Patent Publication Number: US-6219851-B1

Title: Ring-band adjustment structure of crush helmet

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a ring-band adjustment structure of the crash helmet, more particularly, to a ring-band adjustment structure with an adjustable ring 5  band, and of simple structure and easy assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional crash helmet worn when riding a bicycle has a ring-band installed inside to fix on the head of the user. The diameter of the ring-band is fixed and can not be adjusted properly according to the head of the user, resulting in unsteady positioning and uncomfortable wear. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a ring-band adjustment structure of the crash helmet, which comprises a ring-band, a connection part and two adjustment part. The accommodation groove of the connection part has two positioning teeth with their teeth end on the top side. The two adjustment parts are connected to the two ends of the ring-band. The two adjustment parts are slid to match the position teeth. The two adjustment parts can be in the lock state or the adjustment state. The diameter of the ring-band can be adjusted properly according to the head of the user, resulting in steady positioning and comfortable wear. Moreover, the positioning teeth are formed on the connection part. Simple structure and easy assembly thus make the production cost be reduced greatly. 
     The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is the assembly diagram of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is the disassembly diagram of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 a  is the local front view profile of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 b  is the local top view profile of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 c  is the local side view profile of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is the diagram showing the adjustment state of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is the diagram of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention after adjustment is completed; 
     FIG. 6 is the diagram showing an usage of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is the diagram showing another usage of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is the assembly diagram of the conventional ring-band adjustment structure; 
     FIG. 9 is the disassembly diagram of the conventional ring-band adjustment structure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the conventional ring-band adjustment structure of the crash helmet comprises a ring-band  10   a , a connection part  11   a , a positioning component  12   a , and two adjustment parts  13   a . The positioning component  12   a  is matched inside the accommodation groove  14   a  of the connection part  11   a . The two adjustment parts  13   a  are connected to the two ends of the ring-band  10   a  and are slid to match the positioning component  12   a . The two adjustment parts  13   a  can be in the lock state or the adjustment state. The diameter of the ring-band  10   a  can be adjusted properly according to the head of the user, resulting in steady positioning and comfortable wear. However, the structure is complex, and it takes time and effort to install the positioning component  12   a  inside the accommodation groove  14   a . The assembly is thus bothersome, resulting in higher production cost. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c , the ring-band adjustment structure of the crash helmet of the present invention comprises a ring-band  10 , a connection part  20 , and two adjustment parts  30 . The ring-band  10  is a band made of plastic material with a appropriate length and is bent to form a ring. The ring-band has two connection holes  11  on each ends. The ring-band can also be enclosed by an enclosing body  50  made of soft material to increase wearing comfort. 
     The connection part  20  is of arc form and has a accommodation groove  21  installed in the concave front side. The accommodation groove  21  has a left and a right positioning teeth  22  installed along the longitudinal direction. The teeth end of the positioning teeth  22  is on the top side. The positioning teeth  22  can also have unidirectional lock function. The connection part  20  has a left and a right slit  23  installed along the longitudinal direction on the bottom side. The connection part  20  has a hole  24  on each end. The accommodation groove  21  can be connected outward through the slit  23  and the hole  24 . 
     The adjustment part  30  has two connection poles  31  installed on the back side, corresponding to the connection holes  11  of the ring band  10 . The adjustment part  30  has a first sliding groove  32  in the vertical direction. A sliding clump  33  is slid to match the first sliding groove  32  and can be slid upward and downward. The sliding clump  33  has an elastic component  34  on the top side to elastically push the sliding clump  33  downward. The sliding clump  33  has a pawl  35  installed on the back side. The adjustment part  30  has a second sliding groove  36  in the horizontal direction installed on the back side to be slid to match the positioning teeth  22  of the connection part  20 . A cover plate  37  can be embedded fixedly on the front side of the first sliding groove  32  to close the front open of the first sliding groove  32 . This can prevent the sliding clump  33  and the elastic component  34  to run out of the first sliding groove  32 . The adjustment part  30  joins with a push button  38  on the front side. The push button  38  has a join pole  39  on the back side to link with the join hole  39   a  on the front side of the adjustment part  30 . The push button  38  is situated outside the accommodation groove  21 . 
     When assembled, the connection poles  31  of the two adjustment parts  30  are connected to the connection holes  11  of the ring-band  10  to link fixedly the two adjustment parts with the two ends of the ring-band. The two adjustment parts  30  are inserted to match the accommodation groove  21  through the holes  24  on the two ends of the connection part  20 . The second sliding groove  36  of the two adjustment parts are slid to match the top and bottom sides of the positioning teeth  22 . The bottom end of the sliding clump  33  protrudes out of the connection part through the slit  23 . A cover body  40  can be locked or bound on the front open of the accommodation groove  21 . The cover body  40  has a left and a right slit  41  along the longitudinal direction to let the join pole  39  of the push button  38  traverse the slit  41  to link with the join hole  39   a  on the front side of the adjustment part  30 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention can be installed in the bicycle crash helmet or the motorcycle crash helmet by a fastening or a binding band. 
     The elastic component  34  of the adjustment part  30  elastically pushes the sliding clump  33  downward to let the pawl  35  on the back side of the sliding clump  33  be locked between the positioning teeth of the connection part  20 . The two adjustment parts are now in the lock state. The diameter of the ring-band  10  is fixed (as shown in FIGS. 3 a ,  3   b , and  3   c ). The positioning teeth can also have unidirectional lock function. When the pawl  35  on the back side of the sliding clump  33  is locked between the positioning teeth  22  of the connection part  20 , a force can be exerted on the pawl  35  to slide unidirectionally toward the midst to decreasingly adjust the diameter of the ring-band  10 . When the diameter of the ring-band  10  is adjusted, the sliding clump  33  of the two adjustment part  30  is pushed upward to let the two sliding clumps  33  move upward. The pawl  35  on the back side of the sliding clump  35  is unlocked from the positioning teeth  22  of the connection part  20 . The second sliding groove  36  of the adjustment part  30  is slid to match the positioning teeth  22  of the connection part  20  to make a detached (as shown in FIG. 4) or linked sliding adjustment of the two adjustment parts  30 . The diameter of the ring-band  10  is now free to adjust. When the adjustment is completed, the force to push the sliding clump  33  of the adjustment part  30  upward can be released. The two sliding clumps  33  will be pulled downward by the elastic component  34  to let the pawl  35  on the back side of the sliding clump  33  be locked between the positioning teeth  22  of the connection part  20 . The two adjustment parts  30  are now in the lock state, and the diameter of the ring-band  10  is fixed (as shown in FIG.  5 ). Because the positioning teeth  22  has unidirectional lock function, the two push buttons  38  can be pushed directly to make a linked sliding adjustment of the two adjustment parts. The pawl  35  is slid toward the midst between the positioning teeth  22 . 
     As described above, the special design of the ring-band adjustment structure of the present invention makes the diameter of the ring-band be adjusted properly according to the head of the user, resulting in steady positioning and comfortable wear. Moreover, the positioning teeth  22  are formed on the connection part  20 . No other positioning components are required. Simple structure and easy assembly make the production cost be reduced greatly. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.