TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of this document relate generally to time trial bicycle helmets with removable shields.

BACKGROUND

Protective headgear and helmets have been used in a wide variety of applications and across a number of industries including sports, athletics, construction, mining, military defense, and others, to prevent damage to a user's head and brain. Bicycle time trials are a use scenario where sometimes-conflicting needs are carefully balanced. The goal of a cycling time trial is to traverse a course or track in the fastest time possible. Aerodynamic advantages may improve time trial results. A time trial helmet ideally will provide an aerodynamic advantage without sacrificing the protection afforded the user. At the same time, the helmet needs to be comfortable enough to not interfere with race performance. Thus, ventilation and weight are concerns that need to be balanced against the protection and reduced drag.

Aerodynamic and comfort advantages are to be had by covering the eyes and ears of the rider. Conventional time trial helmets, as known in the art, have included ear covers integrated or formed as part of the helmet body. Conventional helmets have also included removable eye shields that have just covered the eyes of the user.

SUMMARY

A need exists for a time trial bicycle helmet with improved aerodynamics and ventilation. Accordingly, in an aspect, a helmet comrpises a helmet body and a shield. The helmet body comprises a front portion and a tail portion. The shield comprises two ear shield portions connected to each other adjacent the front portion of the helmet body by a brow portion. The shield is releasably coupled to the helmet body. The helmet body is configured to avoid covering ears of a wearer of the helmet body to leave a majority of the ear exposed with respect to the helmet body. Finally, the ear shield portions are configured to extend to the helmet body over the ears of the wearer when connected to the helmet body adjacent to the front portion.

An outer surface of the brow portion of the shield may be recessed with respect to an outer surface of the front portion of the helmet body such that at least part of the helmet body overhangs the brow portion of the shield. Outer surfaces of the two ear portions of the shield may be in direct contact with an outer surface of the tail portion of the helmet body. The helmet may further comprise at least one body magnet and/or at least one shield magnet coupled to the shield. The at least one body magnet may be encased within the helmet body. The at least one body magnet and the at least one shield magnet may be aligned with respect to each other when the shield is connected to the helmet body.

The helmet may further comprise a shield vent at a top edge of the brow portion of the shield that may be separated from a corresponding portion of the front portion of the helmet body and may leave an opening between the brow portion of the shield and the front portion of the helmet body when the shield is connected to the helmet body. The helmet body may comprise at least one interior channel that may direct air passing through the at least one brow vent into the helmet.

The front portion of the helmet body may comprise a maximum thickness in a range of 40-50 mm. The tail portion of the helmet body may comprise a maximum thickness greater than the maximum thickness of the front portion. The average thickness of the portion of the helmet body not included in either the front portion or the tail portion may be in a range of 20-26 mm. Each ear portion of the shield may comprise at least one ear vent extending through the ear portion of the shield. Finally, the brow portion of the shield may comprise an eye shield that may extend downward from the brow portion and may be configured to cover at least the eyes of the helmet wearer.

In another aspect, a helmet comprises a helmet body and a shield. The helmet body comprises a front portion and a tail portion. The shield comprises two ear portions connected by a brow portion adjacent the front portion of the helmet body. The shield is magnetically coupled to the helmet body. The helmet body is configured to avoid covering ears of a wearer of the helmet body to leave a majority of the ear exposed with respect to the helmet body, and the two ear portions of the shield are configured to extend to the helmet body over the ears of the wearer when connected to the helmet body adjacent to the front portion. Lastly, the tail portion is tapered and the front portion has a rounded leading edge, such that the helmet body has a tear drop form factor.

An outer surface of the brow portion of the shield may be recessed with respect to an outer surface of the front portion of the helmet body such that at least part of the helmet body may overhang the brow portion of the shield. Both outer surfaces of the two ear portions of the shield may be substantially flush with an outer surface of the tail portion of the helmet body.

Also, the helmet may further comprise at least one indentation set in a lip of the helmet body, at least one body magnet encased within the helmet body near the at least one indentation, and at least one shield magnet coupled to the shield and sized to fit within the at least one indentation. The at least one body magnet and the at least one shield magnet may be aligned with respect to each other when the shield is connected to the helmet body.

In yet another aspect, a helmet comprises a helmet body and a shield. The helmet body comprises a front portion, a tail portion, and a plurality of body magnets. The shield comprises a plurality of shield magnets and two ear portions connected by a brow portion adjacent the front portion. The shield is releasably coupled to the helmet body by magnetic attraction between the plurality of body magnets and the plurality of shield magnets. Furthermore, the helmet body is configured to avoid covering ears of a wearer of the helmet body to leave a majority of the ear exposed with respect to the helmet body, and the two ear portions of the shield are configured to extend to the helmet body over the ears of the wearer when connected to the helmet body adjacent to the front portion. Finally, an outer surface of the shield may be recessed with respect to an outer surface of the front portion of the helmet body. The outer surface of the shield may be substantially flush with an outer surface of the tail portion of the helmet body.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS.

