Helmet accessory system

Abstract

A method of attaching a jaw protector to a helmet. The method includes fastening, with a first fastening means, a jaw protector to an outside face of a brace at a first position; and fastening, with a second fastening means, an inside face of the brace to the helmet at a second position. The helmet accessory system includes a cantilevered jaw protector; a brace; and a fastening means, wherein the fastening means is configured to attach the cantilevered jaw protector to the brace at a first position; and attach the brace to a helmet at a second position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional application No. 62/810,142, filed on Feb. 25, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to a helmet accessory system and, more specifically, a helmet accessory system configured to fasten a jaw protector to a helmet. Some embodiments relate to a method of attaching a jaw protector to a helmet with an intermediate brace.

BACKGROUND

Helmets and other protective head gear are used in a wide variety of sports and travel activities spanning from baseball and football to race car driving and motorcycling. Protective headgear often relies upon a hard, structured outer casing with an impact energy absorbing padding placed between the outer casing and the user's head. If a user wearing such headgear suffers an impact to the outer shell, the combination of hard shell and padding absorbs the impact energy and the user sustains less of the initial impact. Headgear may also protect a user from impact by bracing the head of a user in a certain position to better protect the neck.

Headgear currently available in certain markets today may not protect the entire head. Baseball helmets often only protect the sides back and top of the head, leaving the face, jaw, and neck exposed. Customized helmets may be used to protect a greater area of the head and neck. Helmet accessories may also be purchased for additional protection, but these often require modifications to existing helmets to be used properly. For example, the shell may need to be drilled to add fasteners. These accessories may require a user to purchase extra equipment, such as a drill, for installation. Furthermore, the accessories may require a user to have a basic knowledge of power tools to properly modify the helmet. Additionally, because some sports leagues and organizations do not allow helmet modifications, this type of accessory may not be usable for some sports players.

A need exists, therefore, for systems and methods for helmet accessory systems that overcome the disadvantages of existing systems.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not meant or intended to identify or exclude key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

According to one aspect, embodiments relate to a helmet accessory system. The system includes a cantilevered jaw protector; a brace; and a fastening means, wherein the fastening means is configured to attach the cantilevered jaw protector to the brace at a first position; and attach the brace to a helmet at a second position.

In one embodiment, the second position is an ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace is configured to be attached to the helmet at a left ear cover of the helmet; removed from the left ear cover of the helmet; and attached to the helmet at a right ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the fastening means is configured to secure an angular position of the cantilevered jaw protector.

In one embodiment, the brace has an outside face and an inside face; the first position is the outside face of the brace; and the second position is the inside face of the brace.

In one embodiment, the fastening means comprises at least one bolt.

In one embodiment, the brace comprises at least one first aperture at the first position and at least one second aperture at the second position.

In one embodiment, the at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture are holes.

In one embodiment, the at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture are distributed such that the fastening means is configured to thread through the at least one first aperture at an opening in the cantilevered jaw protector; and the fastening means is configured to thread through the at least one second aperture at an opening in the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of an ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of a right ear of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of a left ear of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace comprises a thermoplastic material.

According to another aspect, embodiments relate to a method of attaching a jaw protector to a helmet. The method comprises fastening, with a first fastening means, a jaw protector to an outside face of a brace at a first position; and fastening, with a second fastening means, an inside face of the brace to the helmet at a second position.

In one embodiment, the second position is a left ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the second position is a right ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises detaching the inside face of the brace from the left ear cover of the helmet and attaching the inside face of the brace to a right ear cover of the helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace comprises at least one first aperture at the first position and at least one second aperture at the second position.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises securing an angular position of the jaw protector.

In one embodiment, the jaw protector is a cantilevered jaw protector.

In one embodiment, the first fastening means and second fastening means are bolts.

In one embodiment, the brace is an interface between the jaw protector and the helmet; the jaw protector is an unmodified jaw protector; and the helmet is an unmodified helmet.

In one embodiment, the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of an ear cover of the helmet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of this disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a helmet accessory system, incorporating a helmet shell, brace, cantilevered jaw protector, and a plurality of fastening means in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2A-2C illustrate the front, top and side views of a brace design in accordance with one embodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate the front and side views of a brace attached to a helmet in accordance with one embodiment; and

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate the unfolded, left folded, and right folded views of a reversible brace in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show specific exemplary embodiments. However, the concepts of the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided as part of a thorough and complete disclosure, to fully convey the scope of the concepts, techniques and implementations of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Embodiments may be practiced as methods, systems or devices. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or to “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one example implementation or technique in accordance with the present disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in some embodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiments.

In addition, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, and not limiting, of the scope of the concepts discussed herein.

Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for attaching a jaw protector to a helmet. The helmet may be a standard sports helmet, such as a softball helmet or baseball helmet. In some embodiments, the system may include a cantilevered jaw protector, a brace, and a fastening means configured to attach the cantilevered jaw protector to the brace and attach the brace to the helmet. Some embodiments may include a method of fastening the jaw protector to the helmet with a brace. In some embodiments, the method includes fastening a jaw protector to an outside face of a brace and fastening an inside face of the brace to the helmet. In some embodiments, the brace may be attached to the helmet in a first position and the brace may be attached to the jaw protector in a second position.

In some embodiments, the brace may attach to a helmet in pre-existing holes in a standard helmet, such as an ear hole, side vent, or back vent. The brace may attach to only one side of a helmet in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the brace may be curved to protect the left side of the jaw and may attach to the left side of the helmet. In some embodiments, the brace may be curved to protect the right side of the jaw and may attach to the right side of the helmet.

In some embodiments, the brace may be adjustable. A user may be able to fold and reverse the brace, such that the brace can be attached to the right side of the helmet, detached, and then attached to the left side of the helmet and vice versa. In some embodiments, the brace may be compatible with both right handed batter helmets and left handed batter helmets.

In some embodiments, a system may include a helmet with at least one ear cover configured to receive a brace for attachment of jaw protectors of cantilevered design. The brace may include a distribution of apertures, such as holes or slots, that are used with fasteners to attach the selected jaw protectors to selected helmets of different brands, without the need to modify the selected jaw protector and the selected helmet. An unmodified jaw protector is a jaw protector that has not been drilled, cut, or otherwise changed since the time of manufacture of the jaw protector. An unmodified jaw protector may have existing holes and divots at the time of manufacture. An unmodified helmet is a helmet that has not been drilled, cut, or otherwise changed since the time of manufacture of the helmet. An unmodified helmet may have existing holes and divots at the time of manufacture. In some embodiments, the helmets are batting helmets.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective, exploded view of a helmet accessory system 100. The helmet accessory system 100 attaches a jaw protector 108 to a helmet 101 with a brace 106. In some embodiments, the jaw protector 108 may be a cantilevered jaw protector 108. The jaw protector 108 may be attached to the brace 106 with fasteners 109. The fasteners 109 may be threaded through holes in the jaw protector 108 and may attach the jaw protector to a brace 106. The brace may attach to the helmet 101 with a second set of fasteners 107. In some embodiments, the fasteners 107, 109 may be screws, studs, or bolts.

Although three fasteners 109 are illustrated in FIG. 1, embodiments may use as few as one fastener 109 to attach the jaw protector 108 to the brace 106 and to the helmet 101.

In some embodiments, fasteners 109 may extend through the jaw protector 108, the brace 106 and the ear cover 102. In some embodiments, the assembly may not use inner fasteners 107 and may only use outer fasteners 109. In some embodiments only using outer fasteners 109, outer fasteners 109 are long enough to extend into holes 104. In some embodiments, at least one hole of the jaw protector 108 may share an axis with at least one hole of the ear cover 102.

Holes 104 may include inserts 105, which can be threaded for bolts or smooth for different kinds of snap-fits. The combination of holes 104 and inserts 105 may be used for mounting protection devices such as face masks in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the fasteners 107 may secure the inserts 105.

Holes 104 and inserts 105 used may depend on the helmet brand and the kind of protection device used in some embodiments. In some embodiments, jaw protectors 108 can be adapted to some helmets without prior modification. In some embodiments, at least one of the jaw protector 108 and helmet 101 may require modification. In some embodiments, modification may include removing helmet padding or drilling additional holes to incorporate jaw protection. In some embodiments, different braces 106 may be created with shapes specific to different standard helmets 101.

In some embodiments, the inner surface of the brace 106 may be designed to hold inserts 105, where fasteners 109 are attached. Fasteners 109 may extend through the brace 106 and the jaw protector 108, and may attach the jaw protector 108 to the brace 106. By using the existing helmet hole distribution 104, no modification may be necessary for attaching the jaw protector 108 to the helmet 101 in some embodiments. The result in some embodiments may be a sandwich structure composed of a helmet 101, a brace 106, and a jaw protector 108.

In some embodiments, the brace 106 is configured to attach to a standard batting helmet 101. In some embodiments, the helmet 101 maybe a standard left handed batting helmet. In some embodiments, the helmet 101 maybe a standard right-handed batting helmet. In some embodiments the fasteners 107 may thread through holes in the brace 106 and may attach to holes 104 which preexist in a standard batting helmet 101. In some embodiments the fasteners 107 may thread through three holes 104 and in some embodiments the fasteners 107 may thread through two or fewer holes 104. In some embodiments, the attachment spacing maybe adjusted by selecting different holes in the brace 106. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may attach to the helmet 101 at holes 104 spaced throughout the ear cover 102 or in the ear aperture 103.

In some embodiments, the brace 106 and the jaw protector 108 maybe curved such that the jaw of the user may be protected when the user wears the helmet 101 with the attached brace 106 and jaw protector 108. In some embodiments, the jaw protector 108 maybe specifically curved to protect the left side of the user's jaw or the right side of the user's jaw.

FIG. 2A illustrates a front view of one-directional brace 106 shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may incorporate indentation 116 to comply with the contour of ear aperture 103 of the helmet 101 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the external surface 126 may be contoured to comply with a jaw protection device, such as the jaw protector 108 in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, counterbore surfaces 136A, 136B may be incorporated for contact between a brace 106 and the heads of fasteners 107 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may incorporate a distribution of apertures 146, 156 which comply with helmet and jaw protector hole distributions of standard helmets 101. To meet specified hole distributions, apertures may have circular cross sections, such as cross section 146. In some embodiments, apertures may have different slot designs 156 to comply with specified hole distributions in existing helmets. In some embodiments, aperture design may be engineered such that a selected jaw protector can be attached to a selected helmet without post-purchase modifications of the jaw protector or the helmet.

FIG. 2B illustrates a top view of a brace 106 and the three-dimensional exterior surface 126, designed to attach to the interior surface of a jaw protector in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the exterior surface 126 may be curved such that the curvature curves toward and around the jaw of a user when the brace 106 is attached to a helmet.

FIG. 2C illustrates a side view of brace 106 and three-dimensional interior surface 166, designed to attach to the exterior surface of ear cover 102 of a helmet 101 in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the brace 106 is shaped such that the top edge matches the ear aperture 103 of the helmet 101.

FIG. 3A illustrates a lateral view of a helmet accessory system attached to a helmet 101. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may be attached to the ear cover 102 of the helmet 101 with fasteners (not shown). In some embodiments, before the brace 106 is attached to the ear cover 102 of the helmet 101, holes in the ear cover 102 may be aligned with holes in the brace 106. In some embodiments, when the brace 106 is attached to the helmet 101, the ear aperture 103 may remain exposed. In some embodiments, fasteners may be threaded through the holes to attach the brace 106 to the helmet 101. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may attach to a right-handed batter helmet 101, depicted in configuration 300.

FIG. 3B illustrates a front view of helmet configuration 300 in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may overlap with the ear cover 102, such that the outside edge of the brace 106 matches the outside edge ear cover 102.

FIG. 3C illustrates a front view of a left handed batter configuration for helmet 101, in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the brace 106 may be curved to conform to the curvature of a left ear cover instead of a right ear cover. In some embodiments, the brace may be flexible enough to change curvatures. In some embodiments, the brace 106 is a rigid structure imprinted with a curved inner surface.

In some embodiments, a right handed batter brace 106a may be a non-rigid brace and may conform to the left ear cover of the helmet 101, shown in configuration 310 of FIG. 3B. In some embodiments, the right handed batter brace may be a mirror image of a left handed batter brace 106b shown in helmet configuration 320 in accordance with some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the brace 106 may be made of a thermoplastic material or other rigid material, such as impact resistant ABS plastic or polycarbonate. Known manufacturing methods such as injection molding, 3D printing and/or machining may be used to manufacture a brace 106. In some embodiments, differently sized braces 106 may be manufactured to conform to different helmets 101. In some embodiments, braces 106 may be manufactured to fit left handed batter's helmets and right handed batter's helmets. In some embodiments, braces 106 may be manufactured with a different set of holes and indentations from what is illustrated in FIG. 3 to comply with a different helmet configuration.

FIG. 4A illustrates a reversible brace 400 in an unfolded configuration in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, a brace 400 may be configured to be attached to either the left side or the right side of a helmet. To achieve this ambidextrous batting helmet configuration, the brace 400 may be foldable along a seam 410. In some embodiments, the holes 405′, 405″ may be mirror images of each other, such that when the brace 400 is folded along a seam 410, the holes 405′, 405″ may match. In some embodiments, when the brace 400 is folded, the edges 425′, 425″ of the brace 400 may also similarly match, such that the folded configuration of the brace 400 appears similar to the brace 106 illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C.

In some embodiments, the brace 400 may have an indented well 415 housing a plurality of holes 420. In some embodiments, the indented well 415 may be configured to accommodate the heads of fasteners securing the brace 400 to a jaw protector and a helmet. In some embodiments, the indented well 415 on one side of the brace 400 may be a mirror image of the indented well on other side of the brace 400.

In some embodiments, when the brace 400 is folded along the seam 410, the brace 400 may have a curve. In some embodiments, the brace 400 may be configured to curve either left or right, depending on the desired attachment point of the brace 400. For example, in some embodiments, the brace 400 may be curved to fit the left ear cover of a helmet or the right ear cover of a helmet.

FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrate the left folded and right folded configurations of the brace 400. If the brace 400 is folded along the seam 410 in one direction, the brace 400 may curve to form a brace 400 fitting a left ear cover of a helmet. If the brace 400 is folded along the seam 410 in another direction, the brace 400 may curve to form a brace 400 fitting a right ear cover of a helmet. In some embodiments, the seam 410 may be placed such that the outside edges 425′, 425″ may match and form a thick outer edge 425 when the brace 400 is folded.

Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation and/or engineering, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. The scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the above Description, but rather is as set forth in the claims that follow the reference list.

Various embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show specific exemplary embodiments. However, the concepts of the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein; rather, these embodiments are provided as part of a thorough and complete disclosure, to fully convey the scope of the concepts, techniques and implementations of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Embodiments may be practiced as methods, systems or devices. The previous detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or to “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one example implementation or technique in accordance with the previous disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in some embodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiments.

Also, features described with respect to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of the configurations may be combined in a similar manner. Also, technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the disclosure or claims.

Having been provided with the description and illustration of the present application, one skilled in the art may envision variations, modifications, and alternate embodiments falling within the general inventive concept discussed in this application that do not depart from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A helmet accessory system comprising:

a cantilevered jaw protector;

a brace; and

a fastening means, wherein the fastening means is configured to:

attach the cantilevered jaw protector to the brace at a first position; and

attach the brace to a helmet at a second position.

2. The helmet accessory system of claim 1, wherein the second position is an ear cover of the helmet.

3. The helmet accessory system of claim 1, wherein the brace is configured to be:

attached to the helmet at a left ear cover of the helmet;

removed from the left ear cover of the helmet; and

attached to the helmet at a right ear cover of the helmet.

4. The helmet accessory system of claim 1, wherein the fastening means is configured to secure an angular position of the cantilevered jaw protector.

5. The helmet accessory system of claim 1, wherein:

the brace has an outside face and an inside face;

the first position is the outside face of the brace; and

the second position is the inside face of the brace.

6. The helmet accessory system of claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises at least one bolt.

7. The helmet accessory of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises at least one first aperture at the first position and at least one second aperture at the second position.

8. The helmet accessory of claim 7, wherein the at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture are holes.

9. The helmet accessory of claim 7, wherein the at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture are distributed such that:

the fastening means is configured to thread through the at least one first aperture at an opening in the cantilevered jaw protector; and

the fastening means is configured to thread through the at least one second aperture at an opening in the helmet.

10. The helmet accessory of claim 1, wherein the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of an ear cover of the helmet.

11. The helmet accessory of claim 1, wherein the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of a right ear cover of the helmet.

12. The helmet accessory of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises a thermoplastic material.

13. A method of attaching a jaw protector to a helmet, the method comprising:

fastening, with a first fastening means, a jaw protector to an outside face of a brace at a first position; and

fastening, with a second fastening means, an inside face of the brace to the helmet at a second position.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second position is a left ear cover of the helmet.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising detaching the inside face of the brace from the left ear cover of the helmet and attaching the inside face of the brace to a right ear cover of the helmet.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the brace comprises at least one first aperture at the first position and at least one second aperture at the second position.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising securing an angular position of the jaw protector.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the jaw protector is a cantilevered jaw protector.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the brace is an interface between the jaw protector and the helmet;

the jaw protector is an unmodified jaw protector; and

the helmet is an unmodified helmet.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the brace has an indentation on an inner surface configured to comply with a contour of an ear cover of the helmet.