Facemask and Helmet with Facemask

Abstract

A helmet includes a housing sized for use on a human head and having an opening designed to expose a face associated with the human head and a facemask attached to the housing and situated over the opening to cover the face. The facemask has a slightly curved front portion, a slightly curved right side portion, and a slightly curved left side portion. The facemask has a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having different widths. The vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width, and a third type having a third width that is larger than the first and second widths. The left and right side portions of the facemask include a first type bar and a second type bar, where the second type bar is situated nearer to the housing than the first type bar. The front portion of the facemask includes four first type bars, for example, two on a left side of the front portion and two on a right side of the front portion. A single third type bar is situated in a right side transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion of the facemask and in a left side transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

Claims

1. A helmet, comprising: a housing sized for use on a human head and having an opening designed to expose a face associated with the human head; and a facemask attached to the housing and situated over the opening to cover the face, the facemask having a slightly curved front portion, a slightly curved right side portion, and a slightly curved left side portion, the facemask having a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having different widths; wherein the vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width, and a third type having a third width that is larger than the first and second widths; wherein the left and right side portions of the facemask include a first type bar and a second type bar, the second type bar situated nearer to the housing than the first type bar; wherein the front portion of the facemask includes four first type bars, two on a left side of the front portion and two on a right side of the front portion; and wherein a single third type bar is situated in a right side transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion of the facemask and in a left side transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the first type vertical bars have a substantially circular cross sectional area throughout their substantial lengths and wherein the second and third type vertical bars have a substantially rectangular cross section throughout their substantial lengths.

3. A helmet, comprising: a housing sized for use on a human head and having an opening designed to expose a face associated with the human head; and a facemask attached to the housing and situated over the opening to cover the face, the facemask having a front portion, a right side portion, and a left side portion, the facemask having a plurality of vertical bars having different widths.

4. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the vertical bars include a first type having a first width and a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width.

5. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the vertical bars include a first type having a first width and a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width and wherein the left and right side portions include first and second type vertical bars and the front portion includes first type vertical bars.

6. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the vertical bars include a first type having a first width, a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width, and a third type having a third width that is larger than the first and second widths and wherein the left and right side portions include first and second type vertical bars and the front portion includes first type vertical bars, and wherein third type vertical bars are situated in a transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion and in a transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

7. The helmet of claim 6, wherein the first type vertical bars have a substantially circular cross sectional area throughout their substantial lengths and wherein the second and third type vertical bars have a substantially rectangular cross section throughout their substantial lengths.

8. A facemask for a helmet, comprising: a slightly curved front portion, a slightly curved right side portion, and a slightly curved left side portion, the facemask having a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having different widths; wherein the vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width, and a third type having a third width that is larger than the first and second widths; wherein the left and right side portions of the facemask include a first type bar and a second type bar, the second type bar situated nearer to the housing than the first type bar; wherein the front portion of the facemask includes four first type bars, two on a left side of the front portion and two on a right side of the front portion; and wherein a single third type bar is situated in a right side transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion of the facemask and in a left side transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

9. The facemask of claim 8, wherein the first type vertical bars have a substantially circular cross sectional area throughout their substantial lengths and wherein the second and third type vertical bars have a substantially rectangular cross section throughout their substantial vertical lengths.

10. The facemask of claim 8, wherein the first width of the first type vertical bars is approximately 6 millimeters (mm), the second width of the second type vertical bars is approximately 12 mm, and the third width of the third type vertical bars is approximately 18 mm.

11. The facemask of claim 9, wherein the depth dimension in a direction between an outside and inside of the facemask of each of the first, second, and third type vertical bars is approximately 6 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The various embodiments and features of the invention are depicted in the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a helmet with facemask, among others, of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a right side view thereof;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a left side view thereof;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a front view thereof;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a back view thereof;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a top view thereof; and

[0018] FIG. 7 is a bottom view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention provides various embodiments of a sports facemask that can be used with sporting safety helmets to protect the human brain. A multi-objective simulation based design optimization was employed using the mechanical damage to the brain. This design optimization is described in detail in the following publication, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety: Johnson, K. L., S. Chowdhury, W. B. Lawrimore, Y. Mao, A. Mehmani, R. Prabhu, G. A. Rush, and M. F. Horstemeyer, “Constrained topological optimization of a football helmet facemask based on brain response”, Materials & Design 111, 108-118, 2016.

[0020] In the design optimization, front impacts and side impacts were used as the loading conditions. Also, in the modelling, the center of gravity was situated in the center of the helmet 10. The design process included first creating a Latin Hypercube Design of Experiments, which is well-known in the art, to determine the finite element simulations that were needed. Other well-known layouts could be used to set up the design as well, such as any Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) method comprising a broad range of methods. Then, different original designs were employed for the 10 simulations. The brain damage from the 10 simulations were then used to train a metamodel that spanned all of the Latin Hypercube space. A multi-objective design optimization scheme was then used on the metamodel response surface and one solution was determined. A finite element simulation was then conducted with the optimal facemask solution that reduced the brain damage from the two different impact locations. The results verified the optimization result.

[0021] The preferred embodiment of the helmet 10 with facemask 12 is shown in FIGS. 1-7. This embodiment is specifically designed for American football. As is shown, the facemask 12 is attached to a facemask mounting frame 14, which is mounted in a recess in the helmet shell 15 (a housing) so that there is a generally smooth, continuous outer surface transitioning between the facemask mounting frame 14 and the helmet shell 15. The helmet shell 15 is sized and shaped to fit on a human head. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the facemask 12 has a slightly curved right side portion 12a, a slightly curved front portion 12b, and a slightly curved left side portion 12c.

[0022] Based upon the modeling, the optimal design of the facemask 12 comprises 10 vertically oriented bars 16a-16j and no horizontal bars aside from the extreme top and bottom bars 18 and 19, respectively, to which the vertically oriented bars 16 attach. As shown in FIGS. 4-7, the design of the facemask 12, which is optimized for tensile pressure, includes a number of approximately 6 mm wide bars 16 with bar 16b on the right side portion 12a, bars 16d-16g on the front side portion 12b, and bar 16i on the left side portion 12c. The facemask 12 also includes one approximately 12 mm wide bar 16a and 16j on each of the right and left side portions 12a and 12c, respectively. The facemask 12 further includes one approximately 18 mm wide bar 16c and 16h at respective transitional regions between the front side portion 12b and right side portion 12a as well as front side portion 12b and left side portion 12c, respectively. The smaller width bars 16b, 16d-16g, and 16i are preferably about 6 mm wide, but could be wider or less wide, depending on the material used. This computer model used titanium as the material, but other materials may be used including but not limited to, steel, aluminum, etc. Also, the bars 16a-16j preferably have rounded edges in order to reduce stress concentrations. The depth dimension in a direction between an outside and inside of the facemask of each of the first, second, and third type vertical bars is approximately 6 mm.

[0023] An example of the preferred embodiment of the facemask 12, based upon the modeling, the specific dimensions of the bars 16, 18, and 19, as well as the placement and spacing, are as follows.

[0024] In terms of size, the bars 18 and 19 are 6 units of measure (e.g., mm) in width. The bars 16a and 16i are 12 units in width, and 70 units in vertical height. The bars 16b and 16i are 6 units in width, and 74 units in vertical height. The bars 16c and 16h are 18 units in width, and 95 units in vertical height. The bars 16d and 16g are 6 units in width, and 92 units in vertical height. The bars 16e and 16f are 6 units in width, and 93 units in vertical height.

[0025] In terms of spacing, bars 16a and 16i are situated at the nearest side at an approximate distance of 23 units from the facemask frame 14 at the bottom and at an approximate distance of 22 units from the facemask frame 14 at the top. Moreover, the approximate distances between the bars 16 (outside edge to outside edge) is as follows. The distance between bars 16a and 16b is in the range of 9.52 to 14.20 units. The distance between bars 16b and 16c is in the range of 37.85 to 39.90 units. The distance between bars 16c and 16d is in the range of 19.72 to 23.30 units. The distance between bars 16d and 16e is in the range of 12.31 to 14.89 units. The distance between bars 16e and 16f is in the range of 7.47 to 8.95 units. The distance between bars 16f and 16g is in the range of 12.31 to 14.89 units. The distance between bars 16g and 16h is in the range of 19.72 to 23.30 units. The distance between bars 16h and 16i is in the range of 37.85 to 39.90 units. Finally, the distance between bars 16i and 16j is in the range of 9.52 to 14.20 units.

[0026] Note that there are other possible embodiments. Several optimal designs resulted in at least one location where two approximately 6 mm bars 16 were placed adjacent to each other, creating in effect a wider approximately 12 mm bar 16.

[0027] Another possible embodiment could consist of the facemask 12, wherein the facemask 12 has a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having different widths. The vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width, and a third type having a third width that is larger than the first and second widths. The left and right side portions of the facemask include a first type bar and a second type bar, where the first type bar is situated nearer to the housing than the second type bar. The front portion of the facemask includes four first type bars, for example, two on a left side of the front portion and two on a right side of the front portion. A single third type bar is situated in a right side transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion of the facemask and in a left side transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

[0028] Another possible embodiment could consist of the facemask 12, wherein the facemask 12 has a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having different widths. The vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, and a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width. The left and right side portions of the facemask include a first type bar and a second type bar, where the second type bar is situated nearer to the housing than the first type bar. The front portion of the facemask includes first type bars, second type bars, or a combination of both.

[0029] Another possible embodiment could consist of the facemask 12, wherein the facemask 12 has a plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars having a single width. The vertically oriented bars include a first type having a first width, and a second type having a second width that is larger than the first width. The left and right side portions of the facemask include a number of first type bars. The front portion of the facemask includes four first type bars, for example. A number of first type bars are situated in close proximity to each other in a right side transitional region between the front portion and the right side portion of the facemask and in a left side transitional region between the front portion and the left side portion.

[0030] In another embodiment, and concerning the plurality of substantially vertically oriented bars, the first type vertical bars of the facemask 12 have a substantially circular cross sectional area throughout their substantial lengths and the second type vertical bars and third type vertical bars have a substantially rectangular cross section or cross sectional area throughout their substantial lengths.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a liner 24 within the helmet shell 15. The liner 24 is made of an open cell or closed cell foam, for example, in which the dense material is a polymeric thermoset or thermoplastic. Liner 24 should also be a functionally-graded material with different densities or different levels of porosity. The highest porosity will be nearest the innermost part adjacent to the head with a decreasing amount of porosity spatially changing towards the helmet shell 15.

[0032] FIG. 1 also shows two removable liner parts 22a and 22b, which comprise the same polymer type, geometric dimensions, and gradient of porosity as its adjacent material in the liner 24. The removable liners 22a and 22b can be pulled out while the helmet is still on an individual's head. This will allow better and easier removal of the total helmet if it is warranted.

[0033] Numerical values may be expressed herein in a range format. Such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. To illustrate, a concentration range of “about 0.1% to about 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited concentration of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, but also include individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., 0.5%, 1.1%, 2.2%, 3.3%, and 4.4%) within the indicated range. The term “about” may include traditional rounding according to significant figures of the numerical value.

[0034] The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of implementations to set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure. Disjunctive language used herein, such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.

[0035] Moreover, all parameters presented herein including, but not limited to, sizes, dimensions, amounts, ratios, weights, and/or percentages, for example, represent approximate values. References to ‘a’ or ‘an’ concerning any particular item, component, material, or product is defined as at least one and could be more than one.

[0036] It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely possible non-limiting examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure.