Cycling head support

Abstract

A cycling head support includes a helmet ( 43 ) a tower ( 44 ) a helmet fastening system ( 39,40 ), a pair of leg loops ( 37 ), and a system of straps extending along a cyclist's back between the helmet fastening system at one end and the leg loops at the other end. The system of straps includes a neck strap ( 21 A) that detachably connects to the helmet using the helmet fastening system. The neck strap connects at the lower end to a ladder lock buckle ( 19 A). The ladder lock buckle conects to a back strap ( 17 A) which is attached to a triangular O-ring ( 35 ) by means of a slider buckle ( 33 ). A pair of hip straps ( 15 A) is attached to the triangular O-ring. A leg loop is attached to the lower end of each hip strap.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A head support comprising a back strap assembly having an upper end and a lower end, with at least one strap segment being substantially elastic and stretchable, a means for connecting to an article of head gear is secured to said upper end of said back strap assembly,a means for attachment to a rider is secured to said lower end of said back strap assembly, whereby tension in said back strap assembly urges a forward-facing head posture.  
     
     
         2 . The head support of  claim 1  further including a means for length adjustment for said back strap assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The head support of  claim 2  wherein said means for length adjustment is selected from a group consisting of ladder-lock buckles, slider buckles, and cord slides.  
     
     
         4 . The head support of  claim 1  further including a means for length adjustment for the segment of back strap that is stretchable and a separate means for length adjustment for the segment of back strap that is not stretchable.  
     
     
         5 . The head support of  claim 1  wherein said means for attachment to said rider is at least one garment clip.  
     
     
         6 . The head support of  claim 1  wherein said means for attachment to said rider is a pair of leg loops.  
     
     
         7 . The head support of  claim 1  wherein said means for attachment to said rider is a garment having an integrated pelvic harness.  
     
     
         8 . The head support of  claim 1  wherein said means for connecting to said article of head gear is detachable.  
     
     
         9 . The head support of  claim 1  wherein said means for connecting to said article of head gear is break-away detachable.  
     
     
         10 . The head support of  claim 9  wherein the break-away detachable connection is a hook and loop fastening system having a hook surface piece and a loop surface piece.  
     
     
         11 . The head support of  claim 10  further including a layer of adhesive substantially covering a back side of said hook and loop fastening system whereby the fastening system can be secured to an existing article of head gear.  
     
     
         12 . The head support of  claim 1  further including a specialized article of head gear having a fastening system fixture that can detachably connect to the upper end of said back strap assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The head support device of  claim 12  further including a tower, the lower end of the tower being secured to the article of head gear and the upper end of the tower being secured to a component of said means for connecting to an article of head gear whereby the tower provides offset for increased head lifting leverage.  
     
     
         15 . The head support of  claim 12  wherein the means of connecting said upper end of said back strap assembly to said specialized article of head gear comprises a snap fastening system.  
     
     
         20 . The head support of claim  19  wherein said means for connecting said rod to said bicycle frame comprises one or more clamps.  
     
     
         21 . The head support of claim  19  wherein said means for connecting said rod to said bicycle frame is a means for pivotably connecting said rod to said bicycle frame.  
     
     
         22 . The head support of claim  19  wherein said means for pivotably connecting said rod to said bicycle frame comprises one or more bracket arms that clamp about a bicycle frame at one end and at the other end have a pivotable mount for the rod.  
     
     
         23 . The head support of claim  17  further including a means for cord length adjustment.  
     
     
         24 . The head support of  claim 23  wherein said means for cord-assembly-length adjustment is a slide.  
     
     
         25 . The head support of claim  17  wherein the means for connecting to said article of head gear is detachable.  
     
     
         26 . The head support of claim  17  wherein the means for connecting to said article of head gear is break-away detachable.  
     
     
         27 . The head support of  claim 26  wherein the breakaway detachable connection is a hook and loop fastening system having a hook surface piece and a loop surface piece.  
     
     
         28 . The head support of  claim 26  further including a layer of adhesive substantially covering a back side of said hook and loop fastening system whereby the fastening system can be secured to an existing article of head gear.  
     
     
         29 . The head support of claim  17  further including a specialized article of head gear having a fastening system fixture that can detachably connect to the upper end of the cord assembly.  
     
     
         30 . The head support device of  claim 29  further including a tower, the lower end of the tower being secured to the article of head gear and the upper end of the tower being secured to a fixture for connecting to the upper end of the cord assembly whereby the tower provides offset to increase head lifting leverage.  
     
     
         31 . The head support of  claim 29  wherein the means of connecting the article of head gear to the cord assembly comprises a snap fastening system.  
     
     
         32 . The head support device of claim  17  further including a holder cord secured at one end to the cord assembly and secured at the other end to a garment clip whereby the garment clip can be attached to a rider's collar to prevent the cord assembly from dangling while the head gear connection is detached.