Diving helmet assembly

Claim 2

A diving helmet assembly comprising: A. an adapter unit for placement on the diver's head and having a standardized outer surface; B. a helmet body for placement on said adapter unit and having a standardized inner surface generally conforming to said outer surface of said adapter unit; C. said helmet body including, i. a helmet body shell portion, the interior of which includes said standardized inner surface; and ii. insulation means disposed over the outside of said helmet body shell; D. at least one gas conduction duct disposed on the outside of said helmet body shell; and E. said insulation means being also disposed over said gas conduction duct.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said adapter unit includes: A. a shell portion having said standardized outer surface; and B. padding means interior of, and contacting said shell portion, for contact with the diver's head.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: A. said padding means is of open-cell foam construction.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: A. said padding means is comprised of a plurality of adjacent segments of respective thicknesses conforming to the contour of the diver's head.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 which additionally includes: A. a chin strap for maintaining said adapter unit immovable relative to the diver's head.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: A. said insulation means is a rigid insulation material.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: A. said rigid insulation material is a syntatic foam.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes: A. an outer protective skin covering said insulation means.

Claim 10

A diving helmet assembly comprising: A. an adapter unit for placement on the diver's head and having a standardized outer surface; B. a helmet body for placement on said adapter unit and having a standardized inner surface generally conforming to said outer surface of said adapter unit; C. a neck seal unit for sealing said helmet body to a diver worn complementary sealing unit; D. said neck seal unit including, i. a neck ring; and ii. a flexible neck-engaging sealing membrane attached to said neck ring; E. force transmittal means connecting said neck ring with said adapter unit; and F. means for maintaining said adapter unit on the diver's head in the presence of forces tending to remove it.

Claim 11

A diving helmet assembly comprising: A. an adapter unit for placement on the diver's head and having a standardized outer surface; B. a helmet body for placement on said adapter unit and having a standardized inner surface generally conforming to said outer surface of said adapter unit; C. a neck seal unit for sealing said helmet body to a diver worn complementary sealing unit; D. said neck seal unit including, i. a neck ring; and ii. a flexible neck-engaging sealing membrane attached to said neck ring; E. force transmittal means connecting said neck ring with said adapter unit; and F. means for maintaining said adapter unit on the diver's head in the presence of forces tending to remove it.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: A. said neck ring is oval.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: A. said helmet body includes a base ring at the base thereof; B. said neck ring being engageable with said base ring; and C. clamping means for maintaining said neck ring and said base ring in water-tight engagement.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the means for maintaining said adapter unit on the diver's head in the presence of forces tending to remove it includes: A. a chin strap connectable with said adapter unit.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12 which additionally includes: A. firm padding means positioned on the inside of said adapter unit to contact the diver's head just below the mastoid protrusions.

Claim 16

A diving helmet assembly comprising: A. an adapter unit for placement on the diver's head and having a standardized outer surface; and B. a helmet body for placement on said adapter unit and having a standardized inner surface generally conforming to said outer surface of said adapter unit; C. predetermined ballast weights for attaining substantially neutral bouyancy of said assembly when containing the diver's head; D. said adapter unit including protruding portions around the ear area of a wearer; and E. said ballast weights being positioned within said protruding portions.

Claim 17

A diving helmet assembly comprising: A. an adapter unit for placement on the diver's head and having a standardized outer surface; and B. a helmet body for placement on said adapter unit and having a standardized inner surface generally conforming to said outer surface of said adapter unit; C. predetermined ballast weights for attaining substantially neutral bouyancy of said assembly when containing the diver's head; D. said adapter unit including protruding portions around the ear area of a wearer; and E. said ballast weights being positioned within said protruding portions.