Systems, apparatus, and methods for reducing the decibel levels of sound originated external to a sports protective helmet may minimize deleterious effects to the hearing of the individual wearing the sports protective helmet. Through use of a sound-deflecting apparatus that is coupled to an interior surface or to an exterior surface of the sports protective helmet proximate an ear hole, decibel volumes may be constructively reduced by deflecting high frequency sound waves while allowing low frequency sound waves to reach the ear or in vicinity of the ear of the wearer of the helmet.

There is provided a wind noise reduction apparatus that has a simple structure to suppress vibration caused by an air current generated in the course of protection against the wind, while not reducing ambient sound. A wind noise reduction apparatus 1 includes a windshield portion 2 having a first surface 21 that is defined by four sides of a front end 23, a rear end 24, an upper end 25 and a lower end 26 and that is arranged to face an ear front surface and a second surface 22 that is arranged on an opposite side to the first surface; one or multiple support portions 3 stood upright from the first surface 21 of the windshield portion 2; and a catching portion 4 including an insertion hole or insertion opening 44 that is used to hold a chin strap B of a helmet and that is located between a front edge and a rear edge 33 of the support portion 3. The windshield portion 2 is supported by a three or more supporting point structure of the front end 23 of the windshield portion 2 and the support portion 3.

A motorsports helmet having an isolation mount defining a receptacle is provided. An adjustment plate is selectively disposed within the receptacle at different depths and includes an ear-cup. The ear-cup is secured relative to the adjustment plate and includes at least two degrees of freedom of movement.

A helmet can include a helmet body and a shield. The helmet body can include a front portion and a tail portion, and the shield can include two ear portions connected by a brow portion. The shield can be releasably coupled to the helmet body. The ears of a helmet user can be exposed with respect to the helmet body and covered with respect to the shield. The brow portion of the shield can extend across the front portion of the helmet. The tail portion of the helmet can be tapered and the front portion of the helmet can have a rounded leading edge, such that the helmet body has a tear drop form factor.

A helmet defining an opening for a user's head, the helmet including an outer shell providing a wave guide exit operatively associated with an integrated wave guide layer surrounded by the outer shell, the wave guide layer being adapted to direct sonic waves out the wave guide exit, thereby substantially preventing the sonic waves from penetrating through a remainder of the helmet to the opening. The wave guide layer may be a sonic wave transmission medium composed of acoustic metamaterial, wherein the wave guide layer communicates with the wave guide exit.

A headgear includes a pair of noise reduction components. Each noise reduction component is configured to fit over and/or at least partially inside respective ears of a user of the headgear. The pair of noise reduction components are coupled to a first strap. The first strap is configured to retain the pair of noise-reduction components in contact with the ears of the user. Each noise reduction component of the pair of noise reduction components includes a laminated structure that includes at least one sound-reflecting layer, and at least one sound-absorbing layer that is arranged to be closer to the ear of the user than the at least one sound-reflecting layer.

A helmet includes a shell configured to extend over ears of a user with integrated acoustic ear cups having a polygonal cushion/seal formed by an upper hexagonal portion connected to a lower inverted triangular portion with a wedge-shaped profile/thickness thinner in the upper portion than at least some of the lower portion to provide non-uniform side loading that improves wearer comfort and reduces acoustic leak paths for passive or active noise reduction (ANR). A headband, headset, or earmuffs for hearing protection include a polygonal cushion/seal with a wedge-shaped profile/thickness to facilitate acoustic sealing and user comfort.

A helmet defining an opening for a user's head, the helmet including an outer shell providing a wave guide exit operatively associated with an integrated wave guide layer surrounded by the outer shell, the wave guide layer being adapted to direct sonic waves out the wave guide exit, thereby substantially preventing the sonic waves from penetrating through a remainder of the helmet to the opening. The wave guide layer may be a sonic wave transmission medium composed of acoustic metamaterial, wherein the wave guide layer communicates with the wave guide exit.

An earmuffs system for noise reduction including an external microphone used in combination with active noise cancellation technology for the reduction of wind or other noises typically experienced while riding a vehicle such as a motorcycle, snow machine or ATV, the earmuffs system including a first earmuff including a first speaker and a first microphone therein; a second earmuff electrically coupled to the first ear muff, the second ear muff including a second speaker and a second microphone therein; noise cancellation circuitry for receiving first sounds from the first microphone and the second microphone and processing the first sounds by in part canceling the first sounds to form a first sound output that is provided from the first speaker and the second speaker; a third microphone placed external to the first earmuff, the third microphone supplying second sounds for the first speaker to output as a second sound output without the second sounds undergoing noise cancellation processing; and a fourth microphone placed external to the second earmuff, the fourth microphone supplying third sounds for the second speaker to output as a third sound output without the third sounds undergoing noise cancellation processing.

There is provided a wind noise reduction apparatus that has a simple structure to suppress vibration caused by an air current generated in the course of protection against the wind, while not reducing ambient sound. A wind noise reduction apparatus 1 includes a windshield portion 2 having a first surface 21 that is defined by four sides of a front end 23, a rear end 24, an upper end 25 and a lower end 26 and that is arranged to face an ear front surface and a second surface 22 that is arranged on an opposite side to the first surface; one or multiple support portions 3 stood upright from the first surface 21 of the windshield portion 2; and a catching portion 4 including an insertion hole or insertion opening 44 that is used to hold a chin strap B of a helmet and that is located between a front edge and a rear edge 33 of the support portion 3. The windshield portion 2 is supported by a three or more supporting point structure of the front end 23 of the windshield portion 2 and the support portion 3.