INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR COMBAT HELMET
An integrated system for protecting a wearers head and at least a portion of the wearer's face. The system comprises a support adapted for secure mounting to a helmet and comprising an elongate mask receiving portion arranged along the brim, a ballistic mask adapted for mounting to the elongate mask receiving portion, and a quick release mechanism securing the mask to the mask receiving portion. The mask can be removed from the elongate mounting portion by releasing the quick release mechanism. An alternative embodiment comprises a head gear which when worn by the wearer, a lower edge of a face protecting portion adjacent at least one of a pair of cheek protecting portions is positioned above a jaw line of the wearer, and a neck protecting skirt manufactured from a soft flexible ballistic armour and attached along the lower edge of the face protecting portion.
This application claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/097,575, filed on Sep. 17, 2008 which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an integrated system for combat helmet. In particular, there is provided a helmet assembly comprising a ballistic face mask having as a safety feature a quick release pushbutton for rapidly releasing the mask should a critical situation arise.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMounted and dismounted warriors are heavily faced with facial injuries, casualties and fatalities during training and combat operations. According to a 2007 American Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress, over 3,000 US Military combat deaths and over 20,000 casualties caused by Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) have been reported since 2001. In particular, eye, face, and head injuries represent a significant portion of these casualties, which can be reduced by providing helmet assemblies that offer significant ballistic, aural, head, and facial protection to wearers. An important requirement for such helmet assemblies is that they comfortably fit combat crewman and are not unduly heavy, thus not interfering with activities of the wearers.
Although the prior art teaches a variety of such protective helmet assemblies, current facial protection remains heavy and uncomfortable and usually prevents proper sighting through a weapon carried by the wearer. In addition, current helmet assemblies have limited functionality as they mainly focus on integration of conventional devices, such as Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) and flashlights, to the helmet and do not provide added functionality by enabling integration of other electronic devices.
Moreover, in addition to focusing mainly on mounted war fighters such as pilots and tank commanders and offering few solutions for dismounted war fighters, current proposals often require modifications to standard helmets in order to integrate the desired facial protection. As a result, the protective gear fails to integrate easily and safely and as a single system with standard military helmets which often leads to eye and face injuries for the wearer.
Also, as the facial protection is typically secured to the helmet using fasteners such as hinged mounts, straps, pins, and the like, the facial protection needs to be raised or the overall assembly taken apart to expose a wearer's face, thus proving tedious and time consuming, especially in critical situations (e.g. a soldier requiring medical assistance) where it is desired to quickly remove the protection without removing the entire supporting structure.
What is therefore needed, and one object of the present invention, is an enhanced integrated system for combat helmet, which enables quick release of the protective face mask in order to ease access to a wearer's face in case of emergency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONMore specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an integrated system for a protective ballistic helmet for protecting a wearers head and at least a portion of the wearer's face, the helmet comprising a brim positioned above the wearer's face when worn. The system comprises a support adapted for secure mounting to the helmet and comprising an elongate mask receiving portion arranged along the brim, a ballistic mask adapted for mounting to the elongate mask receiving portion, and a quick release mechanism securing the mask to the mask receiving portion. The mask can be removed from the elongate mounting portion by releasing the quick release mechanism.
There is also disclosed a face protective head gear for protecting a wearers face. The head gear comprises a face protecting portion manufactured from a rigid ballistic material and comprising a pair of cheek protecting portions interconnected by a nose and mouth connecting portion, wherein when worn by the wearer, a lower edge of the face protecting portion adjacent at least one of the cheek protecting portions is positioned above a jaw line of the wearer, and a neck protecting skirt manufactured from a soft flexible ballistic armour and attached along the lower edge of the face protecting portion.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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The multifunction support assembly 14 further comprises an elongate mounting portion 22 for positioning on the brow of the helmet and a securing portion comprising a pair of tongues 24, 26 one of each of which is pivotally mounted to a respective end 28, 30 of the mounting portion 22 via a hinge mechanism as in 32. As will be discussed in more detail below, the respective ends of the pair of tongues 24, 26 are secured within an adjustable ratchet mechanism 34 provides a means for tightening the multifunction support assembly 14 onto the helmet.
A pair of rails 36, 38, such as standardised #1913 Picatinny type rails, are secured to the temple regions of the elongate mounting portion 22 for example through use of a threaded Allen bolt 40 or the like, which engages a corresponding threaded bore 42 machined or otherwise formed in the elongate mounting portion 22. Each of the rails 36, 38 is stabilised and prevented from rotating by a series of raised bosses as in 44 moulded or otherwise formed in the elongate mounting portion 22 which engages with the rearward side of the rails 36, 38. The rails 36,38 are used, for example, for mounting of power supplies, flashlights or other devices (all not shown), to the elongate mounting portion 22. The rails 36,38 allow for a plurality of devices (e.g. flashlights, beacons, IR locators, GPS) and other electronic equipment (e.g. range finders, microphones, head phones, integrated head up displays, laser lens systems, sensors for monitoring body temperature, perspiration, and pulse rate) to be directly mounted to the helmet via the integrated system 10. Networking systems (e.g. peer-to-peer networks, not shown) for providing information related to the wearers' groups and individual positions may also be provided.
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A pair of elongate eyelets as in 52 are illustratively also provided in order to allow the elongate mounting portion 22 to fit over existing visor mounts (not shown).
The inner surface 54 of the ratchet mechanism 34 is countered to fit the rear curved surface of the helmet and provides a convenient location for the storage of an Allen key 56 as well as spare Allen bolts as in 58. Additionally a raised lip 60, which is designed to engage a lower edge of a helmet, is provided to ensure that the system 10 is not dislodged from the helmet by an inadvertent upward force on the ratchet mechanism 34 (for example by the wearer falling backwards or the like).
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Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of specific embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. An integrated system for a protective ballistic helmet for protecting a wearers head and at least a portion of the wearer's face, the helmet comprising a brim positioned above the wearer's face when worn, the system comprising:
- a support adapted for secure mounting to the helmet and comprising an elongate mask receiving portion arranged along the brim;
- a ballistic mask adapted for mounting to said elongate mask receiving portion; and
- a quick release mechanism securing said mask to said mask receiving portion;
- wherein said mask can be removed from said elongate mounting portion by releasing said quick release mechanism.
2. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said support further comprises a tightening mechanism for releasably securing said support about the helmet.
3. The integrated system of claim 2, wherein said tightening mechanism comprises a pair of overlapping tongues, each of said tongues attached to a respective end of said elongate mask receiving portion, said elongate mask receiving portion and said overlapping tongues together defining a helmet receiving opening, and a ratchet mechanism for generating a helmet securing and releasing force by moving said tongues relative to one another.
4. The integrated system of claim 3, wherein said ratchet mechanism comprises a pair of opposed slots in alignment, one of said slots formed lengthwise in each of said tongues, a first row of teeth formed in a top edge of one of said slots and a second row of said teeth formed in a bottom edge of the other of said slots, a cylindrical adjusting knob having cog teeth at a first inner end and a hand grip at a second outer end, said cog teeth extending through said slots and engaging said first and second rows of teeth.
5. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said support is secured to the helmet using a plurality of fasteners.
6. The integrated system of claim 1, wherein said quick release mechanism comprises a pair of quick release receiving bores defined by said elongate mounting portion, one of said pair of bores positioned towards a respective end of said elongate mounting portion, and wherein said mask comprises a pair of quick releases, each of said pair of releases positioned and adapted for mating with a respective one of said quick release receiving bores.
7. A face protective head gear for protecting a wearers face, the head gear comprising:
- a face protecting portion manufactured from a rigid ballistic material and comprising a pair of cheek protecting portions interconnected by a nose and mouth connecting portion, wherein when worn by the wearer, a lower edge of said face protecting portion adjacent at least one of said cheek protecting portions is positioned above a jaw line of the wearer; and
- a neck protecting skirt manufactured from a soft flexible ballistic armour and attached along said lower edge of said face protecting portion.
8. The head gear of claim 7, further comprising a support assembly adapted for secure mounting to a helmet and comprising an elongate mask receiving portion arranged along the brim and wherein said face protecting portion is adapted for mounting to said elongate mask receiving portion.
9. The head gear of claim 7, wherein said lower edge of said face protecting portion adjacent each of said cheek protecting portions is positioned above a jaw line of the wearer.
10. The head gear of claim 7, wherein said face protecting portion defines a lens receiving aperture above said pair of cheek protecting portions and said nose and mouth connecting portion and further comprising a transparent lens positioned within said aperture.
11. The head gear of claim 7, wherein said neck protecting skirt is removeably attached to said lower edge.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2009
Publication Date: Mar 18, 2010
Inventor: Shawn MCGOVERN (St-Lazare)
Application Number: 12/561,696
International Classification: F41H 1/04 (20060101); A42B 1/08 (20060101);