SAFETY HELMET WITH A SHEATHED BEARING ELEMENT, PROCESS FOR REMOVING THE SHEATHING FROM THE SAFETY HELMET AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH A SAFETY HELMET
20210337915 · 2021-11-04
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A safety helmet (100) with a helmet shell (7), with a bearing element (5), with at least one holding element (2, 9.l, 9.r, 28) and with a tubular shape textile sheathing. Each holding element (2, 9.l, 9.r, 28) is permanently connected to the helmet shell (7). A distance is present between a holding element (2, 9.l, 9.r, 28) and the head of a user of the safety helmet (100). The bearing element (5) is adjacent to the head. The textile sheathing encloses the bearing element (5) and is located in some areas between the bearing element (5) and the head. The bearing element (5) is detachably connectable to a respective holding element through at least one connection opening in the textile sheathing. A process for removing the textile sheathing from the safety helmet (100), as well as to a process for manufacturing a safety helmet (100) are provided.
Claims
1. A safety helmet comprising: an arched helmet shell; a bearing element; at least one holding element permanently connected to the helmet shell; and a tubular shape textile sheathing, wherein: the safety helmet is configured such that when the safety helmet is located on the head of a user of the safety helmet, a distance is present between the at least one holding element and the head, the bearing element is adjacent to the head, and an area of the textile sheathing is located between the bearing element and the head; the textile sheathing encloses the bearing element and has at least one connection opening; and the bearing element in the and together with the textile sheathing is detachably connectable to the at least one holding element through the at least one connection opening such that the bearing element in the textile sheathing is separable from the holding element and is removable from the helmet shell and is connectable again to the at least one holding element.
2. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least another holding element to provide two holding elements which are permanently connected to the helmet shell, wherein the textile sheathing has at least two connection openings located at locations spaced from one another; and the bearing element in the textile sheathing is detachably connectable to the two different holding elements through one respective of the at least two connection openings.
3. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 2, wherein: the two holding elements, with which the bearing element is detachably connectable, are movable relative to one another; and a head size provided by the safety helmet is changeable by a movement of one of the holding elements relative to the other one of the holding elements.
4. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a spacer permanently connected to the helmet shell, wherein the spacer holds the two holding elements such that when the safety helmet is located on the head of a user of the safety helmet, a respective distance is present between each of the two holding elements and the head.
5. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bearing element has at least one projection and the at least one projection is passed through the at least one connection opening and is received or receivable by a corresponding recess of the holding element; or the at least one holding element has at least one projection and the at least one projection is passed through the connection opening and is received or receivable by a corresponding recess of the bearing element.
6. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bearing element and the textile sheathing are configured such that the bearing element is held in the textile sheathing and the bearing element is prevented from sliding out of the textile sheathing.
7. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the textile sheathing has a shape of a hose with two ends; the two ends are each closed, and the at least one connection opening is spaced a distance to each of the two ends.
8. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the connection opening of the textile sheathing is configured as an insertion opening; the textile sheathing comprises at least one other connection opening located at a location spaced from the insertion opening; and the insertion opening is dimensioned such that the bearing element is insertable into the textile sheathing through the insertion opening and is removable out of the textile sheathing through the insertion opening.
9. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 8, wherein: the textile sheathing comprises two hose portions; the insertion opening is located between the two hose portions; the respective end of each hose portion, which is located at a spaced location from the insertion opening, is closed, the at least one other connection opening is located in a respective hose portion; and each hose portion receives a respective area of the bearing element.
10. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 9, wherein the two hose portions are mirror-symmetrical to each other in relation to the insertion opening.
11. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 8, wherein: the bearing element is reversibly compressible; in a compressed state the bearing element exerts a restoring force, which seeks to move the bearing element into a resting state; in a compressed state the bearing element is insertable through the insertion opening into the textile sheathing; in a compressed state the bearing element is removable out of the textile sheathing through the insertion opening; and in the resting state the bearing element has a larger dimension than the insertion opening in each direction in the plane of the insertion opening.
12. An arrangement comprising: a safety helmet comprising: an arched helmet shell; a bearing element; at least one holding element permanently connected to the helmet shell; and a tubular shape textile sheathing, wherein: the safety helmet is configured such that when the safety helmet is located on the head of a user of the safety helmet, a distance is present between the at least one holding element and the head, the bearing element is adjacent to the head, and an area of the textile sheathing is located between the bearing element and the head; the textile sheathing encloses the bearing element and has at least one connection opening; and the bearing element in the and together with the textile sheathing is detachably connectable to the at least one holding element through the at least one connection opening such that the bearing element in the textile sheathing is separable from the holding element and is removable from the helmet shell and is connectable again to the at least one holding element; an additional tubular shape textile sheathing; an additional bearing element, which is enclosed by the additional tubular shape textile sheathing, wherein: the additional textile sheathing has at least one additional connection opening; the safety helmet is selectively useable in a first configuration or in a second configuration; in the first configuration the bearing element in the textile sheathing is detachably connected to the at least one holding element through the connection opening; and in the second configuration the additional bearing element in the additional textile sheathing is detachably connected to the at least one holding element through the at least one additional connection opening.
13. A safety helmet process comprising: providing a safety helmet comprising: an arched helmet shell; a bearing element; at least one holding element permanently connected to the helmet shell; and a tubular shape textile sheathing, wherein: the safety helmet is configured such that when the safety helmet is located on the head of a user of the safety helmet, a distance is present between the at least one holding element and the head, the bearing element is adjacent to the head, and an area of the textile sheathing is located between the bearing element and the head; the textile sheathing encloses the bearing element and has at least one connection opening; and the bearing element in the and together with the textile sheathing is detachably connectable to the at least one holding element through the at least one connection opening such that the bearing element in the textile sheathing is separable from the holding element and is removable from the helmet shell and is connectable again to the at least one holding element; and removing the textile sheathing from a safety helmet comprising the steps of: detaching the connection of the bearing element, enclosed by the textile sheathing, from the at least one holding element; and removing the bearing element together with the textile sheathing from the safety helmet.
14. A safety helmet process in accordance with claim 13, wherein: the bearing element is cleaned together with the textile sheathing, after performing the step of removing from the safety helmet; and after the cleaning step, the bearing element in the textile sheathing is detachably connected to the at least one holding element or to a respective holding element through the connection opening or through at least one connection opening of the textile sheathing.
15. A process for manufacturing a safety helmet comprising: an arched helmet shell; a bearing element; at least one holding element permanently connected to the helmet shell; and a tubular shape textile sheathing, wherein: the safety helmet is configured such that when the safety helmet is located on the head of a user of the safety helmet, a distance is present between the at least one holding element and the head, the bearing element is adjacent to the head, and an area of the textile sheathing is located between the bearing element and the head; the textile sheathing encloses the bearing element and has at least one connection opening; and the bearing element in the and together with the textile sheathing is detachably connectable to the at least one holding element through the at least one connection opening such that the bearing element in the textile sheathing is separable from the holding element and is removable from the helmet shell and is connectable again to the at least one holding element, the process comprising the steps of: providing the helmet shell, the bearing element, the at least one holding element and a flat object comprising a textile material; connecting the bearing element to the flat object such that the tubular shape textile sheathing around the bearing element is formed from the flat object by the connection; permanently connecting the at least one holding element to the helmet shell; and detachably connecting the bearing element in the textile sheathing to the at least one holding element through the at least one connection opening.
16. A process in accordance with claim 15, wherein a connection opening of the textile sheathing is additionally configured as an insertion opening and the textile sheathing has at least one additional connection opening; the at least one additional connection opening is located at a spaced location from the insertion opening; the step of connecting the bearing element with the textile sheathing comprises the steps of forming the flat object to the tubular textile sheathing and inserting the bearing element through the insertion opening of the textile sheathing into the textile sheathing; and the step of connecting the bearing element to at least one holding element comprises the step of detachably connecting the bearing element in the textile sheathing to the at least one holding element through the insertion opening and through the at least one additional connection opening.
17. A process in accordance with claim 16, wherein: the bearing element is reversibly compressible; the tubular shape textile sheathing has two closed ends; the insertion opening is arranged between the two closed ends; the step of bringing the bearing element through the insertion opening into the interior of the textile sheathing comprises the steps of: compressing the bearing element; inserting the bearing element in a compressed state through the insertion opening into the textile sheathing; and letting the bearing element in the textile sheathing be transferred to a resting state via a restoring force of the compressed bearing element; and wherein the bearing element has a larger dimension than the insertion opening in the resting state in each direction in a plane of the insertion opening.
18. A process in accordance with claim 17, wherein after the step of inserting the bearing element into the textile sheathing, the following additional steps are carried out: a textile closure is placed on the insertion opening such that a connection opening of a reduced size, which is smaller than the insertion opening and through which the bearing element is detachably connectable to the holding element, is formed from the insertion opening; and the bearing element is detachably connected to this holding element through the connection opening having a reduced size.
19. A process according to claim 15, further comprising providing a computer program, which is executable on a computer and causes the computer during the execution to actuate one or more 3D printers such that an actuated 3D printer produces the bearing element, an actuated 3D printer produces the holding element and an actuated 3D printer produces the tubular shape textile sheathing.
20. A process according to claim 15, further comprising providing a 3D printer, which is configured to produce at least one of the bearing element, the holding element and the tubular shape textile sheathing.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0066] In the drawings:
[0067]
[0068]
[0069]
[0070]
[0071]
[0072]
[0073]
[0074]
[0075]
[0076]
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0077] Referring to the drawings, the present invention pertains to a safety helmet, which is used by firefighters, police, rescue workers and other rescue teams in order to better protect the head from mechanical, thermal and chemical environmental effects.
[0078] The safety helmet according to the exemplary embodiment comprises, just like many prior-art safety helmets, an arched helmet shell made of a hard material, a bearing structure and an inner lining. The inner lining is in contact with the head of a person, who is wearing this safety helmet on the user's head, and it comprises textile components. This person will hereinafter be called “the user.”
[0079] The designations “left,” “right,” “front,” “rear,” top” and “bottom” which will be used below, pertain to the usual orientations when the safety helmet is seated on the head of a user and the user is looking forward. The viewing direction BR of a user looking straight forward is shown in some figures. The inner lining is omitted in the figures.
[0080] The bearing structure connects the inner lining to the helmet shell and comprises a sequence with a plurality of parts of a bearing ring, wherein the bearing ring is placed around the head of the user. The bearing ring is manufactured from a flexible material and may adapt itself to a certain degree to the shape of the head of a user. The bearing ring is in contact with the head of the user and sets the head size that is provided by the safety helmet.
[0081]
[0093] The front bearing ring part 5 [0094] is reversibly deformable, [0095] is in contact with the forehead of a user of the safety helmet 100, [0096] is positioned at a horizontal distance from the front holding ring part 2, [0097] has a spacer 10 with a projection 34, and [0098] acts as the bearing element, which is enclosed by the textile sheathing 1.
[0099] The front holding ring part 2, the two lateral rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r and the intermediate piece 28 act as holding elements, which are permanently connected to the helmet shell 7 and to which the front bearing ring part (bearing element) 5 can be detachably connected. The two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r are permanently connected to the helmet shell 7 indirectly via the bearing support 8 for the back of the head. The front bearing ring part 5 and the two lateral bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r together form a circular bearing ring, which sets the head size, which the safety helmet 100 provides. The front holding ring part 2 and the rear holding ring part 11 form a circular holding ring, which is in contact on the inside with the arched helmet shell 7.
[0100] The two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r are held by the bearing support 8 for the back of the head and are passed through the bearing support 8 for the back of the head. The bearing support 8 for the back of the head is permanently connected to the helmet shell 7, is in contact with the back of the head of the user of the safety helmet 100 and is preferably likewise provided with a textile sheathing, which is located between the back of the head of the user and the bearing support 8 for the back of the head. The bearing support 8 for the back of the head acts as a spacer and ensures that a distance is formed between the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r and the head of a user. The two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r are not provided with a textile sheathing in the exemplary embodiment.
[0101] The handwheel 14 is connected to the bearing support 8 for the back of the head. A rotation of the handwheel 14 causes the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r to be moved relative to the bearing support 8 for the back of the head, namely, either towards one another or away from one another, as a result of which the head size is reduced or enlarged.
[0102] The inner lining of the safety helmet 100 is omitted in
[0103] The index .l designates a left component, and the index .r designates a right component.
[0104] The optional spacer 10 at the intermediate piece 28 comprises a projection 34 and can preferably be rotated about an axis parallel to the upper edge of the front bearing ring part 5. The intermediate piece 28 is optional and it bridges the distance between the front bearing ring part 5 and the front holding ring part 2. It is also possible that the front bearing ring part 5 is connected directly to the front holding ring part 2.
[0105] The front holding ring part 2, the rear holding ring part 11, the bearing support 8 for the back of the head, the front bearing ring part 5, the lateral bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r, and the optional intermediate piece belong together to the support structure of the safety helmet 100. The front holding ring part 2 and the bearing support 8 for the back of the head are permanently attached to the helmet shell 7. The front bearing ring part 5 is attached to the front holding ring part 2 directly or by means of the intermediate piece 28. This support structure carries the textile inner lining, not shown. The components of the support structure are manufactured from at least one solid but preferably flexible material, for example, from a metal or plastic.
[0106] The front bearing ring part 5 is connected to the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r by a respective snap-in connection 31.l, 31.r each. In the embodiment shown, these snap-in connections 31.l, 31.r are embodied as follows: Two left, mushroom-shaped projections 33.l and two right, mushroom-shaped projections 33.r, cf.
[0107] The central rear bearing ring part 8 has the shape of a support for the back of the head and is located between the two lateral bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r and is connected to these via a gear mechanism. The front bearing ring part 5 acts as the sheathed bearing element of the exemplary embodiment and forms together with the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r a continuous bearing ring, which sets the head size of the safety helmet 100. The lateral rear bearing ring parts 9.l, 9.r do not come into contact with the scalp of the user and they are preferably not sheathed therefore.
[0108] When the user (or any other person) rotates the handwheel 14, this rotation is transmitted to the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l, 9.r, and these move relative to the bearing support 8 for the back of the head and relative to the helmet shell 7 synchronously, and in opposite directions, as a result of which the length of the entire bearing ring 5, 9.l, 9.r and hence the head size provided are changed.
[0109] In a perspective view from the viewing direction obliquely from below,
[0110] The front bearing ring part 5 adjoins the head of a user and is manufactured from a plastic or from a metal. It can be compressed reversibly, so that the distance between the two legs is reduced. The front bearing ring part 5 encloses the forehead and the temples of a user. In order for the front bearing ring part 5 not to come directly into contact with the scalp of the user, the front bearing ring part 5 is enclosed with a textile sheathing 1, which is in contact with the scalp. This textile sheathing 1 is omitted in
[0111] The textile sheathing 1 acts as a cushion between the front bearing ring part 5 and the scalp of the user. The textile sheathing of the bearing support 8 for the back of the head correspondingly brings about a cushioning at the back of the head. The lateral rear bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r do not come into contact with the scalp of the user and do not therefore need to be necessarily sheathed with a textile material.
[0112] The user of the safety helmet 100, for example, a rescue team member, is frequently exposed to chemical pollutants during a mission. Especially many particles of harmful substance may settle in components of the safety helmet 100. The textile components must therefore be cleaned especially thoroughly after a use of the safety helmet 100 in an environment that may have particles of harmful substances. Therefore, and since textile components are to be cleaned, as a rule, in a different manner than the other components of the safety helmet 100, the textile components must be separated from the other components of the safety helmet 100 and cleaned separately.
[0113] The sheathed bearing ring part 5, i.e., the front bearing ring part 5 together with the textile sheathing 1, must be cleaned in some applications. If the material of the front bearing ring part 5 is suitable for this cleaning operation, this is a preferred application, because the step of removing the front bearing ring part 5 from the textile sheathing 1 is eliminated. It is necessary for the cleaning in other applications to remove the sheathed front bearing ring part 5 out of the safety helmet 100 after a use and subsequently to remove the front bearing ring part 5 from the textile sheathing 1. The sheathing must be restored after the cleaning. In addition, the situation in which the textile sheathing 1 is worn or torn and must be replaced may occur. It is also possible that the front bearing ring part 5 is damaged and must be replaced. It is necessary in all cases to remove the sheathed front bearing ring part 5 from the safety helmet 100, which is easily possible thanks to the present invention.
[0114] The embodiment described below makes do without a connection by connection in substance and especially without a bonded connection or without a Velcro fastener for the textile sheathing 1 or for the sheathed bearing element 5.
[0115]
[0122] The textile sheathing 1 is preferably mirror-symmetrical to a symmetry plane Sym, which is at right angles to the drawing plane of
[0123] The two left projections 33.l at the left leg of the front bearing ring part 5 are passed through the two left connection openings 29.l in the textile sheathing 1, and the two right projections 33.r are passed through the two right connection openings 29.r. The projections 33.l, 33.r mesh with corresponding recesses 35.l, 35.r of the two rear bearing ring parts 9.l, 9.r, cf.
[0124] As can be seen on the right side of the sectional drawing in
[0125]
[0126] A user reaches with one hand Hd through the insertion opening 27 into the interior of the textile sheathing 1 and grasps the horseshoe-shaped front bearing ring part 5 approximately in the middle. The front bearing ring part 5 is made of an elastic material and can be compressed reversibly. The user removes the front bearing ring part 5, grasped approximately in the middle, through the insertion opening 27 out of the textile sheathing 1.
[0127]
[0128] The front bearing ring part 5 is compressed in the manner of tongs. The two legs of the compressed front bearing ring part 5 are inserted through the insertion opening 27 into the two hoses (tubes) 1.l and 1.r, respectively, of the textile sheathing 1 until the textile sheathing 1 fully encloses the front bearing ring part 5, cf.
[0129]
[0130] On the other hand, the connection opening 37 is so large that a detachable connection can be established through the connection opening 37 between the front bearing ring part 5 and the intermediate piece 28 or the front holding ring part 2. The projection 34 at the spacer 10 is inserted in the exemplary embodiment into the recess 38 at the intermediate piece 28 through the connection opening 37.
[0131] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0132] 1 Textile sheathing for the front bearing ring part 5; it comprises the left hose 1.l, the right hose 1.r, the web 1.m, the insertion opening 27 and the lateral connection openings 29.l, 29.r; it is manufactured from the components 1.a and 1.b [0133] 1.a, 1.b Components of the textile sheathing 1, permanently connected to one another in the connection web 26 [0134] 1.l Left hose of the textile sheathing 1; it accommodates the left leg of the front bearing ring part 5 [0135] 1.m Web between the left hose (tube) 1.l and the right hose (tube) 1.r; it connects the two hoses (tubes) 1.l and 1.r to one another; it encloses the insertion opening [0136] 1.r Right hose of the textile sheathing 1; it receives the right leg of the front bearing ring part 5 [0137] 2 Front holding ring part; it is in contact with the shock-absorbing shell 6; connected to the intermediate piece 28 [0138] 4 Pivotable visor, serves as a face protection [0139] 5 Front bearing ring part; it acts as the bearing element; comprises the spacer 10 and the mushroom-shaped projections 33.l, 33.r; it is detachably connected to the rear bearing ring parts 9.l, 9.r and to the intermediate piece 28; enclosed by the textile sheathing 1 [0140] 6 Arched shock-absorbing shell; it lies inside in the helmet shell 7; absorbs kinetic energy [0141] 7 Arched helmet shell, in which the support structure 2, 5, 8, 9.l, 9.r is attached on the inside; it carries the handwheel 14 [0142] 8 Central rear bearing ring part in the form of a cushioned support for the back of the head; it is arranged between the bearing ring parts 9.l and 9.r; it is attached on the inside to the helmet shell 7 [0143] 9.l Left rear bearing ring part; connected detachably to the front bearing ring part 5 by means of the snap-in connection 31.l [0144] 9.r Right rear bearing ring part; connected detachably to the front bearing ring part 5 by means of the snap-in connection 31.r [0145] 10 Rotatable spacer of the front bearing ring part 5, passed through the central insertion opening 27; it comprises the projection 34 [0146] 11 Rear holding ring part; attached to the helmet shell 7 [0147] 12 Mushroom-shaped projection at the intermediate piece 28; it meshes with a corresponding recess in the front holding ring part 2 [0148] 13 Hook-shaped projection at the intermediate piece 28; it encloses the front holding ring part 2 [0149] 26 Circular connection web in the interior of the textile sheathing 1; it connects the two components 1.a and 1.b permanently to one another [0150] 27 Central insertion opening in the textile sheathing 1, through which the front bearing ring part 5 can be inserted into the textile sheathing 1 and can again be removed out of same; enclosed by a seam [0151] 28 Optional intermediate piece between the front holding ring part 2 and the front bearing ring part 5; it can be detachably connected to the spacer 10 [0152] 29.l Left connection openings in the textile sheathing 1 for the left locking opening 31.l; they enclose the left projections 33.l, 33.r [0153] 29.r Right connection openings in the textile sheathing 1 for the right snap-in connection 31.r; they enclose the right projections 33.l, 33.r [0154] 31.l Snap-in connection between the front bearing ring part 5 and the left rear bearing ring part 9.l; established through the left connection openings 29.l [0155] 31.r Snap-in connection between the front bearing ring part 5 and the right rear bearing ring part 9.r; established through the right connection openings 29.r [0156] 32 Sunglasses in the form of an additional visor, attached pivotably to the front holding ring part 2 [0157] 33.l Pair comprising two left mushroom-shaped projections at the front bearing ring part 5; together with corresponding recesses 35.l at the left rear bearing ring part 9.l, it makes it possible to establish the detachable snap-in connection 31.l between the front bearing ring part 5 and the rear bearing ring part 9.l, wherein the projections are passed through the left connection openings 29.l [0158] 33.r Pair comprising two right mushroom-shaped projections at the front bearing ring part 5; it makes it possible together with corresponding recesses 35.r at the right rear bearing ring part 9.r to establish the detachable snap-in connection 31.r between the front bearing ring part 5 and the rear bearing ring part 9.r, wherein the projections is passed through the right connection openings 29.r [0159] 34 Projection at the spacer 10; it can be detachably connected to the recess 38 at the intermediate piece 28 through the insertion opening 27 or through the connection opening 37 [0160] 35.l Pair comprising two recesses in the left bearing ring part 9.l; it can be detachably connected to the projections 33.l [0161] 35.r Pair comprising two recesses in the right bearing ring part 9.r; it can be detachably connected to the projections 33.r [0162] 36 Textile closure for the insertion opening 27; it leaves the connection opening 37 free [0163] 37 Connection opening for the projection 34; it is formed after placing the textile closure on the insertion opening 27 [0164] 38 Recess at the intermediate piece 28; it makes it possible together with the projection 34 to establish a detachable snap-in connection between the front bearing element part 5 and the intermediate piece 28 [0165] 100 Safety helmet; it comprises the helmet shell 7, the shock-absorbing shell 6, the holding ring parts 2, 11, the bearing ring parts 5, 8, 9.l, 9.r, the intermediate piece 28, the handwheel 14 and the textile sheathing 1 [0166] BR Viewing direction of a user of the safety helmet 100, who is looking straight forward [0167] Hd Right hand of a user, who inserts the front bearing ring part 5 into the textile sheathing 1 and removes same out of the textile sheathing 1 [0168] Sym Symmetry plane of the textile sheathing 1; it extends through the insertion opening 27