Patent Publication Number: US-6981284-B2

Title: Hockey helmet comprising a lateral adjustment mechanism

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a hockey helmet having a lateral adjustment mechanism for improving the fit of the helmet on the head of the wearer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hockey helmets that are commercialized today have liners of different thickness that may be affixed to the inner surfaces of the helmet in order to improve the fit between the left and right sides of the head of the wearer and the helmet. There is, however, a need in the industry to develop a more refined technique that allows the wearer to adjust the fit of the helmet, specifically by controlling the pressure the helmet applies upon the left and right sides of the head. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a hockey helmet for receiving a head of a wearer, the head having a crown region, left and right side regions, a back region and an occipital region. The helmet comprises a shell comprising left and right side inner surfaces; left and right side inner pads at least partially covering the left and right side inner surfaces of the shell, the left and right side inner pads facing the respective left and right side regions of the head; and a wedging member located between one of the left and right side inner pads and one of the respective left and right side inner surfaces. The wedging member is movable between first and second positions. In the first position, one of the left and right side inner pads applies a first pressure upon the respective left and right side regions of the head. In the second position, one of the left and right side inner pads applies a second pressure upon one of the respective left and right side regions of the head. The second pressure is greater than the first pressure. 
     As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention also provides a hockey helmet for receiving a head of a wearer, the head having a crown region, left and right side regions, a back region and an occipital region. The helmet comprises a shell comprising left and right side inner surfaces; and left and right side inner pads at least partially covering the left and right side inner surfaces of the shell, the left and right side inner pads facing the respective left and right side regions of the head. The left and right side inner pads are movable between a first position, wherein the left and right side inner pads apply a first pressure upon the respective left and right side regions of the head, to a second position, wherein the left and right side inner pads apply a second pressure upon the respective left and right side regions of the head. The second pressure is greater than the first pressure. 
     As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention further provides a hockey helmet for receiving a head of a wearer, the head having a crown region, left and right side regions, a back region and an occipital region. The helmet has a shell comprising left and right side inner surfaces and left and right side inner pads at least partially covering the left and right side inner surfaces. A wedging member is located between one of the left and right side inner pads and the respective left and right side inner surface. The wedging member is selectively movable to vary the distance between the one of said left and right side inner pad and the respective left and right side inner surface, to adjust a fit of the helmet on the head of the wearer. 
     As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention further provides a hockey helmet having a shell and left and right side inner pads at least partially covering the left and right side inner surfaces of the shell. The left and right side inner pads face the respective left and right side regions of the head. The helmet comprises a mechanical actuation device coupled to one of the left and right side inner pads, the mechanical actuation device being operable by the wearer from outside the helmet to cause displacement of the one of said left and right side inner pads for adjusting the fit of the helmet on the head of the wearer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided herein below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a head of a wearer; 
         FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the head of the wearer of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a hockey helmet constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side elevational view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front exploded perspective view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  a rear exploded perspective view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side elevational view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3  with a right wedging member illustrated in dotted lines; 
         FIG. 8  is a right side elevational view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3  with a portion of the outer shell cut-away to expose right wedging member and the right side inner pad; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the hockey helmet of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines  10  and showing the right wedging member in a first position; 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the right wedging member in a second position; and 
         FIG. 12  is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines  12 — 12 . 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a head of a wearer. The head comprises a crown region CR, left and right side regions LS, RS, a back region BR and an occipital region OC. The crown region CR has a front part that substantially corresponds to the forehead and a top part that substantially corresponds to the front top part of the head. In fact, the crown region CR generally corresponds to the frontal bone region of the head. The left and right side regions LS, RS are approximately located above the ears of the wearer. Occipital region OC substantially corresponds to the region around and under the external occipital protuberance of the head. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , the hockey helmet  10  comprises a front portion  12  and a rear portion  14  interconnected together. Front and rear portions  12 ,  14  comprise respective front shell  16  and rear shell  18 . The rear shell  18  comprises left and right side inner surfaces  18 L,  18 R (see  FIGS. 5 and 9 ). It is understood that the helmet  10  may comprise a one-piece shell instead of a two piece shell. The front shell  16  and rear shell  18  may be made of a relatively rigid material, such as NYLON, polycarbonate materials, thermoplastics, or thermosetting resins or any other suitable material. The front and rear shells  16 ,  18  comprises a plurality of ventilation apertures  20  that provide the added comfort of allowing air to circulate around the head of the wearer. 
     The front shell  16  overlays front inner pad  22  and top inner pad  30  while the rear shell overlays rear central inner pad  24  and left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28 . The left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  at least partially cover the left and right side inner surfaces  18 L,  18 R of the rear shell  18 . The front inner pad  22  faces the front part of the crown region CR while the top inner pad  30  faces the top part of the crown region CR. The central rear inner pad  24  faces the back region BR while the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  face the respective left and right side regions LS, RS. The inner pads  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be made of shock absorbing materials such as expanded polypropylene (EPP) or expanded polyethylene (EPE). Other materials can also be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     The front inner pad  22  and top inner pad  30  have three-dimensional configurations that match the three-dimensional configurations of the front shell  16  and are attached to the inner surfaces of the front shell  16  by any suitable means such glue, stitches, tacks, staples or rivets. Similarly, rear central inner pad  24  and left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  have three-dimensional configurations that match the three-dimensional configurations of the rear shells  18  and are attached to the inner surfaces of the rear shells  18  by any suitable means, such as glue, stitches, tacks, staples or rivets. 
     The helmet  10  may also comprise a front comfort liner  32  affixed on the inner surface of the front inner pad  22 , a top comfort liner  38  affixed on the inner surface of the top inner pad  30  and left and right side comfort liners  34 ,  36  affixed on the inner surface of the respective left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28 . The comfort liners  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  may be made of soft materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Other materials can also be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The comfort liners  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  may be affixed on the inner surface of the respective inner pads  22 ,  26 ,  28  and  30  by any suitable means, such as glue, stitches, tacks, staples or rivets. 
     The hockey helmet  10  may comprise left and right ear loops and a chin strap adapted to be attached to ear loops so that when it is secured beneath the chin of the wearer, the helmet  10  is maintained onto the head of the wearer. If desired, the helmet  10  may be provided with left and right ear covers for protecting the ears of the wearer. 
     The front and rear portions  12 ,  14  (front and rear shells  16 ,  18  more particularly) can move one with relation to the other so as to adjust the size of the head receiving cavity of the helmet  10 . Left and right locking mechanisms  50 ,  52  retain the front and rear portions  12 ,  14  in the position selected by the wearer. Any suitable type of locking mechanisms such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,776 of Bauer Nike Hockey Inc. issued on Sep. 28, 1999 can be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     In operation, a wearer who puts on the helmet  10  and realizes that it is too large or too small, does not need to remove the helmet  10  to adjust it. The wearer must simply release the locking mechanism  50 ,  52  expand or contract the size of the helmet  10  by displacing the front and the rear portion  12 ,  14  in relation to each other in the appropriate direction. 
     Alternatively, helmet  10  may comprise a non-adjustable one-piece shell covering a one-piece inner pad and a one-piece comfort liner. In another possible variant, the helmet  10  may comprise separate front and rear portions  12 ,  14  that are connected to one another in any suitable way but not adjustable one relative to the other. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 to 12 , the helmet  10  also comprises a left wedging member  54  located between the left side inner pad  26  and the left inner side surface  18 L of the rear shell  18  and a right wedging member  56  located between the right side inner pad  28  and the right side inner surface  18 R of the rear shell  18 . 
     The left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  are movable between a first position (see  FIG. 10 ) and a second position (see  FIG. 11 ). In the first position, the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  apply a first pressure upon the left and right side regions LS, RS of the head. As shown in  FIG. 10 , in this first position, the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  are located at a distance A from the respective left and right side inner surfaces  18 L,  18 R. In the second position, the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  apply a second pressure upon the left and right side regions LS, RS of the head. As shown in  FIG. 11 , in this second position, the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  are located at a distance B from the respective left and right side inner surfaces  18 L,  18 R, the distance B being greater than the distance A. Hence, because the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  are closer to the respective left and right side regions LS, RS of the head in the second position, the second pressure applied by them on these respective left and right side regions LS, RS is greater than the first pressure. 
     The left and right wedging members  26 ,  28  may have a variable thickness. For example, the wedging member may be a panel having a portion with a thickness that increases from a first section to a second section. Because of this increase of thickness, the left and right wedging members  26 ,  28  exert on the respective left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  an increasing pressure when they are displaced from the first position to the second position. 
       FIGS. 5–6  and  11 – 12  show another example wherein each of the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  comprises at least one V-shaped projection  80  with a height that increases from a first section to a second section and wherein each of the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  comprises a V-shaped groove  82  with a depth that increases from a first section to a second section, the V-shaped projection  80  registering within the V-shaped groove  82  when the left and right wedging member  54 ,  56  move between the first and second positions. Due to the geometry of the projections  80  and grooves  82 , the left and right wedging members  26 ,  28  exert on the respective left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  an increasing pressure when they are displaced from the first position (see  FIG. 10 ) to the second position (see  FIG. 11 ). As seen in  FIG. 10 , the V-shaped projections  80  are almost entirely received within the V-shaped grooves  82  when the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  are in the first position. 
     The left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  also comprise respective left and right mechanical actuation devices  58 ,  60  projecting thereof and having respective left and right knobs  62 ,  64 . The rear shell  18  comprises left and right openings  66 ,  68  through which extend the respective left and right mechanical actuation devices  58 ,  60  such that the left and right knobs  62 ,  64  are accessible to the wearer on the outside of the helmet for moving the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  between the first and second positions. Each knob is independently operable by the wearer. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the right wedging member  56  comprises a locking mechanism  70  for maintaining it in either one of the first and second positions. It is understood that the left wedging member  54  comprises the same locking mechanism and the following description also depicts the locking mechanism for the left wedging member  54 . The locking mechanism  70  comprises an overlapping portion  72  provided on the right side inner surface  18 R of the rear shell  18  and an overlapping portion  74  provided on the outer surface of the right wedging member  56 . The overlapping portions  72 ,  74  interlock together for maintaining in place the right wedging member  56  i.e. for preventing unwanted operation of the mechanical actuation device. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 10 to 12 , the overlapping portion  74  of the right wedging member  56  comprises at least one tooth  76  and the overlapping portion  76  of the right side inner surface  18 R comprises a toothed section  78 , the tooth  76  and the toothed section  78  allowing movement of the right wedging member  56  relative to the right side inner surface  18 R of the rear shell  18  when the right knob  64  is slidingly displaced by the wearer while allowing mechanical engagement for maintaining in place the right wedging member  56 . 
     In use, the wearer may put the helmet  10  when the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  are in the first position (see for example  FIG. 10  illustrating the right wedging member  56  in the first position). If the wearer realizes that the fitting is not adequate, he/she then reaches the left and right knobs  62 ,  64  and displaces rearwardly the knobs  62 ,  64  in order to move the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  towards the second position wherein the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  will apply a greater pressure upon the respective left and right side LS, RS of the head (see  FIG. 11 ). Note that the wearer does not necessarily remove the helmet during this adjustment. 
     When the wearer obtains the adequate fitting, he/she then release the knobs  62 ,  64  and the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  remains in the selected positions wherein the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  apply the appropriate pressure. Indeed, as indicated above, the tooth  76  and the toothed section  78  interlock for maintaining in place the right and left wedging member  54 ,  56 . It is understood that the locking mechanism  70  may comprise a biasing means (e.g. a spring) for pressing together the overlapping portions  72 ,  74  when the wearer does not displace the knobs  62 ,  64 . 
     If the amount of pressure is too high, the wearer can simply reaches again the left and right knobs  62 ,  64  and displaces forwardly the knobs  62 ,  64  in order to move the left and right wedging members  54 ,  56  towards the first position wherein the left and right side inner pads  26 ,  28  will apply less pressure upon the respective left and right side LS, RS of the head. 
     In describing the embodiments, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity but the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is understood that each specific term comprises all equivalents. The above description of the embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.