Protective screen and visor produced therewith for a safety helmet, particularly a forestry worker's helmet

Abstract

A protective screen to protect the face and, above all, the eyes of a person against flying particles and sharp objects has a mesh with a mesh structure which is formed from a plurality of adjacent rows of hexagonal openings, which rows are bounded by mesh webs common to the openings. The openings in the mesh are each osubstantially the same area. The mesh is enclosed by an edge with no mesh structure which has a width which is at least equal to the height of a row of openings in the mesh structure. The mesh webs of at least two rows of openings adjacent to the edge can be made thicker than the mesh webs for the other openings, wherein, however, all the openings in the mesh are nevertheless substantially identical in area. The mesh is produced by etching spring steel sheet. A visor for a safety helmet, especially a forestry worker's helmet is produced from the protective screen by injection moulding a supporting frame around its edge.

1 . A protective screen for protecting a face of a user from flying particles and pointed objects, the protective screen comprising:
 a mesh having a mesh structure, the mesh structure comprising a plurality of mutually adjacent rows, each of the rows having a plurality of first openings and a plurality of mesh webs, the first openings comprising a non-circular shape, each of the first openings having a substantially identical surface area, the plurality of mesh webs respectively defining the plurality of first openings; and   a rim enclosing the mesh along a circumference of the mesh, a plurality of second openings immediately adjoining the rim;   wherein the rim has a width at least equal to a height of the first openings.   
     
     
         2 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the width of the rim along a circumference of the rim is at least equal to the height of two vertically adjacent rows of first openings.  
     
     
         3 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rim is provided with a plurality of clearance holes, the plurality of clearance holes being distributed across a length of the rim, at least a majority of the clearance holes each being smaller than the first openings. 
     
     
         4 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a minimum number of first openings in the mesh per square centimeter is at least 15. 
     
     
         5 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an enhanced zone,
 the zone comprising a width at least equal to the vertical height of one of the plurality of rows and being adjacent to the rim on a circumference of the rim,   wherein a respective plurality of the mesh webs in the zone are thicker than a respective plurality of mesh webs outside the zone.   
     
     
         6 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a width of the zone is substantially equal to a height of two vertically adjacent rows of first openings of the mesh structure.  
     
     
         7 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the first openings in the zone have a same vertical center spacing as the first openings outside the zone. 
     
     
         8 . The protective screen of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh comprises a spring steel sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the mesh is manufactured by etching. 
     
     
         10 . A visor for a protective helmet, the helmet comprising:
 a protective screen for protecting a face of a user from flying particles and flying objects, the protective screen comprising
 a mesh having a mesh structure, the mesh structure comprising a plurality of mutually adjacent rows, each of the rows having a plurality of first openings and a plurality of mesh webs, the first openings comprising a non-circular shape, each of the first openings having a substantially identical surface area, the plurality of mesh webs respectively defining the plurality of first openings; and 
 a rim enclosing the mesh along a circumference of the mesh, a plurality of second openings immediately adjoining the rim; 
 wherein the rim has a width at least equal to a height of the first openings; 
   wherein the rim is insertion-molded with a support frame of plastic.    
     
     
         11 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the rim is provided with a plurality of clearance holes, the plurality of clearance holes being distributed across a length of the rim, at least a majority of the clearance holes each being smaller than the first openings. 
     
     
         12 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an enhanced zone,
 the zone comprising a width at least equal to the vertical height of one of the plurality of rows and being adjacent to the rim on a circumference of the rim,   wherein a respective plurality of the mesh webs in the zone are thicker than a respective plurality of mesh webs outside the zone.   
     
     
         13 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein a width of the zone is substantially equal to a height of two vertically adjacent rows of first openings of the mesh structure. 
     
     
         14 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first openings in the zone have a same vertical center spacing as the first openings outside the zone. 
     
     
         15 . The protective screen as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the first openings in the zone have a same vertical center spacing as the first openings outside the zone. 
     
     
         16 . The protective screen of  claim 2 , wherein the mesh comprises a spring steel sheet. 
     
     
         17 . The protective screen of  claim 5 , wherein the mesh comprises a spring steel sheet. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a visor for a protective helmet,
 the helmet comprising
 a protective screen for protecting a face of a user from flying particles and flying objects, the protective screen comprising
 a mesh having a mesh structure, the mesh structure comprising a plurality of mutually adjacent rows, each of the rows having a plurality of first openings and a plurality of  mesh webs, the first openings comprising a non-circular shape, each of the first openings having a substantially identical surface area, the plurality of mesh webs respectively defining the plurality of first openings; and 
 a rim enclosing the mesh along a circumference of the mesh, a plurality of second openings immediately adjoining the rim; 
 wherein the rim has a width at least equal to a height of the first openings; 
 
   the method comprising the step of:
 insertion-molding the rim with a support frame of plastic. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
 manufacturing the mesh from spring steel sheet.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of manufacturing the mesh from spring steel sheet is performed by etching.