A device for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user

Abstract: A device for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user. The helmet comprises a shell (5), a pair of temporal straps (17), a pair of rear straps (13) and a chin-strap (3) provided with a closure (21), connected together through anchoring and shifting members (15). The device further comprises a stretcher (7) fastened to said shell (5) for stretching elastic means (11) provided in said rear straps (13) and adjusting to the desired tension said chin-strap (3), and a releasing button (19) to release said elastic means. The stretcher (7) comprises a capstan-like rotatable lever (9) adapted to pull and apply a tension to said elastic means (11) when it is manually rotated.

Description: The present invention refers to safety helmets and more particularly to a device for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user, such as a cyclist, a worker and so on, as well as to a helmet incorporating such device. It is known that presently the helmets of the above type are not manufactured in a custom size for each user, but are manufactured in a few standard sizes, each provided with an inner cap having a padding of different thickness to realize the desired inner dimension of the helmet. It is also evident that an adjusting operation is required to adjust such caps to the proper size of the user's head. It is also known that an adjustable length chin-strap is required in order to firmly fit the helmet over the user's head, in helmets for protecting workers this chin-strap being request by safety regulations. Until now this chin-strap was adapted to be fastened (or buckled) when the helmet is worn and to be unfastened when it is removed, but often the user wishes only to slacken or loosen the chin-strap for a better comfort of the throat after a strain, e.g. after riding uphill. With the prior art helmets, the user often unfastens the chin-strap in lieu of slackening it, which is an imprudent act since the helmet is no longer secured to the user's head and he/she could easily forget to fasten it again before driving off or resuming working. Document US 4,279,037 discloses an adjustable suspension for protective headgear wherein a constantly uniform tension on all securing members of the suspension can be simultaneously increased or decreased uniformly through a tension control device without removing the headgear from the wearer's head. The non-elastic headstraps used in the suspension however requires, during use, continuous readjustments of the tension control device, in order to firmly hold the headgear in place and, contemporaneously, provide a good comfort of use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device allowing to adjust and secure a helmet to the user's head in a simple and quick manner, while allowing at the same time to slacken and tighten the helmet chin-strap without unfastening this latter. The above object is achieved through a device for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user as claimed in claim 1. Additional advantageous features are recited in the depending claims 2 to 6. The invention will now be disclosed in details with reference to some preferred but not limiting embodiments thereof illustrated in the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation side view of a helmet equipped with a chin-strap and a stretching device secured to the helmet shell illustrating a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation side view of a helmet equipped with a chin-strap and a stretching device secured to the nape cap of the chin-strap, which cap is in turn secured to the helmet shell, in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a strap assembly for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user in accordance with the invention. As clearly shown in the Figures, a device 1 according to the invention comprises two temporal straps 17, extending from the temple to the chin of the user, each having one end fixed to the shell 5 of the helmet and the other end connected to an anchoring and shifting member 15, a chin-strap 3 provided with a closure or buckle 21 of known type, and two rear straps 13 each having one end connected to a member 15 and the other to the shell 5, near the user nape. Each member 15 has a substantially triangular shape and is provided with a first slot for the passage of the strap 17, extending from the temple to the chin, and a second slot for the passage of the rear strap 13 extending from the member 15 to the nape portion of the shell. With particular reference to Fig. 3, each rear strap 13 comprises an elastic portion 11, acting as a tensioning means and formed for example by a length of a helical or spiral spring, that is connected to a stretcher 7 adapted to both securing the helmet to the user's head and adjusting the chin-strap 3 to the desired tension. The stretcher or stretching device 7 comprises a rotatable lever 9, such as that of a capstan, adapted to pull the elastic portions 11 and apply a tension to such elastic means 11 when it is manually rotated. A release button 19 is provided near the tensioning lever 9 to release the elastic means 11 that have been stretched, i.e. tensioned, by the lever 9. In use the helmet 3 is fitted to the head of the user by passing the strap 3 under the chin and joining together the members of the buckle 21 but leaving the strap relatively loose. At this time, in order to tension the chin-strap 3 and secure the helmet 5 to the user's head, the user acts on the stretcher 7 by rotating the lever 9 that in turn stretches the elastic means 11. To remove the helmet 5 from the head the user presses the release 19 button disengaging the elastic means 11 that will return to their original unstretched length. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 1, both the lever 9 for actuating the stretcher 7 and the release button 19 are housed in a dedicated seat 23 - formed or applied on the shell outer surface of the helmet - and secured thereto. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 2, the lever 9 for actuating the stretcher 7 is secured to the cap 25 of the chin-strap 3, and the cap is fastened to the helmet by conventional known means. After the cap 25 has been fastened to the helmet 5, the working of this embodiment is the same as described above. The embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and illustrated with particular reference to a safety helmet for cyclists, but it is evident that the present invention can be applied also in safety helmets for workers, in military helmets, as well as in other types of sport helmets and so on. In the disclosed embodiment the stretcher is formed as a capstan, but other suitable forms of stretching means can be used for this purpose.

Claims: A device for adjusting and securing a helmet to the head of a user, said helmet comprising a shell (5), said device comprising a pair of temporal straps (17), a pair of rear straps (13), a chin-strap (3) provided with a closure (21), said straps being connected together through anchoring and shifting members (15), characterized in that each rear strap (13) comprises an elastic portion (11) which is stretched by a stretcher (7), adapted to be fastened to said shell (5), for adjusting to the desired tension said chin-strap (3), and in that a releasing button (19) is provided to release said elastic portion (11) from said stretcher (7). A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each elastic portion (11) comprises a length of helical or spiral spring. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said stretcher (7) comprises a rotatable lever (9) of a capstan to which said tensioning elastic portions (11) are connected, said lever being adapted to pull and apply a tension to said elastic portions (11) when it is manually rotated. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said members (15) has a substantially triangular shape and is provided with a first slot for the passage of one of said temporal straps (17) extending from the temple to the chin, and a second slot for the passage of one of said rear straps (13) extending from said member (15) to the nape portion of the shell. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lever (9) and release button (19) are adapted to be housed in a seat (23) on the shell outer surface of said shell (5) and to be secured thereto. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said lever (9) is secured to a cap (25) of said chin-strap (3) that is adapted to be fastened to the helmet shell (5). A safety helmet incorporating an adjusting and securing device as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

Inventors: CASALE MAURIZIO, CASALE, MAURIZIO
Applicants: CAMAU SYSTEM DI CASALE & C S N, CAMAU SYSTEM DI CASALE & C. S.N.C.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A42B3
IPC codes: A42B3