High visibility, high ventilation bicycle helmet with minimally sized face protection

Abstract

Securely attached to the front of a bicycle helmet is a minimally sized band of sufficiently strong material that is positioned to provide a face protective barrier that is less then 35 millimeters high for a length of more then 200 millimeters long. This minimally sized, face protective structure will not only protect a bicyclist's face in a crash but will also give the highest degree of visibility and ventilation for the bicyclist to avoid a crash and allow a great amount of fresh air flow to cool the bicyclist and provide ample oxygen for breathing while bicycling.

1 . A bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure comprising:
 said bicycle helmet having a front side, said front side having a main helmet opening for the positioning of a bicyclist's face, said bicycle helmet having a back side, said bicycle helmet having a left side, said bicycle helmet having a right side, said bicycle helmet having an exterior surface,   said minimally sized face protective structure having a cross-sectional height of less then 30 millimeters high that extends within that height for a length of more then 200 millimeters long, said minimally sized face protective structure being measured while said bicycle helmet including said minimally sized face protective structure is positioned on a bicyclist's head while the bicyclist's face is facing forward, said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially curved, said minimally sized face protective structure having a first connective section positioned at one end of said minimally sized face protective structure, said minimally sized face protective structure having a second connective section positioned at said minimally sized face protective structure opposite end, said first connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure having means to be first securely connected to said left side of said bicycle helmet, said second connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure further having means to be securely connected to said right side of said bicycle helmet,   said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially positioned in front of said main helmet opening, said minimally sized face protective structure extending substantially to in front of the bicyclist's mouth, chin or neck, said first connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure being first securely connected to said left side of said bicycle helmet, said second connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure further being securely connected to said right side of said bicycle helmet,   said minimally sized face protective structure being made from any one or more materials that provide sufficient strength to substantially avoid deformation under predetermined impact loads, said minimally sized face protective structure being made from an amount of said one or more materials that provides sufficient strength to substantially prevent a cyclist's face from impacting a road or path during a bicycle type crash impact, whereby said minimally sized face protective structure provides facial impact protection that also provides a great amount of visibility and a great amount of ventilation, whereby the bicyclist has increased visibility to greatly avoid crashing and injury,   said bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure must include the means and the structural components that are required within the U.S., to meet or exceed the up to date, respective government regulations and specifications that define a bicycle helmet.   
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said minimally sized face protective structure may be constructed from plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, aluminum, magnesium, steel or a combination of materials. 
     
     
         3 . The invention of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of openings formed within said minimally sized face protective structure for increased visibility, increased ventilation and weight reduction. 
     
     
         4 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said minimally sized face protective structure is comprised of a plurality of smaller bars, as an alternative method of constructing said minimally sized face protective structure. 
     
     
         5 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said minimally sized face protective structure is built as a continuous material extension of said bicycle helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The invention of  claim 5 , further including a supplemental stronger material structure positioned substantially within said minimally sized face protective structure as a means to increase the strength of said minimally sized face protective structure. 
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 6 , wherein said supplemental stronger material structure is formed substantially in a profile that has the means to provide the greatest benefit of strength and weight reduction for said bicycle helmet. 
     
     
         8 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said first connective section further extends back onto said bicycle helmet exterior surface of said left side, said second connective section further extending back onto said helmet exterior surface of said right side, said minimally sized face protective structure using a common means of attachment to securely attach said bicycle helmet to said minimally sized face protective structure, said common means of attachment being a plurality of screws, rivets, epoxies or similar mechanisms. 
     
     
         9 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said bicycle helmet is molded integrally with said minimally sized face protective structure, whereby a stronger, more secure connection between said bicycle helmet and said minimally sized face protective structure is made. 
     
     
         10 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said minimally sized face protective structure is formed substantially in a profile that has the means to provide the greatest benefit of strength, weight reduction, increased visibility and safety for said bicycle helmet. 
     
     
         11 . A bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure comprising:
 said bicycle helmet having a front side, said front side having a main helmet opening for the positioning of a bicyclist's face, said bicycle helmet having a back side, said bicycle helmet having a left side, said bicycle helmet having a right side, said bicycle helmet having an exterior surface,   said minimally sized face protective structure having a cross-sectional height of less then 25 millimeters high that extends within that height for a length of more then 200 millimeters long, said minimally sized face protective structure being measured while said bicycle helmet including said minimally sized face protective structure is positioned on a bicyclist's head while the bicyclist's face is facing forward, said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially curved, said minimally sized face protective structure having a first connective section positioned at one end of said minimally sized face protective structure, said minimally sized face protective structure having a second connective section positioned at said minimally sized face protective structure opposite end, said first connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure formed as an integrally connected material extension with said left side of said bicycle helmet, said second connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure further formed as an integrally connected material extension with said right side of said bicycle helmet, both said bicycle helmet and said minimally sized face protective structure being made substantially from a plastic related material that could be comprised of fiber glass or carbon fiber,   said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially positioned in front of said main helmet opening, said minimally sized face protective structure extending substantially out in front of the bicyclist's mouth, chin or neck, said minimally sized face protective structure being made in a pre-determined thickness that provides sufficient strength to substantially avoid deformation under predetermined impact loads, said minimally sized face protective structure being made from an amount of said one or more materials that provides sufficient strength to substantially prevent a cyclist's face from impacting a road or path during a bicycle type crash impact, whereby said minimally sized face protective structure provides means for facial impact protection to keep a bicyclist's face from impacting a road or dirt surface during a crash, that also provides a great amount of visibility and a great amount of ventilation, whereby the bicyclist has increased visibility to greatly avoid crashing and injury,   said bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure must include the means and the structural components that are required within the U.S., to meet or exceed the up to date, respective government regulations and specifications that define a bicycle helmet.   
     
     
         12 . A bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure comprising:
 said bicycle helmet having a front side, said front side having a main helmet opening for the positioning of a bicyclist's face, said bicycle helmet having a back side, said bicycle helmet having a left side, said bicycle helmet having a right side, said bicycle helmet having an exterior surface,   said minimally sized face protective structure having a cross-sectional height of less then 35 millimeters high that extends within that height for a length of more then 200 millimeters long, said minimally sized face protective structure being measured while said bicycle helmet including said minimally sized face protective structure is positioned on a bicyclist's head while the bicyclist's face is facing forward, said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially curved, said minimally sized face protective structure having a first connective section positioned at one end of said minimally sized face protective structure, said minimally sized face protective structure having a second connective section positioned at said minimally sized face protective structure opposite end, said first connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure formed as an integrally connected material extension with said left side of said bicycle helmet, said second connective section of said minimally sized face protective structure further formed as an integrally connected material extension with said right side of said bicycle helmet, both said bicycle helmet and said minimally sized face protective structure being made substantially from a plastic related material that could be comprised of fiber glass or carbon fiber,   said minimally sized face protective structure being substantially positioned in front of said main helmet opening, said minimally sized face protective structure extending substantially out in front of the bicyclist's mouth, chin or neck, said minimally sized face protective structure being made in a pre-determined thickness that provides sufficient strength to substantially avoid deformation under predetermined impact loads, said minimally sized face protective structure being made from an amount of said one or more materials that provides sufficient strength to substantially prevent a cyclist's face from impacting a road or path during a bicycle type crash impact, whereby said minimally sized face protective structure provides means for facial impact protection to keep a bicyclist's face from impacting a road or dirt surface during a crash, that also provides a great amount of visibility and a great amount of ventilation, whereby the bicyclist has increased visibility to greatly avoid crashing and injury,   said bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure must include the means and the structural components that are required within the U.S., to meet or exceed the up to date, respective government regulations and specifications that define a bicycle helmet.   
     
     
         13 . The invention of  claim 11 , further including a supplemental stronger material structure positioned substantially within said minimally sized face protective structure as a means to increase the strength of said minimally sized face protective structure, said supplemental stronger material structure being made from aluminum, steel, magnesium, carbon fiber or a similar material, whereby said minimally sized face protective structure provides means for facial impact protection to keep a bicyclist's face from impacting a road or dirt surface during a crash, that also provides a great amount of visibility and a great amount of ventilation, whereby the bicyclist has increased visibility to greatly avoid crashing and injury. 
     
     
         14 . The invention of  claim 12 , further including a supplemental stronger material structure positioned substantially within said minimally sized face protective structure as a means to increase the strength of said minimally sized face protective structure, said supplemental stronger material structure being made from aluminum, steel, magnesium, carbon fiber or a similar material, whereby said minimally sized face protective structure provides means for facial impact protection to keep a bicyclist's face from impacting a road or dirt surface during a crash, that also provides a great amount of visibility and a great amount of ventilation, whereby the bicyclist has increased visibility to greatly avoid crashing and injury. 
     
     
         15 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said bicycle helmet is made substantially from a plastic related material, said bicycle helmet comprising a main structural shell, said main structural shell being made in a predetermined thickness that will support said face protective structure to a capacity that will not allow the surface of a road or path to impact a bicyclist's face, while said bicycle helmet including a minimally sized face protective structure is worn by a bicyclist during a bicycle type crash.