SCALABLE HELMET

Abstract

An exemplary scalable helmet includes a base helmet having a lower edge, a ballistic portion removably attached to the base helmet, and a mounting portion including at least one connector. The mounting portion extends along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet. The connector includes at least one restraining portion for restraining movement of the accessory attached to the base helmet. The mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet, and the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to helmets, and more specifically to scalable helmets with attached accessories.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Military helmets are known to those skilled in the art, for example, lightweight non-ballistic “bump” helmets (rated only for blunt impact) and full ballistic helmets (rated to stop a variety of fragmentation and/or small arms fire). Typical bump helmets weigh 1-2 pounds less than a ballistic rated helmet and provide increased ventilation, as vents compromise the ability of a ballistic shell to protect the wearer. Examples of bump helmets include Team Wendy EXFIL® Carbon, Team Wendy EXFIL® LTP, OpsCore FAST Base Jump, OpsCore FAST Carbon, and ProTec BRAVO. Military users of such helmets may carry one of each type of helmet depending on the environment and the type of threats anticipated.

Mounting accessories to military helmets is also known to those skilled in the art. Accessories are typically mounted on the front, sides, or back of the helmet. Accessories mounted to the front of the helmet include, but are not limited to, vision devices such as night optical devices (NODs). Front-mounted accessories are typically attached to the helmet with a standard rectangular interface known as a “shroud” that is fitted to the front of the helmet or helmet shell. This interface is commonly used by the US military and internationally, and vision systems made by various companies are designed to work with the same interface. Accessories mounted to the sides or back of the helmet include, but are not limited to, communications headsets (commonly mounted to the sides of the helmet), lights (commonly mounted to the sides of the helmet), battery packs or counterweights (commonly mounted to the back of the helmet), goggles (commonly used with straps that attach to the side or the helmet or area of the helmet behind the ear), and oxygen or gas masks (commonly mounted via a strap that attaches to the side of the helmet behind the ear). These accessories, particularly those mounted to the sides of the helmet, are typically attached via a “rail system” such as the Ops-Core ARC rail and ARC-ACH kit, MIL-STD-1913 rails (also known as Picatinny rails), or the Team Wendy EXFIL Rail 2.0. These rail systems are secured to the shell of the helmet, covering significant portions of the sides and rear of the helmet. To use accessories on multiple helmets, the user may purchase an additional accessory (e.g., one for each helmet), or may remove the accessory and transfer it between helmets each time they decide to change helmets.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of scalable helmets and methods for using a scalable helmet are disclosed herein.

An exemplary scalable helmet includes a base helmet having a lower edge, a ballistic portion removably attached to the base helmet, and a mounting portion including at least one connector. The mounting portion extends along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet. The mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet, and the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

Another exemplary scalable helmet includes a base helmet having a lower edge, a helmet shell, a mounting portion including at least one connector, and at least one accessory connected to the connector. The mounting portion extends along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet. The mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the helmet shell when the helmet shell is attached to the base helmet, and the helmet shell is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

Still another exemplary scalable helmet includes a base helmet having a lower edge, a ballistic portion removably attached to the base helmet, and a mounting portion including at least one means for attaching an accessory to the base helmet. The mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet, and the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

Still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for using a scalable helmet. The method includes providing a scalable helmet including a base helmet having a lower edge and a mounting portion having at least one connector; attaching an accessory to the connector; and attaching a ballistic portion to the scalable helmet after attaching the accessory to the mounting portion. The mounting portion extends along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet. The connector includes at least one restraining portion for restraining movement of the accessory attached to the base helmet. The mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet, and the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a scalable helmet;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the scalable helmet of FIG. 1 with a ballistic shell attached;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the scalable helmet and ballistic shell of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the scalable helmet and ballistic shell of FIG. 2 along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mounting assembly of the scalable helmet of FIG. 1 indicated by the line 5-5 with the accessory mount removed;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of the scalable helmet of FIG. 1 taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a scalable helmet;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the scalable helmet of FIG. 7 with a ballistic shell attached;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the scalable helmet and ballistic shell of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the scalable helmet and ballistic shell of FIG. 8 along the line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mounting assembly of the scalable helmet of FIG. 7 indicated by the line 11-11 with the accessory mount removed;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of the scalable helmet of FIG. 7 taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of an exemplary mounting portion for a scalable helmet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Prior to discussing the various embodiments, a review of the definitions of some exemplary terms used throughout the disclosure is appropriate. Both singular and plural forms of all terms fall within each meaning.

As described herein, when one or more components are described as being connected, joined, affixed, coupled, attached, or otherwise interconnected, such interconnection may be direct as between the components or may be indirect such as through the use of one or more intermediary components. Also as described herein, reference to a “member,” “component,” or “portion” shall not be limited to a single structural member, component, or element but can include an assembly of components, members, or elements. Also as described herein, the terms “substantially” and “about” are defined as at least close to (and includes) a given value or state (preferably within 10% of, more preferably within 1% of, and most preferably within 0.1% of).

As used herein, “ballistic” refers to a helmet or helmet component that is designed to provide protection from ballistic threats. Ballistic helmets and helmet components can be designed to provide protection from varying degrees of threats, including, but not limited to, fragmentation, handgun rounds, and rifle rounds. Ballistic components designed to protect from a 7.62×39 or 7.62×54 rifle round are typically heavier and bulkier than those designed to protect from a 9 mm handgun round, which are still heavier than those designed to protect from fragmentation only (typically graded by the v50 level of a standard fragment, which itself can vary greatly). Also as used herein, “non-ballistic” refers to a helmet or helmet component that is not designed to provide protection from ballistic threats or to meet ballistic protection ratings. Non-ballistic helmets and helmet components may still provide some protection from a ballistic threat, but are not designed and/or rated for such threats.

As used herein, “scaling” of a scalable helmet refers to adding or subtracting ballistic protection from a base helmet platform. Scaling “up” a scalable helmet refers to adding ballistic protection to protect from varying degrees of ballistic threats. A fully scaled up helmet is fully or heavily armored, thereby protecting the wearer from high ballistic threats. Scaling “down” a scalable helmet refers to removing ballistic protection to reduce weight and increase ventilation.

Applicant has appreciated the need for a single helmet that can be configured by the wearer to provide variable levels of protection and comfort while maintaining functionality of helmet mounted accessories.

The present disclosure is directed to a scalable helmet that allows the wearer to add or remove ballistic protection to tailor the helmet to the risk profile of a particular mission without removing accessories or changing the fit and padding of the helmet. Thus, the wearer can be equipped with the lightest weight helmet available that meets the desired threat protection level, while maintaining functionality of helmet mounted accessories. Additionally, the user can scale down the helmet during low risk phases of a mission, such as transit, to reduce the weight of the helmet and improve ventilation, thereby reducing fatigue of the wearer while maintaining full blunt impact protection and the ability to utilize helmet mounted devices. The user can then scale up the helmet by quickly reattaching the ballistic portion in anticipation of entering a phase of the mission with increased risk. In some scenarios, the user may carry multiple ballistic shells rated to different threat levels that can be interchanged depending on needs of the particular mission phase. Furthermore, if a ballistic shell becomes damaged, a new or borrowed shell can be installed without needing to adjust the fit of the helmet or change the accessories.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, an exemplary scalable helmet 100 is shown. The scalable helmet 100 includes a base helmet 101, a shroud mount 110, a mounting portion 120, an optional accessory mount 130, and a helmet shell. As shown, the helmet shell is a ballistic portion 140 of the scalable helmet. However, in some embodiments, the helmet shell may be a non-ballistic shell, a shell having different colors and/or patterns to change the appearance of the helmet, a shell configured to protect the wearer from the elements, or the like. The base helmet 101 includes a plurality of ventilation openings 102 with vent inserts 103, a side cutout 104 around the ear of the wearer, and a bottom edge 106. The rectangular shroud connector 110 for mounting vision accessories, such as NODs, is attached to the front of the base helmet 101. As shown, the mounting portion 120 is attached to the bottom edge 106 along the sides and back of the base helmet 101. An optional accessory mount 130 is connected to connectors 121 of the mount portion 120. The ballistic portion 140 attaches to the base helmet 101 to provide ballistic protection for the wearer.

The base helmet 101 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as, for example, carbon fiber, a polymer such as ABS or polycarbonate, or the like. In some embodiments, the base helmet 101 includes additional layers to catch ballistic fragments, for example, a spall liner.

Ventilation openings are provided in helmets to allow air to flow through the helmet as it is worn on the wearer's head, facilitating cooling as the wearer perspires. Existing ventilation openings are limited in size, however, to provide sufficient impact protection against impacts directly onto a vent. The ventilation openings 102 of the present disclosure are significantly larger than those of prior art helmets while still providing sufficient impact resistance. Impact resistance and improved ventilation are provided by vent inserts 103 in the ventilation openings 102. For example, the vent inserts 103 include a plurality of hexagonal cells 107 giving the vent inserts 103 a honeycomb shape that allows air flow through the helmet 100 while providing significant structural support and compression resistance to protect the head against impacts directly onto the vented areas. The cells 107 can be any shape or combination of shapes, such as, for example, a circle, a pentagon, a square, a triangle, or the like.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cells 107 in the vent inserts 103 located at the front and rear of the helmet 100 are oriented in a substantially horizontal direction (i.e., the cells are substantially perpendicular to the frontal plane of the head of the wearer) and the vent inserts 103 on the top of the helmet 100 are angled toward the front or rear of the helmet 100. In the illustrated embodiments, all of the cells 107 in a vent insert 103 face in the same direction. In some embodiments, the cells 107 may face in different directions in different portions of the insert. The vent inserts 103 may be integrally formed with the base helmet 101, or may be attached to the base helmet 101 using any fastening means, such as, for example, adhesive, fasteners, slots, or the like. In some embodiments, the vent inserts 103 may be removably installed in the base helmet 101.

The walls of the cells 107 preferably have a substantially uniform wall thickness throughout the vent insert 103 as a uniform wall thickness provides a substantially flat stress-strain curve during an impact; i.e., the deceleration of the wearer's head is substantially constant during an impact. Applicant has found that additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, allow the cells 107 of the vent insert 103 to be manufactured with uniform wall thickness throughout the insert. The vent inserts 103 may be constructed with additive manufacturing techniques and materials, for example, Stratasys® Objet printers and Polyjet™ plastics such as, but not limited to, Polyjet™ High Temperature Engineering Plastic, Digital ABS™, Disital ABS2™ and Polyjet™ rubber (Tangoblack). Alternately the inserts could be constructed using other polymers or metals, with 3D printing methods such as Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Layer Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS).

In some embodiments, the vent inserts 103 are formed using traditional manufacturing techniques such as injection molding or thermoforming. The cells 107 of the vent inserts 103 made using traditional manufacturing techniques may have a tapered wall to allow for removal from a mold. In these embodiments, the vent inserts 103 may be constructed from thermoplastic or thermoset polymers such as, but not limited to, urethanes (e.g., BASF Ellastolan®), polycarbonates, polyolefins, and polypropylenes. In still other embodiments, the vent inserts 103 are constructed of metallic honeycombs such as aluminum, or resin infused honeycombs such as nomex coated in phenolic resin (e.g., nomex phenolic honeycomb).

The shroud mount 110 is attached to the front of the base helmet 101 and includes a standard rectangular mount for accessories such as NODs, described above. The perimeter of the shroud mount 110 is provided with an angled or chamfered edge 112 for interfacing with the ballistic portion. The chamfered edge 112 of the shroud mount 110 and corresponding front ballistic portion 114 interfaces with a corresponding beveled or angled edge 143 of a shroud opening 142 in the ballistic portion 140, allowing the ballistic portion 140 to overlap the chamfered edge 112 of the shroud connector 110. This overlap provides protection against ballistic projectiles impacting the helmet 100 along the interface between the shroud mount 110 and ballistic portion 140. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 may overlap the shroud mount 110 without a chamfered edge 143 to provide additional protection in the area surrounding the shroud mount 110. While the illustrated shroud mount 110 is separate component from the base helmet 101, in some embodiments the shroud mount 110 is integrally formed with the base helmet 101.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the shroud mount 110 also includes a front ballistic portion 114 between the accessory mount and the base helmet 101 to provide ballistic protection at the shroud mount 110 location whether or not additional ballistic portions are attached to the base helmet 101. In some embodiments, the front ballistic portion 114 is formed from a pressed ballistic material, for example, multiple ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers available such as DSM Dyneema or Honeywell Spectra. In some embodiments, the front ballistic portion 114 is formed from a common ballistic material such as aramid fibers (Kevlar) or ceramic. In some embodiments, the front ballistic portion is formed from layers of different ballistic materials such as a combination of aramid and polyethylene, or polyethylene with a ceramic strike face. In some embodiments, the front ballistic portion 114 is contained within a carbon fiber composite housing or a polymer housing, in which case the accessory mount is attached to the exterior of the housing.

In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 covers the shroud connector 110 entirely so that no accessories can be attached to the shroud connector 110. In some embodiments, an accessory connector or shroud connector is provided on the exterior of the ballistic portion 140. Attaching a NOD to a mount on the exterior of the ballistic portion 140 may require adjustment of the NOD to maintain proper visual alignment as the NOD would be displaced forward by being attached to the exterior of the ballistic portion 140. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 behind a shroud connector attached to the ballistic portion may be thinner (e.g., less than or equal to 0.125 inch or 0.25 inch) so as to not move an attached NOD out of its range of visual alignment. In some embodiments, the helmet 100 does not include an integrated shroud connector 110 and the ballistic portion 140 does not include the shroud recess 142. In some embodiments, the helmet 100 does not include a shroud connector 110, and an additional ballistic insert (not shown) is attached to the base helmet 101 to fill the shroud recess 142 of the ballistic portion 140.

The ballistic portion 140 provides ballistic protection to the wearer of the scalable helmet 100. The shroud opening 142 of the ballistic portion 140 allows the ballistic portion 140 to fit around the shroud connector 110. As described above, the perimeter of the shroud opening 142 is angled to interface with the chamfered edge 112 of the shroud connector 110. Side cutouts 144 and a rear cutout 146 provide access to the mounting portion 120, which is described in further detail below. The ballistic portion 140 is removably attached to the base helmet 101 so that the wearer can scale down the helmet 100. The ballistic portion 140 may be secured to the base helmet 101 with any attachment mechanism, such as, for example, hook and loop fasteners, retaining clips, clamps, or the like. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 attaches to the mounting portion 120, which is described in further detail below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ballistic portion 140 is shown as a helmet shell that covers substantially all of the base helmet 101 other than the shroud connector 110 and mounting portion 120. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 covers a majority of the base helmet 101. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 covers substantially all of the base helmet 101. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 covers less than half of the base helmet 101. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion 140 may be formed of a plurality of ballistic sections that fit together to cover substantially all or a portion of the base helmet 101. For example, an individual ballistic portion 140 may cover only the front half, less than half, or only a small portion of the base helmet 101. In some embodiments, the multiple ballistic sections provide different levels of ballistic protection for different portions of the helmet 100, such as providing increased ballistic protection for the front half of the helmet where a soldier is more likely to be attacked.

The ballistic portion 140 is formed from a pressed ballistic material, for example, multiple UHMWPE fibers available such as DSM Dyneema or Honeywell Spectra, aramid fibers (e.g., Kevlar), ceramics, or other ballistic protective materials. In some embodiments, the ballistic portion is formed from layers of different ballistic materials such as a combination of aramid and polyethylene, or polyethylene with a ceramic strike face.

The ballistic protective materials of the ballistic portion 140 are typically pressed together under high pressure so that undercut shapes are often difficult and expensive to mold. In contrast, carbon fiber composite or polymer materials of the base helmet 101 are typically formed at lower pressures that allow undercut parts to be formed without significant increases in cost. In some embodiments, the scalable helmet 100 includes an undercut base shell for improved fitment to the head of the wearer, and a non-under cut ballistic portion. When the non-undercut ballistic portion is assembled to the undercut base helmet, empty space is left in the undercut areas. This empty space may be used for a mounting or latching assembly to secure the ballistic portion to the base helmet.

Accessories are attached to the mounting portion or rail 120 of the helmet 100. The mounting portion 120 of the helmet 100 may be attached at the bottom portion of the base helmet 120, for example, at or near the bottom edge 106 of the sides and rear of the base helmet 101. While the mounting portion 120 is shown as a single piece rail, the mounting portion 120 may be formed of multiple sections attached to different locations of the bottom edge 106 of the base helmet 101. An attachment recess 123 receives the bottom edge 106 to attach the mounting portion 120 to the base helmet 101. The mounting portion 120 may be attached to the base helmet 101 using an adhesive, such as epoxy, or using fasteners. In some embodiments, the mounting portion 120 may be molded, machined, or otherwise formed as an integral portion of the base shell 101. In some embodiments, an additional mounting portion (not shown) is also provided along a bottom edge of the ballistic portion 140, thereby providing additional accessory mounting locations.

Accessories are attached to the mounting portion 120 via one or more connectors 121. Each connector 121 includes at least one restraining portion for restraining the movement of the accessory or accessory mount 130 attached to the connector 121. In some embodiments, the connector 121 includes at least one first restraining portion and at least one second restraining portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the first restraining portion comprises a notch 122 and the second restraining portion comprises a slot 124. The notches 122 are formed in the top portion of a lobe 125 of the mounting portion that protrudes away from the base helmet 101. The slots 124 are formed across the bottom of the mounting portion 120. An accessory or accessory mount 130 engages both a notch 122 and a slot 124 to connect to the mounting portion 120. The lobes 125 and notches 122 (i.e., first restraining portions) restrain the vertical movement of an attached accessory, while the slots 124 (i.e., second restraining portions) restrain horizontal movement of the attached accessory. In the illustrated embodiment, the connectors 121 are arranged in groups 126 to allow an accessory or accessory mount 130 to engage one or more connectors 121, or for multiple accessories or accessory mounts 130 to be attached to the connectors 121 of the group 126.

The mounting portion 120 also includes a temple portion 128 for receiving an attachment portion 148 of the ballistic portion 140. The temple portion 128 may include a latch (not shown) or other means of connecting the ballistic portion 140 to the mounting portion. In some embodiments, the temple portion 128 includes a connector 121 to allow the ballistic portion 140 to connect to the mounting portion 120 in the same way that accessories or accessory mounts 130 are connected to the mounting portion 120.

The mounting portion 120 may be formed of a polymer material or metal. Suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyoxymethylenes such as Delrin and Acetal, nylon, and glass-filled nylon or polycarbonate. Suitable metals include, but are not limited to, aluminum, titanium, or other metals. The mounting portion 120 may be constructed by injection molding, machining, or any other suitable process.

An optional accessory mount 130 attaches to the mounting portion 120. The accessory mount 130 includes a connector 132 that engages one or more connectors 121 of the mounting portion 120. Accessories are attached to a mounting portion 134 of the accessory mount 130 so they can be secured to the helmet 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the accessory mount 130 includes a gap 136 between the mounting portion 134 and the base helmet 101 to accommodate the ballistic portion 140. In some embodiments, the accessory mount 130 is flush with the base helmet 101 and may require removal, remounting, or a spacer to accommodate the addition of the ballistic portion 140. In some embodiments, the accessory mount 130 includes a hinged portion so that mounting portion 134 can pivot relative to the connector 132, allowing the accessory mount 134 to be moved so that it is flush with either the base helmet 101 or the ballistic portion 140.

The location of the mounting portion 120 and the side and rear cutouts 144,146 of the ballistic portion 140 allow the helmet 100 to be scaled up or scaled down without interfering with accessories mounted to the mounting portion 120. The ballistic portion 140 provides coverage equivalent to a standard ballistic helmet.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-12, an exemplary scalable helmet 200 is shown. The base helmet 201 is similar to the base helmet 101 of FIGS. 1-6 but has a different mounting portion 220. The scalable helmet 200 includes a base helmet 201, a shroud mount 210, a mounting portion 220, an optional accessory mount 230, and a ballistic portion 240. The base helmet 201 includes a plurality of ventilation openings 202 with vent inserts 203, a side cutout 204 around the ear of the wearer, and a bottom edge 206. The rectangular shroud connector 210 for mounting vision accessories, such as NODs, is attached to the front of the base helmet 201. The mounting portion 220 is attached to the bottom edge 206 along the sides and back of the base helmet 201. An optional accessory mount 230 is connected to connectors 221 of the mount portion 220. The ballistic portion 240 attaches to the base helmet 201 to provide ballistic protection for the wearer.

Accessories are attached to the mounting portion or rail 220 of the helmet 200. The mounting portion 220 of the helmet 200 is attached to the bottom edge 206 of the sides and rear of the base helmet 201. While the mounting portion 220 is shown as a single piece rail, the mounting portion 220 may be formed of multiple sections attached to different locations of the bottom edge 206 of the base helmet 201. An attachment recess 221 receives the bottom edge 206 to attach the mounting portion 220 to the base helmet 201. The mounting portion 220 may be attached to the base helmet 201 using an adhesive, such as epoxy, or using fasteners. In some embodiments, the mounting portion 220 may be molded, machined, or otherwise formed as an integral portion of the base shell 201. In some embodiments, an additional mounting portion (not shown) is also provided along a bottom edge of the ballistic portion 240, thereby providing additional accessory mounting locations.

Accessories are attached to the mounting portion 220 via one or more connectors 222. The connectors 222 are secured to the mounting portion via fasteners 223. Each connector 222 includes at least one restraining portion for restraining the movement of the accessory or accessory mount 230 attached to the connector 222. In some embodiments, the connector 222 includes at least one first restraining portion and at least one second restraining portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the first restraining portion comprises undercut left and right sides 224 of the connector 222, and the second restraining portion comprises beveled top and bottom sides 226 of the connector 222. The left and right sides 224 include a recess 225 for receiving a ball detent or other locking mechanism of an accessory or accessory mount 230. The top and bottom sides 226 similarly include a recess 227 also for receiving a member of the accessory or accessory mount 230. The undercut left and right sides 224 (i.e., first restraining portions) restrain horizontal movement of the attached accessory relative to the connector 222, and give the connector 222 a dovetail-like shape when viewed from the top or bottom of the connector 222. The beveled top and bottom sides 226 (i.e., second restraining portions) restrain vertical movement of the attached accessory relative to the connector 222.

The mounting portion 220 also includes a temple connector 228 that may be the same as the connectors 222 but is located in the temple region of the base helmet 201 and is positioned to receive an attachment portion 248 of the ballistic portion 240. The temple connector 228 allows the ballistic portion 240 to connect to the mounting portion 220 in the same way that accessories or accessory mounts 230 are connected to the mounting portion 220.

The mounting portion 220 is formed of a polymer material or metal. Suitable polymers include, but are not limited to, polyoxymethylenes such as Delrin and Acetal, nylon, and glass-filled nylon or polycarbonate. Suitable metals include, but are not limited to, aluminum, titanium, or other metals. The mounting portion 220 may be constructed by injection molding, machining, or any other suitable process.

An optional accessory mount 230 attaches to the mounting portion 220. The accessory mount 230 includes a connector 232 that engages one or more connectors 221 of the mounting portion 220. Accessories are attached to a mounting portion 234 of the accessory mount 230 so they can be secured to the helmet 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the accessory mount 230 includes a gap 236 between the mounting portion 234 and the base helmet 201 to accommodate the ballistic portion 240. In some embodiments, the accessory mount 230 is flush with the base helmet 201 and may require removal, remounting, or a spacer to accommodate the addition of the ballistic portion 240. In some embodiments, the accessory mount 230 includes a hinged portion so that mounting portion 234 can pivot relative to the connector 232, allowing the accessory mount 234 to be moved so that it is flush with either the base helmet 201 or the ballistic portion 240.

The location of the mounting portion 220 and the side and rear cutouts 244, 246 of the ballistic portion 240 allow the helmet 200 to be scaled up or scaled down without interfering with accessories mounted to the mounting portion 220. the ballistic portion 240 provides coverage equivalent to a standard ballistic helmet.

Referring now to FIG. 13, a section of an exemplary mounting portion 320 is shown. The mounting portion 320 is similar to the mounting portion 120 described above, though the mounting portion 320 includes a different means of attaching accessories. Like the mounting portions 120 and 220, the mounting portion 320 includes connectors having at least one restraining portion. In the illustrated embodiment, a first restraining portion includes one or more dovetail joints 322 that interface with mating dovetail joints 332 on an accessory or accessory mount 330. The second restraining portion includes a retaining clip 334 on the accessory mount 330 snaps into a corresponding opening 324. The dovetail joints 322, 332 restrain horizontal movement of the attached accessory mount 330 relative to the mounting portion 320, and the retaining opening and clip 324, 334 restrain vertical movement of the accessory mount 330 relative to the mounting portion 320.

As described above, a variety of accessories can be attached to scalable helmet. In some embodiments, an accessory can be a visor or a face shield. In some embodiments, an accessory can be a helmet shell, such as, for example, a ballistic shell, or any other type of helmet shell. In some embodiments, helmet shells having different colors and/or patterns may be attached to the scalable helmet change the appearance of the helmet, such as, for example, by providing different camouflage for different environments. In some embodiments, helmet shells formed of light weight non-ballistic materials may be attached to the scalable helmet to provide protection from the elements.

While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the disclosures may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts, and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present application. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts, and features of the disclosures—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devices, and components, alternatives as to form, fit, and function, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts, or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present application even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, even though some features, concepts, or aspects of the disclosures may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present application, however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of a disclosure, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts, and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific disclosure, the disclosures instead being set forth in the appended claims. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated. The words used in the claims have their full ordinary meanings and are not limited in any way by the description of the embodiments in the specification.

Claims

1. A scalable helmet comprising: a base helmet including a lower edge;a ballistic portion removably attached to the base helmet; anda mounting portion including at least one connector, the mounting portion extending along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet, wherein the mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet;wherein the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing an accessory connected to the connector.

2. (canceled)

3. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises at least one restraining portion for restraining movement of an accessory attached to the base helmet.

4. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the connector comprises: a first restraining portion for restraining one of horizontal and vertical movement of a connected accessory relative to the connector; anda second restraining portion for restraining the other of horizontal and vertical movement of a connected accessory relative to the connector.

5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein one of the first and second restraining portions is a male dovetail portion and the other of the first and second restraining portions is a female dovetail portion.

6. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion is integrally formed with the lower edge of the base helmet.

7. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion extends along a rear portion, left side portion, and a right side portion of the lower edge of the base helmet.

8. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the ballistic portion comprises a ballistic shell that covers a majority of the base helmet.

9. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the ballistic portion comprises a ballistic shell that covers substantially all of the base helmet.

10. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the ballistic portion comprises a ballistic shell that covers substantially all of the base helmet except for the mounting portion and a shroud connector.

11. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the ballistic portion is attached to the mounting portion.

12. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet with at least one of a hook and loop fastener, a retaining clip, and a clamp.

13. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising: a shroud connector attached to a front portion of the base helmet;wherein the ballistic portion includes a shroud recess shaped to fit around the shroud connector when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet; andwherein a perimeter of the shroud recess overlaps at least a portion of the shroud connector when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet.

14. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising: a shroud connector attached to a front portion of the base helmet; anda shroud ballistic portion disposed between the shroud connector and the base helmet.

15. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to connect to an accessory including at least one of a locking cam, a ball detent, a clip, a buckle, and a pin.

16. The helmet of claim 1, wherein an the accessory comprises at least one of a communication device, a lighting device, a battery pack, a counterweight, goggles, a visor, a face shield, an oxygen mask, and a gas mask.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. A method of using a scalable helmet, the method comprising: providing a scalable helmet comprising: a base helmet including a lower edge; anda mounting portion including at least one connector, the mounting portion extending along a portion of the lower edge of the base helmet for connecting an accessory to the scalable helmet, and the connector comprising at least one restraining portion for restraining movement of the accessory attached to the base helmet;attaching an accessory to the mounting portion; andattaching a ballistic portion to the scalable helmet after attaching the accessory to the mounting portion.

33. A scalable helmet comprising: a base helmet including a lower edge;a ballistic portion removably attached to the base helmet; anda mounting portion including at least one means for attaching an accessory to the base helmet, wherein the mounting portion extends below a lower edge of the ballistic portion when the ballistic portion is attached to the base helmet; andwherein the ballistic portion is removable from the base helmet without removing the accessory attached to the base helmet.

34. The helmet of claim 33, wherein the mounting portion comprises at least one restraining portion for restraining movement of an attached accessory.

35. The helmet of claim 34, wherein the mounting portion comprises: a first restraining portion for restraining one of horizontal and vertical movement of a connected accessory relative to the connector; anda second restraining portion for restraining the other of horizontal and vertical movement of a connected accessory relative to the connector.

36. The helmet of claim 33, wherein the ballistic portion is attached to the mounting portion.