Patent ID: 7120982

Claim:
A method for attaching a head and neck support device to a helmet, which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a post attachment on the helmet which includes a base having a front surface and a back surface with an opening extending therebetween and positioned with the back surface adjacent an outer surface of the helmet with the opening aligned with a hole in the helmet; a button having an opening and positioned adjacent the front surface of the base with the opening of the button aligned with the opening of the base; a resilient member positioned between the front surface of the base and the button for biasing the button in a direction away from the base; a post having opposed first and second ends with a head at the first end and positioned through the openings of the button and the base and the hole in the helmet so that the second end of the post is adjacent an inner surface of the helmet and a retainer mounted on the second end of the post to secure the post in position in the hole of the helmet; (b) providing a catch having an opening with a first section and a second section, the first section having a width greater than a width of the second section, wherein the catch is connected to the head and neck support device; (c) positioning the catch so that the head of the post is adjacent the first section of the opening of the catch; (d) depressing the button of the post attachment so that the button moves toward the helmet and the head of the post is spaced apart from the button; (e) sliding the catch toward a back of the helmet until the post is in the second section of the catch; and (f) releasing the button so that the resilient member moves the button toward the catch so that a portion of the catch around a perimeter of the second section of the opening of the catch is spaced between and in contact with the button and the head of the post.