Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus to dissipate and attenuate mechanical waves which travel through a human brain upon blunt trauma. The apparatus comprises a pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell encasing an inner hard shell. The pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to release a pressurized gas to the atmosphere upon an impact to said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. The apparatus is configured to enhance efficiency in reduction of an amplitude of the mechanical waves of the blunt trauma delivered to the human brain and to disrupt doubling-up of mechanical waves in a pressure zone inside the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. The apparatus is configured to ventilate the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and the inner hard shell.
Claims
1. A mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus, comprising: a pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell enclosing a plurality of independent inner layers, an inner hard shell, and a plurality of tubular paddings; the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell comprises a plurality of fenestrations from an outer wall to an inner wall of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell along radial lines from a center of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is covered by a thin layer of fenestrated thermoplastic elastomeric tiles having a higher Shore scale hardness than said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell on said outer wall of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell fixedly encases the inner hard shell, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is provided as an airtight shell reversibly pressurizable by a gas, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to be reversibly and depressibly deformable by an impact of a blunt trauma at an angle to a planar surface of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to release the gas upon said impact of said blunt trauma, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell comprises a dome and a ballooned rim adjoining a circumferential margin of the dome, wherein the ballooned rim provides a circumferential ridge disposed on an inner surface of the ballooned rim so as to anchor a corresponding circumferential ridge of the independent inner layer, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell provides a pressurizable space that encloses a plurality of the independent inner layers concentrically stacked up, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell has a pressurized-gas intake valve and a plurality of pressure-triggerable gas release valves on a lower surface of a circumference of the ballooned rim, and wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell has a pressure sensor device disposed on an outer surface of the ballooned rim; the inner hard shell, provided in a single-piece dome configuration, wherein the inner hard shell comprises at least two thermoplastic elastomeric layers with an outer layer made of an impact resistant polymer and an inner layer made of thermoplastic elastomers having a lower Shore scale hardness than that of the outer layer, wherein the inner hard shell is undeformable upon the impact of the blunt trauma, wherein the inner hard shell covers an area of the human head, wherein the inner hard shell comprises a plurality of fenestrations aligned with the fenestrations of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the inner hard shell is configured to prevent fracture of a skull upon the impact of the blunt trauma to the skull, and wherein the inner hard shell is configured to reduce transmission of mechanical waves of the impact of the blunt trauma across said inner hard shell; and the tubular padding, provided in an open hexagonal tubular configuration, wherein the tubular padding comprises an outer layer made of a first thermoplastic elastomer having a lower Shore scale hardness than an inner layer made of a second thermoplastic elastomer, wherein the tubular padding is configured to detachably attached to an inner surface of the inner hard shell, wherein the tubular padding is configured to be compressible on a longitudinal side wall of said tubular padding.
2. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the independent inner layers comprise: the independent inner layers, comprising outer independent inner layers, a mid-point independent inner layer and inner independent inner layers concentrically stacked up inside the pressurizable space of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the independent inner layer comprises a plurality of ventable gas cells fixedly attached to a surface of said independent inner layer arranged in a mosaic pattern and a plurality of fenestrations through an entire thickness of said independent inner layer in between the ventable gas cells, wherein the fenestrations are configured to be aligned with the fenestrations of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the independent inner layer comprises a ruffled free end extending from a circumferential edge of said independent inner layer, wherein the independent inner layer comprises a circumferential ridge disposed above the ruffled free end on each outer and inner surface of said independent inner layer, wherein the circumferential ridge is configured to anchor said independent inner layer to a space inside the ballooned rim of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, and wherein the independent inner layer is configured to reduce amplification of an amplitude of the mechanical waves across said independent inner layer; the outer independent inner layer, provided as an at least two-layered sheet, wherein the outer independent inner layer is disposed closer to the outer wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the at least two-layered sheet comprises a first layer made of a first thermoplastic elastomer and a second layer made of a second thermoplastic elastomer, wherein an impedance of the first thermoplastic elastomer of the first layer to the mechanical waves is configured to be higher than that of the second thermoplastic elastomer of the second layer, wherein the first layer with the higher impedance to the mechanical waves is configured to face toward the outer wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, and wherein the ventable gas cells are attached to an outer surface of the first layer; the mid-point independent inner layer, provided as an at least three-layered sheet, wherein the mid-point independent inner layer is disposed in a mid point region of the pressurizable space of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the mid-point independent inner layer comprises two outer layers comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a higher impedance to the mechanical waves, and a mid layer comprising a thermoplastic elastomer having a lower impedance to the mechanical waves, and wherein the ventable gas cells are attached to an outer surface and an inner surface of the mid-point independent inner layer; the inner independent inner layer, provided as an at least two-layered sheet, wherein the inner independent inner layer is disposed closer to the inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the at least two-layered sheet comprises a first layer made of a first thermoplastic elastomer having a higher impedance to the mechanical waves facing toward the inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and the second layer of the second thermoplastic elastomer having a lower impedance to the mechanical waves facing away from the inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, and wherein the ventable gas cells are attached to the outer surface of the first layer; and the ventable gas cell, provided in a configuration of a broad base fixedly glued to a two-ply deformable semi-elliptical dome to produce a reversibly closable gas space, wherein the ventable gas cell is configured to maintain an equal pressure of the gas inside said ventable gas cell to a pressure of said gas in the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell outside said ventable gas cell, wherein the ventable gas cell is configured to retain a pressurized gas inside said ventable gas cell by and to release said gas through a two-ply offset gas vent slit of said semi-elliptical dome.
3. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is made of a combination of thermoplastic elastomers having a higher proportion of soft component, and wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to have a lower Shore scale hardness than that of the independent inner layer.
4. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the fenestrations of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to provide open conduits to the atmosphere for mechanical waves generated inside a space between the inner surface of the inner hard shell and the human head upon said impact of said blunt trauma, and wherein a plurality of the fenestrations of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to ventilate said space between said inner surface of said inner hard shell and said human head.
5. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the fenestrations of the inner hard shell is configured to provide open conduits to the atmosphere for the mechanical waves generated inside the space between the inner surface of the inner hard shell and the human head upon the impact of the blunt trauma, and wherein a plurality of the fenestrations of the inner hard shell is configured to ventilate said space between said inner surface of said inner hard shell and said human head.
6. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tubular padding is configured to push out an air from the space between the human head receiving the blunt trauma and the inner surface of the inner hard shell at a time of the impact of the blunt trauma to the human head wearing said mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus.
7. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is configured to dissipate the mechanical waves of the impact of the blunt trauma to said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell by reduction of amplitudes of the mechanical waves crossing the independent inner layers based on the differences in the impedance of thermoplastic elastomers of individual layers of the independent inner layers to the mechanical waves and by venting the gas from the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and from the ventable gas cells to the atmosphere.
8. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the Shore scale hardness of the independent inner layers is highest with the mid-point independent inner layer and decreases sequentially on each adjacent independent inner layer toward the outer wall and the inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
9. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a process of venting the gas from the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and from the ventable gas cells to the atmosphere is configured to sequentially proceed from a region of the pressurizable space closest to the outer wall and the inner wall of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell to the mid point region of said pressurizable space of said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
10. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the independent inner layer further comprises the circumferential ridge, provided in a configuration of a rectangular linear protrusion from a surface of the independent inner layer, wherein the circumferential ridge of the independent inner layer is disposed on the outer surface and the inner surface of the independent inner layer above the ruffled free end of the independent inner layer, wherein the circumferential ridge of the independent inner layer is configured to be anchored down by an adjacent circumferential ridge of an adjacent independent inner layer or by the circumferential ridge disposed on the inner surface of the ballooned rim of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, wherein the circumferential ridge of the independent inner layer is configured to immobilize the ruffled free end of said independent inner layer inside the ballooned rim of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, and wherein the circumferential ridge of the independent inner layer is configured to separate two opposing independent inner layer having ventable gas cells from each other without physical contact between the two opposing independent inner layers except for said circumferential ridge of each independent inner layer.
11. The mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus according to claim 2, wherein release of the gas from the ventable gas cell at the time of the impact of the blunt trauma to the human head wearing said mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus is configured to dissipate amplified mechanical waves from a space bordered by an independent inner layer having said ventable gas cell.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic presentation of a mechanical waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus.
[0026] FIG. 2A represents a schematic view of a hard outer shell cover; FIG. 2B shows a schematic view of a pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell; FIG. 2C shows a schematic view of an inner hard shell; FIG. 2D shows a schematic view of a plurality of tubular paddings.
[0027] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a schematic view of individual tiles of the hard shell cover; FIG. 3C represents a schematic view of a base of the hard shell cover to which the individual tiles of the hard shell cover are attached.
[0028] FIG. 4A depicts a schematic view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell; FIG. 4B shows a schematic exposed view of a cutaway portion of a ballooned rim; FIG. 4C shows a schematic profile view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
[0029] FIG. 5A shows a schematic illustration of a top-down view of a ventable gas cell; FIG. 5B shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the ventable gas cell; FIG. 5C shows a schematic profile view of a two-layer configuration of an individual inner layer; FIG. 5D shows a schematic profile view of a three-layer configuration of an individual inner layer; FIG. 5E shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the independent inner layer with ventable gas cells.
[0030] FIG. 6A shows a schematic view of an individual inner layer close to an outer wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell; FIG. 6B shows a schematic profile view of the individual inner layer; FIG. 6C shows a schematic coronal view of the individual inner layer.
[0031] FIG. 7A shows a schematic view of an individual inner layer disposed at a mid point inside the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell; FIG. 7B shows a schematic profile view of the individual inner layer.
[0032] FIG. 8A shows a schematic view of an individual inner layer close to an inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell; FIG. 8B shows a schematic profile view of the individual inner layer.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows a schematic coronal outline view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell having a plurality of individual inner layers concentrically stacked up inside the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
[0034] FIG. 10A shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the ventable gas cell; FIG. 10B shows a schematic profile outline view of the ventable gas cell; FIG. 10C shows an offset vent slit in a closed configuration; FIG. 10D shows a magnified schematic profile outline view of the offset vent slit in the closed configuration; FIG. 10E shows a schematic profile outline view of the offset slit in an open configuration upon an impact; FIG. 10F shows a magnified schematic profile outline view of the offset slit in the open configuration upon the impact.
[0035] FIG. 11A shows a schematic profile outline view of a section of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell enclosing a plurality of stacked-up independent inner layers; FIG. 11B depicts a first step of a collapse of a first pressure zone along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells of a first independent inner layer close to a wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell upon the impact; FIG. 11C shows a second step of a collapse of a second pressure zone along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells of a second independent inner layer; FIG. 11D illustrates a collapse of a third pressure zone along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells of a mid point individual inner layer.
[0036] FIG. 12A shows a schematic profile outline view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell having a pressurized-gas intake valve, pressure-triggerable gas release valves and a pressure sensor device; FIG. 12B shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the ballooned rim of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and the pressurized-gas intake valve, pressure-triggerable gas release valves and the pressure sensor device.
[0037] FIG. 13A shows a schematic view of the inner hard shell; FIG. 13B shows a schematic view of a plurality of tubular paddings; FIG. 13C shows a schematic magnified view of a tubular padding.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] As described below, the present invention provides a mechanical-waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus. It is to be understood that the descriptions are solely for the purposes of illustrating the present invention, and should not be understood in any way as restrictive or limited. Embodiments of the present invention are preferably depicted with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13, however, such reference is not intended to limit the present invention in any manner. The drawings do not represent actual dimension of devices, but illustrate the principles of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic presentation of a mechanical waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus which comprises a dome portion 1 covering the majority of a head including frontal, parietal, sphenoid, occipital and temporal regions, a plurality of fenestrations 2 for ventilation of said mechanical waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus, a lower ballooned rim 3 covering a portion of the zygomatic arch and the mastoid protuberance, an occipital portion 4 of the ballooned rim covering the occipital region to below the external occipital protuberance and a frontal portion 5 of the ballooned rim covering down to a part of the vertical portion of the frontal region of the head.
[0040] FIGS. 2A-2D show a schematic view of components of the mechanical waves dissipating protective headgear apparatus. FIG. 2A represents a schematic view of a hard outer shell cover which is configured to tightly attach to an upper surface of a pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B. The outer hard shell in FIG. 2A comprises a dome portion 6, a plurality of fenestrations 7 configured to be aligned with fenestrations 12 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B, an attachment rim 8 which is configured to adherently fasten the hard outer shell cover to an outer circumferential rim margin of a dome portion 11 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B, an occipital portion 9 and a frontal portion 10. FIG. 2B shows a schematic view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell which comprises the dome portion 11, a plurality of fenestrations 12, the lower ballooned rim 3, the occipital portion 4 and the frontal portion 5 of the ballooned rim, and a pressure sensor device 13 disposed on a surface of the lower ballooned rim 3. FIG. 2C shows a schematic view of an inner hard shell which comprises a dome portion 14, a plurality of fenestrations 15, an attachment rim 16 which is configured to adherently fasten the inner hard shell to an inner circumferential rim margin of the dome portion 11 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B, an occipital portion 17 and a frontal portion 18. FIG. 2D shows a schematic view of a plurality of tubular paddings 19 which is provided in a hexagonal configuration along a longitudinal axis and is configured to be disposed between an inner surface of the inner hard shell of FIG. 2C and the head.
[0041] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a schematic view of individual tiles represented by 20 and 21 of the hard shell cover, which is made of a thin semi-rigid thermoplastic elastomeric layer having a higher Shore scale than a thermoplastic elastomer of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. The thin semi-rigid thermoplastic elastomeric layer is made with a higher proportion of hard component such as polyurethane, ethylene propylene diene monomer, fluropolymers or polyolefins, which is to provide the hard shell cover with impact resistance without material failure. The individual tiles represented by 20 and 21 are adhered tightly to a base of the hard shell cover of FIG. 3C. FIG. 3C represents a schematic view of the base of the hard shell cover which comprises a dome portion 22, a plurality of fenestrations 23, the attachment rim 8, the occipital portion 9 and the frontal portion 10. The base is made of a thin sheet of a flexible thermoplastic elastomer. The hard shell cover is provided in a tile configuration, shown in FIG. 2A as an example, to accommodate regional depressive deformation of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B upon an impact of a blunt trauma to the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
[0042] FIG. 4A depicts a schematic view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell which comprises the dome portion 11, a plurality of fenestrations 12, the lower ballooned rim 3, the occipital portion 4 and the frontal portion 5 of the ballooned rim, and a pressure sensor device 13 disposed on a surface of the lower ballooned rim 3. The dome portion 11 and the ballooned rim 3 are configured to provide an airtight, inflatable and pressurizable space which encloses a plurality of independent inner layers in a dome configuration concentrically stacked up. An outer wall and an inner wall of the dome portion 11 are made of a semi-elastic thermoplastic elastomer having a higher proportion of the soft component, and are configured to be reversibly and depressibly deformable at an angle to a planar surface of the wall upon the impact of the blunt trauma. FIG. 4B shows a schematic exposed view of a cutaway portion of a ballooned rim having an internal space 25 bordered by an outer wall 24 and inner wall 26. On an inner surface of the outer wall 24, there is provided a circumferential ridge 27. Similarly, on an inner surface of the inner wall 26, there is provided a second circumferential ridge 28. Both ridges 27 and 28 are configured to anchor corresponding ridges of independent inner layers to the ballooned rim having the internal space 25. The outer wall 24 of the ballooned rim having the internal space 25 is covered by a thin outer hard shell similar to the hard shell cover shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, to provide the ballooned rim with the impact resistance without material failure. FIG. 4C shows a schematic profile view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell comprising the outer wall 24, the inner wall 26, the internal space 25, the circumferential ridges 27 and 28, the lower balloon rim 3, the occipital portion 4 and the frontal portion 5.
[0043] FIGS. 5A and 5B show schematic illustrations of a ventable gas cell 29 which comprises a broad base 30 and a semi-elliptical dome 31 which is fixedly glued to the broad base 30. There is provided a gas vent slit 32 along a longitudinal axis of the semi-elliptical dome 31 and a gas intake opening 33 on one side of the semi-elliptical dome 31. The gas intake opening 33 is closed and opened by an one-way valve 34 which is disposed on an undersurface of the semi-elliptical dome 31. FIG. 5C shows a schematic profile view of a two-layer configuration of an individual inner layer which comprises a first layer 35 made of a first thermoplastic elastomer and a second layer 36 made of a second thermoplastic elastomer. An impedance of the first thermoplastic elastomer of the first layer 35 to mechanical waves is configured to be higher than that of the second thermoplastic elastomer of the second layer 36. The first and the second layers 35 and 36 are compressed together under heat to meld the thermoplastic elastomers to impart semi-rigid hardness with reversible deformability over a range of temperature and enough tear strength to withstand repetitive deformative impacts from the blunt trauma without material failure. A plurality of ventable gas cells represented by 29 are fixedly attached to the first layer 35. FIG. 5D shows a schematic profile view of a three-layer configuration of an individual inner layer comprising the first layer 35, the second layer 36 and a third layer 37. A thermoplastic elastomer for the third layer 37 is similar to that of the first layer 35. The outer layer 35 and 37 comprises a thermoplastic elastomer having a higher impedance to the mechanical waves similar to that of the outer layer 35. The second layer 36 comprises a thermoplastic elastomer having a lower impedance than that of the outer layers 35 and 37, which is configured to reduce amplitudes of the mechanical waves crossing the three-layered individual inner layer in two opposite directions. FIG. 5E shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the independent inner layer 38 with ventable gas cells 29 and fenestrations represented by 39. The independent inner layer 38 is configured to have a higher Shore scale on hardness than that of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell shown in FIG. 4A.
[0044] FIGS. 6A-6C show schematic views of the individual inner layer 38 close to the outer wall 24 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell shown in FIG. 4C, provided in a configuration with ventable gas cells 29 attached on an outer surface of said individual inner layer 38, which comprises a plurality of fenestrations 39, a dome portion 40, a ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 41, an occipital portion of an outer circumferential ridge 42, a frontal portion of the outer circumferential ridge 43 and an inner circumferential ridge 44. The outer circumferential ridge 42-43 is provided above the ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 41, which is configured to be anchored to the ballooned rim by the corresponding circumferential ridge 27 disposed on the inner surface of the ballooned rim having the internal space 25 shown in FIG. 4B. The inner circumferential ridge 44 is provided above the ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 41, which is configured to be anchored by a corresponding circumferential ridge of an adjacent independent inner layer underlying the individual inner layer 38. Shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, a vertical height of the circumferential ridge 42 of the independent inner layer 38 is configured to be higher than a vertical height of the ventable gas cell 29 attached to the independent inner layer 38, so as to provide a non-contact space between the inner surface of the outer wall 24 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell shown in FIG. 4C and the independent inner layer 38.
[0045] FIGS. 7A and 7B show schematic views of an individual inner layer 47 disposed at a mid point inside the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, which comprises a dome portion 45, a plurality of ventable gas cells 46 attached on an outer surface, a plurality of ventable gas cells 52 attached on an inner surface of the independent inner layer 47, a plurality of fenestrations 48, a ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 49, an occipital portion of an outer circumferential ridge 50, a frontal portion of the outer circumferential ridge 51 and an inner circumferential ridge 53. Referring to FIG. 5D, the independent inner layer 47 comprises two outer layers which the ventable gas cells are attached to, and a mid layer intercalated in between the two outer layers.
[0046] FIGS. 8A and 8B show schematic views of an individual inner layer 56 close to an inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell shown in FIG. 4C, provided in a configuration with ventable gas cells 60 attached on an inner surface of said individual inner layer 56, which comprises a plurality of fenestrations 55, a dome portion 54, a ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 57, an occipital portion of an outer circumferential ridge 58, a frontal portion of the outer circumferential ridge 59 and an inner circumferential ridge 61. The inner circumferential ridge 61 is provided above the ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 57, which is configured to be anchored to the ballooned rim by the corresponding circumferential ridge 28 disposed on the inner surface of the ballooned rim having the internal space 25 shown in FIG. 4B. The outer circumferential ridge 58-59 is provided above the ruffled free-ended circumferential margin 57, which is configured to be anchored by a corresponding circumferential ridge of an adjacent independent inner layer overlying the individual inner layer 56. A vertical height of the circumferential ridge 61 of the independent inner layer 56 is configured to be higher than a vertical height of the ventable gas cell 60 attached to the independent inner layer 56, so as to provide a non-contact space between the inner surface of the inner wall 26 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell shown in FIG. 4C and the independent inner layer 56.
[0047] FIG. 9 shows a schematic coronal outline view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell having the outer wall 24, the inner wall 26, the lower ballooned rim 3 and the internal space 25. The independent inner layer 45 is disposed at the mid point inside the internal space 25, which comprises ventable gas cells on both outer and inner surfaces of said independent inner layer 45. Independent inner layers 40 and 62 are concentrically stacked up in between the outer wall 24 and the independent inner layer 45. Independent inner layers 54 and 65 are concentrically stacked up in between the inner wall 26 and the independent inner layer 45. A first pressure zone 68 is created between the outer wall 24 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and the independent inner layer 40; a second pressure zone 69 between the independent inner layers of 40 and 62; a third pressure zone 70 between the independent inner layers of 62 and 45; a fourth pressure zone 71 between the independent inner layers of 45 and 65; a fifth pressure zone 72 between the independent inner layers of 65 and 54; a sixth pressure zone 73 between the independent inner layer of 54 and the inner wall 26 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. The independent inner layers 40 and 62 are polarized with ventable gas cells attached to the outer layer comprising the high impedance thermoplastic elastomer; the independent inner layers 54 and 65 are polarized with ventable gas cells attached to the inner layer comprising the high impedance thermoplastic elastomer.
[0048] In FIG. 9, the circumferential ridge 27 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is disposed on the inner surface of the outer wall 24 and the circumferential ridge 28 is disposed on the inner surface of the inner wall 26. The outer circumferential ridge 42 of the independent inner layer 40 is anchored down by the circumferential ridge 27; the inner circumferential ridge 44 anchored down by an outer circumferential ridge 63 of the independent inner layer 62; an inner circumferential ridge 64 of the independent inner layer 62 anchored down by the outer circumferential ridge 50 of the independent inner layer 45; an inner circumferential ridge 53 of the independent inner layer 45 anchored down by an outer circumferential ridge 66 of the independent inner layer 65; an inner circumferential ridge 67 of the independent inner layer 65 anchored down by the outer circumferential ridge 58 of the independent inner layer 54; the inner circumferential ridge 61 of the independent inner layer 54 anchored down by the circumferential ridge 28 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. This series of anchoring of the independent inner layers by the circumferential ridges is configured to immobilize the ruffled free-ended circumferential margin of said independent inner layers inside the ballooned rim of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell and to provide the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell with a plurality of non-contact pressure zones inside said pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell.
[0049] FIG. 10A-10C show schematic views of the ventable gas cell which comprises the broad base 30 and the semi-elliptical dome 31 which is fixedly glued to the broad base 30, so as to form a distensible space 74. There is provided the gas vent slit 32 along a longitudinal axis of the semi-elliptical dome 31 and the gas intake opening 33 on one side of the semi-elliptical dome 31. The gas intake opening 33 is closed and opened by an one-way valve 34 which is disposed on an undersurface of the semi-elliptical dome 31. The semi-elliptical dome 31 is made as a two-ply structure having an outer ply bonded with an inner ply under heat to form an inseparable sheet. In FIG. 10D, the magnified profile outline view of the gas vent slit 32 in a closed configuration shows an offset configuration of the slit, with an outer slit 77 separate by a distance from an inner slit 80 in a way that an outer ply 75 covers the inner slit 80 of an inner ply 79 for the offset distance between the outer slit 77 and the inner slit 80. The outer ply 75-76 is made of a first thermoplastic elastomer having a higher Shore scale hardness than that of a second thermoplastic elastomer of the inner ply 78-79. On insufflation of a gas into the ventable gas cell, the inner ply 78-79 could be stretched but the outer ply 75-76 may not be stretchable by a pressurized gas inside the ventable gas cell, based on their difference in the hardness. The offset configuration of the two slits 77 and 80 is to let the semi-elliptical dome 32 distended by the pressurized gas which cannot escape through the inner slit 80 until the outer slit 77 is cracked open together with opening of the inner slit 80, as illustrated in FIG. 10F. FIG. 10E shows a schematic profile outline view of an independent inner layer 83 having a ventable gas cell 82 stacked up on top of another independent inner layer 85 having a ventable gas cell 84. Upon an impact 86 and 87 at an angle to the ventable gas cells 82 and 84, an independent inner layers 81 above the ventable gas cell 82 and the independent inner layer 83 press down the ventable gas cells 82 and 84, respectively, opening the slit 32 of the ventable gas cells 82 and 84 thereby releasing the pressurized gas trapped inside the distensible space 74.
[0050] FIG. 11A shows a schematic profile outline view of a section of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell with an outer wall 88 and inner wall 89 enclosing a plurality of stacked-up independent inner layers 91, 93, 95, 97 and 99. The independent inner layers 91 and 93 have ventable gas cells 90 and 92 attached to an outer surface of said independent inner layers 91 and 93, respectively, pointing toward the outer wall 88. The independent inner layers 97 and 99 have ventable gas cells 98 and 100 attached to an inner surface of said independent inner layers 97 and 99, respectively, pointing toward the inner wall 89. The independent inner layer 95 located at a mid point inside the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell has ventable gas cells 94 attached to an outer surface and 96 attached to the inner surface of said independent inner layer 95. An overall Shore scale hardness is highest with the independent inner layer 95 and decreases to lowest with the independent inner layer 91 in an outbound direction; for an inbound direction, the overall Shore scale hardness decreases to lowest with the independent inner layer 99 from the independent inner layer 95. The overall Shore scale hardness of the outer and inner walls 88 and 89 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell is lower than that of the independent inner layers 91 and 99, respectively.
[0051] FIG. 11B depicts a first step of a collapse of a first pressure zone established between the outer wall 88 and the independent inner layer 91, and between the inner wall 89 and the independent inner layer 99. When there come mechanical waves 101 of a blunt trauma to the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, the first pressure zone between the outer wall 88 and the independent inner layer 91 collapses along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells 90 of the independent inner layer 91 by the mechanical waves 101 of the blunt trauma to the outer wall 88 pushing out a gas away from an area of the impact in directions of 103 and 104. Since the blunt trauma to the head is a bidirectional process for the mechanical waves, there is a group of separate mechanical waves 102 coming from a head of a recipient in an opposite direction at the time of delivery of the mechanical waves 101 toward the head. Upon delivery of the mechanical waves 102 to the inner wall 89 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, the first pressure zone between the inner wall 89 and the independent inner layer 99 collapses along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells 100 of the independent inner layer 99 by the mechanical waves 102 from the head to the inner wall 89 similarly pushing out the gas away from an area of delivery of the mechanical waves in directions of 103 and 104. Amplitudes of the mechanical waves 101 and 102 will be reduced across both the independent inner layers 91 and 99 based on the at least two-layered structure shown in FIG. 5C, respectively. Venting of the gas from the ventable gas cells 90 and 100 is configured to dissipate the amplitudes of the mechanical waves doubled up by in-phase reflected mechanical waves joining incident mechanical waves inside the pressure zone between the outer wall 88 and the independent inner layer 91, and between the inner wall 89 and the independent inner layer 99.
[0052] FIG. 11C shows a second step of a collapse of a second pressure zone established between the independent inner layer 91 and the independent inner layer 93. Since the overall Shore scale hardness of the independent inner layer 93 is higher than that of the independent inner layer 91, the first pressure zone between the outer wall 88 and the independent inner layer 91 is configured to completely collapse by the mechanical waves 101 before the second pressure zone between the independent inner layer 91 and the independent inner layer 93 discharges the gas completely. It similarly applies to the independent inner layer 97 which has a higher Shore scale hardness than the independent inner layer 99. When the mechanical waves 101 are transmitted to the second pressure zone, the second pressure zone collapses along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells 92 of the independent inner layer 93 by the mechanical waves 101 pushing out the gas away from an area of the impact in directions of 105 and 106. Upon delivery of the mechanical waves 102 to a second pressure zone between the independent inner layer 99 and the independent inner layer 97 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell, the second pressure zone collapses along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells 98 of the independent inner layer 97 by the mechanical waves 102 similarly pushing out the gas away from an area of delivery of the mechanical waves in directions of 105 and 106. Reduction of the amplitudes of the mechanical waves 101 and 102 continues across the independent inner layers 93 and 97, and dissipation of the doubled-up mechanical waves in the second pressure zone occurs by venting of the gas from the ventable gas cells 92 and 98.
[0053] FIG. 11D illustrates a collapse of a third pressure zone established between the independent inner layers 93 and 95, and between the independent inner layers 97 and 95. Since the overall Shore scale hardness of the mid-point independent inner layer 95 is the highest, the first and second pressure zones are configured to completely collapse by the mechanical waves 101 before the third pressure zone between the independent inner layers 93 and 95, and between the independent inner layers 97 and 95 discharges the gas completely. When the mechanical waves 101 and 102 are transmitted to the third pressure zone, the third pressure zone collapses along with collapse of a group of ventable gas cells 94 and 96 on both sides of the independent inner layer 95 by the mechanical waves 101 and 102, respectively, pushing out the gas away from an area of the impact in directions of 107 and 108. Across the three-layered mid-point independent inner layer 95, the mechanical waves 101 are transmitted in phase reversal toward the mechanical waves 102 directed to the mid point independent inner layer 95, and vice versa. Collision of the mechanical waves 101 and 102 in phase reversal across the mid-point independent inner layer 95 results in neutralization of the mechanical waves, which is configured to reduce the amplitudes of the mechanical waves 101 and 102. Dissipation of the doubled-up mechanical waves in the third pressure zone occurs by venting of the gas from the ventable gas cells 94 and 96.
[0054] FIG. 12A shows a schematic profile outline view of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell having a Schrader-type gas intake valve 109 embedded in a lower wall of the ballooned rim 3 below the occipital portion 4 into the internal space 25, spring-operated pressure release gas valves 110-112 disposed in the lower wall of the ballooned rim 3, and the pressure sensor device 13 disposed on the ballooned rim 3. Additional spring-operated pressure release gas valves 113-114 and 115 are disposed in a temporal portion of the ballooned rim and the frontal ballooned rim 5, respectively. The circumferential ridges 27 and 28 are located above the devices of the gas intake valve, the pressure release gas valves and the pressure sensor device of the ballooned rim 3. FIG. 12B shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the ballooned rim with the Schrader-type gas valve, the spring-operated pressure release gas valves and the pressure sensor device, with an upper portion of the lower ballooned rim exposed. One frontal spring-operated pressure release gas valve 115 is shown magnified, having a cylindrical configuration with an outer cylinder 116 and a valve 117 which is pushable by a spring and quick-release.
[0055] FIG. 13A shows a schematic view of the inner hard shell which comprises the dome portion 14, a plurality of the fenestrations 15 for ventilation, the attachment rim 16 configured to adherently fasten the inner hard shell to the inner circumferential rim margin of the dome portion 11 of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell of FIG. 2B, the occipital portion 17 and the frontal portion 18. The inner hard shell comprises at least two layers with an outer layer made of an impact resistant polymer such as carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer or glass-fiber reinforced nylon and an inner layer made of thermoplastic elastomers having a lower Shore scale hardness than that of the outer layer. The fenestrations 15 correspond to fenestrations of the inner wall of the pressurizable and ventable outer balloon shell. FIG. 13B shows a schematic view of a plurality of tubular paddings 19 detachably attached to an inner surface of the inner hard shell, which is configured to push out an air from a space between the head of the recipient of the blunt trauma and the inner surface of the inner hard shell at a time of the impact of the blunt trauma to the head to reduce the doubling-up of amplitudes of the mechanical waves and to ventilate the space. FIG. 13C shows a schematic magnified view of a tubular padding provided in a hexagonal configuration along a longitudinal axis of said tubular padding having an open end 118 and 119, wherein each tubular padding comprises an outer layer 120 made of a first thermoplastic elastomer having a lower Shore scale hardness than an inner layer 121 made of a second thermoplastic elastomer. The tubular padding 19 is configured to be compressible on a longitudinal side wall.
[0056] It is to be understood that the aforementioned description of the apparatus is simple illustrative embodiments of the principles of the present invention. Various modifications and variations of the description of the present invention are expected to occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore the present invention is to be defined not by the aforementioned description but instead by the spirit and scope of the following claims.
