Patent Application
20110290832
The present disclosure relates generally to a device and method for carrying helmets in a relatively stabilized manner and, in one embodiment, a holster for securing a helmet to a person.
Helmets are commonly used by police, solders and others to protect the head and/or neck region against injury during combat, riots or other hazardous situations and/or work environments. For example, helmets may be used to reduce the force or impact of blunt objects, ballistics and/or falls. Due to their weight or design, helmets are often carried until a situation presents itself where its use is believed to be necessary.
Some people then carry their helmet by securing the helmet to a belt loop or a belt using the chin strap, if available. However, the strap buckle may get tangled in the loop or belt making it relatively difficult to release the helmet. When a helmet does not have a chin strap, the helmet may be secured to a belt or belt loop using a piece of twine, cord or a cable. The twine, cord or cable may be passed through a hole formed in the helmet for this purpose, which may compromise the integrity of the helmet, or the twine, cord or cable may be passed through the visor linkage or around another device, which may damage the linkage or device. Furthermore, when a helmet is secured as described above, the helmet often dangles and may inhibit movement. For example, the helmet may inhibit crouching, getting tangled underneath or between the legs, or the helmet may block access to a holster for a firearm or other tactical tool, depending on where and how the helmet is secured. Accordingly, it may be appreciated that a better method of securing a helmet may be desirable allowing for quick and easy access to the helmet without damaging the integrity of the helmet or inhibiting movement.
An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a device for securing a helmet, such as a helmet holster. The device may include a pocket defined by a base and a pocket portion, wherein the pocket portion exhibits a width and a height. The width of the pocket portion may be equal to or greater than said height of the pocket portion. The device may also include an adjustable restraint, wherein the restraint includes a first portion affixed to the base, configured to at least partially retain at least a portion of the helmet in the pocket. The device may further include an adjustable strap affixed to the pocket.
Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of securing a helmet. The method may include securing a device, such as a helmet holster, by at least three points to a user's hip area and leg, positioning at least a portion of a helmet within a pocket defined by a base and a pocket portion of the device, and securing to an adjustable restraint. The pocket portion may exhibit a width and a height and the width of the pocket portion is equal to or greater than the height of the pocket portion. In addition, the adjustable restraint may include a first portion affixed to the base, to at least partially retain the helmet in the pocket.
The above-mentioned and other features of this disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, may become more apparent and better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments herein are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
The present disclosure relates generally to a device and method for carrying and stabilizing a helmet and, in one embodiment, a device for securing a helmet to a person's belt. Helmets may include but are not limited to combat helmets, police helmets, ballistic helmets, motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets, sports helmets, work helmets, protective and other emergency services helmets, hard hats, riot squad helmets, etc.
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, the pocket 10 may be formed from one or more layers of material. The material may be a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric. Woven fabrics may include, for example, knit fabrics or webbing formed from yarn or other relatively continuous strands of fiber, wherein the yarn or relatively continuous fiber may have a length of greater than 300 mm. It may be appreciated that yarn may be formed from fiber components having a relatively short length, such as less than 300 mm, including all values and increments in the range of 1 mm to 300 mm. Non-woven fabric may include fabrics formed by interlocking, bonding or fusing of relatively short fibers having a length of 300 mm or less forming the fabrics. The material may also be a sheet or film. In some examples the material may be formed from thermoplastic materials, such as polyester, nylon, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, KEVLAR, ballistic nylon such as nylon-6,6, acrylic, aramids, etc. Furthermore, the fibers and yarns used in the materials may be of various weights. For example, a 600 denier polyester may be used to form the exterior surfaces of the base 12 and pocket portion 14. It may be appreciated that the base 12 and pocket portion 14 may be formed of the same material(s) or different material(s).
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, the pocket 10 may also be lined, forming the interior surfaces 22 and 24 of the pocket. The lining 20 may again include a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric. Woven fabrics may include, for example, knit fabrics or webbing formed from yarn or other relatively continuous strands of fiber, wherein the yarn or relatively continuous fiber may have a length of greater than 300 mm. It may be appreciated that yarn may be formed from fiber components having a relatively short length, such as less than 300 mm, including all values and increments in the range of 1 mm to 300 mm. Non-woven fabric may include fabrics formed by interlocking, bonding or fusing of relatively short fibers having a length of 300 mm or less forming the fabrics. The lining may also be a sheet or film. In some examples the lining may be formed from thermoplastic materials, such as polyester, nylon, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, KEVLAR, ballistic nylon such as nylon-6,6, acrylic, aramids, etc. The lining may be formed from one or more lining sections. In one embodiment, the lining may be fleece formed from polymeric materials.
For example, the lining 20 may be formed by including a first lining piece with the first panel 13 and a second lining piece with the second panel 15 and when the panels are affixed together, the lining is positioned on the interior surface 22 of the base 12 and the interior surface 24 of the pocket portion 14. In another embodiment, the lining may be formed from a single piece of fabric and attached to the pocket.
As may be appreciated, the base 12 and pocket portion 14 pieces may generally define the size of the pocket. The pocket may have a lay flat height and width to accommodate at least a portion of a helmet 4 when the helmet 4 is positioned in the pocket 10. Lay flat height and width may be understood as the height and width of when the device 2 does not include a helmet 4 in it, as opposed to the expanded dimensions of the expanded pocket, such as when a helmet 4 is positioned in the pocket 10. In one embodiment, the pocket portion 14 may exhibit a lay flat height Hp in the range of 75 mm to 250 mm, including all values and increments therein, such as 150 mm, 175 mm, 200 mm, etc. In another embodiment, the pocket portion 14 may exhibit a lay flat width Wp in the range of 250 mm to 450 mm, including all values and increments therein, such as 300 mm, 350 mm, 375 mm, etc. In addition, as illustrated in
The base 12 may assume a number of geometries. As illustrated, the base 12 may be somewhat teardrop shaped. In other embodiments, the base 12 may assume pyriform, circular, oval, or elliptical shapes, as well as others. The base 12 may include a proximal end 30 and a distal end 32. The base 12 may exhibit a shorter width than the pocket portion 14, and in such a manner, the lay flat width and/or overall width of the pocket portion 14 may be longer than the lay flat width of the base Wb to accommodate pocket expansion. As illustrated, the base 10 may be formed from one piece, however in some embodiments the pocket may be formed from more than one piece. For example, the pocket may be divided into two or more pieces.
In one embodiment, the ratio of the width of the pocket portion 14 to the height of the pocket portion 14 may be in the range of 1:1 to 6:1, including all values and increments therein. The pocket portion 14 may also be formed from one or more pieces, up to, for example, 8 pieces. One non-limiting embodiment illustrated in
As noted above, an adjustable restraint 16 may also be provided. The adjustable restraint 16 may include one or more portions. For example, the adjustable restraint 16 may include a first portion 50 affixed to the base 12 near the proximal end 30 of the base 12. In one embodiment, the first portion may include an end portion 52 which may release-ably be attached to the pocket portion 14 as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the device 2 may be secured to the hip region of a wearer via the adjustable restraint 16, wherein the adjustable restraint may simply pass around a belt, or through a belt loop. In other embodiments, a loop 60 through which a belt may pass may be provided on the adjustable restraint 16 as illustrated in
The device 2 may also be secured to the leg of a wearer via an adjustable strap, as seen in
Furthermore, it may be appreciated that in some embodiments, the adjustable restraint 16 may define a first axis, A-A and the adjustable strap 18 may define a second axis B-B, as illustrated in
It may be appreciated that the helmet holster described herein may be integrated with other tactical device holsters. For example, a flashlight or mace holster may be affixed to the helmet holster. The additional devices may be secured to the adjustable restraint, the adjustable strap or the pocket portion, depending on the size of the device, the need for quick access to the device, the common use of the device, etc.
A method of securing a helmet is contemplated herein wherein a device, i.e., a helmet holster as described above, may be secured by at least three points to a user's hip area and leg. At least a portion of a helmet may be positioned within a pocket defined by a base and a pocket portion of the device. It may be appreciate that the entire helmet may be positioned within the pocket or that just the visor may be positioned within the pocket. The adjustable restraint may then be secured to at least partially retain the helmet in the pocket.
Again, the device may be secured by at least one point by the adjustable restraint, wherein said adjustable restraint may attached to a belt. Attachment to a belt may be direct or indirect, wherein the adjustable restraint may pass over a wearer's belt or affixed to a belt via a loop positioned on the restraint or by a clip. The device may also be secured by at least two points by the adjustable strap affixed to the device.
Accordingly, contemplated herein is a device and method for carrying a helmet securely against the hip/leg of a wearer. Upon securing the helmet in the holster, the helmet may be prevented from swaying and/or otherwise constraining the movement of the wearer. Further, use of the helmet holster may reduce potential damage to the helmet through uncontrolled movement of the helmet, which may cause the chin strap to stretch or the helmet to get caught and/or hit. In addition, use of the helmet holster may negate the use retrofit devices to otherwise secure a helmet to a wearer, which may damage the helmet through their use.
The foregoing description of several methods and embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claims to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.
