Protective sports helmet

Abstract

The present helmet invention combines lightweight, impact absorption materials, force distribution structures, and means for affixing a facemask and straps to the helmet for reducing the risk of head injury. The internal construction of the helmet uses the combination of three or more elliptically shaped rings, each referred to as a halo ring. The halo rings are rigidly affixed to u-shaped torsion bars, and together form a cage. The cage covers areas of the head and skull vulnerable to injury, operating to disperse and thereby dissipate external impacts at any point where forces on the helmet's external surface are transferred to the ovoid-like cage.

Claims

1. A helmet suitable for head protection to comprised of: an outer shell of a first impact absorbing polymer; a conformable inner layer of an impact absorbing polymer adapted to be positioned over a wearer's head; a shock absorbing layer located between an outer layer and the inner layer, wherein the shock absorbing layer further includes one or more halo rings rigidly affixed to one or more u-shaped torsion bars, forming a cage wherein: (i) the cage is covered with a conforming perforated shell; (ii) a plurality of clips attach the cage to the conforming perforated shell, wherein the clips are inserted into perforations in the conforming perforated shell, and the perforations are configured and spaced apart to cover substantially all of a surface of the conforming perforated shell and wherein a plurality of the perforations are configured for permeation of the shock absorbing layer through the perforations; (iii) the cage, the conforming perforated shell and the clips are covered with an absorbing polymer material; and (iv) the cage, conforming perforated shell and clips are further covered by the outer shell.

2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell of impact absorbing polymer is ethylene vinyl acetate.

3. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell of impact absorbing polymer is a closed cell resin material.

4. The helmet of claim 2, wherein the outer shell of impact absorbing polymer is further coated with a polyethylene powder coating.

5. The helmet of claim 1, having two or more vents for one or more of hearing and cooling.

6. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing layer is covered by a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer layer positionable over the shock absorbing layer.

7. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing layer includes embedded flexible crush resistant tubes.

8. The helmet of claim 7, wherein one or more of the flexible crush resistant tubes include a relief valve at a termination point near a helmet base that opens when activated by a predetermined force.

9. The helmet of claim 7, wherein one or more valves trigger a visual indicator when activated by the predetermined force.

10. The helmet of claim 7, wherein the application of the predetermined force triggers a wireless technology providing data, such as player information, measurement of applied forces, acceleration, and gyroscopic and GPS positioning.

11. The helmet of claim 10, wherein the cage includes anchor points for securing at least one strap.

12. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the outer shell, includes impact absorbing resin, joined by a process of one or more of thermal molding or use of adhesives to the shock absorbing layer.

13. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the cage is comprised of: (i) a first halo ring, halo-1, forming the base of the cage, (ii) a second halo ring, halo-2, smaller in diameter than halo-1 placed above and essentially parallel to halo-1, and (iii) a third halo ring, halo-3, smaller in diameter than halo-2, placed above and essentially parallel to halo-2, and (iv) two or more inverted U shaped bars that intersect with each halo ring, forming a protective cage.

14. A method of protecting a wearer from any force that results from single or repetitive collisions which comprises: (a) constructing a cage of three or more halo rings and two or more U-shaped bars, (b) using a plurality of clips for connecting the cage to a thin conforming perforated shell, wherein the plurality of clips are inserted into perforations in the conforming perforated shell, and the perforations are configured and spaced apart to cover substantially all of a surface of the conforming perforated shell and wherein a plurality of the perforations are configured for permeation of the shock absorbing layer through the perforations, (c) covering the cage and the thin conforming perforated shell with a polymer forming a shock absorbing inner layer, (d) covering the shock absorbing inner layer and an outer layer with a co-polymer, the co-polymer including a closed cell resin material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the polymer of the shock absorbing inner layer and the outer layer, includes a layer of synthetic viscoelastic urethane.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the closed cell resin material includes a layer of ethylene vinyl acetate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Understanding of the present invention will be facilitated by consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a helmet in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the halo rings in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the halo rings and u-shaped bars forming a cage assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the cage assembly with perforated shell in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates the perforated shell inserted over the cage assembly, the combination in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is a view of the shell and clip assembly and cushioning assembly of the helmet in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 7 shows mechanism for attaching the shell to the cage in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 8 shows the cage and shell assembly and chin straps in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

(10) FIG. 9 shows the relief tubes, valves and electronics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, many other elements, or geometric shapes, found in sports helmets. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other elements and/or steps may be desirable in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provided herein. Throughout the following detailed description the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.

(12) The following detailed description includes the best mode of carrying out the invention and is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is determined by reference to the claims. Each part or function is assigned, even if structurally identical to another part, a unique reference number wherever that part is shown in the drawing figures.

(13) Referring to FIG. 1, in a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, helmet 100 includes a helmet outer cover 104, having air vents 102 and sound vent 110, a face mask structure 106, and chin terminus 108. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a portion of the internal structure of the invention, wherein three or more elliptically shaped rings 201, 202 and 203, each having a major and minor axis, commensurate with the size of a respective section of a user's skull, are assembled concentrically and then rigidly affixed to three or more inverted parabolic shaped u-shaped bars 301, 302 and 303. The bars are in a substantially parallel alignment, wherein the vertical position of the rings on the bars, are concentrically arranged, according with the dimension of the rings, from a largest dimension to a smallest dimension, to form a partial ovoid cage 400 structure. Structure 304 and 305 serve to further stabilize the rings and the bars, and permit the addition of other accessories such as a facemask.

(14) Turning to FIG. 4, a perforated shell 600 has an inner and outer surface 604 that conforms to the shape of the cage 400 (FIG. 5) such that the shell is placed over the cage. The shell may be constructed by way of example and not limitation, from a thin high strength plastic or a lightweight titanium material having a thickness of approximately 1 millimeter. The shell contains thereon its surface 604, perforations 608, of varying size, shape, quantity, and placement, to allow for the flow of air or sound, and permits the affixation thereon of impact absorbent materials installed integrally over all shell surface areas 600. Vent holes 606, 610 conform to the opening 102, 110 in the helmet 100.

(15) As shown in FIG. 5, the cage 400 fits conformably into the shell 600, whereby the cage 400 provides mechanical support for the shell 600. The cage 400 is then covered with the cushioning layer, e.g., SORBORTHANE (FIG. 6, 805). The outermost layer 802, which is an EVA copolymer, such as CROSLITE, creates the final shape of the helmet. This material has clarity and gloss, low-temperature toughness, stress-crack resistance, hot-melt adhesive waterproof properties, and resistance to UV radiation.

(16) Referring to FIG. 6 a cross section of an assembly 800 serves to distribute and transfer the impact of the imposing force F to the shell 604, i.e., through the absorbent materials 802, 805 (e.g., CROSLITE and SORBORTHANE), thus reducing the forces that ultimately cause the brain to move within the skull. More particularly, the shell surfaces 604 are covered with the viscoelastic polymer material 805, such as SORBORTHANE, or other cushioning material that has similar shock absorption and vibration reducing properties. The cushioning 805 material penetrates the perforations 608 to integrate the shell, cage via clips 814, as will be described below. The Sorborthane 805 is then covered with a second shock absorption material 802, such as CROSLITE, which as indicated serves as the exterior surface for the helmet. The SORBORTHANE 805, forms and adheres against the shell on its surface areas 604 and through the surface perforations 608, and merges with the CROSLITE material 802. The two materials, 802, 805 are held stable and in contact with each other and the shell 600, via the process of thermal molding or adhesives. Additional inner cushioning materials may be cut to shape and placed/glued in to allow for customization on helmet surface areas closest to the body.

(17) Referring to FIG. 6, in an alternate embodiment, the SORB ORTHANE 805 or other cushioning material that has similar shock absorption and vibration reducing properties, is then covered with a second material to provide additional strength or rigidity to the structure such as by way of example, a polyethylene powder coating 804. The second material 804 is then covered with a third shock absorbing material 802, such as CROSLITE, which as indicated serves as the exterior surface for the helmet. The SORB ORTHANE 805, forms and adheres against the shell on its surface 604 areas through the surface perforations 608, and merges with the polyethylene powder coating 804. The polyethylene powder-coating surface 804 forms and adheres against an outer shock absorption material such as CROSLITE 802. The materials, 802 and 804 are each held stable and in contact with each other, and the materials, 805 and 804 are each held stable and in contact with each other and with the shell 604, via the process of thermal molding or adhesives. Additional inner cushioning materials not shown, may be cut to shape and placed/glued in to allow for customization on helmet surface areas closest to the body.

(18) An outer coating, such as EVA copolymer or CROSLITE 802, provides several advantages over the current art, which is typically constructed with a hard outer shell plastic known as polycarbonate alloy. By way of example and not limitation, exterior use of a closed cell resin, such as EVA copolymer, increases impact absorption unlike today's helmets made of a plastic alloy. This characteristic extends helmet durability and reduces wear that can occur during frequent or prolonged use, including non-safety related scuffing or scratching that may occur during use or storage. Resins such as CROSLITE are available in a wide range of colors. During manufacturing, the outer coating may be molded to add identifiers such as a team logo or name, or player name or number. Some closed cell resins have anti-microbial properties reducing odor, and the need for harsh chemicals especially when a helmet is used by multiple players. Also, resin will easily adhere to a wide range of other cushioning systems, materials or spacers that may also be used in conjunction with the final helmet to enhance safety and comfort.

(19) FIG. 7, illustrates the clip 814 that integrates the shell 600 (FIG. 4) and the cage 400 (FIG. 5), by affixing a plurality of clips 814, which are inserted into perforations 608 in the shell 600. The clips secure the cage at one or more points along the u-shaped bars, as shown by bar 301, and halo rings, as shown by 203, by tension-snapping its sides onto bar 301, 203 and then lodging a stop 816 into the perforation 608, so that it cannot loosen or be removed as the helmet 100 is being used. The viscoelastic polymer material (FIG. 6, 805) serves to further secure the shell 600, cage 200 and clips 816.

(20) FIG. 8 shows, in another non-limiting embodiment, the helmet cage 400 manufactured for affixing chin guard straps 910. By way of example and not limitation, one or more attachment straps are secured at attachment 912, to the cage 400, u-shaped bar and/or halo ring 201, through narrow openings in the shell 600 and/or as may be embedded within one or more of the cushioning layers. At the distal end of each strap are one or more connectors 913, and corresponding chin guard strap 910 snaps 915, or clips, used to connect each distal end to a separate unconnected chin protector. The chin protector also has connectors for attaching the chin protector to each distal end of the chin guard straps 910. Any one or more of the chin straps or chin protector may also include a means for adjusting one or both so that the helmet fits comfortably and safely. In one non-limiting embodiment, the exterior of chin protector on the side opposite the chin, has excess material to improve grip for quick manual removal. The connectors used have a minimal profile for player comfort and to minimize injury to other players.

(21) In another non-limiting embodiment, all or a portion of the facemask area located below the topmost halo ring 203 (FIG. 4) may be fitted with an optional clear, shatterproof shield, to provide added face protection. The shield may have other characteristics such as hard coating for scratch resistance, ultraviolet coating for eye protection against ultraviolet rays, lens polarization for glare or photochromic lenses for changing light conditions. Alternatively, the shield may also permit the use of visual technology enhancements, known generally as Google Glass or technologies that may allow players to access and view playbooks, record plays in real-time, gather and share information useful to the game play, or allow for audiovisual communication among players or between players and coaches.

(22) Turning to FIG. 9, in one non limiting embodiment, embedded in one or more of the cushioning layers are flexible or crush resistant tubes 901. The tubes serve a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, absorbing shock, weight reduction, air cushioning, and mechanisms for detecting the location of impact. The closed end of the tube is located within the closed cell resin cushioning layer or alternatively, within the viscoelastic polymer material. The distal end of the tube terminates at the base of the finished helmet. The tube temporarily deforms upon impact, dampening impacts as it forces air to escape, and thereafter returns substantially to its original shape. Alternatively, the distal end of each tube terminates at the finished helmet base into which is inserted a relief valves 902. The relief value remains closed until activated by a pre-determined impact force causing the valve to open.

(23) In FIG. 9, an alternate embodiment, the tube and valve system 900 may serve as a low cost early visual warning system by providing general the location upon the head of an impact that could result in a serious physical injury, or death. Such alert data may be recorded by automated or manual means, to monitor player health and safety, or helmet wear. For example, the relief valve may remain closed until activated by an impact force that causes the value to open. The opening of the valve 902 may trigger a visual indicator, such as a brightly colored or color-coded button-type indicator, or release of a powder, liquid, gel or combination non-toxic, non-staining, substance or light emitting diode (LED) or sensor-activated light. The visual indicator may in some cases relate to one or a group of relief tubes to indicate the location of impact. By way of example, and not limitation an impact to the left temporal region may trigger the release of one or more bright red release valve buttons, whereas an impact to the right temporal region may trigger the release of one or more bright green release valve buttons.

(24) In an alternate embodiment, again referring to FIG. 9, upon detection of an external force, a valve 902 opens triggering a visual indicator, which may include the activation of a sensor that transmits a wireless signal to a receiver such as a tablet or phone, to indicate the presence and location of impact. More particularly, one or more of the trigger valves 902 contains an electronic device 904, containing a wireless technology for transmission of a radio signal, carrying information regarding one or more of an assortment of sensors, such as for gyroscopic sensing, acceleration and GPS. One device for transmission may incorporate WiFi or Bluetooth technology.

(25) In one non-limiting embodiment, any one or more of the cage, shell or helmet may be constructed through a variety of processes and techniques, such as injection molding, thermoforming, 3D printing, additive manufacturing, metal forming, as well as utilizing adhesives, mating parts or other means of joining or molding materials. Such processes and techniques are well-known to those skilled in the art of manufacturing and assembling two-dimensional and three-dimensional shaped fixtures constructed from metals such as magnesium, carbon fiber or titanium, plastics and recyclable materials. By way of example and not limitation, once the halos, U-bars and face mask options are assembled through welding or spot welding, the assembled cage is dipped into a liquid plastic so as to coat the entire cage evenly. In one embodiment the liquid plastic is industry standard face mask material.

(26) In one embodiment that portion of the assembly that consists only of the helmet and the bottom most halo that serves as a chin protector are then placed into a mold, excluding that portion of the helmet that consists of the facemask and chin straps. The facemask and chins straps are not covered with any cushioning material. The remaining portion of the helmet is then covered with a first layer of cushioning material by injection molding or by pouring material into the mold.

(27) In one embodiment, the assembly described above is covered with SVUP, in which case, a second layer of cushioning material may also be applied which may include alternatively a closed cell resin polymer, or other cushioning material.

(28) Thereafter, the material that protected the chin straps may be removed, and the user may add additional features such as adjustable chin strap connectors and additional chin protective cushioning, or other independently supplied cushioning material for the interior of the helmet which may provide yet a further layer of protection and/or user comfort.

(29) While this invention may be described in relation to football helmets, it is contemplated that it could be adapted for use in any type of helmet. For example it could be used in hockey helmets, motorcycle helmets, baseball helmets, bicycle helmets, ski/snowboard helmets, skateboarding helmets, lacrosse helmets, etc. The invention could be adapted for any headgear worn by a person to reduce the likelihood of head trauma.

(30) The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be noted and understood that various modifications and variations can be crafted by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure should be interpreted as illustrative only and is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. Further it is intended that any other embodiments of the present invention that result from any changes in application or method of use or operation, method of manufacture, shape, size, or materials which are not specified within the detailed written description or illustrations contained herein are considered within the scope of the present invention.