Helmet closure

Claim 2

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side panel portions that each has front and rear longitudinal edges, a rear panel portion having opposite longitudinal ledges joined to the adjacent side panel portion rear edge, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges, closure means for removably joining the side panel portion front edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle an adults neck, mounting strip means joined to the upper edges of the panel portions for removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, the side portions in at least a latitudinal direction being of a greater rigidity than that of the rear panel portion and the mounting strip means in at least a latitudinal direction being of a greater rigidity than each of the side panel portions, and stretchable neck sealing means for surrounding at least a major portion of the neck of the wearer of he helmet, the neck sealing means having an upper edge joined to the lower edges of the panel portions.

Claim 3

The helmet closure of claim 1 wherein the closure means comprises a front flap having a first longitudinal edge portion and a second longitudinal edge portion substantially latitudinally spaced from the flap first longitudinal edge portion and an upper latitudinal edge portion sewn to the mounting strip means, fastener means on the flap first longitudinal edge portion and one of the side panel portions for removably securing the flap first longitudinal edge portion to the said one of the side panel portions, and second fasteners means on the flap second longitudinal edge portion and the other side panel portion for removably securing the flap second longitudinal edge portion to the said other of the side panel portions.

Claim 4

The helmet closure of claim 1 wherein the mounting strip means includes a latitudinally elongated peripheral reinforcing strip having a front portion and opposite side portions, and at least a first longitudinally upwardly extending strap means joined to the reinforcing strip remote from the strip reinforcing front portion for insertion between the helmet shell and the padding.

Claim 5

The helmet closure of claim 3 wherein the reinforcing strip has latitudinally free terminal rear first and second end portions and the mounting strip means has a second longitudinally upwardly extending strap joined to the first strip reinforcing end portion for insertion between the helmet shell and the padding, the first strap being joined to the second strip reinforcing end portion.

Claim 6

The helmet closure of claim 1 wherein the mounting strip means comprises a latitudinal mounting strip for completely encircling the wearer's head and that the rear panel portion is made of an elastic material.

Claim 7

The helmet closure of claim 5 wherein the rear panel portion elastic material is of a one way stretchable elastic and being stretchable in a latitudinal direction.

Claim 8

The helmet closure of claim 5 wherein the neck sealing means comprises elasticized ribbing fabric having latitudinal upper edge portions sewn to the side panel portions and the rear panel portion, the rear panel being of a greater latitudinal and longitudinal rigidity than the ribbing fabric.

Claim 9

The helmet closure of claim 1 wherein the neck sealing means is made of ribbing fabric, the ribbing fabric and the rear panel portion having longitudinally intermediate portions, and that there is provided hook and loop fastening material means sewn to the rear panel portion and the neck means for releasably retaining the rear panel portion and the ribbing fabric longitudinally intermediate portions in relative positions for facilitating an extending of the wearer's head through the closure.

Claim 10

The helmet closure of claim 8 wherein each side panel comprises an exterior layer of wind resistant material, an intermediate layer of sound damping material, and an inner layer of soft, stretchable material.

Claim 11

The helmet closure of claim 8 wherein the mounting strip means comprises a latitudinally elongated strip reinforcement, and an latitudinally elongated mounting strip having a plurality of longitudinal slits extending partially longitudinally therethrough, and a fastener strip sewn to the strip reinforcement and mounting strip with the mounting strip sandwiched between the fastener strip and the strip reinforcement to facilitate removably fastening the mounting strip means to the helmet.

Claim 12

The helmet closure of claim 8 wherein the side panel portions have latitudinal front end portions extending downwardly and inwardly toward the wearer's neck and that the closure means comprises a front flap for extending beneath the wearer's chin, the flap having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the mounting strip means and latitudinally opposite, substantially spaced longitudinal edges, and cooperating fastener means joined to the flap longitudinal edges and the side panel front edge portions for removably securing the side panel front edge portions to the flap longitudinal edges to permit movement of the front flap to facilitate the wearer extending the wearer's head through the closure.

Claim 13

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions for extending downwardly and inwardly toward the wearer's neck, front closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle the wearer's neck and have the front closure means and the side panel portions front edge portions extend downwardly and inwardly toward the wearer's neck and under the wearer's chin, and mounting strip means fixedly joined to the upper edges of the panel portions for extending between the shell and padding and removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck.

Claim 14

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions for extending downwardly and inwardly toward the wearer's neck, front closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle the wearer's neck and have the front closure means and the side panel portions front edge portions extend downwardly and inwardly toward the wearer's neck and under the wearer's chin, and mounting strip means fixedly joined to the upper edges of the panel portions for extending between the shell and padding and removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck.

Claim 15

The helmet closure of claim 12 wherein the side panel portions each has a front latitudinal edge portion that includes one of the front longitudinal edges, the closure means includes a first longitudinal extending fastener member fixedly joined to one of the side panel front longitudinal edge portions and a second fastener member fixedly joined to the other side panel front longitudinal edge portion for cooperating with the first fastener member to removably attach the side panel front longitudinal edge portions to one another.

Claim 16

The helmet closure of claim 12 wherein the neck ribbing fabric material comprises stretchable neck sealing means for surrounding at least a major portion of the neck of the wearer of the helmet, the neck sealing means having an upper latitudinal edge joined along at least substantially the entire length of the lower latitudinal edges of the side and rear panel portions and a lower free latitudinal edge that is substantially shorter than the dimension of the upper latitudinal edge of the neck sealing means.

Claim 17

The helmet closure of claim 12 wherein each of the side panel portions front longitudinal edge is closely adjacent to the other to form a single slit and that the closure means comprises cooperating fastening means on the side panel portions front longitudinal edges for removably attaching the front longitudinal edge portions to one another.

Claim 18

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet having a helmet shell, the closure comprising a sheet of flexible, stretchable, wind resistant material of the approximate size of an integral helmet head opening and having a hole in the approximate center about the size and shape of a human adult's neck, the sheet material having an upper latitudinal edge, a lower latitudinal edge and latitudinally opposite front longitudinal side edge portions spaced to form a gap, affixing means for attaching said closure to the helmet shell, opening/closing means for use in combination with the sheet material to allow a human head to pass through said closure into and out of the integral helmet and for sealing the head inside the helmet and the closure, the opening/closing means including a front flap having spaced edge portions, the front flap being shaped such that the front flap edge portions overlap the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions on each latitudinal side, the front flap closing onto the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions and being openable and closable, and fastener means secured to each sheet material longitudinal side edge and flap edge portion respectively to oppose each other for removably attaching the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions to the front flap edge portions.

Claim 19

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet having a helmet shell, the closure comprising a sheet of flexible, stretchable, wind resistant material of the approximate size of an integral helmet head opening and having a hole in the approximate center about the size and shape of a human adult's neck, the sheet material having an upper latitudinal edge, a lower latitudinal edge and latitudinally opposite front longitudinal side edge portions spaced to form a gap, affixing means for attaching said closure to the helmet shell, opening/closing means for use in combination with the sheet material to allow a human head to pass through said closure into and out of the integral helmet and for sealing the head inside the helmet and the closure, the opening/closing means including a front flap having spaced edge portions, the front flap being shaped such that the front flap edge portions overlap the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions on each latitudinal side, the front flap closing onto the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions and being openable and closable, and fastener means secured to each sheet material longitudinal side edge and flap edge portion respectively to oppose each other for removably attaching the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions to the front flap edge portions.

Claim 20

A helmet of claim 16 wherein the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions adjacent to the upper latitudinal edge are spaced by approximately 6 cm and the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions adjacent to the lower latitudinal edge portions are spaced by approximately 9 cm, the front flap edge portions overlap the sheet material longitudinal side edge portions about 2 cm on each latitudinal side, and the fastener means comprises hook and loop fastening strips sewn to each sheet material longitudinal side edge and flap edge portions respectively to oppose each other.

Claim 21

A helmet of claim 16 wherein the sheet material is of single integrally formed continuous piece and has a lower terminal latitudinal end portion that, in conjunction with the flap, forms a sealing means for closing the lower end portion of the closure and completely encircling the neck.

Claim 22

A helmet of claim 16 wherein the sheet material comprises opposite first and second panel portions having latitudinally spaced, longitudinal rear first and second terminal edges and an elastic panel having latitudinally opposite first and second longitudinal edges joined to the adjacent rear terminal first and second longitudinal edge respectively.

Claim 23

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet and having a bottom portion, the helmet closure comprising a sheet of flexible, stretchable, wind resistant material of the approximate size of an integral helmet head opening and having a hole in the approximate center about the size and shape of a human adult's neck, affixing means for attaching said closure to a helmet shell, the affixing means being joined to the sheet material, opening/closing means joined to the sheet material for allowing a human head to pass through said closure into and out of the integral helmet and for sealing the head inside the helmet and the closure, sealing means joined to the sheet material to in conjunction therewith close the bottom portion of the closure around a wearer's neck and fastening means for cooperating with the sealing means for preventing the sealing means tucking into the helmet when the helmet is pushed over the wearer's head, the sealing means comprising ribbing fabric, the sheet material and the ribbing fabric having exterior rear center surface portions, the fastening means including hook and loop fastening material sewn in a position to oppose each other on the exterior rear center surface portion of the sheet material and on the exterior rear center surface portion of the ribbing material.

Claim 24

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet and having a bottom portion, the helmet closure comprising a sheet of flexible, stretchable, wind resistant material of the approximate size of an integral helmet head opening and having a hole in the approximate center about the size and shape of a human adult's neck, affixing means for attaching said closure to a helmet shell, the affixing means being joined to the sheet material, opening/closing means joined to the sheet material for allowing a human head to pass through said closure into and out of the integral helmet and for sealing the head inside the helmet and the closure, sealing means joined to the sheet material to in conjunction therewith close the bottom portion of the closure around a wearer's neck and fastening means for cooperating with the sealing means for preventing the sealing means tucking into the helmet when the helmet is pushed over the wearer's head, the sealing means comprising ribbing fabric, the sheet material and the ribbing fabric having exterior rear center surface portions, the fastening means including hook and loop fastening material sewn in a position to oppose each other on the exterior rear center surface portion of the sheet material and on the exterior rear center surface portion of the ribbing material.

Claim 25

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions, closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front longitudinal edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle at least the front and side portions of the wearer's neck, and mounting strip means joined to the upper latitudinal edges of the panel portions for removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower latitudinal edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck, the rear panel being of an elastic material.

Claim 26

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions, closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front longitudinal edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle at least the front and side portions of the wearer's neck, and mounting strip means joined to the upper latitudinal edges of the panel portions for removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower latitudinal edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck, the rear panel being of an elastic material.

Claim 27

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions, closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front longitudinal edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle at least the front and side portions of the wearer's neck, and mounting strip means joined to the upper latitudinal edges of the panel portions for removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower latitudinal edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck, the side panel portions having front latitudinal edge portions that each has one of the front longitudinal edges, the closure means including a first longitudinal extending fastener member fixedly joined to one of the side panel front longitudinal edge portions, a second fastener member fixedly joined to the other side panel portion and a front flap having substantially latitudinally spaced longitudinal edge portions that each has a fastener member joined thereto for cooperating with the adjacent one of the first fastener member and second fastener member for removably attaching the flap longitudinal edge portions to the side panel front longitudinal portions.

Claim 28

A helmet closure for use with an integral helmet that has a helmet shell having a lower peripheral edge portion and padding within the shell, the padding having a lower edge portion, the helmet closure comprising opposite side and rear panel portions for encircling at least the side and rear portions of the wearer's neck, each of the side and rear panel portions having latitudinal upper and lower edges portions, the side panel portions having front longitudinal edge portions, closure means for removably joining the side panel portions front longitudinal edges to one another to, in conjunction with the panel portions, encircle at least the front and side portions of the wearer's neck, and mounting strip means joined to the upper latitudinal edges of the panel portions for removably cooperating with the helmet to removably attach the panel portions to the helmet, at least the side panel portions being of a flexible, stretchable, wind resistant sheet material, and stretchable neck ribbing fabric material having an upper latitudinal edge joined to the panel portions lower latitudinal edge portions and to the closure means to, in conjunction with the closure means, encircle the wearer's neck, the side panel portions having front latitudinal edge portions that each has one of the front longitudinal edges, the closure means including a first longitudinal extending fastener member fixedly joined to one of the side panel front longitudinal edge portions, a second fastener member fixedly joined to the other side panel portion and a front flap having substantially latitudinally spaced longitudinal edge portions that each has a fastener member joined thereto for cooperating with the adjacent one of the first fastener member and second fastener member for removably attaching the flap longitudinal edge portions to the side panel front longitudinal portions.