An attachment assembly, a wiper for a helmet visor with said assembly for attachment to a visor, a visor and a helmet with said wiper

Abstract

An attachment assembly for mounting an object, for example a wiper, a camera, a light, to a surface, for example a helmet visor, wherein said assembly (3) comprises two shape-engaging elements, wherein a first element is configured for installation on or as a part of the object (2), and a second element is configured for installation on or as a part of the surface (11, 1) for installation of the object, characterized in that said assembly further comprises a lock (33) arranged to prevent disengagement of the object (2).

Description

[0001] AN ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY, A WIPER FOR A HELMET VISOR WITH SAID ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACHMENT TO A VISOR, A VISOR AND A HELMET WITH SAID WIPER

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention belongs to the field of helmets, more precisely to the field of devices for wiping visors of helmets during its use. The invention also belongs to the field of mechanisms and assemblies for mounting objects. The invention relates to an attachment assembly, a wiper for a helmet visor with said assembly for attachment to a visor, a visor and a helmet with said wiper.

[0004] Background of the invention and the technical problem

[0005] Helmets with visors are mandatory equipment for motorcyclists, moped riders, drivers of quads, tricycles, snowmobiles, go-karts, and other means of transportation. They can also be used by police, bomb disposal experts, or workers cleaning with high- pressure or steam cleaners. In case of rain, snow, or during work with liquids, water droplets or liquids on the visor impair vision of the surroundings, which reduces the overview of the situation and, above all, the safety of the user.

[0006] Several different wipers are known, wherein said wipers are attached to the visor in different ways. For example, they can be attached to the top of the visor, to the bottom of the visor or to the sides so that the wiper moves up and down over almost the entire visor, as described in document GB2390969.

[0007] Wipers for helmets mounted on the top or the bottom of the visor use snap-on elements or rails that are mounted on the visor. The user inserts and removes the wiper from the rail using a guide on the wiper housing. The rail and the guide are designed to snap together when the rail and the guide are connected, but this snap does not provide effective protection against loss of the wiper, as the helmet and consequently the visor shake or the wiper is exposed to high speed, wind and the aforementioned vibrations during use, respectively, which consequently increases the possibility of the wiper falling out of the rail.

[0008] The technical problem solved by the present invention is designing an attachment assembly for a wiper for a helmet visor enabling easier installation or removal of the wiper, thus reducing the possibility of disengagement. At the same time, the invention aims to provide a universal assembly for attaching the wiper or any other object onto a surface.

[0009] Prior art

[0010] In addition to rails and guides other manners of mounting wipers on helmet visors are known, for example screwing described in document US8209783, shapeengagement used in patent application CA2660918 or a clamp used in patent application GB2285390. All these differ from the present invention.

[0011] Description of the solution to the technical problem

[0012] The present invention solves the disadvantages of known solutions and represents an upgrade of existing manners of installation of objects on surfaces, such as mounting of wipers, cameras, or lights on helmet visors. The solution of the technical problem is defined in the independent claims, wherein the preferred embodiments are defined in dependent claims.

[0013] The invention is based on mounting using two shape-engaging (also called formfitting) elements, preferably shaped as a rail and a guide, wherein these shapeengaging elements are significantly upgraded with a lock, which prevents disengagement of the object, such as a wiper, from a rail installed on a surface, such as a visor or a helmet. Said rail, guide and lock form an assembly for mounting the wiper onto a helmet or a visor. Instead of rail and guide any other suitable shape- engaging two-part form can be used, wherein one part is mounted on the wiper and the second part on the visor. For easier description of the invention, the continuation of the text will be based on the embodiment using rail and guide, however, this does not limit the possibility of using other mutually engaging shapes. The invention will be described in continuation using the embodiment for the wiper for a helmet visor, however, this does not mean that the attachment assembly cannot be used for mounting other objects on surfaces, such as for example mounting a camera or a light onto a helmet. Regardless of the object, the invention works in the same manner as described below.

[0014] The invention according to a possible embodiment relates to a wiper with a housing, on which a guide is installed or formed as a part of the housing, preferably in the bottom part of the housing, wherein said guide has a shape that corresponds with (i.e. fits into) a rail provided on a visor, preferably near an upper or a bottom edge of the visor. The guide has a hole along its entire length, said hole arranged to receive a pin, which is designed as a rod with at least one wider part, preferably two wider parts, most preferably three wider parts, wherein the essential configuration comprises at least one wider part on one end of the rod and one wider part in a middle part or these two wider parts are designed as a single, longer wider part, which can be received in a groove provided in the rail, and wherein upon pressure on one end of the pin at least one wider part is moved from the groove, thus unlocking the lock. Movement from the groove can occur after rotation of the pin and removal of the wider part from the groove. In a preferred embodiment with three wider parts, two wider parts are on both ends of the rod, while the third wider part is in the middle part. Between the middle wider part and one of the remaining wider parts a spring is provided, which enables pressure on one of both ends of the pin. The rail is provided with two grooves located on the side in contact with the pin, said grooves functioning as a seat for two of the wider parts of the pin, which fixes the rail and the guide and prevents their mutual movement even in case of vibrations or shaking, high speed or similar effects. Upon applying pressure to the pin from one end and the spring compresses (contracts), the wider parts move from said two grooves and the guide can be removed from the rail. In the same manner, the guide is installed in the rail. The guide and the rail are preferably made of plastic, preferably using injection moulding, wherein the pin and the spring are made of metal.

[0015] The guide may be a separate part and is attached to the wiper housing, while the guide and the housing may be made as a single piece. It can be injection moulded together with the housing or the guide is attached to the housing later.

[0016] The rail is preferably mounted so that they are at most 3 cm from the upper or the bottom edge of the visor, which depends on the side and the type of the helmet or the visor. The rail may be mounted on the visor in any suitable manner or they can be formed as a part of the visor. Some of the possible embodiments are the following:

[0017] - the rail is attached to the visor with screws, wherein the visor has to be provided with drilled holes,

[0018] - the rail is fixedly attached to the visor with ultrasonic welding, high-frequency welding, or gluing, or

[0019] - the rail is a part of the visor and is injection-moulded in the same process as injection moulding of the visor plastic.

[0020] The wiper according to the invention as described above can be installed on any visor or any helmet with a visor.

[0021] The invention enables reliable mounting of the wiper on the visor and at the same time easier installation and removal of the wiper, which is simple and fast for the user. By pressing the pin, the wiper can move into or from the rail on the visor.

[0022] The invention will be described in further detail based on exemplary embodiments and figures, which show:

[0023] Figure 1 A helmet with the mounted wiper according to a possible embodiment

[0024] Figure 2 A visor with the mounted wiper according to a possible embodiment

[0025] Figure 3 A view of a part of the wiper when it is installed in the rail Figure 4 A pin according to a possible embodiment

[0026] Figure 5 Rail for mounting on a visor or a helmet according to a possible embodiment

[0027] Figure 6 A guide according to a possible embodiment

[0028] Figure 7 Installation of the pin with the spring into the guide

[0029] Figure 1 shows a helmet 1 with a visor 11 and a wiper 2 according to a possible embodiment mounted on said visor, wherein the wiper comprises a housing 21 and an attachment assembly 3 that comprises rail 31 , a guide 32 and a lock 33. Figure 2 shows more details of the wiper, wherein a frame 41 with a blade 42 is attached via an arm 43, said blade being movable with an electric motor driven by a battery installed in the housing 21. The rail 31 is installed on the visor 11 and a guide mounted in the bottom part of the housing 21 is installed in the rail 31. Further details are visible in figure 3, wherein the guide is shaped to correspond, i.e. fit in the rail. The guide 32 has a hole along its entire length, said hole arranged to receive a pin 331 of the lock 33, wherein said pin 331 is designed as a rod with three wider parts 331a, 331 b, 331c, and wherein two wider parts 331a, 331c are provided on each end of the rod and the third wider part 331 b is provided in a middle part of the pin 331. Between the middle wider part 331 b and one of the remaining wider parts 331a, 331c a spring 332 is installed, said spring allowing application of pressure to one of each end of the pin 331 .

[0030] According to the preferred embodiment shown in figure 4 the pin has two wider parts 331 b, 331c shaped as truncated cones, which is particularly efficient in locking the position of the wiper in the rail, while the shape of the wider part 331a can be a shorter truncated cone. However, the shape of wider parts is arbitrary, wherein all wider parts can have the same shape or may have different shapes.

[0031] As shown in figure 5 the rail 31 has a base body 311 with an attachment part 312 on both sides of the base body, wherein said attachment part 312 is provided with openings 312a for receiving a screw for attachment to the visor. The base body has on both sides before the attachment part 312 a raised part 313, both raised parts shaped as an upside-down letter L, which in space 313a receives the form-fitting part of the guide. The raised parts are on their upper side, i.e. the side in contact with the pin, provided with a groove 3131 , which function as a seat for two of the wider parts of the pin, which fixes the rail and the guide and prevents their mutual movement even in case of vibrations, high speed, or similar effects. The grooves may be shaped to correspond to the shape of wider parts. The depth of each groove can be different on both ends of each raised part 313 to match the shape of wider parts, preferably designed as truncated cones.

[0032] Figure 6 shows the guide 32 received in the rail, wherein the base body 321 has approximately square shape, wherein in the upper part (closer to the housing of the wiper) a through hole 332 arranged to receive the pin is provided, while in the bottom part (under said hole) both sides are provided with protrusions 323 shaped to correspond, i.e. fit in the rail 31.

[0033] Installation of the pin with the spring 332 into the guide is shown in figure 7, wherein the spring 332 is installed between the wider part 331 b in the middle and the wider part 331c at one end of the pin, which is installed on the pin after inserting the pin into the hole.

[0034] An alternative embodiment, which is possible within the invention, is to provide the rail on the wiper and the guide installed on the visor, however, this is a less preferred embodiment due to pin installation. In this alternative embodiment the hole for the pin is provided on the rail, which have a base body suitable for providing the hole, wherein the groove is provided on the guide and wherein engagement between the wider parts of the pin and the groove is the same as in the above-described preferred embodiment.

[0035] When the pin is pressed from one side and the spring contracts, the two wider parts move out of the two grooves and the guide can be pulled out of the rail. The guide is also installed in the rail in the same manner.

Claims

Patent claims1 . An attachment assembly for mounting an object, for example a wiper, a camera, a light, to a surface, for example a helmet visor, wherein said assembly (3) comprises two shape-engaging elements, wherein a first element is configured for installation on or as a part of the object (2), and a second element is configured for installation on or as a part of the surface (11 , 1 ) for installation of the object, characterized in that said assembly further comprises a lock (33) arranged to prevent disengagement of the object (2).

2. The attachment assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the lock is designed as a combination of:- a hole provided in the first element, wherein the hole is arranged to receive a pin (331 ),- at least one groove, preferably two grooves, on the second element, wherein said at least one groove is arranged to receive at least one wider part (331b, 331c) of the pin (331) in a locked state of the lock, which disables mutual movement of the two shape-engaging elements, and- the pin (331 ) shaped as a rod with at least one, preferably at least two wider parts (331 b, 331c), wherein one wider part (331c) is provided on one end of the rod and a second wider part (331 b) is provided in a middle part of the rod or both wider parts are designed as a single wider part, wherein upon application of pressure to one end of the pin at least one wider part is arranged to move from at least one groove, thus unlocking the lock.

3. The attachment assembly according to claim 2, wherein two wider parts (331 b, 331c) are provided and a spring (332) is provided between both wider parts (331 b, 331c), which enables pressure on one of both ends of the pin (331 ), so that upon pressure on one end of the pin (331 ) the spring (332) is arranged to contract and the wider part is moved from the groove (3131 ) into a free space, thus unlocking the lock.

4. The attachment assembly according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the rod (331 ) of the pin is provided with three wider parts (331a, 331 b, 331c), wherein two wider parts (331a, 331c) are provided on both ends of the rod, while the third wider part (331 b) is provided in the middle part, wherein a spring (332) is installed between the middle wider part (331 b) and one of the remaining wider parts (331c).

5. The attachment assembly according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the wider parts (331a, 331 b, 331c) are shaped as truncated cones.

6. A wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) according to any of the preceding claims for mounting the wiper onto a visor (11 ).

7. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 6, wherein the second element is mounted or provided close to a bottom or an upper edge of the visor (11 ).

8. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first element is shaped as a guide (32) and the second element is shaped as rail (31).

9. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 8, wherein the first element shaped as a guide (32) is mounted on or as a part of the wiper (2) and the second element shaped as a rail (31 ) is mounted on or is a part of the visor (11 ) or the helmet (1 ).

10. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the rail (31 ) comprises a base body (311 ), which is on both sides provided with an attachment part (312) with openings (312a) arranged to receive a screw for attachment to the visor, wherein the base body (311 ) is on both sides before the attachment part (312) provided with raised parts (313) shaped as upside-down letter L defining a space (313a) arranged to receive the shape-engaging part of the guide (32), andwherein each raised part (313) is on its upper side, i.e. the side in contact with the pin, provided with a groove (3131 ) arranged to receive the wider part (331 b, 331c) of the pin (331 ).

11. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 10, wherein the depths of each groove (3131 ) are on both ends of each elevated part (313) are different, so that the shapes correspond the shapes of wider parts (331 b, 331c) designed as truncated cones.

12. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the guide (32) is shaped as a base body (321 ) approximately shaped as a square, through which a hole (332) arranged to receive the pin is provided in the upper part, while in the bottom part under said hole (332) both sides are provided with protrusions (323) with a shape corresponding to the rail (31 ).

13. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to any claim from 6 to 12, wherein the guide (32) and the rail (31 ) are made of plastic, preferably using injection moulding, and wherein the pin (331 ) and the spring are made of metal.

14. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 13, wherein the guide (32) is injection moulded together with the housing or the guide is subsequently mounted on the housing.

15. The wiper (2) for a visor (11 ) of a helmet (1 ) comprising the assembly (3) for mounting onto the visor (11 ) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the wiper is arranged to be mounted:- in the rail (31 ) attached to the visor (11 ) with screws, wherein the visor has to be provided with drilled holes,- in the rail (31 ) fixedly attached to the visor (11 ) with ultrasonic welding, high- frequency welding, or gluing, or- in the rail (31 ) formed as a part of the visor (11 ) and is injection-moulded in the same process as injection moulding of the visor (11 ) plastic.

16. A visor (11 ) for a helmet (1 ) comprising the wiper (2) according to any of the preceding claims.

17. A helmet (1 ) with the visor (11 ) or the wiper (2) according to any of the preceding claims.

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