# US 11,297,891 B2 · Helmet assembly with visor assembly having a breath guard > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,297,891 B2 - Document ID: US11297891B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/797,731 - Filed: 2020-02-21 - Published: 2020-08-27 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-22 - Assignees: Kimpex Inc. - Applicants: Kimpex Inc. - Inventors: Jean-Simon Levesque; Nicolas Bouchard Fortin; Stephane Dion; Étienne Gilbert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11297891B2 ## CPC - A42B 3/222: {in an articulated manner, e.g. hinge devices} - A42B 3/227: {with sun visors, e.g. peaks above face opening} - A42B 3/24: with means for avoiding fogging or misting - A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00) ## Abstract A helmet including a visor assembly having a breath guard is provided. The visor assembly includes a visor pivotally connected to the helmet shell and having an inner surface facing the cavity when in the lowered position. The visor assembly further includes a breath guard interface provided below the visor and a breath guard which has a visor interface connected to the breath guard interface of the visor assembly. The breath guard includes a flexible member connected to and extending from the visor interface and a contact surface shaped and configured to engage the wearer's face around the nose and mouth for deflecting humid air away from the inner surface of the visor. The flexible member has a channel extending along the visor interface having a substantially V-shaped cross-section configured to allow the flexible member to be deformed when raising the visor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A helmet comprising: a helmet shell defining a cavity for receiving a wearer's head and having a front opening; a visor assembly comprising: a visor pivotally connected to the helmet shell and being movable between a lowered position for covering the front opening, and a raised position, the visor having an inner surface facing the cavity when in the lowered position; and wherein in the raised position, a gap is defined between the visor and a top surface of the helmet shell; a breath guard interface provided below the visor or proximate a lower portion thereof; and a breath guard, comprising: a visor interface connectable to the breath guard interface of the visor assembly; and a flexible member having a nose cover shaped and sized for covering the wearer's nose, and a pair of wings extending on opposed sides of the nose cover, the flexible member further having: a front portion extending from the visor interface; and a rear portion extending rearwardly from the front portion, the rear portion having a contact surface shaped and configured to engage the wearer's face around the nose and/or mouth for deflecting humid air away from the inner surface of the visor when the visor is in the lowered position, the front portion being provided with a channel extending along the visor interface, the channel having a substantially V-shaped cross-section configured to allow the flexible member to be deformed and have the breath guard at least partially fit within the gap defined between the visor and top surface of the helmet shell when the visor is raised, the channel being defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall connected to one another at a bottom surface, the bottom surface being lower than a lowermost surface of the nose cover when the visor is in the lowered position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the breath guard is operable between a first configuration where the nose cover extends above the visor interface by a first distance, and a second configuration where the nose cover extends below the visor interface by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The helmet according to claim 2, wherein the second distance is about twice the first distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the breath guard comprises an adjustment mechanism operable for adjusting the flexible member to conform to the wearer's face and further isolate the wearer's nose and/or mouth from the inner surface of the visor, the adjustment mechanism being disposed within the front portion of the flexible member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The helmet according to claim 4, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a strap assembly comprising a pair of straps respectively connecting one of the wings of the flexible member to the visor interface, whereby operating the strap assembly adjusts a length of the straps for retaining the desired shape of the flexible. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the visor interface is removably connectable to the breath guard interface via a snap-fit connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The helmet according to claim 1, wherein the flexible member is made of at least one elastomeric material adapted to allow the flexible member to revert back to its initial shape after being deformed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The helmet of claim 1, wherein the nose cover has a bottom surface and a top surface, and wherein when the visor is in the raised position, the nose cover is inverted, the bottom surface being exposed to surrounding environment, and the top surface facing the helmet shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The helmet of claim 8, wherein portions of the flexible member surrounding the nose cover are stretched when the visor is in the raised position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The helmet of claim 1, wherein the contact surface delineating the nose cover has a nose-configured shape when the visor is in the lowered position and a flattened shape when the visor is in the raised position. ### Claim 11 A breath guard connectable to a visor of a helmet for deflecting humid air away from an inner surface of the visor, the breath guard comprising: a visor interface operatively connected to a breath guard interface of the visor; and a flexible member having a nose cover shaped and sized for covering the wearer's nose, and a pair of wings extending on opposed sides of the nose cover, the flexible member further having: a front portion extending from the visor interface; and a rear portion extending rearwardly from the front portion, the rear portion having a contact surface shaped and configured to engage the wearer's face around the nose and/or mouth for deflecting humid air away from the inner surface of the visor when the visor is in the lowered position, the front portion being provided with a channel extending along the visor interface, the channel having a substantially V-shaped cross-section configured to allow the flexible member to be deformed and have the breath guard at least partially fit within the gap defined between the visor and top surface of the helmet when the visor is raised, the channel being defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall connected to one another at a bottom surface, the bottom surface being lower than a lowermost surface of the nose cover when the breath guard is in use on the wearer's face. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The breath guard according to claim 11, wherein the breath guard is operable between a first configuration where the nose cover extends above the visor interface by a first distance, and a second configuration where the nose cover extends below the visor interface by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The breath guard according to claim 12, wherein the second distance is about twice the first distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The breath guard according to claim 11, wherein the breath guard comprises an adjustment mechanism operable for adjusting the flexible member to conform to the wearer's face and isolate the wearer's nose and mouth from the internal surface of the visor, the adjustment mechanism being provided within the front portion of the flexible member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The breath guard according to claim 14, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a strap assembly comprising a pair of straps respectively connecting one of the wings of the flexible member to the visor interface such that operating the strap assembly adjusts a length of the straps for retaining the desired shape of the flexible member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The breath guard according to claim 11, wherein the front portion of the channel has a forwardly projecting top edge adapted to extend within a complementary-shaped portion of the breath guard interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The breath guard according to claim 11, wherein the flexible member is made of at least one elastomeric material adapted to allow the flexible member to revert back to its initial shape after being deformed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The breath guard of claim 11, wherein the channel is formed as a furrow, a recess or with several folds and creases. ### Claim 19 A visor assembly of a helmet having a helmet shell defining a cavity, the visor assembly comprising: a visor pivotally connected to the helmet shell and being movable between a lowered position for substantially covering the front opening, and a raised position thereby defining a gap between the visor and the helmet shell, the visor having an inner surface facing the cavity when in the lowered position; and a breath guard interface provided below the visor; and a breath guard, comprising: a visor interface connectable to the breath guard interface; and a flexible member having a nose cover shaped and sized for covering the wearer's nose, and a pair of wings extending on opposed sides of the nose cover, the flexible member further having: a front portion extending from the visor interfaces; and a rear portion extending rearwardly from the front portion, the rear portion having a contact surface shaped and configured to engage the wearer's face around the nose and/or mouth for deflecting humid air away from the inner surface of the visor when the visor is in the lowered position, the front portion being provided with a channel extending along the visor interface, the channel having a substantially V-shaped cross-section configured to allow the flexible member to be deformed and have the breath guard at least partially fit within the gap defined between the visor and top surface of the helmet shell when the visor is raised, the channel being defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall connected to one another at a bottom surface, the bottom surface being lower than a lowermost surface of the nose cover when the visor is in the lowered position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The visor assembly according to claim 19, wherein when the breath guard is operable between a first configuration where the nose cover extends above the visor interface by a first distance, and a second configuration where the nose cover extends below the visor interface by a second distance, the second distance being greater than the first distance. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The visor assembly according to claim 20, wherein the second distance is about twice the first distance. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The visor assembly according to claim 19, wherein the breath guard comprises an adjustment mechanism operable for adjusting the flexible member to conform to the wearer's face and further isolate the wearer's nose and mouth from the internal surface of the visor, the adjustment mechanism being disposed within the front portion of the flexible member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The visor assembly according to claim 22, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a strap assembly comprising a pair of straps respectively connecting one of the wings of the flexible member to the visor interface such that operating the strap assembly adjusts a length of the straps for, retaining the desired shape of the flexible member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The visor assembly according to claim 19, wherein the visor interface is removably connectable to a breath guard interface of the visor assembly via a snap-fit connection. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The visor assembly according to claim 24, wherein the front portion of the channel of the breath guard has a forwardly projecting top edge and the breath guard interface has a complementary-shaped portion of the breath guard interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The visor assembly according to claim 19, wherein the flexible member is made of at least one elastomeric material adapted to allow the flexible member to revert back to its initial shape after being deformed.