US 11,672,296 B2
Hinged attachment of headgear to a helmet
David C. Rogers, Boston, MA (US); Charles H. Rogers, Halifax, MA (US); Darwin Keith-Lucas, Boston, MA (US); and Duco W. Noordzij, Roslindale, MA (US)
Assigned to GENTEX CORPORATION, Simpson, PA (US)
Filed by Gentex Corporation, Simpson, PA (US)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/631,668.
Application 15/631,668 is a continuation of application No. 14/260,393, filed on Apr. 24, 2014, granted, now 9,717,294.
Application 14/260,393 is a continuation of application No. 13/224,559, filed on Sep. 2, 2011, granted, now 9,072,328, issued on Jul. 7, 2015.
Application 13/224,559 is a continuation of application No. 11/760,412, filed on Jun. 8, 2007, granted, now 8,028,344, issued on Oct. 4, 2011.
Application 11/760,412 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/350,591, filed on Feb. 9, 2006, granted, now 7,908,667, issued on Mar. 22, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/811,896, filed on Jun. 8, 2006.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/691,307, filed on Jun. 17, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2017/0280807 A1, Oct. 5, 2017
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A42B 3/04 (2006.01); G02B 23/12 (2006.01)
CPC A42B 3/0406 (2013.01) [A42B 3/04 (2013.01); G02B 23/12 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A helmet comprising:
a helmet shell having an outer surface, a front side, a back side opposite the front side, and two side surfaces opposite one another and extending between the front side and back side;
a mounting rail attached to one of the two side surfaces on the outer surface of the helmet,
the mounting rail including a recessed retaining groove;
an ear accessory configured to surround a user's ear, wherein at least a portion of the ear accessory is below a terminal edge of at least one side surface of the helmet when in a use position; and
a hinge mechanism having a first end and a second end, the first end slidably coupled to the recessed retaining groove of the mounting rail, the second end coupled to the ear accessory, and a connecting member slidably coupled to a shoulder member to adjust a length of the hinge mechanism, the ear accessory is pivotable relative to the connecting member along a first axis and the shoulder member is pivotable about the first end along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis,
wherein the hinge mechanism positions and retains the ear accessory over the user's ear in the use position, and the shoulder member pivots about the second axis to position and retain the ear accessory at a back of the helmet in a stowage position such that the ear accessory rests against the back of the helmet.