Connector assembly for use with a chin strap assembly for a football helmet
A protective sports helmet that includes a chin strap system that allows for rapid, one-handed adjustment of a chin strap assembly by the player while he/she is wearing the helmet is provided. The chin strap assembly includes a protective chin cup and a pair of straps extending from opposed sides of the chin cup and having a plurality of securing elements. The assembly also includes a pair of adjustable connectors affixed to the helmet and that include a central opening that receives an extent of the strap and a lever that engages a portion of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in a first direction, and prevents movement of the strap in a second direction when the lever is engaged with at least one of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in both the first and second directions when the lever is not engaged with the securing elements.
1 . A connector assembly for use with a chin strap assembly configured for use with a football helmet to be worn by a player, the connector assembly comprising:
a connector housing configured to be removably coupled to the football helmet, wherein the connector housing includes: an opening formed in an upper portion of the connector housing, an engaging element and a biasing member;
wherein the engaging element includes (i) an inner segment, and (ii) a depressible outer segment that is accessible through the opening, wherein the depressible outer segment receives an actuation force applied by a player; and
wherein said biasing member resides within the connector housing and exerts a biasing force on the engaging element that causes the outer segment of the engaging element to move away from a lowermost extent of the connector housing when the actuation force is removed from the outer segment of the engaging element.
2 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said biasing force exerted by the biasing member on the engaging element causes the inner segment of the engaging element to be oriented towards a portion of an elongated strap of the chin strap assembly to prevent said elongated strap from moving in a loosening direction.
3 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein, when a sufficient actuation force is applied to the outer segment of the engaging element to overcome the force exerted by the biasing member, the inner segment of said engaging element disengages from a portion of an elongated strap of the chin strap assembly.
4 . The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein, when the inner segment of said engaging element disengages from said portion of the elongated strap, the elongated strap can move in a direction that loosens said strap relative to the connector housing.
5 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chin strap assembly includes an elongated strap and an enlarged tab that is both affixed to said strap and configured to be grasped by a player to facilitate interaction of the elongated strap with the connector housing.
6 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is one of a magnet and a spring.
7 . The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein a lower mating portion depends from the lowermost extent of the connector housing, wherein the mating portion is configured to be received within a cavity of the football helmet.
8 . The connector assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lower mating portion includes an aperture that receives a fastener that extends through the football helmet to couple the connector housing to said helmet.
9 . A connector assembly for use with a chin strap assembly configured for use with a football helmet to be worn by a player, the connector assembly comprising:
a connector housing that is configured to be removably coupled to the football helmet, wherein the housing includes:
an opening formed in an upper portion of the connector housing;
an engaging element that includes (i) an inner segment, and (ii) a depressible outer segment that is accessible through the opening and that receives an actuation force;
an internal biasing member that exerts a biasing force on the engaging element; and,
wherein when no actuation force is applied to the outer segment of the engaging element, the inner segment of the engaging element engages an extent of the chin strap assembly; and,
wherein when an actuation force is applied to the outer segment of the engaging element, the inner segment of the engaging element disengages from said extent of the chin strap assembly.
10 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein when the actuation force is removed from the outer segment of the engaging element, the biasing force exerted by the biasing member on the engaging element causes the inner segment of the engaging element to re-engage with said extent of the chin strap assembly.
11 . The connector assembly of claim 10 , wherein when the actuation force is removed from the outer segment of the engaging element, the biasing force exerted by biasing member on the engaging element also causes the outer segment of the engaging element to move away from a lowermost extent of the connector housing.
12 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein when the inner segment of the engaging element engages an extent of an elongated strap of the chin strap assembly, said elongated strap cannot be moved in a direction that loosens said strap relative to the connector housing.
13 . The connector assembly of claim 12 , wherein when the inner segment of the engaging element disengages the extent of the elongated strap of the chin strap assembly, the elongated strap can be moved in a direction that loosens said strap relative to the connector housing.
14 . The connector assembly of claim 13 , wherein when the inner segment of the engaging element re-engages an extent of the elongated strap of the chin strap assembly, said elongated strap cannot be moved in a direction that loosens said strap relative to the connector housing.
15 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the chin strap assembly includes an elongated strap and an enlarged tab that is both affixed to said strap and configured to be grasped by a player to facilitate interaction of the elongated strap with the connector housing.
16 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the biasing member is one of a magnet and a spring.
17 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein a lower mating portion depends from a lowermost extent of the connector housing, wherein the mating portion is configured to be received within a cavity of the football helmet.
18 . The connector assembly of claim 17 , wherein the lower mating portion includes an aperture that receives a fastener that extends through the football helmet to couple the connector housing to said helmet.
19 . The connector assembly of claim 9 , wherein the connector housing includes a pair of opposed side walls, a first end wall adjacent the engaging element and a second angled end wall.
20 . The connector assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first end wall includes an opening that receives a portion of an elongated strap assembly that includes an enlarged tab that is configured to be grasped by a player to facilitate interaction of the elongated strap with the connector housing.