Battery pack and helmet mounting arrangement
View Patent ↗Methods and devices for attaching a battery to a helmet and attaching a battery to an additional device are disclosed. A battery may be mounted to the rear center of a helmet. Attaching and detaching a battery to and from a helmet may be performed with a tool or by hand. The battery may be used to power multiple devices through separate contacts, and a device may be attached to the battery while the battery mounted to a helmet. The battery also may be detached from the helmet and serve as a portable energy source.
1. A helmet system comprising: a helmet; a battery pack having at least one battery;
an attachment arrangement to removably attach the battery pack to the helmet, the attachment arrangement including a first engaging member on the battery pack, the first engaging member being coupleable to a second engaging member on the helmet;
a first electrical contact located on the battery pack, the first electrical contact configured to deliver power from the battery pack to a first device via an electrical contact on the helmet when the first device is attached to the helmet, wherein the first electrical contact delivers power from the battery pack to the first device only when the battery pack is attached to the helmet via the attachment arrangement, and wherein the first electrical contact cannot deliver power from the battery pack to the first device when the battery pack is completely removed from the helmet and the first engaging member on the battery pack is not coupled to the second engaging member on the helmet;
a mounting arrangement on the battery pack to removably mount a second device to the battery pack, the mounting arrangement including a third engaging member on the battery pack, the third engaging member being coupleable to a fourth engaging member on the second device, wherein the second device is physically supported by the battery pack when mounted to the battery pack via the mounting arrangement; and
a second electrical contact located on the battery pack and spaced from the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact configured to deliver power from the battery pack to the second device by an electrical contact on the second device when the second device is mounted to the battery pack, wherein the second electrical contact can deliver electrical power from the battery pack to the second device without the battery pack being electrically connected to the first device, wherein the first device and the second device are simultaneously operable when the battery pack is attached to the helmet via the attachment arrangement.
2. The helmet system of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery pack further comprises a first end portion;
the second electrical contact is located on the first end portion; and
the mounting arrangement attaches the second device to the first end portion.
3. The helmet system of claim 2 , wherein the first end portion is at the top of the battery pack.
4. The helmet system of claim 2 , wherein the first end portion is at the bottom of the battery pack.
5. The helmet system of claim 1 , wherein attachment of the battery pack to the helmet via the attachment arrangement electrically connects the battery pack to the first device.
6. The helmet system of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is curved along a vertical direction such that the battery pack conforms to a shape of the helmet.
7. The helmet system of claim 1 , wherein attachment of the second device to the battery pack via the mounting arrangement electrically connects the battery pack to the second device.
8. The helmet system of claim 7 , wherein the second electrical contact is configured to deliver power from the battery pack to the second device when the battery pack is detached from the helmet.
9. The helmet system of claim 1 , wherein the first device is attached to the helmet.
10. A helmet system comprising: a helmet; a battery pack having at least battery;
a first attachment arrangement to removably attach the battery pack to the helmet, the first attachment arrangement comprising a locking member on the battery pack and an engaging member on the helmet to engage with the locking member; wherein the engaging member is configured to receive the locking member when the locking member is in a first configuration; when the locking member is engaged with the engaging member and in a second configuration, the locking member locks the battery pack to the helmet;
attachment of the battery pack to the helmet via the first attachment arrangement electrically connects the battery pack to an electrical contact on the helmet to deliver power to a first device;
detachment of the battery pack from the helmet via the first attachment arrangement electrically disconnects the battery pack from the electrical contact on the helmet, wherein the battery pack cannot deliver power to the electrical contact on the helmet when the battery pack is completely detached from the helmet;
the battery pack includes a device-engaging member to mount a second device to the battery pack; the battery pack is configured to deliver power from the battery pack to the second device when the second device is mounted to the battery pack and the battery pack is physically and electrically detached from the helmet; and the first device and the second device are simultaneously operable when the battery pack is attached to the helmet.
11. The helmet system of claim 10 , further comprising a second attachment arrangement that cooperates with the first attachment arrangement to attach the battery pack to the helmet.
12. The helmet system of claim 11 , wherein the first attachment arrangement restricts movement of the battery pack relative to the helmet in a first direction and the second attachment arrangement restricts movement of the battery pack relative to the helmet in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction.
13. The helmet system of claim 10 , wherein the locking member is switchable between the first and second configurations by rotation of the locking member.
14. The helmet system of claim 10 , wherein the locking member includes a hand-operable actuator to switch the locking member between the first and second configurations.