Motorcycle helmet with increased visibility

Abstract

A motorcycle helmet that includes one or more white light type beam forming LEDs (LEDs with lenses that form a beam) mounted in the front of the helmet, such as the helmet forehead area. The LEDs may function as a headlight that may supplement the motorcycle headlight. The beam(s) projected by the LEDS can be steered or aimed at an object by the helmet wearer and may help the rider and motorcycle be more visible to oncoming vehicles or vehicles entering from a side road while at the same time having a downward pointing aspect and a power hat does not create glare for other drivers. The LEDS may be in a self contained module mounted on the outside of the helmet. The LEDs may be mounted or embedded in the outer shell of the helmet with the batteries and electronics being inside the shell and within the foam type compressible inner shell. The batteries and electronics may also be within the helmet neck roll near the bottom rim of the helmet. LEDs, red and yellow or orange, may also be located in the rear of the helmet and function as additional brake lights and turn signal lights. A cable or wireless system may be used to send brake turn signal and headlight signals to the helmet to control the LEDs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motorcycle helmet, comprising:
 a shell having a forward facing side through which a rider views a road where the forward facing side includes a first hole through the shell having a first axis parallel with a viewing direction of the rider, and a rearward facing side having a second, third and fourth rearward facing linearly arranged holes through the shell, the shell having an inside surface and an outside surface;   a first light emitting diode (LED) positioned in the first hole to project a white light beam in the viewing direction and positioned so that an LED surface is below or at the outside surface of the shell;   a reinforcement member supporting the LED and reinforcing the first hole.   a first control module with an on/off switch mounted inside of the shell;   first wiring connecting the first LED and the first control module;   a first battery compartment mounted on the inside of the shell adjacent to the first control module;   first fixed padding for the head of the rider covering the first hole and first control module;   removable padding covering the first battery compartment;   a second LED positioned in a center hole of the second, third and fourth holes to project a red light beam in a rearward direction responsive to a brake signal; and   third and fourth LEDs positioned in left and right holes of the second, third and fourth holes to project a yellow light beam in the rearward direction responsive to turn signals.   
     
     
         2 . A motorcycle helmet, comprising:
 a shell; and   a first array of white light, light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted in a front side of the shell and projecting light in a front direction of the shell.   
     
     
         3 . A helmet as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the LEDs produce one or more light beams that a wearer of the helmet may point at an object. 
     
     
         4 . A helmet as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a controller controlling the light produced by the LEDs. 
     
     
         5 . A helmet as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the controller selectively causes one of a continuous beam and a blinking beam to be produced. 
     
     
         6 . A helmet as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a battery compartment coupled to the controller, wherein the controller and battery compartment are located within the shell. 
     
     
         7 . A helmet as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the LEDs are mounted in a forehead region of the shell. 
     
     
         8 . A helmet as recited in  claim 7 , wherein a front surface of the LEDs is one of and below an outer surface of the shell. 
     
     
         9 . A helmet as recited  claim 3 , wherein a pointing direction of the LEDs may be adjusted to match a natural viewing direction of a wearer. 
     
     
         10 . A helmet as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising a second array of red light LEDs mounted in a rear side of the shell, projecting light in a rearward direction and producing brake light. 
     
     
         11 . A helmet as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising third and fourth arrays of yellow LEDs mounted in the rear side of the shell on opposite sides of the second array, projecting light in the rearward direction and producing turn signal light. 
     
     
         12 . A helmet as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the third and fourth arrays are formed in a shape of arrows and a progression of the LEDs of the arrows are turned on across the arrows to show a direction of turn. 
     
     
         13 . A motorcycle helmet, comprising:
 a shell; and   a first array of white light, light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted in a front side of the shell and projecting light in a front direction of the shell;   a controller controlling the light produced by the LED;   a battery compartment coupled to the controller, wherein the controller and battery compartment are located within the shell;   a second array of red light LEDs mounted in a rear side of the shell, projecting light in a rearward direction and producing brake light; and   third and fourth arrays of yellow LEDs mounted in the rear side of the shell on opposite sides of the second array, projecting light in the rearward direction and producing turn signal light.   wherein the LEDs produce one or more light beams that a wearer of the helmet may point at an object,   wherein the controller selectively causes one of a continuous beam and a blinking beam to be produced,   wherein the white light LEDs are mounted in a forehead region of the shell,   wherein a front surface of the LEDs is one of and below an outer surface of the shell,   wherein a pointing direction of the LEDs may be adjusted to match a natural viewing direction of a wearer,   wherein the third and fourth arrays are formed in a shape of an arrows and a progression of the LEDs of the arrows are turned on across the arrows to show a direction of turn, and   wherein the white light LEDs each produce beams of different strength.   
     
     
         14 . A helmet as recited in  claim 13 , wherein LEDs of the first array are adjustable in pointing direction relative to the shell to allow a downward pointing aspect when the helmet is worn by the rider.