FULL-FACE HELMET

Abstract: An openable full-face helmet (1) constituted by a face-guard (2) hinged to a crown (3) and a protective visor (4) pivoted to the face-guard (2); the face-guard (2) is constituted by a front portion (5) and by two lateral portions (7). Each lateral portion comprises a portion (9) for pivoting to the crown (3). The visor (4) comprises a front portion and two lateral portions, each of which is hinged to the pivoting portion (9) of the face-guard (2). The pivoting portion (9) of the face-guard (2) lies substantially inside the lateral portion of the visor (4) and the face-guard (2) does not protrude above the visor (4).

Description: FULL-FACE HELMET Technical field The present invention relates to an openable full-face helmet, particularly for motorcyclists. Background Art Full-face helmets provided with a face-guard, or chin-guard, hinged to the crown so that it can be raised to fully expose the user's face, are known as openable helmets. Full-face helmets with an openable face-guard offer considerable advantages in terms of comfort, especially when using the motorcycle in town, and therefore their use is increasingly widespread. The opening mechanism and the closure system of the face-guard make those openable helmets particularly difficult to manufacture, particularly regarding the weight of the helmet and the internal noise caused by the air at higher speeds. For reasons of comfort, as well as safety, it is in fact very important that the helmet be easy to operate (opening and closure of the visor and face-guard) and not noisy. Conventional openable helmets do not always cope with these problems and in any case are all susceptible of improvement. The aim of the present invention is to provide an openable full-face helmet with an improved opening system with respect to conventional openable helmets. An object of the present invention is to provide an openable full-face helmet which is considerably quieter than conventional openable helmets. Another object of the invention is to provide an openable full-face helmet which is ergonomically and aesthetically advantageous. Another object of the invention is to provide an openable full-face helmet which has a reliable and sturdy structure. Disclosure of the Invention This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an openable full-face helmet comprising a face-guard which is hinged to a crown and a protective visor which is hinged to the face-guard, the face-guard including a front portion and two lateral portions, each of which comprises a portion for pivoting to the crown, the visor including a front portion and two lateral portions, each of which is hinged to the pivoting portion of the face-guard, characterized in that the pivoting portion of the face-guard lies substantially inside the lateral portion of the visor and in that the face- guard does not protrude above the visor. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of an openable full-face helmet according to the invention, in which the visor and the face-guard are shown in solid lines in the closed position and in dashed lines in the open position; Figure 2 is a side view of the helmet according to the invention in the position in which the visor is closed; Figure 3 is a side view of the helmet according to the invention in the position in which the visor is open; Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the visor in the closed position; Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the visor, in the partially open position, and during release; Figure 6 is a partially cutout enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the visor in the closed position; Figure 7 is a partially sectional enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the visor, in the partially open position; Figure 8 is a partially cutout enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the face-guard, in the open position; Figure 9 is a partially cutout enlarged side view of the helmet according to the invention, without the visor, illustrating in detail the pivoting system of the face-guard, in the closed position; Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of the pivoting region of the visor and of the face- guard of the helmet according to the invention; Figure 11 is a side view of the helmet, similar to Figures 1 and 2, showing the face-guard in the open position; Figure 12 is an enlarged section view, according to the section line XII-XII of Figure 2, of the helmet according to the invention. Ways of carrying out the invention With reference to the above figures, the openable full-face helmet according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , comprises a face-guard 2, which is hinged to a crown 3, and a visor 4, which is in turn hinged to the face-guard 2. The face-guard 2 comprises a front portion 5 and lateral portions 7 each terminating with a semicircular portion 9. Each semicircular portion 9 is pivoted to the crown 3 by a pivoting means comprising a threaded pivot 11. The pivoting means also comprises an intermediate plate 13 which is interposed between the semicircular portion 9 and the crown 3 and comprises a pivot 14 engaging a semicircular slot 15 formed in the semicircular portion 9. The intermediate plate 13, which is rigidly coupled to the crown 3 and does not rotate with the semicircular portion 9, also comprises a stud or protrusion 17 adapted to engage a seat 18 formed in the semicircular portion 9 so as to keep the face- guard in the open position. The outer perimeter of the semicircular portion 9 comprises a recess 19 which allows the passage of the stud 17, so as to allow the free rotation of the face-guard after the stud 17 has been released from the seat 18, as shown in Figure 9. The intermediate plate 13 also comprises a semicircular slot 20 which accommodates a tooth 21 formed on a supporting plate 22. The supporting plate 22 is associated with the outer surface of the semicircular portion 9 of the face-guard and has a shape which substantially matches that of the semicircular portion 9. The supporting plate 22 acts as a locator for the threaded pivot 1 1 which is screwed to the crown 3, with the interposition of a gasket 23 which allows the rotation of the assembly constituted by the face-guard and the supporting plate 22 with respect to the assembly constituted by the intermediate plate 13 and the crown 3. The supporting plate 22 is also adapted to support the visor 4 and, to this purpose, the supporting plate 22 has a cylindrical seat 24 accommodating a cylindrical edge 25. The cylindrical edge 25 is formed on the internal surface of the visor 4 so as to constitute a hinge between the visor and the supporting plate 22 and in order to allow the visor to rotate substantially about the same axis of the threaded pivot 1 1. The cylindrical seat 24 of the supporting plate 22 has a first L-shaped seat 26 which covers part of the circumference of the cylindrical seat 24 and accommodates a first L-shaped tooth 27 formed on the circumference of the cylindrical edge 25 of the visor. The first L-shaped tooth 27 fits under the edge formed by the first L-shaped seat 26 in order to retain the visor 4 on the supporting plate 22, allowing at the same time rotation at least through an arc defined by the portion formed by the first L-shaped seat 26. Likewise, in a position which is substantially diametrically opposite to the position of the L-shaped tooth 27, the visor 4 has a second L-shaped tooth 28 engaging a second L- shaped seat 29 formed in the supporting plate 22 in a position which is substantially diametrically opposite to the position of the first L-shaped seat 26. The engagement of the L-shaped teeth 27 and 28 in the respective L-shaped seats 26 and 29 allows to retain the visor 4 on the supporting plate 22 and at the same time allows rotation at least through an arc defined by the portion formed by the L-shaped seats. In order to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the visor on the supporting plate, the second L-shaped seat 29 has a recess 30 which is engaged by a slider 31 which is retained in a closed position by an elastic member constituted, for example, by a spring 32. The slider 31 can be actuated, when the visor is at least partially open, so as to free the recess 30, allowing the disengagement of the L-shaped tooth 28 and therefore the extraction of the tooth 28 from the respective seat, followed by the extraction of the first L- shaped tooth 27 from the respective L-shaped seat 26 on the opposite side. The visor 4 also comprises a rounded set of teeth 33 adapted to engage one or more raised portions 34 (two in the illustrated case) which are associated with the supporting plate 22. The raised portions 34 are associated with a semicylindrical wall 35 which is formed by a cut 38 provided in the supporting plate 22, so as to allow a certain elastic deformation of the wall and therefore of the protrusions with respect to the set of teeth 33. The assembly constituted by the set of teeth 33 and the raised portions 34 allows to arrange the visor 4 in a series of discrete positions, preventing accidental motions of the visor from the position selected by the user. According to the invention, the face-guard 2 is fully flush with the crown 3 without protruding members in the lower region and most of all in the region for pivoting to the crown. The crown 3 in fact has, in the pivoting region, a depressed section whose thickness is such as to accommodate the intermediate plate 13, the semicircular portion 9 of the face-guard, the supporting plate 22 and the lateral portion of the visor 4, so that the visor 4 is flush with the crown in the region 36 that lies directly behind the hinge region and in the region 37 that lies directly below, as shown, for example, in Figure 12. The depressed section of the crown also extends downward and forward, along a contoured line 38, so that the entire edge of the face-guard is flush with the crown. It is clear from the drawings that no part of the face-guard, especially in the region for pivoting to the crown, protrudes from the contour of the visor. In particular, in the position in which the face-guard is closed, the openable full-face helmet according to the invention has external surfaces which are completely flush, without any protruding member. The particular construction of the helmet according to the invention substantially reduces the noise inside the helmet caused by the flow of air against the outer surface of the helmet, particularly at high speeds. The reduction of internal noise is a very important feature in motorcycle helmets, because a substantial reduction of the internal noise provides increased comfort and safety, as external noises are more clearly perceivable and fatigue, caused by noise after many hours of riding, is reduced. In practice it has been observed that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, an openable full-face helmet having been provided which has noise and functionality characteristics that significantly exceed those of conventional openable helmets. The full-face openable helmet according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims and all the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements. The materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 . An openable full-face helmet, comprising a face-guard hinged to a crown and a protective visor hinged to either said face-guard and crown, said face-guard comprising a front portion and two lateral portions, each of said face-guard lateral portions comprising a pivoting portion pivoted to said crown, said visor comprising a front portion and two lateral portions, each of said visor lateral portions being pivoted to said pivoting portion of said face-guard, characterized in that said pivoting portion of said face-guard lies substantially inside said visor lateral portion and in that said visor is flush with said face- guard and said crown. 2. The helmet according to claim 1 , characterized in that, at least in the closed position, the outer surface of said face-guard is flush with the outer surface of said crown. 3. The helmet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said face-guard comprises a front portion blended with lateral portions, each of said lateral portions terminating with a semicircular portion which is hinged to the crown by a pivoting means. 4. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pivoting means comprises a threaded pivot and an intermediate plate interposed between said semicircular portion and the crown and comprises a pivot which engages a semicircular slot formed in the semicircular portion. 5. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said intermediate plate is rigidly coupled to the crown and does not rotate together with the semicircular portion, said intermediate plate comprising a protrusion adapted to engage a seat formed in the semicircular portion so as to keep the face-guard in the open position, the outer perimeter of the semicircular portion comprising a recess which allows the passage of the protrusion, in order to allow the free rotation of the face-guard after the protrusion has been released from the seat. 6. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said intermediate plate comprises a semicircular slot accommodating a tooth formed in a supporting plate which is associated with the outer surface of the semicircular portion of the face-guard and has a shape which substantially matches the shape of the semicircular portion. 7. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting plate acts as a locator for said threaded pivot, which is screwed to the crown by interposing a gasket which allows the rotation of the assembly constituted by the face-guard and the supporting plate with respect to the assembly constituted by the intermediate plate and the crown. 8. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting plate supports said visor and has a cylindrical seat accommodating a cylindrical edge, formed on the internal surface of the visor, so as to constitute a hinge between the visor and the supporting plate in order to allow the rotation of the visor substantially about the same axis of the threaded pivot. 9. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cylindrical seat of the supporting plate has a first L-shaped seat which runs along part of the circumference of the cylindrical seat and accommodates a first L-shaped tooth which is formed in the circumference of the cylindrical edge of the visor, said first L- shaped tooth being adapted to fit under the edge formed by the first L-shaped seat in order to retain the visor on the supporting plate while allowing rotation at least through an arc delimited by the portion formed by the first L-shaped seat. 10. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in a position which is substantially diametrically opposite to the position of said first L- shaped tooth, said visor has a second L-shaped tooth engaging a second L-shaped seat which is formed in the supporting plate in a position which is substantially diametrically opposite with respect to the position of the first L-shaped seat. 11. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second L-shaped seat has a recess which is engaged by a slider which is retained in a closed position by an elastic member, said slider being actuatable, when the visor is at least partially open, in order to free the recess, allowing the disengagement of the L- shaped tooth and therefore the extraction of said tooth from the respective seat, followed by the extraction of the first L-shaped tooth from the respective L-shaped seat on the opposite side. 12. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said visor further comprises a rounded set of teeth adapted to engage one or more raised portions which are associated with the supporting plate and with a semicylindrical wall which is formed by a notch provided in the supporting plate, so as to allow a certain elastic deformation of said wall and therefore of the raised portions with respect to the set of teeth, said assembly constituted by the set of teeth and the raised portions allowing to arrange the visor in a series of discrete positions, preventing accidental motions of the visor from the position selected by the user. 13. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said face-guard is fully flush with the crown without protruding members both in the lower region and in the region for pivoting to the crown. 14. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said crown has, in the pivoting region, a depressed section whose thickness is such as to accommodate said intermediate plate, said semicircular portion of the face-guard, said supporting plate and said lateral portion of the visor, so that the visor is flush with the crown in the region that lies directly behind the pivoting region and in the region directly below. 15. The helmet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said depressed section of the crown also extends downward and to the front, along a shaped line, so that the entire edge of the face-guard is flush with the crown.

Inventors: LOCATELLI ANTONIO, LOCATELLI, ANTONIO
Applicants: LOCATELLI ANTONIO, LOCATELLI, ANTONIO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A42B3
IPC codes: A42B3