PROTECTIVE HELMET WITH ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR AT LEAST ONE APPENDAGE

Abstract

A protective helmet adapted to be worn by a user and to protect the head of the user against impacts, such a protective helmet including a rigid outer shell delimiting an inner space designed for housing the head of user, at least one appendage attached to the outer shell and attachment means for attaching the at least one appendage to the outer shell. The attachment means are adapted to removably attach the at least one appendage to the outer shell and include a plurality of male connectors and a plurality of female connectors, each female connector including an inner housing for the respective male connector.

Claims

1. A protective helmet adapted to be worn by a user and to protect the head of the user against impacts, the protective helmet comprising: a rigid outer shell delimiting an inner space designed for housing the head of user, the outer shell comprising a front opening; at least one appendage attached to the outer shell; attachment means for attaching said at least one appendage to the outer shell; wherein characterized in that said attachment means are adapted to removably attach the at least one appendage to the outer shell and comprise a plurality of male connectors and a plurality of female connectors, each of said female connectors comprising an inner housing for the respective male connector.

2. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein each female connector comprises a slot for the passage and the disengagement of the respective male connector from the respective female connector in case of impact.

3. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said at least one appendage is an aerodynamic appendage chosen in the group comprising rear spoilers and side wings.

4. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said at least one appendage is a visor.

5. The protective helmet according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of appendages chosen in the group comprising rear spoilers, side wings and visors, each of said appendages being removably attached to the outer shell by means of said attachment means comprising the male connectors and the female connectors.

6. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said male connectors are arranged on the at least one appendage and said female connectors are arranged on the outer shell.

7. The protective helmet according to claim 6, wherein each female connector comprises a main body extending along a longitudinal axis and a transverse plate, the slot being opened at one side of the main body and of the plate and the corresponding inner housing being formed in the main body.

8. The protective helmet according to claim 6, wherein each of said male connectors is a pin element designed to be inserted in the corresponding inner housing.

9. The protective helmet according to claim 8, wherein each pin element comprises a bracket secured to the at least one appendage and an end projection extending from the corresponding bracket.

10. The protective helmet according to claim 9, wherein each slot of said female connectors has a cavity at the inner housing for housing the corresponding end projection of the corresponding pin element.

11. The protective helmet according to claim 6, wherein the male connectors are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler or of the side wings.

12. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises a plurality of seats, each of said female connectors being positioned in a respective seat.

13. The protective helmet according to claim 12, wherein when the at least one appendage is a rear spoiler, at least one of said seats has, at one edge, a groove facing the slot of the corresponding female connector for the passage and the disengagement of the male connector.

14. The protective helmet according to claim 1, wherein said female connectors are made of elastic material.

15. The protective helmet according to claim 2, wherein said at least one appendage is an aerodynamic appendage chosen in the group comprising rear spoilers and side wings.

16. The protective helmet according to claim 2, wherein said at least one appendage is a visor.

17. The protective helmet according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of appendages chosen in the group comprising rear spoilers, side wings and visors, each of said appendages being removably attached to the outer shell by means of said attachment means comprising the male connectors and the female connectors.

18. The protective helmet according to claim 7, wherein each of said male connectors is a pin element designed to be inserted in the corresponding inner housing.

19. The protective helmet according to claim 7, wherein the male connectors are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler or of the side wings.

20. The protective helmet according to claim 8, wherein the male connectors are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler or of the side wings.

21. The protective helmet according to claim 9, wherein the male connectors are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler or of the side wings.

22. The protective helmet according to claim 10, wherein the male connectors are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler or of the side wings.

Description

[0026] The advantages and the characteristic features of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention which refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the at least one appendage is formed by a rear spoiler;

[0028] FIGS. 2-5 are respectively a perspective view, a top view, a perspective rear view and a perspective partially cross-sectioned view of the helmet of FIG. 1 without the rear spoiler and wherein the attachment means are partially visible;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a exploded side view of the protective helmet of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectioned side views taken, respectively, along the plane A-A shown in FIG. 5 and along a transverse plane;

[0031] FIGS. 9a and 9b are, respectively, a top view and a perspective view of a component of the attachment means of the protective helmet also visible in FIGS. 2-8, 12-14 and 17;

[0032] FIGS. 9c and 9d are, respectively, a side view and a further side view opposite to the side view of FIG. 9c of a component of the attachment means of the protective helmet also visible in FIGS. 2-8, 12-14 and 17;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a side view of a second embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the appendages comprise a rear spoiler and side wings;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a side view of the protective helmet of FIG. 10 without the rear spoiler and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

[0035] FIG. 12 is a side view of the protective helmet of FIG. 10 without the rear spoiler and the side wings and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a partially exploded perspective view of the protective helmet of FIG. 10;

[0037] FIG. 14 is a sectioned side view of a particular of the protective helmet of FIG. 10 wherein the attachment of one side wing on the outer shell is shown;

[0038] FIG. 15 is a side view of a third embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the at least one appendage is formed by a visor;

[0039] FIG. 16 is a partially exploded perspective view of the protective helmet of FIG. 15;

[0040] FIG. 17 is a side view of the protective helmet of FIG. 15 without the visor and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

[0041] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the visor of the protective helmet of FIG. 15.

[0042] The present invention relates to a protective helmet with attachment means for at least one appendage; as known, the protective helmet is adapted to be worn by a user and to protect the head of the user against impacts.

[0043] In particular, the protective helmet of the present invention is a motorcycle helmet adapted to be preferably worn by motorcyclists. Specifically, the protective helmet is adapted to be worn by motorcycle riders.

[0044] In the following and in the attached figures the protective helmet is indicated as a whole with the reference number 1.

[0045] The protective helmet 1 is designed to be attached to the user's head by securing means, as for example chin straps, which are not illustrated in the attached figures. As known, the protective helmet 1 comprises a rigid outer shell 2 made preferably of a composite or thermoplastic material and delimiting an inner space P designed for housing the head of the user when the helmet 1 is worn.

[0046] In this regard, the outer shell 2 is dome-shaped so as to fit over the user's head (not shown in the attached figures) and comprises side portions 4 and a rear portion 6.

[0047] The outer shell 2 further comprises a front opening 8 opposite to the rear portion 6 and adapted to put the inner space P in communication with the outside.

[0048] The inner space P is in communication with the outside also through a bottom opening 9 of the outer shell 2, through which the user inserts the head in the inner space P.

[0049] The front opening 8 of at least the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the protective helmet 1 disclosed in the following, is designed to be selectively closed by a shield, not shown in the attached figures.

[0050] Where present, the shield is coupled to the outer shell 2 by means of coupling means 12, which allow the movement of the shield about a rotation axis between an inoperative position and a closing position of the front opening 8. The seats of the coupling means 12 are schematically shown in the attached FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 10-13.

[0051] In a preferred configuration, the protective helmet 1 further comprises at least one appendage 10 and attachment means 18 for attaching the at least one appendage 10 to the outer shell 2.

[0052] In the context of the present description, the at least one appendage 10 may be an aerodynamic appendage chosen in the group comprising the rear spoilers 102 and the side wings 104; such aerodynamic appendages are adapted to reduce the drag force acting on the protective helmet 1.

[0053] The at least one appendage 10 may also be a visor 106 of the known type; the protective helmet 1 with the visor is adapted to be preferably used by motocross riders.

[0054] As shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 18, the visor 106 comprises an elongated central part 116 projecting outward relative to the front opening 8 and a pair of side parts 126 attached to the outer shell 2.

[0055] With reference to the attached figures: [0056] a first embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising only the rear spoiler 102 as appendage is better shown in the FIGS. 1-8; [0057] a second embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising the rear spoiler 102 and the side wings 104 as appendages is better shown in the FIGS. 10-14; [0058] a third embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising the front visor 106 as appendage is better shown in the FIGS. 15-18.

[0059] The rear spoiler 102 is positioned at the rear portion 6 of the outer shell 2, the side wings 104 are positioned at the side portions 4 of the outer shell 2 and the visor 106 is positioned at the top of the front opening 8. All the above appendages 10 project from the outer shell 2 in the assembled configuration.

[0060] In particular, the rear spoiler 102 and the visor 106 may be positioned at corresponding recesses 11, 13 formed in the outer shell 2 and having a shape which is complementary to the outer profile of the rear spoiler 102 or of the visor 106, as better shown in FIGS. 4-6 and 16-17, respectively.

[0061] Advantageously, the side wings 104 delimit with the surface of the outer shell 2 at least one duct 114 (see FIG. 14) for channeling the air flow towards the rear portion 6.

[0062] In this regard, the side wings 104 are preferably positioned on the side portions 4 of the outer shell 2 in the area between the maximum transverse section and the rear portion 6, downstream from the centreline of the body of the outer shell 2 and are arranged along an inclined direction S when the helmet 1 is parallel to the ground.

[0063] According to an embodiment not shown in the attached figures, the protective helmet 1 may comprise a plurality of appendages 10 attached to the outer shell 2 by means of the attachment means 18, for example a combination of a rear spoiler 102, of the side wings 104 and of a visor 106.

[0064] According to the present invention, the attachment means 18 are adapted to removably attach the at least one appendage 10, namely the rear spoiler 102 and/or the side wings 104 and/or the visor 106, to the outer shell 2, and comprise a plurality of male connectors 20 and a plurality of female connectors 22.

[0065] Such an arrangement, disclosed in detail in the following, allows to stably maintain the at least one appendage 10, or the appendages, attached to the outer shell 2 during the customary use of the helmet 1 and to have the at least one appendage 10 at least partially or completely detachable from the outer shell 2 in case of impact.

[0066] The detachment of the at least one appendage 10 from the outer shell 2 limits the negative effects of the impacts on the head and on the neck of the user, as for example the rotation between the head and the neck of the user and/or the lever effect of the helmet and limits the rotational accelerations and speeds the helmet is subjected to.

[0067] In the context of the present specification, the female connectors 22 may be also defined as receivers without limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0068] With regard to the embodiments disclosed above, each of the appendages 102, 104, 106 is removably attached to the outer shell 2 by means of the attachment means 18 comprising the male connectors 20 and the female connectors 22.

[0069] Opportunely, the male connectors 20 are arranged on the at least one appendage 10, or on all the appendages, provided on the helmet 1, and the female connectors 22 are arranged on the outer shell 2.

[0070] The male connectors 20 may be integral with the corresponding appendage 10 or may be secured to the appendage 10 at a later time.

[0071] Preferably, the male connectors 20 are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler 102 or of the side wings 104 of the first embodiment and of the second embodiment of the helmet, as better shown in FIGS. 13-14 with reference to one side wing 104.

[0072] In all the embodiments disclosed above, the number of the male connectors 20 provided on the appendages 10 corresponds to the number of female connectors 22 provided on the outer shell 2.

[0073] For example: [0074] for the rear spoiler 102, there are provided seven female connectors 22 on the outer shell 2 and as many male connectors 20 on the rear spoiler 102; in particular, six of such female connectors 22 are arranged along an arc in an upper portion of the recess 11 and one female connector 22A is arranged in a central position closer to the bottom opening 9 of the helmet 1 (see the FIGS. 3-5); accordingly, the male connectors 20 are arranged on the rear spoiler 102 so as to face the female connectors 22 when the rear spoiler 102 is assembled on the outer shell 2; [0075] for each of the side wings 104, there are provided four female connectors 22 on the outer shell 2 and as many male connectors 20 on the respective side wing 104 (see in particular FIGS. 13 and 14); in this embodiment the male connectors 20 are integral with end plates 21 and with intermediate supports 23 of the side wing 104 which delimit, in combination with the outer shell 2 and the body of the side wing 104, a plurality of ducts 114 for channeling the air flow towards the rear portion 6 (see FIG. 14); in addition, the female connectors 22 are arranged on the outer shell 2 along a direction corresponding to the inclined direction S of the side wing 104 (see FIG. 12); [0076] the visor 106 comprise a pair of male connectors 20 provided on the side parts 126 thereof, on the surface facing the outer shell 2, and a single male connector 20B arranged in the central part 116, in the inner surface facing the outer shell 2 (see FIGS. 16 and 18).

[0077] Even according to the present invention, each of the female connectors 22 comprises an inner housing 24 for the respective male connector 20, as better shown in FIGS. 7 and 14.

[0078] As better shown in FIG. 9a-9d, each female connector 22 comprises, for all the embodiments disclosed above, a main body 28 extending along a longitudinal axis L and a transverse plate 30, the main body 28 and the transverse plate 30 being connected by a connecting portion 32.

[0079] The female connectors 22, namely their main bodies 28, plates 30 and connecting portions 32, are preferably made of elastic material, even more preferably of soft plastic, for the reasons explained below.

[0080] Preferably, each female connector 22 further comprises a slot 26, as better shown in FIGS. 2-7, 9a-9c, 12, 14 and 17, for the passage and the disengagement of the respective male connector 20 from the inner housing 24 of the respective female connector 22 in case of impact of the helmet 1.

[0081] The disengagement of the male connectors 20 from the female connectors 22 causes the at least partial detachment of the appendage 10 from the outer shell 2.

[0082] As also visible in FIG. 9c, each slot 26 extends along the longitudinal axis L and is opened at one side of the main body 28, of the plate 30 and of the connecting portion 32.

[0083] At the outer surface 34 of the plate 30 an opening 36 is provided for putting in communication the slot 26 with the outside (see for example FIG. 9a); the opening 36 comprises preferably a first arm 38 and a second arm 39 perpendicular to the first arm, the first arm 38 being opened at one side as indicated above for the slot 26. Such an arrangement allows the insertion of the male connector 20 in the inner housing 24, and explained in detail below, and contributes to maintain the corresponding male connector 20 stably retained in the inner housing 24; otherwise, such an opening 36 allows the male connector 20 to get out rapidly from the inner housing 24 in case of impact of the helmet against an obstacle.

[0084] Advantageously, the inner housing 24 of each female connector 22 is formed in the corresponding main body 28 and the slot 26 of each female connector 22 has a cavity 42 at the inner housing 24, having preferably a rounded shape (see FIG. 7).

[0085] Opportunely, the outer shell 2 comprises a plurality of seats 44 and each of the female connectors 22 is positioned in a respective seat 44, as shown in the FIGS. 5-8 with reference to the female connectors 22 of the rear spoiler 102.

[0086] As better shown in FIG. 7, the coupling of the outer shell 2 with each female connector 22 inside the respective seat 44 is of the mechanical type; that is, the edges 46 of the outer shell 2 delimiting each seat 44 engage each female connector 22 at the connecting portion 32 thereof and are retained between the plate 30 and the main body 28 which radially project with respect to the connecting portion 32.

[0087] Even if the above technical features of the female connectors 22 have been mainly disclosed and illustrated with reference to the rear spoiler 102, they are intended to be also referred to the female connectors 22 of the side wings 104 and of the visor 106.

[0088] Otherwise, with specific reference to the female connectors 22 of the rear spoiler 102 as appendage, at least one of the seats 44 has, at one edge, a groove 48 communicating with the slot 26 of the corresponding female connector 22 for the passage and the movement of the male connector 20 (see for example FIGS. 3-5).

[0089] In particular, the seats 44 housing the at least four central female connectors 22 of the arc and the central female connector 22A (as disclosed above) have such a groove 48, while the seats 44 housing the female connectors 22Z at the ends of the arc are not provided with such grooves 48.

[0090] The grooves 48 formed at one edge of the seats 44 are oriented towards the rear portion 6 of the protective helmet 1.

[0091] Such an arrangement allows the male connectors 20 to disengage and get out from the respective female connectors 22 and seats 44 in case of impact, causing the at least partial detachment of the central portion of the rear spoiler 102 from the outer shell 2.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the seats 44 housing the female connectors 22 of the third embodiment of the helmet 1 may be further positioned in a hollow space 45 having preferably a rounded shape.

[0093] Opportunely, each of the male connectors 20 of all the three embodiments is a pin element designed to be inserted in the inner housing 24 of a corresponding female connector 22; in particular, each pin element 20 comprises a bracket 50 secured to the at least one appendage 10, or to all the appendages, and an end projection 52 extending from the corresponding bracket 50 (see FIGS. 7, 13-14, 16 and 18).

[0094] In the second embodiment of the helmet 1, the brackets 50 are secured to the end plates 21 and to the intermediate supports 23 disclosed above of the corresponding side wing 104 (see FIG. 14).

[0095] In the third embodiment, the brackets 50 are secured on support bases 47 of the visor 106 having preferably a rounded shape (see FIGS. 16 and 18) and designed to be positioned inside the hollow spaces 45 of the outer shell 2 when the visor 106 is attached to the outer shell 2.

[0096] Also, the end projections 52 of the pin elements 20 have preferably a round shape so as the cavities 42 of the female connectors 22 may house and retain them upon deformation of the transverse plate 30 and of the main body 28. The deformation is mainly allowed by the elastic material the female connectors 22 are made of.

[0097] In the assembled configuration (see FIG. 7), the end projections 52 of the at least one appendage 10 are inserted in the corresponding cavities 42 of the inner housing and the respective brackets 50 are positioned in the slot 26 and partially project outward, with the surface of the outer shell 2 and the inner surface of the at least appendage 10 facing there between.

[0098] The axis passing through the round end projections 52 of the pin elements 20 is perpendicular to the extension axis of the brackets 50.

[0099] Thus, at the time of attaching the at least one appendage 10 to the outer shell 2, the second arms 39 of the openings 36 of the female connectors 22 allow the insertion of the end projections 52 in the slots 26 while the first arms 38 of the openings 36 of the female connectors 22 allow the insertion of the brackets 50 in the slots 26.

[0100] In the following table, a comparison between a helmet A with a rear spoiler mechanically attached to the outer shell and a helmet B with a rear spoiler removably attached to the outer shell by means of the attachment means of the present invention is reported, with particular reference to the linear acceleration (PLA), to the rotational acceleration (PRA) and to the rotational speed (w) the head of the user is subjected to with the two helmets.

TABLE-US-00001 PLA PRA max (g) (rad/s.sup.2) (rad/s) A 127.0 3964 25.8 B 127.4 3027 24.4

[0101] The tests for measuring the linear acceleration (PLA), the rotational acceleration (PRA) and the rotational speed (@) the head of the user is subjected to follow the requirements of Clause 7.13 of Reg. ECE 22 06 regarding oblique impact on point Rear 180.

[0102] As can be seen from the table, the use of a removable rear spoiler allows to reduce the rotational acceleration of 23.65% with respect to the helmet having the rear spoiler mechanically attached and to reduce the rotational speed of 5.59% with respect to the helmet having the rear spoiler mechanically attached.

[0103] It is clear now how the present invention allows to achieve the predefined objects.

[0104] The use of the above type of attachment means comprising the male connectors and the female connectors allows the at least partial detachment of the appendages from the outer shell of the helmet, while maintaining the appendages stably attached to the outer shell during the customary use.

[0105] With regard to the embodiments of the protective helmet described above, the person skilled in the art may, in order to satisfy specific requirements, make modifications to and/or replace elements described with equivalent elements, without thereby departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.