Patent Publication Number: US-6711752-B2

Title: Cover for protective helmets and the like

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This utility patent application is based on U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/261,553, filed Jan. 12, 2001 and claims priority thereto. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to items constructed from fabric and, more particularly, to a cover for protective helmets and the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As is widely known, protective helmets, such as the helmet  10  illustrated in FIG. 1, are utilized in a variety of activities in order to protect the wearer from head trauma injuries. For example, protective helmets  10  are commonly used by persons engaged in skiing, snowboarding, bicycling, motorcycling, auto racing, football, hockey, and other activities in which there is a reasonably high likelihood of head trauma injuries if the head is not protected in some way. 
     Although such helmets  10  are designed to protect the wearer&#39;s head in case of an impact, it is not uncommon for such helmets  10  to be decorated on their exterior surfaces in order to have a pleasing appearance or to allow the wearer to be readily identified at a distance. Therefore, although the helmet  10  is designed to absorb the force of an impact in the event of a crash, most owners of helmets  10  do not expect to be involved in such crashes during the normal course of their activities, and therefore they generally desire to keep the helmet  10  in an attractive, unblemished condition. Moreover, many helmets  10  include transparent visors  11  that become opacified if abraded. Such abrasion can interfere with the wearer&#39;s vision, thus becoming a safety hazard. Therefore, it is important to keep the helmet visor  11  unabraded and transparent. 
     Maintaining the helmet  10  in an unblemished condition is made difficult by the fact that the helmet  10  is rather bulky and is not easily stored during periods of non-use, including transport to and from the activity where the helmet  10  may be required, and during breaks in the activity (during which most wearers do not wish to leave the helmet  10  upon their heads). It has therefore been found that the decorative exterior surface of the helmet  10  will generally become marred and damaged over time due to coming into contact with other objects during such storage and transport. Such damage can also have an effect upon the impact absorption performance of the helmet  10 , as well as abrasion of the transparent visor  11  surface. Most manufacturers of helmets  10  caution that the helmet  10  should not be worn if the surface has been damaged, as the structural integrity of the helmet  10  may have been compromised. 
     Helmet covers are currently used to protect helmets  10  from damage. The known covers, while adequate to protect the helmets  10  from wear and tear, suffer from a number of shortcomings. For example, currently known helmet covers include those made from leather or vinyl, often with a faux-fur or wool lining. These covers are nearly as heavy and as bulky as the helmet  10  they cover and present a storage problem when not in use. Further, these covers are difficult to clean and dry, such that they retain moisture and readily mildew once they become wet. 
     Nylon helmet covers are not as heavy and/or bulky as their leather and vinyl counterparts, but instead tend to bag around the helmet  10  such that they are readily snagged and torn. Further, a spare motorcycle helmet  10  with a nylon cover has a tendency to flap in the wind, generating a distracting nuisance to the motorcycle operator. 
     Moreover, none of the above-mentioned helmet covers stretch appreciably and are only more or less form-fitting. The known covers therefore must be tailored to the dimensions and shape of the helmet to which with which they are to be used, and are difficult, if not impossible, to use with non-standard sized or shaped helmets. 
     There is therefore a need for a lightweight and readily stored form-fitting device which will allow a protective helmet to be transported and stored in a convenience manner while protecting the surface thereof from accidental damage. The present invention is directed towards meeting this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a protective cover for a motorcycle or sports helmet and a method for protecting such a helmet. The method for protecting the helmet includes the steps of first providing an enclosure including a substantially circular material portion having an outer periphery, a hemmed tube portion extending along the outer periphery and having a first open end and a second open end positioned substantially adjacent the first open end, and a drawstring having a first drawstring end and a second drawstring end and extending through the hemmed tube portion. The first and second drawstring ends extend from the respective first and second open ends. The hemmed tube portion defines an opening having a variable size and the size of the opening is inversely related to the extension of the drawstring from the open ends. Next, the size of the opening is increased. Then, a helmet is inserted through the opening into the enclosure, followed by decreasing the size of the opening. Finally, the enclosure is stretched around the helmet such that the enclosure is substantially form fitting to the helmet. Once the helmet is inside the enclosure, the enclosure is adapted to wick moisture away from the helmet. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for storing a helmet. Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical prior art helmet. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment cover of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the present invention enclosing the helmet of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the present invention enclosing the helmet of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     In order to protect a helmet  10  during transport and/or storage, the present invention provides for a cover as illustrated in FIG. 2, and generally indicated at  20 . The first embodiment cover  20  is formed from fabric or other pliable material and is preferably formed from a single piece of fabric cut into a generally circular shape, preferably with a hemmed diameter of about 24 inches. In a preferred embodiment, the fabric from which the cover  20  is formed is preferably 88 percent nylon and 12 percent spandex, having a weight of approximately 6 ounces per square yard and a stretch of 104 percent lengthwise and 75 percent widthwise. Preferably, the weight of the helmet cover  20  is about 3 ounces. Also preferably, the fabric is readily compressible and may be carried and a helmet cover made therefrom may be carried unobtrusively in a pocket. Also, the fabric has sufficient porosity such that moisture may easily pass therethrough. Preferably, the moisture is passed through the fabric by a wicking mechanism, or, in other words, the fabric “breathes”. Since the fabric preferably includes a substantial mount of spandex, it is resistant to tearing, even if penetrated. Also preferably, the fabric has a relatively low surface coefficient of friction, making it resistant to soiling. 
     The edge of the circular piece of fabric is folded over and stitched at  22  in order to form an enclosed tube or channel  24 . A drawstring  26  is then fed through the channel  24  such that one end of the drawstring  26  emerges from each end of the channel  24 . In the first embodiment, a spring-loaded closure  28  is placed over the ends of the drawstring  26 . The closure  28  can be freely slid upon the drawstrings  26  when a button thereupon is depressed, and will resist movement along the drawstring  26  when the button is released. 
     With reference to FIG. 3, the helmet  10  may be placed within the cover  20  and the drawstring  26  may be pulled taught such that the cover  20  snugly conforms to the contours of the helmet  10 , such that it is resistant to snagging or flapping. Once the drawstring  26  has been pulled taught, the spring-loaded closure  28  may be slid upon the drawstring  26  to a point adjacent the openings of the channel  24 . This will maintain the drawstring in its pulled condition such that the cover  20  remains tightly pulled about the helmet  10 . Once this has been done, the ends of the drawstring  26  may be placed into the interior of the helmet, if desired. The assembly  20 /helmet  10  is shown from the top perspective in FIG.  4 . 
     It will be appreciated from the above description that the cover of the present invention provides a convenient means for protecting a helmet  10  while the helmet is being stored or transported. Because the fabric is pliable, it forms to the contours of the helmet  10  when the drawstring  26  is pulled taught. In the preferred embodiment which utilizes fabric having a stretch ability, the cover  20  is able to conform quite precisely to the contours of the helmet  10 , reducing the likelihood of snagging or flapping. Also, because the fabric breathes, a helmet  10  may be encased therein for extended periods of time without mildewing. 
     In operation, the cover  20  is used to protect a helmet  10  by providing an enclosure  21  including a substantially circular material portion  21  having an outer periphery  22 , a hollow tube portion  24  extending along the outer periphery  22  and having a first open end  23 A and a second open end  23 B positioned substantially adjacent the first open end  23 A, and a drawstring  26  having a first drawstring end  27 A and a second drawstring end  25 B and extending through the hollow tube portion  24 , wherein the first and second drawstring ends  27 A, B extend from the respective first and second open ends  23 A, B, wherein the hollow tube portion  24  defines an opening  29  having a variable size, and wherein the size of the opening  29  is inversely related to the extension of the drawstring  26  from the open ends  23 A,B. When the drawstring ends  27 A, B are pulled tight, the opening  29  contracts with the tube portion  24  bunching up along the remaining enclosed portion of the drawstring  24 . To insert the helmet  10  into the enclosure  21 , the size of the opening  29  is first increased by pulling on the opening  29  or otherwise increasing the length of the portion of the drawstring  24  enveloped within the hollow tube portion  24 . The helmet  10  is then inserted through the opening  29  into the enclosure  21 . Insertion of the helmet  10  is readily accomplished since the cover  20  is pliable and easily stretched. After the helmet  10  is in the enclosure  21 , the size of the opening  29  is (such as by pulling the drawstring ends  27 A, B) and the cover  20  (and the enclosure  21 ) is stretched around the helmet  10  such that the cover  20  is snug around the helmet  10  and the enclosure  21  is therefore substantially form fitting to the helmet  10 . The porous nature of the cover  20  allows the enclosure  21  to efficiently wick moisture from the helmet  20 , minimizing the risk of mildew of the helmet  10  once enclosed and allows for long term storage of the enclosed helmet  10 . Since the cover  20  is made of a tear-resistant and pliable material, the presence of the cover  20  over the helmet protects the helmet  10  (and visor  11 , if any) from scuffing, scratching, and other impact damage that might otherwise befall the helmet  10 . This is especially true of the visor  11 , since when unprotected the visor  11  may be easily scuffed, scratched and/or otherwise abraded, resulting in a decrease in its transparency and safe utility. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.