Removable cover for protective helmets

Abstract

A system for covering a helmet includes a helmet and a cover. The helmet includes a shell having a first half and a second half. The cover includes a first cover half having an outer surface and an inner surface, and a second cover half having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surfaces of the first and second cover halves are contoured for positioning against the respective first and second halves of the shell of the helmet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for covering a helmet, comprising:
 a helmet including a shell having a first half and a second half; and   a cover including:
 a first cover half having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface contoured for positioning against the first half of the shell of the helmet; and 
 a second cover half having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface contoured for positioning against the second half of the shell of the helmet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cover halves of the cover have openings defined therethrough corresponding with attachment holes and vent holes defined through the shell of the helmet. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second cover halves of the cover has a pre-formed shape mimicking the shape of an outer surface of the shell of the helmet. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cover halves of the cover are secured to the helmet by hardware of the helmet. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein inner surfaces of the first and second cover halves of the cover include adhesive areas for securing the first and second cover halves to the helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the adhesive areas of each of the first and second cover halves are positioned in spaced relation relative to each other around an outer edge of the inner surface of the first and second cover halves. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the adhesive areas of the first and second cover halves are positioned adjacent openings defined in the first and second cover halves corresponding to vent holes defined in the shell of the helmet. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second cover halves includes an outer layer of material and an inner layer of material. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive strip configured for positioning over a seam defined between edges of the first and second cover halves of the cover. 
     
     
         10 . A cover for a helmet, comprising:
 a first cover half having a pre-formed shape, the first cover half including an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface contoured for positioning against a first half of a shell of a helmet; and   a second cover half having a pre-formed shape, the second cover half including an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface contoured for positioning against a second half of the shell of the helmet.   
     
     
         11 . The cover according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second cover halves have openings defined therethrough corresponding with attachment holes and vent holes defined through the shell of the helmet. 
     
     
         12 . The cover according to  claim 10 , wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second cover halves include adhesive areas. 
     
     
         13 . The cover according to  claim 12 , wherein the adhesive areas of each of the first and second cover halves are positioned in spaced relation relative to each other around an outer edge of the inner surface of the first and second cover halves. 
     
     
         14 . The cover according to  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive areas of the first and second cover halves are positioned adjacent openings defined in the first and second cover halves corresponding to vent holes defined in the shell of the helmet. 
     
     
         15 . The cover according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second cover halves includes an outer layer of material and an inner layer of material. 
     
     
         16 . The cover according to  claim 10 , further comprising an adhesive strip configured for positioning over a seam defined between edges of the first and second cover halves of the cover. 
     
     
         17 . A method of covering a helmet, comprising:
 positioning a first cover half of a cover against a first half of a helmet, an inner surface of the first cover half contoured to match and lay flush against an outer surface of the first half of the helmet; and   positioning a second cover half of a cover against a second half of the helmet, an inner surface of the second cover half contoured to match and lay flush against an outer surface of the second half of the helmet.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 applying pressure to the first cover half after positioning the first cover half against the first half of the helmet to secure adhesive areas disposed on the inner surface of the first cover half to the outer surface of the first half of the helmet; and   applying pressure to the second cover half after positioning the second cover half against the second half of the helmet to secure adhesive areas disposed on the inner surface of the second cover half to the outer surface of the second half of the helmet.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 attaching hardware to the helmet to secure the first and second cover halves of the cover to the helmet.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 applying an adhesive strip over a seam defined between edges of the first and second cover halves after positioning of the first and second cover halves against the first and second halves of the helmet.