Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a protective shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface and a lever assembly positioned between the interior surface of the protective shell and a portion of a body. The lever assembly includes a lever having an elongated member extending between a first end and a second end and a pivot location. A fulcrum pivotally engages the pivot location of the lever, wherein the lever rotates about the fulcrum in response to an impact force applied along a first direction to the exterior surface of the protective shell. The lever assembly further includes a spring engaging the lever, wherein a rotation of the lever deforms the spring in a second direction to absorb a portion of a kinetic energy of the collision to redirect and reduce a transfer of a portion of force to the body. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A garment worn by a wearer has an impact absorbing material comprising arrays of various hexagonal or other deformable polygonal-shaped structures positioned between an exterior surface and an interior surface. When force is applied to the exterior surface, the structures of the impact absorbing materials deform (e.g., buckle) in a desired manner, reducing the force received by the interior surface.

A helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, such as a hockey, lacrosse, football or other sports player. The helmet includes an outer shell and an inner padding disposed between the outer shell and the wearer's head when the helmet is worn. The inner padding includes a plurality of shock absorbers and an interconnector interconnecting the shock absorbers, each shock absorber being deformable in response to a rotational impact on the helmet such that an outer part of the shock absorber moves relative to an inner part of the shock absorber in a direction tangential to an angular movement of the outer shell due to the rotational impact.

There is disclosed an improved impact absorption padding for a contact sports helmet, for contact sports such as football, hockey and lacrosse, which incorporates a plurality of air pockets formed from a resiliently flexible material, such as plastic or rubber. At least some of the air pockets enclose a coil or spring. The coil or spring is also resiliently flexible over a wide range of temperatures, and oriented to compress in the general direction of impact to absorb a substantial portion of the energy before it is transferred to the head of the player. The coil or spring is also sized and shaped to return the air pocket to a desired thickness and shape after an impact. The air pockets may be arranged to substantially cover the outside of a contact sports helmet shell as a layer of impact absorption padding. A second inner layer of impact absorption padding may also be provided inside the contact sports helmet shell.

A nape pad for use with a helmet, the nape pad comprising: a base comprised of a rigid material and having an outer surface and an inner surface, a left side and a right side, and a top edge and a bottom edge, the outer surface being generally convex from the left side to the right side and having an upper portion proximate the top edge and a lower portion proximate the bottom edge, the upper portion being generally smooth and configured to extend into and slide along an inner surface of the helmet, the inner surface of the base being generally concave from the left side to the right side; a fastener coupled to the lower portion of the base and configured to releasably couple to a retention system of the helmet; and at least one compressible comfort pad coupled to the inner surface of the base.

A shock absorbing helmet includes an outer shell, an inner shock absorbing liner attached to the outer shell, and multiple compressible balls coupled with the outer shell and/or the shock absorbing liner in such a way that the compressible balls are free to move, relative to the outer shell and the shock absorbing liner, when the helmet is impacted by an object. A method of manufacturing a shock absorbing helmet involves forming an outer shell of the helmet, forming a shock absorbing liner of the helmet, attaching multiple compressible balls to the outer shell and/or the shock absorbing liner in such a way that the compressible balls are free to move, relative to the outer shell and the shock absorbing liner, when the helmet is impacted by an object, and attaching the outer shell to the shock absorbing liner.

The Football Helmet of the present invention will lessen the Impact Force while also lessening the transfer of momentous inertia that carries on unchanged causing concussions. This is done with cushioning by Impact Bumpers located all around the Players Head repelling impacts as they collapse. The top of the Players Head and Neck is protected because the Outer Shield of the Helmet Collapses from top impact by cushioning while repelling that force by being suspended by Springs in Keeper Boxes and also by a Sponge Pad, and Strapped Pad limiting upward thrust of the Players Head and downward thrust of the Outer shield.

Apparatus for protecting the head of a person from an external force includes an inner shell which fits over the head of the person and an outer shell which fits over the inner shell. A plurality of bags which contain a pressurized gas are disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell. When an external force is applied to the outer shell some of the bags distribute and partially absorb the external force thereby reducing the force experienced by the person.

A sport helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, such as a hockey, lacrosse or football player. The sport helmet comprises an outer shell comprising an internal side and an external side. The sport helmet also comprises an inner pad mounted to the internal side of the outer shell for absorbing shocks when the sport helmet is impacted. The inner pad comprises a core of polymeric cellular material and a covering on the core of polymeric cellular material. The core of polymeric cellular material may comprise a body of expanded polymeric microspheres.

A protective helmet, including a hard outer shell, a hard inner shell slidingly connected to, and spaced apart from, the outer shell, and a leaf spring including a center portion, a first end, and a second end, the leaf spring anchored only at the center portion onto the hard outer shell, the first end unattached to, and in sliding contact with the hard inner shell, and the second end unattached to, and in sliding contact with the hard inner shell. In a neutral position, the first end is spaced from the second end by a first distance, and when a force strikes the helmet, the first end is spaced from the second end by a second distance, the second distance being different from the first distance.