Helmet and adjustable chin strap assembly and adjustable chin strap retention system

A helmet and adjustable chin strap assembly, comprising:

• a helmet shell configured to at least partially cover a wearer's head, wherein the helmet shell includes:
• an outer component and an inner component;
• a front and a back;
• and
• a left side region having a left ear area and a right side region having a right ear area;
• an adjustable chin strap retention system including:
• a continuous chin strap having a first end and a second end and extending between the left ear region and the right ear region, and wherein the continuous chin strap does not contain a buckle that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the wearer's chin;
• a first V-shaped connector and a second V-shaped connector positioned at the left side region and the right side region, respectively, the first V-shaped connector and the second V-shaped connector each comprising a first tether and a second tether, wherein the first tether and the second tether both directly attach to the helmet shell at a first end and are attached together at a second end;
• a retention member configured to secure the continuous chin strap to a tether of either the first V-shaped connector or the second V-shaped connector;
• an actuator connected to one of the left side region or the right side region and being operably connected to the first end of the continuous chin strap, wherein the actuator is configured to selectively tighten or loosen the continuous chin strap relative to the wearer's chin;
• and
• a single release mechanism positioned on the left side region or right side region of the helmet shell opposite the actuator, wherein the single release mechanism is configured to releasably connect the second end of the continuous chin strap to the helmet shell,
• wherein the V-shaped connectors, when the continuous chin strap is attached to the helmet shell, maintain the continuous chin strap under the wearer's chin when selectively tightening or loosening the continuous chin strap.

A helmet and adjustable chin strap assembly, comprising:

• a helmet shell configured to at least partially cover a wearer's head, wherein the helmet shell includes:
• an outer component and an inner component;
• a front and a back;
• and
• a left side region having a left ear area and a right side region having a right ear area;
• and
• an adjustable chin strap retention system including:
• a continuous chin strap with no buckle configured to be positioned adjacent to a wearer's chin;
• a Y-shaped connector configured to attach the continuous chin strap to either the left side region or the right side region of the helmet shell, wherein the Y-shaped connector is integrally formed with a first end of the continuous chin strap;
• a V-shaped connector configured to attach the continuous chin strap to either the left side region or the right side region of the helmet shell that is on a side opposite the Y-shaped connector, wherein the V-shaped connector is slidably connected to a second end of the continuous chin strap, wherein the Y-shaped connector and the V-shaped connector each includes a rear tether rigidly or rotatably connected to helmet shell rearward of a wearer's ear and a front tether rigidly or rotatably connected to helmet shell forward of the wearer's ear;
• a retention member configured to slidably connect the second end of the continuous chin strap to the V-shaped connector and to position the continuous chin strap in a position against the wearer's jaw;
• and
• an actuator coupled to the second end of the continuous chin strap, the actuator being positioned where a tether of the V-shaped connector is attached to the helmet shell,
• wherein manually actuating the actuator by the wearer selectively increases or decreases a length of the continuous chin strap relative to the left ear region and right ear region of the helmet shell in order to selectively loosen or tighten the continuous chin strap, and
• wherein at least a portion of the actuator, that is directly connected to the second end of the continuous chin strap, is removably connected to the helmet shell to enable the wearer to decouple the second end of the continuous chin strap from the helmet shell while the first end of continuous chin strap and the Y-shaped connector remain attached to the helmet shell.