Support harness for a crash helmet and crash helmet equipped with such a harness

Abstract

A support harness for a crash helmet includes a central portion configured to be supported against a head of a user of the crash helmet and attachment tabs extending from the central portion and configured to be secured to a shell of the crash helmet. The support harness further includes two impact absorption elements arranged at a respective front and rear of the central portion and configured to be deformed in the event of impact on the crash helmet.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to French Patent Application FR 2502796 filed Mar. 19, 2025, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] The present invention relates to a support harness for a crash helmet, as well as a crash helmet equipped with such a harness.

[0003] In the field of safety crash helmets, used in production workshops in the agri-food sector in particular, it is known to make a crash helmet in the form of a rigid shell equipped with a retaining device, most often adjustable, which makes it possible to keep the shell around and at a distance from the head of a user.

[0004] In the event of a violent impact on the external shell of the crash helmet, following deformation or breakage of the retaining device, it cannot be ruled out that the head of the user may strike the inner surface of the shell. The impact is then transmitted entirely to the skull of the user, which may prove dangerous for the user.

[0005] However, crash helmets are subject to standard requirements, such as those resulting from standard EN 812:2012. The standard requires that the value of the impact transmitted to the head of the user does not exceed a threshold value of 15 kilonewtons, when impact is applied to the crash helmet at an angle of 30° and / or 60° degrees relative to the vertical toward the front or the rear of the crash helmet.

[0006] There is therefore a need to improve existing crash helmets to satisfy the standard, in order to guarantee the safety of a user.

[0007] This is the technical problem that the present invention intends to remedy more particularly by proposing a new support harness for a crash helmet that makes it possible to satisfy the aforementioned standard, while having a simple and economical structure.

[0008] To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention has a support harness for a crash helmet as its object, the support harness comprising:

[0009] a central portion, configured to be supported against the head of a user of the crash helmet, and

[0010] attachment tabs, extending from the central portion and configured to be secured to a shell of the crash helmet,the support harness further comprises:

[0011] two impact absorption elements, arranged at a respective front and rear of the central portion, configured to deform in the event of impact on the crash helmet.

[0012] By means of the two absorption elements, in the event of impact on the crash helmet, at least one of the absorption elements is deformed by the shell, under the effect of the impact. Indeed, the impact causes a displacement of the shell toward the head of the user and at least one of the absorption elements is deformed by compression between the shell and the head of the user. The deformation of at least one of the absorption elements makes it possible to absorb part or all of the impact so that the value of the impact transmitted to the head of the user is below the threshold value of the standard. Moreover, as the absorption elements are positioned at the respective front and rear of the helmet, their position makes better absorption possible of impact applied at an angle of 60° degrees relative to the vertical toward the front or the rear of the crash helmet.

[0013] According to advantageous but non-mandatory aspects of the invention, the support harness may incorporate one or more of the following features, taken in any technically permissible combinations:

[0014] each impact absorption element is configured to be elastically deformed in the event of impact on the crash helmet;

[0015] each impact absorption element comprises a cup comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending perpendicularly to the bottom wall from the bottom wall up to a rim, the bottom wall and the peripheral wall defining a cup volume, and a link connecting the cup to the central portion;

[0016] a thickness of the bottom wall, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters and is preferably equal to 1.5 millimeters, and a thickness of the peripheral wall, measured perpendicularly to the peripheral wall, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters and is preferably equal to 1.5 millimeters;

[0017] the bottom wall is circular and a diameter of the bottom wall, measured parallel to the bottom wall between two diametrically opposite points of the bottom wall, is between 25 millimeters and 35 millimeters and is preferably equal to 30 millimeters;

[0018] a height of the peripheral wall, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall between the bottom wall and the rim, is between 5 millimeters and 15 millimeters and is preferably equal to 10 millimeters;

[0019] the peripheral wall is perforated and has at least one opening extending from the rim to the bottom wall and opening into the cup volume and wherein a width of the opening, measured parallel to the bottom wall, is between 3 millimeters and 7 millimeters, and is preferably equal to 5 millimeters;

[0020] the peripheral wall has several openings, preferably identical, regularly distributed over the peripheral wall;

[0021] the support harness is made of an elastically deformable material, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer;

[0022] the support harness has a first axis of symmetry joining the two impact absorption elements and a second axis of symmetry perpendicular to the first axis of symmetry.

[0023] The invention also relates to a crash helmet comprising a support harness as defined above and a shell, the attachment tabs being respectively fixed to the shell and the impact absorption elements being arranged respectively at the front and rear of the helmet, forming between them an overall angle of between 100° and 140° when the attachment tabs are fixed to the shell, the overall angle preferably being equal to 120°.

[0024] According to advantageous but non-mandatory aspects of the invention, the crash helmet may incorporate one or more of the following features, taken in any technically permissible combinations:

[0025] the crash helmet comprises a central axis extending perpendicularly to the shell, and each impact absorption element forms a unit angle with the central axis, the unit angle being between 50° and 70°, preferably equal to 60°

[0026] each impact absorption element is simply supported against an inner surface of the shell.

[0027] The invention will appear more clearly upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crash helmet according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the crash helmet of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a support harness belonging to the crash helmet of FIG. 1, in a flat configuration, before assembly in a shell of the crash helmet;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a larger-scale view of frame IV of FIG. 3

[0032] FIG. 5 is a section of the crash helmet along plane P1 of FIG. 1.

[0033] A crash helmet 1, according to the invention and shown in FIG. 1, comprises a rigid shell 5 made of a thermoplastic polymer, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS. In this example, the shell 5 is made of polypropylene (PP) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

[0034] In a variant, the shell 5 may be made of another material.

[0035] The crash helmet 1 can be mounted on the head of a user who is human or on the head of a dummy, as part of a helmet test in particular. In what follows, the word user covers both the case of a human and the case of a dummy.

[0036] The shell 5 comprises an inner surface 10, facing the head of the user when the crash helmet 1 is mounted on the head of the user. The rigid shell comprises a plane of symmetry P1 and a plane of symmetry P2, perpendicular to the plane of symmetry P1. Plane P1 is a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the crash helmet and extends in a front / rear direction of this helmet. Plane P2 is a transverse plane of symmetry of the crash helmet. In other words, the plane of symmetry P2 is a plane of symmetry between a front 12 of the crash helmet 1 and a rear 13 of the crash helmet 1. When the crash helmet 1 is mounted on the head of the user, the planes of symmetries P1 and P2 are substantially vertical.

[0037] The crash helmet 1 comprises a central axis X that extends perpendicularly to the shell 5. The central axis X lies in the plane of symmetry P1 and in the plane of symmetry P2.

[0038] The crash helmet 1 comprises a support harness 15, configured to keep the crash helmet 1 on the head of the user and to absorb forces in the event of impact on the shell 5 of the crash helmet 1.

[0039] The support harness 15 comprises a central portion 20, configured to be supported against the head of the user when the crash helmet 1 is mounted on the head of the user. In this example, the central portion 20 has an oval shape and comprises openings 25.

[0040] The support harness 15 comprises attachment tabs 30 that extend respectively from the central portion 20. In this example, the support harness comprises four attachment tabs 30. The attachment tabs 30 extend in pairs, in opposite directions, so that the attachment tabs 30 form a cross. More precisely, the support harness 15 has an axis of symmetry S1 and an axis of symmetry S2 perpendicular to the axis of symmetry S1.

[0041] Each attachment tab 30 comprises a free end 35, configured to be secured to the shell 5. More precisely, each free end 35 comprises a heel 40, configured to be respectively inserted into a housing 45, formed in relief from the inner surface 10 of the shell 5.

[0042] When the attachment tabs 30 are secured to the shell 5, the axis of symmetry S1 lies in the plane of symmetry P1 and the axis of symmetry S2 lies in the plane of symmetry P2. In other words, the axis of symmetry S1 is a longitudinal axis of symmetry and the axis of symmetry S2 is a transverse axis of symmetry, between a front 50 of the central portion 20 and a rear 55 of the central portion 20.

[0043] The support harness 15 comprises two impact absorption elements 60, configured to be deformed in the event of impact on the crash helmet 1. The impact absorption elements 60 are respectively arranged at the front 50 of the central portion 20 and at the rear 55 of the central portion 20. More precisely, the first axis of symmetry S1 joins the two impact absorption elements 60.

[0044] Each impact absorption element 60 comprises a cup 65 and a link 70. The link 70 extends towards the central portion 20, from the cup 65, and connects the central portion 20 to the cup 65.

[0045] The cup 65 comprises a bottom wall 75 and a peripheral wall 80. The peripheral wall 80 extends perpendicularly to the bottom wall 75 from the bottom wall 75 up to a rim 95. More precisely, the peripheral wall 80 extends around the bottom wall 75 so that the peripheral wall 80 and the bottom wall 75 define a cup volume V65.

[0046] The rim 95 extends parallel to the bottom wall 75. Preferably, the rim 95 does not cover the cup volume V65. The link 70 connects the rim 95 to the central portion 20. The peripheral wall 80 connects the bottom wall 75 to the rim 95.

[0047] Advantageously, the bottom wall 75 is circular. A diameter d75 of the bottom wall 75, measured parallel to the bottom wall 75 between two diametrically opposite points of the bottom wall 75, is between 25 millimeters and 35 millimeters and is preferably equal to 30 millimeters. A center distance e60 of the impact absorption element 60, measured parallel to the axis of symmetry S1 between a center of the bottom wall 75 and a center of the central portion 20 positioned at the intersection of the axis of symmetry S1 and the axis of symmetry S2, is between 90 millimeters and 120 millimeters and is preferably equal to 105 millimeters.

[0048] Advantageously, a thickness e75 of the bottom wall 75, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall 75, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters and is preferably equal to 1.5 millimeters, and a thickness e80 of the peripheral wall 80, measured perpendicularly to the peripheral wall 80, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters and is preferably equal to 1.5 millimeters.

[0049] Advantageously, a height h80 of the peripheral wall 80, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall 75 between the bottom wall 75 and the rim 95, is between 5 millimeters and 15 millimeters and is preferably equal to 10 millimeters.

[0050] Advantageously, the peripheral wall 80 is perforated and has at least one opening 100. In this example, the peripheral wall 80 has several openings 100, preferably identical, which are regularly distributed over the peripheral wall 80. More precisely, each opening 100 extends from the rim 95 to the bottom wall 75 and connects the cup volume V65 and the outside of the impact absorption element 60. In other words, each opening 100 passes through the peripheral wall 80 from end to end. A width l100 of the openings 100, measured parallel to the bottom wall 75, is between 3 millimeters and 7 millimeters, and is preferably equal to 5 millimeters.

[0051] Advantageously, the support harness 15 is made of an elastically deformable material. The support harness 15 is made by injection of thermoplastic elastomer in particular. In this example, the support harness 15 is made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

[0052] Advantageously, when the support harness 15 is assembled in the shell 5, the attachment tabs 30 being respectively secured to the shell 5, the absorption elements 60 form an overall angle α between them of between 100° and 140°, the overall angle α being preferably equal to 120°. More precisely, each absorption element 60 forms a unit angle β with the central axis X, the unit angle β being between 50° and 70°, the unit angle β preferably being equal to 60°

[0053] Advantageously, when the support harness 15 is assembled in the shell 5, each absorption element 60 is simply supported against the inner surface 10 of the shell 5. More precisely, a part of the bottom wall 75 is supported against the inner surface 10, the cup volume V65 being oriented in a direction opposite the inner surface 10.

[0054] The crash helmet 1 also comprises a band 120, which forms an adjustable closed loop, intended to be arranged around the skull of the user to keep the crash helmet 1 in position on the head of the user. In this example, the band 120 is secured to the attachment tabs 30.

[0055] When the crash helmet 1 is mounted on the head of the user, each impact absorption element 60 is simultaneously in contact with the head of the user and the shell 5, the rim 95 being in contact with the head of the user and a part of the bottom wall 75 being in contact against the inner surface 10 of the shell 5.

[0056] In the event of impact on the crash helmet 1 from the outside, the shell 5 tends to be displaced toward the head of the user. The displacement of the shell 5 toward the head of the user leads to tensioning of the support harness 15. In effect, the central portion 20 remains fixed on the head of the user while the free ends 35 of the attachment tabs 30 secured to the shell 5 are carried along in displacement with the shell 5. Thus, the support harness 15 is deformed, which makes it possible to absorb part of the impact. Advantageously, the support harness 15 is elastically deformed.

[0057] During impact on the crash helmet 1, in particular impact on the front 12 or the rear 13 of the shell 5, the shell 5 is displaced toward the head of the user, compressing one of the impact absorption elements 60 between the shell 5 and the head of the user. The openings 100 provided in the peripheral wall 80 make deformation of the impact absorption element 60 possible, under the effect of compression between the head of the user and the shell 5. The deformation of the impact absorption element 60 makes it possible to absorb all or part of the impact, so that the result of the impact applied to the head of the user is zero and / or below the threshold value imposed by standard EN 812:2012. In other words, the presence of the impact absorption elements 60 makes it possible to satisfy the tests of standard EN 812:2012.

[0058] The position of the impact absorption elements 60 relative to the shell 5, in particular due to the presence of the overall angle α and the unit angles β, is particularly advantageous in the case of impact applied to the shell 5 at an angle of 60° relative to the vertical toward the front or the rear of the crash helmet 1. In effect, in this case, the impact is applied generally opposite one of the impact absorption elements 60, so that the impact is directly transmitted to the impact absorption element 60, which absorbs the impact by deforming. Thus, the support harness 15 is particularly relevant for satisfying the tests of standard EN 812:2012

[0059] Advantageously, the impact absorption element 60 is elastically deformed during impact according to standard EN 812:2012. More precisely, the dimensions of the impact absorption elements 60 are designed to ensure elastic deformation and sufficient impact absorption. In particular, the openings 100 ensure the deformability of the impact absorption elements 60 while the rims 95 ensure a certain rigidity of the impact absorption elements 60, with too great a flexibility of the impact absorption elements60 preventing sufficient impact absorption.

[0060] In the event of a significant impact, the deformation of the impact absorption element 60 is not elastic, but plastic. In other words, the impact absorption element 60 remains durably deformed after absorbing the impact. Following a very significant impact and a significant plastic deformation of the impact absorption element 60 impairing its capacity to absorb impacts, the impact absorption element 60 is replaced.

[0061] In a variant, not shown, the links 70 connect the bottom wall 75 of each impact absorption element 60 to the central portion 20 of the support harness 15.

[0062] In another variant, not shown, when the support harness 15 is assembled in the shell 5, the rim 95 of each impact absorption element 60 is in contact with the inner surface 10 of the shell 5, and when the crash helmet is mounted on the head of the user, the bottom wall 75 is in contact with the head of the user. In other words, the cup volume V65 is directed toward the inner surface 10 of the shell 5.

[0063] Any feature described above for one embodiment or a variant is applicable to the other embodiments and variants described above, insofar as this is technically possible.

Claims

1. A support harness for a crash helmet, the support harness comprising:a central portion, configured to be supported against a head of a user of the crash helmet,attachment tabs, extending from the central portion and configured to be secured to a shell of the crash helmet, andtwo impact absorption elements arranged at a respective front and rear of the central portion and configured to be deformed in the event of impact on the crash helmet.

2. The support harness according to claim 1, wherein each of the impact absorption elements is configured to be elastically deformed in the event of impact on the crash helmet.

3. The support harness according to claim 1, wherein each of the impact absorption elements comprises:a cup comprising a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending perpendicularly to the bottom wall from the bottom wall up to a rim, the bottom wall and the peripheral wall defining a cup volume, anda link connecting the cup to the central portion.

4. The support harness according to claim 3, wherein:a thickness of the bottom wall, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters, anda thickness of the peripheral wall, measured perpendicularly to the peripheral wall, is between 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters.

5. The support harness according to the claim 4, wherein:the thickness of the bottom wall is equal to 1.5 millimeters, andthe thickness of the peripheral wall is equal to 1.5 millimeters.

6. The support harness according to claim 3, wherein the bottom wall is circular and a diameter of the bottom wall, measured parallel to the bottom wall between two diametrically opposite points of the bottom wall, is between 25 millimeters and 35 millimeters.

7. The support harness according to claim 6, the diameter of the bottom wall is equal to 30 millimeters.

8. The support harness according to claim 3, wherein a height of the peripheral wall, measured perpendicularly to the bottom wall between the bottom wall and the rim, is between 5 millimeters and 15 millimeters.

9. The support harness according to claim 8, wherein the height of the peripheral wall is equal to 10 millimeters.

10. The support harness according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral wall is perforated and has at least one opening extending from the rim to the bottom wall and opening into the cup volume and wherein a width of the opening, measured parallel to the bottom wall, is between 3 millimeters and 7 millimeters.

11. The support harness according to claim 10, wherein the width of the opening is equal to 5 millimeters.

12. The support harness according to claim 10, wherein the peripheral wall has several openings.

13. The support harness according to claim 12, wherein the several openings are identical, regularly distributed over the peripheral wall.

14. The support harness according to claim 1, wherein the support harness is made of an elastically deformable material.

15. The support harness according to claim 14, wherein the support harness is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

16. The support harness according to claim 1, wherein the support harness has a first axis of symmetry joining the two impact absorption elements and a second axis of symmetry perpendicular to the first axis of symmetry.

17. A crash helmet comprising the support harness according to claim 1 and a shell, the attachment tabs being fixed respectively to the shell and the impact absorption elements being arranged respectively at the front and at the rear of the helmet and forming between them, when the attachment tabs are fixed to the shell, an overall angle of between 100° and 140°.

18. The crash helmet according to claim 17, wherein the overall angle is equal to 120°.

19. The crash helmet according to claim 17, wherein:the crash helmet comprises a central axis extending perpendicularly to the shell,each of the impact absorption elements forms a unit angle with the central axis, the unit angle being between 50° and 70°.

20. The crash helmet according to claim 17, wherein each of the impact absorption elements is simply supported against an inner surface of the shell.

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