EP1058510B1 - Device for actuating a helmet visor - Google Patents

Abstract

A system is provided for actuating an integral helmet visor with elements for protecting the lower part of the face. The system includes a motoring system powered by an electronic source for moving the visor between an opening position and a closing position and an electronic control circuit internal to the helmet and associated with the motoring system. The control circuit is capable of being actuated by electrically connecting part of the face or the tongue with at least an electrode connected to the control circuit.

Description

The present invention relates to a device allowing the actuation of the visor of a full-face helmet via a moving part of the face or tongue.

The full face helmet generally has a protection of the lower part of the face defining an opening can be closed with a manually movable visor.

This provision obliges the biker to let go of the handlebars with one hand of the motorcycle and blindly recognize a mark or the edge of this visor to raise or lower it.

Known solutions consist of motorized systems on racks or other, powered by a source and allowing move the visor. These systems are operated by commands having either an electrical contact on the helmet itself, which similarly requires putting your hand on the helmet, a remote contact with a wire, or finally contact with the handlebars with a remote control.

The latter solution, which is better adapted, however requires a system outside the helmet powered by another electrical source.

There are also commands of the type described in the US 5,297,297 which are activated by the breath of the helmet wearer and which include an electrical switch, the first pole of which is formed of a fixed contactor and the second pole consists of a plate conductive carried by the free end of a helical spring.

The plate is mounted behind a network of orifices and perpendicular to the air flow blown by the wearer and likely to go through these holes.

The pressure resulting from the helmet wearer's breath is used to move the plate which then touches the contactor by closing the electrical circuit.

However, with this device, it is not easy to ensure the electrical contact between the plate and the contactor for a period corresponding to the up or down travel of the visor since it requires blowing for a period long enough.

In addition, the blowing must be precise to focus on the plate and powerful enough to overcome the resistance of the spring, this which also requires significant physical effort on the part of the wearer of the helmet. Under these conditions, the reliability of this command is very bad.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to solve these problems techniques satisfactorily.

This object is achieved by means of a device for actuation an integral helmet visor, characterized in that it comprises, of a part, a motorization system powered by an electric source and allowing said visor to be moved between an open position and a closed position, and on the other hand, an electronic circuit helmet interior control and associated with said motorization system and which can be activated by electrical connection of a part of the face or tongue with at least one electrode connected audit circuit.

According to a first embodiment, the device comprises at minus two electrodes with high impedance and low current, susceptible to be short-circuited by direct contact with the language.

Preferably, the device comprises a straight electrode, a left electrode and a central electrode connected to the circuit ground.

According to another embodiment, the device comprises at minus a free electrode connected, on the one hand, to a capacitor of the circuit and intended to be connected, on the other hand, to a part mobile face or tongue by direct electrical contact or electrostatic influence by producing a capacitive effect.

Preferably, the device comprises two free electrodes corresponding respectively to the raising and lowering of the visor.

According to an advantageous characteristic, said circuit of control is connected to the motorization system via reversers CMOS series amplifiers and bridge-mounted transistors.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the electrical source is integrated in the helmet lining material.

According to another characteristic, said electrode is arranged in the protective element opposite the mouth.

Thus, the control is done by a movable part of the face or the language. For non-limiting example, the command is therefore activated by two electrodes with high impedance and low current right and left short-circuited for opening and closing the visor or two right and left electrodes with capacitive effect for opening or visor closure.

For non-limiting example, the electronic circuit can be mounted on the input of CMOS inverters as a saturated serial amplifier or either of two bridge-mounted transistors.

All the cells or batteries forming the electrical source is buried in the helmet foam.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en coupe horizontale au niveau de l'élément de protection du menton d'un casque intégral équipé d'un premier mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe horizontale au niveau de l'élément du menton d'un casque intégral quipé d'un second mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention ;
• la figure 3 représente un circuit électronique de commande susceptible d'être utilisé pour le premier mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention ;
• les figures 4A et 4B représentent deux variantes, d'une partie d'un circuit électronique de commande susceptible d'être utilisé pour le second mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a view in horizontal section at the level of the chin protection element of an integral helmet equipped with a first embodiment of the device of the invention;
• FIG. 2 represents a view in horizontal section at the level of the element of the chin of an integral helmet equipped with a second embodiment of the device of the invention;
• FIG. 3 represents an electronic control circuit capable of being used for the first embodiment of the device of the invention;
• FIGS. 4A and 4B represent two variants, of a part of an electronic control circuit capable of being used for the second embodiment of the device of the invention.

The helmet shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a full face helmet provided on the front with a protective element 1 for the lower part of the face and in particular of the chin.

Protective element 1 consists of a curved profile generally located a short distance from the mouth and delimiting towards the bottom an opening or window capable of being closed by a visor (not shown).

The device of the invention is intended for actuating this visor.

For this purpose, it includes a motorized system M powered by an electric source (battery, batteries ...) B (see figure 3) allowing to move the visor between a high open position and a low window closing position.

The motorization system M and the electrical source B are integrated in the lining material (foam ...) of the rigid shell forming the structure of the helmet and are therefore not visible, which preserves the overall aesthetic appearance.

The motorization system M is coupled to a circuit control electronics C also mounted inside the enclosure helmet.

Control circuit C is activated by connection of a moving part of the face (chin, lips ...) or the tongue with at least one electrode 2, connected to said circuit and arranged in the protective element 1 located opposite the mouth.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the device for the invention comprises three electrodes 2a, 2b, 2c with high impedance and low current. The extreme electrodes 2a, 2c are thus susceptible to be short-circuited by direct contact, for example with the language L of the helmet wearer while the central electrode 2b is connected to the circuit ground.

These three electrodes are electrically connected to a circuit electronics C of the type shown in FIG. 3, where the connection to the motorization system M is carried out via CMOS inverters amplifiers A in series and transistors T mounted in bridge.

Closing circuit C causes power to the system motorization M and the movement of the visor by passing through the tongue tissue a very weak direct electric current.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the device includes at least one, and here two, free electrodes 2a, 2b connected each, on the one hand, to a capacitor K of the control circuit C and intended to be connected, on the other hand, to a movable part of the face or L language by direct electrical contact or influence electrostatic by producing a capacitive effect. The two electrodes 2a, 2b correspond respectively to the ascent and descent of the helmet visor.

In this case, the electrode is said to be "in the air" and the capacitor K does not delivers no current in the absence of any electrical coupling of the electrode with another conductive element.

Any isolated conductive mass such as that of the human body can be considered as an electron reservoir capable of ensuring, by contact with an electrode which is in the air and even by simple electrostatic "influence", a current leakage through the capacitor to which this ground is connected.

If the capacitor is supplied with alternating current (approximately 100 kilo hertz for common applications), we can transform by rectification this current, in direct current and thus operate the actuating device of the invention.

Figures 4A and 4B show two alternative arrangements electronics intended for use in a control circuit in capacitive mode.

These assemblies use a current flow through a capacitor K and generate a continuous signal S translating the leakage of current. This signal S is then processed by an electronic circuit. complementary, equivalent to that of figure 3.

The assembly of figure 4B uses the principle of disagreement critical of an oscillating circuit.

The motorization system M is triggered by damping of an oscillation due to a change in frequency of the alternating current.

This change in frequency is generated by connection to the oscillating circuit of an additional electrical capacity formed here by the human body.

Claims (8)

1. Device for actuating an integral helmet visor presenting an element (1) for protecting the lower part of the face with said element being constituted by a curvilinear section generally disposed at a short distance from the mouth and downwardly defining an opening capable of being obturated by said visor, and comprising, on the one hand, a motoring system (M) powered by an electric source (B) for moving said visor between an opening position and a closing position, said device being characterised in that it comprises, on the other hand, an electronic control circuit (C) internal to the helmet and associated with said motoring system and capable of being activated by electrical connection of part of the face or of the tongue (L) with at least one electrode (2) connected to said circuit (C).
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least two high-impedance and low-current electrodes (2), capable of being short-circuited by direct contact with the tongue (L).
3. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that it comprises a right-hand electrode (2a), a left-hand electrode (2c) and a central electrode (2b) connected to the earth of the circuit (C).
4. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least one free electrode (2) connected, on the one hand, to a capacitor (K) of the control circuit (C) and intended to be connected, on the other hand, to a mobile part of the face or to the tongue (L) by direct electrical contact or electrostatic influence by producing a capacitive effect.
5. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that it comprises two free electrodes (2a, 2b) corresponding respectively to the rise and descent of the visor.
6. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said control circuit (C) is connected to the motoring system (M) via inverters CMOS amplifiers (A) in series and transistors (T) mounted in bridge form.
7. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the electric source (B) is integrated in the material lining the helmet.
8. Device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that said electrode (2) is disposed in the protecting element (1) opposite the mouth.

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