Helmet with removable chin guard

Abstract

The present invention relates to a protective helmet (1) comprising a chin guard (11) removable from an operating position, for protecting the chin, characterized in that the shell (21) of the helmet (1) is provided with a portion (31) for coupling with the chin guard (11) when removed.

Claims

1. A protective helmet comprising: a shell; and a chin guard removable from the shell, the chin guard having an operating position for protecting the chin, and a separated position for exposing the chin; wherein the shell of said helmet is provided with a coupling portion adapted to support said chin guard when the chin guard is in the separated position; wherein to switch from the operating position to the separated position, the chin guard must be disconnected from the shell and reattached to the shell at a different position on the shell.

2. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein when in the separated position the chin guard encircles a back portion of said shell.

3. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein said coupling portion is positioned in a different position from said operating position.

4. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein said coupling portion is positioned in a position opposite said operating position.

5. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein said coupling portion is shaped so as to at least partly house said chin guard.

6. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein said coupling portion is shaped so as to fully house said chin guard.

7. The helmet according to claim 1, wherein said coupling portion is provided with first means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion.

8. The helmet according to claim 7, wherein said chin guard is provided with second means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion and/or with said shell in operating position.

9. The helmet according to claim 8, wherein said first means and said second means are correspondent and produce locking and unlocking of said chin guard in said coupling portion.

10. The helmet according to claim 2, wherein said coupling portion is shaped so as to at least partly house said chin guard.

11. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein said coupling portion is shaped so as to at least partly house said chin guard.

12. The helmet according to claim 2, wherein said coupling portion is provided with first means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion.

13. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein said coupling portion is provided with first means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion.

14. The helmet according to claim 4, wherein said coupling portion is provided with first means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion.

15. The helmet according to claim 5, wherein said coupling portion is provided with first means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion.

16. The helmet according to claim 2, wherein said chin guard is provided with means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion and/or with said shell in operating position.

17. The helmet according to claim 3, wherein said chin guard is provided with means for locking and unlocking said chin guard in said coupling portion and/or with said shell in operating position.

18. A protective helmet switchable between a jet helmet configuration and a full helmet configuration, comprising: a shell having a front side, lateral sides, and a back side; a recess in the back side of the shell; a chin guard selectively connectable to the shell; the shell and the chin guard having at least two operating configurations, comprising: a full helmet configuration in which the chin guard is connected to the lateral sides of the shell to protect a chin area; a jet helmet configuration in which the chin guard is mounted in the recess in the back side of the shell.

19. The helmet of claim 18, wherein the helmet is switched from the full helmet configuration to the jet helmet configuration by disconnecting the chin guard from the lateral sides and mounting the chin guard in the recess.

20. The helmet of claim 18, wherein the recess is shaped so as to completely contain the chin guard when in the jet helmet configuration.

21. The helmet of claim 18, wherein when in the jet helmet configuration the chin guard and the shell form a continuous surface.

22. The helmet of claim 18, further comprising: the chin guard including a first pair of hooks; the shell including a second and third pair of hooks; wherein in the full helmet configuration the first set of hooks engage the second pair of hooks; wherein in the jet helmet configuration the first set of hooks engage the third pair of hooks.

Description

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the present invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the helmet, according to the present invention, when the chin guard is in protective position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the chin guard of the helmet of FIG. 1 when detached therefrom, according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the helmet, according to the present invention, when the chin guard is in separation position inside the coupling portion;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the chin guard of the helmet of FIG. 3 when detached therefrom, according to the present invention.

(6) With reference to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a protective helmet 1 for motorcycle use. This comprises a shell 21 preferably made of thermoplastic material produced so as to fully protect the head of the wearer. In particular, this shell 21 is provided, in the inner portion, with a padding (not illustrated) in sintered expanded polystyrene (EPS), or similar materials, to cushion any impacts to which the helmet may be subject.

(7) In the front portion, level with the wearer's eyes, the helmet 1 comprises a visor 41 made of transparent thermoplastic material and connected integral with the shell 21 so as to be movable thereon by roto-translation. In particular, roto-translation is obtained through the pin means 141, which join the visor 41 to the shell 21.

(8) In the back portion, level with the wearer's neck, the shell 21 has a portion 31 for coupling of the chin guard 11, described subsequently, when this latter is removed from the helmet 1. This portion 31 is shaped so as to fully comprise the chin guard 11, producing a continuous surface between the shell 21 and the same chin guard 11.

(9) Alternatively, this coupling portion 31 could be shaped to comprise only a part of the chin guard 11, leaving the remaining part to project from the surface of the shell 21.

(10) The coupling portion 31 is provided with first means 131 for locking the chin guard 11 therein. These comprised two hooks 131 in symmetrical position pivoted on the lateral walls of the portion 31 and each provided with a control lever 131 which can be operated manually from the inside of the padding of the shell 21. In particular, the first locking means 131 are provided with elastic means which retain the hooks 131 in raised position. The locking means could also be produced differently, without modifying the technical characteristics of the invention described herein.

(11) The same first locking means are positioned symmetrically also in the front portion of the shell 21 at the operating position of the chin guard 11. In this case the hook 121 of the locking means 121 is facing outward, but is still positioned in the inner walls of the shell 21 in contact with the padding, with the same control levers 121 projecting outward.

(12) In the same portion 31 there are produced slits 231, 231, 231 forming further ventilation holes. These also act as depressors to stabilize positioning of the helmet, preventing the sail effect.

(13) The protective helmet 1 also comprises a chin guard 11 connectable to the shell 21, in operating position, and to the coupling portion 31 thereof, in separation position, through appropriate second locking means 111, 111. The chin guard 11 is generally made of the same materials used for the shell 21 and therefore has an outer surface in thermoplastic material and the inner portion thereof padded with EPS, or similar materials. The second means 111, 111 protrude from the ends thereof and have a profile adapted for insertion and locking of the hooks 121, 131. Therefore, the first means 131, and consequently also the means 121, and the second means 111, 111 are correspondent and produce a geometric coupling which guarantees, respectively, locking of the chin guard 11 in the coupling portion 31 and with the shell 21 in operating position.

(14) Let us assume that the wearer is wearing the helmet 1 in the embodiment as a full face helmet, as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the chin guard 11 positioned in operating position for protecting the chin. In this position, the locking means 121, placed in the front portion of the shell 21, retain the chin guard 11 producing geometric coupling between the hooks 121 of the same locking means 121 and the profile of the second locking means 111, 111 with which the chin guard 11 is provided. In particular, the hooks 121 retain the second means 111, 111 as a result of the elastic means with which they are provided.

(15) If the wearer wishes to transform the helmet from full face type to jet type, he/she detaches the chin guard 11 from the remaining portion of helmet 1. By operating the levers 121 manually, overcoming the resistance of the elastic means, the locking means 121 placed in the front portion of the shell 21 rotate, maintaining as rotation fulcrum the coupling point with the same shell 21. This rotation enables geometric decoupling between the hooks 121 and the profiles 111, 111 removing interconnection therebetween and releasing the chin guard 11. This latter is then removed simply by detaching it from the shell 21 disengaging the second means 111, 111 which act as guides for coupling with this latter. The removed chin guard 11 is illustrated in FIG. 2.

(16) To enable the chin guard 11 to be joined with the coupling portion 31 of the shell 21 it is rotated through 180 . To complete the jet type embodiment of the helmet 1, it is therefore necessary to insert the chin guard 11 in said portion 31. Also in this case, the second means 111, 111 act as guides and are engaged in the shell 21, coupling in a concealed manner with this latter. The portion 31 is shaped so as to completely contain the detached chin guard 11, producing a continuous surface between shell 21 and chin guard 11. Also in this case, the elastic means enable the first means 131 to maintain the position when the hooks 131 come into contact with the profiles of the second means 111, 111 coupling geometrically therewith. The embodiment of the helmet in jet mode is illustrated in FIG. 3.

(17) With the chin guard 11 positioned in the portion 31 the sail effect, generated by wind drag on the helmet 1 during normal use, is eliminated as if said helmet 1 were effectively only a jet helmet.

(18) Moreover, if the wearer wishes to restore the full face type, he/she must detach the chin guard 11 from the portion 31, repositioning it on the front portion of the shell 21. In particular, detachment of the chin guard 11 is obtained using the control levers 131 of the first means 131, as described previously for detachment from the means 121. The chin guard 11 detached from the portion 31 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

(19) To restore the full face helmet, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the chin guard 11 is inserted in the front portion of the shell 21 using as guides for said insertion the means 111, 111 of the same chin guard 11.

(20) The technical solutions described enable the production of a protective helmet wherein the chin guard is movable from an operating position to a separation position, and vice versa. The chin guard is detachable so as to transform the helmet from full face type to jet type, and vice versa. In particular, affixing of the chin guard in a back portion of the shell of the helmet minimizes wind drag thereof, minimizing the sail effect.

(21) The helmet according to the present invention is, moreover, capable of complying with the safety standards both with the chin guard in operating position and in separation position. In this way, it is possible to use the helmet without the chin guard also during movement.

(22) The helmet according to the present invention is easy and inexpensive to produce, as it is formed by a limited number of components. Therefore, this ensures practical and easy assembly and disassembly even by those who are not skilled in the art, and considerable savings in terms of time for implementation and use.

(23) Finally, the configuration and the positioning of the locking means enable the chin guard to be moved without inserting elements that are not integral with the shell or with the same chin guard, preventing these or parts thereof from projecting from the volume defined by the helmet.