Visor holder for a head protective helmet

[0001] The present invention relates to a visor holder for attaching a clear plastic visor to helmets of different sizes and shapes.

[0002] In our U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,719, there is shown an attachment system whereby to secure a clear plastic visor to a wire grid face protector of a helmet. The clear plastic lens or visor is secured to a connector which is attached to the wire grid face protector. Accordingly, a wire grid face protector is required to mount the lens and as such, it has limited applications and adaptations in that it can be used with specific helmets having a particular wire grid face protector which is not easily securable to helmets of different sizes and shapes. Often, there is no need to provide a wire grid face protector in certain sports as these are often a nuisance. These structures are also not aesthetically pleasing.

[0003] A feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is adjustable and capable of securing a clear plastic lens to helmets of different sizes and shapes.

[0004] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is aesthetically pleasing, robust, which provides ventilation to the lens or visor when attached thereto.

[0005] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is easy to secure to a helmet and which provides ease of attachment of a protective visor thereto.

[0006] According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a visor holder for a head protective helmet wherein the holder is comprised of a single molded piece having a narrow frontal curved portion and opposed depending rear visor attachment portions. Securement means is provided for immovably securing the holder about the peripheral forehead and temple area of a helmet. The securement means has a pair of side mounting brackets adapted to be secured to a helmet adjacent the temple area on opposed sides thereof for adjustable interconnection with interlocking means on an inner surface of the depending rear visor attachment portions to adapt the visor holder to helmets of different sizes and shapes. Attachment means is formed integral in the opposed depending rear visor attachment portions for releasable connection of a visor thereto.

[0015] Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown generally at 10 the visor holder of the present invention. It is comprised of the single molded piece formed by injection molded polycarbonate plastics or other suitable material. The single molded piece defines a narrow frontal curved portion 12 and opposed depending rear visor attachment portions 13 and 13′. A connector 14 is formed integral in the central area of the narrow frontal curved portion 12 and provided with two elongated slots 15 and 15′ whereby to connect to existing threaded post bolts 11 that are inserted through elongated slots in the helmet and project in the frontal peripheral portion 16 of the frontal area 17 of a helmet 18, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The slots 15 and 15′ of the connector 14 provide for adjustable securement to the existing threaded post bolts 11, as shown in FIG. 5. Fasteners 19 are used for the securement.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 4, the securement means for attaching the visor holder to a helmet further comprises a pair of side mounting brackets 20 which are adapted to be secured to a helmet adjacent the temple area 21.

[0017] The visor holder is further provided with vent means in the form of vent holes 23, see FIG. 2, integrally formed in the narrow frontal curved portion 12 of the holder 10 and disposed above the forehead of the wearer person wearing the helmet. Visor attachment means in the form of holes 24 and 24′ are provided respectively in the depending rear visor attachment portions 13 and 13′ and are shaped to receive a retention clip 25, formed integral with the clear plastic visor 26, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The visor 26 is shaped whereby to be compressed to fit inside the depending rear visor attachment portions 13 and 13′ with the retention clip 25 projecting outwardly from the outer surface 27 of the visor at opposed attachment ends 28. When the clips 25 register with the holes 24 and 24′, the clip springs into the attachment holes 24 to secure the visor to the visor holder. To remove the visor, it is only necessary to push in the clips 25 and move the visor forward to remove it.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the depending rear visor attachment portions 13 and 13′ are provided in the upper part thereof with interlocking means in the form of a plurality of projecting teeth elements 30 which are herein shown as being of saw tooth cross-section. These teeth elements 30 are disposed in series with one another and disposed adjacent an elongated slot 31 through which is received a fastener 32, see FIG. 6, which is engageable with a threaded bore 32′ of the associated bracket 20, as shown in FIG. 4, secured to the temple area 21 of the helmet 18. The bracket 20 is also provided with a series of serrated depressions 33 dimensioned to interlock with the series of teeth 30 provided in the inner face 34 of the depending rear visor attachment portions 13 and 13′. One or two of these serrated depressions could be sufficient but preferably a series provides for a more secured connection. Accordingly, the visor holder 10 can be adjustably secured to a variety of helmet sizes and shapes by simply fitting the visor holder with the attachment bracket and securing the attachment bracket 20 to the helmet in the approximate required area as the adjustment can then be made with this adjustable feature of the interlocking teeth. Accordingly, the serrated depressions 33 constitute a securement means. The bracket 20 is also provided with slots 46 to provide adjustable connection over the temple area 21 of the helmet 18 by the use of fasteners 45. There are at least two parallel slots 46 to permit rigid connection and prevent tilting of the bracket.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the serrated depressions 33 are disposed along a top edge 36 and formed in the outer face 37 of the bracket 20 and disposed for facial alignment with the toothed elements 30 when the holder is secured to a helmet by the fasteners 32.

[0020] As also shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the series of toothed elements 30 are disposed in substantially parallel alignment with the slot 31 and extends along parallel longitudinal axes projecting in a horizontal plane 38, see FIG. 3, of the narrow frontal curved portion of the holder.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the visor 26 is herein provided with a rearwardly projecting flange 40 extending centrally from a top edge 41 of the visor and extending forwardly of the connector 14. The projecting flange 40 is adapted to receive an insignia, such as shown at 42 thereon and which is visible when worn by a user person, as shown in FIG. 6. It is also an aesthetic feature.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 7, the clear plastic visor 26 may be tinted in at least a portion thereof, and as herein shown there are two distinct tint tones, namely an upper tint tone portion at 43 and a lower tint tone portion 44 with the tones being of different colors. It is also envisaged that the tone can have a single tint but degraded from dark to clear with the darkest part of the tone being of course, in the upper portion of the lens whereby to provide glare shading.

[0023] Accordingly, with the visor holder of the present invention it is possible to adapt clear plastic visors to helmets of different sizes and shapes thereby making it possible to use a common visor or lens on helmets formed by different fabricators.

[0024] It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiments described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.