Patent Application - Ballistic and Impact Protective System for Military Helmet Assembly > Claims

1. An accessory attachment assembly for a helmet, comprising: at least one strap guide configured to connect a strap with a helmet;the strap guide having a fastener engaging portion for releasably receiving a fastener secured to a rear portion of a helmet, and a strap holding portion configured to hold a strap relative to the guide.
- 2. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener engaging portion comprises a first channel having an open end opposite a closed end.
  - 3. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 2, wherein the first channel has at least one locking nub located along a length of the channel between the open end and the closed end to secure a portion of the fastener between the locking nub and the closed end.
  - 4. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 2, wherein the fastener engaging portion has an upper second channel located adjacent to the first channel, the second channel having a width that is greater than the first channel.
    - 5. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 4, wherein the second channel is a fastener head receiving channel.
    - 8. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 4, wherein the strap holding portion comprises at least two strap slots configured to receive a strap, the strap slots located on opposite sides of the second channel.
  - 6. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 2, wherein the strap holding portion comprises at least one strap slot configured to receive a strap through the strap slot, the strap slot adjacent to the first channel.
  - 7. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 2, wherein the strap holding portion comprises at least two strap slots configured to receive a strap through the strap slots, the strap slots located on opposite sides of the first channel.
    - 9. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 7, wherein the first channel is configured to be located under a head of a fastener, the second channel is configured to engage at least a portion of the head of a fastener, and wherein the first and second channels are slide channels configured to slidably receive a fastener.
10. An accessory attachment assembly for a helmet, comprising: at least one mandible bracket configured to connect a mandible to a helmet;at least one strap connected to the mandible bracket and configured to extend from the mandible bracket to a rear portion of a helmet;at least one strap guide having a strap engaging portion connected to the strap along a length of the strap, and a fastener engaging portion configured to connect to a fastener attached to a helmet.
- 11. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 10, comprising first and second strap connectors configured to connect at a rear of a helmet;the at least one mandible bracket comprises first and second mandible brackets configured to connect a mandible to a helmet, and whereinthe at least one strap comprises first and second straps, the first strap connected to the first mandible bracket at a first end of the first strap and the first strap connector at a opposite second end of the first strap, the second strap connected to the second mandible bracket at a first end of the second strap and to the second strap connector at an opposite second end of the second strap; and whereinthe at least one strap guide comprises first and second strap guides, the first strap guide connected to the first strap between the first mandible bracket and the first strap connector and configured to be secured by a fastener to a rear portion of a helmet, the second strap guide connected to the second strap between the second mandible bracket and the second strap connector and configured to be secured by a fastener to a rear portion of a helmet.
  - 16. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 11, comprising a mandible configured to be positioned about a user's mandibular region, the first and second mandible brackets attached to opposite sides of the mandible; the mandible has a deployed position and a raised position, the straps having a connected position where the first strap connector is attached to the second strap connector, and a released position; the straps when in the connected position secure the mandible in the deployed position.
- 12. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 10, comprising a mandible configured to be positioned about a user's mandibular region, the mandible attached to the mandible bracket.
- 13. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 10, comprising a mandible mount configured to be attached about a front opening of a helmet, the mandible bracket connected to the front mount.
  - 14. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein the front mount comprises a mandible mounting channel, the mandible bracket has a pin configured to be received in the mounting channel to provide a pivotable connection of the mandible to the helmet.
  - 15. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein the mandible bracket is pivotably connected to the mandible mount
- 17. The accessory attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein the fastener engaging portion comprises a first channel having an open end opposite a closed end; and the strap holding portion comprises at least two strap slots configured to receive a strap, the strap slots located on opposite sides of the first channel.
18. A method of securing a face protector to a helmet, comprising the steps of: connecting a face protector about a front portion of the helmet by face protector brackets;drawing straps connected face protector from opposite sides of the face protector to the rear of the helmet;sliding at least one strap guide attached to each strap, on to a fastener attached to the helmet;connecting the straps together at a rear of the helmet.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of connecting is performed before the step of sliding.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of sliding comprises the step of sliding a channel of the strap guide between the head of the fastener and the surface of the helmet until the fastener is placed between at least one locking nub of the channel and the end of the channel.