Patent Publication Number: US-6698032-B1

Title: Cleaning assembly for motorcycle helmet face shield

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, and to the particular field of safety helmets. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Many people enjoy riding a motorcycle. Motorcycles are used as a mode of transportation in urban areas and as a mode of recreation in other areas. Often motorcycles are ridden over rough and dirty terrain and in inclement weather conditions. 
     One problem with riding a motorcycle in inclement weather is the dirt and debris that strikes the rider during such riding. Heavy clothing can protect most of the rider&#39;s body but his or her face is generally unprotected. While a windshield on some motorcycles offers some protection, this protection is often inadequate. 
     All motorcyclists should wear a helmet, and this is often required by law. Many of these helmets have face shields. While offering some protection to the rider&#39;s face, these face shields often become dirty. If the face shield becomes too dirty for a clear view, the rider must clean the shield. This may require the rider to stop. Many riders do not wish to stop to clean a face shield. Therefore, such riders either continue riding with a face shield that is dirty or actually omit wearing a face shield. Not wearing a face shield removes the protection associated with a face shield. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a motorcycle helmet that has a face shield that can be efficiently cleaned. 
     Much motorcycle riding is done in clear conditions where a face shield will not become dirty. Under such conditions, it will not be necessary to clean the face shield and any equipment used to clean motorcycle face shields will be superfluous. Any extra equipment is often undesirable to a motorcyclist. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a motorcycle helmet that has equipment for efficiently cleaning a face shield and which can be omitted when it is not required. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle helmet that has a face shield that can be efficiently cleaned. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle helmet that has equipment for efficiently cleaning a face shield and that can be removed when it is not necessary to clean the face shield. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a motorcycle helmet which comprises a head covering portion which includes an ear covering portion; a visor element releasably mounted on the head covering portion and having a groove defined therein; a face shield mounted on the head covering portion; a face shield cleaning unit movably mounted on the visor and including a first cylindrical roller element having a proximal end slidably mounted on the visor adjacent to the groove, a distal end, a bore extending between the proximal end of the first cylindrical roller element and the distal end of the first cylindrical roller element, a plurality of holes defined through the first cylindrical roller element in a radial direction on the first cylindrical roller element, the holes of the plurality of holes of the first cylindrical roller element being in fluid connection with the bore of the first cylindrical roller element, a band of liquid adsorbent material wrapped around the cylindrical body of the first cylindrical roller element and covering the holes of the plurality of holes of the first cylindrical roller element and forming a wrapped first roller element, and a cover encasing the wrapped first roller element and being in sliding contact with the face shield, a second cylindrical roller element having a proximal end slidably mounted on the visor adjacent to the groove, a distal end, a bore extending between the proximal end of the second cylindrical roller element and the distal end of the second cylindrical roller element, a plurality of holes defined through the second cylindrical roller element in a radial direction on the second cylindrical roller element, the holes of the plurality of holes of the second cylindrical roller element being in fluid connection with the bore of the second cylindrical roller element, a band of liquid adsorbent material wrapped around the cylindrical body of the second cylindrical roller element and covering the holes of the plurality of holes of the second cylindrical roller element and forming a wrapped second roller element, and a cover encasing the wrapped second roller element and being in sliding contact with the face shield, and a connecting bar connecting the distal end of the first cylindrical roller element to the distal end of the second cylindrical roller element; and a radio unit on the ear portion of the head covering portion and including a volume control on the ear portion of the head covering portion. 
     The helmet thus has a face shield cleaning unit that can be attached to the helmet when a motorcycle rider anticipates an climate weather condition that may cause the face shield to become dirty. At other times, the visor can be removed and the equipment associated with face shield cleaning can be omitted and the helmet worn without the face shield cleaning equipment. Thus, the helmet can be worn in inclement weather or clear weather and the face shield will be clean in either situation with no superfluous equipment being required. The visor can also provide protection associated with visors. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motorcycle helmet having a face shield that can be efficiently cleaned when desired, according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of detail A in FIG. 1 showing the face shield cleaning unit according to the invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a connection between a roller of the face shield cleaning unit and the visor adjacent to a groove defined in the visor. 
     FIG. 4 shows a cover for a roller of the face shield cleaning unit, according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the invention is embodied in a motorcycle helmet  10  which comprises a head covering portion  12  formed of the material usually found in motorcycle helmets. Head covering portion  12  has an outside surface  14 , a first ear covering portion  16  and a second ear covering portion  18 . A front edge  20  is located on the first and second ear covering portions  16 ,  18  and on the head covering portion  12  and is positioned adjacent to a wearer&#39;s face when the helmet  10  is worn. 
     A visor  22  has a first side edge  24 , a second side edge  26 , a first end edge  28  and a second end edge  30 . A lock element  32  is located on the first side edge  24  of the visor  22 . The lock element  32  shown in FIG. 1 includes a base element  34  having hook-and-loop fastener material  36  on one surface thereof, and a band  38  of hook-and-loop fastener material is fixed to the outside surface  14  of the head covering portion  12 . Lock element  32  thus permits the visor  22  to be fixed to the helmet  10  when desired and removed when desired. The releasable lock element  32  on the outside surface  14  of the head covering portion  12  is positioned adjacent to the front edge  20  of the head covering portion  12  and extends from adjacent to the first ear covering portion  16  to adjacent to the second ear covering portion  18 . The releasable lock element  32  releasably locks the visor  22  to the head covering portion  12 . 
     A transparent face shield  40  is mounted on the visor  22  and has a first side edge  42 , a second side edge  44 , a first end edge  46  and a second end edge  48 . A length dimension  50  extends between the first side edge  42  of the face shield  40  and the second side edge  44  of the face shield  40 . The first side edge  42  of the face shield  40  is fixed to the head covering portion  12  and extends adjacent to a wearer&#39;s face when the head covering portion  12  is worn. 
     A groove  60  is defined in the visor  22  adjacent to the second side edge  44  of the visor  22  and is located adjacent to the face shield  40 . A compartment  62  covers the groove  60  and provides an interior volume for a purpose that will be understood from the following disclosure. 
     A face shield cleaning unit  66  is mounted on the visor  22  adjacent to the face shield  40 . The cleaning unit  66  is in place when the visor  22  is worn. Thus, if a user wishes to include a face shield cleaning unit  66 , he or she merely attaches the visor  22  to the head covering portion  12 . If the user does not wish to have the face shield covering unit  66 , he or she merely removes the visor  22  from the head covering portion  12 . The face shield cleaning unit  66  includes a first roller element  70  which includes a cylindrical body  72 , and a T-shaped proximal end  74  on the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70 . The T-shaped proximal end  74  of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  is shown in FIG. 3 as being slidably accommodated in the groove  60  defined in the visor  22  and slidably engages the visor  22  adjacent to the groove  60 . The compartment  62  encases the T-shaped proximal end  74  of the first roller element  70 . The cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  is located closely adjacent to the face shield  40  and has a plurality of holes, such as hole  76  defined therein to extend radially of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70 . A distal end  78  of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  is located adjacent to the second side edge  44  of the face shield  40 . A length dimension  80  extends between the proximal end of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  and the distal end  78  of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70 . The length dimension  80  of the first cylindrical roller element  70  is essentially equal to the length dimension  50  of the face shield  40  so the roller  70  will cover the entire length of the face shield  40  to completely wipe the face shield  40  clean when desired. A bore  82  extends in the direction of the length dimension  80  of the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  and the holes  76  of the plurality of holes are in fluid communication with the bore  82  of the first roller element  70 . Thus, any fluid entering the holes  76  will flow into the bore  82 . A band  84  of liquid adsorbent material is spirally wrapped around the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70  and covers the holes  76  of the plurality of holes in the cylindrical body  72  of the first roller element  70 . A first wrapped roller element  70 ′ is thus formed. A liquid adsorbent cover  86  encases the first wrapped roller element  70 ′ and contacts the face shield  40  to wipe the shield  40  when the roller element  70  is moved across the face shield  40  in direction  90 . 
     A second roller element  92  is identical to the first roller element  70  and is located adjacent to the first roller element  70 . The second roller element  92  will be discussed, but no reference numbers will be attached in the interest of clarity of the Figures. The second roller element  92  includes a cylindrical body, a T-shaped proximal end on the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92 , the T-shaped proximal end of the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  being slidably accommodated in the groove  60  defined in the visor  22  and slidably engages the visor  22  adjacent to the groove  60 . The cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  is located closely adjacent to the face shield  40  and has a plurality of holes defined therein to extend radially of the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92 . A distal end of the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  is located adjacent to the second side edge  44  of the face shield  40 , and a length dimension extends between the proximal end of the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  and the distal end of the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92 . The length dimension of the second cylindrical roller element  92  is essentially equal to the length dimension  50  of the face shield  40 . A bore extends in the direction of the length dimension of the cylindrical body of the second roller element. The holes of the plurality of holes are in fluid communication with the bore of the second roller element. A band of liquid adsorbent material is spirally wrapped around the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  and covers the holes of the plurality of holes in the cylindrical body of the second roller element  92  and forms a second wrapped roller element. A liquid adsorbent cover encases the second wrapped roller element and contacts the face shield  40 . 
     A bar element  94  connects the distal end  78  of the first roller element  70  to the distal end of the second roller element so the roller elements move as a unit to clean the face shield  40 . The user merely grasps the bar  94  and moves the unit in direction  90  across the face shield  40  to clean the face shield  40 . 
     A radio receiver unit  100  is mounted in the first ear covering portion  16  of the head covering portion  12  and includes an ear phone  102  mounted on the head covering portion  12 , a receiver unit  104  which can receive either or both AM or FM signals, a casing  106 , a volume control  108  which can also serve as an on/off control, and a station control  110 . The radio unit will not be further described since any suitable unit can be used and those skilled in the art will understand how to mount such a unit on the helmet. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.