Goggle mounting system with removable eyelet

A goggle mounting system for retaining a pair of goggles to the lower edge of a helmet or the like. The goggle retention system comprises a plurality of clips, each clip having a base mounted to a helmet, and a removable eyelet shaped to receive and retain the goggles. Each base has an oblong slot extending therethrough and is shaped to receive and retain an associated eyelet. Each base further includes a pair of transverse locking notches and a helical camming surface extending between the slot and the notches. Each eyelet includes a generally circular ring to retain the goggle strap, and a pair of spaced, parallel legs extending from the ring. Each eyelet further includes a pair of opposed, spaced feet at the ends of the legs. The feet are shaped to pass through the slot when the feet are oriented lengthwise of the slot. An eyelet is attached to an associated base by passing the feet of the eyelet through the slot of the base and rotating the eyelet so that the narrowing width of the slot urges the legs closer together causing the legs to exert a reactive force against the inside walls of the slot, thereby securing the eyelet to the base, and securing the strap in the eyelet. The system of the present invention allows the goggles to be easily attached or released by simple hand manipulation.

BACKGROUND 
The present invention relates to a headgear and more particularly, a goggle 
mounting system for retaining a pair of goggles to a firefighter helmet or 
the like. 
Firefighters are often required to operate in an environment that poses a 
safety hazard to their eyes and faces. Extreme temperatures, loose debris, 
smoke, water and toxic chemicals may all be encountered during various 
operations. For this reason, goggles, in conjunction with a helmet, are 
often utilized to protect the firefighter from such an inhospitable 
environment. Because of the importance of goggles to the firefighter, it 
is important to have the goggles readily available for use. It is known in 
the art to provide for a plurality of goggle-receiving rings about the 
perimeter of the helmet to receive the goggle strap. Typically, rings are 
secured to the helmet by screws or bolts. In this manner, the goggles may 
be stored on the crown of the helmet when not in use, and the strap is 
retained within the rings. When a firefighter wishes to use goggles 
attached in that manner, the goggles may be pulled away from the crown, 
passed over the brim of the helmet, and placed over the firefighter's 
eyes. When the goggles are no longer needed, they may be repositioned on 
the crown of the helmet. 
Although goggles provide many safety features, it may often be desired to 
remove the goggles from the helmet completely. However, prior goggle 
mounting systems do not provide for easy removal or reattachment of the 
goggles to the helmet. Under the prior art, when the goggles are to be 
removed from the helmet, the receiving rings must first be unscrewed from 
the helmet. This can be inconvenient, since the operation takes time to 
complete, requires the use of tools (which may not always be immediately 
available), and requires a firefighter to remove the helmet before the 
goggles can be removed. Accordingly, there exists the need for a 
firefighter goggles retention system which can retain the goggles in a 
position for easy access, allows the goggles to be adjusted to fit over 
the firefighter's eyes, and is removable to allow the goggles to be easily 
uncoupled from the helmet. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is a goggle retention system that retains the goggles 
in a convenient position, allows the goggles to fit over the user's eyes, 
and is relatively easily removable to allow the goggles to be separated 
from the helmet. In particular, the retention system of the present 
invention allows for the goggles to be uncoupled by simple hand 
manipulation. 
The goggle retention system of the present invention provides for a 
plurality of clips which receive and retain the strap of the user's 
goggles. Each clip has a base mounted to a helmet, and a removable eyelet 
shaped to receive and retain the goggles. Each base has an oblong slot 
extending therethrough and is shaped to receive and retain an associated 
eyelet. Each base further includes a pair of transverse locking notches 
and a helical camming surface extending between the slot and the notches. 
Each eyelet includes a generally circular ring to retain the goggle strap, 
and a pair of spaced, parallel legs extending from the ring. Each eyelet 
further includes a pair of opposed, spaced feet at the ends of the legs. 
The feet are shaped to pass through the slot when the feet are oriented 
lengthwise of the slot. An eyelet is attached to an associated base by 
passing the feet of the eyelet through the slot of the base and rotating 
the eyelet so that the narrowing width of the slot urges the legs closer 
together causing the legs to exert a reactive force against the inside 
walls of the slot, thereby securing the eyelet to the base, and securing 
the strap in the eyelet. The system of the present invention allows the 
goggles to be easily attached or released by simple hand manipulation. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
relatively simple and inexpensive system; a goggle mounting system for 
releasably attaching a pair of goggles to a helmet; a goggle mounting 
system which allows the goggles to be attached or released by simple hand 
manipulation; and a goggle mounting system which is rugged and durable. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from 
the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended 
claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the goggle retention 
system of the present invention 11 comprises a plurality of clips, each 
generally designated 12. Each clip 12 is mounted on the lower open end of 
a firefighter helmet 13. The firefighter helmet 13 further comprises a 
firefighter helmet liner 14 which fits inside the helmet. In a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention, each clip 12 is mounted on the open 
end of the liner 14. The clips 12 retain a pair of goggles, generally 
designated 16. The goggles 16 comprise a lens 18, a frame 19, and a strap 
20 attached to the frame. The strap 20 is preferably made of an elastic 
material and is retained by the clips 12 mounted about the lower perimeter 
of the helmet 13. 
In this manner, when the goggles are placed over the firefighter's eyes, as 
shown in FIG. 1, the strap 20 is retained in clips 12. When the 
firefighter desires to remove the goggles 16 from his face and temporarily 
place them out of use, the firefighter may pull the goggles around the 
brim 22 of the helmet 13, and rest the goggles on the crown 24 of the 
helmet. In this manner, the goggles 16 are placed out of the firefighter's 
field of vision, but are retained in a convenient location should the 
firefighter later wish to use the goggles. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each clip 12 comprises a base 30 and an eyelet 
32. Each base 30 includes an oblong slot 31, extending through the base, 
and a top face 34. Each slot 31 is defined by an inside wall 35. Each base 
30 further includes a pair of holes 36 for receiving mounting screws 37 
(see FIGS. 1 and 2). Alternatively, the base 30 may be attached to the 
helmet 13 or liner 14 by bolts, rivets, or other attachment means. 
The base 30 also includes a pair of opposed, rectangular locking notches 
38, located on the longitudinal edges of the base 30, and a pair of 
camming surfaces 39 located adjacent to each locking notch 38 which have a 
helical contour relative to an axis passing through the center of the slot 
31, and extend from the top face 34 to the locking notches 38. 
The slot wall 35 has rounded corners to facilitate the rotation of the 
eyelet 32. The base 30 of the present invention is substantially oval in 
plan view. 
As best shown in FIGS. 5-6, each eyelet 32 comprises a generally circular, 
open ring portion 40 having a central hole 41 and terminating in a pair of 
spaced, parallel legs 42 extending outwardly from ring 40. The legs 42 
extend in a generally radial direction relative to the ring 40. The legs 
42 are spaced apart from each other to form a gap 43. Strap 20 is passed 
through the gap 43 so that it rests in ring 40. In a preferred embodiment, 
the eyelet 32 has a central hole 41. A pair of splayed feet 44 extend from 
the ends of the legs 42 in opposite directions, each having an upper 
bearing surface 46. The feet 44 are shaped and sized to pass through the 
slot 31 when longitudinally oriented with the length of the slot 31. 
The operation of the goggle mounting system 11 is as follows. The bases 30, 
which are attached to the helmet 13 or the liner 14, are separated from 
the eyelets 32. To attach the goggles 16 to the helmet 13, strap 20 is 
inserted through the gaps 43 of each eyelet 32 into the eyelet hole 41. 
The eyelets 32 are then secured to their respective bases 30 as described 
below. 
FIGS. 7-10 best illustrate the attachment of a representative eyelet 32 to 
its base 30. To attach the eyelet 32, the feet 44 of the eyelet 32 are 
longitudinally oriented within slot 31. FIGS. 7-8 illustrate the eyelet 32 
and the base 30 in such a position. In order to lock the eyelet 32 into 
position, the eyelet is then twisted approximately 90.degree. clockwise. 
As the eyelet 32 is twisted, such that the upper surfaces 46 bears against 
the helical camming surfaces 39, which draws the eyelet 32 into the base 
30 and the feet into the locking notches 38, as shown in FIG. 9. When the 
eyelet 32 is twisted so that the legs 42 are transverse to the slot 31, 
the engagement of the outer surfaces 48 (see FIG. 5) of the legs against 
the wall 35 causes gap 43 to narrow. The resiliency of the eyelet 32 
causes the legs 42 to exert a force against the inside walls 35 of the 
slot 31, which secures the eyelet within the base 30. 
To detach the eyelet 32 from the base 30, the eyelet 32 is pushed in and 
twisted approximately 90.degree. in a counter-clockwise direction such 
that the feet 44 are oriented lengthwise in the slot 31. The eyelet 32 is 
then extracted from the base 30. The twisting of the eyelet may be 
accomplished through simple hand manipulation, and therefore no tools are 
required. Similarly, the helmet does not need to be removed from the 
firefighter's head in order to attach or detach the eyelet 32 to the base 
30 since the firefighter may simply reach up to each eyelet 32 and twist 
to unlock it. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, spiral notches 39 are utilized 
to guide the feet 40 during their rotation. When the eyelet is in the 
locked position, the feet 40 further preferably rest within the 
rectangular notches 38. The notches 38 allow the feet 40 to be recessed 
from the top face 34 of the base so that the feet 40 do not abut against 
the helmet 12 or the liner 14. Each clip 12 of the present invention is 
preferably fabricated of a strong yet durable plastic such as nylon. 
In an alternate embodiment of the invention (not shown), the legs and feet 
may be integrally formed with the strap and directly extend out of strap. 
No ring or corresponding element is utilized in this alternate embodiment. 
While the present invention is described herein for use with a firefighter 
helmet, it is to be understood that the method and goggle mounting system 
of the present invention may be used in conjunction with any helmet, hat, 
or head covering wherein goggles or other face protection having a strap 
is used. For example, hard hats, motorcycle helmets, racing helmets, or 
military headgear may all be used with the goggle retention system of the 
present invention. 
While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred 
embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the present 
invention is not limited to this precise form and that changes may be made 
therein without departing from the scope of the invention.