Abstract:
An Anti-fouling Faceshield is disclosed. The faceshield attaches to a conventional motorcycle helmet. The faceshield is particularly suited to competitive dirtbike racing where large amounts of mud are thrown onto riders&#39; goggles in a short period of time. It is preferably spring-loaded so that the rider need simply pull a release lever to cause the faceshield to flip up and away from the face opening of the helmet. The main faceshield further has an upper shield extending upwardly from it to protect the pivot point/hinge area of the mechanism from being fouled with mud and other foreign bodies.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to motorcycle safety accessories and, more specifically, to an Anti-fouling Faceshield. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Motorcycle and bicycle helmets are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to suit a rider&#39;s individual tastes as well as the environment in which the cycle is being ridden. One very challenging environment is off-road or dirt biking, and more particularly, dirt bike racing. This particular environment not only results in special helmet designs, but also special challenges to any existing designs. 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a conventional motocross motorcycle helmet  10 . The typical helmet  10  has a full-face face shield  12  covering the rider&#39;s face inside of the helmet  10 . There is also usually a visor  14  extending frontwardly from the top of the helmet  10 . The visor  14  is provided to provide sun and wind protection, and to further protect the rider&#39;s face when the visor  14  is open.  FIG. 2  is a side view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 , having its faceshield  12  in the “up” position. 
         [0006]    The faceshield  12  on the conventional helmet  10  attaches on each side with a ratcheting pivot hinge  16 . The ratcheting effect of the hinge  16  provides some (tension-adjustable) resistance to movement of the faceshield  12 . Consequently, then the faceshield  12  is placed in the down position, it will stay down; when the faceshield  12  is placed in the up position, it will stay in that position. In order to move the faceshield  12 , then, the rider must reach up and push the shield  12  up or down. 
         [0007]    When the faceshield  12  is in the up position  12 , the face opening  18  formed in the front of the helmet  10  is fully exposed to the front of the helmet  10 . This means that the rider&#39;s face is fully exposed to the front of the helmet  10 . It is this aspect of the conventional design that causes motocross riders problems. It is common that motocross track operators wet down the dirt surfaces prior to a race in order to keep the dust down, as well as to increase the difficulty of the course. As a result, it is natural for a rider&#39;s faceshield  12  to become opaque due to excessive amounts of mud being sprayed onto the shield  12  by other riders. This is particularly prevalent at the start line for a race—when the riders first start, they are all in tight, close proximity to one another, and all are spinning their tires to get a quick launch. 
         [0008]    Historically, the rider would simply have to flip up their faceshield  12  by hand once it became excessively soiled. Because conventional faceshields  12  do not provide enough clearance between the rider&#39;s face and the shield  12  for the rider to wear a pair of goggles underneath the shield  12 , the rider&#39;s face has historically been exposed to the flying mud once the shield  12  has been raised. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, raising the faceshield  12  can be an unwanted distraction to the rider during a particularly challenging stage in a race. The less time that the rider needs to remove his or her hand from the handlebars in order to retract or open the faceshield  12 , the safer the process will be. 
         [0010]    What is needed, then, is an improved faceshield for cycle helmets that allows the rider to wear goggles underneath the shield as a second layer of mud-proofing, and further makes the opening of the faceshield quicker and easier than the conventional manually-operated shield. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide an Anti-fouling Faceshield. The faceshield should attach to a conventional motorcycle helmet. The faceshield should be particularly suited to competitive dirtbike racing where large amounts of mud are thrown onto riders&#39; goggles in a short period of time. It should be spring-loaded so that the rider need simply pull a release lever to cause the faceshield to flip up and away from the face opening of the helmet. The main faceshield should further have an upper shield extending upwardly from it to protect the pivot point/hinge area of the mechanism from being fouled with mud and other foreign bodies. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a conventional motocross motorcycle helmet; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 , having its faceshield in the “up” position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the helmet of  FIGS. 1 and 2  having a preferred embodiment of the anti-fouling faceshield of the present invention attached thereto; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the helmet of  FIG. 3 , with the faceshield in the “up” position; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side views of the faceshield of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the faceshield of  FIGS. 3-5  further depicting the preferred actuating mechanism; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7A ,  7 B and  7 C are perspective views of the preferred actuating mechanism; and 
           [0020]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are side views of the faceshield of  FIGS. 3-6  depicting the latching mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide an Anti-fouling Faceshield. 
         [0022]    The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a side view of the helmet  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  having a preferred embodiment of the anti-fouling faceshield  20  of the present invention attached thereto. Unlike the conventional faceshield, the anti-fouling faceshield  20  has a pivot point  26  that is much higher and further forward than the ratcheting hinge of the conventional design. As a result, the shield  20  sits further away (and higher up) than the conventional shield. This creates enough space between the shield  20  and the rider&#39;s face so that a pair of goggles can be worn by the rider beneath the shield  20 . 
         [0023]    The faceshield  20  is comprised of two main elements—the main mudshield  22 , and the upper mudshield  24 . The main mudshield  22 , like a conventional faceshield, is made from shatter-proof, clear plastic. The upper mudshield  24  is either bonded to, or molded as a single piece of, the main mudshield  22 . The upper mudshield  24  may or may not be made from the same material as the main mudshield—since the upper mudshield  24  is not in the rider&#39;s line of sight, it is unnecessary that it be transparent. Manufacturing efficiency, however, may dictate that identical materials (to the main shield) be used. If we now turn to  FIG. 4 , we can continue to examine the features of this invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the helmet  10  of  FIG. 3 , with the antifouling faceshield  20  in the “up” position. Since the pivot point  26  is so much higher and farther forward than the conventional ratcheting hinge&#39;s pivot point (see  FIG. 2 ), the faceshield  20  flips up and out of the way of the rider&#39;s face. The faceshield  20  attaches to the conventional helmet  10  by a hinge apparatus as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . The actuating mechanism, (which will be discussed more fully below), includes a spring-loaded mechanism that causes the shield  20  to flip up on its own with the simple activation of a lever provided thereon. 
         [0025]    The upper mudshield  24  is positioned very specifically to cover the visor  14  when the shield  20  is either in the “up” or the “down” position. The purpose of this positioning is to cover and protect the operating mechanism of the actuating mechanism (see  FIGS. 7A-7C ). This prevents that mechanism and the pivot hinge from being fouled with mud whether the shield  20  is down or flipped up. Now turning to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , we can continue to examine this unique invention. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side views of the faceshield  20  of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The intersection of the upper mudshield  24  and the main mudshield  22  is referred to as the visor pocket  30 . The visor pocket  30  is configured so that when the visor  20  is in the “up” position (see  FIG. 5B ), the helmet visor&#39;s leading end will reside within the pocket  30 . This arrangement allows for the total removal of the visor  20  from the rider&#39;s field of vision without the need for major modification to the helmet or visor. 
         [0027]    In its preferred form, the main mudshield  22  will be somewhat angular in shape. There is a front member  32  which comprises the main viewing panel through which the rider sees. There are also a pair of opposing side members (e.g.  34 A) extending backwardly from the front member  32 . The pivot point  26  is a hinge device between the top edge of the front member  32  and the underside of the helmet visor (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The actuating mechanism (not shown) also mounts to the underside of the visor  20 , which will be described more fully below in connection with  FIG. 6 . The actuating mechanism  28  (see  FIGS. 7A-7B ) includes a power lifting mechanism to automatically and rapidly pivot the shield  20  up in direction  36  when actuated by the rider. This enables the rider to remove a mud-fouled faceshield from his or her field of vision as quickly as possible. Turning to  FIG. 6 , we can study the features of this component of the invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of the faceshield  20  of  FIGS. 3-5  further depicting the preferred actuating mechanism  28 . 
         [0029]    The faceshield  20  has a pair of apertures (e.g.  40 A) on the upper portions of each side member  34 A,  34 B. First and second ends  46 A and  46 B of transverse shield strut (see  FIGS. 7A-7C ) extend through these apertures  40 A,  40 B. Typically the ends  46 A and  46 B would be provided with threaded ends so that an attachment member (e.g. a conventional nut and washer) can be tightened down on the ends  46 A and  46 B to retain the faceshield  20  to the strut (see  FIGS. 7A-7C ). 
         [0030]    The actuating mechanism  28 , only partially depicted here in order to orient it with respect to the shield  22  without obscuring critical elements, includes a mounting bracket  48  attached to the underside of the helmet visor (see  FIG. 3 ). A release lever  52  extends outwardly from the side of the shield  22  so that it is out of the rider&#39;s way, yet still easily reached when the ride wishes to pop the shield  22  up. By pushing the release lever  52  forward, the release axle  50  is caused to rotate clockwise (in this depiction), and thereby release the shield  22  to flip up and out of the way of the rider&#39;s view.  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C give another view of the novel actuating mechanism structure of the present invention. 
         [0031]    The release axle  50  is retained in position by the mounting bracket  48 , which is attached to the underside of the helmet visor, but is allowed to rotate therein. At the end of the axle  50  opposite to the release lever  52  is a retaining finger  53 . The retaining finger  53  is oriented and shaped such that it can grasp the transverse shield strut  44  when the finger  53  is in the position shown.  FIG. 7B  shows that when the release lever  52  is actuated, it will cause the retaining finger  53  to lift up and away from the transverse shield strut  44 . 
         [0032]    Once released from the retaining finger  53 , the strut  44  will be free to move in the direction of a biasing force created by a pair of springs (see  FIGS. 8A and 8B ). When the strut  44  is forced to move by the springs (not shown here), it will result in the faceshield (see  FIG. 3 ) traveling to the “up” position. We will now turn to  FIGS. 8A and 8B  to analyze the final elements of the device of the present invention. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are side views of the faceshield  22  of  FIGS. 3-6  depicting the latching mechanism. The strut  44  has a latch tab  61  extending backwardly and underneath the helmet visor. A pair of springs  59  (only the left of which is seen here) is interconnecting the shield  22  and the tab  61 . When the shield  22  is in the down position as shown, the springs  59  are under tension, and are stretched over the strut  44 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 8B  depicts the faceshield  22  in the up position, after the actuating mechanism (see  FIGS. 7A-7C ) has released the transverse strut  44 . As the shield  22  pivots up, the latch tab  61  slides along a latch plate  63 . The latch plate  63  is attached to the bottom side of the helmet visor, and is defined by an upturned edge  65  at its trailing edge. This upturned edge  65  is designed to capture the tip of the latch tab  61  once the shield  22  is in the up position. When the edge  65  captures the tip of the latch tab  61 , it will lock the shield  22  in the up position. The springs  59  will cause the latch tab  61  to be pulled upwardly, thereby keeping its tip captured by the upturned edge  65  until the rider pulls down on the latch tab  61 . Once the latch tab  61  is released from the upturned edge  65 , the shield can be pushed down and locked in that position by moving the release lever (see  FIG. 6 ) forward until the retaining finger (see  FIG. 7A ) is grasping the strut  44 . 
         [0035]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.