EP0521218A1

EP0521218A1 - Communication wiring structure in helmet

Info

Publication number: EP0521218A1
Application number: EP91311721A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eitaro Kamata
Original assignee: Shoei Kako Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shoei Kako Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-07-05
Filing date: 1991-12-17
Publication date: 1993-01-07
Also published as: CA2056963A1; KR930010543B1; KR930001839A; JPH055820U

Abstract

In a helmet (1), a wiring groove (11) is provided in that surface of a shock absorbing liner (5) which is opposed to a shell (4), and a communication wire (12) connected to earphones (9,9) and a microphone (10) is contained in the wiring groove (11). The communication wire (12) can be conveniently located in an inner wall of the cap body (2) without use of a clip or clips, and even when the cap body (2) is put on or taken off, misalignment of the wiring is avoided.

Description

The present invention relates to communication wiring structures in helmets.
Such structures are known in which an earphone and a microphone are mounted on a cap body of the helmet, the cap body comprising a shell and a shock absorbing liner fitted to the inner surface of the shell. These communication structures enable communication with another person through the microphone and the earphone, when a driver or a passenger on a motorcycle or in a racing car puts on the helmet.
In the prior art helmet, a communication wire connected to the microphone and the earphone(s) is disposed in an inner surface of the cap body and is retained by clips or the like. The clips or the like which are used to retain the communication wire, cause problems in that the installation of the wiring is troublesome, that the communication wire may snag when the user puts on or takes off the helmet, and that the wiring may be displaced.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide a communication wiring structure in a helmet, wherein the communication wire can be properly disposed in the cap body without use of clips or the like, and a displacement of the communication wire can be prevented even when putting on or taking off the helmet.
According to the present invention there is provided a communication wiring structure in a helmet in which an earphone and a microphone are mounted to a cap body which is comprises of a shell and a shock absorbing liner fitted to an inner surface of the shell, wherein the structure comprises:
a wiring groove provided in that surface of the shock absorbing liner which is opposed to the shell; and
a communication wire connected to the earphone and the microphone, the communication wire being contained in the wiring groove.
With the above arrangement of the present invention, the communication wire can be properly retained in the cap body without use of any clips or the like, and moreover, there is no portion of the wiring exposed on an inner surface of the cap body and therefore, when putting on or taking off the helmet, it is possible to prevent the communication wire from becoming an obstacle or being displaced.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a helmet;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line 2-2 in Fig. 1; and
Fig.3 is an exploded perspective view of an essential portion shown in Fig.1.

Referring first to Figs.1 and 2, a cap body 2 of a helmet 1 is of a full-face type having a window 3 in a front surface thereof and is comprised of a shell 4 of FRP, a shock absorbing liner 5 of foamed styrene fitted on an inner surface of the shell 4, and a fit pad 6 of a urethane foam fixed onto the shock absorbing liner 5.
The shock abosrbing liner 5 is divided into an arched part 5a corresponding to a chin covering portion and left and right ear covering portions of the cap body 2, and a domed part 5b. Each of the arched part 5a and the domed part 5b is attachable to and detachable from the shell 4 individually.
As clearly shown in Fig.3, the arched part 5a includes earphone mounting recesses 7, 7 provided in inner surfaces of left and right rear end portions of the arched part 5a, and a microphone mounting hole 8 centrally provided at front portion thereof. Earphones 9, 9 are fitted and adhered into the earphone mounting recesses 7, 7, and a microphone 10 is fitted and adhered into the microphone mounting hole 8.
A wiring groove 11 is provided in an outer surface of the arched part 5a, i.e., in a surface opposed to the shell 4. The wiring groove 11 is comprised of left and right lateral groove portions 11a, 11a passing between the left and right earphone mounting recesses 7, 7 and the microphone mounting hole 8, respectively, and left and right longitudinal groove portions 11b, 11b each extending downwardly from an intermediate portion of the corresponding lateral groove portion 11a and opened into a lower end of the arched part 5a. A communication wire 12 is contained in the wiring groove 11 in the following manner: The communication wire 12 is comprised of receiving wire portions 13, 13 connected to the earphones 9, 9, a transmitting wire portion 14 connected to the microphone 10, and a wire harness 15 in which the wire portions 13, 13 and 14 are bundled. A plug 16 to be insetted into a communication apparatus (not shown) is connected to an end of the wire harness 15. The receiving wire portions 13, 13 and the transmitting wire portion 14 of the communication wire 12 are contained in the left and right lateral groove portions 11a, 11a, and an upper end of the wire harness 15 is contained in either one on the left and right longitudinal groove portions 11b, 11b.
Referring again to Fig.2, an acoustic hole 17 is provided in that portion of the fit pad 6 which is opposed to the earphone 9.
As shown in Figs.1 and 2, a chin belt 18 rivetted at its upper end to the shell 4 is drawn into the cap body 2 through a belt hole 19 in the arched part 5a.
The operation of this embodiment will be described below.
If a driver or a passenger or a motorcycle or a racing car puts on the helmet 1 of the present invention, he can talk with other persons through the earphones 9, 9 and the microphone 10.
When mounting the earphones 9, 9 and the microphone 10 to the cap body 2, the arched part 5a of the shock absorbing liner 5 is first removed from the shell 4, and the earphones 9, 9 are fitted and adhered into the earphone mounting recesses 7, 7, while the microphone 10 is fitted and adhered into the microphone mounting hole 8. Then, the receiving wire portions 13 and the transmitting wire portion 14 connected to the earphones 9, 9 and the microphone 10 respectively are contained in the lateral groove portions 11a, and the wire harness 15 is led outside through one of the longitudinal groove portions 11b, 11b. In such a condition, the arched part 5a is fitted into the shell 4. Then, the wiring groove 11 is covered with the shell 4 and therefore, the communication wire 12 contained in the wiring groove 11 is retained in the cap body 2 without relying upon a clip or the like. Moreover, the communication wire means 12 is free of a portion exposed to an inner surface of the shock absorbing liner 5 and hence, even when putting on or taking off the cap body 2, the communication wire 12 does not become an obstacle, and cannot be dislocated.

Claims

A communication wiring structure in a helmet in which an earphone and a microphone are mounted to a cap body which is comprised of a shell and a shock absorbing liner fitted to an inner surface of the shell, wherein said structure comprises
a wiring groove provided in that surface of the shock absorbing liner which is opposed to the shell, and
a communication wire connected to the earphone and the microphone, said communication wire being contained in said wiring groove.
A communication wiring structure in a helmet according to claim 1, wherein said shock absorbing liner is attachable to and detachable from the shell.
A communication wiring structure in a helmet according to claim 2, wherein said cap body is formed into a full-face type having a chin covering portion for protecting the chin of a user, and said shock absorbing liner is constructed such that a part corresponding to said chin covering portion and left and right ear covering portions can be separated from the remaining porion of the liner, said wiring groove being provided in said part.