Headpiece assembly having removable ballistic shell and bump shell with suspension assembly

Abstract

A headpiece assembly for use with a night vision mounting arm includes a bump shell and an interior suspension assembly for seating on the head of a human. A mounting bracket is secured to the front of the bump shell for removably attaching the night vision mounting arm to the bump shell. A ballistic shell has a bottom forming an opening and a coupling mechanism for removably securing the ballistic shell to the bump shell when the ballistic shell is placed over the bump shell. The ballistic shell has a front and a notch extending upwardly from the opening into the front for receiving the mounting bracket when the ballistic shell is placed over the bump shell so as to permit the night vision mounting arm to be attached to the bump shell during use of the ballistic shell.

1 . A bump shell assembly for use with ancillary equipment adapters and a ballistic shell, the bump shell assembly comprising:
 a body having a bottom forming a head opening; and   a suspension assembly coupled to the body and at least partially disposed in the body for seating on a head, the body having an exterior convex surface and at least one recessed surface recessed below the convex surface to receive ancillary equipment adapters such that a ballistic shell can be worn over the body when the ancillary equipment adapters are removed from the body.   
     
     
         2 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the convex surface includes at least one side surface and the at least one recessed surface is recessed below the at least one side surface. 
     
     
         3 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the convex surface includes first and second opposite side surfaces and the at least one recessed surface includes first and second recessed surfaces recessed below the first and second side surfaces respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed surface is planar. 
     
     
         5 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the convex surface includes a channel with a recessed surface, the channel configured to retain and slidably receive at least one of the ancillary equipment adapters. 
     
     
         6 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the channel includes a trapezoidal cross-section having an open top and a bottom formed by the at least one recessed surface, the bottom having a width and the open top having a width smaller than the width of the bottom. 
     
     
         7 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the channel has a length and the cross-section of the channel is substantially constant along the length of the channel for permitting sliding engagement of the ancillary equipment adapters in the channel. 
     
     
         8 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed surface includes perforations extending through the outer body. 
     
     
         9 . The bump shell assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the channel includes a side wall and the convex surface includes a row of perforations, the row extending longitudinally along the side wall of the channel.