Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02611265 2007-11-20
19472P0005CA01
HEAD PROTECTION SYSTEM
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head protection systems such
as helmets. More specifically, the present invention relates
to a head protection system which has a power/data bus as well
as a removable protective accessory mounting subsystem.
Background to the Invention
The search for better and more functional headgear to protect
the heads of users engaged in dangerous pursuits has been
ongoing for centuries. From the brass helmets of the Roman
legionary to the "coal scuttle" helmets of the German soldier
of World War I to the Kevlar helmets of the modern American
soldier, protective headgear has developed enormously.
However, the use of protective headgear need not be limited
only to military personnel. Modern-day crash helmets for
racecar drivers and helmets for skateboarders and bicyclists
also qualify as protective headgear. Not only the design but
also the materials used to manufacture such devices has
changed enormously over the years. From the steel used to
manufacture the helmets of World Wars I and II to the
styrofoam used to manufacture skateboarding helmets to the
Kevlar used for today's modern combat helmet, protective
headgear has changed to provide better and more functional
protection for the user.
However, while the material used to manufacture these head
protection devices has changed over the centuries, one aspect
which has not developed as much has been the functionality of
the headgear. For centuries, helmets have been used merely as
that -- helmets for protecting the user's head. In the past
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century, protective headgear has evolved to be more than just
head protectors. Most people are familiar with the images of
the US soldier in Vietnam with containers of plasma or gun oil
strapped to his helmet. Also, most people are familiar with
the modern day US combat soldier with night vision goggles
attached to his helmet along with a boom microphone and
headset. In the non-lethal arena, protective headgear for
bicyclists now sport miniscule rearview mirrors. This
increased functionality of the protective headgear has
highlighted a need for ways by which accessories can be
attached to the headgear while not impairing the functionality
of either the headgear or of the accessories. Current
attachment systems tend to be ad hoc in nature may impair the
effectiveness of either the headgear or the accessories. As
an example, current attachment systems for combat helmets
attach accessories on the outside of the headgear, giving an
unseemly Christmas tree effect to the soldier's head. As
well, accessories which require power and/or data usually have
their data and power cables left hanging around the soldier's
head. Clearly, such entanglements may affect a soldier's
effectiveness.
Also, it should be noted that the majority of protective
headgear systems only provide protection to the user's head.
In most cases, the user's face, neck, and nape are left
exposed. While it might not be advisable to always have
protection in these areas, as some headgear protective systems
provide, the option of having such protection available to the
user would be advantageous.
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Based on the above, there is therefore a need for a head
protection system which mitigates if not overcomes the
deficiencies of the prior art.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides systems and devices for
protecting a user's head and for integrating accessories with
a head protection system. The head protection system uses a
rigid shell worn on the user's head and the rigid shell is
provided with a power/data bus located inside a preconfigured
channel inside a halo housing attached to the shell. This
power/data bus is accessible to peripherals by means of
distinct connection points both inside and outside the shell.
Removable protection accessories are also provided and may be
attached on the shell by way of an attachment subsystem
located on the inside edge of the shell. The attachment
subsystem has a number of recesses which mate with tabs on the
removable protection accessories. Once attached to the shell,
the removable protection accessories may then be locked into
place using a suitable locking mechanism. A nape protection
attachment, a mandibular guard attachment, a visor attachment,
and other protection accessories may then be attached to the
shell.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a head
protection system comprising:
- a rigid shell constructed and arranged to be worn on a
user's head, said shell having a front and a back, said shell
having at least one mounting point for mountable peripheral
devices
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- a protective accessory mounting subsystem located on an
inside edge of said rigid shell for attaching removable
protective accessories to said shell
- a power bus mounted on the inside of a halo housing attached
to the outside of said shell, said power bus being accessible
to said mountable peripheral devices through said at least one
mounting point.
Preferably, the mounting point is a universal hotshoe mounting
point. Also preferably, the power bus is a combined
power/data bus. Peripheral devices which may be used with the
system may include but are not limited to enhanced vision
sensors, illumination devices, audio sensors, and laser
detectors.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a head
protection system for use with and attachment to a pre-
existing rigid shell constructed and arranged to be worn on a
user's head, said shell having a front and a back, the system
comprising :
- a halo housing for attachment to a bottom periphery of said
shell, said halo housing having a preconfigured channel having
a power bus mounted inside said preconfigured channel, said
power bus being accessible to mountable peripheral devices
through at least one mounting point located on said halo
housing;
- a protective accessory mounting subsystem for attachment to
an inside edge of said rigid shell, said mounting subsystem
being for attaching removable protective accessories to said
shell.
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In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a
head protection system for use with an attachment to a pre-
existing rigid shell constructed and arranged to be worn on
a user's head, said shell having a front and a back, the
system comprising:
- a halo housing for attachment to a bottom periphery of
said shell, said halo housing having a preconfigured
channel having a power bus mounted inside said
preconfigured channel, said power bus being accessible to
mountable peripheral devices through at least one
mounting point located on said halo;
- a protective accessory mounting subsystem for attachment
to an inside edge of said rigid shell, said mounting
subsystem being for attaching removable protective
accessories to said shell; wherein
- when said protective accessory mounting subsystem is
attached to said rigid shell, said mounting subsystem
comprises:
- a plurality of recesses located on an inside edge of said
shell, each one of said plurality of recesses being
configured to mate with a tab on a removable protective
accessory, each one of said plurality of recesses having
a protrusion for mating with a corresponding hole on said
tab such that said tab, after being mated with said
recess, is lockable in said recess with a fastener; and
said pre-existing rigid shell is a combat helmet and said
removable protective accessories physically protect said
user.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
A better understanding of the invention will be obtained by
considering the detailed description below, with reference to
the following drawings in which:
Fig 1 illustrates a head protection system according to one
embodiment of the invention
Fig 2 illustrates a cut-away diagram of the head protection
system in Fig 1
Fig 3 illustrates a bottom view of the head protection system
in Fig 1 showing the protective accessory mounting subsystem
Fig 4 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 1 mounting
a protective accessory (a fixed visor)
Fig 5 shows the head protection system of Fig 4 with a
ballistic nape shroud
Fig 6 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 4 with a
flip-up visor attached
Fig 7 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 6 with a
mandibular attachment
Fig 8 shows the head protection system of Fig 1 with a rigid
nape shroud and a flip-up visor
Fig 9 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 8 with a
mandibular attachment
Fig 10 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 1 with a
mandibular attachment, a rigid nape shroud, a fixed visor and
a hardened armour cap
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Fig 11 shows the head protection system of Fig 10 with a
mandibular shroud and a ballistic nape shroud
Fig 12 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 1 with a
vision enhancement device attached
Fig 13 illustrates the head protection system of Fig 1 with a
helmet mounted display and a headset and microphone
Fig 14 shows a similar embodiment to Fig 13 but with a
different type of headset and microphone
Fig 15 illustrates the system of Fig 14 with added
illumination devices
Fig 16 illustrates the system of Fig 15 with a mandibular
attachment and a rigid nape shroud.
Detailed Description
Referring to Figure 1, a head protection system 10 according
to one aspect of the invention is illustrated. A rigid shell
is worn on the user's head. The shell may or may not be
secured by straps 30 to the user's head. Mounting points 40A,
40B are located on the outside of the shell for mountable
peripheral devices. As can be seen from the figure, the shell
20 20 has a configuration similar to the Personal Armor System
Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet currently used by the US Army in
that the shell extends to cover the user's ears and a portion
of the user's nape. It should also be noted that, in another
embodiment of the invention, the head protection system is
provided with a transceiver mounting 50 for a Global
Positioning System transceiver or similar navigation/location
transceiver.
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Referring to Fig 2,a cut-away diagram of the system 10
illustrates the location of a power/data bus 60 inside a
preconfigured channel 97 attached to the shell 20. The
power/data bus 60 may be separated into a power bus 60A and a
data bus 603. It should be noted that, while the figure
illustrates both the power 60A and data 60B buses as being
present, embodiments with only a power bus are possible.
Depending on the use envisioned for the head protection system
10, a user may not require a data bus but may very well
require a power bus to provide electrical power for peripheral
devices. Fig 2 also illustrates that the power/data buses are
properly secured inside the preconfigured channel 97 attached
to the shell 20. In one embodiment, these buses terminate to
an access point (not shown) at the back of the shell 20. Such
a terminating access point may be used to couple data
processing devices and/or battery packs to the system 10 and
thereby to peripherals attached to the system.
As can be seen from Fig 2, an input/output (I/O) port 70 is
provided on at least one side of the system 10. The I/O port
70 may be used as an access point for peripherals to connect
to both the power bus and data bus or to only one of these
buses. Any suitable plug (such as a Universal Serial Bus
(USB) plug or a universal hotshoe plug) may be used with the
I/O port to allow numerous peripherals to be used. While only
one I/O port is illustrated in the figures, multiple I/O ports
may be used in the system. It should also be noted that, as
can be seen in the figures, the I/O port may be located at the
same location as the mounting point 40B. Locating I/O ports
adjacent to or at the same place as mounting points would
simplify the coupling of peripherals to the power and data
buses. Mounting point 40A may also be provided with an I/O
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port 80 as illustrated in Fig 2. The mounting points on the
shell 20 may take the form of a universal hotshoe mounting
point
For convenience and comfort, the I/O ports and the power and
data buses may be placed in a compartment 90 located on the
left or both left and right sides of the shell (see Fig 2).
The power and data buses may be placed in preconfigured
channel adjacent to the edges of the shell.
Referring to Fig 3, a bottom view of the system 10 is
illustrated to show the protective accessory mounting
subsystem 100. The subsystem 100 uses a number of recesses
110 located on the inside edge of the shell 20. These recesses
110 are configured to mate with tabs 120 on the protective
accessories. In one embodiment, each of the tabs 120 is
provided with a hole 130 which corresponds with a protrusion
140 in the recess 110. Once the hole 130 is lined up with the
protrusion 140 such that the tab 120 is mated with the recess
110, a fastener 160 is then used to lock the tab into place in
the recess. The fastener 160, in this embodiment, is
configured to envelop the protrusion 140 and to lock the
protrusion with a quarter turn of the fastener. Any suitable
detent mechanism may be used to lock the protrusion in the
fastener. For the user's comfort, it is preferable that the
fastener sits flush with the tab and the edges of the recess.
It would also be preferable if the fastener can be rotated
without the use of special tools so that any protective
accessories may be mounted or removed easily by the user. As
can be seen in the figure, the flat head of the fastener and
the slot on the head would allow the fastener to sit flush
with the tab and would allow the fastener to be removed by
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using anything which fits in the slot (e.g. flathead
screwdriver or a suitably thin coin).
While the above description notes a protrusion in the recess
and a fastener to lock the tab in the recess, other locking
mechanisms and fasteners 165 may be used. As an example,
instead of a protrusion in the recess, a corresponding hole
may be used with the fastener being configured as being
similar to a screw -- the fastener would be inserted into the
tab's hole and into the corresponding hole in the recess. The
fastener would then be screwed or locked into place with a
turn of the fastener to engage a suitable detent mechanism. A
person skilled in the art would be able to determine which
suitable detent means can be used in the locking mechanism.
Regarding the placement of the compartment 90 and of the
preconfigured channels for the power/data buses, these can be
placed behind or above the recesses 110 with suitable
clearances so that locking in the protective accessories does
not interfere with the operation of the power/data bus and of
the I/O ports and vice versa. A halo housing 95 on the
outside of the shell may be used to house the preconfigured
channels so that the power/data buses are not in the user's
way. As can be seen, the halo housing encircles the outside
bottom periphery of the shell 20.
It should also be noted that the protective accessory
subsystem may be used to not only mount protective accessories
to cover the back of the user's head but also to mount
protective accessories which protect the user's face. For
this embodiment, the recesses may be placed at the edge of the
shell and may be continued to a point approximately past
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halfway between the front and the back of the shell. As can
be seen in Fig 3, the recesses open downwards to accommodate
protective accessories which would hang down from the shell.
However, other recesses 110A, specifically those which are to
be used to mount facial protective accessories, would open to
the front of the shell.
With the head protection system described above, various
configurations are possible. Figs 4-16 illustrate various
configurations of the system with different protective
accessories and peripherals.
Referring to Fig 4, the embodiment illustrated has, as a
protective accessory, a visor 170. Such a visor would be
secured using the forward opening recesses 110A mentioned.
Referring to Fig 5, in addition to the visor 170, a ballistic
nape shroud 180 is also attached to the shell 20. The
ballistic nape shroud would be attached by means of the
downward opening recesses 110 mentioned above in relation to
Fig 3. The ballistic nape shroud may be manufactured from
various flexible materials suitable for the environment in
which the user would be functioning. As an example, if the
user is to be deployed in a jungle environment, the shroud may
be made of more lightweight material whereas if the user is to
be deployed in an arctic environment, a heavier (and hence
warmer) material may be used.
Referring to Fig 6, another type of visor 190 is attached to
the shell as a protective accessory. Specifically, the visor
190 is of a flip-up variety attached to the outside of the
shell. The visor 190 would be secured to a flip-up clip 200
attached to the shell by attaching via the protective
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accessory subsystem. The clip 200 would attach to the inside
of the shell through the forward opening recesses 110A and the
visor 190 would attach to the clip.
Referring to Fig 7, another embodiment of the system 10 is
illustrated. In this embodiment, a mandibular protective
accessory 210 is used in addition to the flip-up visor 190 and
the clip 200. The mandibular accessory 210 attaches to the
shell 20 by way of downward opening recesses 110 mentioned
above. The flip-up visor 190 and clip 200 attach to the shell
as described above. The mandibular accessory attaches to both
the left and right sides of the shell and covers the lower
portion of the user's face. Preferably, a front section of
the mandibular accessory has slits 215 for ventilation
purposes. These slits 215 may also be replaced by suitable
air passage means such as holes. The mandibular accessory may
be constructed from a rigid material and, depending on the
projected use, the mandibular accessory may be constructed out
of ballistic resistant material such as Kevlar.
In Fig 8, the embodiment illustrated uses the flip-up visor
190, clip 200, and a rigid nape shroud 220. The rigid nape
shroud 220 attaches to the shell by way of the downward
opening recesses 110 mentioned above. It should be noted that
the rigid nape shroud 220 is removably attachable to the
shell. The shroud is constructed of a number of curved
sections or plates of rigid material flexibly attached to one
another longitudinally with each section overlapping its
immediately adjacent section. This configuration of the shroud
provides flexibility while providing protection to the user's
nape. The sections may, for better protection against
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projectiles, be constructed out of ballistic resistant
material such as Kevlar.
Referring to Fig 9, the embodiment illustrated deploys the
flip-up visor 190, the mandibular accessory 210, and the rigid
nape shroud 220. These accessories are attached to the shell
20 as described above.
The embodiment in Fig 10 is identical with the embodiment in
Fig 9 with the exception that a hardened armor cap 230 is
placed on top of the shell 20 and a fixed visor 170. The
hardened armor cap 230 is removable and would provide more
protection to the user's head against projectiles such as
bullets and shrapnel. Clearly, the hardened armor cap 230
would be constructed of harder or at least more protective
material than the shell 20. The hardened armor cap 230 may be
attached to the shell 20 by way of an overlapping lip 240 and
a suitable clip 250.
If the user is to be deployed to a desert environment, the
embodiment in Fig 10 may be modified to prevent sand and other
particles from irritating the user's face. In Fig 11, the
mandibular accessory 210 is not shown but is covered by a
mandibular shroud 260 while the rigid nape shroud is covered
by the ballistic nape shroud 180. The ballistic nape shroud
180 may be attached by placing two tabs (one from the rigid
nape shroud and one from the ballistic nape shroud) in each
recess. By doubling up on the attachments for the protective
accessory mounting subsystem, multiple accessories may be
placed so as to overlap one another. The mandibular shroud
may be attached to the shell in a similar manner and may be
attached to the mandibular accessory by any suitable means
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,
known to a person skilled in the art. It should be noted that
the mandibular shroud may be constructed out of flexible
ballistic projectile material. As such, the mandibular shroud
may function as ballistic soft armor.
Referring to Fig 12, another embodiment of the system 10 is
illustrated. This embodiment uses night vision goggles 260
attached to the shell 20 by way of mounting point 40A. The
night vision goggles 260 may be configured to receive power
from the power bus by way of an I/O port located adjacent to
the mounting point 40A. As part of this embodiment of the
system 10, there is also provided a headset 270 and boom
microphone 280. The headset 270 may be coupled to the
data/power bus by way of an I/O port (not shown) located on
the inside of the shell 20. The boom microphone 280 is
coupled to the headset 270. It should be noted that other
types of vision enhancement devices like the night vision
goggles may be attached to the shell 20. By way of example and
without limiting the scope of what may be used with the
invention, thermal viewing devices and fusion sensor devices
may be used.
The embodiment in Fig 13 is similar to the embodiment in Fig
12 with the exception that, instead of night vision goggles, a
helmet mounted display 290 is attached to the shell 20. The
display 290 is coupled to the power/data bus by way of one of
the I/O ports adjacent to one of the mounting points.
In Fig 14, a similar embodiment to that in Fig 13 is
illustrated. Instead of separate headset and boom
microphones, a combined in-ear microphone and earphone is
used. Such a combined device is similar to headsets used for
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modern-day cellular telephones and their associated in-ear
communication devices. It should be noted that the in-ear
microphone and earphone in Fig 14 is separately wired to a
communications device and is not coupled to the power/data bus
which is part of the system 10.
For the embodiment in Fig 15, the combined in-ear microphone
and earphone is used along with the helmet mounted display
290. Also used in this embodiment are a removable
illumination device 300 and an integrated illumination device
310. The removable illumination device 300 is attached to the
shell by way of mounting point 40B and receives power by way
of an I/O port adjacent to the mounting point. The integrated
illumination device 310 is integrated into the shell 20. In
one embodiment, such an integrated illumination device 310 may
be light emitting diodes (LEDs) set into a brow section of the
shell 20. The LEDs may be embedded in the halo housing 95
attached to the shell 20. Such integrated illumination
devices 310 would receive power by being directly coupled to
the power bus. It should be noted that either of the
illumination devices may provide white or infra-red (IR)
illumination depending on the use contemplated by the user.
As an example, the removable illumination device may provide
IR light while the integrated illumination devices may provide
white light.
Referring to Figure 16, the embodiment illustrated utilizes
the integrated illumination device 310, the removable
illumination device 300, and the helmet mounted display 290.
Also utilized are the mandibular accessory 210 and the rigid
nape shroud 220. These protective accessories may be attached
to the shell as described above.
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It should be noted that the head protection system described
above may be implemented as a combat helmet system for use by
combat personnel. The shell may be manufactured from a hard,
rigid material such as some types of plastic. The hard armour
cap may be manufactured from projectile resistant material
such as Kevlar or some types of metal.
It should further be noted that the head protection system may
be implemented as an add-on to a pre-existing combat helmet to
enhance that combat helmet's capabilities. As an example, the
halo housing, the protective accessory mounting subsystem, and
compartment housing the I/O ports and the power/data buses may
be constructed as a single add-on piece. The add-on may then
be added to a pre-existing combat helmet and, by doing so,
provide the user with the enhanced functionality that the
system provides without sacrificing the efficiency or the
integrity of the helmet. It should be noted that the add-on
piece may be unitarily constructed or be capable of assembly
from a number of parts to form a single whole.
A person understanding this invention may now conceive of
alternative structures and embodiments or variations of the
above all of which are intended to fall within the scope of
the invention as defined in the claims that follow.
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