FIELD

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to helmet covers, and more particularly to removable helmet covers.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Individuals at risk of exposure to trauma to the head (e.g., emergency responders, law enforcement officers, military personnel, athletes, etc.) may wear protective headgear, such as a helmet, to protect against head injury.

A cover is attached to a helmet in some applications to provide camouflage and/or protection to the outer surface of helmet. The cover may be made of a flexible fabric and attached to the helmet by use of a shock cord incorporated into an edge of the cover. The shock cord is wrapped around the rim of the helmet and pulls the cover edge into the helmet beyond the inner edge of the rim. The cover may be further secured to the helmet by bolting or otherwise attaching components to the outer surface of the helmet such that the

components sandwich the cover between the components and the helmet. In some cases, one of the components bolted to the helmet may be a helmet front mount which includes an accessory mounting region.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, a helmet cover system includes a flexible cover configured to cover at least a portion of a helmet outer surface, an elongated rigid bar attached to the cover, and a first fastener component positioned on the elongated bar. The first fastener component is configured to removably attach to a second, complementary fastener component positioned on an exterior of the helmet.

According to another aspect, a helmet cover system includes a flexible cover configured to cover at least a portion of a helmet outer surface. The system also includes a first fastener component connected to the flexible cover, the first fastener component being removably fastenable to a second, complementary fastener component on a helmet. The flexible cover includes an opening at a front of the cover, the opening being at least 1.5 inches wide and at least two inches tall.

According to a further aspect, a helmet cover system includes a flexible helmet cover configured to cover at least a portion of an outer surface of a helmet, the cover having a first loop at a front edge of the cover. The system further includes an elongated member, wherein the first loop wraps around a first portion of a length of the elongated member, leaving at least a portion of the elongated member exposed. The elongated member has a first fastener component extending from the exposed portion of the elongated member, the first fastener component configured to fasten to a second, complementary fastener component on a helmet to attach the elongated member to the helmet.

According to another aspect, a helmet cover system includes a helmet having an outer surface, a front mount mounted to the helmet, the front mount having an accessory mounting portion, and a cover configured to cover at least a portion of the helmet outer surface. The system includes a first fastener component attached to the cover, and

a second, complementary fastener component positioned on a front of the front mount. The first fastener component is configured to removably fasten to the second, complementary fastener component at the front of the front mount to attach the helmet cover to the front of the front mount.

According to yet another aspect, a helmet cover system includes a front mount configured to be attached to a helmet, the front mount including an accessory attachment portion, and a flexible helmet cover configured to cover at least a portion of the helmet outer surface while leaving the accessory attachment portion exposed. Also included is

a first fastener attached to the helmet cover via a first resilient, stretchable cord, the first fastener configured to be releasably attached to the front mount to secure a portion of the helmet cover to the helmet.

According to a further aspect, a method of attaching a helmet cover to a helmet is described. The cover includes a flexible cover including a shock cord along at least a portion of an edge of the cover, and an attached elongated bar with a first fastener. The helmet includes a front mount with an accessory mounting portion. The method includes fastening the first fastener of the elongated bar to the front mount, and pulling the shock cord around an edge of the helmet.

According to another aspect, a method of manufacturing a helmet cover includes forming a flexible helmet cover, forming an elongated, rigid bar that has a first fastener at or near a first lateral end of the bar and a second fastener at or near a second lateral end of the bar, and surrounding at least a portion of a length of the elongated bar with a front edge of the helmet cover, leaving the first and second fasteners exposed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Aspects of the invention are described below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals reference like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a prior art helmet assembly with an attached fabric cover;

FIG. 2 shows a helmet cover system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the helmet cover system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a front mount with an attached cover bar;

FIG. 5 is a schematic end view of a cover bar according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a cover bar from a cover;

FIG. 7 shows a helmet cover system according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows attachment straps attached to a front mount according to one embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows attachment straps attached to a front mount according to another embodiment;

FIG. 10 shows a front mount according to an alternative embodiment of a helmet cover system;

FIG. 11 shows a front mount according to an alternative embodiment of a helmet cover system; and

FIG. 12 shows a component of the helmet cover system of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood that aspects of the invention are described herein with reference to certain illustrative embodiments and the figures. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not necessarily intended to show all aspects of the invention, but rather are used to describe a few illustrative embodiments. Thus, aspects of the invention are not intended to be construed narrowly in view of the illustrative embodiments. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the invention may be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the invention.

Various embodiments are described in connection with a helmet assembly, such as a military combat helmet. However, the invention is not necessarily so limited, and may be employed with other types of helmets. For ease of understanding, the helmet assembly is described in connection with a military combat helmet, which may be a ballistic or non- ballistic helmet. The present disclosure relates to helmet cover systems that facilitate attachment to, and removal from, a helmet. Applicant has recognized that many prior art helmet covers are not easily removed, resulting in covers which are not removable in a practical manner in the field. Embodiments disclosed herein provide helmet cover systems that may be easily attached and removed, yet remain securely attached during use. Such a system permits a user to replace a cover if the cover becomes damaged or dirty, or if a different camouflage pattern or other pattern is desired. In some applications, covers of different materials may be used based on varying weather conditions.

The helmet cover system may include a cover with an attached elongated member of fixed length. The elongated member may have one or more fastener components that are attachable to complementary fastener components on the helmet. The elongated member may be positioned at a front edge of the cover and fastened to the front of the helmet. Some or all of the remaining edges of the cover may include a shock cord adapted to be wrapped around the rim of the helmet.

The fastener components of the elongated member may be flexible tabs which can be pushed into slots on a front mount to secure the elongated member to the front mount. To remove the elongated member, the user pushes on each flexible tab and pulls the elongated member away from the front mount.

In some embodiments, the cover includes a rigid hook or other fastener that is attachable to a helmet component. For example, in some embodiments, each of two hooks is attached to a stretchable band extending from the cover. The hooks are attachable to rails positioned on a front mount of the helmet.

According to helmet cover system embodiments disclosed herein, a helmet cover may be removed and replaced on a helmet with helmet components without removing a front mount and/or other helmet components. In some cases, the helmet cover may help prevent accidental removal of the cover by using positive engagement of fasteners.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art helmet 100 with an attached cover 102. Cover 102 is made out of a flexible fabric having a camouflage pattern. A shock cord is incorporated into an inner edge 104 of cover 102. The shock cord holds the cover 102 to an inner portion of the helmet when the shock cord is wrapped around a rim 106 of the helmet to semi-permanently secure the cover 102 to the helmet. A front mount 110 is bolted to the helmet over the cover

102.

According to the present disclosure, a helmet cover system includes a helmet cover 202 which is removably attachable to a helmet 200, as shown in FIG. 2. An elongated member such as a bar 204 is held by cover 202 at a front edge of cover 202. The bar includes one or more fastener components, such as tabs 206, which are fastenable to complementary fastener components on a front mount 210. Other portions of the cover include one or more integrated shock cords at or near an inner edge 212 of the cover. The cover may be made out of any suitable material. Some examples include a thin plastic material, woven fabric, nylon, ripstop nylon, and a water resistant fabric, though any suitable material may be used.

FIG. 3 shows an opening 218 in cover 202 which exposes an accessory mounting portion 220 of the front mount to permit access thereto. In some embodiments, no openings are present in the helmet cover, while in other embodiments, multiple openings may be present. The opening may be entirely surrounded by the helmet cover in some embodiments, or, as shown in FIGs. 2 and 3, the opening may reach an edge of the cover. By leaving the accessory mounting portion exposed, a user can cover a majority of the outer surface of the helmet while still using the mount for night vision goggle attachment, or visor attachment, or other accessory attachment. In some embodiments, the opening is at least 1.5 inches wide and at least two inches tall.

Embodiments herein may be used to entirely cover a helmet surface, cover a majority of a helmet surface, or partially cover a helmet surface (cover less than the entire surface). The term "cover" is not meant to require an entire covering unless explicitly referred to as entirely covering.

Front mount 212 includes two lateral arms 216 in the illustrated embodiment, though lateral arms are not necessarily required in some embodiments. The embodiment illustrated in FIGs. 2-3 includes lateral arms that reach to a temple region of the helmet. In some embodiments, a mandible guard attachment component 222 may be included at an end of each of the lateral arms. The accessory mount portion may include an interface plate or any other suitable mounting arrangement or interface component(s).

Turning now to FIG. 4, bar 204 is shown attached to front mount 210 with the cover not present for ease of illustration. Bar 204 includes two tabs 206 positioned at opposite ends of the bar. The tabs may be resiliency flexible relative to the bar such that when the tabs are pushed upwardly through corresponding slots 226, each tab flexes behind its corresponding rail 228 and then snaps back toward its non-stressed position and presses against an inner surface of the rail. A shoulder 230 is provided on each tab and is configured so that the shoulder prevents movement of the tab downwardly out of slot 226.

To remove bar 204 from front mount 210, a user pushes tabs 206 toward the helmet and away from rails 228, and pulls downwardly on bar 204. Once bar 204 is removed from front mount 210, the remainder of the cover is easily removable from the helmet either by pulling the cover away from the helmet, or by pulling on the shock cord portions of the cover to stretch the shock cords and remove the inner edge of the helmet cover from the helmet.

While the tabs 206 are positioned at opposite lateral ends of bar 204 in the illustrated embodiment, in some embodiments the fastener components may be positioned elsewhere on the bar. For example, the fastener components may be positioned closer to a laterally middle region of the bar. In other embodiments, only a single fastener component is present. More than two fastener components may be positioned on bar 204.

A schematic end view of one embodiment the bar is shown in FIG. 5. Tab 206 is connected to a base portion 240 of the bar via a connecting strip 242. In some embodiments, the connecting strip 242 has a flexibility such that the strip is configured to permit tab 206 to be pushed rearwardly toward the helmet to release the tab from its complementary slot on the front mount. In some embodiments, connecting strip 242 may not be flexible, or may be only minimally flexible, and the resilience of the overall base portion 240 of the bar biases the tab and connecting strip forward to press against an inside surface of rail 228.

For example, bar 204 may be formed to be straight or slightly curved in an unstressed condition. To attach the bar to the helmet, such as by inserting the tabs into the slots of the front mount, the user may press the bar against the front mount and bend the bar to conform to the front mount while inserting the tabs. When attached, the resilience of the bar will bias the lateral ends of the bar forward and press a front surface of connecting strip 242 against a rear surface of rail 228. A shoulder 234 on an underside of the tab prevents downward movement of the tab, thereby holding the bar and cover in place.

In other embodiments, bar 204 may be formed to match the shape of the front mount when the bar is in an unstressed condition. In such embodiments, the tabs or other fastener components may be configured to hold the bar to the front mount without relying at least in part on the resilience of the bar. The elongated bar may have a fixed length in some embodiments, or the length may be adjustable. For example, a first bar portion may be telescopically connected to a second bar portion.

While tabs that extend vertically upwardly from bar 204 are shown in the illustrated embodiment, the tabs or other fastener components may extend in other directions. For example bar 204 may include a protrusion that extends vertically upwardly from the bar and is configured to pass in front of rail 228, and further has a downwardly extending tab from a protrusion that hooks into the opening behind rail 228. In still further embodiments, a tab or other fastener component may be positioned on a rear surface of bar 204 and attached to the front mount or other helmet component in a direction toward the outer surface of the home.

For purposes herein, the term "front of the front mount" means any exposed surface of the front mount when the front mount is attached to the helmet. The rear of the front mount faces the helmet.

In some embodiments, bar 204, or other elongated member may be permanently attached to cover 202. For example, the bar may be inserted into one or more loops 232 of the cover, as shown in FIG. 6, and the loops and/or other portions of the cover may be further stitched to prevent removal of the bar without removal of the stitching or otherwise damaging a portion of the cover or loops of the cover. Or, in some embodiments, the bar may be placed on the flexible material of the cover, and the edge portion of the cover may be looped around the bar and stitched or otherwise connected to itself to form one or more loops. The loop(s) may be formed with a size or shape that prevents removal of the bar without intentionally damaging the cover.

In other embodiments, the bar, or other elongated member may be configured to be easily removed from the cover by the user. For example, a strap (not shown) may be wrapable around a narrow portion of the bar and attached to itself or another portion of the cover with a fastener such as a snap or hook and loop fastener material. When the strap is in place, the bar is prevented from moving laterally, and when the strap is loosened, the bar can be removed from the loop(s).

The loops may be configured to leave a portion of the length of the bar exposed. The exposed portion may be continuous or discontinuous.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment including two hooks 250 attached to stretchable straps 252 of cover 202. The hooks are arranged to be pulled down to front mount 210 and attached to a component of the front mount. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, each hook 250 may grasp a lower edge 256 of the front mount. In other embodiments, as discussed further below, hooks 250 may be adapted to connect to other portions of the front mount. The hooks may be made of a rigid material such as steel or a rigid plastic, or any other suitable material. For purposes herein, the term "rigid" means a component that is substantially rigid in at least one direction. For example, bar 204 may be made of a metal or plastic and be considered to be rigid even though the bar may be bendable along its length. The bar would still be considered rigid because the bar is not substantially stretchable or compressible along its length. FIG. 9 shows front mount 202 with two rails 258 positioned on an upper surface of the front mount - the two rails forming two openings 260. Each of two stretchable straps 254 may be passed through one of the openings 260 and attached to itself by the user via hook and loop fastening material or in another suitable fastening manner. In an alternative embodiment, hooks, such as those shown in FIG. 8, may be attached to rails 258.

Openings 270 may be provided in a streamlined manner on the front mount or other helmet component in some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 10. Here, openings 270 are formed in the laterally extending portions of front mount 210. Hooks may be attached to these openings in some embodiments, or straps may be passed through openings 270 in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 9.

FIGs. 11 and 12 show an embodiment where a separately manufactured component is placed behind front mount 202 and secured to the helmet between the front mount and the helmet outer surface. The separately manufactured component may be a plate 280 provided with one or more openings 282 formed by one or more rails 284. As with embodiment described above, the openings may receive a strap, a hook, or other suitable connector.

Various helmets may be used with the embodiment disclosed herein, including ballistic rated helmets. For example, helmets rated at least at Type IIA of the ΝΠ Standard- 0101.06 may be used, or helmets meeting at least the Type II rating may be used. Helmets meeting other ballistic ratings may be used as well.

For purposes of this patent application and any patent issuing thereon, the indefinite articles "a" and "an," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean "at least one." The phrase "and/or," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and/or" should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., "one or more" of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the "and/or" clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.

The use of "including," "comprising," "having," "containing," and/or variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.

The foregoing description of various embodiments are intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents are within the scope of the invention recited in the claims appended hereto.