EP-4736692-A2 - HELMET

EP4736692A2EP 4736692 A2EP4736692 A2EP 4736692A2EP-4736692-A2

Abstract

A helmet (100) for a rider of an on-road or off-road vehicle protects the rider's head. The helmet includes a face shield (114) configured to be slidable and rotatable relative to a shell (102) of the helmet. The helmet may also include a chin bar (124) that is slidable and rotatable relative to the shell. Additionally, the helmet may include a peak (208) that provides for toolless adjustment of position of the peak relative to the shell. An inner construction provides a multi-layer system in which at least one layer is an impact layer (242).

Inventors

NORDIN, Alex J.
LEE, Kyung H.
HOLTERMANN, Emerson L.
AMES, Archie B.
PLUMMER, Jayson R.
HARRIS, Ryan T.
SUMMERS, Justin O.
KEATHLEY, Robert H.

Assignees

Polaris Industries Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20251104

Claims (15)

A helmet comprising: a helmet shell enclosing a cavity configured to receive the head of an operator, the helmet shell includes: an exterior surface; a front opening extending through the exterior surface; and a face shield socket recessed from the exterior surface and extending around the front opening; and a face shield rotatably coupled with the helmet shell, the face shield having a plurality of configurations including at least a closed configuration and an open configuration: in the closed configuration the face shield is in a closed position, covers the front opening, and the face shield is seated within the face shield socket; and in the open configuration the face shield is in an open position with the face shield displaced forward and rotated relative to the closed position, the face shield is unseated from the face shield socket, and at least a portion of the front opening is uncovered.
The helmet of claim 1 comprising a slidable pivot mechanism rotatably and translationally coupling the face shield with the helmet shell, the slidable pivot mechanism includes: a face shield shuttle translationally coupled with the helmet shell, the face shield shuttle includes a bearing configured to receive the at least one pivot fitting, the bearing and at least one pivot fitting permit rotation of the face shield; and wherein the face shield shuttle permits translational movement of each of the bearing, the at least one pivot fitting, and the face shield relative to the helmet shell.
The helmet of claim 2, wherein the slidable pivot mechanism includes a biasing element configured to bias the face shield toward the face shield socket in the closed configuration.
The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 3 comprising a detent track having one or more detent recesses and a detent; one of the detent track or the detent is coupled with the helmet shell; the other of the detent or the detent track is coupled with the face shield; and wherein the detent is biased to engage along the detent track and seat within at least one detent recess of the one or more detent recesses.
The helmet of claim 4 comprising a face shield shuttle translationally coupled with the helmet shell and rotationally coupled with the face shield, wherein the face shield shuttle is configured to bias the face shield and the detent toward the detent track, in particular wherein seating of the detent within the at least one detent recess resists rotation of the face shield.
The helmet of claim 4 or 5, wherein the closed position includes a fully closed position and the open position includes a fully open position, the detent track includes a first detent socket, and the first detent socket includes: a socket profile deeper than a recess profile of the one or more detent recesses; and a tapered face extending from the first detent socket toward a remainder of the detent track, the tapered face configured to bias the detent toward the remainder of the detent track with rotation of the face shield from at least one of the fully closed position or the fully open position.
The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the face shield seated within the face shield socket is flush with the exterior surface of the helmet shell and/or wherein, in a fully closed position the face shield is seated within the face shield socket, and the face shield is flush with the exterior surface of the helmet shell.
The helmet of claim 7, wherein the face shield flush with the exterior surface of the helmet shell is flush with a forehead brim of the helmet shell.
The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a chin bar rotatably coupled with the helmet shell, the chin bar having a plurality of configurations including at least a closed chin bar configuration and an open chin bar configuration: in the closed chin bar configuration the chin bar is in a down position; and in the open chin bar configuration the chin bar is rotated relative to the down position with the chin bar displaced forward.
The helmet of claim 9 comprising a pilot member translationally received along a pilot track; one of the pilot member or the pilot track is coupled with the chin bar; the other of the pilot track or the pilot member is coupled with the helmet shell; wherein the pilot member seated within a recessed branch of the pilot track in the closed chin bar configuration and the pilot member is unseated from the recessed branch in the open chin bar configuration.
The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 10 comprising a peak visor rotatably coupled with the helmet shell, the peak visor includes: a peak body; arms extending from the peak body to pivot joints, the pivot joints rotatably coupled the peak visor with the helmet; and an attachment end extending form the peak body toward a peak adjustment track of the helmet shell, the attachment end includes a head slidably received in the adjustment track, wherein the head and peak adjustment track translationally couple the attachment end with the helmet shell.
The helmet of claim 11, wherein the head includes coupled and decoupled configurations: in the coupled configuration the head is received in the peak adjustment track and the head is translatable along the adjustment track; and in the decoupled configuration the head is delivered through an installation orifice of the peak adjustment track, and the attachment end is decoupled from the peak adjustment track.
The helmet of claim 11 or 12, wherein the pivot joints include rotatable bayonet fittings configured to permit manual coupling and decoupling of the pivot visor from the helmet.
The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the helmet shell includes: a shock absorbing stacked composite, the shock absorbing stacked composite includes: an inner shell proximate the cavity, the inner shell having an exterior facing profile; an outer shell extending over the inner shell, the outer shell having an interior facing profile; a pliable tube array mat having a plurality of polymer tubes interconnected along tube lengths, the pliable tube array mat is interposed between the inner shell and the outer shell; and wherein the exterior facing profile of the inner shell and the interior facing profile of the outer shell deform the pliable tube array mat into a dome profile complementary to the exterior and interior facing profiles.
The helmet of claim 14, wherein each of the inner shell and the outer shell include vents extending through the respective inner and outer shells, and the vents are in communication with tube cavities of the polymer tubes.

Description

PRIORITY This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/716,482, filed November 5, 2024, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a helmet and, more particularly, to a helmet for use with recreational vehicles. BACKGROUND Riders of recreational on-road vehicles, such as motorcycles, or off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and snowmobiles, often wear helmets to protect the head of the rider. Helmets also may include various functions and features to improve the rider's overall riding experience. SUMMARY The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include maintaining helmet features, such as face shields, peaks, or the like in static positions while at the same time permitting manual manipulation of those features to one or more secondary positions without tools. Example helmets include face shields that are pivoted to permit ventilation or protection from wind, particulate (blowing particulate such as sand, direct, rain, snow, insects), or the like. For instance, face shields are, in some helmets, selectively opened or closed by an operator, for instance with hand manipulation. In some example helmets wind loads, dynamic vehicle movement (e.g., over rough terrain), or the like cause hand manipulable face shields to unpredictably slam shut during operation. Conversely, wind loads or rough terrain may cause the face shield to unpredictably fly open if subject to wind loads that interact with the face shield. In other examples, helmets include one or more features, such as peaks (also referred to as visors), face shields, chin bars or the like that are adjustable with tools. For example, screws, fasteners, or the like are adjusted with screw drivers, Allen wrenches, or manufacturer specified tools to hold features in place. These features are tightened or locked in place to decrease unpredictable movement (e.g., from wind loads, shaking, cornering). However, these helmets frustrate adjustment, for instance adjustments that are desired where tools are not present or readily available. The present subject matter can help provide a solution to these problems with manually manipulable (toolless) helmets having one or more dynamic adjustable features that are readily adjustable while at the same time will remain in a specified position despite perturbations caused by wind loads, dynamic environments (e.g., shaking, cornering, or similar during rides), or the like. As described herein, face shields, chin bars, peaks, or the like of the example helmets are dynamic adjustable features that are manually operable. For instance, an operator, rider or the like adjusts the one or more dynamic adjustable features with hand manipulation of the features. The example helmets include locking systems that permit manual manipulation while at the same time enhancing anchoring of the adjustable features in static positions for instance, while subject to wind loads, shaking, cornering, or the like. The present inventors have further recognized that a problem to be solved can include enhancing shock absorbency of helmets for each of low speed and high speed impacts while at the same time comfortably fitting the head of the user and providing a relatively compact and streamlined shape. Example helmets are made with various materials, including composites, that provide some shock absorbency while comfortably fitting the head. However, in these example helmets there is often a tradeoff between protecting against low speed impacts (e.g., 20 mph or less) and high speed impacts (e.g., greater than 20 mph). For example, expanded polystyrene (EPS) provides protection for low speed impacts while providing relatively less protection for high speed impacts. Conversely, other materials, such as arrays of deformable tubes, pliable elastomers or the like, provide protection for high speed impacts while providing relatively less protection for low speed impacts. The present subject matter can help provide a solution to these problems with helmets having a stacked substrate of component layers that provide both low and high speed impact shock absorbency. The helmet examples described herein include inner and outer shells (e.g., of polymers, such as EPS) to provide protection for low speed impacts and to provide static surfaces to support the remainder of the helmet. The stacked substrate further includes a pliable tube array, interposed (e.g., sandwiched, stacked, or the like), between the inner and outer shells. The pliable tube array is constructed with an array of polymer cylinders that are interconnected along their lengths (e.g., similar to a honeycomb) for instance with heat bonding, heat welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like. The pliable tube array is configured to deflect, crumple, or plastically deform during high speed impacts, t