require long and tedious handling.

[0005] Thus, the prior art adjusting devices present drawbacks related to their implementation, use and reliability. The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks through means that are simple, reliable, easy to implement and inexpensive. The invention proposes a protective helmet whose adjustment device is easy to use, quick and precise so as to promote the fitting of the helmet to the size of the user's head.

[0006] According to its main characteristic, the protective helmet of the invention is of the type formed of a shell adapted to protect the user's head and comprising an inner lining that has a headband of adjustable size due to an adjusting device, and it is characterized in that the adjusting device has two gripping members adapted to be manually brought together or spread apart by the user in order to vary the size of the headband.

[0007] According to another characteristic of the protective helmet, the headband has a main band portion, two adjustment extensions that extend to the ends of the main band and bear the gripping means, as well as a connecting element having locking means adapted to cooperate with the adjustment extensions.

[0008] According to a complementary characteristic of the protective helmet, the cooperation between the adjustment extensions and the locking means of the connecting element occurs by a rack system.

[0009] According to the preferred embodiment of the protective helmet of the invention, the headband is arranged on the inside of the helmet shell such that the connecting element is positioned at the rear of the helmet and that the gripping members are arranged substantially in the zone corresponding to the user's nape.

[0010] According to another characteristic of the protective helmet, it is characterized in that the gripping members are arranged at the end of the adjustment extensions and have a transverse support surface extending downwardly (BA) below the planes containing the main band and the adjustment extensions.

[0011] According to an additional characteristic of the protective helmet of the invention, it is characterized in that it comprises elastic biasing means arranged between the connecting element and the adjustment extensions or the band in order to bias the headband towards its loosened position against the locking means.

[0012] According to the preferred embodiment of the protective helmet, the elastic biasing means are formed by two return arms connecting the adjustment extensions to the connecting element and which bias said extensions due to their specific elasticity.

[0013] According to another characteristic of the protective helmet of the invention, it is characterized in that the locking means are constituted of two locking buckles that each comprise a locking lever bearing a locking projection adapted to cooperate with notches arranged on the external surface of the adjustment extensions and which each comprise an unlocking member.

[0014] According to a complementary characteristic of the protective helmet, it is characterized in that the adjustment extensions comprise at their end, at the level of their gripping members, a guiding pin adapted to guide the sliding of the adjustment extensions with respect to the locking means of the connecting element by sliding each one in a guiding slot arranged in the connecting element.

[0015] Furthermore, it is noted that according to an alternative embodiment of the protective helmet, the gripping members are separated by a distance less than 15 centimeters.

[0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, which are given only as non-limiting examples:

[0017] FIGS. 1-11 show the preferred embodiment of the protective helmet of the invention and its adjusting device,

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective helmet,

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the protective helmet,

[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the headband and its adjusting device,

[0021] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the headband and its adjusting device,

[0022] FIGS. 5a-5c are rear views of the loosened position, the intermediary position and the tightened position of the headband,

[0023] FIGS. 6a-6c are bottom views of the headband in the positions of FIGS. 5a-5c, respectively,

[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the adjusting device,

[0025] FIGS. 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d show the housing of the adjusting device, in perspective and top views, and in cross-section along AA and CC, respectively,

[0026] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the unlocking lever,

[0027] FIGS. 10a and 10b are a front view and a lateral view of the adjustment extensions and their gripping member,

[0028] FIG. 11 is a rear view of the middle connecting element on which the adjustment occurs,

[0029] FIGS. 12a and 12b are views similar to FIG. 5a, showing two alternative embodiments according to which the headband has means that enable the symmetrical displacement of the ends of the headband.

[0030] The protective helmet having the general reference numeral (1) is adapted to protect the user's head and can be of any type, i.e., a firefighter's helmet or a military helmet, for example, but also a helmet for a mountain climber, a bicyclist, or any other type of helmet, without leaving the scope of protection for the invention.

[0031] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is a firefighter's helmet (1) as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is constituted of an external shell (2), advantageously made in one piece, that is adapted to surround the user's head, and of an inner lining (10) arranged on the inside of the shell to allow the positioning and the tightening thereof around the head. In particular, this lining (10) has a cap (4) formed of a flexible wall or a holding net (9) and a headband (5) whose size is adjustable due to an adjusting device (6).

[0032] According to the preferred embodiment of the helmet (1) of the invention, the headband (5) is adapted to surround the user's head to promote the hold of the helmet once it is positioned. The adjusting device (6) thus allows varying the useful length of the headband (5), i.e., its diameter. To this end, the adjusting device (6) of the invention comprises two gripping members (7a, 7b) that are adapted to be manually actuated by the user in order to be spaced apart or brought together, their actuating allowing to vary the diameter of the headband (5). These gripping members (7a, 7b) extend downwardly (BA) below the headband (5), and more specifically, below the plane containing the lower edge of the headband so that they can be more easily gripped and actuated by the user when the helmet (1) is positioned on the head.

[0033] According to the preferred embodiment and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the headband (5) is constituted by a main band portion (8), two adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) arranged at the free ends of the band (8), a connecting element (12) and locking means (13) born by the connecting element and adapted to cooperate with the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b). The cooperation between the locking means (13) and the extensions (11a, 11b) can be obtained by any means, such as a rack system as seen in the embodiment shown, for example, or by equivalent systems, such as wedging or the like. It is noted that the main band portion (8) forms at least half of the circumference of the headband (5).

[0034] According to the preferred embodiment of the helmet (1) of the invention, the gripping members (7a, 7b) are borne by the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) so as to extend below the headband (5). The adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) bear, on their outer surface, a set of notches (14) adapted to cooperate with the locking member (13a) of a buckle (13) that forms the locking means. These extensions (11a, 11b) have, at one of their ends, the gripping member (7a, 7b) and, at the other end, attaching or assembly means, such as a slot (15), in order to be each assembled to one end of the main band (8) so as to form the extension thereof.

[0035] It is noted as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b that each adjustment extension (11a, 11b) comprises a first longitudinal wall portion (16a) adapted to extend the main band, and a second longitudinal wall portion (16b) affixed to the first portion (16a) and which bears the set of notches (14). These two wall portions are off-centered one with respect to the other in order to be placed in two distinct and parallel planes (P1, P2), the second wall portion (16b) being located below the first (16a). This second wall portion (16b) bears, at its free end, the gripping member (7a, 7b) that is formed at least partially of a transverse wall portion that is orthogonal to it. This member thus has a support surface (17) that is sufficient for allowing the user to bias it, said surface extending transversely below the second wall portion (16b) of the adjustment extension (11a, 11b).

[0036] It is noted that the assembly of the extensions (11a, 11b) on the main band portion (8), due to attaching means (1 5), can occur in a plurality of positions as seen in FIG. 4, the slot (15) of the extensions being capable of cooperating with a plurality of positioning pins (18) of the band (8). Thus, this plurality of possible assemblies multiplies the possibilities for adjusting the size of the headband (I 5) by being advantageously combined with the adjusting device (6) of the invention. It is understood that one would not leave the scope of the invention by making the band and its adjustment extensions in one single piece.

[0037] According to the preferred embodiment of the helmet (1) of the invention, the locking buckles (13) adapted to cooperate with the extensions (11a, 11b) are borne by a rear connecting element (12) that partially forms the headband (5). The headband (5) is arranged in the helmet so that the connecting element (12) is arranged centrally at the rear of the helmet (l), substantially at the level of the user's nape.

[0038] This connecting element advantageously has two guiding slots (19) adapted to cooperate with a guiding pin (20) for each of the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) shown in FIG. 10b. It bears, at its lateral ends, two buckles (13) shown in FIGS. 8a-8d, each forming a passage (21) for the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b), and each bearing a locking member (13a), such as a central lever provided with a locking projection (22) adapted to cooperate with the notches (14) in order to allow the sliding of the extension (11a, 11b) in the passage (21), solely in a direction corresponding to the tightening of the headband, and to prevent any sliding in the opposite direction. As known, the locking buckles (13) have an unlocking member (23) adapted to bias the lever (13a) and its projection (22) so that the latter is no longer engaged with the notches (14), and so that the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) can slide in the opposite direction and thus allow loosening the headband (5).

[0039] According to the preferred embodiment of the adjusting device (6), the unlocking member (23) is a lever pivotally mounted on the body of the buckle (13) and adapted to cooperate with the locking lever (13a) by means of complementary ramps, as known.

[0040] According to the invention, the headband (5) has elastic biasing means (25) adapted to bias it towards its loosened position (A) shown in FIGS. 5a and 6a, i.e., its position where the gripping members (7a, 7b) abut against the buckles (13) of the connecting element. Thus, when the user actuates the loosening levers (23) of the buckles (13), the elastic biasing means (25) bias the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) to slide in their passage (21) toward their loosened position.

[0041] According to the preferred embodiment, the elastic biasing means are constituted of two return arms (25) formed by extensions of the rear connecting element (12) and which connect said element (12) to the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b). Thus, when the user tightens the headband (5), the return arms fold as seen in FIGS. 6a-6c, thus biasing the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) against the locking means (13, 22).

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7, it is noted that the guiding means (20) are located at the end of the adjustment extensions, at the level of the gripping members (7a, 7b) in order to slide in the slots (19) of the connecting element (12) located between the two locking buckles (13). Furthermore, when the headband (5) is in the loosened position (A), the gripping members (7a, 7b) are separated by a distance (d) less than 15 centimeters and advantageously equal to approximately 8 centimeters so as to facilitate their actuating by the user. It is also noted that the cooperation between the connecting element (12) and its buckles (13) and the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) occurs in a plane (P2) located below that in which the main portion of the band (8) and the return arms (25) are located, whereas the gripping members (7a, 7b) extend downwardly below said plane (P2).

[0043] According to the preferred embodiment, the constitutive members of the headband (5), namely the main band portion (8), the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b), the means for locking and unlocking (13, 22, 23), the connecting element and its return arms (12, 25), are made of plastic by any method, such as by injection, for example. Nevertheless, the main portion of the band (8) and the connecting element (12) can comprise, on their inner surface, a padding adapted to provide comfort for the user. This padding can advantageously be glued or sewn on the band (8), or it can be removably arranged, for example, by means of a quick fastener of the Velcro type (Registered Trademark).

[0044] It is noted that the helmet (1) of the invention has a vertical plane (P) of general symmetry, and that it has means allowing the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) to be displaced symmetrically with respect to this plane (P). In the previously described embodiment, these means are constituted by the elastic means (25) such that, when the user unlocks the band due to his acting on the unlocking members (23), said elastic means act simultaneously and jointly to symmetrically drive back each of the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b). FIGS. 12a, 12b show an alternative according to which the displacement of one of the adjustment extensions (11a or 11b) causes the displacement of the other adjustment extension (11b or 11a). According to this alternative, the two adjustment extensions (11a, 11b) are connected mechanically and kinematically by a central transmission sprocket (30), pivotally mounted on the connecting element (12) in the general plane (P). It is noted that said sprocket (30) cooperates through diametrical meshing with two additional extensions (31a, 31b) of the main band, extending the adjustment extensions (11a, 11b).

[0045] According to the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 12a, the device also includes the elastic means (25) of the first embodiment.

[0046] According to the alternative of FIG. 12b, the elastic means are constituted of an elastic system, not shown, such as a spring that acts on the transmission sprocket (30).

[0047] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of example, but it also encompasses all technical equivalents, as well as their combinations.