Visor for Helmut

The present disclosure relates to a helmet, and more particularly to a visor of the helmet suitable to protect the user from any abrasion-induced cut.

Protective headgears, such as helmets, are often used in activities, such as playing hockey or ice hockey, and while riding bikes or bicycles to prevent any risk of head injury. Typically, these types of helmets includes a visor located in-front of face and around forehead of the user to protect the face of the user from any potential injuries. However, these visors are situated in close proximity to the user's face, particularly nose of the user, creating a potential risk of abrasion-induced cut on the nose of the user, which is undesirable.

In one aspect of the disclosure, a visor for a helmet is disclosed. The visor includes a transparent structure having a pair of lateral edges, and a protector coupled to one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure. The protector is made of soft material to protect a nose or chin of a user from any potential cut.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the transparent structure is pivotally coupled to a body of the helmet.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector extends along an entire length of the one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector extends along a portion of the one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector is made of rubber.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector is made of polyurethane, silicon, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, neoprene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, fluoro-silicone rubber, or any combination thereof.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, a thickness of the protector is between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters.

In one aspect of the disclosure, a helmet is disclosed. The helmet includes a body defining a cavity to receive a head of a user, and a visor attached to the body. The visor includes a transparent structure having a pair of lateral edges, and a protector coupled to one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure. The protector is made of soft material to protect a nose or chin of a user from any potential cut.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the transparent structure is pivotally coupled to a body of the helmet.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector extends along an entire length of the one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector extends along a portion of the one of the pair of lateral edges of the transparent structure.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector is made of rubber.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, the protector is made of polyurethane, silicon, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, neoprene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, fluoro-silicone rubber, or any combination thereof.

In some additional, alternative, or selectively cumulative embodiments, a thickness of the protector is between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters.

Example embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the drawings, the sizes, positions, etc., of components, features, elements, etc., as well as any distances therebetween, are not necessarily to scale, and may be disproportionate and/or exaggerated for clarity.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be recognized that the terms “comprise,” “comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless otherwise specified, a range of values, when recited, includes both the upper and lower limits of the range, as well as any sub-ranges therebetween. Unless indicated otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, one element could be termed a “first element” and similarly, another element could be termed a “second element,” or vice versa. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Unless indicated otherwise, the terms “about,” “thereabout,” “substantially,” etc. mean that amounts, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill in the art.

Spatially relative terms, such as “right,” left,” “below,” “beneath,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature, as illustrated in the drawings. It should be recognized that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if an object in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can, for example, encompass both an orientation of above and below. An object may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

Unless clearly indicated otherwise, all connections and all operative connections may be direct or indirect. Similarly, unless clearly indicated otherwise, all connections and all operative connections may be rigid or non-rigid.

Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Thus, the same or similar numbers may be described with reference to other drawings even if they are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding drawing. Also, even elements that are not denoted by reference numbers may be described with reference to other drawings.

Many different forms and embodiments are possible without deviating from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure and so this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.

Referring to, a helmetconfigured to be worn over a head of a user is shown. The helmetmay be worn by the user over his head while playing a game, such as, ice hockey, hockey or while riding a bike. The helmetis configured to protect the user from any potential injuries happening/occurring due to hitting of the head to any hard surface, such as, sticks, surface/road or other user. As shown, the helmetincludes a bodydefining a cavityto receive the head of the user and a visor/shieldpivotally coupled to the bodyof the helmet, and selectively covering an openingof the cavity. The bodyis designed to wrap around the head of the user to protect any potential injuries to the head of the user. Although pivotable coupling of the visorwith the bodyof the helmetis contemplated, it may be appreciated that the visormay be non-movably attached to the body, covering the openingof the cavity.

Further, the visoris arranged to be pivoted between an open position and a cover position relative to the body. In the open position, the visoris arranged away from the openingi.e., away from the face of the wearer, providing an access of the cavitythrough the opening, while in the cover position, the visoris arranged in-front of the face of the wearer, i.e., covering the opening, thereby preventing the access of the cavitythrough the opening. Accordingly, in the cover position, the visor, when the helmetis arranged on the head of the user, is arranged covering at least a portion of a face (i.e., forehead, eyes and a portion of nose) of the user to protect any potential injuries to the face (i.e., eyes) of the user. It may be appreciated that the visormay be made of a transparent material, such as, suitable polymer or glass material to enable visibility through the visor.

The visorincludes transparent structurehaving a substantially arcuate shape, and a protectorattached to the transparent structure. As shown, the transparent structure includes a pair of lateral edges,, and a pair of longitudinal edges,extending between the pair of lateral edges,and connecting the pair of lateral edges,. The pair of lateral edges,extend along a width of a face of user when the helmetis arranged on a head of the user and the visoris arranged in the cover position, while the pair of longitudinal edges,extend along a length of a face of the user when the helmetis arranged on the head of the user and the visoris arranged in the cover position.

The pair of lateral edges,includes a first lateral edge, i.e., upper edge, arranged proximate to the forehead of the user wearing the helmet relative to a second lateral edgei.e., lower edge. The lower edgeis adapted to be arranged proximate to a nose of the wearer with the visorarranged at the cover position. In the embodiments, the visoris selected such that the visorcontacts nose or chin of the user when the helmetis arranged on the head of the user with visorarranged at the cover position.

Accordingly, to protect the nose or the chin or any other facial feature or part of the user from any potential cut due to abrasion from the visor, the visorincludes the protectorattached/coupled to the lower edgeof the transparent structure. As shown, the protectoris wrapped snuggly around the entire lower edgeof the transparent structure. In an embodiment, the protectoris removably coupled to the lower edgeof the transparent structure. In such a case, the protectormay include an elongated groove extending along a length of the protectorand with an opening of the elongated groove defined at a surface of the protector. The opening extends along the length of the groove. The protectoris attached to the transparent structureby inserting the lower edgeof the transparent structureinside the groove through the opening. In some embodiments, an adhesive may be utilized to securely engage the protectorto the transparent structure. In some embodiments, the protectoris formed on the transparent structureby dipping the lower edgeof the transparent structureinside a solution of the material of the protector, spraying the material of the protectoron the lower edgeof the transparent structure, molding the protectoron the transparent structure, or any other suitable means known in the art. In some embodiments, the protectormay be pressed or fused to the transparent structureby any suitable method known in the art. It may be envisioned that before attaching or forming the protectoron the lower edgeof the transparent structure, surfaces of the transparent structuredisposed adjacent to the lower edgeis roughened or chamfered or beveled to enable a secure engagement of the protectorwith the transparent structure.

In an embodiment, the protectoris made of a suitable soft material, such as, rubber or plastic to provide cushioning to the nose of the user. In some embodiments, the protector is made of polyurethane, silicone, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, Neoprene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer, Viton® (FKM), hydrogenated nitrile rubber, fluoro-silicone rubber, or any combination thereof. In some embodiment, the protectormay include a thickness that vary between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters. The thickness may be the extension of the protectorbelow the lower edgeof the transparent structure. It may be envisioned that the thickness of the protectoris selected such that there is minimum or zero disruption to a vision to the wearer of the helmetby the protector.

Referring to, an alternative helmetis shown, according to an example embodiment of the disclosure. The helmetis similar to the helmetexcept that a visorof the helmetis different from the visorof the helmetin that a protectorof the visoris smaller and is attached to a central portion of the lower edgeof the transparent structure. The protectorcorresponds to a location of the nose of a wearer, accordingly, includes dimensions to contact the nose of the wearer to protect the nose of the wearer from cut.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.