Gentex Corporation

Charles F Acker

Brad L Sutter

Francis J Kuna

Robert Lamanna

David James Burke

Michael D Polednak

A safety fastener for mounting fitting equipment such as suspension and retention systems onto a ballistic helmet. The nut portion of the fastener fits substantially within a grommet that is attached to a strap that forms part of the suspension or retention systems. The nut retains, rather than clamps, the grommet to the helmet. The grommet can be pulled off the nut. The pull-out force is less than the fastener fracture force. The configuration of the fastener allows ballistic threat energy to be absorbed by helmet deformation and delamination along with grommet pull-out to provide energy dissipation in stages which avoids the creation of secondary projectiles from the fastener itself.

Low protrusion safety fastener for ballistic helmet

A universal oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver deflector includes a bayonet receiver deflector disposed on the helmet between the bayonet receiver and helmet, and a bayonet deflector connected to the oxygen mask bayonet. The bayonet receiver deflector includes a contoured side for providing a smooth transition between the helmet and the bayonet receiver on at least one side of the bayonet receiver. The oxygen mask bayonet deflector is made of two parts consisting of a bayonet ramp deflector and a bayonet tab deflector. The bayonet ramp deflector includes a ramped side and the bayonet tab deflector is generally frusto-conical in shape and includes a stem and a notch on the stem. The contoured side of the bayonet receiver deflector, the ramped side of the bayonet ramp deflector and the frusto-conical shape of the tab deflector cooperate to eliminate all potential hang up points and thereby parachute riser and/or shroud line entanglement with the oxygen mask bayonet, bayonet tab and the bayonet receiver during pilot ejection.

Universal oxygen mask bayonet and bayonet receiver deflector

Apparatus for detachably securing a night vision goggle mount to a protective helmet visor housing in which the heads of a pair of upper fasteners carried by the mount are adapted to be inserted through the head receiving portions of a pair of upper keyhole slots in a base plate on the housing against the action of a leaf spring on the plate. When the shanks of the fasteners are moved into the lower head-retaining portions of the upper slots, the upper fastener heads are held by ears on the leaf spring to lock the mount. A releasing element on the base plate is adapted to be actuated to flex the spring to a position at which the spring ears are clear of the upper fastener heads to permit the mount to be removed. Preferably, a pair of lower fasteners having heads and a pair of corresponding lower keyhole slots are provided to insure stability and alignment of the night vision goggle mount.

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Equinunk, PA, United States of America

Charles F Acker