Abstract:
A motorcycle helmet having an oxygen conversion unit, which converts polluted air to breathable oxygen and other harmless compounds, while riding through the polluted atmosphere.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to helmets, more particularly to a motorcycle helmet having an oxygen producing unit whereby allowing the user to inhale oxygen instead of pollution while riding trough a polluted atmosphere, whereby converting the external polluted air to breathable oxygen and other harmless compounds. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various types of helmets have be created and evolved over the years as a protective device for the head while riding. There are many helmets with safety features such as two-way communication, AM/FM radios, turn signals, rearview mirrors, fragrance unit and other safety devices. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,726 to Shinoda et al. has two-way radio communication facilities to be used by workers in the construction industry. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,008 to Eikenberry et al. has break lights including a duty cycled receiver circuit for receiving a radio frequency signal from a transmitter located on the motorcycle. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,574 B1 to Hayashida et al. has a fragrance device so the rider can inhale fragranced odors. 
         [0003]    Helmets should not only be designed to protect the head of an individual from a fall but also protect the individual from the environment, such as low ground level pollution. Pollution is produced by many items such as cars, off-road vehicles, diesel truck, buses and industrial process all of which contribute to the production of ground level smog or pollution the motorcycle rider has to contend with. Pollution is a slow killer, slowly degrading the health of the individual with increased exposure to pollution. Increased exposure to pollution can lead to lung diseases and other complication to the body. The oxygen helmet not only protects the individual from head injury but also protect the individual from long-term injuries to the body as a whole. Aesthetically the oxygen helmet look and wears like a regular motorcycle helmet. The oxygen helmet transforms the polluted air from the environment to oxygen and other harmless compounds when the polluted air travels through the chemically treated unit located in the face bar of the helmet. The chemically treated unit can also be heated to increase efficiency of converting ground level pollution to oxygen. The chemical used, such as PrimiAir catalyst, to catalyze low level ground pollutant to breathable oxygen while the rider travels through the polluted environment, is but one example. 
         [0004]    Thus it is desirable to provide an oxygen helmet, which allows the motorcycle oxygen helmet wearer to obtain oxygen while riding by converting the low ground level pollution to oxygen and not breathing the polluted air generated by traffic and industrial processes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a oxygen helmet for motorcycle riders which is designed to have an aesthetic look, like any other motorcycle helmet and provide oxygen to the rider while the rider is traveling through the polluted atmosphere whereby having the polluted air passing through a oxygen conversion unit to convert the polluted air into fresh breathable oxygen and other harmless compounds for the rider. The oxygen conversion unit encompasses an exterior face bar shell and interior face bar shell. Both the exterior and interior face bar shell has corresponding opening to allow for airflow through the oxygen conversion unit to the breathing area of the rider. Also located within the oxygen conversion unit is an airflow control cover, which allows the rider to control the amount of polluted air that can enter the oxygen conversion unit. The oxygen conversion unit includes a honeycombed metal unit, which is coated with a chemical catalyst, such as or similar to the PrimeAir Catalyst, by Engelhard Corporation, Isclin, N.J., USA, to convert polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds when the polluted air comes in contact with the coated honeycombed metal unit and passes through it to the face of the rider. The chemical catalyst converts low ground level pollutants such as ozone to be catalyzed to form oxygen, carbon monoxide to be catalyzed to form carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons to be catalyzed to form water and carbon dioxide. The chemicals used for the catalysis of low ground level pollution will have a composition comprising of a support such as a refractory metal oxide support on which is dispersed a precious metal component. The refractory metal oxide support can comprise a support component selected from the group consisting of ceria, alumina, titania, zirconia, silica and mixtures thereof. The precious metal components are selected from platinum group components including palladium and/or platinum. It has been found that a combination of titania support with a platinum component results in the most effective catalyst for treating ozone, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. Other useful compositions which can convert ozone to oxygen, carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide include a platinum component supported on carbon, a support comprising manganese dioxide, or a support comprising a coprecipitate of manganese oxide and zirconia. A metal honeycombed or metal mesh or a combination of both can be coated with the chemical catalyst with the object being to increase the surface contact of the chemical catalyst to the polluted air for increased efficiency of the catalyst. The honeycombed metal unit coated with the chemical catalyst works best under high temperatures in the range of 5 C to 105 C, therefore a power source is connected to the honeycombed metal unit to heat it up allowing to convert more types of polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds for the rider. The power source is a small battery, which can be recharged and be turned on and off by an on/off switch. The battery is recharged by a solar panel located on the oxygen conversion unit. The heated honeycombed unit will also evaporate any moisture caused by exhalation from rider and extend the life and efficiency of the coated catalyst on the honeycombed unit. Once the polluted air passes through the heated honeycombed unit it is turned into oxygen and other harmless compounds. To clean the air from debris a filter is placed behind the honeycombed metal unit, which traps any small particles and some polluted air and also absorbs any moisture from the breath of the wearer. The debris filter cleans the air by trapping particles in the air, as well as, cooling the air by evaporating the moisture absorbed from the breath of wearer. The debris filter can be removed and replaced when it get full of trapped particles. The oxygen conversion unit is held in an oxygen conversion holder and is detachable from the oxygen helmet and can be recharged separately and used separately. There are strap attachment sites on the oxygen conversion unit, which allows the straps to be attached to the oxygen conversion unit whereby allowing the rider to use the oxygen conversion unit without using the helmet. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention the oxygen helmet for motorcycle riders, having a aesthetic appearance, provides oxygen to the rider while riding through a polluted atmosphere by having polluted air passing through the opening in the oxygen conversion unit of the helmet, where polluted air is converted into oxygen and other harmless compounds for the rider through a chemical catalytic reaction. 
         [0006]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustrations only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not limitative of the present invention, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of the side of oxygen helmet with the oxygen conversion unit inserted; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the front side of oxygen helmet with the oxygen conversion unit inserted; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an illustrative view of the front side of oxygen helmet with the air control cover exposed; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the backside of oxygen helmet with the oxygen conversion unit inserted; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic plan view of the side of oxygen helmet with the oxygen conversion unit being removed; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the backside of oxygen helmet with the oxygen conversion unit removed; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the side of the oxygen conversion unit; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the oxygen conversion unit; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a illustrative view of oxygen conversion unit with straps; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a plan front view of an oxygen helmet with side intake on oxygen side conversion units; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic view of oxygen helmet with side intake on oxygen side conversion unit being removed; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a plan side view of oxygen side conversion unit; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is an exploded view of oxygen side conversion unit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring now to the drawings wherein the depictions are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same.  FIG. 1  is a plan view of an oxygen helmet  10  of the present invention. Oxygen helmet  10  is generally composed of a visor  2  to cover and protect the face from debris and to keep air out of face of rider, an oxygen conversion holder  4  that is a part of the helmet that contains an oxygen conversion unit  20  in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 1  depicts an exterior face bar shell  6 , which is the outer shell of the oxygen conversion unit  20  and an exterior face bar opening  5  is the opening for air flow, a right strap attachment opening  9  and a battery cap  3 .  FIG. 1  also depicts a honeycombed metal unit  8  located behind the exterior face bar opening  5 , which is responsible for catalyzing the polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds. The honeycombed metal unit  8  is coated with a chemical catalyst, such as PrimAir Catalyst, which converts low ground level pollution such as ozone to oxygen, carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons to water and carbon dioxide.  FIG. 2  is a plan view of the front of the oxygen helmet  10  depicting the exterior face bar shell  6 , the honeycombed metal unit  8  and the oxygen conversion holder  4 .  FIG. 2  also depicts the right strap attachment opening  9  and a left strap attachment opening  11 .  FIG. 2  also depicts a right unit attachment  13  and a left unit attachment  17 , which attaches the oxygen conversion unit  20  to the helmet. An air control knob  25  and an air control opening  27  are depicted in  FIG. 2  to control the amount air entering the oxygen conversion unit  20 .  FIG. 3  is an illustrative view on the air control knob  25  being moved to the center of the air control opening  27  whereby depicting the closure of the exterior face bar opening  5  by an air control cover  26 .  FIG. 4  is a plan view of the backside of the oxygen helmet  10  with the oxygen conversion unit  20  inserted into the oxygen conversion holder  4 .  FIG. 4  depicts an interior face bar shell  14  making up the interior shell of the oxygen conversion unit  20  and a corresponding opening to the exterior face bar opening  5  is an interior face bar opening  16 , a debris filter  15  to catch particles before it reaches the face of rider and also absorbs the moisture of wearer&#39;s breath.  FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of the oxygen helmet depicting the oxygen conversion unit  20  being removed from the oxygen helmet  10 .  FIG. 5  exposes a right attachment opening  23  where the right unit attachment  13  fits into.  FIG. 5  depicts the oxygen conversion holder  4 , the exterior face bar shell  6 , the interior face bar shell  14 , the exterior face bar opening  5 , the honeycombed metal unit  8  and a face bar opening  12 .  FIG. 6  is a plan view of the backside of oxygen helmet  10  without the oxygen conversion unit  20 .  FIG. 6  depicts the oxygen conversion holder  4  and the face bar opening  12  with the oxygen conversion unit  20  removed.  FIG. 7  is a plan view of the oxygen conversion unit  20  composed of the exterior face bar shell  6 , interior face bar shell  14 , exterior face bar opening  5  and the honeycombed metal unit  8 .  FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the oxygen conversion unit.  FIG. 8  is composed of the exterior face bar shell  6  where the exterior face bar opening  5  is located and this opening allows for air passage, which correspondently aligns to the interior face bar opening  16  and this opening located on the interior face bar shell  14  which, allows oxygen to reach the face of wearer. The air control cover  26  is located behind the exterior face bar opening  5  where the air control knob  25  is inserted into the air control opening  27  located on the exterior face bar shell  6  to control the amount of air entering the oxygen conversion unit  20 . In-between the exterior face bar shell  6  and the interior face bar shell  14  is the honeycombed metal unit  8 , which is coated with a chemical catalyst, such as the PrimeAir Catalyst, that converts polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds and the debris filter  15 , to catch particles and absorb moisture from the breath of wearer.  FIG. 8  also depicts the power source which heats the honeycombed metal unit  8 , which is a rechargeable battery  1  located in a battery holder  7 . The rechargeable battery  1  is recharged by a solar panel  19  and can be switched on and off by an on/off switch  18 . The battery holder  7  has an electrically conductive wires  21  extending from it and attaching to the honeycombed metal unit  8  to heat it up for a more efficient conversion of the polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds, when the polluted air travels through the chemically treated honeycombed metal unit  8 .  FIG. 9  is an illustrative view of the oxygen conversion unit  20  with a head strap  22  going around head of wearer. The head strap  22  is attached to the strap attachment opening  9  and the strap attachment opening  11  on exterior face bar shell  6  depicted in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is another embodiment of an oxygen helmet with side intake  30  with an oxygen side conversion unit  40  inserted. The oxygen helmet with side intake  30  is composed of an exterior double face bar shell  34 , a left double face bar opening  36 , and a right double face bar opening  37  to allow for air passage. A left honeycombed metal unit  31  and a right honeycombed metal unit  33  is located behind the exterior double face bar shell  34 . There is an oxygen side conversion holder  32 , which holds the oxygen side conversion unit  40 . A helmet opening  38  is located on the head of the helmet and contains a head honeycombed metal unit  39 , which is also coated with the chemical catalyst converting polluted air to oxygen and other harmless compounds and allows air to travel all though the interior of the helmet.  FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic view of the oxygen helmet with side intake  30  with the oxygen side conversion unit  40  being removed. A double face bar opening  41  is exposed when the oxygen side conversion unit  40  is being removed.  FIG. 11  depicts the oxygen side conversion holder  32  and also an interior double face bar shell  42  and the exterior double face bar shell  34 , which hold the left honeycombed metal unit  31  and the right honeycombed metal unit  33 .  FIG. 12  is a plan view of the oxygen side conversion unit  40  without the helmet. The oxygen side conversion unit  40  is composed of the exterior double face bar shell  34 , the interior double face bar shell  42 , the left double face bar opening  36  and left honeycombed metal unit  31 .  FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the oxygen side conversion unit  40 .  FIG. 13  depicts the exterior double face bar shell  34  and interior double face bar shell  42  and left double face bar opening  36  and right double face bar opening  37 . Behind the left double face bar opening  36  is the left honeycombed metal unit  31  and behind it is a debris filter  47  and then a left air duct  44 , which guides the oxygen to the face of rider though a face opening  48 . Behind the right double face bar opening  37  is the right honeycombed metal unit  33  and behind it is a debris filter  49  and then a right air duct  46 , which guides the oxygen to the face of rider through the face opening  48 .