Abstract:
A rider helmet comprising a first lens pivotally mounted to the helmet, a second lens pivotally mounted to the helmet in spaced apart relationship to the first lens, a recessed slot in the helmet and lens retention means in the recessed slot wherein the first lens and the second lens are manually operable between a stored position inside the recessed slot and an operational position outside of the recessed slot with the lens retention means selectively retaining the first lens and the second lens in either the operational position or the stored position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to face shields or lenses for helmets of a type worn by operators of snowmobiles, motorcycles and the like. In particular, the invention relates to adapting the helmet with a clear protective visor or lens in combination with a light attenuating visor or lens wherein both lenses are stored in a curved recessed slot at the front of the helmet between the helmet shell and the liner. The lenses are pivotally attached to the helmet and are independently and manually operable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Rider&#39;s of motorized vehicles such as snowmobiles and motorcycles generally wear protective helmets which is either an optional or mandatory requirement. Helmets may be equipped with a visor or lens to protect the rider&#39;s facial area. Typically the helmets have a hard outer shell and an inner cushioned liner to cushion the rider&#39;s head in the event of an impact. 
         [0003]    Typically, a face shield or lens is rotatably attached to each side of the helmet to allow pivotal rotation of the face shield from an operational position covering the rider&#39;s facial area to a stored position exposing the rider&#39;s facial area and vice versa. A rider may optionally use a lens designed for use in bright light conditions, or use a clear lens for riding in the evening. This requires that the rider interchange the lenses since a dark lens would not be suitable for use during the night. 
         [0004]    In many jurisdictions, legal requirements mandate that a helmet with a face shield in operational position be worn at all times during operation of the motorized vehicle. As a consequence, riders have to disrupt their travel in order to remove and change the face shield that is installed on their helmet when necessitated by changes in light conditions. The interchanging of the face shields may require tools and take a significant amount of time. The need for an additional lens also necessitates the need for riders to store the second lens during travel. 
         [0005]    Due to the difficulties described above, some riders use only a transparent lens and wear sunglasses in combination with a face shield in bright light conditions. The use of sunglasses in combination with a face shield can be uncomfortable, reduce a rider&#39;s field of vision, and be prone to the accumulation of condensation on the sunglasses. Additionally, when not in use the sunglasses must also be stored and the rider may have to remove the helmet in order to put the sunglasses on. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a rider helmet comprising a first lens pivotally mounted to the helmet and a second lens pivotally mounted to the helmet in spaced apart relationship to the first lens. A recessed slot in the helmet is provided with lens retention means wherein the first lens and the second lens are independently manually operable between a stored position inside the recessed slot to an operational position outside of the recessed slot. The lens retention means selectively retain the first lens and the second lens in either the operational position or the stored position. 
         [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a helmet wherein the second lens is a light attenuating lens and the first lens is transparent. 
         [0008]    According to an aspect of the invention a helmet is provided wherein the second lens comprises a flange extending from the top edge so as to engage the top edge of the first lens when the second lens is rotated into the operational position whereby both lenses may be together rotated into the operational position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a helmet with two lenses according to the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the transparent lens according to the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the shaded lens according to the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an inner perspective view of the ratchet insert showing the locking mechanism used to hold the lens in place; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of the ratchet mechanism according to the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of the lenses attached within the ratchet insert. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    A helmet  1  having two lenses according to the present invention is illustrated in the figures. As shown in  FIG. 1 , an outer protective transparent lens  2  is provided as well as an inner lens  3  in spaced apart relationship thereto. The inner lens  3  is specifically designed for use in bright lighting conditions and is hereinafter referred to as the shaded lens. Both or either of the lenses may be selectively and manually operated to shield the rider&#39;s facial area. In bright light conditions it is generally preferable to use a tinted or shaded lens, a polarized lens or any other lens that is light attenuating in order to reduce the amount of light reaching the rider&#39;s facial area. In low light conditions it is generally preferable to use a clear or transparent lens to maximize the amount of light reaching the rider&#39;s eyes. 
         [0017]    A preferred embodiment of the transparent lens  2  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The shape, thickness, size, material and curvature of the lens are dependant on the design of the helmet for which the lens is to be used. As such, the embodiment of the lens illustrated in one possible embodiment and variants are contemplated. The transparent lens  2  preferably has an unthreaded hole  7  at each side to facilitate the pivotal connection of the lens to the helmet  1  as will be hereinafter described. 
         [0018]    A preferred embodiment of the shaded lens  3  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The shape, thickness, size, material and curvature of the lens are dependant on the design of the helmet for which the lens is to be used. As such, the embodiment of the lens illustrated in one possible embodiment and variants are contemplated. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the thickness of the shaded lens  3  is less than the thickness of the transparent lens  2  to reduce the area required inside the helmet  1  to store the shaded lens  3 . The shaded lens  3  preferably has an unthreaded hole  8  at each side to facilitate the pivotal connection of the lens to the helmet  1  as will be hereinafter described. 
         [0019]    The transparent lens  2  and the shaded lens  3  may be manufactured from any material known in the art that provides proper protection and adheres to safety regulations. The surfaces of the lenses may be coated with various coatings known in the art to enhance the characteristics of the lens. An example of such coating would be an anti-fog coating. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the helmet  1  is shown with both the transparent lens  2  and the shaded lens  3  in the operational, downwardly extending, position. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the operational position for each lens is such that the lens is situated in front of the rider&#39;s facial area when the rider is wearing the helmet  1  to protect the rider&#39;s face from, for example, debris and wind. In the operational position, the rider&#39;s field of vision passes through the lens. 
         [0021]    The helmet  1  is comprised of two components, a hard outer shell  4  and an inner liner  5  to cushion the rider&#39;s head in the event of an impact. In the preferred embodiment, a recessed slot  6  is provided in between the shell  4  and the liner  5  above the rider&#39;s facial area for storage of the lenses. The recessed slot  6  is defined by the walls of the shell  4  and the liner  5 . Alternatively, an insert may be placed in the recessed slot  6  to define a particular shape and size of the slot having regard to the lenses to be used. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the lenses are preferably rotatably mounted inside the recessed slot  6  by a pivotal connection using the holes  7  and  8  provided at each end of the lenses. A particular preferred example of a pivotal connection is a pin connection  9  described below but the lenses may be pivotally connected to the helmet  1  by any other known pivot connection means. The preferred example of a pivotal connection utilizes two fasteners  10  to create a pin connection  9  on each side of the helmet  1 . The fasteners  10  have a head, a threaded portion extending from the head and an unthreaded end shaft portion. The fasteners  10  are inserted through threaded holes provided in the shell  4  of the helmet  1  and through holes  7  and  8  provided in each lens such that the end of the fastener abuts with the edge of the recessed slot  6  and the lenses are thereby secured in the recessed slot  6 . The threaded portion of the fasteners  10  engage the threaded holes provided in the in shell  4  of the helmet  1  to secure the fasteners  10  in place. The unthreaded shaft of the fasteners  10  in effect acts as an axle allowing the lenses to rotate in and out of the recessed slot  6 . 
         [0023]    The lenses are rotatable between an operational position and a stored position. As shown in  FIG. 1  each lens is preferably provided with a manual grasping element  11  to assist the rider in rotating the lenses. The stored position for each lens is such that the lens is rotated in to the recessed slot  6  provided between the shell  4  and the liner  5 . When rotated into the stored position the lenses do not cover the rider&#39;s facial area nor does the rider&#39;s field of vision pass through the lens. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 3  the shaded lens  3  may include a flange  12  which protrudes outward along the top edge of the lens. When both lenses are mounted to the helmet  1  the flange  12  extends over the top edge of the transparent lens  2 . When the shaded lens  3  is rotated from the stored position into the operational position the flange  12  will be brought into contact with the top edge of the adjacent transparent lens  2  so that the force exerted on the transparent lens  2  by the flange  12  will cause the transparent lens  2  to also rotate into the operational position. As such, the shaded lens  3  can only be rotated into the operational position together with the transparent lens  2  and cannot otherwise be brought into the operational position singly. 
         [0025]    Preferably the rotation of the lenses is controlled by lens retention means. A particular preferred example of lens retention means is a ratchet system; however, the rotation of the lenses may be limited by any other known locking system. In the preferred embodiment, a ratchet mechanism is used to hold the lenses in either the operational position or the stored position. Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , the ratchet mechanism used to hold the lenses in place is shown in detail. The ratchet system is comprised of two ratchet inserts  13  located at the opposing ends of the recessed slot  6 . Each ratchet insert  13  may be provided with a hole  15  to secure it in the recessed slot  6  by the fasteners  10  used to create the pivotal connection. Additionally a tab  16  is provided on the outside of each of the ratchet inserts to engage with the inside of the outer shell  4  of the helmet  1  and prevent rotation or movement of the insert. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the ends of each lens have small protrusions or tabs  17  that engage with corresponding indents  18  provided in the ratchet insert  13 . As the lenses rotate between operational position and engaged stored the tabs  17  engage and slide over the corresponding indents  18  to frictionally secure the lenses in position. When a lens is in the operational position the tabs  17  are frictionally secured within the top two indents  18  provided. When a lens in stored position the tabs  17  are frictionally secured in the bottom two indents  18  provided. 
         [0027]    Other advantages which are inherent to the invention are obvious to one skilled in the art. The embodiments are described herein illustratively and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as claimed. Variations of the foregoing embodiments will be evident to a person of ordinary skill and are intended by the inventor to be encompassed by the following claims.