Device for activating a visor for motorcyclist helmets and the like

Abstract: The device comprises a base plate (1) whereon an external slide (2) is translatably mounted, which is kept pushed by preloaded springs and a second internal slide (8), which is translatable, parallel to said external slide (2), within a rotary body (5) provided with raised and grooved flanks (6-6a) whereon two connecting rods (11-11a) are slidingly mounted; also the ends of the connecting rods are hinged on said internal slide (8). The opposite ends of the connecting rods (11-11a) are then hinged to a table (14) bearing the visor. By means of a release lever (15) mounted on the base plate (1) and pushed by a contrast spring (15b) one causes the forwards translation of the internal slide (8) and a lifting towards the outside of the porthole-aperture of the visor-holding table (14). In this position, the visor is outside the helmet and therefore, being integral with the rotary body (5), it can be rotated upwards until a complete opening has been achieved, without interfering with the cap. Besides, a return lever (4) is also provided suitable to automatically bring again the visor to an embedded closed position, when said visor had been brought by hand to the outside of the porthole-aperture.

Description: The present invention relates to a mechanical device so structured as to keep the visor of a safety helmet for motorcyclists and the like entirely embedded and flush with the cap of the helmet, when it is in closed position, in order to prevent surface discontinuities in the cap and, consequently, to improve its streamline. As is known (see by exemple GB-A-2 014 432), the visors for safety helmets for motorcyclists and the like, and in particular the so-called "integral" helmets, are anchored on both sides of the helmet and externally with respect to the cap, in order to allow their lifting and lowering relatively to the porthole-aperture or the like, usually obtained above a chin protector; as is also known, the anchoring of the ends of the visor on the external surface of the cap, besides interrupting the continuity of the external surfaces of the helmet - both when the visor is closed and when it is open upwards - involves in the practice disagreeable aesthetic effects and external encumbrances. What is more, the present visors for integral helmets are not always able to realise a stable closing between the peripheral gasket of the porthole-aperture and the arched surface of the visor. Therefore, object of the present invention is to realise a mechanical device, applied to the inside right and left sides of the porthole-aperture of a helmet for motorcyclists and the like, so structured as to keep the visor entirely embedded and flush with the cap of the helmet when it is in closed position, rendering in this way said cap free from surface discontinuities and, as a consequence, more agreeable aesthetically. Another object of the invention is to realise a device for integral helmets and the like, so designed as to remain housed in the inside of a suitable seat obtained in the cap and closed by the visor, so as to keep the visor entirely embedded in the edge of the helmet porthole-aperture and to allow the stable stop of said visor in intermediate opening positions. A further object of the invention is to realise a device for moving the visor, structurally simple, of easy and quick activation and highly reliable. These and still other objects, which will be more clearly stressed later on, are achieved by a couple of like mechanical devices, hand activated and cooperating with each other, to keep the helmet visor for motorcyclists and the like in an entirely embedded position and flush with the external surface of the helmet cap, each of said devices comprising, according to the invention: a base plate-like element whereon there is translatably mounted in both directions and with a fixed travel, a first slide, or external slide, provided on one end with a raised bush and preloaded thrust-springs, so as to keep said external slide pushed forwards towards the porthole-aperture of the helmet, and on its opposite end, a return spring shaped as a rotating cam in opposition to a preloaded spring; a disk-like body, rotating in touch with said base plate, and provided with opposite raised flanks having opposite guide grooves parallel to each other and inclined with respect to the plane of said external slide; an internal slide, translatable between said raised flanks of said rotary body and provided, on one end, with an arched bevelling or the like intended for engaging with said bush integral with said external slide and for translating together with the latter, and on the opposite end, with a pin whereon a bush rotates that is intended for freely sliding within an arched groove obtained in said base plate and concentric with said rotary body; two couples of bar-shaped connecting rods, each of which has an end riveted on said internal slide with a pin, protruding from each flank of each connecting rod, translatable within said grooves obtained in the flanks of said rotary body, and the opposite end hinged to a plate or table for guiding and supporting means for hooking the visor to said table, said connecting rods being subject to a combined translation and rotation motion, after each shifting of said external slide, of an amplitude such as to cause said table to take on a position inclined towards the outside of the helmet, bringing therefore the visor in an advanced position with respect to its closed position and ready for its rotation towards the upper part of the helmet, there being also provided a release lever opposite to the return spring, characterised by an arched profile acting on a wedge-shaped contrast means integral with said external slide, said release lever being suitable to allow, by means of tie-rod elements or the like connecting the release lever of both devices for moving the visor and actionable from the outside of the helmet, the translation of said external slide by effect of its thrust-springs, and the ensuing shifting of the table and the related visor to the outside of the helmet in the position suitable to effect the rotation of the visor until it is entirely open. More particularly, said base plate of said couple of visor activating devices is anchored in the inside of the right and left sides of the porthole-aperture of the helmet cap, in positions opposite to each other, so as to allow both of said visor-holding tables to take on a like inclined position towards the outside of the helmet. Besides, said rotary body rotatably mounted on the base plate is provided on its periphery with at least a couple of protruding teeth spaced from each other and suitable to sequentially engage, during the rotation of the rotary body, with corresponding recesses obtained on an arched flexible element - substantially a sheet-spring - anchored to the internal peripheral edge of said base plate, in order to allow the stable stop in intermediate positions of the visor during the stage of upwards opening. Still besides, said base plate has peripherally a raised edge provided with a gasket from elastically yielding material. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention shall be highlighted by the following detailed description, made with reference to the attached drawings, solely given by way of non limiting indication, and wherein: figure 1 shows a plant view of the device for moving the visor for helmets realised according to the present invention and illustrated with the visor in the position entirely embedded in the cap; figure 1a shows a section according to the median axis I-I of figure 1; figures 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f and 1g show the plant, section and perspective views of the device; figures 2 and 2a show again a plant and section of the same device of figure 1-1a, but illustrated in the position of initial opening shifting of the visor with respect to the cap; figure 3 shows only in section view the same device of the preceding figures, but with a partly rotated rotation mechanism and with the visor stopped in a first intermediate opening position; figure 4 shows the same device with the mechanism rotated and locked in the entirely open position of the visor, while figure 5 shows a helmet with the hooking device of the visor and a transparent closed visor. With reference to the aforesaid figures, the device is illustrated as it appears, for instance, when it is mounted on the left side of the helmet. Therefore, for a complete description of the components of the concerned device, it suffices to make a starting reference to figures 1 and 2, wherein the visor appears in closed position, embedded in the helmet cap, not shown. These figures show that the device is constituted by a base plate 1, peripherally provided with a raised edge along all its arched perimeter. In the middle of the flat part of the base plate 1 a rectangular seat is obtained that constitutes a guide for an external slide 2 (clearly visible in figures 1a, 2a) which has, at one end, a sleeve 3 with the associated bush 3a that rotates about a rivet 3b emerging from the external slide 2; the external slide 2 is then in opposed position with respect to the thrust springs 3c. The same external slide 2 has, at the other end, a return lever 4 with the related sleeve 4c, cam-shaped and rotatably mounted around a rivet 4b emerging from the same external slide 2 in a position opposed to a spring 4a (fig. 1); also the external slide 2 is provided with a wedge 17 whose function will be explained later on. The device also includes a disk-like body 5 that rotates according to prefixed angle shiftings and located in the middle of base 1 within a sleeve 5a and the related restraint central screw 5b on the internal face of the base plate 1 by interposition of a washer 5d (fig. 1a). More particularly, said rotary body 5 has, as shown by the detail illustrated in figures 1b (plant) and 1c (section), a disk-like base 5c wherefrom two parallel flanks 6-6a emerge, within each of which two inclined guides 7-7a are obtained; besides, within the base plate 5c and flange 7d connecting the upper ends of flanks 6 and 6a, a space is provided suitable to allow the translation, in both directions, of a second slide 8, parallel to the external one 2. Besides, said rotary body 5 is provided peripherally with at least two teeth spaced from one another, indicated by 8b-8c in figure 1b. Said second slide, or internal slide 8, translatable between said raised flanks 6 and 6a of the rotary body 5 and above said external slide 2, has on its end an arched recess, substantially a cam 8a, intended for engaging with bush 3a of the external slide 2 (fig. 1) when the external slide 2 and the internal one 8 are superposed to one another and parallel to each other, i.e. when the device is in such a position as to keep visor 9 in closed position, as in figures 1 and 1a. Said internal slide 8 is visible, in plant and perspective views, in figures 1e and 1f. In the section plane of table 14 of figure 4 (which will be explained later on), only the end of the internal slide 8 and the related arched bevelling 8a are indicated. The same internal slide 8 has, on the other end, a pin 10 whereon there can freely rotate a bush (10a) protruding from its underlying surface and indicated by broken lines in figure 1. There is also provided a guide or arched groove 10c (fig. 1), obtained in the surface of the base body 1, wherein said pin 10 integral with the internal slide 8 is intended to insert without sliding. The device is also provided with two couples of equal connecting rods 11-11a, clearly visible in figures 1a and 2a, and in particular in figures 1f and 1g, on each flanks of which a pin 23 is obtained that is caused to engage within said inclined grooves 7-7a (fig. 1c), slidingly obtained in the two flanks 6-6a of said rotary body 5; said connecting rods also have, at the opposite ends, holes 12, 12a and 13, 13a and the related rivets caused to rotatably engage, respectively, with the flanks of said internal slide 8 and a guiding plate or table 14 for a further slide 19 intended for hooking visor 9 on a hooking means 20a mounted, by means of a screw 20b on a sleeve 20, integral, in an adjustable manner, with said slide 19 (fig. 1a). By side of said return lever 4 there is provided a release lever 15 of the external slide 2, which lever 15 is rotatably mounted on base 1 about a rivet 15a with sleeve (15c) and in opposition with respect to a spring 15b, which keeps it pushed towards the end of the external lever 2. The hooking of the release lever with the external slide 2 is constituted by a contrast means 16 obtained on the edge of lever 15 (fig. 1), which contrasts, pushed by its own spring 15b, against a protrusion 17 laterally integral with the external slide 2; in this way, spring 15b of the release lever keeps the thrust springs 3c of slide 2 loaded and therefore prevents said slide from translating towards the front part of the helmet, when the visor is in a closed position. The release is made by activating a tie-rod 18 provided with a register 18a housed in a suitable seat 18b of base 1, which causes the rotation of lever 15; in this way, the contrast exercised by the contrast means 16 against wedge 17, integral with the external slide 2, is released, allowing therefore the thrust springs 3c of said slide 2 to translate towards the front part of the helmet. The visor activating device described with reference to figures 1-1a-1b and 1c, i.e. with the visor 9 in an embedded position and flush with the cap, is realised in practice by a connection of tie-rods 18 of two equal devices, one of which is anchored on the right side and the other one on the left side of the helmet, and by a simultaneous tensioning of said tie-rods by means of a lever or push-button or other suitable means, anchored to the chin protector of the helmet. By means of a connection of said tie-rods 18 of the release levers and a traction through said external lever or push-button (not shown), the force exercised by spring 15b is overcome, because of the clockwise rotation undergone by the release lever 15. This release lever 15 disengages the contrast means 16 from wedge 17 integral with the external slide 2, causing therefore the latter to be free of translating towards the front of the helmet. At the same time, the back bush 3a of the external slide 2, being integral with the latter, translates forwards and, being in touch with cam 8a obtained on the internal slide 8 (fig. 4), causes also the latter to translate forwards. Following the forwards translation of the internal slide 8 with respect to the rotary body 5 by effect of the grooved guides 7-7a obtained in the internal part of flanks 6-6a of the rotary body 5, which engage pins 23 protruding from the flanks of the connecting rods 11-11a, said connecting rods undergo, besides the translation caused by their being riveted to the internal slide 8, also a rotation that causes them to take on a position inclined towards the outside of the helmet. The shifting undergone by the connecting rods 11-11a is transferred to table 14 by effect of the connection existing between said components (rivets 13-13a), and therefore table 14 shifts to a more advanced position with respect to the starting one and more external with respect to the cap (extraction travel). As visor 9 is connected to table 14, it also takes on a position advanced and external with respect to the starting one. As a consequence, the coupling in the close position of said visor with base 1 of the mechanism does not exist any longer. The visor has therefore come out entirely from the embedding in the porthole-aperture and is ready to undergo the upwards rotation without interfering with the cap. This position is illustrated in plan in figure 2 and in cross-section in figure 2a. During this stage, the rotary body 5 does not undergo any movement, while also the return lever 4, being integral with the external slide 2, translates forwards, without undergoing any relative rotation with respect to the external slide 2, maintaining the contact with the underlying bush 10a of the internal slide 8 thanks to the effect of spring 4a (suitably pre-loaded). When the traction acting on the release lever 15 does not exist any longer, said lever 15 rotates in counter-clockwise direction by effect of its spring 15b, which tries to cause it to return to the starting position. However, the contrast means 16 of the release lever 15 leans now against the vertical wall of wedge 17 of the external slide 2 and therefore it cannot return, at least in this stage, to the preceding position. When the visor is in this advanced position, along the outline of the helmet porthole-aperture, the elastic gasket is no longer in touch with the visor. There remains therefore a slit along the whole development of the outline of the visor which allows air to enter through the porthole-aperture of the helmet, causing an effective ventilation and the possible defogging of the internal surface of said visor. However, in this position, the protection of the driver from the direct air flow and the dust, from insects, possible debris, etc., that might struck during the movement, is still ensured. The visor has, in fact, undergone one only forwards translation accompanied by a deformation of its side zones. When the mechanism is in the advanced position, the rotary body 5 is free to rotate about the pin constituted by the central screw 5b which ensures the tightening of a central washer with the central sleeve 5a on base 1 of the mechanism. By causing the visor (fig.3) to start rotating by effect of the guides and the hole obtained in the same, which engage respectively table 14 and hooking 20a of the visor, the rotation is transmitted, through the connecting rods 11-11a, to the rotary body 5. The free rotation of the rotary body is contrasted by the strength of the thrust springs 3c, of the external slide 2 through the back sleeve 3 which engages with the walls of the curvilinear recess 8a, obtained in the end part of the internal slide 8, integral with the rotary body 5. The outline of said walls 8a, leaning against the back sleeve 3, which is free to rotate with respect to the external slide 2 which transports it thanks to the connection realised by rivet 3b and bush 3a, has a special conformation (fig. 1d and fig. 1e), to allow to obtain a gradual backwards translation of the external slide 2 as the rotation of the rotary body 5 increases. During such translation, in the front zone of the external slide 2, also the return lever 4 is dragged forwards and, being in touch with bush (10a) of the internal slide 8, free to rotate about its pin 10, during the backwards movement of the external slide 2, the return lever 4 undergoes a clockwise relative rotation, contrasted by spring 4a which, as a consequence, loades. In order to reduce friction as much as possible, the bush of the external slide 8 is free to rotate and is realised from a special material; besides, the outline of the return lever 4 which couples with it has a suitable conformation. Going on with the opening of the visor, as illustrated by figure 3, when the rotary body has undergone a first rotation and the external slide has undergone a translation towards the back zone, the end of travel has been reached and the thrust springs 3c of the external slide are again loaded as in the starting position. In this stage, the back sleeve 3 is in a position wherein the distance from the rotation centre 5e (fig. 1b) of the rotary body 5 is greatest, and it starts coming out from seat 8a obtained in the end part of the internal slide 8, to continue its travel against flank 5f (fig. 1b) of the rotary body 5. Also spring 4a of the return lever 4 has reached the maximum compression by effect of the contact of lever 4 with bush 10 of the internal slide 8. As the release lever 15 does not find any longer the contrast of the flank of wedge 17 of the external slide 2, it is free to rotate in counter-clockwise direction by effect of the thrust generated by spring 15b. In this way the lock exercised by the contrast means 16 against wedge 17 is restored; such rotation also causes the tensioning of the tie-rod 18 which slides in an own guide provided with register (18a), returning to the starting position. Continuing with the opening of the visor (see fig. 4), the back sleeve 3 of the external slide 2 is caused to lean against flank 5f of the rotary body 5 and undergoes a slight forwards translation, which is however contrasted by the lock exercised by the contrast means 16 of the release lever 15 against wedge 17 of the external slide 2. At the same time, bush 10a of the internal slide 8 remains in touch with the return lever 4, pushed by its spring 4a which undergoes a counter-clockwise rotation up to the end of travel. During such rotation, the first tooth 8c which the rotary body is provided with in the upper part causes the bending of a spring 21 which has in its centre line a recess 22 for said tooth. After a rotation of the visor and the rotary body 5 of about 22.5°, the first tooth 8c engages recess 22 of spring 21 whose bending is maximum. The visor may remain therefore fixed in such position, intermediate between the complete closing and the complete opening, and does not tend to close by effect of gravity. Continuing the opening of the visor (as shown in figure 4), while the first tooth comes out of recess 22 of spring 21, the second tooth starts involving said spring. When the visor is entirely open, after a rotation of 45°, the second tooth 8c is in the recess of spring 21, keeping said visor in a fixed and stable position. When visor 9 is entirely open (as shown in fig. 4), i.e. when the rotary body 5 is rotated by 45° (fig. 4) with respect to the starting position, the external slide 2 is in the back position, the thrust springs 3c are compressed and the release (15) and return (4) levers are in the starting position (figs. 1 and 2), it is possible to proceed to the closing of visor 9. During the hand closing stage of the visor, there is a first portion of the rotation wherein only the force exercised by spring 21 of the intermediate releases of the visor against the teeth of the rotary body 5 has to be overcome. At a certain point, bush 10a of the internal slide 8 starts getting in touch with the return lever 4 which is pushed by spring 4a. Continuing the closing of the visor, the return lever 4 undergoes a clockwise rotation and at the same time its spring 4a loads elastically, Such situation continues until the rotary body 5 has terminated the rotation, i.e. until the internal slide 8 integral with the same is aligned with the external slide 2 of the mechanism. In fact, by effect of part 8f (fig. 1d) which has a circular outline obtained on the lower part of the back end of the internal slide 8 which, striking against a complementary protrusion 5g (fig. 1b) obtained on the rotary body 5, couples in a circular seat obtained on base 1 of the mechanism, the internal slide 8 cannot go back. As a consequence, the connecting rods 11-11a remain standstill relatively to the rotary body, and table 14 remains in the extracted position. As the back sleeve 3 is tied to the external slide 2 which is locked by the release lever 15 thanks to the contrast means 16 that couples with wedge 17, in this stage no contact exists with the flanks of the rotary body 5 and the seat obtained on the internal slide 8. Starting from the position of table 14, and therefore of visor 9, extracted from the porthole-aperture, when this closing movement of the visor has been completed, one notices that the internal slide 8 is aligned again with the external slide 2. The rotary body 5 has undergone all the possible rotation and has returned to the starting position. One also notices however that the return lever 4, which in the latter stage of the closing of the visor had undergone a clockwise rotation, is still in touch with bush 10a of the internal slide 8, and spring 4a is in the maximum compression position. The alignment that is obtained between the internal slide 8 and the external slide 2 allows the outline of the lower wall of the end of the internal slide 8 to engage a rectilinear recess obtained on base 1 of the mechanism. As a consequence, by effect of the thrust of the return spring 4, generated by spring 4a, the internal slide 8 goes sharply back, translating in the inside of the rotary body 5 until it strikes the back sleeve 3 of the external slide 2. During such movement, the external pins 23 obtained on the flanks of the connecting rods 11-11a are dragged in the inside of guides 7-7a obtained in the inside of flanks 6-6a of the rotary body 5. As a consequence, the connecting rods return to the inclined position, dragging table 14 and the same visor which returns to the embedded starting position. During this closing stage, visor 9 goes back towards the helmet and before reaching the starting position, it gets in touch with a gasket of porthole-aperture 9a (fig. 5) which, being made from an elastically yielding and deformable material, is compressed between the edge of the porthole-aperture and the periphery of the visor, ensuring in this way the sealing of the porthole-aperture. Now all the components of the device have returned to the starting position, ready to allow a new sequence of movements to realise the expulsion and therefore the opening of the visor. Lastly, in case of emergency, the helmet user may "pull" the visor forwards, i.e. he may start by hand the detachment of the visor from the cap, without activating the release device 15. In so doing, the disembedding of the visor from the cap is obtained by effect of the expulsion of tables 14 towards the outside of the helmet, as bush 10a of the internal slide 8 is "pulled" towards the return lever 4; as the latter rotates clockwise, it loads its spring 4a. At the end of the travel of the internal slide 8, the user is able to open the visor by causing it to rotate upwards; during this rotation, the return lever 4 rotates counter-clockwise, unloading its spring 4a and restoring in this way the normal use position of the device. From what has been described herein above and illustrated in the attached drawings, is it evident that in the practice those skilled in the art may introduce structurally and functionally equivalent modifications and variants, without departing from the protection scope of the invention.

Claims: An activation device of a visor for helmets for motorcyclists and the like, which, when closed, is fully embedded and flush with the helmet cap, applicable either on the right and the left side of the helmet porthole-aperture, characterised in that it comprises: a plate-like element constituting the base (1) whereon there is translatably mounted in both directions and with a fixed travel, an external slide (2), provided on one end with a raised sleeve (3) and preloaded thrust-springs (3c), so as to keep said external slide (2) pushed forwards towards the porthole-aperture of the helmet, and on its opposite end, a return lever shaped as a rotating cam in opposition to a preloaded spring (4a) ; a disk-like body (5), rotating in touch with said base plate (1), and provided with opposite raised flanks (6-6a) having opposite guide grooves (7a-7b) parallel to each other and inclined with respect to the plane of said external slide (2); an internal slide (8), translatable between said raised flanks (6-6a) of said rotary body (5) and provided, on one end, with an arched bevelling (8a) or the like intended for engaging with said sleeve (3) integral with said external slide and for translating together with the latter, and on the opposite end, with a pin (10) whereon a bush (10a) rotates; two couples of connecting rods (11-11a), each of which has an end riveted on said internal slide (8), with a pin (23) protruding from both said flanks and translatable within said inclined grooves (7a-7b) obtained in flanks (6-6a) of said rotary body (5), and the opposite end hinged to a plate or table (14) for guiding and supporting means for hooking said visor to said table, said connecting rods (11-11a) being subject to a combined translation and rotation motion, after the shifting of said external slide (2), of an amplitude such as to cause said table (14) to take on a position inclined towards the outside of the helmet, bringing therefore visor (9) in an advanced position with respect to its closed position and ready for its rotation towards the upper part of the helmet, there being also provided a release lever (15) opposite to a return spring (15b), having an arched profile acting on a wedge-shaped contrast means (17) integral with said external slide (2), said release lever (15) being suitable to allow, by means of tie-rod elements or the like (18), provided with a register (18a) connecting the release lever (15) of both devices for moving the visor and actionable from the outside of the helmet, the translation of said external slide (2) by effect of its thrust-springs (3c), with the ensuing shifting of table (14) and the related visor (9) to the outside of the helmet in a position suitable to effect the rotation of the visor until it is entirely open. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that said rotary body (5) is provided peripherally with at least two protruding teeth (8b-8c) suitable to sequentially engage, during the rotation of the rotary body (5), within a recess (22) obtained in a sheet-spring or the like (21), integral with the internal edge of the base plate (1), so as to allow at least two stops at two different intermediate opening position of visor (9). The device according to claim 1, characterised in that said tie-rods (18), provided with suitable registers (18a), of the release lever (15) of the two opposite devices are both connected with a push-button or lever positionable on the outside of the chin protector of the helmet and actionable by hand. The device according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the activation of visor (9) to an open position, is made by hand after the coming out towards the outside of the connecting rods (11-11a) and the related table (14) bearing the visor, while the closing takes place automatically when said connecting rods (11-11a) and the related visor-holding table are in an external position relatively to the helmet, i.e. with the external (2) and internal (8) slides, parallel to each other and superposed. The device according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the peripheral raised edge (1a) of the base plate (1) is coated with a gasket from flexible material. The device according to the preceding claims, characterised in that it is so structured as to allow to open the visor by hand, without utilising the release device (15), the opening consisting, in case of emergency, in partly pulling the visor towards the outside, dragging in this way also the internal slide (8) towards the return lever (4), and therefore loading spring (4a) of the latter and rotating afterwards the visor upwards, unloading spring (4a) of the return lever, so as to restore the normal use of the device.

Inventors: GAFFORIO LUCA, GAFFORIO, LUCA
Applicants: OPTICOS S R L, OPTICOS S.R.L.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A42B3
IPC codes: A42B3