BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0001 1. Field of the Invention 0002 This invention relates generally to holders for articles, and in particular relates to a holder for a helmet on a motorcycle. 0003 2. Description of the Related Art 0004 Riders on motorcycles are required in many states to wear protective helmets. When a motorcycle rider is carrying an extra helmet for a passenger, or when a helmet is not required and is not being used, there is a need for a secure position on the motorcycle for the unused helmet. If the unused helmet is not attached firmly, there is a risk of losing the helmet or of damaging it when it is dangling and hitting the motorcycle or other objects while the motorcycle is in motion. 0005 The prior devices designed to hold helmets on motorcycles are often complicated or difficult to use, do not provide a secure attachment of the helmet to the motorcycle, do not allow for attachment of various types of helmets, and/or are expensive to manufacture. 0006 Prior devices include the BIKEMASTER stretch net, which can be hooked over pegs on sport bikes for use in holding helmets or other cargo distributed by Tucker Rocky Distributing, Fort Worth, Tex. 0007 The strap assembly of McCay (U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,720) utilizes a flat shock cord section with a loop, and a flat webbing section, that may be affixed together with a side release buckle to be tightened. 0008 The helmet holder of Schroeder (U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,825) uses a mounting block structure that has a helmet receiving slot in which the helmet is rotatably inserted. The mounting block structure is positioned over a body portion of the motorcycle, and is removably secured to the handlebar structure of the motorcycle. 0009 The retaining device for a personal vehicle with handlebars of Wilson et al. (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20020073751) comprises a retaining device with a cable, which fits within the handlebar when not in use, and when in use extends out of the distal end of the handlebar. 0010 It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive helmet holder for a motorcycle that enables secure attachment of the helmet to the motorcycle. It is a further object of the invention to provide a helmet holder that may be used to carry helmets of different shapes and sizes on the motorcycle. 0011 Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0012 The invention herein is a holder for a helmet including a seat strap that is attachable to a motorcycle passenger seat; and a top piece having a central mesh portion for placement over a motorcycle helmet. Two seat clips may be used to attach the seat strap to a motorcycle seat, and two tri-slides enable attachment to the seat strap of the top piece when placed over the helmet, by means of hold-down straps attached to the sides of the central portion. Hook and loop fasteners are used to hold straps together. 0013 Other objects and features of the inventions will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0014 FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of the holder of the invention holding a helmet having a face shield on a motorcycle seat (remainder of motorcycle not shown) using tri-slides and seat clips. 0015 FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the holder of the invention holding a helmet on a motorcycle seat (remainder of motorcycle not shown) using tri-slides without seat clips. 0016 FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of a seat clip of the invention. 0017 FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a seat clip of the invention. 0018 FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the underside thin edge of a motorcycle seat having a seat clip attached thereto. 0019 FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a portion of a motorcycle seat having a flat strap piece attached thereto by means of a seat clip of the invention. 0020 FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tri-slide of the invention. 0021 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a motorcycle seat having a lower thin side edge and the seat strap, clips and tri-slides of the first embodiment of the invention. 0022 FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a motorcycle seat and the seat strap and tri-slides of the second embodiment of the invention. 0023 FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the top piece of the invention. 0024 FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the top piece having an attached central stiffening means. 0025 FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a safety clip attached to the strap mechanism. 0026 FIG. 13 is a top plan view of an alternative top piece having outwardly protruding back and front edges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF 0027 The present invention is a helmet holder for use on the seats of motorcycles. As used herein the word motorcycle also includes motor scooters, as well as all types of motorcycles. 0028 Referring to the figures, the helmet holder 10 of the invention comprises a flat seat strap 12 for fastening to, and extending over the top of, a motorcycle passenger seat 14 as is known in the art; and a top piece 16 for placement over a motorcycle helmet 18 (FIGS. 1-2). The top piece 16 is attachable to the seat strap 12 to hold the motorcycle helmet 18 firmly on the motorcycle seat 14. 0029 For use with the majority of motorcycle seats 14 which have a lower thin side edge 20 on the sides of the seat 14, the first preferred embodiment comprises clips 24 holding a seat strap 12 to the seat (FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the seat strap 12 only needs to be as long as the distance between the sides of the seat 14 plus allowance for the seat strap 12 to be fastened around the two clips 24 and to extend across the top of the seat 14 (see below). 0030 In a second preferred embodiment of the invention herein, a longer seat strap 12 is used to go around the entire seat 14, and clips 24 are not used (FIG. 2). Thus, the invention is useful even for other motorcycle seats 14 without such a lower thin edge 20. 0031 In both of these embodiments, the seat strap 12 has a first end 26 that is attachable to a mating portion 28 of the seat strap 12 by a hook and loop fastening means to cinch the seat strap 12 firmly to the motorcycle seat 14. In both embodiments, this mating portion 28 and first end 26 are preferably positioned on top of the seat when seat strap 12 is fastened together as shown in FIGS. 8-9. Preferably the seat strap 12 is made of WEBMATE loop and ULTRAMATE hook (Velcro USA Inc., Manchester, N.H.). 0032 Each of the seat clips 24 in the first embodiment has an upper bar 30 (FIGS. 3-4) forming upper slot 32, through which slot 32 first end 26 of the seat strap fits, and a lower curved portion 34 for fitting under and around the lower thin side edge 20 on the sides of a motorcycle seat 14 (FIGS. 5-6). Although the lower curved portion 34 may have a variety of shapes, it is preferably bent in a smooth arc as shown, rather than a v shape to cradle the seat 14 safely without damage to the seat 14. To use the seat strap 12 of the first embodiment, the seat strap 12 has a second end 36 that is placed through the upper slot 30 of one of the seat clips 24 and preferably is permanently affixed thereto, for example, by sewing the second end 36 around the upper bar 32 of that seat clip 24 (FIG. 8). The seat strap 12 is then tightened on the motorcycle seat 14 by positioning the two seat clips 24 on opposite sides of the seat 14, with the lower curved portion 34 of each seat clip 24 firmly positioned under a lower thin side edge 20 of the motorcycle seat 14 (FIG. 8). The first end 26 of the seat strap 12 is placed through the upper slot 32 of the other seat clip 24, and is pulled to tighten the seat strap 12 between the seat clips 24. The hook and loop portion of the first end 26 of the seat strap 12 is placed against the mating portion 28 of the seat strap 12 to hold the seat strap 12 on the seat 14 between the seat clips 24. 0033 To enable the top piece to be fastened to the strap, two tri-slides 40 (FIG. 7) are positioned on the seat strap 12 before the seat strap 12 is fastened on to the seat 14 and before inserting the seat strap 12 through the clips 24. Tri-slides that function well are Model AC201 (1.5 inches) sold by Velcro USA Inc. Each of the tri-slides 40 has an upper bar 42 forming a first elongated opening 44, and a second elongated opening 46 parallel to the first elongated opening 44. The preferred tri-slides 40 have a slight bend as shown in FIGS. 8-9, with the central bar 38 being offset so that one side of the tri-slide 40 is concave. In use the slightly concave side of the tri-slide 40 faces outward as shown in FIG. 5. The seat strap 12 is insertable through the second elongated opening 46 of each of the tri-slides 40 so that when the seat strap 12 is attached to a motorcycle seat 14, the tri-slides 40 are positionable at opposite sides of the top of the motorcycle seat 12 adjacent the clips 24 as shown (FIGS. 8-9). 0034 In the second embodiment of the invention, the mating portion 28 on the seat strap is located adjacent to the second end 36 of the seat strap 12. Prior to placement of the seat strap 12 around the seat 14, two tri-slides 40 placed on to the seat strap 12 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, so that when the seat strap 12 is wrapped around the seat 14, the first end 26 of the seat strap 12 overlaps over the mating portion 28, preferably above the seat 14 and the tri-slides 40 are positioned at the upper sides of the seat (FIG. 9). 0035 The top piece 16 of the invention comprises a central mesh portion 48 that is stretchable over a helmet 18. Preferably the central mesh portion 48 is made of a polyester mesh or other lightweight, flexible, stretchable material, which is preferably bound around its edges, for example, by polyester binding tape 50. Preferably the binding tape 50 is a 1-inch stretchable tape, folded in half lengthwise and sewn around the edges of the central mesh portion 48 as shown (FIG. 10). The general shape of the central portion 48 in a first embodiment is preferably an elongated oval that is gently tapered at its narrower ends as shown in FIGS. 10-11. 0036 At each of the two tapered ends 52 of the top piece 16 is attached a hold-down strap 54, preferably attached to the top piece 16 by sewing. When the top piece 16 is in use, each hold-down strap 54 extends down from the tapered ends 52 of the top piece 16 on the sides of the helmet, and is placed through the first elongated opening 44 of the tri-slide 40 on that side of the motorcycle seat 14. Preferably, each hold-down strap 54 has at its free end 56 hook fastening means that are matable to an upper loop portion 58 of the hold-down strap 54 so that the end of the hold-down strap 54 may be firmly but releasably fixed to the upper portion 58 of the hold-down strap 54 to hold the helmet 18 firmly in place on the motorcycle seat 14. 0037 To keep the central portion 48 of the top piece 16 from buckling or folding when in use, the helmet holder 10 preferably further comprises a central stiffening means 60 attached centrally on the central portion, extending between the back and front of the central portion 48 when the central portion 48 is in use (FIG. 11). The central stiffening means 60 needs to be stiff, but also flexible enough to bend at least slightly over the top of the helmet 18 when the top piece 16 is pulled tightly over the helmet 18. Preferably, the central stiffening means 60 is a plastic stay, for example, having dimensions of inch9 inches, and preferably it is encased in a webbing casing 62 and sewn to the central portion as shown so that the ends of the stiffening means 60 are covered by the tape 50. A 9-inch stay which serves this purpose is No. PP915 (Velcro USA Inc.). 0038 In a second preferred embodiment of the top piece 16 shown in FIG. 13, the front and back edges of the central mesh portion 48 protrude as shown in the figure in the area where the central stiffening means 60 meets tape 50, which is central along the edges between the two hold-down straps 54. This form allows a more snug fit of the top piece 16 on a helmet 18 when the helmet holder 10 is in use on a helmet 18. It is clear that other shapes of the central portion 48 may also be used in this invention with the other components of the invention, so long as the shape of the central portion 48 enables a helmet 18 to be held firmly on a motorcycle seat 14. 0039 Preferably the seat strap 12 of the invention is made of WEB-MATE loop and ULTRAMATE hook fasteners (Velcro, Manchester, N.H.), as are the hold-down straps 54. Other fasteners, though not preferred, may alternatively be used so long as they provide a firm means of attachment and are easily fastened and unfastened. 0040 An additional option for use in the invention herein is a safety clip 64 attached at a first end 66 of the safety clip 64 to the seat strap, so that the safety clip 64 is centrally positionable along the seat strap 12 on the top of the seat 14 before the helmet 18 is placed on the seat 14 (FIG. 12). The openable end 68 of the safety clip 64, when attached to the helmet D-rings, or to other secure portion of the helmet (not shown), provides an additional safety mechanism to be sure that the helmet remains attached to the motorcycle seat 14. A suitable safety clip is a 1.5 inch swivel snap hook (AC103, Velcro USA Inc.). 0041 While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous variations, modifications, and embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.