# US 10,477,948 B2 · Removable device for mounting accessories to a helmet

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- Number: US 10,477,948 B2
- Document ID: US10477948B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/264,535
- Filed: 2016-09-13
- Published: 2018-03-15
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-13
- Assignees: Task Racing LLC
- Applicants: Task Racing LLC
- Inventors: Mark H. Slover
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10477948B2

## CPC

- A45F 5/02: Fastening articles to the garment
- A42B 3/04: Parts, details or accessories of helmets
- A42B 3/042: {Optical devices (night vision goggles G02B23/12)}
- A42B 3/044: {Lighting devices, e.g. helmets with lamps}
- F16M 11/041: {Allowing quick release of the apparatus}
- F16M 11/10: around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)}
- F16M 13/04: for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains {, e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head (apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B)}
- F21L 4/00: Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
- F21L 13/00: Electric lighting devices with built-in electric generators (with solar cells F21L4/00)
- F21V 21/145: {for portable lighting devices}
- A45F 5/1533: {Holders or carriers for cameras}
- A45F 2005/025: {with a holder or item rotatably connected to the fastening device, e.g. having a rotation axis perpendicular to the garment}
- F16B 5/0216: {the position of the plates to be connected being adjustable}
- F16B 2200/81: Use of a material of the hooks-and-loops type
- A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY
- A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00)
- F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
- F21L: LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF, BEING PORTABLE OR SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR TRANSPORTATION
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a mounting component with an opposed exterior surface configured to adapt to a curvature of a helmet via an attachment portion and angularly defined guide rails and friction slots. A cradle includes an exterior portion configured to receive an accessory and friction receiving coupler to integrate said cradle to said mounting component whereby cradle will travel non-linearly along the angularly defined guiderails of the mounting component. Friction inducing elements increase friction between the mounting component and the cradle where the friction is induced by mechanical elements, where the mechanical elements are adjustable by hand power.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a helmet mounting component including an internal surface and an opposed exterior surface configured to adapt to a curvature of a helmet via an attachment portion, said helmet mounting component having angularly defined slots and curved receiving grooves;
a cradle comprising an upper exterior portion configured to receive an accessory, a lower exterior portion including a first plurality of relief slots and a second plurality of relief slots, at least one friction receiving portion, an interior surface adaptable to a shape of the accessory, an accessory securement element, a utility hole, a cord relief portion and non-linear rails to integrate and removably couple said cradle to said helmet mounting component via said non-linear rails positioned within the curved receiving grooves, wherein each relief slot of the first plurality of relief slots has a length greater than each relief slot of the second plurality of relief slots; and
an integrated friction element disposed between said helmet mounting component and said cradle that is configured to adjust position of the cradle relative to the helmet mounting component.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said friction element comprises a male segment and a female segment that act in unison to increase friction between said non-linear rails and said helmet mounting component, and said friction element produces friction through use of force directly applied to said friction element to provide or to prevent non-linear movement of said cradle in relation to said helmet mounting component.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interior surface of said cradle has a semi-circular shape to receive a cylindrical shaped accessory.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus in claim 1, wherein said interior surface of said cradle is configured to receive a rectangular shaped accessory.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said non-linear rails comprise opposing integrated congruent guiderails, said congruent guiderails including a protruding component and a receiving component, said congruent guiderails provide constrained movement between said helmet mounting component and said cradle conjointly lengthwise along a non-linear movement path.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said non-linear movement path is along an angularly defined arc, and said arc between 70 to 135 degrees.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the accessory is one of a light or a camera.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said attachment portion provides for proper detachment of the apparatus from a helmet without the use of tools.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said attachment portion provides for removal and immediate replacement of said apparatus without requiring external components.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said attachment portion comprises reclosable hook and loop fastening surfaces.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said attachment portion comprises a reclosable spacer or riser fastening system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said friction element comprises at least one male threaded portion and at least one equivalently internally threaded receiving portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said friction element tightens or loosens without the use of tools.

### Claim 14

An apparatus consisting of:
a helmet mounting component including an opposed exterior surface configured to adapt to geometry of a surface via a reclosable attachment portion, said reclosable attachment portion provides for removal from and immediate replacement of said apparatus to said surface, said helmet mounting component having angularly defined slots, non-linear coupling guide rails and curved receiving grooves;
a cradle consisting of an upper exterior portion configured to receive an accessory, a lower exterior portion including a first plurality of relief slots and a second plurality of relief slots, an accessory securement element, a utility hole, a cord relief portion and non-linear rails that provide restrained non-linear movement of the cradle within the helmet mounting component, said non-linear rails being accepted into said curved receiving grooves of said helmet mounting component, integrating said cradle to said helmet mounting component, wherein each relief slot of the first plurality of relief slots has a length greater than each relief slot of the second plurality of relief slots; and
an integrated friction element disposed between said helmet mounting component and said cradle that is configured to adjust a fixed position of the cradle relative to the helmet mounting component;
wherein:
said non-linear rails each include a protruding component and a receiving component;
said helmet mounting component possessing a protruding or receiving component that opposes and is conjoined to the protruding or receiving component of said cradle;
said non-linear coupling guide rails providing constrained movement between said helmet mounting component and said cradle and are conjointly lengthwise along a non-linear movement path;
the integrated friction element produces:
friction through use of force applied to a friction inducing element to allow or to prevent non-linear movement of said cradle in relation to said helmet mounting component, and
force to prevent said non-linear movement using said integrated friction element that is generated through turning, said force not requiring the use of tools to adjust said integrated friction element; and
said reclosable attachment portion provides for detachment of the apparatus from a surface without use of tools.

### Claim 15

An apparatus consisting of:
an attachment portion;
a helmet mounting component including an internal surface and an opposed exterior surface configured to adapt to curvature of a helmet via said attachment portion, said helmet mounting component having angularly defined slots and curved receiving grooves;
a cradle consisting of an upper exterior portion configured to receive an attachable accessory, a lower exterior portion including a first plurality of relief slots and a second plurality of relief slots, a utility hole, a cord relief portion, a front wall including a first semi-circular ring portion, a rear wall including a second semi-circular ring portion, at least one friction receiving portion, an interior surface corresponding to a shape of the attachable accessory, and non-linear rails to integrate said cradle to said helmet mounting component via said non-linear rails placed within the curved receiving grooves, wherein each relief slot of the first plurality of relief slots has a length greater than each relief slot of the second plurality of relief slots; and
a friction element disposed between said helmet mounting component and said cradle that is configured to adjust position of the cradle relative to the helmet mounting component;
wherein:
said friction element includes a male segment and a female segment that act in unison to increase friction between said non-linear rails and said helmet mounting component; and
said cradle having a semi-cylindrical shape.