Chinbar attachment systems and methods

Abstract

A helmet assembly may include a helmet and an integrated chinbar. The chinbar may include an attachment portion and the helmet may include a docking frame. Coupling together of the attachment portion to the docking frame may couple the chinbar to the helmet. The attachment portion may then be secured to docking frame to secure the chinbar to the helmet. In certain embodiments, the attachment portion may be coupled to the docking frame of an interior side of the liner. Thus, the attachment portion may accordingly be disposed on the side of the liner closer to a wearer's face.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A helmet assembly comprising:
 a chinbar comprising an attachment portion; and   a helmet, the helmet comprising:
 an outer shell; 
 a liner coupled to an interior of the outer shell, wherein the liner has a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and 
 a docking frame disposed on the first side of the liner and configured to receive the attachment portion of the chinbar to couple the chinbar to the helmet. 
   
     
     
         12 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first side of the liner faces the outer shell, such that the docking frame is adjacent the outer shell. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment portion comprises a finger configured to be coupled to the docking frame. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet assembly of claim  3 , wherein the docking frame comprises a channel configured to receive the finger to couple the chinbar to the docking frame. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment portion of the chinbar comprises a post and the docking frame comprises an aperture configured to receive the post to couple the chinbar to the helmet. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the docking frame comprises a single injection-molded part. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the chinbar is coupled to the helmet, and the helmet assembly further comprises a rivet securing the attachment portion of the chinbar to the docking frame. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising padding disposed over at least a portion of the chinbar. 
     
     
         19 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the docking frame comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         20 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment portion is disposed on the first side of the liner when the attachment portion is coupled to the docking frame. 
     
     
         21 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the docking frame comprises a material having a hardness greater than the liner. 
     
     
         22 . The helmet assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the docking frame remains exposed to an exterior environment when the chinbar is attached to the helmet. 
     
     
         23 . A helmet assembly comprising:
 a helmet having an outer shell and a liner coupled to an interior of the outer shell, wherein the liner has a first side and a second side opposite the first side;   a chinbar coupled to the helmet;   wherein the helmet includes a docking frame disposed on the first side of the liner, and an attachment portion of the chinbar is received by the docking frame.   
     
     
         24 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the first side of the liner faces the outer shell, such that the docking frame is adjacent the outer shell. 
     
     
         25 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the attachment portion of the chinbar comprises a first finger coupled to the docking frame on a first lateral side of the helmet and a second finger coupled to the docking frame on a second lateral side of the helmet. 
     
     
         26 . The helmet assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second fingers of the attachment portion are disposed in respective channels of the docking frame. 
     
     
         27 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , the attachment portion of the chinbar comprising a plurality of posts mated with respective apertures of the docking frame. 
     
     
         28 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the attachment portion of the chinbar is disposed on the first side of the liner. 
     
     
         29 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the docking frame comprises a material having a hardness greater than the liner. 
     
     
         30 . The helmet assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising a rivet securing the attachment portion of the chinbar to the docking frame.