Combination safety helmet and attachable / detachable brim

Abstract

A combination safety helmet (12) and attachable / detachable brim (14) in which the brim includes a brim body (26) and a flange (34) extending from the brim body. The flange is received within the safety helmet to locate and position the brim body relative to the safety helmet. The brim body may be positioned without gaps between the brim body and the bottom of the safety helmet.

Description

Attorney Docket No. 1-3472-PCTCOMBINATION SAFETY HELMET AND ATTACHABLE / DET ACHABLE BRIMFIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] This disclosure relates to safety helmets, and in particular, to the combination of a safety helmet and a detachable / reattachable brim for the safety helmet.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] Safety helmets such as construction hard hats and the like have a rigid shell that fits over the head of the user. The shell protects the user from impacts with falling or windblown objects and liquids.

[0003] Safety helmets are often worn outdoors and on sunny days for at least part of the time. Many safety helmets do not provide sufficient protection from sunburn, precipitation, or glare. It is desirable to provide a safety helmet with a removable / reattachable brim that better protects the user from sunburn, precipitation, or glare.

[0004] Hild US Patent 4,316,289 discloses an attachable / detachable brim designed to be placed over a safety helmet. The brim has an opening that enables the brim to fit over the top of the safety helmet. Recesses spaced around the brim opening frictionally engage external safety helmet projections. A pair of resilient bands attached to the brim contact the underside of the safety helmet at the forward and rearward ends of the safety helmet.

[0005] The bands may rub against and irritate the front and back of the head of a user. The bands may also interfere with access to a headband adjustment mechanism commonly used with safety helmets.

[0006] There is a need for a combination safety helmet and attachable / detachable brim that is comfortable to wear and does not interfere with operation of the headband adjustment mechanism.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] Disclosed is a safety helmet and brim combination. The brim is removably attachable to the safety helmet. The brim can be removed from the safety helmet if it is not needed and can be reattached when needed.

[0008] A safety helmet and brim combination in accordance with this disclosure includes a safety helmet having a dome formed from a rigid material that defines an interior volume. The dome has an open lower end that receives the head of a user into the interior volume. An inner wall surrounds the opening and faces the interior volume.

[0009] The brim has a body and a flange. The body extends at least partially around an opening. The body includes an inner edge extending along the opening and an outer edge spaced radially away from the inner edge. The flange has a wall extending from and extending along the inner edge of the body . The flange wall extends from the body to an upper end of the flange spaced away from the body.

[0010] The flange wall is capable of being inserted upper end-first into the safety helmet opening. The body is configured to abut the lower end of the dome and thereby define the depth of insertion of the flange into the opening. The body extends away from the lower end of the dome to provide the additional protection of a brim to the user.

[0011] Fasteners connected to the safety helmet and to the brim attach the inserted brim to the safety helmet. The fasteners enable the attached helmet to be detached and removed from the safety helmet.

[0012] In a possible embodiment, the inner edge of the brim body entirely surrounds the opening. The flange is thereby formed as a tubular flange extending away from the inner edge of the brim body. The fasteners include at least one latch arm extending away from the upper end of the flange being received into a corresponding at least one latch receiver attached to the safety helmet within the interior volume. Inserting the brim into the dome opening snapsthe one or more latch arms over the corresponding one or more latch receivers and detachably attaches the brim to the safety helmet.

[0013] In other possible embodiments, the area of the brim body adjacent the inner edge is configured to closely conform with the the lower end of the dome opening whereby there is little or no gap between the brim and the safety helmet when the brim is attached to the safety helmet.

[0014] Other objects and features of the disclosure will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing sheets illustrating one or more illustrative embodiments.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a safety helmet and brim combination in accordance with this disclosure, the brim detached from the safety helmet.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a top view of the brim.

[0017] Figs 3-6 are respective front, right side, left side, and back views of the brim.

[0018] Fig. 7 illustrates a brim latch arm snapped over a safety helmet latch receiver.

[0019] Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 1 but with the brim attached to the safety helmet.

[0020] Fig. 9 is a bottom-side perspective view of the safety helmet with the brim being attached to the safety helmet.

[0021] Fig. 10 is a partial side view of alternative embodiments of the safety helmet and brim combination in accordance with this disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Fig. 1 illustrates a safety helmet and brim combination 10 in accordance with this disclosure the combination including a safety helmet 12 and an attachable / detachable brim 14. Fig. 1 illustrates the brim detached from the safety helmet. Figs. 2-6 illustrate the brim alone. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the brim attached to the safety helmet48.

[0023] The safety helmet 12 includes a rigid dome 16 formed from a rigid material enclosing an interior volume that receives the head of a user. The safety helmet has an open bottom side or bottom end 18 that receives the head into the dome. The safety helmet has an inner wall 20 (see Fig. 9) facing the interior volume of the dome, and an exterior outer wall 22 separated from the interior wall by the thickness of the dome. A bottom or perimeter wall 24 at the bottom end extends between the inner surface and outer surface of the dome. The bottom wall extends circumferentially around the dome opening. The illustrated bottom wall is not a plane wall (the bottom wall does not entirely lie in a common plane) but has changes in elevation (going uphill and downhill) as the bottom wall extends around the opening.

[0024] The brim 14 has a annular body 26 surrounding a central opening 28. The body has an inner circumferential edge 30 that surrounds the opening. The body extends radially away from the inner edge to an outer edge 32.

[0025] The distance the brim body 26 extends from the inner edge to the outer edge can vary along the circumference of the body. For example, a portion of the brim body that will extend away from the user's face and / or neck may extend a longer distance to form a bill or sun visor that protects the face and / or neck. Portions of the brim body that might be adjacent chin straps extending from the safety helmet in use may extend only a very short distance from the inner edge to the outer edge so as not to interfere with the straps. Yet other embodiments of the brim body may have holes to receive safety helmet straps or other structures to secure straps or for attachment of accessories (for a non-limiting examples, a tool or a flashlight). The angular extent that a wider or less wide body portion extends circumferentially about the brim edge may also vary among brim embodiments.

[0026] The brim 14 includes a tubular flange 34 that extends upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 from the body inner edge 30. The flange forms an annular wall that extends from the inner edge 30 to an upper side or upper edge 36. The flange wall has an inner flange wall surface38 and an outer flange wall surface 40. The flange upper edge is generally planar (lies substantially in or close to a common plane). The illustrated flange has a cutout portion 42 that interrupts the upper edge. The cutout portion is configured to receive internal structure of the safety helmet as will be explained later below. Other possible embodiments of the brim flange may have no cutout may have one cutout, or may have more than one cutout to conform the brim to the safety helmet.

[0027] The safety helmet 12 and the brim 14 include cooperating attachable / detachable fasteners that enable the brim to be detachably attached to the safety helmet. In the illustrated embodiments the fasteners are snap latch assemblies formed from elongate latch arms 44 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 7) and cooperating latch arm receivers 48 (see Figs. 7 and 8).

[0028] The brim 14 includes a number of similar elongate, cantilever latch arms 44. The latch arms extend from the flange upper end 36 and extend towards the brim opening 28 as they extend away from the upper end. Each latch arm has a chamfered latch hook 46 located on the free end of the latch arm.

[0029] The safety helmet 12 includes a number of similar spaced-apart latch arm receivers 48 attached to the inner surface 20 of the safety helmet (see Fig. 8). The safety helmet 12 includes a headband (not shown) and a headband suspension system (not shown) having suspension components attached to the inner surface 20. The latch arm receives are disposed between the suspension components and between the headband and the safety helmet inner surface. The spacing, distance from the bottom wall 24 and width of the latch arm receivers and associated latch arms may vary to conform with the safety helmet mounting locations available for the latch arm receivers.

[0030] Attaching the brim 14 to the safety helmet 12, the brim flange 30 is inserted into the open end 18 of the safety helmet to be received into the dome 16. The brim flange is configured to be closely received into the safety helmet, with the brim outer wall 40 facingand closely conforming with the safety helmet inner surface 20. The brim flange cutout(s) 42 receive structural components attached to the safety helmet inner surface that might otherwise obstruct insertion of the brim. The shape of the safety helmet enables the brim to be oriented for insertion in only one way with respect to the safety helmet and to align the latch arms with the corresponding latch receivers.

[0031] The flange depth of insertion into the safety helmet is defined by the brim body 26 immediately adjacent to the inner edge 30 abutting against the safety helmet bottom wall 24 of the safety helmet. The brim body along the inner edge 30 is configured to closely conform to the safety helmet bottom wall. When fully inserted into the safety helmet 12, the brim body 26 is against the bottom wall of the safety helmet with no or essentially no gaps between the brim and the safety helmet. The illustrated brim body extends around the entire safety helmet bottom wall and extends radially away from the bottom wall and spans the entire circumference of the safety helmet opening.

[0032] Insertion of the brim flange 30 into the safety helmet 12 forces the latch arms 44 into and through the latch receivers 48. A latch receiver 48 includes a wall 50 attached to the safety helmet inner surface 20. See Fig. 7 illustrating a latch arm held in a latch receiver (to simplify the drawing, the brim body is not shown). The latch receiver wall defines a through- opening that receives the free end of a latch arm 44. The latch receiver wall elastically flexes the latch arm away from the wall and towards the safety helmet inner surface 20. The generated latch arm spring force snaps the latch arm latch hook 46 over the latch receiver wall when the latch hook moves out of the latch receiver.

[0033] Deflecting the latch hooks back towards the safety helmet inner surface enables detachment of the brim from the safety helmet.

[0034] Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the brim 14 attached to the safety helmet 12 for use. The illustrated brim body 26 extends perpendicularly away from the adjacent bottom of the safetyhelmet as the brim extends around the safety helmet. The brim body closely conforms with the changes in elevation of the safety helmet bottom wall 24 so that there are no gaps between the bottom wall and the brim body.

[0035] The brim body 26 where it extends from the flange 30 and goes beneath the bottom wall 24 of the safety helmet 12 does not interfere with the safety helmet headband or headband suspension system. The latch arms 44 and the latch receivers 48 securely retain the brim 14 with the safety helmet 12. The latch arms can be flexed back to disengage the latch hooks 46 from the latch receivers when detaching the brim 14 from the safety helmet.

[0036] Fig. 10 illustrates a second embodiment brim 114 attached to a second embodiment safety helmet 112. The same reference numbers will be used for corresponding elements of the safety helmet 112 and the brim 114, and only the differences with the safety helmet 12 and the brim 14 will be discussed.

[0037] The safety helmet 112 includes a visor 116 extending from the safety helmet that extends away the forehead of the user. The brim body 26 includes a transition portion 118 extending from the brim inner edge 30 that conforms with and faces the underside of the visor 116. The brim body further includes a brim outer portion 120 that extends from the transition portion and extends beyond the visor 116 to the outer edge 32 to function as a brim protecting the user. Alternatively, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 10 the portion of the brim flange 34 can extend outwardly beyond the visor so that the flange body 26 will clear the visor when extending away from the flange.

[0038] The brim 14 as shown in Fig.2 extends entirely around the central opening 28. In other embodiments of the brim, the brim can extend less than 360 degrees around the opening or can be formed as separate brim segments that are each independently attached to the safety helmet 12. Spaces between segments can, for example, be arranged to receive internal safety helmet structures.

[0039] While this disclosure includes one or more illustrative embodiments described in detail, it is understood that the one or more embodiments are each capable of modification and that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the precise details set forth herein but include such modifications that would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art including (but not limited to) changes in material selection, size, environment of use, number and arrangement of fasteners, types of fasteners (including as non-limiting examples, threaded fasteners received in threaded holes, hook-and loop fasteners, interference fits between the brim and safety helmet, and the like, as well as such changes and alterations that fall within the purview of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. In combination a safety helmet and brim comprising: a safety helmet comprising a rigid dome comprising an inner surface facing and defining an interior volume of the dome, the dome comprising an opening in communication with the interior volume and a perimeter wall on an outside of the dome surrounding the opening, the opening being sized to receive a head of a user wearing the safety helmet; the brim comprising a brim body and a flange; the brim body comprising an inner edge extending in a circumferential direction and defining the outer perimeter of the brim body and an an outer edge spaced radially away from the inner edge and defining an outer edge of the brim body; the flange extending from the inner edge away from the brim body to an upper side of the flange spaced from the brim body; the flange being insertable upper side-first into the dome opening whereby the brim body engages the dome wall at full insertion of the flange into the dome, the flange faces and closely conforms with a portion of the inner surface of the dome, and the brim body overlays the perimeter wall with the outer edge of the brim body is spaced away from the dome; a set of first fasteners and a set of second fasteners, the set of first fasteners being attached to the brim, the set of second fasteners being attached to the dome; each first fastener of the set of first fasteners being detachably attachable to a respective second fastener of the set of second fasteners when the flange is inserted into the dome whereby the attached respective pairs of first and second fasteners fasten the brim to the safety helmet.

2. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the set of first fasteners are a set of cantilevered latch arms extending away from the upper side of the flange and the set of second fasteners are a set of latch receivers attached to the inner surface of the dome.

3. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 2 wherein each latch arm of the set of latch arms snaps over a respective latch receiver of the set of latch receivers to fasten the latch arm to the respective latch receiver.

4. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the dome perimeter wall does not not entirely lie in a common plane and the brim body conforms to the perimeter wall without gaps between the perimeter wall and brim body when the brim is fully inserted into the dome opening..

5. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the flange upper wall defines at least one cutout in the flange.

6. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 5 wherein each at least one cutout receives a structure of the safety helmet when the brim is fully inserted into the safety helmet.

7. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the safety helmet comprises a visor or bill, and the brim body comprises a transition portion extending away from the inner edge and partially towards the outer edge, wherein the transition portion faces the bill or visor when the brim is fully inserted into the brim opening.

8. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the safety helmet comprises a visor or bill; a portion of the perimeter wall extends along the visor or bill; and the flange faces the visor or bill but is spaced away from the visor or bill whereby the brim body overlays the perimeter wall portion when the brim is fully inserted into the dome opening.

9. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein the inner edge of the brim body and the flange surrounds a through opening of the brim body.

10. The combination safety helmet and brim of claim 1 wherein when the flange is fully inserted into the safety helmet the brim body extends perpendicularly away from the adjacent bottom of the safety helmet as the brim extends around the safety helmet.

11. A brim for a rigid safety helmet having a perimeter wall extending around an open side of the safety helmet and a plurality of first fasteners, the brim comprising: a tubular flange being configured to be closely received into the open side of the safety helmet; a brim body attached to the tubular flange, the brim body extending around the flange; the brim body extending away from the flange a sufficient distance whereby the s brim body overlays the perimeter wall and extends beyond the entirety of the perimeter wall to form a brim of the safety helmet when the flange is inserted into the safety helmet; and a plurality of second fasteners attached to the flange that are disposed inside the safety helmet when the flange is inserted into the safety helmet, each second fastener of the plurality of second fasteners of the type that is releasably fastenable to a second fastener.

12. The brim of claim 11 wherein the flange extends from the brim body to an upper side of the flange, the flange comprising at least one cutout formed in the flange, each at least one cutout forming a recessed portion of the upper side.

13. The brim of claim 11 wherein each second fastener of the plurality of second fasteners is a cantilevered latch arm that is attached to the flange and extends away from the flange to a free end of the latch arm.

14. The brim of claim 13 wherein each latch arm of the plurality of latch arms comprises a latch hook disposed at the free end of the latch arm.

15. The brim of claim 11 wherein the brim body comprises opposite upper and lower sides, the flange extends away from the upper side of the brim body, and each of the upper and lower sides are not flat.

16. The brim of claim 15 wherein the brim body extends away from the flange in a radial direction perpendicular to the flange as the brim body extends around the flange.

17. A method for attaching a brim to a rigid safety helmet comprising the steps of: inserting a portion of the brim into an open side of the safety helmet whereby the inserted portion of the brim and the safety helmet comprise cooperating closely conforming facing surfaces; and fastening the brim and the safety helmet with respective pairs of fasteners attached to the brim and to the safety helmet.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of detaching the respective pairs of fasteners and removing the brim from the safety helmet.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the brim extends outwardly beyond the safety helmet around the entire safety helmet when the portion of the brim is inserted into the safety helmet.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the brim extends outwardly in direction perpendicular to an adjacent outer surface of the safety helmet when the portion of the brim is inserted into the safety helmet.

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