Helmet fit adjustment system with releasable hair aperture

Abstract

A helmet fit adjustment system having a frame, a tensioning device having an adjustment wheel, and a device receiver is disclosed. The frame comprises a frame body having a first attachment point and a second attachment point, as well as an occipital strap having a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to the first attachment point, and the second end is movably coupled to the tensioning device. The device receiver is coupled to the second attachment point. The tensioning device is directly and releasably coupled to the device receiver, forming a hair aperture. Rotational adjustment of the adjustment wheel adjusts a functional length of the occipital strap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A helmet fit adjustment system for a helmet, comprising:
 a frame comprising a frame body fixedly coupled to a helmet body of the helmet through at least two anchor points, the frame body comprising a first attachment point positioned within a first lateral half of the frame body and a second attachment point positioned within a second lateral half of the frame body different than the first lateral half, the frame further comprising an occipital strap having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first attachment point;   a device receiver coupled to the second attachment point; and   a tensioning device comprising a strap receiver and an adjustment wheel, the tensioning device movably coupled to the second end of the occipital strap and releasably coupled to the device receiver;   wherein rotational adjustment of the adjustment wheel adjusts a functional length of the occipital strap;   wherein the occipital strap is flexibly movable between an open position in which the tensioning device is not directly coupled to the device receiver, and a closed position in which the tensioning device is directly and releasably coupled to the device receiver, forming a hair aperture between the occipital strap and at least one of the frame body and the helmet; and   wherein the first lateral half and the second lateral half each comprise at least one of the at least two anchor points.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a first guide, the device receiver comprises a second guide, and the first guide and the second guide are aligned when the occipital strap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 2 , wherein one of the first guide and the second guide comprises a magnet and the other of the first guide and the second guide comprises one of a magnet and a ferromagnetic material, such that a magnetic attraction exists between the first guide and the second guide when the occipital strap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a hook, and the device receiver comprises a hook aperture sized to receive and releasably capture the hook. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a protrusion having a tip and a stem which is narrower than the tip, the device receiver comprises a keyhole slot having a large end wide enough to receive the tip of the protrusion, and a small end wide enough to receive the stem of the protrusion but narrower than the tip of the protrusion, and the protrusion is received by the keyhole slot when the tensioning device is directly coupled to the device receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a housing defining a strap path within the housing, and at least part of the second end of the occipital strap is contained inside the housing and extends to outside the housing through the strap receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 6 , wherein the strap path extends from the strap receiver to the adjustment wheel in a first direction, and extends in a second direction, opposing the first direction after passing the adjustment wheel. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet fit adjustment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the occipital strap is rotatably coupled to the first attachment point by a pivot. 
     
     
         9 . A helmet, comprising:
 a helmet body; and   a helmet fit adjustment system coupled to and positioned at least partially within the helmet body, the helmet fit adjustment system comprising:
 a frame comprising a frame body fixedly coupled to the helmet body through at least two anchor points, the frame body comprising a first attachment point positioned within a first lateral half of the frame body and a second attachment point positioned within a second lateral half of the frame body different than the first lateral half, the frame further comprising an occipital strap having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first attachment point; 
 a device receiver coupled to the second attachment point; and 
 a tensioning device comprising a strap receiver, the tensioning device movably coupled to the second end of the occipital strap and releasably coupled to the device receiver; 
   wherein movement of the tensioning device along the occipital strap relative to the first end adjusts a functional length of the occipital strap;   wherein the occipital strap is flexibly movable between an open position in which the tensioning device is not directly coupled to the device receiver, and a closed position in which the tensioning device is directly and releasably coupled to the device receiver forming a hair aperture between the occipital strap and at least one of the frame body and the helmet body; and   wherein the first lateral half and the second lateral half each comprise at least one of the at least two anchor points.   
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a first guide, the device receiver comprises a second guide, and the first guide and the second guide are aligned when the occipital strap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 10 , wherein one of the first guide and the second guide comprises a magnet and the other of the first guide and the second guide comprises one of a magnet and a ferromagnetic material, such that a magnetic attraction exists between the first guide and the second guide when the occipital strap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a hook, and the device receiver comprises a hook aperture sized to receive and releasably capture the hook. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the occipital strap is rotatably coupled to the first attachment point by a pivot. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the tensioning device comprises an adjustment wheel moveably coupled to the occipital strap and the tensioning device, and rotational adjustment of the adjustment wheel moves the tensioning device along the occipital strap and adjusts a functional length of the occipital strap. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a housing defining a strap path within the housing, and at least part of the second end of the occipital strap is contained inside the housing and extends to outside the housing through the strap receiver. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the strap path extends from the strap receiver to the adjustment wheel in a first direction, and extends in a second direction after passing the adjustment wheel, the second direction opposing the first direction. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet of  claim 9 , further comprising an occipital pad, wherein at least part of the occipital strap of the frame is contained within a portion of the occipital pad. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the tensioning device is closer to the second lateral half of the frame body than the first lateral half of the frame body when the occipital strap is in the closed position. 
     
     
         19 . A method of securing a helmet to a head having long hair, comprising:
 placing the helmet on a head to position the head proximate a helmet fit adjustment system comprising a frame, a device receiver, and a tensioning device, the frame comprising a frame body fixedly coupled to a helmet body through at least two anchor points;   gathering the long hair by moving the tensioning device and a second end of an occipital strap of the frame around and beneath the long hair proximate the occipital strap, the tensioning device movably coupled to the second end and the occipital strap further comprising a first end coupled to a first attachment point located in a first lateral half of the frame body;   capturing the hair in a hair aperture by directly coupling the tensioning device to the device receiver, the device receiver coupled to a second attachment point located in a second lateral half of the frame body different than the first lateral half; and   adjusting a fit of the helmet by adjusting a functional length of the occipital strap by moving the tensioning device along the occipital strap relative to the first end of the occipital strap.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising aligning the tensioning device with the device receiver by aligning a first guide of the tensioning device with a second guide of the device receiver.