Ventilated helmet

Abstract

A cyclist's helmet incorporates a dome shaped top wall structure, opposite side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, a lower front wall structure which extends forwardly and a rear wall structure. It also includes:(a) a frontward facing air inlet means defined by said wall structure, and an air outlet means defined by said wall structure generally rearwardly of said lower front wall structure, and(b) passage means in said wall structure including said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said inlet means for circulation to the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent flow via said wall structure and to said outlet means,(c) said inlet means, passage means, and outlet means located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to helmets, and more particularly concerns a safety helmet of the type worn by bicyclists, and having a construction enhancing comfort and safety of the wearer.

In the past, it was known to provide air vents in helmets, as for example are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,854 to Feldman and U.S. Pat. 3,925,821 to Lewicki. Such helmets lack the unusually advantageous features of construction, beneficial results and combinations thereof as are now provided by the present helmet, these including enhanced safety and air cooling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved helmet incorporating all of the above referenced advantages and results. Basically, the helmet incorporates a dome shaped top wall structure, opposite side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, a lower front wall structure which extends forwardly and a rear wall structure. It also includes:

(a) a frontward facing air inlet means defined by said wall structure, and an air outlet means defined by said wall structure generally rearwardly of said lower front wall structure, and

(b) passage means in said wall structure including said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said inlet means for circulation to the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent flow via said wall structure and to said outlet means,

(c) said inlet means, passage means, and outlet means located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet.

As will appear, the top, side and rear wall structures are typically defined by an outer shell and an inner liner, the passages located in the liner and also between the liner and the outer shell or wall.

Further, the passage means may include passages extending rearwardly in opposite sides of the helmet lower front portion, such passages extending rearwardly from the inlet and upwardly toward the helmet interior to circulate scavenge air to the latter and provide cooling; and additional of the passages may extend generally downwardly to an outlet or outlets defined by openings through the shell defined by side wall structure. Such inlet means, passages and outlets provide for enhanced ventillation, i.e. induction of cooling air and, vacuum assisted exiting of cooling air. Finally, removable pad means may be provided in the helmet, and a removable closure for the inlet means may be enabled.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a helmet incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the helmet, with the shell broken away in certain areas;

FIG. 3 is an elevation taken in section through the helmet, on lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view section taken on lines 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section on lines 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section on lines 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section showing a modification;

FIG. 8 is a perspective showing of a top pad as appears in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective showing of an air intake with associated closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In. FIGS. 1-4, the helmet 10 shown is of the type worn by motorcyclists or bicyclists. It has a dome shaped top wall structure 11, opposite side wall structures 12 and 13, a front opening 14 for forward viewing, a lower front portion 15 having forwardly U-shaped wall structure which juts or projects forwardly beneath opening 14, and rear wall structure 16. Such wall structures may be defined by an outer shell, and also by an inner liner, with corresponding walls 11a, 11b; 12a, 12b; 13a, 13b; 15a, 15b; and 16a, 16b. The thin outer shell may consist of laminated, hard plastic material, and the liner may consist of softer molded plastic material such as foamed plastic (polyurethane).

In accordance with the invention, passages or channels are formed in the wall structure, with inlets and outlets, all configured to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet as by ram injection of air into the inlets, and vacuum or suction withdrawal of air from the outlets.

More specifically, and referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, frontwardly facing air inlet means are defined as in the lower front portion of the helmet (as for example by vertically elongated recesses 20 in the liner 15a) rearwardly and laterally of a front screen 21. The latter admits air directly to the interior 22 of the U-shaped forward portion 15 of the helmet. The air entering inlets 20 then enters passage means in the wall structure including the side wall structure for circulation to the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent flow via the wall structure to outlet means, to be described. More specifically, air passes from inlets 20 into first portions of passage means, as for example are representated by ducts 24 cut or formed in outer surfaces of the liner, and extending rearwardly, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. Such dusts 24 face the shell and extend from the lower front portion 15 into the main extent of the helmet as at 24a. From the latter a confined duct branch 24aa extends upwardly, at each side of the helmet, and toward a primary opening 25 through the liner in the side wall structure to pass the entering air flow into second portions of the passage means in the liner and exposed to the helmet interior. The second portions of the passage means are for example represented by ducts 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d shown in FIG. 3 as branching from the primary opening in lining wall 13b. The same ducting is found in the lining wall 12b at the opposite side of the helmet.

Air flowing in duct branches 26a-26d sweeps warmer air from the upper interior of the helmet upwardly toward and through secondary openings through the liner. See for example openings 27 and 28 in FIG. 3, in the top and rear wall structure of the helmet. The air thus swept through openings 27 and 28 passes to third portions of the passage means between the liner and shell, and as represented by ducts 29a, 29b and 29c seen in FIG. 2 as merging to guide the air flow downwardly toward like outlets 30 through the shell at opposite sides of the helmet. External air flowing relatively pass outlets 30, as represented by arrow 31 in FIG. 4, tends to draw the air flow outwardly from outlets 30, as by aspiration or partial vacuum effect. Ducts 29a-29c are preferably cut or otherwise molded in the liner material to face the shell, as appears in FIG. 4, whereby the main outer surface extent of the liner remains close to the shell inner surface, to absorb impacts. See also like L-shaped seals 32 inserted between the liner and shell to block communication between ducts 29c and 29a on the one hand, and ducts 24a, 24aa and ports 25 on the other hand.

The air passage means in helmet wall structure may also, and with unusual advantage, include auxiliary openings (as at 36 for example) through the liner in the side wall structures, and below the levels of the primary openings 25. Auxiliary openings 36 pass air flow from ducts 24 to auxiliary portions of the passage means (as exemplified by ducts 37) at the inner side of the liner defined by the rear wall structure. See FIGS. 3 and 4 in this regard. Like openings 36 and ducts 37 are found in opposite sides of the liner, i.e. at opposite sides of a vertical plane 38 bisecting the helmet. The ducts 37 extend rearwardly and upwardly to pass air to the openings 28, as shown in FIG. 3. This assists air flow through the passage means in the helmet, and to the outlets. Note also side branch 38 from which some air may circulate.

A removable pad may be inserted into the helmet, as shown at 40 in FIGS. 3 and 4, to enhance the wearer's head comfort, and also to cover the ducts 37 cut or formed in the inner side of the liner, to be exposed inwardly toward the pad. Perspiration absorbed with the pad tends to be drawn as water vapor into the ducts 37, and swept out of the helmet, i.e. the pad 40 may be porous to "breath", for this purpose. The pad may include a porous fabric inner liner 41, as shown. Liner 41 may consist of porous polypropylene, and the pad itself may consist of reticulated polyethylene foam.

A top pad 42 may be removably attached to the inner side of the upper dome extent of the liner. See FIGS. 3 and 8 showing that pad as being generally annular, and as having VELCRO layers 43 thereon to removably attached to the liner. Adhesive layers may be substituted for VELCRO layers. Pad 42 extends between openings 27 and 28.

Finally, closures 44 are removably attached or attachable to the helmet front portion 15 to at least partially cover or plug the inlets 20, as during cold weather. Note legs 46 provided on the closure to wedge interfit with the edges of the opening 20.

A helmet strap appears at 49 in FIG. 3, and an ear cavity area in the liner appears at 50. FIG. 7 shows a plastic strip 51 wedged between shell 16a and liner 16b to act as a clip retaining the pad 40 in position. Strip 51 is carried by the pad, as shown, and is removable from position between the liner and shell, to release the pad.

Claims

1. In a motorcyclist or bicyclist helmet having dome shaped top wall structure, side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, a lower front wall structure which juts forwardly, and rear wall structure, the combination comprising:

(a) a frontward facing air inlet means defined by said wall structure, and including two laterally spaced apart air inlets spaced rearwardly of the forwardmost center portion of said lower front wall structure, and

(b) passage means in said wall structure including said lower front wall structure and said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said two air inlets for circulation rearwardly adjacent opposite sides of said front wall structure and upwardly to the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent downward flow adjacent said wall structure and to the exterior,

(c) said inlet means, and passage means, located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said top, side and rear wall structure is defined by an outer shell and an inner liner, said passage means located in said liner and also between said liner and shell.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said inlet means includes a third inlet located more forwardly than said two inlets and in the forwardmost extent of said lower front wall structure, said two inlets located at left and right sides, respectively of said lower front wall structure, said third inlet being larger than said two inlets.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said passage means includes primary openings through said liner in said side wall structures to pass air flow from first portions of said passage means between said liner and shell to second portions of said passage means in said liner and exposed to the helmet interior.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said passage means include secondary openings through said liner in at least one of said top and rear wall structures to pass air flow from said second portions of said passage means to third portions of said passage means between said liner and shell.

6. The combination of claim 1 including air flow outlet means defined by openings through said side wall structure, generally rearwardly of said front wall structure.

7. The combination of claim 5 including outlet means including air outlets through the shell at the sides of the helmet and communicating with said third portions of the passage means.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said secondary openings are located in both said top and rear wall structures.

9. In a motorcyclist or bicyclist helmet having dome shaped top wall structure, side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, a lower front wall structure which juts forwardly, and rear wall structure, the combination comprising:

(a) frontward facing air inlet means defined by said wall structure, and an air outlet means defined by said wall structure generally rearwardly of said lower front wall structure, and

(b) passage means in said wall structure including said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said inlet means for circulation to the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent flow via said wall structure and to said outlet means,

(c) said inlet means, passage means, and outlet means located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet,

(d) said top, side and rear wall structure defined by an outer shell and an inner liner, said passage means located in said liner and also between said liner and shell, said passage means including primary openings through said liner in said side wall structures to pass air flow from first portions of said passage means between said liner and shell to second portions of said passage means sunk in said liner and exposed to the helmet interior, said passage means also including secondary openings through said liner in at least one of said top and rear wall structures to pass air flow from said second portions of said passage means to third portions of said passage means between said liner and shell,

(e) said passage means also including auxiliary openings through the liner in said side wall structures and below the levels of said primary openings to pass air flow from said first portions of said passage means to auxiliary portions of said passage means at the inner side of the liner defined by said rear wall structure.

10. The combination of claim 9 including a removable pad carried in the helmet and covering said auxiliary portion of said passage means.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said auxiliary portion of said passage means communicate with at least one of said secondary openings.

12. The combination of claim 1 including a barrier extending across certain of said passage means to separate the interior of the helmet from the interior or interiors of said passage means.

13. The combination of claim 5 including a top pad rearwardly attached to the inner side of said liner defined by said top wall structure.

14. The combination of claim 1 including a closure removably attached to the helmet to at least partially cover said inlet means.

15. The combination of claim 1 including

removable pad means carried by the helmet to extend across at least a portion of said passage means.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said pad means is porous.

17. The combination of claim 15 wherein said wall structure includes a liner and shell, there being a clip insertible between the liner and shell to retain the pad in position adjacent the liner.

18. In a motorcyclist or bicyclist helmet having dome shaped top wall structure, side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, a lower front wall structure which juts forwardly, and rear wall structure, said top, side and rear wall structures defined by an outer shell and an inner liner, the combination comprising:

(a) a frontward facing air inlet means defined by said lower front wall structure, and including two laterally spaced apart air inlets spaced rearwardly of the forwardmost center portion of said lower front wall structure,

(b) passage means in said wall structure including said lower front wall structure and said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said two air inlets for circulation rearwardly adjacent opposite sides of said front wall structure and upwardly to the upper interior of the helmet, the air subsequently flowing downwardly adjacent the liner,

(c) said inlet means and passage means located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet,

(d) said passage means located in said liner and also between said liner and shell, said passage means including openings through said liner proximate the upper interior of the helmet to pass air flow from one side of the liner at the upper interior of the helmet to the opposite side of the liner, for subsequent flow downwardly adjacent the liner and to the helmet exterior.

19. The combination of claim 18 including a third air inlet located between and being larger than said two air inlets, and a screen covering said third air inlet at the side thereof closest to the helmet interior.

20. The combination of claim 19 including a porous pad attached to the inner side of said liner.

21. In a motorcyclist or bicyclist helmet having dome shaped top wall structure, side wall structures, a front opening for forward viewing, and rear wall structure, the combination comprising:

(a) two forward facing air inlets defined by said wall structure and located proximate said front opening and below the level of said top wall structure, the air exiting the helmet interior rearwardly of said air inlets,

(b) passage means in said wall structure to receive air inflow for circulation at the upper interior of the helmet and subsequent outflow,

(c) said inlets and passage means located to enhance cooling air flow through the helmet,

(d) the helmet having lower front wall structure which juts forwardly below the level of said front opening and forwardly of the forwardmost extent of the top wall structure, said lower front wall structure having a forwardmost presented portion containing said two air inlets located at opposite sides and rearwardly of a third air inlet which is also located in said forwardmost presented portion, said third inlet being larger than each of said two inlets and opening centrally rearwardly toward space within said helmet below and forwardly of said front opening, said third inlet having a substantially larger vertical dimension than the vertical dimensions of said two inlets, all three of said inlets being vertically elongated,

(e) said passage means defined by said lower front wall structure and said side wall structure to receive air inflow from said two air inlets for circulation rearwardly adjacent opposite sides of said lower front wall structure and upwardly to the upper interior of the helmet, the air subsequently flowing downwardly adjacent the liner and to the helmet exterior.