PROTECTIVE HELMET

Abstract

In a protective helmet, in particular a sports helmet, with a shock-absorbing helmet shell and a visor, on each of two opposite sides of the protective helmet, a coupling section of the helmet shell and a coupling section of the visor are formed, one of which is configured as a coupling receptacle and the other as a coupling extension and in such a way that, the coupling extension may engage in the coupling receptacle in order to connect the visor to the helmet shell. The coupling extension is displaceable in the coupling receptacle along a displacement path between an initial position and an advance position and is pivotable about a pivot axis between the advance position and an open position.

Claims

1. A protective helmet having a shock-absorbing helmet shell and a visor, wherein, on each of two opposite sides of the protective helmet, a coupling section of the helmet shell and a coupling section of the visor are formed, one of which is configured as a coupling receptacle and the other as a coupling extension and in such a way that the coupling extension may engage in the coupling receptacle in order to connect the visor to the helmet shell, wherein the coupling extension is displaceable in the coupling receptacle along a displacement path between an initial position and an advance position and is pivotable about a pivot axis between the advance position and an open position.

2. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the displacement path is at least substantially rectilinear.

3. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the displacement path.

4. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling receptacle comprises a displacement section having at least substantially the shape of an elongated hole, and a pivoting section having at least substantially the shape of a circular sector.

5. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling extension comprises a base section having an elongated shape which extends along a longitudinal axis and which is completely received in the coupling receptacle in the initial position, in the advance position and in the open position, and a connecting section which extends along a transverse axis oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis and connects the base section to the rest of the visor or to the rest of the helmet shell.

6. The protective helmet according to claim 5, wherein the connecting section is connected to the base section at one end of the extent of the base section along the longitudinal axis.

7. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling extension is positively guided during displacement between the initial position and the advance position and/or during pivoting between the advance position and the open position.

8. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein a guide structure is formed at the coupling receptacle that interacts with a guide structure formed at the coupling extension in such a way that the coupling extension is guided along the displacement path during displacement between the initial position and the advance position.

9. The protective helmet according to claim 8, wherein the guide structure formed at the coupling receptacle and the guide structure formed at the coupling extension each comprise a guide bar, and the guide bar of the coupling extension engages behind the guide bar of the coupling receptacle in such a way that the coupling extension is positively secured along the displacement path against leaving the coupling receptacle.

10. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling extension is positively secured against leaving the coupling receptacle in the advance position, in the open position, along the displacement path and between the advance position and the open position.

11. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling receptacle and the coupling extension each comprise a magnetic element and the magnetic elements are arranged in such a way that the coupling extension is held in the initial position by a magnetic force-fit.

12. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein a support recess is formed at one edge of the coupling receptacle, and at which support recess the coupling extension is supported during pivoting between the advance position and the open position.

13. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling receptacle and the coupling extension are configured such that the coupling extension is secured in the open position by latching.

14. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the coupling receptacle comprises a resilient latching projection which the coupling extension passes when pivoting between the advance position and the open position and in doing so temporarily pushes back.

15. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the helmet shell comprises a shield which, when the coupling extensions are in their initial position, adjoins the visor in the direction of rotation with respect to the pivot axis and projects radially beyond the visor, and wherein the visor, when the coupling extensions are in the advance position, the open position or in-between, is arranged distanced from the pivot axis radially beyond the shield.

16. A protective helmet having a shock-absorbing helmet shell and a visor, wherein a coupling section of the helmet shell and a coupling section of the visor are formed on each of two opposite sides of the protective helmet, one of which is configured as a coupling receptacle and the other as a coupling extension and in such a way that the coupling extension may engage in the coupling receptacle in order to connect the visor to the helmet shell, wherein the coupling extension is displaceable in the coupling receptacle along a displacement path between an initial position and an advance position and is pivotable about a pivot axis between the advance position and an open position, wherein the coupling extension comprises a base section having an elongated shape which extends along a longitudinal axis and which is completely received in the coupling receptacle in the initial position, in the advance position and in the open position, and a connecting section which extends along a transverse axis oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis and connects the base section to the rest of the visor or to the rest of the helmet shell, and wherein the coupling extension engages in the coupling receptacle parallel to the transverse axis.

17. A protective helmet having a shock-absorbing helmet shell and a visor, wherein a coupling section of the helmet shell and a coupling section of the visor are formed on each of two opposite sides of the protective helmet, one of which is configured as a coupling receptacle and the other as a coupling extension and in such a way that the coupling extension may engage in the coupling receptacle in order to connect the visor to the helmet shell, wherein the coupling extension is displaceable in the coupling receptacle along a displacement path between an initial position and an advance position and is pivotable about a pivot axis between the advance position and an open position, and wherein the coupling receptacle and the coupling extension each comprise a magnetic element and the magnetic elements are arranged in such a way that the coupling extension is held in the initial position by a magnetic force-fit.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0064] The invention is explained further below merely by way of example with reference to the figures.

[0065] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of a protective helmet according to the invention in four different visor positions of the protective helmet.

[0066] FIGS. 5 to 9 show detailed illustrations of a coupling section of a helmet shell of the protective helmet and a coupling section of the visor interacting with it.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0067] In the figures, an embodiment of a protective helmet 11 according to the invention is respectively shown in simplified form. In each of FIGS. 1 to 4, the protective helmet 11 is shown entirely from one viewing direction, namely from the side. FIGS. 5 to 9, on the other hand, each show only a section of the protective helmet 11 from several different viewing directions.

[0068] The protective helmet 11 shown is a sports helmet, namely a bicycle helmet. The protective helmet 11 comprises a shock-absorbing helmet shell 13 having an at least substantially hemispherical-shape, a helmet body 15 and a thin outer shell 17. The helmet body 15 may comprise, for example, foamed polystyrene as the material, and the outer shell 17 may comprise, for example, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer as the material. The protective helmet 11 further comprises a visor 19 having an elongated curved shape with at least substantially tapered ends. The visor 19 is at least partially formed from a transparent material.

[0069] On a side of the protective helmet 11 facing the viewer in FIGS. 1 to 4, a coupling section 21 is formed at the helmet shell 13. Another similar coupling section 21 is also formed at the helmet shell 13 on the opposite side of the protective helmet 11 facing away from the viewer and is therefore not visible in the figures. Furthermore, the visor 19 also comprises a coupling section 21 at each of its two opposite ends, wherein only the coupling section 21 formed at the end facing the viewer is shown in the figures due to the viewing direction. The coupling section 21 is shown by a dotted-line, as it is formed on the inside of the visor 19 facing away from the viewer.

[0070] The coupling sections 21 formed at the helmet shell 13 are each configured as a coupling receptacle 23 in the form of a recess formed in the helmet body 15. On the other hand, the coupling sections 21 formed at the visor 19 are formed as coupling extensions 25 projecting from the remaining visor 19.

[0071] In FIG. 1, the visor 19 is shown in a state detached from the helmet shell 13. However, the visor 19 may be coupled to the helmet shell 13 as required by inserting the coupling extension 25 formed at the visor 19 into the coupling receptacle 23 formed at the helmet shell 13 on both sides of the protective helmet 11. The coupling extension 25 thereby engages in the coupling receptacle 23 in each case in a direction of engagement which is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to an outside of the helmet shell 13 in the region of the respective coupling receptacle 23 or oriented at least substantially facing towards a center point of the hemispherical-shaped helmet shell 13.

[0072] Fundamentally, it could also be the other way round where the coupling sections 21 formed at the helmet shell 13 are each configured as coupling receptacles 23 and the coupling sections 21 formed at the visor 19 are each configured as coupling extensions 25, whereby the direction of engagement would be oriented in the opposite direction.

[0073] In order to attach the visor 19, it may be necessary to expand the visor 19 against the inherent elasticity of the visor 19, i.e. to deflect its ends away from each other in the direction counter to said inherent elasticity of the visor 19. The restoring force resulting from the inherent elasticity then pretensions the coupling extensions 25 in the respective coupling receptacle 23, so that the engagement of the coupling extensions 25 in the coupling receptacles 23 is supported and the coupling extensions 25 are then held in the respective coupling receptacle 23 by the pretension. The coupling extensions 25 may also be magnetically secured in the coupling receptacles 23, as will be explained further below.

[0074] Within the respective coupling receptacle 23, the respective coupling extension 25 may assume different positions, namely, in particular the initial position shown in FIG. 2, the advance position shown in FIG. 3 and the open position shown in FIG. 4. The coupling receptacle 23 and the coupling extension 25 are configured relative to each other such that the coupling extension 25 can be displaced within the coupling receptacle 23 from the initial position along an at least substantially rectilinear displacement path V (see FIGS. 2 and 3) into the advance position, and can be pivoted about a pivot axis S which is perpendicular to the displacement path V (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and pivoted out of the advance position into the open position and, conversely, can be pivoted from the open position about the pivot axis S into the advance position and can be displaced from the advance position along the displacement path V into the initial position.

[0075] This mobility of the coupling extension 25 in the coupling receptacle 23 from the initial position via the advance position into the open position and back from the open position via the advance position into the initial position is at least substantially positively guided, i.e. limited to a single degree of freedom. In other words, the coupling extension 25 may be displaced between the initial position and the advance position at least substantially exclusively along the sliding path V, and may be pivoted between the advance position and the open position at least substantially exclusively about the pivot axis S. Furthermore, the coupling receptacle 23 and the coupling extension 25 are configured relative to one another in such a way that, from said positions, the coupling extension 25 when inserted into the coupling receptacle 23 inevitably assumes as first the initial position and, conversely, may also be removed from the coupling receptacle 23 at least substantially exclusively in the initial position.

[0076] Since the coupling extensions 25 are rigidly connected to the rest of the visor 19, the visor 19 assumes a position relative to the helmet shell 13 which corresponds to the respective position of the coupling extensions 25 within the respective coupling receptacle 23. When the coupling extensions 25 assume the initial position, the visor 19 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 2; when the coupling extensions 25 are displaced into the advance position, the visor 19 is correspondingly moved into the position shown in FIG. 3; and when the coupling extensions 25 are in the open position, the visor 19 assumes the open position shown in FIG. 4.

[0077] In the embodiment shown, the protective helmet 11 comprises a shield 27 arranged at the helmet shell 13 and projects from the helmet shell 13 at a front side of the protective helmet 11. The visor 19 in the direction of rotation about the pivot axis S adjoins the shield 27 in its closed position. If, on the other hand, the visor 19 is pushed forward, the visor 19 is further away from the pivot axis S than the shield 27, so that the visor 19 may be pivoted past the shield 27 from the position shown in FIG. 3 into the open position shown in FIG. 4. This type of adjustment of the visor 19 therefore makes it possible to provide both a shield 27 and a visor 19 on the protective helmet 11 and still make the protective helmet 11 compact.

[0078] The adjustability of the visor 19 is based on the described movability of the coupling extensions 25 in the coupling receptacles 23, which arises in particular from the respective shape of these coupling sections 21. The specific design of the coupling receptacles 23 and the coupling extensions 25 can be understood in particular from FIGS. 5 to 9 which show in detail one of the coupling receptacles 23 included in the marked region of FIG. 1, and also the coupling extension 25 (with the exception of FIG. 5) interacting with this coupling receptacle 23.

[0079] The coupling receptacle 23 comprises a displacement section 29, which has at least substantially the shape of an elongated hole, and a pivoting section 31, into which the displacement section 29 leads into and which has at least substantially the shape of a circular sector (see in particular FIG. 5). The coupling extension 25 comprises a base section 33, which has an elongated shape and extends along a longitudinal axis L, and a connecting section 35, which has a cylindrical shape and extends along a transverse axis Q oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis L (see in particular FIG. 9). The connecting section 35 is connected to the base section 33 at one end of the extent of the base section 33 along the longitudinal axis L.

[0080] In the initial position, in the advance position and during movement along the displacement path, the coupling extension 25 is oriented with the longitudinal axis L of its base section 33 to be at least substantially parallel to the displacement path V. The cylindrical axis of the cylindrical shape of the connecting section 35 coincides with the pivot axis S in the advance position and in the open position as well as in the intermediate positions of the coupling extension 25, and the coupling extension 25 can pivot about the pivot axis S between the advance position and the open position.

[0081] Transverse to the displacement path V, the displacement section 29 of the coupling receptacle 23 is bound by two parallel edges opposite each other, one of which transitions in a straight extent into an edge of the pivoting section 31 and which limits the pivoting section 31 in the direction of rotation about the pivot axis S and is therefore oriented at least substantially radially with the pivot axis S. This edge of the pivoting section 31 is slightly bent towards the opposite edge of the pivoting section 31 with increasing distance from the pivot axis S and thus forms a sloped ramp 37 (see FIG. 5). As a result, when moving along the displacement path V the coupling extension 25 is already slightly pivoted in the direction of the open position shortly before reaching the advance position. The displacement path V is therefore not exactly straight, but rather due to said sloped ramp 37 has a pre-pivot section which supports the transition between the movement along the displacement path V and the pivoting about the pivot axis S.

[0082] At the edges of the coupling receptacle 23, a respective guide structure 39 is provided which is configured as a guide bar 41 that projects from the respective edge into the coupling receptacle 23 and runs parallel to the displacement path V. At mutually opposite edges of the base section 33 which limit the base section 33 transversely to its longitudinal axis L and which slide along the edges of the coupling receptacle 23 during displacement along the displacement path V, a respective guide structure 39 is also provided which is configured as a guide groove.

[0083] When the coupling extension 25 is displaced along the displacement path V, the guide bars 41 of the guide structure 39 formed on the coupling receptacle 23 engage in the respective guide groove formed on the corresponding edge of the base section 33 of the coupling extension 25 in the manner of a tongue-and-groove connection and slide along it. As a result, the coupling extension 25 is guided along the displacement path V when being displaced between the initial position and the advance position.

[0084] The edge of the respective guide groove furthest away from the connecting section 35 may also be regarded as a guide bar 41 which engages behind the corresponding guide bar 41 formed on the coupling receptacle 23 with respect to the direction of engagement when the coupling extension 25 is displaced along the displacement path V, so that the coupling extension 25 is positively secured against leaving the coupling receptacle 23 counter to the direction of engagement during displacement along the displacement path V and preferably also in the advance position due to this rear engagement.

[0085] Also when the coupling extension 25 is pivoted about the pivot axis S, when the guide bars 41 no longer engage behind each other, the coupling extension 25 is positively secured against leaving the coupling receptacle 23 counter to the direction of engagement. This is because the base section 33 of the coupling extension 25 engages behind the outer shell 17 of the helmet shell 13 of the protective helmet 11 (see FIG. 6).

[0086] At one edge of the coupling receptacle 23, namely at the edge formed by the edges of the displacement section 29 and the pivoting section 31 of the coupling receptacle 23 which transition with one another in a straight extent, a support recess 43 is formed in a section that is closest to the pivot axis S (see in particular FIG. 8). The support recess 43 is formed in the edge as an elongated recess parallel to the pivot axis S. Since one of said guide bars 41 is also formed on this edge, the support recess 43 also extends through this guide bar 41. In other words, part of the support recess 43 is formed in this guide bar 41. The support recess 43 is arranged in such a way that the end of the longitudinal extent of the base section 33 of the coupling extension 25 through which the pivot axis S runs (since the connecting section 35 connects the base section 33 at this end to the rest of the visor 19) is supported at the support recess 43 when pivoting about the pivot axis S.

[0087] A resilient latching projection 45 is formed at a further edge of the coupling receptacle 23, which edge limits the pivoting section 31 of the coupling receptacle 23 in the radial direction relative to the pivot axis S. The latching projection 45 is arranged in such a way that the coupling extension 25 passes it, namely by the end of the longitudinal extent of the base section 33 of the coupling extension 25 that points radially away from the pivot axis S, shortly before reaching the open position and the latching projection is thereby temporarily pushed back, i.e. elastically deflected. After passing, the latching projection returns back due to its elasticity. As a result, the coupling extension 25 engages in the open position and is then held in the open position due to this latching. However, the coupling extension 25 may also be pivoted back in the opposite direction from the open position, past the latching projection 45 and back into the advance position by applying an opposing force high enough for a renewed push-back of the latching projection 45. The described latching of the coupling extension 25 into the open position secures overall the visor 19 against unintentional displacement out of the open position.

[0088] In the example shown, the latching projection 45 is formed by a section of the edge of the pivoting section 31 which has a reduced radius relative to the pivot axis S and behind which a space is provided, so that the section is thin-walled and may be elastically pushed back into the space. Fundamentally, however, the resilient latching projection 45 may also be configured in many different ways, for example as a latching tongue or latching spring projecting from the edge. The latching projection 45 may also be formed separately from the edge and mounted at a suitable position within the coupling receptacle 23. Furthermore, the latching projection 45 need not necessarily be provided at the edge, but may also be arranged, for example, at a base of the coupling receptacle 23.

[0089] The base section 33 of the coupling extension 25 includes a ferromagnetic material and thus comprises a magnetic element 47. At the end of the longitudinal extent of the displacement section 29 of the coupling receptacle 23 which is distanced from the pivoting section 31, the coupling receptacle 23 also comprises a magnetic element 47 in the form of a permanent magnet embedded in the helmet body 15 (see FIG. 8, which shows a cut-out section of the protective helmet 11 along the plane marked in FIG. 1). A magnetic attraction arises between these magnetic elements 47 which depends on their distance from each other. If the distance is sufficiently small, this results in a magnetic force-fit which pulls the coupling extension 25 into the initial position or holds it in the initial position.

[0090] In this way, the coupling extensions 25 are secured in the respective coupling receptacle 23 not only due to the inherent elasticity of the visor 19 but also additionally by the magnetic force-fit when they are in their initial position, in which they fundamentally may be removed from the respective coupling receptacle 23. Nevertheless, an intentional detachment of the visor 19 from the helmet shell 13 in an easy manner is possible by pulling the respective coupling extension 25 out of the coupling receptacle 23 with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic force-fit and to counter the pretension resulting from the inherent elasticity of the visor 19.

[0091] Due to the magnetic interaction of said magnetic elements 47, the respective coupling extension 25 is not only secured against detachment from the coupling receptacle 23, but advantageously also against being unintentionally displaced into the advance position or against any slipping. The magnetic elements 47 thus also secure the visor 19 in its closed position. By providing a further magnetic element 47 in the region of said latching projection 45 (in addition to this or in place of), the described latching of the coupling extension 25 in the open position may also take place by a magnetic force-fit, so that the visor 19 is also magnetically secured in its open position.

[0092] The described manner of coupling the visor 19 to the helmet shell 13 allows the visor 19 to be easily attached to the helmet shell 13 or left off as required, and when attached to the helmet shell 13 it may also be adjusted between a closed position and an open position without any great effort while being reliably secured to the helmet shell 13. The structures provided for coupling the visor 19 to the helmet shell 13, namely the coupling extensions 25 and the coupling receptacles 23, take up comparatively little space, so that the protective helmet 11 may have a comparatively slim design despite having these advantageous functions.