Abstract:
A protective goggle assembly includes a protective goggle having two side straps, each side strap comprises a free end and a first surface attachment region adjacent to the free end on at least one surface of each side strap; and a strap assembly that encircles the user&#39;s head, on each side of the strap assembly a second surface attachment region is provided that is configured to engage the first surface attachment region of the side straps. Free ends of the base band of the strap assembly are connected to an elastic ring to form a complete encircling band. The base band has a tail for securing the base band in position on a helmet. The complete encircling band is configured to fit around a soldier&#39;s helmet and the elastic ring being configured to fit over and around a night vision goggle mount at a front of the helmet.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an attachment system for protective goggles, particularly an attachment system for mounting protective goggles to a protective helmet. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For military use, it is known to provide a helmet mount for night vision goggles. Such a helmet mount is described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,457,179; 6,472,776; 5,506,730 and 6,992,275. U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,578 describes a similar arrangement for a head harness. According to the mounting arrangement of these patents, a single strap extends from a rear of a helmet over a top of the helmet to a top front area of the helmet where the strap connects to a night vision goggle mount. A hook mechanism connects the night vision goggle mount to a front part of the brim of the helmet. The night vision goggle mount can allow for the removal of the night vision goggles assembly or for the flipping down or up of the night vision goggles assembly for use and non use positions, respectively. 
     For daytime operations, protective goggles are typically worn. It is known to provide protective goggles having an encircling strap to hold the goggles onto a user&#39;s face wherein the strap encircles a helmet worn by the user. The strap, however, must encircle the helmet over and around the attachment and adjustment mechanisms of the night vision goggle assembly strap. Putting on and taking off the protective goggles can require the use of both hands, particularly to position the protective goggle strap to clear snags or obstructions between the strap of the protective goggles and hardware of the night vision goggles. 
     The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a protective goggle mounting assembly that allowed protective goggles to be easily switched from a use to a non-use position, preferably by using only one hand. 
     The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a protective goggle mounting assembly that allowed for the protective goggles to be carried in a non-use position on the helmet. 
     The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a protective goggle mounting assembly that was compatible with periodic night vision goggle usage. 
     The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a protective goggle mounting assembly that does not interfere with, ensnare or catch on night vision goggle assembly mounting mechanisms, particularly during putting on or taking off of the protective goggles. The present inventors have recognized the desirability of providing a protective goggle mounting assembly which is compatible to be worn with a night vision goggle assembly and which is easy to put on or take off the user&#39;s face. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a protective goggles mounting system to be used in conjunction with a helmet or a head harness that is easy to install, easy to position between use and nonuse positions, securely fastens to the helmet, and is cost effectively manufactured. 
     The present invention provides a protective goggle assembly comprising a protective goggle having side straps, each side strap comprising a free end and an area of surface attachment material adjacent to the free end on at least one surface of the side strap. 
     A mounting harness is provided having a base band with opposite free ends that are connected to an elastic ring to form a complete encircling band. The elastic ring is configured to fit over and around the night vision goggle mount at a front of the helmet. On each side of the base band a surface attachment region is provided that is configured to engage the surface attachment region of the goggle side straps. 
     The base band comprises a short strap portion or tail designed to wrap around the rear bottom edge of a helmet to secure the base band in position on the exterior of the helmet. The tail has two attachment areas, one on each side of the tail. In order to secure the tail to the helmet, one or more cushioning pads on the inside of the helmet are removed from the rear inside portion of the helmet to expose the pad attachment areas. When the base band is in position on a helmet, the tail is wrapped around the bottom rear edge of the helmet, and the first attachment area attaches to one or more pad attachment areas on the inside of the helmet. The removed pads may then be placed back into their previous positions on the inside of the helmet, attaching to the second attachment area of the tail and any unobstructed pad attachment areas. The tail is secured between the pad attachment areas and the pads on the inside of the helmet. 
     Two securement straps are connected to the base band. Each securement strap is fixed at a base end thereof to the base band and has a free end. The securement straps each include a surface attachment region facing the base band. The goggle side straps include an opposite surface attachment region that faces the surface attachment region of the securement straps. In operation, to position the protective goggles in a non-use position one goggle strap can be disengaged by disengaging first the securement strap and then the goggle strap. The goggle can hang loose supported from the remaining goggle strap to the base band of the mounting band. Alternately, the goggle strap can be disengaged from the base band and hung from the securement strap during non-use of the protective goggles. As the situation warrants, the night vision goggles can be deployed for use over the protective goggles or over the naked eye while the protective goggles are in a non-use position, the protective goggles being supported from the helmet by one goggle strap. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will be become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary front view of a user wearing a protective helmet, the helmet having a flip down mount for night vision goggles and having the protective goggles system according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary right side view of  FIG. 1  showing the night vision goggles schematically in a non-use position above the protective goggles  1 ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a fragmentary right side view showing the night vision goggles in a use position over the protective goggles; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the protective goggles system according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary left side view of  FIG. 1  showing the protective goggles in a stage of removal; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary view taken generally along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of protective goggles in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary right side view of  FIG. 1  showing the protective goggles in a non-use orientation while the night vision goggles are being used; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary right side view according of  FIG. 1  showing the protective goggles in an alternate non-use orientation while the night vision goggles are being used; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken generally along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken generally along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 2  showing an alternate embodiment arrangement; 
         FIG. 11  is a fragmentary right side view of  FIG. 1  showing a tail of the goggles system with certain other elements removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 12  is a fragmentary perspective view of a tail in a wrapped around engaged position on the underside of a helmet; and 
         FIG. 13  is a fragmentary perspective view of a tail in a wrapped around engaged position on the underside of a helmet with a pad placed over the tail. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
       FIGS. 1-2A  illustrate a military helmet  20  having a conventional flip down mount  26  for night vision goggles  27  (shown schematically). Such a night vision goggle arrangement is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,457,179; 6,472,776; 5,506,730, 5,469,578, and 6,992,275, all herein incorporated by reference. 
     The mount  26  is carried on the helmet  20  by a strap  32  ( FIG. 2 ) that is adjustably connected at a rear of the helmet, and a hook bracket  36  that engages a brim  38  of the helmet  20 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 2  the mount  26  is shown in a flipped up, with the night vision goggles in a non-use orientation. In  FIG. 2A  the mount  26  is shown in a flipped down, night vision goggle in use orientation. 
     In  FIGS. 1-2A  protective goggles  50  are shown worn by the user. The protective goggles  50  can be as described in U.S. Ser. No. 11/435,546 filed May 17, 2006, herein incorporated by reference, or can be DESERT LOCUST™ goggles available from Revision Military of Montreal, Canada, or Revision Eyewear, Ltd. of Essex Jct., Vt., USA. 
     The goggles  50  include a frame  54  that mounts a protective lens  56 . On each side of the frame, a strap clip  60 ,  62  mounts an elastic fabric strap  66 ,  68 . The straps  66 ,  68  include a sewn loop  66   a ,  68   a  that encircles a bar  60   a ,  62   a  of the clips  60 ,  62  for attachment thereto ( FIG. 6 ). The straps  66 ,  68  can be composed of a woven, polyester or cotton yarn wherein the straps are elasticized by a fire-resistant rubber. 
     The straps  66 ,  68  each have a free end  66   b ,  68   b . A first rectangular region of surface attachment material  72  is applied to the straps adjacent to each free end  66   b ,  68   b  applied to the strap face that faces toward the helmet, and a second rectangular region of surface attachment material  74  is applied to the straps adjacent to each free end  66   b ,  68   b  to the strap face that faces away from the helmet  20  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     The goggles  50  are mounted to the helmet using a protective goggle mounting harness  79 . The protective goggles  50  and the harness  79  are constructed symmetrically across a vertical center plane thereof that is centered between the user&#39;s eyes. Thus, a description of one side is sufficient to describe both sides. 
     The protective goggle mounting harness  79  ( FIG. 3 ) includes a base band  80  that has free ends  84 ,  86  that are sewn into loops  84   a ,  86   a  at each free end to capture a circular elastic ring  90 . The ring  90  has a substantially circular cross-section. The ring can be composed of ethylene-propylene. 
     On an outside facing surface of the base band  80  are rectangular surface attachment regions  96  located on the band  80  to be on opposite sides of the helmet. Adjacent to the regions  96  are securement straps  106 ,  108 . The securement straps  106 ,  108  are sewn at base ends  106   a ,  108   a  to the base band  80  behind the regions  96  and have lengths to free ends  106   b ,  108   b  thereof to extend forwardly over the regions  96 . Each securement strap  106 ,  108  includes a securement surface fastener region  112  facing toward the helmet. 
     The base band  80  may comprise a short strap portion or tail  88   a  as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  11 ,  12 , and  13 . The tail is located on the base band opposite the ring  90 . A tail  88   a  extends substantially perpendicularly from the base band  80  when the base band is properly attached to a helmet in a right-side up position. The tail  88   a  is designed to wrap around the rear bottom edge of a helmet to secure the base band in position on the exterior of the helmet  89   c  as shown in  FIGS. 11 ,  12 , and  13 . The tail  88   a  prevents or inhibits the base band from riding up on the helmet. The tail  88  has a first attachment area  88   b  (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 12 ) and a second attachment area  88   c  (shown in  FIG. 12 ). The first attachment area  88   b  and the second attachment area  88   c  are on opposite sides of the tail  88   a . The first attachment area  88   b  is designed to attach to one or more pad attachment areas  89   b  ( FIG. 12 ) generally found on the inside of a helmet. Helmets may have pad attachment areas  89   b  for attaching pads  89   a . The pads  89   a  cushion and inter-space the area between a users head and the hard helmet  89   c . The first attachment area  88   h  may also attach to any other type of attachment areas on the inside of a helmet. 
     In order to secure the tail to the helmet, one or more pads are removed from the rear inside portion of the helmet to expose the pad attachment areas  89   b  as shown in  FIG. 12 . When the base band is in position on a helmet, the tail  88   a  is wrapped around the bottom rear edge  89   d  of the helmet, and the first attachment area  88   b  attaches to one or more pad attachment areas  89   b  on the inside of the helmet. Then, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the removed pad(s) may be placed back into their previous positions on the inside of the helmet, attaching to the second attachment area  88   c  of the tail  88   a  and any unobstructed pad attachment areas  89   b . The tail  88   a  is secured between the pad attachment areas  89   b  and the pads on the inside of the helmet. 
     The base band, securement straps, and tail, can be composed of a woven, polyester or cotton yarn wherein the base band and securement straps are elasticized by a fire-resistant rubber. 
     Preferably, the surface fastener regions  74 ,  96 , and the first attachment area  88   b  comprise organized patterns of loops or disorganized or tangled fabric loops. Preferably, the surface fastener regions  72 ,  112 , the second attachment area  88   c , and the pad attachment areas  89   b  comprise hooks that are configured to engage the loops or tangled fabric looks. Reversing the hooks and loops or providing mixed hooks and loops on mutually engageable surfaces or providing mutually engageable surfaces having only engageable hooks or mushrooms, or other known configurations of hook and loop type fasteners are encompassed by the invention.  FIG. 9  illustrates the layers of the attachment system, wherein thicknesses are exaggerated. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the securement strap  106  pulled away from the goggle strap  66  as a first step in removing one side of the goggles from the harness  79 . The securement strap  106  is looped backward and re-engaged to the surface region  96 . The elastic band  90  surrounds a base portion  26   a  of the mount  26  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The elastic band  90  provides sufficient elasticity to be stretched over the mount  26  as needed. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the helmet  20  with the protective goggles  50  disengaged and the night vision goggles mount  26  flipped down for use. The night vision goggles  27  could be used with or without the protective goggles  50  as the situation warrants. The protective goggles  50  are shown somewhat schematically. The protective goggles  50  have been disengaged from the right side of the helmet  20  by disengagement of the securement strap  106  and the goggle strap  66  from the base hand  80 . As to be seen in  FIG. 7 , the goggle strap  68  twists slightly under force of gravity and the goggles  50  hang vertically in a non-use position. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the helmet  20  with the protective goggles  50  disengaged and the night vision goggles mount  26  flipped down for night vision goggle use. The protective goggles are shown somewhat schematically. The protective goggles  50  have been disengaged from the right side of the helmet  20  by disengagement of the securement strap  106  and the goggle strap  66  from the base band  80 . The goggle strap  68  has been disengaged from the base band  80  surface region  96 , but is retained to the securement strap  108 . As to be seen in  FIG. 8 , the securement strap  108  twists slightly under force of gravity and the goggles  50  hang vertically in a non-use position to a lower elevation compared to  FIG. 7 . 
     A lower or higher position of the protective goggles in the non-use position may be desired by the individual user based on other equipment carried by the user or personal preference. 
     In this regard, the pull-free strength of the surface fastener connections, either the connection between the goggle strap and the securement strap or the connection between the goggle strap and the base band, can be pre-selected to have a built in preference for either the non-use configuration of  FIG. 7  or the non-use configuration of  FIG. 8  when the securement strap is pulled by the user. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an alternate embodiment wherein the securement straps  106 ,  108  and the regions  112  of each securement strap have sufficient lengths to expand over the region  74  in order for the region  112  to engage the region  74  and to also extend over the region  96  to also engage the region  96 . This configuration could provide some additional security for holding goggles to the helmet. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.