HELMET EAR LOOP

OREILLETTE DE CASQUE

English Abstract

An ear loop (5, 20, 30, 40) for a helmet (2) and a helmet (2) having the ear
loop (5, 20,
30, 40) is described. The ear loop (5, 20, 30, 40) is connectable to a chin
strap (10, 22, 32,
42) of the helmet (2), and allows movement of the chin strap (10, 22, 32, 42)
about the ear
loop (5, 20, 30, 40). The ear loop (5, 20, 30, 40) has one or more features
(12, 24,26, 34,
44,46) for restricting movement of the chin strap (10, 22, 32, 42) along the
ear loop (5,
20, 30, 40) to provide some freedom of movement while ensuring that the
positioning of
the chin strap (10, 22, 32, 42) remains within a desired range

French Abstract

Oreillette de casque et casque comportant l~oreillette. L~oreillette peut être reliée à une mentonnière du casque et permet de déplacer la mentonnière autour de l~oreillette. L~oreillette présente une ou plusieurs caractéristiques permettant de restreindre le mouvement de la mentonnière le long de l~oreillette de façon à laisser une certaine liberté de mouvement tout en garantissant que la position de la mentonnière reste dans une fourchette désirée.

Claims

CLAIMS :
1. An ear loop for a helmet, the ear loop being connectable to a chin strap of
the
helmet, the ear loop having a feature allowing movement of the chin strap
about the ear
loop along a restricted path only, the restricted path being limited to a
predetermined
portion of the ear loop.
2. The ear loop of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises a longitudinal slit
in the ear
loop, and the chin strap passes through the slit, whereby the movement of the
chin strap is
restricted by lateral ends of the slit.
3. The ear loop of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises first and second
protrusions on the ear loop, the chin strap being connected to the ear loop
between the
first and second protrusions.
4. The ear loop of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises a bridge extending
from
the ear loop, the bridge having first and second feet, and the chin strap
being connected to
the ear loop between the first and second feet.
5. The ear loop of claim 1, wherein the feature comprises a button protruding
from
the ear loop co-operable with a traverse slit in the chin strap to restrict
movement of the
chin strap relative to the ear loop.

Description

CA 02576086 2009-08-03
-1-
HELMET EAR LOOP
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ear loop for helmets. More
particularly, the invention relates to a sporting helmet ear loop to which a
chin strap may be connected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ear loop
for a helmet, the ear loop being connectable to a chin strap of the helmet,
the ear loop having a feature allowing movement of the chin strap about the
io ear loop along a restricted path only, the restricted path being limited to
a
predetermined portion of the ear loop.
Other and further advantages and features of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description
of
embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other aspects of the invention will become
more apparent from the following description of specific embodiments
thereof and the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example
only, the principles of the invention. In the drawings, where like elements
feature like reference numerals (and wherein individual elements bear
unique alphabetical suffixes):
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a helmet with an ear loop according
to prior art;
FIG. 2 shows a blown up view of the ear loop of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a side view of a helmet with an ear loop according
to a particular embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a blown up view of the ear loop of FIG. 3;

CA 02576086 2007-02-05
WO 2006/012750 PCT/CA2005/001217
2
[0010] FIG. 5 shows an ear loop according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 6 shows an ear loop according to another alternate embodiment of
the
present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 7 shows an ear loop according to yet another alternate embodiment
of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0013] The description which follows, and the embodiments described therein,
are
provided by way of illustration of an example, or examples, of particular
embodiments of
the principles of the present invention. These examples are provided for the
purposes of
explanation, and not limitation, of those principles and of the invention. In
the description,
which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and the
drawings with the
same respective reference numerals.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a prior art sporting helmet 2
having an ear
loop 4 and a chin strap 10 (not fully shown). The ear loop 4 is connected to
the helmet 2
using connectors 6 going through corresponding helmet slots 8. Alternatively
various other
connectors or connection methods know to a person skilled in the art may be
used as well.
Finally, the chin strap 10 is connected to the ear loop 4 by rolling its end
around the chin
strap 10 and sewing it back unto itself. Alternatively, the chin strap may be
attached back
unto itself using a pressure button, Velcro or any other such means. Fig. 2
shows a blown
up view of the connection of the chin strap 10 to the ear loop 4. It may be
seen in FIG. 2
that the chin strap 10 may move freely about the ear loop 4 along a path 11
and, for
example, displace itself up to position 10a, which in turn displaces the
positioning of the
chin strap 10 along and under the wearer's jaw and chin (not shown).
10015] To prevent excessive displacement of the positioning of a chin strap
along an
ear loop, the ear loop may be provided with a feature for restricting movement
of the chin
strap along the ear loop.

CA 02576086 2007-02-05
WO 2006/012750 PCT/CA2005/001217
3
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a sporting helmet 2 having an
ear
loop 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a chin strap
10 (not fully
shown). The ear loop 5 is connected to the helmet 2 using connectors 6 going
through
corresponding helmet slots 8. Alternatively various other connectors or
connection
methods know to a person skilled in the art may be used as well. Finally, the
chin strap 10
is connected to the ear loop 5 by passing it through ear loop slit 12 and
connecting it back
unto itself, for example by sewing it. Alternatively, the chin strap may be
attached back
unto itself using a pressure button, Velcro or any other such means. The chin
strap 10
may also use a looped member (not shown) or any other type of connector
suitable for
connection through the ear loop slit. Fig. 4 shows a blown up view of the
connection of the
chin strap 10 to the ear loop 5 through ear loop slit 12. It may be seen in
FIG. 4 that the
chin strap 10 may move freely about the ear loop 5 along restricted path 13,
which allows
chin strap 10 some freedom of movement while ensuring that its positioning
remains within
a secure and comfortable range.
[0017] In other embodiments, another feature may be used for restricting
movement
of a chin strap along an ear loop, as described in some examples below.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, an alternate embodiment is shown. Therein,
protrusions
24, 26 are provided along ear loop 20 extending outwardly from a surface of
ear loop 20.
One arrangement, as shown, has protrusions 24, 26 extending downwardly from
ear loop
20. Each protrusion may be alternatively located elsewhere on a surface of ear
loop 20.
Chin strap 22 is connected to ear loop 20 between protrusions 24, 26 in the
same manner
described above with respect to FIG. I and 2. Protrusions 24, 26 may be
integral to ear
loop 20, or be attachments secured to ear loop 20. In the embodiment, the
connection of
chin strap 22 to ear loop 20, such as by sewing chin strap 22 onto itself,
creates space
around ear loop 20 such that chin strap 22 may move along ear loop 20.
Protrusions 24,
26 are of a dimension that, in combination the connection of chin strap 22 to
ear loop 20,
prevents chin strap 22 from moving past protrusions 24, 26 despite the space
created by
the connection. For the embodiment, chin strap 22 may move freely about ear
loop 20
along restricted path 28, to allow chin strap 22 some freedom of movement
while
protrusions 24, 26 hold it within a desired position range between protrusions
24, 26.

CA 02576086 2007-02-06
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fflM4uU5/U01217
05 JUNE 2006 0 5. 0 6. ab
4
[00191 Referring to FIG. 6, another alternate embodiment is shown. Therein,
chin
strap 32 is connected to ear loop 30 in the same manner described above with
respect to
FIG. 1 and 2. Bridge 34 is also provided with ear loop 30. Bridge 34 may be
integral to ear
loop 30, or be an attachment securable to ear loop 30. In the embodiment, the
connection
of chin strap 32 to ear loop 30 is between feet 35, 36 of bridge 34 to prevent
chin strap 32
from moving past feet 35, 36 of bridge 34. Chin strap 32 may move freely along
ear loop
along restricted path 38, to allow chin strap 32 some freedom of movement
while bridge
34 holds it in place within a desired position range relative to ear loop 30.
(00201 Referring to FIG. 7, yet another alternate embodiment is shown.
Therein, chin
strap 42 is connected to ear loop 40 in the -same manner described above with
respect to
FIG. 1 and 2. Button 44 protruding from ear loop 40 is provided, and a
complementary
slit 46 in chin strap 42 is also provided and cooperates with buttoxi 44. Slit
46 is
dimensioned to cooperate with button 44 such that, when slit 46 is placed over
button 44,
chin strap 42 may freely move along restricted path 48 of ear loop 40 while
chin strap 42
is also held in place within a desired position range relative to ear loop 40.
Restricted path
48 is defined by the lateral size of slit 46.
[0021] ' In other embodiments, strap 42 may be loosely coupled to ear loop 40
by one
or more securing straps. Each securing strap is connected at one end to chin
strap 42 and
at another end to ear loop 40. As such chin strap 42 moves away in a direction
from a
securing strap's connection at ear loop 40, the securing strap becomes more
taut and
eventually, when sufficiently taut, prevents chin strap 42 from traveling
further in that
direction.
[00221 Although the invention has been described with reference to certain
specific
embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those slcilled
in the art
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in
the claims
appended hereto.
AAmDEDSIiv

Representative Drawing