Patent Publication Number: US-8966672-B2

Title: Fastener for low profile protective helmet internal suspension padding

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     Statement as to rights to inventions made under federally sponsored research and development: Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to protective helmets and more particularly, to an attachment means for an internal suspension padding within a low profile protective helmet. 
     2. Brief Description of Prior Art 
     The use of safety helmets (hard hats) in hazardous areas in industry and mines is widespread. Prior art helmets (referred herein as bulk helmets) are generally heavy and because the shell of the helmet is spaced an appreciable distance from the wearer&#39;s head, they are often unstable on the head. In addition, the bulk of these helmets seriously limit head movement by the wearer in the often confined space within the mine. A low profile helmet suitable for use in hazardous areas in industry and mines, say of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,060,951 (&#39;951 patent), or other suitable low profile helmet available is known to overcome these disadvantages of the bulk helmets. The close fit of the low profile protective helmet minimizes the weight of the helmet itself, and provides excellent stability of the helmet on the head. 
     Technically, safety helmets are constructed of a hard outer shell of strong material, such as metal or plastic. The outer shell includes a crown support that covers the top of the wearer&#39;s head. A crown support or suspension padding (sometimes herein referred to as suspension liner), usually of straps, is secured within the shell and fits directly over the wearer&#39;s head. The suspension spaces the shell from the wearer&#39;s head so that impacts upon the shell are cushioned. 
     These suspension liners are primarily adopted for the bulk helmets and not immediately adaptable for the low profile protective helmet. 
     The present invention relates generally to a novel fastening means for appropriately securing prior art suspension liners to low profile protective helmets such as disclosed in the &#39;951 patent. Specifically, the invention is concerned with a suspension means adaptable for use with these low profile helmets in order to stabilize the suspension liner with the low profile design. 
     As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome disadvantages of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A low profile protective helmet having an outer shell of a substantially rigid impact resistant material and an interior surface that is immediately adjacent the top of the wearer&#39;s head while the helmet is being worn. The interior surface includes a plurality of fasteners that are spaced along a bottom edge of the helmet. These fasteners are each connectable to the prior art suspension liner and secures the liner within the helmet and further supports the shell in spaced apart relation about the wearer&#39;s head. 
     The fastening means of the present invention includes first and second rib members adjacent each fastener, such that each fastener is disposed between the pair of rib members. Each rib member is a raised ridge in the interior surface that stabilizes the suspension liner. In particular, the rib members restrict the side-to-side movement of the suspension liners integral head straps by the retaining action of the rib members as the integral head straps are attached to each fastener. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a low profile protective helmet. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the low profile protective helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the interior of the low profile protective helmet illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and further shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fastener means for low profile protective helmet internal suspension system. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the interior of the low profile helmet of  FIG. 3 , and illustrates a suspension liner connected to the fasteners in the interior of the low profile protective helmet. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, an assembled low profile protective helmet  10 , of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,060,951, or other suitable low profile helmet is shown. The protective helmet  10  includes an outer shell  11  of a substantially rigid impact resistant material. The outer shell  11  having generally spherical contours to encompass the upper part of the wearer&#39;s head. The shell  11  is preferably made of a dense, relatively light weight, impact absorbing material such as for example, a polycarbonate plastic. 
     The outer shell  11  is integrally formed by three sections, a center section  15 , a front section  17  and a rear section  19 . The center section  15  covers the central portion of the top of the wearer&#39;s head from a point above the ear on one side of the head to a point above the ear on the other side of the head. The front section  17  is integral to the center section  15  and covers the upper frontal portion of the head. The rear section  19  is likewise integral to the center section  15  and covers the back of the head. The sides of all three sections are configured to closely fit the head of the wearer in order to better maintain firm contact with the area of the head while the helmet is being worn. 
     The outer shell  11  includes an interior surface  20  that is immediately adjacent the top of the wearer&#39;s head while the helmet is being worn. The interior surface  20  includes a distal point  21  (see  FIG. 3 ) which represents the furthest distance between the top of the wearer&#39;s head and the interior surface  20  when the helmet  10  is being worn. The distal point  21  of the low profile helmet  10  is approximately 1.3 inches from the top of the wearer&#39;s head which is at least one (1) inch closer to the top of the wearer&#39;s head than with prior art bulk hard hats. In particular, the height of the low profile helmet  10  is approximately 4.7 inches in height which is considerably less than prior art bulk helmets. As a result, the design permits the low profile helmet  10  to fit closer to the top of the wearer&#39;s head. The close fit of the helmet  10  minimizes the weight of the helmet itself, and provides excellent stability of the helmet on the head. 
     The outer shell  11  further includes added shock absorbing means  25  that is preferably integral to the outer shell  11 . The added shock absorbing means  25  includes a first extension  27  and a second extension  29  in perpendicular relationship with the first extension  27 . Like the outer shell  11 , the added shock absorbing means  25  is constructed of a substantially rigid impact resistant material and disposed on the outer shell  11  in order to give added protection to the head of the wearer such that the low profile helmet  10  is suitable for use in hazardous areas in industry and mines. 
     As illustrated, the first extension  27  horizontally extends along the central portion of the center section  15 . The second extension  29  is disposed in perpendicular relationship to the first extension  27 . The second extension  29  vertically extends along the central portion of the center section  15  and extends such that a first end  29 A is approximately adjacent the front section  17  and a second end  29 B is approximately adjacent the rear section  19 . As stated, the extensions  27 ,  29  forming the added shock absorbing means  25  give added protection to the head of the wearer during use. 
       FIG. 3  shows the outer shell&#39;s interior surface  20 . In particular, a plurality of fasteners  30  are spaced along a bottom edge  14  of the low profile helmet  10 . These fasteners  30  are each for connecting to a prior art suspension liner  40  ( FIG. 4 ) as will be further discussed, and secures the suspension liner within the hat against relative upward movement with respect to the shell  11 , and further supports the shell  11  in spaced apart relation about the wearer&#39;s head. In the preferred embodiment, and as best shown in  FIG. 3 , two of these fasteners  30  are spaced apart on a first side  15 A of the center section  15 , and two of the fasteners  30  are spaced apart on a second side  15 B of the center section  15 . 
     Fasteners  30  can be pins, snaps, buttons, rivets or other fastening means known in the art. 
     As is known, the suspension liner  40  is releasably connected directly to the fasteners  30  in the interior  20  of the shell  11 . The liner  40  engages the wearer&#39;s head (not shown) and is generally formed of a central or dome member  42  that is adapted to contact the top of the wearer&#39;s head, and integral head straps  45  that include fasteners  47  adapted to cooperate with the fasteners  30 . To further facilitate an understanding of the present invention, it will be described in conjunction with the suspension liner just described; as the description proceeds however, it will be obvious that the present invention may be used in conjunction with various head and crown suspension liners of other construction designs and it is in fact intended to do so. 
     With the low profile protective helmet, as previously discussed, the distal point  21  of the helmet is approximately one (1) inch closer to the top of the wearer&#39;s head than with the prior art bulk helmets. As a result, there naturally exists less space between the top of the wearer&#39;s head and the distal point  21 . The Inventor found the attached prior art suspension liners less stable in the low profile helmet versus the bulk helmets, again, due to the closer fit to the wearer&#39;s head. More particularly, the Inventor found that the integral head straps  45  attached to the fasteners  30  of the low profile helmet would more often adjust or move during application or use. Undesirable movement of the integral head straps can change the location of the central or dome member  42 , directly causing the low profile protective helmet fit to be less stable. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the interior surface  20  of the present invention further includes first and second rib members  32 ,  34 , respectively, adjacent each fastener  30  such that each fastener  30  is disposed between the pair of rib members  32 ,  34 . The rib members  32 ,  34  are disposed adjacent the bottom edge  14  and are preferably integral to the interior surface  20  of the shell  11 . 
     Each rib member  32 ,  34  is a raised ridge on the interior surface  20  that stabilizes the suspension liner  40 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , each raised rib member  32 ,  34  having a first end  32 A,  34 A, and a second end  32 B,  34 B, the first end  32 A,  34 A disposed next to the bottom edge  14  and the second end  32 B,  34 B is disposed between the bottom edge  14  and a distal end  27 A of the first extension  27 . As illustrated, the first end  32 A,  34 A is raised from the interior surface  20  and the second end  32 B,  34 B, is approximately coplanar the interior surface  20  such that a top edge  320 ,  340 , defines a slanted surface, each of the rib members  32 ,  34  being downwardly slanted from the first end  32 A,  34 A, toward the second end  32 B,  34 B. 
     As should now be understood, the rib members  32 ,  34  restrict the side-to-side movement of the integral head straps  45  by the retaining action of the rib members  32 ,  34  as the integral head straps  45  are attached to each fastener  30 . As illustrated, with the present invention, only a small amount of movement of the head straps  45  is permitted in order to properly secure the liner suspension in place. In particular, the rib members  32 ,  34  define an equal spacing  35  therebetween (See  FIG. 3 ) such that the spacing  35  is approximately equal to the width  46  (See  FIG. 4 ) of the integral head straps  45 . 
     From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a low profile protective helmet construction or attachment which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, installation and use. 
     While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention. Thus, the above-described preferred embodiment is intended to be illustrative of the invention which may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.