Foldable Safety Helmet

Abstract

A foldable helmet is useful for many activities. First and second headband members operably connect to an arch so as to move below the arch with shell members in a storage configuration or extend outwardly relative to the arch in a ready to use configuration. For many embodiments, the first and second headband members rotate about pivots at the arch at the front and back and the shell members are interconnected so as to move with the movement of the first and second headband members. Cushion members may be adjacent to the shell portions. A case having a bore therethrough to be received on a frame member of a vehicle can be combined with the foldable helmet for some embodiments.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable safety helmet comprising:
 first and second side headband portions, each operably coupled to an arch;   shell portions connected to each of the first and second side headband portions;   said helmet having a storage configuration whereby the shell portions and the first and second side headband portions are moved to locate at least some of the shell portions completely under the arch; and said helmet having a ready to use configuration whereby the first and second side headband portions cooperate to assist in forming at least a portion of a headband and the shell portions extend intermediate the first and second headband portions and the arch outwardly of the arch.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side headband portions rotate at pivots relative to the arch intermediate the storage and ready to use configurations. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 2  wherein the shell portions are located intermediate the arch the first and second headband portions in the storage configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 3  further comprising cushion members adjacent to the shell members. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 4  wherein the cushion members are located externally to the shell members. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 3  wherein the cushion members are at least one of inflatable and deflatable. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 6  having at least one of an inflate and deflate button whereby when activated at least one of inflates and deflates the cushion members respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 1  further comprising and internal frame. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 8  wherein in the internal frame has a base and upwardly extending arms meeting at a head below the arch. 
     
     
         10 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 9  wherein the internal frame stores between the first and second headband members and the arch in the storage configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 9  wherein the shell members are located external to the internal frame in the ready to use configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 1  wherein the shell members interconnect so that as the first and second headband members are moved from the storage configuration not the ready to use configuration, the shell members are moved with the first and second headband members. 
     
     
         13 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 1  in combination with a seat assembly of a vehicle, said seat assembly having a cavity, said cavity receiving the foldable safety helmet in a stowed configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 13  wherein the seat assembly further comprises a seat member rotatable to expose the cavity there below. 
     
     
         15 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 1  in combination with a case, said case having a cavity receiving the helmet in a storage configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 15  wherein the case has a bore, said bore received along a linear frame member of a vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The foldable safety helmet of  claim 15  wherein the bore is comprised of first and second bore members which cooperate to form the bore when connected, said first and second bore members formed in first and second block members.