Mounting Panel with Elongated Tongue

1. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the mounting panel includes fingers shaped and positioned to snap-lock engage the communication headset to the mounting panel; wherein the mounting panel further comprises a tab configured for manual depressable movement so as to release the communication headset from the snap-lock engagement.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein an antenna is supported along a length of the elongated tongue, the antenna being electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a boom mounted to the mounting panel, the boom having a free end; and a microphone mounted to the free end of the boom.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the mounting panel includes fingers shaped and positioned to snap-lock engage the communication headset to the mounting panel.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the mounting panel further comprises a tab configured for manual depressable movement so as to release the communication headset from the snap-lock engagement.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wire in conductively electrical contact with the printed circuit board and extending to one or more speakers.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more speakers in conductive contact with the printed circuit board.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more speakers in conductive contact with the printed circuit board.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the tongue extends away from the mounting panel to a free end, wherein at least a portion of the free end is formed of a flexible material to allow at least portion of the free end to bend and lie outside of a plane in which a remainder of the elongated tongue lies in order to secure the device to the helmet.

10. The device of claim 1, A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the tongue extends away from the mounting panel to a free end, the device further comprising a resilient expansion member affixed to at least a portion of the tongue proximate the free end, wherein the expansion member resiliently expands against any compressive force imparted by the helmet in order to secure the device to the helmet.

11. The device of claim 1, A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the tongue comprises first and second elongated tongues, each tongue being configured for insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell of the protective helmet.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second tongues are spaced apart from one another and extend in parallel away from the mounting panel to respective free ends.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second tongues extend different lengths away from the mounting panel to respective free ends.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second tongues are part of a forked structure.

15. A helmet-mountable communication headset comprising: a wireless communication device configured to support two way communication with a second device, the wireless communication device having a microphone and a speaker and a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface and a guide, and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel of the wireless communication device; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straiqht configuration prior to insertion between the inner and outer shells, wherein an upper section of the tongue extends upwardly from an upper edge of the mounting panel, the upper section being completely remote from and free of contact with the mounting panel, the mounting panel being configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein an antenna is fixedly disposed along a length of the elongated tongue, the elongated tongue being electrically connected to the wireless communication device.

17. The device of claim 15, A helmet-mountable communication headset comprising: a wireless communication device configured to support two way communication with a second device, the wireless communication device having a microphone and a speaker and a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface and a guide, and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel of the wireless communication device; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner and outer shells, wherein an upper section of the tongue extends upwardly from an upper edge of the mounting panel, the upper section being completely remote from and free of contact with the mounting panel, the mounting panel being configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the tongue comprises separate first and second elongated tongues, each tongue being configured for insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell of the protective helmet.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second tongues are spaced apart from one another and extend in parallel away from the mounting panel to respective free ends.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second tongues extend different lengths away from the mounting panel to respective free ends.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second tongues are part of a forked structure.

21. The device of claim 15, A helmet-mountable communication headset comprising: a wireless communication device configured to support two way communication with a second device, the wireless communication device having a microphone and a speaker and a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface and a guide, and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel of the wireless communication device; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner and outer shells, wherein an upper section of the tongue extends upwardly from an upper edge of the mounting panel, the upper section being completely remote from and free of contact with the mounting panel, the mounting panel being configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the mounting panel has opposing ends and the upper edge that extends between the ends, a length being defined between the ends and a height being defined between the upper edge and a lower edge, the length being greater than the height.

22. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the elongated tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet; an antenna supported on the elongated tongue and in electrical connection with the printed circuit board.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the antenna is on or within the elongated tongue and is disposed between a free end of the elongated tongue and a second end of the tongue that is proximate to the mounting panel.

24. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the mounting panel further comprises a tab configured for depressable movement so as to lock the communication headset to the device.

25. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the guide comprises at least two cutouts along which the communication headset may slide; wherein the at least two cutouts are parallel to each other; wherein the guide comprises a guide surface that defines a guide plane, and the two cutouts are parallel to the guide plane.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the communication headset may slide in a direction parallel to the guide plane.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the guide surface is vertical when the device is installed on the helmet.

28. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the guide comprises at least two cutouts along which the communication headset may slide; wherein the mounting panel further comprises a tab configured for depressable movement so as to lock the communication headset to the device.

29. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the guide comprises a guide surface that defines a guide plane, the guide surface comprises at two cutouts that are parallel to the guide plane, wherein the electrical contacts are positioned farther from the outer surface of the helmet than the guide surface when the device is installed on the helmet.

30. A device for mounting a communication headset to a helmet, the device comprising: a mounting panel having a seat in a front surface thereof that includes a set of electrical contacts and a guide; a printed circuit board in electrical connection with the electrical contacts; and an elongated tongue affixed to the mounting panel; wherein the tongue is configured for insertion between an inner shell and an outer shell of a protective helmet, the elongated tongue having a straight configuration prior to insertion between the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the mounting panel is configured for placement along an outer surface of the helmet; wherein the guide comprises a guide surface that defines a guide plane, and the communication headset may slide in a direction parallel to the guide plane.