Helmet Shield Pivot Mechanism With a Virtual Pivot Track
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helmet hingeplates are complex, bulky, and occupy valuable space that could be used for impact-absorbing material, particularly in dual shield helmets with concentric arcs or spheres requiring multiple hingeplates.
Innovation Solution
A pivot mechanism with a 'virtual pivot point' using a clamp that slides along a curved track, reducing the need for physical structures at the shield's axis of rotation, thus minimizing complexity and size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional hingeplates are used to articulate shields on helmets, then the shield can be raised and lowered, but the hingeplates become complex and bulky, occupying valuable space that could be used for impact-absorbing material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pivot function from a physical hingeplate structure and relocates it to a fixed pivot point on the helmet shell. The shield is detached from the conventional hingeplate assembly, allowing the hingeplate to be simplified or eliminated entirely while maintaining shield articulation capability through the extracted pivot function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the shield pivot around a movable hingeplate structure, the invention inverts the approach by fixing the pivot point to the helmet shell and allowing the shield to rotate around this fixed point. This inversion eliminates the need for complex movable hingeplate mechanisms while achieving the same shield articulation function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dual shield helmets with concentric arcs or spheres are used, then both shields can articulate, but multiple hingeplates must be stacked together in the same region, increasing complexity and volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pivot function from the hingeplate assembly and assigns it to fixed pivot points on the helmet shell. This extraction allows each shield (inner and outer) to have its own dedicated fixed pivot point, eliminating the need to stack multiple hingeplates together and reducing overall mechanism complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the articulation mechanism by providing separate fixed pivot points for the inner shield and outer shield on the helmet shell. This segmentation allows each shield to articulate independently around its own pivot point, avoiding the complexity of stacked hingeplates while maintaining dual shield functionality.
3Ease of operation
If conventional hingeplates are used, then the shield can be controlled to raise and lower, but the physical pivot structure occupies space that could be used for impact-absorbing material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pivot function from the hingeplate structure and assigns it to the helmet shell itself. This extraction eliminates the need for bulky physical pivot structures made of impact-absorbing material, allowing that valuable material to be used elsewhere in the helmet construction while maintaining full shield control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using impact-absorbing material to create movable hingeplate structures, the invention inverts the approach by making the pivot points fixed and integral to the helmet shell. This inversion preserves impact-absorbing material for critical protective functions while achieving shield control through the fixed pivot mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a pivot mechanism for a shield for a helmet, the pivot mechanism comprising a curved track having a first end and a second end; and a clamp slidingly engaged to the curved track, wherein the clamp is configured to attach to an end of the shield and slide along the track between a first position proximate to the first end of the curved track and a second position proximate to the second end of the curved track.