Abstract:
A visor holder for a head protective helmet whereby to secure a clear plastic visor thereto. The holder is a single molded plastic piece which has a narrow frontal curved portion and opposed depending rear visor attachment portions. The visor holder is adapted to be secured to a helmet and side mounting brackets are provided for the adjustable attachment of the depending rear visor attachment portions of the holder to a helmet. The holder also has vent holes in a frontal curved portion thereof for moisture release and air exchange.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a visor holder for attaching a clear plastic visor to helmets of different sizes and shapes. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In our U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,719, there is shown an attachment system whereby to secure a clear plastic visor to a wire grid face protector of a helmet. The clear plastic lens or visor is secured to a connector which is attached to the wire grid face protector. Accordingly, a wire grid face protector is required to mount the lens and as such, it has limited applications and adaptations in that it can be used with specific helmets having a particular wire grid face protector which is not easily securable to helmets of different sizes and shapes. Often, there is no need to provide a wire grid face protector in certain sports as these are often a nuisance. These structures are also not aesthetically pleasing. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is adjustable and capable of securing a clear plastic lens to helmets of different sizes and shapes. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is aesthetically pleasing, robust, which provides ventilation to the lens or visor when attached thereto. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a visor holder which is easy to secure to a helmet and which provides ease of attachment of a protective visor thereto. 
     According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a visor holder for a head protective helmet wherein the holder is comprised of a single molded piece having a narrow frontal curved portion and opposed depending rear visor attachment portions. Securement means is provided for immovably securing the holder about the peripheral forehead and temple area of a helmet. The securement means has a pair of side mounting brackets adapted to be secured to a helmet adjacent the temple area on opposed sides thereof for adjustable interconnection with interlocking means on an inner surface of the depending rear visor attachment portions to adapt the visor holder to helmets of different sizes and shapes. Attachment means is formed integral in the opposed depending rear visor attachment portions for releasable connection of a visor thereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective bottom view of the visor holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the visor holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the visor holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an attachment bracket for securing the visor holder to the temple area on opposed side of a helmet; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the visor holder secured to a helmet with the clear plastic visor secured to the holder; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a modification of the clear plastic visor wherein it is provided with different tint tones or a variable tint tone; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a tinted visor. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , there is shown generally at  10  the visor holder of the present invention. It is comprised of the single molded piece formed by injection molded polycarbonate plastics or other suitable material. The single molded piece defines a narrow frontal curved portion  12  and opposed depending rear visor attachment portions  13  and  13 ′. A connector  14  is formed integral in the central area of the narrow frontal curved portion  12  and provided with two elongated slots  15  and  15 ′ whereby to connect to existing threaded post bolts  11  that are inserted through elongated slots in the helmet and project in the frontal peripheral portion  16  of the frontal area  17  of a helmet  18 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The slots  15  and  15 ′ of the connector  14  provide for adjustable securement to the existing threaded post bolts  11 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Fasteners  19  are used for the securement. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the securement means for attaching the visor holder to a helmet further comprises a pair of side mounting brackets  20  which are adapted to be secured to a helmet adjacent the temple area  21 . 
     The visor holder is further provided with vent means in the form of vent holes  23 , see  FIG. 2 , integrally formed in the narrow frontal curved portion  12  of the holder  10  and disposed above the forehead of the wearer person wearing the helmet. Visor attachment means in the form of holes  24  and  24 ′ are provided respectively in the depending rear visor attachment portions  13  and  13 ′ and are shaped to receive a retention clip  25 , formed integral with the clear plastic visor  26 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The visor  26  is shaped whereby to be compressed to fit inside the depending rear visor attachment portions  13  and  13 ′ with the retention clip  25  projecting outwardly from the outer surface  27  of the visor at opposed attachment ends  28 . When the clips  25  register with the holes  24  and  24 ′, the clip springs into the attachment holes  24  to secure the visor to the visor holder. To remove the visor, it is only necessary to push in the clips  25  and move the visor forward to remove it. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the depending rear visor attachment portions  13  and  13 ′ are provided in the upper part thereof with interlocking means in the form of a plurality of projecting teeth elements  30  which are herein shown as being of saw tooth cross-section. These teeth elements  30  are disposed in series with one another and disposed adjacent an elongated slot  31  through which is received a fastener  32 , see  FIG. 6 , which is engageable with a threaded bore  32 ′ of the associated bracket  20 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , secured to the temple area  21  of the helmet  18 . The bracket  20  is also provided with a series of serrated depressions  33  dimensioned to interlock with the series of teeth  30  provided in the inner face  34  of the depending rear visor attachment portions  13  and  13 ′. One or two of these serrated depressions could be sufficient but preferably a series provides for a more secured connection. Accordingly, the visor holder  10  can be adjustably secured to a variety of helmet sizes and shapes by simply fitting the visor holder with the attachment bracket and securing the attachment bracket  20  to the helmet in the approximate required area as the adjustment can then be made with this adjustable feature of the interlocking teeth. Accordingly, the serrated depressions  33  constitute a securement means. The bracket  20  is also provided with slots  46  to provide adjustable connection over the temple area  21  of the helmet  18  by the use of fasteners  45 . There are at least two parallel slots  46  to permit rigid connection and prevent tilting of the bracket. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the serrated depressions  33  are disposed along a top edge  36  and formed in the outer face  37  of the bracket  20  and disposed for facial alignment with the toothed elements  30  when the holder is secured to a helmet by the fasteners  32 . 
     As also shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the series of toothed elements  30  are disposed in substantially parallel alignment with the slot  31  and extends along parallel longitudinal axes projecting in a horizontal plane  38 , see  FIG. 3 , of the narrow frontal curved portion of the holder. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the visor  26  is herein provided with a rearwardly projecting flange  40  extending centrally from a top edge  41  of the visor and extending forwardly of the connector  14 . The projecting flange  40  is adapted to receive an insignia, such as shown at  42  thereon and which is visible when worn by a user person, as shown in  FIG. 6 . It is also an aesthetic feature. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the clear plastic visor  26  may be tinted in at least a portion thereof, and as herein shown there are two distinct tint tones, namely an upper tint tone portion at  43  and a lower tint tone portion  44  with the tones being of different colors. It is also envisaged that the tone can have a single tint but degraded from dark to clear with the darkest part of the tone being of course, in the upper portion of the lens whereby to provide glare shading. 
     Accordingly, with the visor holder of the present invention it is possible to adapt clear plastic visors to helmets of different sizes and shapes thereby making it possible to use a common visor or lens on helmets formed by different fabricators. 
     It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiments described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.