Adjustable hockey helmet

Abstract

An adjustable hockey helmet includes a front shell that is longitudinally movable relative to a rear shell to adjust the length of the helmet. One or more substantially rigid straps or similar elements are attached to the front shell and extend to the interior of the rear shell. A cam mechanism or similar device is included on the rear shell for securing the straps directly or indirectly against the interior of the rear shell to prevent longitudinal movement of the front shell relative to the rear shell once the helmet is adjusted to a desired length. Alternatively, the one or more straps may be attached to the rear shell and the cam mechanism may be included on the front shell.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a first shell; 
 padding attached to the first shell; 
 a second shell engaged with the first shell; 
 a plurality of substantially rigid straps connected to the first shell and extending into the second shell; 
 a cam assembly on the second shell in engagement with the straps, wherein the straps are movable relative to the cam assembly, and the cam assembly includes a cam handle that is pivotable between:
 an open position in which the straps are free to move through the cam assembly, such that the first shell may be longitudinally adjusted relative to the second shell; and 
 a closed position in which the straps are prevented from moving through the cam assembly, such that the first shell is prevented from being longitudinally adjusted relative to the second shell. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the first shell is a front shell and the second shell is a rear shell, or the first shell is a rear shell and the second shell is a front shell. 
     
     
       3. The helmet of  claim 1  further comprising a lateral adjustment mechanism including a plurality of bands attached directly or indirectly to the first shell or the second shell, wherein the bands are configured to engage sides of a wearer's head. 
     
     
       4. The helmet of  claim 3  wherein the lateral adjustment mechanism further includes a device for tightening and loosening the bands. 
     
     
       5. The helmet of  claim 3  further comprising a pad attached to the lateral adjustment mechanism for engaging an occipital portion of a wearer's head. 
     
     
       6. The helmet of  claim 1  further comprising a height-adjustable earpiece on the helmet. 
     
     
       7. The helmet of  claim 1  further comprising a height-adjustable J-clip attached to the first shell via at least one threaded connector, with the J-clip including a slot positioned around the threaded connector for allowing the J-clip to be vertically adjusted relative to the first shell when the threaded connector is loosened without requiring removal of the threaded connector from the first shell. 
     
     
       8. The helmet of  claim 1  further comprising an ear loop including a raised ledge configured to pass through a slot in the helmet and to engage an inner surface of the helmet to maintain the ear loop in an upward position. 
     
     
       9. The helmet of  claim 1  further comprising padding in an interior of the second shell, and a rear-projecting tab on an interior surface of the second shell that engages a slot in the padding to prevent rotation of the padding. 
     
     
       10. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a first shell; 
 a second shell engaged with the first shell; 
 a plurality of substantially rigid straps connected to the first shell and extending into an interior region of the second shell, with each of the straps including an opening; 
 a cam assembly attached to an exterior region of the second shell, the cam assembly including a cam post extending into the interior region of the second shell and through the openings in the straps, and a cam plate on the cam post; 
 wherein the cam assembly is movable between:
 a closed position in which the cam plate secures the straps against the second shell, such that the first shell is prevented from being longitudinally adjusted relative to the second shell, and 
 an open position in which the straps are free to move about the cam post such that the first shell may be longitudinally adjusted relative to the second shell. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The helmet of  claim 10  wherein the first shell is a front shell and the second shell is a rear shell, or the first shell is a rear shell and the second shell is a front shell. 
     
     
       12. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a first shell; 
 padding attached to the first shell; 
 a second shell movably engaged with the first shell; 
 a plurality of substantially rigid straps connected to the first shell and extending into the second shell; 
 a cam assembly on an exterior region of the second shell in engagement with the plurality of straps, wherein the cam assembly is not engageable with the first shell. 
 
     
     
       13. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a front shell; 
 padding attached to the front shell; 
 a rear shell movably engaged with the front shell; 
 at least one substantially rigid strap attached to the front shell and extending into the rear shell; and 
 a cam assembly on an exterior region of the rear shell that is engageable with the strap, wherein the cam assembly includes a cam handle that is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. 
 
     
     
       14. The helmet of  claim 13  wherein the strap is attached to an upper region of the front shell such that, in use, the strap overlies the top of a wearer's head. 
     
     
       15. The helmet of  claim 13  wherein engagement of the cam assembly with the strap substantially prevents longitudinal adjustment of the front shell relative to the rear shell. 
     
     
       16. The helmet of  claim 13  wherein the cam assembly is located on a rear-exterior region of the rear shell. 
     
     
       17. The helmet of  claim 13  wherein the strap comprises at least one opening engageable by the cam assembly. 
     
     
       18. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a first shell; 
 padding attached to the first shell; 
 a second shell engaged with the first shell; 
 at least one substantially rigid strap attached to the first shell and extending into the second shell, wherein the strap is contained within the interior of the helmet; and 
 means for engaging the strap to substantially prevent longitudinal movement of the first shell relative to the second shell, wherein the means for engaging is located on a rear exterior region rear-facing exterior surface of the second shell. 
 
     
     
       19. An adjustable helmet, comprising:
 a. a shell including a first shell portion engaged with a second shell portion, the first shell portion being engaged with the second shell portion in an overlapping relationship whereby the first and the second shell portions define a mutual area of overlap, a position of the first and the second shell portions relative to each other being adjustable to vary an extent of the mutual area of overlap;   b. the shell circumscribing an inside region for receiving the wearer's head, a size of the inside region being variable to adjust a fit of the helmet on the wearer's head by adjusting the position of the first and second shell portions relative to each other;   c. padding in the inside region, the padding being located between the shell and the wearer's head when the helmet is worn;   d. a plurality of substantially rigid straps in the inside region extending between the first shell portion and the second shell portion;   e. a locking assembly including a manually operable locking actuator on an exterior region of the shell, the locking assembly capable to selectively acquire a locked condition and an unlocked condition, wherein in the locked condition the locking assembly engages the plurality of straps through an aperture in the shell to prevent the plurality of straps from moving with relation to the locking assembly and to prevent the position of the first and second shell portions to change relative to each other;   f. the locking assembly constituting the only device on the helmet for adjusting the position of the first and second shell portions relative to each other.    
     
     
       20. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the helmet has a front region, a rear region, and a pair of opposite side regions, the helmet having a longitudinal axis extending along a direction from the front region to the rear region and a transverse axis extending in a direction from one side region to another side region, the plurality of straps having portions extending generally along the transverse axis.  
     
     
       21. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the plurality of straps are in an overlapping relationship, the locking assembly and the plurality of straps being configured such that as the position of the first and second shell portions is adjusted, a degree of overlap of the plurality of straps changes.  
     
     
       22. The helmet of claim 21, wherein the helmet has a top portion and a rear edge, the plurality of straps residing between the top portion and the rear edge.  
     
     
       23. The helmet of claim 22, wherein the manually operable locking actuator includes a lever pivotable between the locked condition and the unlocked condition.  
     
     
       24. The helmet of claim 23, wherein the locking assembly includes a component connected to the lever and projecting through the aperture in the shell to engage the plurality of straps at a location at which they overlap.  
     
     
       25. The helmet of claim 24, wherein the plurality of straps include respective apertures, the overlapping relationship between the plurality of straps causing the apertures to register with each other.  
     
     
       26. The helmet of claim 25, wherein the component engages the apertures that register with each other.  
     
     
       27. The helmet of claim 23, wherein the lever is located generally at a midpoint between side regions of the helmet.  
     
     
       28. The helmet of claim 23, wherein the lever is pivotable about a generally horizontal axis.  
     
     
       29. The helmet of claim 28, wherein the lever resides between the top portion and the rear edge.  
     
     
       30. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the substantially rigid straps are connected to the first shell portion, the helmet being configured such that a movement of the first shell portion relative to the second shell portion to adjust the fit of the helmet to the wearer's head imparts a corresponding movement of the substantially rigid straps relative to the locking assembly.  
     
     
       31. The helmet of claim 30, wherein the shell includes strap guides configured to receive the respective straps, wherein when the position of the first and second shell portions is adjusted, the straps are displaced relative to their respective strap guides.  
     
     
       32. The helmet of claim 28, wherein the exterior region of the helmet includes a recessed portion that receives the lever when the lever is in the locked condition.  
     
     
       33. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the first shell portion is a front shell portion.  
     
     
       34. The helmet of claim 33, wherein the second shell portion is a rear shell portion.  
     
     
       35. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the mutual area of overlap extends along a portion of the helmet extending along a top region of the helmet to a lower edge of the helmet.