Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
[0001] HELMET WITH TOP VENT MECHANISM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a vent mechanism for a
helmet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a helmet with a
top vent mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Protective helmets for vehicles such as motorcycles,
mopeds, motorized tricycles, motor-crosses, bicycles and the like are well
known. These helmets typically include an outer protective shell with
internal resilient liner material for cushioning the wearer's head from
impact. This protective liner material exhibits heat insulating properties.
To alleviate heat retention in the helmet which causes discomfort to the
user, holes and a plurality of frontal vents have been provided in the art.
[0004] A drawback of the prior art is that it does not provide for an
adequate top vent mechanism.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the invention is to provide an improved vent
mechanism for helmets.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an air vent mechanism for a helmet comprising: a helmet, the
helmet comprising a top portion thereof; the top portion comprising an
opening in fluid communication with the inside of the helmet, a door
member moveably mounted about the opening; wherein the door member
is pivotable between a closed position sealing the opening and at least
one open position providing for air to enter and/or to exit the helmet.
[0007] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a
top vent mechanism for selectively modulating the amount of air entering
the helmet during modulation.
[0008] Other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-
restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of
example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0009] In the appended drawings, where like reference numerals
indicate like elements throughout and where:
[0010] Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a helmet
having a top vent mechanism in accordance with an illustrative
embodiment of the invention, with the top vent mechanism being
disassembled;
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[0011] Figure IA is an enlarged exploded view of the top vent
mechanism of Figure 1;
[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a helmet having a top vent
mechanism of Figure 1, the top vent mechanism being shown assembled
and in a closed position;
[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of a helmet having a
top vent mechanism similar to Figure 2, with the top vent mechanism
being shown in a first opened position;
[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of a helmet having a
a top vent mechanism similar to Figure 2, with the top vent mechanism
being shown in a second opened position; and
[0015] Figure 5 is a lateral sectional view according to line 5-5 of
Figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is
illustrated in further details by the following non-limiting example.
[0017] Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a helmet 10 having a shell 12
with a face shield 14, a lower face guard 16 and a neck opening 18 at the
underside of the helmet 10. Helmet 10 is also shown having a vent
mechanism 20 mounted to a top portion 22 thereof.
[0018] In this illustrated non-limiting example, the vent mechanism
20 is mounted on a motorcycle helmet, yet the skilled ar6san will easily
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appreciate that the vent mechanism of the invention, such as vent
mechanism 20, is not limited to a specific helmet type and can be mounted
to a variety of helmets as can be contemplated by the ordinary skilled
artisan.
[0019] Turning now to Figures 1 and 5, an illustrative embodiment
of vent mechanism 20 will now be described in accordance with the
present invention.
[0020] The helmet includes an open cavity 24 at the top portion 22
thereof. Open cavity 24 defines a mouth rim 26, an inner peripheral wall
28 and floor 30 having an air inlet 32 leading to the inside of helmet 10. As
will be described herein, the helmet top cavity 24 is configured to receive a
door member 34, an outer frame 36 and a positioning member 38.
[0021] In the present non-limiting illustration, the cavity 24, the door
member 34, and the outer frame 36 are shown having a general triangular-
like configuration, yet the skilled artisan will understand that other
suitable
shapes and designs can be contemplated within the context of the present
invention.
[0022) The door member 34 includes a longitudinal pivot rod 40
extending from the front base edge 42 thereof, via extension members 44.
Pivot rod 40 is pivotally wedged within hinge-members (not shown)
extending from the underside 46 (see Figure 5) of front base side 48 of
frame 36.
[0023] Frame 36 defines an opening 37 and includes snap
members 50 and 51 extending beyond the peripheral edge 52 thereof.
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Snap members 50 and 51 are so configured as to be snuggly fltted within
receiving apertures 54 and 55 formed within the inner peripheral wall 28 of
the open cavity 24. In the present exemplified construction, the frame 36
includes two front snap members 50 (only one shown in Figure 1)
extending from its base side 48, as well as two rear snap members 51
(only one shown in Figure 1) near extending from its lateral sides 56 and
58. Correspondingly, the peripheral inner wall 28 includes two front
receiving apertures 54 as well as two rear receiving apertures 55. The two
rear receiving apertures 55 are formed within the respective to top sides
60 of the outwardly protruding lateral wall portions 62 and 64 of the inner
peripheral wall 28. Of course, a variety of easily available ways of
mounting the frame 36 to a helmet top cavity 24 can be contemplated by a
person having ordinary skill in the art.
[0024] The cavity floor 30 also includes grooves 66 providing a
space for the frame hinge-members pivotally holding the pivot rod 40 of
the door member 34.
[0025] The door member 34 is hence pivotally movable within the
vertical space provided by cavity 24 beneath the frame 36, as shown by
arrow V (Figure 5), in relation to the frame 36 which is fixedly mounted to
the helmet 10 about mount-rim 26. Accordingly, the door member 34
includes a pair of lateral stopper members or fins 68 and 70 respectively
extending from the lateral sides 72 and 74 thereof as well as a door-
positioning member 76 also in the form of a fin and extending from the rear
rounded tip 78 thereof. The inner wall 28 provides recessed portions 80
and 82, which respectively provide a clearance for fins 68 and 70 during
movement of the door member 34.
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[0026] The door member 34 is upwardly biased, as shown by arrow
U, via biasing members 84 in the form of springs in the illustrated example.
In the exemplified construction, biasing springs 84 are mounted to the floor
30 at receiving holes 86 and 88 and are fixed to the underside 89 (see
Figure 5) of the door member 34. Fins 68, 70 and 76 as well as extension
members 44 abut the underside 46 (see Figure 5) of the frame 36 thereby
stopping the door member 34 from being moved beyond the opening 37
defined by frame 36.
[0027] The positioning fin 76 of door member 34 acts with the
positioning member 38 in order to position the door member 34 at
predetermined positions as will be explained below.
[0028] The positioning member 38 is mounted to the frame 36 at
the rear rounded tip portion 90 thereof (see Figure 1). Portion 90 includes
an aperture 92 for receiving a ridge 94 upwardly extending from the
positioning member 38. Aperture 92 provides a horizontal moving space
for ridge 94 as shown by arrow H. Ridge 94 is fastened to a lever 96, via
fastener 98. In this ways the lever 96 and the positing member 38 are
locked together about the frame 36. Furthermore, lever 96 lockingly and
slidably sits on the rear rounded tip portion 90 of frame 36 and spans a
length to fully seal aperture 92 as well an adjacent second aperture 100.
[0029] The positioning member 38 is forwardly biased, as shown by
arrow F, via a biasing member 102 such as a spring, for example. Biasing
spring 102 is mounted at one end to a support 104 protruding from a flap
106 downwardly extending from the underside 46 of the rear rounded tip
portion 90. Biasing spring 102 is mounted at its opposite end to a support
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108 rearwardly protruding from a front portion 110 (see Figure 1) of
positioning member 38.
[0030] For reasons which will be detailed below, the lever 96
provides the user to move the positioning member 38 against the biasing
force of member 102 as shown by arrow R until a tail portion 99 thereof
abuts the flap 106.
[0031] The font portion 110 of the positioning member 38 includes a
pair of top and bottom frontal embossments 112 and 114 respectively
separated by a groove 116 therebetween. The top embossment 112
defined a groove 118 with the underside of the frame 36 and a shoulder
120 adjacent to groove 116. The bottom embossment 114 defines a
shoulder 122 adjacent to an inclined portion 124 of the floor 30 leading to
air inlet 32.
[0032] In the illustrated example, the door member 34 can be
placed at three positions namely positions I, II and III respectively shown in
Figures 2, 4 and 5, thereby moving the door between a closed position a
slightly-opened position and a wider opened position so as to selectively
provide for air to enter helmet 10 for ventilation thereof.
[0033] In this respect, when the door member 34 is closed (position
I) as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the fin 76 is within groove 118 being
pushed, via biasing springs 84, along with fins 68 and 70 against the
underside of frame 36 thus sealing the opening 37. Hence, in position I the
helmet 10 is non-aerated.
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[0034] When the user needs ventilation, the door member 34 is
manually pushed downwards (as shown by arrow D in Figure 5), causing
the flexible fin 76 to flexibly slide along embossment 112 so as to reach
and engage groove 116. The biasing springs 84 push the door member
34 upwards (as shown by arrow U) causing the fin member 76 to
pushingly abut shoulder 120 thereby locking the door member 34 in
position II which provides for a slight opening allowing a small air stream
into the cavity 24. The user can further manually push the door member
34 downwards (as shown by arrow D) in order to widen the opening so as
to allow a greater air stream into the cavity 24 as shown in Figure 4 when
the door member 34 is in position III. When moving from position II to III,
the fin member 76 flexibly slides along embossment 114 so as to reach
and engage groove a space 126 (see Figure 5) between the front portion
110 of the push member and the inclined portion 124 of the cavity floor 30.
The floor 30 stops the downward descent of the door member 34. The
biasing springs 84 push the door member 34 upwards (as shown by arrow
U) causing the fin member 76 to pushingly abut shoulder 122 thereby
locking the door member 34 in position Ill.
[0035] Air enters the helmet 10 from the opening 37 streaming into
cavity 24 and then through inlet 32 towards the inside of the helmet 10. Air
can directly reach the user's head (not shown) via a channel 128 or
through a plurality of perforations formed in the protective inner insulation
130. Of course, the air stream will increase with the riding speed of the
user, thus the user can modulate ventilation via their riding speed and the
size of the opening 376. Furthermore, helmet ridges that surround the top
vent mechanism 20 can also provide for directing air into the opening 37.
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The skilled artisan may contemplate a variety of air directing formations
about a top vent opening such as opening 37
[0036] When the user wishes to close the opening and place the
door member back into position I, whether from position II or III, the user
slides lever 96 rearwardly (as shown by arrow R) against the basing force
of spring 102 thereby disengaging a front portion 110 from the fin member
76 and providing a clearance therefore which allows for the biasing springs
84 to push the door member 34 upwards (as shown by arrow U) until fins
68, 70 and 76 are stopped by the underside 46 of the frame member 36.
[0037] The skilled artisan will easily appreciate that the positioning
member 38 can provide a plurality of stoppers as well as stopper types for
stopping a protrusion, such as a fin 76 at different positions along the
vertical working space provided by the helmet top cavity 34. A variety of
levers for disengaging the positioning member 38 from the door member
34 can also be contemplated by those having skills in the art.
[0038] The door member 34 and frame 36 surrounding the door can
be provided in a variety of suitable or aerodynamic materials, sizes and
configurations.
[0039] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The invention is
capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is
also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is
for the purpose of description and not limitation. Hence, although the
present invention has been described hereinabove by way of
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embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit,
scope and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended
claims.
