Visor assembly

Abstract

Visor assembly (1) comprising an outer shield (2) and an inner shield (6) which is arranged at a distance therefrom and lies within the periphery of the outer shield, wherein a spacer (7) extending along the periphery of the inner shield is provided in order to hold the inner shield at a predetermined distance from the outer shield, wherein mechanical fixing means (10, 12) are arranged between the two shields for mutual fixation thereof, wherein the inner shield is formed at the position of its periphery such that a protrusion (7) from the inner shield is obtained, this protrusion forming the spacer.

Claims

1. Visor assembly comprising: an outer shield, and an inner shield which is arranged at a distance therefrom and lies within the periphery of the outer shield, wherein a spacer extending along the periphery of the inner shield is provided in order to hold the inner shield at a predetermined distance from the outer shield, wherein mechanical fixing means are arranged between the two shields for mutual fixation thereof, wherein the inner shield is formed at the position of its periphery such that a protrusion from the inner shield is obtained, the protrusion forming the spacer, and wherein the protrusion is arranged in the inner shield by mechanical deformation of the inner shield.

2. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner shield has a substantially constant thickness.

3. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a U-shaped cross-section.

4. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed as a continuous channel running around a central zone of the inner shield, this continuous channel having a substantially constant depth.

5. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the continuous channel further has a substantially constant width.

6. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical fixing means comprise pins arranged on the outer shield and co-acting with recesses arranged on the inner shield.

7. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer shield comprises polycarbonate.

8. Visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner shield comprises cellulose acetate material which is heat-treated or has had an anti-fogging treatment.

9. Inner shield of a visor assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner shield is provided so as to be placed within the periphery of an outer shield and at a distance therefrom, wherein a spacer extending along the periphery of the inner shield is provided in order to hold the inner shield at the predetermined distance, wherein the inner shield is provided with mechanical fixing means for fixing the inner shield relative to the outer shield, and wherein the inner shield is deformed at the position of its periphery such that a protrusion from the inner shield is obtained, the protrusion forming the spacer.

10. Method for manufacturing an inner shield as claimed in claim 9, comprising creating a protrusion along the periphery of the inner shield by means of deformation.

11. Method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising cutting the inner shield from a sheet-like material such that the inner shield fits within the periphery of a predetermined outer shield.

12. Method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of creating the protrusion and the step of cutting are performed simultaneously in a mould which comprises corresponding deforming surfaces and cutting edges for this purpose.

Description

(1) In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a helmet provided with an embodiment of a visor assembly according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the visor assembly of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a plane view of an inner shield according to an embodiment of the invention; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the protrusion from the inner shield of FIG. 3.

(6) The same or similar elements are designated in the drawing with the same reference numerals.

(7) According to the invention a visor assembly is understood to mean any conceivable application. An important application is that in combination with helmets or other headgear. A further application is that of goggles-like constructions. Windows in vehicles and instrument covers and the like exposed to the open air can however also make use of the technique according to the invention. A particular application of the invention is formed by helmets, goggles and the like which are used at low temperature. There is for instance the problem in snowmobiles that moisture exhaled by the driver and/or passengers deposits as ice on the visor. Surprisingly, it has been found that this problem no longer occurs with the construction according to the invention.

(8) In FIG. 1 the visor assembly according to the invention is designated as a whole with reference numeral 1. Shown is an outer visor which is connected hingedly to a helmet 3 in a manner not further shown. As further shown in FIG. 2, visor assembly 1 also comprises an inner shield 6 in addition to outer shield 2. The outer shield can be manufactured from polycarbonate or from other transparent plastics. Inner shield 6 comprises recesses 12 which are compatible with pins 10 arranged in outer shield 2. Pins 10 and recesses 12 together form retaining means 8 for holding the inner shield against an inner side of outer shield 2. Such a construction is described more particularly in the European application 95937212.9, which is incorporated into this description by reference. Any other mechanical fixing constructions known in the prior art can be applied instead of the shown fixing means 8.

(9) When inner shield 6 and outer shield 2 are connected, a complete sealing takes place between inner shield 6 and outer shield 2. This sealing is elucidated in further detail hereinbelow. Inner shield 6 and outer shield 2 can be removed from each other in simple manner as a result of the fixing means. It will be apparent here that the properties of inner shield 6 are such that no appreciable adhesive force occurs between inner shield 6 and outer shield 2 when they are mounted relative to each other.

(10) Inner shield 6 is shown in FIG. 3 and comprises a spacer 7 extending along the periphery of the inner shield. Spacer 7 is preferably continuous and spacer 7 encloses a central zone 13 of inner shield 6. Spacer 7 hereby lies all around central zone 13. When inner shield 6 is mounted against outer shield 2, spacer 7 will be pressed against outer shield 2. The inner shield, more particularly central zone 13 of inner shield 6, is hereby held a predetermined distance from the outer shield. This predetermined distance can be constant or can be variable along the length (or other dimension) of the inner shield. In such a mounted situation inner shield 2 extends substantially parallel to and with substantially the same shape as the outer shield, at least at the position of central zone 13. With the same shape relates here to the curvature of the surface of the outer shield.

(11) In some visors the distance between inner shield and outer shield will have to be minimal in the centre of the visor in order to minimize the overall thickness at this position. If the visor is too thick (or not minimal) here, the inner shield may scrape against the helmet when the visor is folded open and/or shut. It is therefore advisable in a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide the outer ends of the inner shield (at the position of fixing means 12) with a deeper protrusion, wherein the depth of the protrusion decreases in the direction of a central zone of the inner shield. The inner shield will hereby become slightly stiffer as a whole, and there is less chance of the inner shield coming to he against the visor due to weakening. If the inner shield comes to lie against the outer shield so-called Newton's rings occur, whereby visibility is drastically reduced.

(12) Spacer 7 is formed as a protrusion from inner shield 6. The thickness d of inner shield 6 is preferably constant here. FIG. 4A shows an embodiment of a cross-section of inner shield 6 at the position of protrusion 7. FIG. 4A particularly shows cross-section A-A of the inner shield of FIG. 3. Because the protrusion is formed along the periphery, the protrusion has a direction (which runs along the periphery). Because the protrusion has a direction, the protrusion can be intersected transversely (at a right angle to the direction).

(13) FIG. 4A shows how protrusion 7 is U-shaped. Another possible description of the shape is channel-like. A preferred feature of this shape is that inner shield 6 lies in the same plane at the position of central zone 13 and at the position of a peripheral edge. The material of the inner shield hereby moves out of the plane at the position of the protrusion. Such a protrusion 7 is preferably obtained by deforming an inner shield 6 of flat form, for instance in a mould. When such a shape 7 is applied, the depth of the channel is preferably substantially constant along the length of the channel. Substantially constant is defined here as being without sudden changes along the length of the channel, i.e. having a continuous depth profile along the length of the channel. The width of the channel is optionally also constant along the length of the channel. A space is hereby delimited by the channel between inner shield and outer shield when inner shield lies against outer shield, which space is sealed airtightly from the surroundings. Air which insulates the outer shield and inner shield relative to each other is typically confined in this space. Inner shield and outer shield can hereby have different temperatures. In the case a helmet is for instance used on a snow scooter the outer shield will be cold due to cold ambient air, while the inner shield will be roughly body temperature. The same effect is obtained in other applications of visors, such as in work safety helmets, police helmets, fire helmets and also in diving goggles. Because inner shield is insulated from outer shield, the two shields can function optimally. The inner shield of the invention is preferably manufactured from cellulose acetate material which is heat-treated or has had an anti-fogging treatment. Use of such a material has the advantage that the inner shield then does not mist up, and that the inner shield is still sufficiently bendable to lie parallel to the surface of the outer shield (which is typically curved).

(14) FIG. 4B shows an alternative embodiment of a protrusion 7. The protrusion here has a sigmoid-shaped cross-section. The edge of the inner shield will hereby extend in a plane lying at a distance from the plane of central zone 13 of the inner shield. Such a deformation is also deemed a protrusion. Protrusion is defined as movement out of the plane of the inner shield at a limited location. As shown in FIG. 4A, this protrusion 7 can be formed at a distance from the edge or, as shown in FIG. 4B, at the position of the edge.

(15) The manufacture of such an inner shield 6 with protrusion is quick and easy. Using a sheet material, inner shield 6 can be cut into the desired shape and be deformed in one processing step in order to obtain the protrusion along the periphery of inner shield 6. This processing step can be performed in a mould having cutting edges for cutting out the periphery of inner shield 6 and having deforming surfaces for creating the protrusion in the sheet-like material. The skilled person will be familiar with moulds with cutting edges and deforming surfaces. This mould is therefore not discussed in further detail.

(16) An alternative embodiment of the invention is that inner shield 6 with a protrusion is manufactured by injection moulding. When inner shield 6 is manufactured by injection moulding it is possible to deviate from a constant thickness d of inner shield 6, and the protrusion can be arranged as thickened portion on the inner shield and be formed integrally with the rest of the inner shield (from the same material).

(17) The above described embodiments and the figures are purely illustrative and serve only to increase the understanding of the invention. The invention will therefore not be limited to the embodiments described here, but is defined in the claims.