A shock absorbing system for impact energy dissipation employs removable unitary cells of compressible members in communication with a reservoir and containing a first working fluid. Resilient structural members may be placed intermediate the compressible members to deform responsive to compression to provide both energy dissipation and resilient recovery of the compression cylinders to their uncompressed state.

A helmet insert, comprising a bladder member and a non-Newtonian fluid disposed within the bladder member. The non-Newtonian fluid has an oil, a settling agent, cornstarch, and water in a preselected ratio. The ratio of the oil, the settling agent, the cornstarch and the water is in a weight range between 50-75% oil, 1-10% settling agent, and 15-30% cornstarch, and 1-20% water.

A helmet includes a shell, a brim, ridges, and multiple flexible structures. The shell is shaped to receive a user's head. The brim covers the user's forehead and areas above the temples and ears and protrudes from the outer surface of the shell. The ridges are located along the back and top of the helmet and also protrude from the outer surface of the shell. The flexible structures, which are made of a material that is more flexible than the shell, the brim, and the ridges, are positioned in separation gaps between the shell and the brim and ridges. The shell, brim, ridges, and flexible structures are fused together as a single unibody. When the helmet is subjected to an impact on the brim or the ridges, the corresponding flexible structure deforms so that the brim or ridge moves relative to the shell. The deformation of the flexible structure attenuates the force of the impact, which improves the helmet's ability to protect the user from impacts.

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.

A helmet includes an energy absorbing layer and an outer shell mounted to the energy absorbing layer. The outer shell includes an air trip in the form of a continuous groove that extends from a bottom left side of the helmet to a bottom right side of the helmet.

A headgear apparatus is disclosed comprising a molded headgear apparatus which includes a cushioned core component to provide impact resistance during an activity. The headgear is configured to be low-profile to reduce the loss of vision caused by thick headgear which extends away from the face. The headgear may be molded to the facial contour of the user to provide complete protection from cuts, scrapes, swelling, and impact encountered in impact sports, such as martial arts, football, or other sports wherein impact to the head region is possible.

A body limb protection system includes an outer layer, an inner layer, and a force dampening and defusing structure. The outer layer includes a first material composition and has an exterior surface that includes a substantially planer area. The inner layer includes a second material composition and has a shape corresponding to a body limb portion. The force dampening and defusing structure is positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer. The force dampening and defusing structure has a shape corresponding to a difference between the shapes of the inner and outer layers. The force dampening and defusing structure includes a plurality of components arranged to reduce pressure on the body limb portion when a force is applied to the substantially planer area.

IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED IN A CRANIAL PROTECTION CELL, formed by an outer shell (11, 20) internally coated by absorbent material (12, 12′), said material comprising a first layer (21) immediately below the shell, of closed cell foam, rigid or semi-rigid in contact with a second layer (22) of open cell viscoelastic foam, the interface between said first and second layers being provided with interdigitations comprising cavities (24) in said first layer in which protrusions (23), provided in said second layer, fit in a complementary and cooperative manner. Absorbent supporting material are further provided in the jaw region (32), maxillary regions (33, 34) and mastoid regions. When closed, the visor (37) is embedded in the corresponding opening of the cranial protection cell, and its opening occurs in two steps, the former comprising forward movement, and the latter upward rotation. The cranial protection cell (CPC) further comprises a removable chin guard (54) whose unlocking mechanism is driven by buttons (51) located on either side of the shell.

Articles including protective gear for a variety of sports and activities provide protection from one or both of linear and angular forces that either directly or indirectly impact the gear when it is donned. The articles include at least two layers of material that provide multimodal energy dissipation to minimize the extent of transmission of impact forces to tissue.

Impact dissipating helmet liners and protective barriers having internal cylindrical posts or pins are provided. The helmet liners and protective barriers include a flexible, fluid impermeable enclosure having an upper wall, an opposing lower wall, and a sidewall extending between the upper wall and the lower wall; a fluid contained in the enclosure; and cylindrical posts or pins extending from the lower wall to the upper wall, each of the cylindrical posts or pins at least partially restraining deflection of one of the upper wall and the lower wall. The helmet liners provided may include a central portion and lobes radially extending from the central portion and are adapted to conform to the shape of a helmet shell. The protective barriers disclosed may be constructed in any convenient shape compatible with the intended application of the protective barrier. Methods of fabricating helmet liners and protective barriers are also provided.