A protective helmet has an outer shell configured for surrounding a head of a user and at least one accessory attachment rail connected to the outer shell. The accessory attachment rail has a body having a front end, a rear end, and one or more slots between the front end and the rear end. Each of the one or more slots is configured for removably receiving at least one helmet accessory. A locking mechanism is associated with each of the one or more slots for automatically locking the at least one helmet accessory in the one or more slots upon insertion of the at least one helmet accessory within the one or more slots and for preventing removal of the at least one helmet accessory from the one or more slots. At least one connection element is provided for connecting the accessory attachment rail to the outer shell.

An earmuffs system for noise reduction including an external microphone used in combination with active noise cancellation technology for the reduction of wind or other noises typically experienced while riding a vehicle such as a motorcycle, snow machine or ATV, the earmuffs system including a first earmuff including a first speaker and a first microphone therein; a second earmuff electrically coupled to the first ear muff, the second ear muff including a second speaker and a second microphone therein; noise cancellation circuitry for receiving first sounds from the first microphone and the second microphone and processing the first sounds by in part canceling the first sounds to form a first sound output that is provided from the first speaker and the second speaker; a third microphone placed external to the first earmuff, the third microphone supplying second sounds for the first speaker to output as a second sound output without the second sounds undergoing noise cancellation processing; and a fourth microphone placed external to the second earmuff, the fourth microphone supplying third sounds for the second speaker to output as a third sound output without the third sounds undergoing noise cancellation processing.

A pivot-arm assembly is provided for attaching an ear cup to a mounting feature on an exterior of a helmet. The pivot-arm assembly comprises a mount configured to releasably couple to the mounting feature. A hinge is rotatable about a first axis and about a second axis. The hinge is coupled to a second end of the arm and disposed between the second end of the arm and the mount such that the first end of the arm is rotatable relative to the mount about the first axis and the first end of the arm is rotatable relative to the mount about the second axis. A biasing member is coupled to the arm and is configured to spring bias the first end of the arm relative to the mount in a rotatable direction about the second axis of the hinge.

A pivot-arm assembly is provided for attaching an ear cup to a mounting feature on an exterior of a helmet. The pivot-arm assembly comprises a mount configured to releasably couple to the mounting feature. A hinge is rotatable about a first axis and about a second axis. The hinge is coupled to a second end of the arm and disposed between the second end of the arm and the mount such that the first end of the arm is rotatable relative to the mount about the first axis and the first end of the arm is rotatable relative to the mount about the second axis. A biasing member is coupled to the arm and is configured to spring bias the first end of the arm relative to the mount in a rotatable direction about the second axis of the hinge.

An exposure-indicating supplied air respirator system comprises a head top, a clean air supply source and a portable personal communication hub. The head top comprises a visor that is sized to fit over at least a user's nose and mouth, a position sensor secured to the head top, and a head top communication module. The clean air supply source is connected to the head top that supplies clean air to the interior of the head top. The position sensor detects whether the visor is in a closed position or in an open position and the head top communication module communicates the visor position to the personal communication hub. If the personal communication hub receives a signal indicating the presence of a hazard, and if the visor is in an open position, an alert is generated.

An ear-protective headgear has a headband, a first earpiece and a second earpiece. The headband is worn on the user's head in order to position the earpieces over the user's ears, protecting the ears from environmental discomforts, such as the heat from a hooded hair dryer. The earpieces may be moved along the headband to be appropriately positioned over the ears. The headband is also adjustable in length through a headband fastener connecting a first end and a second end of the headband together. The earpieces are affixed to the headband by two strap portions forming a headband connector, the ends of which are connected together, forming a loop around the headband. An earpiece connector insert may be positioned within the headband connector of one of the earpieces and attached to a fastening anchor positioned on the other earpiece, connecting the earpieces together to wear as an accessory.

An ear-protective headgear has a headband, a first earpiece and a second earpiece. The headband is worn on the user's head in order to position the earpieces over the user's ears, protecting the ears from environmental discomforts, such as the heat from a hooded hair dryer. The earpieces may be moved along the headband to be appropriately positioned over the ears. The headband is also adjustable in length through a headband fastener connecting a first end and a second end of the headband together. The earpieces are affixed to the headband by two strap portions forming a headband connector, the ends of which are connected together, forming a loop around the headband. An earpiece connector insert may be positioned within the headband connector of one of the earpieces and attached to a fastening anchor positioned on the other earpiece, connecting the earpieces together to wear as an accessory.

A ballistic helmet comprising a ballistic shell, wherein within the thickness of the ballistic shell, or inside the ballistic shell, there is provided one or more circuit layers forming a circuit, which circuit comprises a power bus and a data bus, and wherein one or more power connections and one or more data connections are provided on the inside and/or on an edge of the ballistic shell for providing power and data to/from one or more electrical devices through the circuit.

A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.

A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.