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May 2, 2003
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The world's first cycling safety helmet with a built-in rear view mirror system,
introduced by UK company Reevu in September 2002, was made possible
due to the outstanding toughness, impact resistance and light weight
of DuPont™ Zytel® Super Tough (ST) nylon resin, which is used for the helmet's
raised cap section - a critical safety part.
Zytel® ST was selected by French manufacturer Pactuco International of Roche
La Molière, near Lyon (France) as the material for the central
'peak and crest' (or 'raised cap') section of
the helmet, which houses a periscope-like system of three mirrors
that 'bends' the image over the wearer's head. This
system enables the wearer to benefit from comprehensive rear views
without the need to turn or look over the shoulder – and with
no loss of vision of the road in front.
General Manager at Pactuco International, Antoine Monville, said: "Because
it is on top of the helmet, its impact strength is critical to the
overall safety of the helmet. During the development phase, we
submitted the helmet to flat surface and kerbstone impact (sharp
edge) tests under a variety of conditions – hot, cold and wet.
The impressive impact resistance of Zytel®
ST means that the helmet could easily withstand international drop
tests of 5 kg from 1.5 meters under these conditions. Zytel®
ST is the ideal material for the critical cap part because although
it is flexible to a degree, it does not become overly flexible in hot
weather - nor does it become brittle in the cold. With its
outstanding toughness and impact resistance over a wide range of
environmental conditions, DuPont's super tough nylon is
perfectly adapted to this application.
"In fact, the excellent overall performance of Zytel®
ST enabled us to reduce the thickness of the original helmet design
by 50 percent (24 mm to 12 thickness), meaning that the helmet could
be even more streamlined and lightweight than originally envisaged.
As a thermoplastic, Zytel® ST can be easily injection moulded so that we had the design freedom
to make the cap and the overall helmet very attractive." The
Reevu helmet is moulded by Joly Plastics of Ezy sur Eure (near Paris)
France, a leading French specialist moulder of thermoplastic helmets
for building and mining applications. Alain Henry, chairman of Joly
Plastics, commented that his company often incorporates Zytel®
ST to improve the effectiveness of its line of injection-moulded
safety helmets.
Chief Executive of Reevu, Bill Morgan, confirmed that there were three main
specifications for the helmet. It had to meet all international
safety standards in order to afford the wearer as much head
protection as possible. The mirror system had to be tough,
lightweight, highly reflective and crack resistant – and yet
require minimum maintenance. Lastly, the helmet needed to be light
and comfortable with high levels of airflow.
Morgan said: "The Reevu helmet rear view system was designed to address a
failing in the very heart of cycle design and operation. It is
against the law not to have a rear view mirror system in a car or on
a motorbike, but on a pedal cycle no such rules apply. We take the
view that accident prevention is just as important as the protection
of the user. Our design goal was that wearers of our helmet will
continually glance at what is going on behind them in much the same
way as car drivers do – but will continue to face ahead."
"The idea for our helmet came about when a colleague's son fell off his
bike while glancing over his shoulder before turning right. He
wobbled, clipped the kerb and fell off. The obvious solution is to
provide some method of keeping an eye on what's happening
behind you, but that's not easy on a bicycle. Mirrors on
handlebars tend to vibrate and distort; they're easily broken
and, when you turn the handlebars, the mirror points in the wrong
direction. That's why we came up with the idea of putting a
mirror inside the helmet.
"This dramatically increases the level of road safety for cyclists.
Although it can never replace the golden rule of always looking over
your shoulder before manoeuvring, it does mean that riders can be
fully aware of traffic approaching them while keeping their eyes on
the road ahead. It will also encourage people to wear helmets while
riding bicycles because it not only provides them with vital
protection in the event of falling off, but it can help them be aware
of and keep clear of potential dangers from behind at all times."
As an added plus, the cavity produced by its rear view system creates
a chimney effect that pulls cool air through and over the top of the
wearer's head that helps to keep the head cool.
Morgan concluded: "The design for this helmet has been tested to
destruction – we like to describe it as 'bullet-proof'!
It conforms to all known international impact standards for
protective cycle helmets. It withstands all of the dirt and rain that
nature can produce, requires low maintenance and simply needing to be
wiped with a damp cloth to keep it clean. The fit system allows
maximum adjustment to ensure that the helmet maintains an optimal
angle on the wearer's head and stays comfortable in the
process."
The DuPont Engineering Polymers business manufactures and sells Crastin®
PBT and Rynite® PET thermoplastic polyester resins, Delrin®
acetal resins, Hytrel® thermoplastic polyester elastomers, Minlon®
mineral reinforced nylon resins, Tynex® filaments, Vespel®
parts and shapes, Zenite® LCP liquid crystal polymers and Zytel®
nylon resins. These products serve global markets in the aerospace,
appliance, automotive, consumer, electrical, electronic, industrial,
sporting goods and many other diversified industries.
DuPont is a science company, delivering science-based solutions that make a
difference in people's lives in food and nutrition; health care;
apparel; home and construction; electronics; and transportation.
Founded in 1802, the company operates in 70 countries and has 79,000
employees.
X X X
Crastin®, Delrin®, Hytrel®, Minlon®, Rynite®, Tynex®,
Vespel®, Zenite®, Zytel® and DuPont™ are a registered trademarks
or trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
For more information please contact:
Reevu International
Reevu House
Brockwell Court
Low Willington
Durham
DU5 OUT
England
Tel: +44 780 1833 500
e-mail: gc@reevu.com
web: www.reevu.com
Pactuco International
Z.I. du Buisson
42230 Roche La Molière
F-42230 France
Tel: +33 477 505 701
e-mail: amonville@pactuco.com.fr
Joly Plastics
ZI route de l'Habit
27530 Ezy sur Eure, France
Tel: +33 237 625 890
email: ahrch69@normandnet.fr
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Caption:
Sports marketing company Reevu of the UK and manufacturer Pactuco of France
have teamed up to produce the world's first cycle helmet with
an integrated rear view mirror system. The helmet's critical
peak and crest central section is made of Zytel®
ST, selected for its outstanding impact resistance, toughness,
lightness and the fact that it can be injection moulded in an
attractive streamlined design.
EP/03-04
April 2003
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