Helmet With Panel Ventilation System
A helmet (10) is provided including an outer shell (12) defining a first plurality of vents (23); energy dissipating padding (16) located in an interior of the outer shell, the padding defining a plurality of openings (27); the energy dissipating padding assembly and the outer shell defining a space therebetween, a first slider (28) actuatable by the wearer to slide along a first direction that extends substantially parallel to the surface of the outer shell, the first slider defining first cooperating members (60); and a second slider (26) comprising a plurality of panels (40, 42, 44) configured to cover the first plurality of vents and second cooperating surfaces (54, 56), such that movement of the first slider along the first direction generates movement of the second slider along a second direction substantially normal to the surface of the helmet shell, thereby selectively moving the panels to cover and uncover the first plurality of vents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/965,707, filed Jan. 24, 2020 entitled “Alpine Helmet with Panel Ventilation System,” which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
FIELDThe disclosed subject matter relates to a protective helmet, and more particularly to a protective snow and ski helmet having a ventilation system that provides ventilation for the user and impact protection.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ARTTo reduce the probability of physical impact to the head of a user, protective gear, such as a helmet, is often worn in activities that are associated with an increased level of risk for a head injury. Examples of such activities include, but are not limited to skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and ice skating. In general, a helmet is designed to maintain its structural integrity and stay secured to the head of a wearer during an impact.
A number of impact standards exist to ensure wearer safety. Such standards include Snell RS-98, ASTM F2040 and EN-1077. For example, EN-1077 was adopted in 2007 by the European Committee for Standardization for all non-motorized ski and snowboard helmets sold in many European countries. Class B of the EN-1077 standard does not require ear coverage, allowing better hearing and ventilation. In addition, a 3 kilogram striker is used to test the helmet shell's penetration resistance. The striker is dropped from a height of 0.375 meters to ensure greater protection.
As helmet are required to meet the impact requirements, there is a need to provide adequate ventilation to the wearer during use. Such ventilation is provided by opening, or vents, in the structure of the helmet. The introduction of such vents can reduce the impact resistance of the helmet.
Accordingly, there is a need for a helmet having an optimal ventilation while meeting impact resistance requirements.
SUMMARYIn one aspect, a helmet for protecting the head of a wearer is provided including an outer shell defining a first plurality of vents; an energy dissipating padding assembly located in an interior of the outer shell, the padding assembly defining a plurality of openings; the energy dissipating padding assembly and the outer shell defining a space therebetween; a first slider that can be actuated by the wearer to slide along a first direction that extends substantially parallel to the surface of the outer shell, the first slider defining first cooperating members; and a second slider including second cooperating surfaces and a plurality of panels configured to cover the first plurality of vents, such that movement of the first slider along the first direction generates movement of the second slider along a second direction substantially normal to the surface of the helmet shell, thereby selectively moving the panels to cover and uncover the first plurality of vents.
In some embodiments, a slider button is provided that is fixed to the first slider and accessible to the wearer to move the first slider in the first direction.
In some embodiments, the first cooperating members include one or more angled slots. In some embodiments, the second cooperating members comprise one or more transverse pins slidable in the angled slots. In some embodiments, the angled slots are configured such that when the first slider moves in the first direction, the transverse pins are moved in the second direction.
In some embodiments, an inner surface of the outer shell includes first guiding surfaces and the second slider includes second guiding surfaces. The first guiding surfaces are posts, and the second guiding surfaces are apertures slidable over the posts in some embodiments.
In some embodiments, the helmet further includes a panel defining a second plurality of vents. The first slider can include a plurality of fingers configured to selectively cover and uncover the second plurality of vents. The first slider can be configured to slide the plurality of fingers in the first direction when the first slider is moved in the first direction.
In some embodiments, the outer shell further includes a brow component defines a third plurality of vents.
In some embodiments, at least one of the panels of the second slider is pivotally mounted to the outer shell.
The outer shell can be fabricated from the group consisting of ABS plastic, polycarbonate or composite material. The energy dissipating padding assembly can be fabricated form expanded polystyrene or polypropylene. The first and second sliders can be fabricated from nylon.
Various aspects of the apparatuses disclosed herein are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to any specific structure or function presented throughout this disclosure.
The helmet includes a number of large ventilation openings that extend though the outer shell and the energy absorbing liner. The helmet also includes a first, actuating slider that can be actuated by the user to slide along a first, longitudinal, direction that extends substantially parallel to the surface of the helmet shell. The actuating slider engages a second, normal, slider such that movement of the first slider along the first direction generates movement of the second slider along a second direction substantially normal to the surface of the helmet shell.
This substantially normal movement of the second slider, generated by the substantially parallel movement of the first slider, is obtained by the cooperation of cooperating members of the first slider and the second slider, respectively, e.g. a ramp in the first slider and a pin of the second slider, the pin being engaged in the ramp and being guided by the ramp. The ramp is oriented in a way such that, when the first slider (and thus its ramp) moves in the first direction, the cooperating member (pin) of the second slider is moved in the second direction.
The shell has guiding members which are engaged into corresponding guiding elements of the second slider so that any movement of the second slider relative to the shell is guided by the guiding members and is substantially normal to the shell.
This cooperation between the first slider, the second slider, and also the shell allows opening and closing of vents in the helmet shell by the second slider. It also allows the creation of an “intermediate space” below the surface of the shell, when the second slider is in the (full or partial) open position. This intermediate space extends under the shell, and connects all vents of the helmet shell with all vents of the EPS protection layer (and also with all vents of the helmet brim—and any other all vents that may be provided in communication with this intermediate space) so that airflow is maximized (all vents communicate with all vents). The intermediate space functions as a distribution space, distributing air from all vents, to all vents.
The configuration of the helmet allows the first slider to serve both as an actuator slider for the second slider, allowing opening and closing of a first group of vents by the second slider, and as a slider for directly opening and closing other vents of a second group of vents. In the embodiments shown below, the first group of vents is in the front of the helmet, and the second group of vents is in the back.
Helmet 10 is illustrated in
At the rear portion of the helmet 10 is a panel 22 providing a second set of vents, e.g., extractor channels 23. A slider button 20 is provided on the shell 12, and is moveable in a longitudinal direction, as indicated by arrow L, in order to actuate the normal slider 26 in a normal direction, thereby allowing the ventilation openings 24 to be opened and closed. In some embodiments, the slider button 20 also opens and closes the rear extractor channels 23, simultaneously with the ventilation opening 24.
As illustrated in
A plurality of guiding structures, e.g., apertures 82, are provided on the center panel 40, which allow the panel to move in a normal direction with respect to the shell 12, as will be described in greater detail below.
A plurality of cooperating surfaces, e.g., transverse pins 54 and 56, are provided on normal slider 26. Transverse pins 54 extend from each side of the center panel 40, and transverse pins 56 extend inwardly from the tertiary panels 44. The transverse pins 54, 56 cooperate with cooperating surfaces on the actuating slider 28 to move panels 40, 42 and 44 normally with respect to the shell 12, as will be described below. The front and rear portions of the tertiary panels 44 are each provided with a recess 58 which abuts a component on the shell 12 to prevent the normal slider from moving longitudinally.
With continued reference to
Each of the fingers 60 and 62 are provided with a ramp portion 70 at a forward end thereof. The ramp portions 70 each include a cooperating surface, e.g., an angled slot 72. The cooperating surfaces of the normal slider 26, e.g., transverse pins 54, 56, are configured to slide within the cooperating surfaces of the actuating slider 28, i.e., slots 72, such that longitudinal movement of the actuating slider 28 (and thus the ramp portion 70) cause the transverse pins 54, 56 (and thus the panels 40, 42 and 44) to move in a normal direction.
Guiding surfaces, e.g., four apertures 82, are provided in the center panel 40, and are slidable on guiding surfaces, e.g., four posts 80, formed in the inner surface of the shell 12. This configuration permits the center panel 40, along with the connected panels 42 and 44 to move in a normal direction to block the ventilation openings or to be spaced apart from the ventilation openings 24 (not shown) to vent the air about the wearer's head.
The actuating slider 28 is actuated longitudinally by the wearer. As shown in
As the fingers 60 and 62 are urged forwardly by the slider button 20, the transverse pins ride 54, 56 ride within the angled slots 72 in the ramp portions 70, thereby urging the panels in an inward normal direction. As shown in
With continued reference to
As illustrated in
As the fingers 60 and 62 are urged rearwardly by the slider button 20, the transverse pins ride 54, 56 ride within the angled slots 72 in the ramp portions 70, thereby urging the panels in an outward normal direction. As shown in
As shown in
The benefits of the arrangement of the helmet are illustrated in
A further embodiment of the disclosed subject matter is shown in
While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Variations to the disclosed embodiments and/or implementations can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.
Claims
1. A helmet for protecting the head of a wearer comprising:
- an outer shell defining a first plurality of vents;
- an energy dissipating padding assembly located in an interior of the outer shell, the padding assembly defining a plurality of openings; the energy dissipating padding assembly and the outer shell defining a space therebetween;
- a first slider that can be actuated by the wearer to slide along a first direction that extends substantially parallel to the surface of the outer shell, the first slider defining first cooperating members; and
- a second slider comprising a plurality of panels configured to cover the first plurality of vents and second cooperating surfaces cooperating with the first cooperating members such that movement of the first slider along the first direction generates movement of the second slider along a second direction substantially normal to the surface of the outer shell, thereby selectively moving the panels to cover and uncover the first plurality of vents.
2. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising a slider button fixed to the first slider and accessible to the wearer to move the first slider in the first direction.
3. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the first cooperating members comprise one or more angled slots.
4. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the second cooperating members comprise one or more transverse pins slidable in the angled slots.
5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the angled slots are configured such that when the first slider moves in the first direction, the transverse pins are moved in the second direction.
6. The helmet of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the outer shell comprises first guiding surfaces and the second slider comprises second guiding surfaces.
7. The helmet of claim 6, wherein the first guiding surfaces are posts, and wherein the second guiding surfaces are apertures slidable over the posts.
8. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the helmet further comprises a panel defining a second plurality of vents.
9. The helmet of claim 8, wherein the first slider comprises a plurality of fingers configured to selectively cover and uncover the second plurality of vents.
10. The helmet of claim 9, wherein the first slider is configured to slide the plurality of fingers in the first direction when the first slider is moved in the first direction.
11. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell further comprises a brow component defining a third plurality of vents.
12. The helmet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the panels of the second slider is pivotally mounted to the outer shell.
13. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is fabricated from the group consisting of ABS plastic, polycarbonate or composite material
14. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the energy dissipating padding assembly is fabricated form expanded polystyrene or polypropylene.
15. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the first and second sliders are fabricated from nylon.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2021
Publication Date: Mar 2, 2023
Applicant: Bollé Brands, Inc. (New York, NY)
Inventor: Benjamin D. Pritz (Santa Cruz, CA)
Application Number: 17/794,787