Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a helmet suspension system including a number of levers, wherein a first lever of the number of levers rotates about a fulcrum in response to an impact force of a collision between a helmet shell and a foreign object to obtain a lever response. The system includes a sacrificial assembly including a first deformable member, wherein the sacrificial assembly is in communication with a group of levers of the number of levers. A first strain applied to the first deformable member according to the lever response to obtain a first stress response of the first deformable member based on a first stress-strain relationship including a non-linear response. The first stress response of the first deformable member includes the non-linear response, wherein the first stress response reduces a portion of the impact force transmitted to a body of a user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.

A protective helmet has an outer shell and one or more absorption elements of impact shock energy operatively coupled with the outer shell. The absorption elements include a working portion interposed between the end portions. The section of the working portion along a surface transverse to the development axis has an area smaller than the areas of the corresponding sections of the end portions. The absorption elements have a breaking load lower than the breaking load of the outer shell, so that in the event of an impact the working portion is subject to breaking before the outer shell and before the end portions to allow the absorption of the impact shock energy.

A helmet comprising a frangible layer corresponding to at least a portion of a user's head configured to fail at a predetermined force with a fracture that allows further movement of the user's head during impact.

A hard hat and related impact protection layer is shown. The hard hat includes one or more feature to improve support of the impact protection layer. The impact protection layer is designed to improve impact energy absorption provided by a crushable material located within the hard hat shell.

Embodiments of helmets including impact structures are disclosed. An example helmet includes an exterior shell including an inner surface, an outer surface; and a lower perimeter edge adjoining the inner surface and the outer surface. The lower perimeter edge defines a recess positioned on each side of the exterior shell. The example helmet further includes an interior liner positioned along the inner surface of the exterior shell, and further includes an impact structure associated with each recess. The impact structure is positioned at least partially below the interior liner and the exterior shell, and the impact structure includes a contact interface positioned to abut the interior liner.

A protective football helmet is provided having a face guard mounting system with at least one pair of opposed recessed mounting regions that ensure a low-profile mounting arrangement for a face guard to the helmet. The recessed mounting regions are formed in both the inner and outer surfaces of the helmet shell along a frontal opening in the shell. As a result of the streamlined frontal appearance provided by the face guard mounting system, the width of the face guard closely corresponds to the width of the helmet at the recessed mounting regions.

A hard hat and related impact protection layer is shown. The hard hat includes one or more feature to improve support of the impact protection layer. The impact protection layer is designed to improve impact energy absorption provided by a crushable material located within the hard hat shell.

A protective football helmet is provided having a face guard mounting system with at least one pair of opposed recessed mounting regions that ensure a low-profile mounting arrangement for a face guard to the helmet. The recessed mounting regions are formed in both the inner and outer surfaces of the helmet shell along a frontal opening in the shell. As a result of the streamlined frontal appearance provided by the face guard mounting system, the width of the face guard closely corresponds to the width of the helmet at the recessed mounting regions.

An improved head gear with ear guard inserts integrated into a hair covering cap, particularly for amateur wrestlers, comprising a single, jaw strap, attachment and two ear guard inserts that have unique features and enhance comfort and natural hearing when held in a position appropriate for use by the cap material and methods of construction.