E.d. Bullard Company

Matthew G Plunkett

Joshua J M Haldeman

Matthew King

William Chad Wedding

Travis J Plumlee

Pierre-Luc Lussier

Brendan Gallivan

Bonnie J McMurray

Nathan E Robinson

A ratchet mechanism for a headband of a protective helmet controls movement of overlapping rear portions of the headband with respect to one another includes a housing defining an internal cavity. The ratchet mechanism further includes an adjustment element with a pinion configured to engage respective rack gears of the overlapping rear portions of the headband within the internal cavity defined by the housing, along with a spring, which provides a torque that biases the adjustment element to a home position. The ratchet mechanism further includes a knob that is configured for movement between a first position in which it engages the pinion and controls rotation of the adjustment element, and a second position in which it disengages from the pinion, such that the spring will return the adjustment element to the home position.

Ratchet mechanism for protective helmet headband

A protective helmet adapted to receive and protect a head of a wearer comprises: an outer shell shaped to protect the head of the wearer, with the outer shell defining a bottom opening and an internal cavity for receiving the head of the wearer; a headband and a suspension positioned within the internal cavity of the outer shell; and a visor rotatable between a retracted position within the outer shell to an extended position in front of a face of the wearer, wherein the visor simultaneously rotates about a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis as it moves between the retracted position and the extended position. The visor can also be readily removed from the protective helmet and easily replaced should it become damaged.

Protective helmet with a retractable and removable visor

A headband for a protective helmet comprises a front portion configured to be secured to the protective helmet; a left rear portion that is selectively connected to the front portion; a right rear portion that is selectively connected to the front portion and is configured to overlap the left rear portion; and a means for securing a position of the left rear portion relative to the right rear portion, such as a ratchet mechanism. A headband kit includes multiple left rear portions, each of which can be selectively connected to the front portion, and multiple right rear portions, each of which can be selectively connected to the front portion.

Protective helmet headband for accommodating multiple head sizes and/or shapes

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Matthew G Plunkett