Patent Application
20230232930
The present description is directed toward safety or crash helmets and accessories for such helmets, and, more particularly, to a snap cover assembly for use in customizing a helmet, such as open face motorcycle helmets and the like, that include a series of external snaps to allow for installation, removal, and replacement of a snap-on visor or face shield.
There are many settings in which a crash helmet is worn to enhance safety of an activity such as a driver or rider of a motorized vehicle. For example, many countries require that riders of motorized vehicles that are unenclosed wear helmets for safety. A motorcycle helmet is an example of these crash or safety helmet, which are designed to improve motorcycle safety by protecting the rider's head in the event of an impact. Motorcycle helmets are often formed to have a polystyrene foam inner shell that absorbs the shock of an impact, and a protective plastic outer layer.
One common form of such helmets is an open face or three-quarters helmet that is designed to cover the ears, cheeks, and back of the wearer's head. Many open face helmets offer snap-on visors or face shields that may be used by the rider to reduce sunlight glare. To allow the visors to be snapped on and off, the outer surface of the helmet typically includes three spaced-apart male snaps adjacent an upper edge of the facial or front opening of the helmet. Many vehicle operators including motorcycle riders remove the visor or face shield to enhance comfort or improve visibility and rely upon sunglasses or goggles to provide eye protection with open face helmets, leaving the snaps exposed.
While helmets come in a wide variety of colors and graphic designs, many riders enjoy customizing their helmets rather than using an off-the-shelf design. Helmet customizations are wide ranging and include decals or stickers, snap-on visors and face shields, and sculptural additions. These customizations may be applied to the helmet outer surface in the form of decals or stickers or in a three-dimensional (3D) form such as a faux mohawk, spikes, or animal ears. In other cases, the rider may swap out the snap-on visor for a custom-molded sun visor or the like or the rider may apply vinyl stickers to the visor.
There is a demand for new ways to customize the look of an open face helmet. This demand remains, in part, because existing customizations can reduce safety such as when a rider applies a vinyl sticker to a visor, thereby at least partially blocking the wearer's view. The demand for new customizations is also from riders who often remove their visor, such as in warmer weather, and who do not like the look of the exposed set of snaps above the facial or front opening.
To address the need or demand for new helmet customizations, the inventor designed a snap cover assembly for use with open face helmets that allows for easy mounting onto the helmet via the helmets visor or face shield snaps, e.g., a series of three male snaps protruding from the helmet's outer surface immediately above the facial or front opening. The assembly includes an inner element (or “mounting element”) configured with a mounting assembly or system for attaching the snap cover assembly to the exposed helmet snaps. The assembly further includes an outer element, which is coupled with an outer surface of the inner element in a manner, in some embodiments, that allows it to be removable to allow a user to swap it out to modify the look of their helmet. The outer element includes an outer surface (or customization surface) upon which one or more customizations (or customizing elements) may be provided by the user or others (e.g., a manufacturer, a distributor, or the like).
The new snap cover assembly has several desirable features or aspects that are likely to cause it to be widely accepted and used by riders, i.e., helmet wearers or users. First, it allows the wearer to uniquely identify or individualize their helmets via a detachable means. Particularly, the customization or customizing element may be graphical, textual, symbolic, and/or optical or a combination of all these types of customizations. Second, the snap cover assembly is useful for hiding the exposed visor snaps, which many helmet users believe are unsightly or undesirable. Third, the use of the snap cover assembly is safer than other customizations that involve modifying or covering the visor or face shield, which can block the user's view or distract the user during vehicle operations.
More particularly, a snap cover assembly is provided for use with open face helmets. The assembly includes an inner mounting element with a semi-cylindrical body having an inner surface and an outer surface. An outer customization element is included with a semi-cylindrical body attached to or integrally formed with the outer surface of the body of the inner mounting element. The body of the outer customization element may include a customization surface opposite the inner mounting element that is configured for receiving or containing one or more customizing elements. The assembly further includes a set of spaced-apart slots provided in the inner surface of the inner mounting element that are configured for receiving a set of snaps provided on an outer surface of an open face helmet for coupling with a visor or face shield.
In some embodiments of the snap cover assembly, each of the slots is defined by a flexible sidewall configured for providing a snap fit with one of the snaps. In these implementations of an integral snap coupling mechanism, the flexible sidewall is angled inward from the outer surface to the inner surface of the body of the inner mounting element to provide the snap fit.
To provide alignment with the snaps that may have different positions on helmets, each of the slots may have a length that is at least 1.5 times greater than a maximum outer diameter of the snaps. In a more specific example implementation, the set of slots may include three elongated slots with a center slot positioned proximate to a center of the body of the inner mounting element and being arranged with a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the body of the inner mounting element. The three elongated slots also may include a pair of outer slots positioned with one on either side of the center slot and each oriented with a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body of the inner mounting element.
The assembly may be configured to include a snap coupling device slidably disposed within each of the slots. The snap coupling device is selected from the following: a female or male snap configured for mating with the snap of the helmet, a press-on washer, a split washer, a metal flexure, and a metal flexible coupling device. further comprising a suction cup disposed within each of the slots that is oriented and configured for mating with the outer surface of the helmet. In some embodiments, the assembly further includes one or more patches of or a layer of flexible adhesive on the inner surface of the mounting element.
The assembly may also include a customizing element attached to or provided as part of the customization surface. In such implementations of the snap cover assembly, the customizing element is a customization selected from the following: a retroreflector or layer of retroreflective material, a sticker, a decal, a layer of ink, a layer of paint, a three dimensional (3D) component, an embossed element, a molded element, a feature configured for providing public safety information, a feature providing colors or symbols invoking escort or group leader functions or worker authority, a component providing advertisement functions, a component configured to individualize or identify the helmet or person wearing the helmet, and a customization with an outer layer or coating of weather resistant material.
The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. For a better understanding of the embodiments, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The scope of the embodiments will be pointed out in the appended claims.
In brief, the present description teaches a snap cover assembly for use in customizing open face helmets, including motorcycle helmets, that are designed to receive a snap-on visor or face shield. In brief, the assembly is configured for detachable mounting upon an outer surface of a helmet above the facial or front opening of a helmet. To this end, the assembly includes an inner or mounting element (or cover or cover body) with a mounting assembly or system adapted to detachably engage with the set of visor/shield snaps (exposed due to removal of the helmet's visor or face shield). The snap cover assembly also includes an outer element (or covering layer) that is permanently or detachably attached to an outer surface of the inner or mounting element, and the outer element includes a customization surface adapted for receiving one or more customizations or customizing elements.
The inner or mounting element 112 includes a slot or passageway for receiving each of a set of visor or face shield snap on a helmet's outer surface. As shown, the inner element 112 includes a slot or passageway 116 that has received a male snap 102, with a typical motorcycle helmet including three such snaps spaced apart generally in a line above the facial or front opening to allow a visor or face shield with three female snaps to be snapped on and off (here shown with the visor or face shield removed or snapped off the helmet).
The slot 116 is defined by a sidewall 118 that extends about its periphery, and the slot 116 may be generally rectangular in shape with a width, WSlot, chosen based on a maximum outer diameter (OD) of the snap 102. As shown, the sidewall 118 may be angled inward from the outer or top surface 114 to the inner or bottom surface 115 rather than being vertical such as at an angle, θ, in the range of 135 to 175 degrees such that the sidewall 118 captures, e.g., by flexing open upon insertion of the snap 102 and then flexing or snapping closed (as shown) to capture or snap onto the narrower portion of the male snap 102. The height, HSlot, may be chosen to match that of the snap 102 or be a small amount larger such that the top of the snap 102 does not abut the inner surface 124 of the cover layer 120. In some cases, the slot or snap receiving feature 116 is provided its ability to capture a snap 102 by the flexibility and resilient (or spring-like) characteristics, which may be provided by forming (e.g., molding) the inner or mounting element 112 of a plastic or similar material with a thickness in the range discussed above.
This slot arrangement and its usefulness is shown in
To address these different snap positions, the inner or mounting element 112 includes a center slot 116 and two outer or side slots 216 and 217. Each has a width as discussed above to facilitate receiving a snap and with snapping onto or flexibly engaging that snap. Further, though, each of the slots 116, 216, and 217 has a length, LSlot, that is greater than the maximum OD of the snaps to allow for the differing snap spacings and/or positioning patterns, and the length, LSlot, may be in the range of 1.5 to 4 times (or 150 to 400 percent of) the OD of the snaps. The length, LSlot, may be the same for all three of the slots 116, 216, 217 or they may vary (such as with the side slots 216 and 217 having a greater length than the inner or center slot 116 in some embodiments). Further, alignment is achieved by orienting the center slot 116 vertically (i.e., with its longitudinal axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the body 113 of the inner element 112) and the side or outer slots 216 and 217 horizontally (i.e., with their longitudinal axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body 113 of the inner element 112). In this way, the centering slot's sidewall 118 acts to retain the horizontal position of the body 113 while the outer slot sidewalls 218 and 219 act to retain the vertical position of the body 113 on the helmet (or relative to the received snaps). As shown, this configuration allows the first set of snaps 102A, 202A, 204A and the second set of snaps 102B, 202B, and 204B both being received within the slots 116, 216, 217, thereby allowing the inner element 112 to be snapped onto helmets with the two differing patterns or positioning of snaps.
The cover layer or outer element 120 is useful in the snap cover assembly 110 for providing a semi-cylindrical customization surface 122 upon which one or more customizations or customization elements, e.g., stickers, decals, integrally formed or later attached 3D features, or the like, may be provided. In this manner, the surface 122 hides the presence of the snaps but is spaced apart from the helmet surface 304 such that it does not interfere with the snaps. The snap cover assembly 110 may be removed with a prying motion, and a visor or face shield or the assembly 110 (or another embodiment of a snap cover assembly) may be attached to the helmet surface 304.
In some embodiments, the assembly 110 may be configured for attachment to helmets that do not include protruding male snaps. In such embodiments, the assembly 110 may take the form shown in
In this example, the assembly 110 include an inner or mounting element 112 with slots adapted for receiving and aligning the assembly 110 with the snaps 508 and also for mechanically coupling with the snaps 508 via their flexible and sloped or angled in sidewalls (as discussed in more detail with reference to
As shown, the assembly 610 is a single piece unit with a unitary body 612, which may be thought of as including both the inner or mounting element and the outer element/cover layer of the assembly 110 of
The assembly 710 differs from assembly 110 in part because the slots are not used to couple with the helmet snaps but instead to receive, position/align, and retain a set of slide-in lock clamps 730. Three clamps 730 are included, with one per slot 720, 722, and 723 provided in the body 712 on the inner surface 716. Each clamp 730 is designed to receive and retain a button/snap 702 on an outer surface of a helmet (not shown).
To this end, the clamp 730 is shown to include a body or front leg 732 coupled with a back leg/arm 734 such as with an orthogonal relationship such that each clamp 730 is L-shaped, with the leg/arm 734 being much shorter in length (e.g., about matching the depth of the slots 720, 722, 723) than the body or front leg 732 (which may have a length of about 1.5 to 2.5 times that of the OD of the helmet snap/button). The body/front leg 732 includes a snap-receiving slot or groove 733 that is configured with an outer section designed to allow the smaller OD portion of a helmet button 702 to pass and an inner section designed to receive the larger head of the male snap 702, thereby capturing and retaining the snap 702 in a detachable or separable manner.
The rear leg/arm 734 has a width and height chosen to allow the clamps 730 to be received in the center slot 720 and the two outer or side slots 722 and 723. The center slot 720 may be sized with a width (as measured on the horizontal) that is only a small amount larger than the width of the leg/arm 734 (e.g., 5 to 10 percent larger) such that the clamp 730 inserted into the slot 720 has little or no side-to-side play or ability to move. In contrast, the side or outer slots 722 and 723 may have widths that are greater than the clamp's back leg/arm 734 width (such as 30 to 100 percent larger) to allow these clamps 730 inserted into these slots to be moved side-to-side to allow for differing helmet snap positions (as discussed above). In use, the clamps 730 may be first coupled or locked onto the three helmet snaps, and then the clamps 730 may be inserted into the slots 720, 722, and 723 with center slot 720 providing a horizontal or left-to-right positioning and outer slots 722 and 723 allowing for some movement of clamps 730. Once the alignment and/or sizing process is completed, the side-to-side movement of the clamps 730 in the slots 722 and 723 may be fixed such as with glue or other adhesive.
This disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The example embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain principles and practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, although illustrative example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying figures, it is to be understood that this description is not limiting and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.
The snap cover assemblies described herein allow users to readily customize their open face helmets in a detachable or modifiable manner. The new assemblies act to “cover” helmet snaps or buttons that are exposed upon removal of a visor or face shield. The snap cover assembly is used by snapping it onto a helmet (e.g., a motorcycle helmet) using integral plastic snap mechanisms provided by each slot on an inner surface or via snap attachment components positioned in slots that do not have an integral snap mechanism. A covering layer may be integrally formed with the inner or mounting element or applied later via an adhesive layer or the like, and, similarly, one or more customizations or customizing elements may be provided on an outer or customization surface on the covering layer before or after the covering layer is attached to the inner or mounting element.
The customizations may provide optical customization of the helmet such as with a retroreflector or glowing surface(s). The customizations may be configured to provide public safety information such as “Ambulance,” “Police,” colors or symbols invoking escort or group leader functions or worker authority, or the like. The customizations may be configured to provide advertisement functions (e.g., “Soda Brand”) and/or be configured to individualize or identify the helmet (e.g., with a badge number, a wearer's name, an ID number, a company affiliation, group representation (e.g., a tour group), favorite sports team or musical group, and so on). In some embodiments, the customization element may be configured or designed to be weather resistant or may include an additional outer layer/coating of weather resistant material.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Appl. No. 63/302,255, filed Jan. 24, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63302255 | Jan 2022 | US |
