Patent ID: 7246383

Claim:
A fit adjustment mechanism for the headband of a helmet, comprising: (a) a bridge having: (i) a first end, a second end, an interior surface, and an exterior surface; (ii) a plurality of ratchet teeth extending from the exterior surface toward the first end, each of the ratchet teeth having a tapered surface, a top land, and a retention surface, the retention surface having an undercut face extending downwardly and inwardly beneath the top land, wherein the top land of each of said teeth comprises a rounded tip so that the pawl is prevented from engaging said top land; (iii) substantially flat valleys formed on the exterior surface between each of said ratchet teeth; (iv) the bridge formed of a first molded material comprising nylon; (b) a buckle having: (i) a base having an exterior surface; (ii) a clasp resiliently and integrally formed on the exterior surface of said base, the clasp having a pawl, the pawl having an engagement surface so formed to engage the undercut face of the ratchet teeth retention surfaces; (iii) the clasp being selectively movable to a release position wherein the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet teeth to extend selectively the length of the bridge; and (iv) the buckle formed of a second molded material comprising polyethylene, the second molded material having less rigidity than the first molded material.