The present invention relates to a protective helmet adapted to be worn by a user for protecting his/her head against impacts. In particular, even though not exclusively, the present invention relates to a motorcycle helmet suitable for being used by motorcycle riders and having attachment means for at least one appendage.

As well known in the art, motorcycle helmets comprise essentially an outer shell made of a synthetic rigid material; the outer shell delimits an inner space for housing the head of the user when the helmet is worn and is put in communication with the outside by a front opening and a bottom opening formed in the outer shell.

As well known, the helmets are intended to be worn in the right way by the user when the front opening is positioned at the face of the user, allowing him/her to view through the front opening.

Known motorcycle helmets may further comprise a shield removably coupled to the outer shell by coupling means and movable with respect to the outer shell for selectively closing the front opening.

The known motorcycle helmets may also comprise at least one appendage, or a plurality of appendages or means, attached to the outer shell and having functions different there between.

For example, the appendages may have an aerodynamic function, namely they are adapted to limit the effects of the aerodynamic forces, for example of the drag force, acting on the helmets during the riding of the motorcycle.

In this regard, the aerodynamic appendages may comprise a rear spoiler and/ or a pair of side wings. As a matter of fact, the rear spoiler is secured to the rear portion of the outer shell and projects there from while the side wings are secured to the opposite side portions of the outer shell and they project from the outer shell as well.

In the helmets known from the state of the art, such aerodynamic appendages or means are secured to the outer shell by means of mechanical attachments; therefore, such aerodynamic appendages are strongly secured to the outer shell.

A first drawback of the above technical solutions is that the aerodynamic appendages, namely the rear spoiler and the side wings, cannot be detached, completely or at least partially, from the outer shell in case of impact of the helmet against an obstacle.

Such a drawback may result in dangerous rotations of the head of the user with respect to the neck in case of impact and/ or in an increasing of the “lever effect” of the helmet.

Such “lever effect” may cause the relative displacement between the helmet and the head of the user and thus high loadings of the neck of the user.

A further drawback is that, particularly in case of tangential impacts, the above helmets are strongly subjected to high rotational accelerations and speeds.

Rotational accelerations might cause the brain of the user to rotate within the skull. Rotation of the brain might result in injuries, like concussion, diffuse axonal injury (DAI), subdural hematoma, contusion and intracerebral hematoma.

Another drawback of the above technical solutions is that the aerodynamic appendages are particularly difficult to remove in case they need to be replaced, thus rendering the maintenance operations of the helmet particularly long and complex.

In the context of the present invention, also the known visors of the helmets are considered as appendages attached to the outer shell. Normally, the visor is positioned close to the front opening and projects as well from the outer shell.

The visor has not an aerodynamic function (as the rear spoiler or the side wings); the function of the visor is rather that of protecting the user from flying debris during offroad riding and of reducing the sun glare.

Generally, the visor is coupled at both its side parts to the front portion of the outer shell by means of mechanical fasteners such as snaps or screws.

The technical drawback related to the use of such visors is similar to the drawback indicated above for the rear spoiler and the side wings, namely that the visor cannot be at least partially detached from the outer shell in case of impact of the helmet against an obstacle.

Also, the visor is difficult to be removed as well for being replaced in case it is worn out.

The main object of the present invention is therefore to provide a protective helmet with attachment means for at least one appendage designed to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above.

More specifically, the main object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above which allows the at least partial detachment of the appendage from the outer shell in case of impact of the helmet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above which allows to limit the effect of the rotational accelerations and speeds on the head of the user, particularly in case of tangential impacts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above wherein the at least partial detachment of the appendage from the outer shell in case of impact does not need the intervention of the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above which limits the negative effects of the impacts on the head and on the neck of the user, as for example the rotation of the head of the user with respect to the neck thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above wherein the attachment of the at least one appendage on the outer shell is strong and reliable during the customary use of the helmet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective helmet of the type disclosed above which eases the operations of replacement of the worn-out elements. The above mentioned objects, and other objects that will better appear in the following description, are achieved by a protective helmet with attachment means for at least one appendage according to claim 1.

The advantages and the characteristic features of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention which refers to the accompanying figures in which:

- figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the at least one appendage is formed by a rear spoiler;

- figures 2-5 are respectively a perspective view, a top view, a perspective rear view and a perspective partially cross-sectioned view of the helmet of figure 1 without the rear spoiler and wherein the attachment means are partially visible;

- figure 6 is a exploded side view of the protective helmet of figure 1;

- figures 7 and 8 are sectioned side views taken, respectively, along the plane A-A shown in figure 5 and along a transverse plane;

- figures 9a and 9b are, respectively, a top view and a perspective view of a component of the attachment means of the protective helmet also visible in figures 2-8, 12-14 and 17;

- figures 9c and 9d are, respectively, a side view and a further side view opposite to the side view of figure 9c of a component of the attachment means of the protective helmet also visible in figures 2-8, 12-14 and 17;

- figure 10 is a side view of a second embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the appendages comprise a rear spoiler and side wings;

- figure 11 is a side view of the protective helmet of figure 10 without the rear spoiler and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

- figure 12 is a side view of the protective helmet of figure 10 without the rear spoiler and the side wings and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

- figure 13 is a partially exploded perspective view of the protective helmet of figure 10; - figure 14 is a sectioned side view of a particular of the protective helmet of figure 10 wherein the attachment of one side wing on the outer shell is shown;

- figure 15 is a side view of a third embodiment of the protective helmet of the present invention wherein the at least one appendage is formed by a visor;

- figure 16 is a partially exploded perspective view of the protective helmet of figure 15;

- figure 17 is a side view of the protective helmet of figure 15 without the visor and wherein the attachment means thereof are partially visible;

- figure 18 is a perspective view of the visor of the protective helmet of figure 15.

The present invention relates to a protective helmet with attachment means for at least one appendage; as known, the protective helmet is adapted to be worn by a user and to protect the head of the user against impacts.

In particular, the protective helmet of the present invention is a motorcycle helmet adapted to be preferably worn by motorcyclists. Specifically, the protective helmet is adapted to be worn by motorcycle riders.

In the following and in the attached figures the protective helmet is indicated as a whole with the reference number 1.

The protective helmet 1 is designed to be attached to the user’s head by securing means, as for example chin straps, which are not illustrated in the attached figures.

As known, the protective helmet 1 comprises a rigid outer shell 2 made preferably of a composite or thermoplastic material and delimiting an inner space P designed for housing the head of the user when the helmet 1 is worn.

In this regard, the outer shell 2 is dome-shaped so as to fit over the user’s head (not shown in the attached figures) and comprises side portions 4 and a rear portion 6.

The outer shell 2 further comprises a front opening 8 opposite to the rear portion 6 and adapted to put the inner space P in communication with the outside.

The inner space P is in communication with the outside also through a bottom opening 9 of the outer shell 2, through which the user inserts the head in the inner space P.

The front opening 8 of at least the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the protective helmet 1 disclosed in the following, is designed to be selectively closed by a shield, not shown in the attached figures.

Where present, the shield is coupled to the outer shell 2 by means of coupling means 12, which allow the movement of the shield about a rotation axis between an inoperative position and a closing position of the front opening 8. The seats of the coupling means 12 are schematically shown in the attached figures 1, 2, 6 and 10-13. In a preferred configuration, the protective helmet 1 further comprises at least one appendage 10 and attachment means 18 for attaching the at least one appendage 10 to the outer shell 2.

In the context of the present description, the at least one appendage 10 may be an aerodynamic appendage chosen in the group comprising the rear spoilers 102 and the side wings 104; such aerodynamic appendages are adapted to reduce the drag force acting on the protective helmet 1.

The at least one appendage 10 may also be a visor 106 of the known type; the protective helmet 1 with the visor is adapted to be preferably used by motocross riders.

As shown in figures 15, 16 and 18, the visor 106 comprises an elongated central part 116 projecting outward relative to the front opening 8 and a pair of side parts 126 attached to the outer shell 2.

With reference to the attached figures:

- a first embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising only the rear spoiler 102 as appendage is better shown in the figures 1-8;

- a second embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising the rear spoiler 102 and the side wings 104 as appendages is better shown in the figures 10-14;

- a third embodiment of the protective helmet 1 comprising the front visor 106 as appendage is better shown in the figures 15-18.

The rear spoiler 102 is positioned at the rear portion 6 of the outer shell 2, the side wings 104 are positioned at the side portions 4 of the outer shell 2 and the visor 106 is positioned at the top of the front opening 8. All the above appendages 10 project from the outer shell 2 in the assembled configuration.

In particular, the rear spoiler 102 and the visor 106 may be positioned at corresponding recesses 11, 13 formed in the outer shell 2 and having a shape which is complementary to the outer profile of the rear spoiler 102 or of the visor 106, as better shown in figures 4-6 and 16-17, respectively.

Advantageously, the side wings 104 delimit with the surface of the outer shell 2 at least one duct 114 (see figure 14) for channelling the air flow towards the rear portion 6.

In this regard, the side wings 104 are preferably positioned on the side portions 4 of the outer shell 2 in the area between the maximum transverse section and the rear portion 6, downstream from the centreline of the body of the outer shell 2 and are arranged along an inclined direction S when the helmet 1 is parallel to the ground.

According to an embodiment not shown in the attached figures, the protective helmet 1 may comprise a plurality of appendages 10 attached to the outer shell 2 by means of the attachment means 18, for example a combination of a rear spoiler 102, of the side wings 104 and of a visor 106.

According to the present invention, the attachment means 18 are adapted to removably attach the at least one appendage 10, namely the rear spoiler 102 and/or the side wings 104 and/or the visor 106, to the outer shell 2, and comprise a plurality of male connectors 20 and a plurality of female connectors 22.

Such an arrangement, disclosed in detail in the following, allows to stably maintain the at least one appendage 10, or the appendages, attached to the outer shell 2 during the customary use of the helmet 1 and to have the at least one appendage 10 at least partially or completely detachable from the outer shell 2 in case of impact.

The detachment of the at least one appendage 10 from the outer shell 2 limits the negative effects of the impacts on the head and on the neck of the user, as for example the rotation between the head and the neck of the user and/or the “lever effect” of the helmet and limits the rotational accelerations and speeds the helmet is subjected to.

In the context of the present specification, the female connectors 22 may be also defined as “receivers” without limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

With regard to the embodiments disclosed above, each of the appendages 102, 104, 106 is removably attached to the outer shell 2 by means of the attachment means 18 comprising the male connectors 20 and the female connectors 22.

Opportunely, the male connectors 20 are arranged on the at least one appendage 10, or on all the appendages, provided on the helmet 1, and the female connectors 22 are arranged on the outer shell 2.

The male connectors 20 may be integral with the corresponding appendage 10 or may be secured to the appendage 10 at a later time.

Preferably, the male connectors 20 are arranged along the entire extension of the rear spoiler 102 or of the side wings 104 of the first embodiment and of the second embodiment of the helmet, as better shown in figures 13-14 with reference to one side wing 104.

In all the embodiments disclosed above, the number of the male connectors 20 provided on the appendages 10 corresponds to the number of female connectors 22 provided on the outer shell 2.

For example:

- for the rear spoiler 102, there are provided seven female connectors 22 on the outer shell 2 and as many male connectors 20 on the rear spoiler 102; in particular, six of such female connectors 22 are arranged along an arc in an upper portion of the recess 11 and one female connector 22A is arranged in a central position closer to the bottom opening 9 of the helmet 1 (see the figures 3-5); accordingly, the male connectors 20 are arranged on the rear spoiler 102 so as to face the female connectors 22 when the rear spoiler 102 is assembled on the outer shell 2;

- for each of the side wings 104, there are provided four female connectors 22 on the outer shell 2 and as many male connectors 20 on the respective side wing 104 (see in particular figures 13 and 14); in this embodiment the male connectors 20 are integral with end plates 21 and with intermediate supports 23 of the side wing 104 which delimit, in combination with the outer shell 2 and the body of the side wing 104, a plurality of ducts 114 for channelling the air flow towards the rear portion 6 (see figure 14); in addition, the female connectors 22 are arranged on the outer shell 2 along a direction corresponding to the inclined direction S of the side wing 104 (see figure 12);

- the visor 106 comprise a pair of male connectors 20 provided on the side parts 126 thereof, on the surface facing the outer shell 2, and a single male connector 20B arranged in the central part 116, in the inner surface facing the outer shell 2 (see figures 16 and 18).

Even according to the present invention, each of the female connectors 22 comprises an inner housing 24 for the respective male connector 20, as better shown in figures 7 and 14.

As better shown in figure 9a-9d, each female connector 22 comprises, for all the embodiments disclosed above, a main body 28 extending along a longitudinal axis L and a transverse plate 30, the main body 28 and the transverse plate 30 being connected by a connecting portion 32.

The female connectors 22, namely their main bodies 28, plates 30 and connecting portions 32, are preferably made of elastic material, even more preferably of soft plastic, for the reasons explained below.

Preferably, each female connector 22 further comprises a slot 26, as better shown in figures 2-7, 9a-9c, 12, 14 and 17, for the passage and the disengagement of the respective male connector 20 from the inner housing 24 of the respective female connector 22 in case of impact of the helmet 1.

The disengagement of the male connectors 20 from the female connectors 22 causes the at least partial detachment of the appendage 10 from the outer shell 2.

As also visible in figure 9c, each slot 26 extends along the longitudinal axis L and is opened at one side of the main body 28, of the plate 30 and of the connecting portion 32.

At the outer surface 34 of the plate 30 an opening 36 is provided for putting in communication the slot 26 with the outside (see for example figure 9a); the opening 36 comprises preferably a first arm 38 and a second arm 39 perpendicular to the first arm, the first arm 38 being opened at one side as indicated above for the slot 26.

Such an arrangement allows the insertion of the male connector 20 in the inner housing 24, and explained in detail below, and contributes to maintain the corresponding male connector 20 stably retained in the inner housing 24; otherwise, such an opening 36 allows the male connector 20 to get out rapidly from the inner housing 24 in case of impact of the helmet against an obstacle.

Advantageously, the inner housing 24 of each female connector 22 is formed in the corresponding main body 28 and the slot 26 of each female connector 22 has a cavity 42 at the inner housing 24, having preferably a rounded shape (see figure 7).

Opportunely, the outer shell 2 comprises a plurality of seats 44 and each of the female connectors 22 is positioned in a respective seat 44, as shown in the figures 5-8 with reference to the female connectors 22 of the rear spoiler 102.

As better shown in figure 7, the coupling of the outer shell 2 with each female connector 22 inside the respective seat 44 is of the mechanical type; that is, the edges 46 of the outer shell 2 delimiting each seat 44 engage each female connector 22 at the connecting portion 32 thereof and are retained between the plate 30 and the main body 28 which radially project with respect to the connecting portion 32.

Even if the above technical features of the female connectors 22 have been mainly disclosed and illustrated with reference to the rear spoiler 102, they are intended to be also referred to the female connectors 22 of the side wings 104 and of the visor 106.

Otherwise, with specific reference to the female connectors 22 of the rear spoiler 102 as appendage, at least one of the seats 44 has, at one edge, a groove 48 communicating with the slot 26 of the corresponding female connector 22 for the passage and the movement of the male connector 20 (see for example figures 3-5).

In particular, the seats 44 housing the at least four central female connectors 22 of the arc and the central female connector 22A (as disclosed above) have such a groove 48, while the seats 44 housing the female connectors 22Z at the ends of the arc are not provided with such grooves 48.

The grooves 48 formed at one edge of the seats 44 are oriented towards the rear portion 6 of the protective helmet 1.

Such an arrangement allows the male connectors 20 to disengage and get out from the respective female connectors 22 and seats 44 in case of impact, causing the at least partial detachment of the central portion of the rear spoiler 102 from the outer shell 2. As shown in figures 16 and 17, the seats 44 housing the female connectors 22 of the third embodiment of the helmet 1 may be further positioned in a hollow space 45 having preferably a rounded shape.

Opportunely, each of the male connectors 20 of all the three embodiments is a pin element designed to be inserted in the inner housing 24 of a corresponding female connector 22; in particular, each pin element 20 comprises a bracket 50 secured to the at least one appendage 10, or to all the appendages, and an end projection 52 extending from the corresponding bracket 50 (see figures 7, 13-14, 16 and 18).

In the second embodiment of the helmet 1, the brackets 50 are secured to the end plates 21 and to the intermediate supports 23 disclosed above of the corresponding side wing 104 (see figure 14).

In the third embodiment, the brackets 50 are secured on support bases 47 of the visor 106 having preferably a rounded shape (see figures 16 and 18) and designed to be positioned inside the hollow spaces 45 of the outer shell 2 when the visor 106 is attached to the outer shell 2.

Also, the end projections 52 of the pin elements 20 have preferably a round shape so as the cavities 42 of the female connectors 22 may house and retain them upon deformation of the transverse plate 30 and of the main body 28. The deformation is mainly allowed by the elastic material the female connectors 22 are made of.

In the assembled configuration (see figure 7), the end projections 52 of the at least one appendage 10 are inserted in the corresponding cavities 42 of the inner housing and the respective brackets 50 are positioned in the slot 26 and partially project outward, with the surface of the outer shell 2 and the inner surface of the at least appendage 10 facing there between.

The axis passing through the round end projections 52 of the pin elements 20 is perpendicular to the extension axis of the brackets 50.

Thus, at the time of attaching the at least one appendage 10 to the outer shell 2, the second arms 39 of the openings 36 of the female connectors 22 allow the insertion of the end projections 52 in the slots 26 while the first arms 38 of the openings 36 of the female connectors 22 allow the insertion of the brackets 50 in the slots 26.

In the following table, a comparison between a helmet A with a rear spoiler mechanically attached to the outer shell and a helmet B with a rear spoiler removably attached to the outer shell by means of the attachment means of the present invention is reported, with particular reference to the linear acceleration (TLA), to the rotational acceleration (PRA) and to the rotational speed (co) the head of the user is subjected to with the two helmets.

The tests for measuring the linear acceleration (PLA), the rotational acceleration (PRA) and the rotational speed (co) the head of the user is subjected to follow the requirements of Clause 7.13 of Reg. ECE 22 06 regarding oblique impact on point Rear 180°.

As can be seen from the table, the use of a removable rear spoiler allows to reduce the rotational acceleration of 23,65% with respect to the helmet having the rear spoiler mechanically attached and to reduce the rotational speed of 5,59% with respect to the helmet having the rear spoiler mechanically attached.

It is clear now how the present invention allows to achieve the predefined objects.

The use of the above type of attachment means comprising the male connectors and the female connectors allows the at least partial detachment of the appendages from the outer shell of the helmet, while maintaining the appendages stably attached to the outer shell during the customary use.

With regard to the embodiments of the protective helmet described above, the person skilled in the art may, in order to satisfy specific requirements, make modifications to and/or replace elements described with equivalent elements, without thereby departing from the scope of the accompanying claims.