HELMET USING SHOCK ABSORBING MATERIAL
In at least one embodiment, a safety helmet is provided that includes an outer shell and at least one layer of a sheet of shock absorbing material located therein, the shock absorbing material having a top layer, a bottom layer, and a plurality of pairs of ribs that couple the top layer to the bottom layer, the pairs of ribs extent through the material so as to create a plurality of channels therein, the layers having a plurality of perforations therein that communicate with the plurality of channels and that align with the holes in the helmet, each of the plurality of channels having an opening on an end of the material for air to pass through the openings of the channels and exit through the perforations in the material.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/985,118, filed Jan. 5, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/297,036, filed Jan. 21, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present application relates to safety gear and more particularly to helmets.
Various types of helmets exist, however, none of these use shock absorbing material to provide, among other things, ventilation there through. Accordingly, there is a need for helmets that are not so limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn at least one embodiment, a safety helmet is provided that includes an outer shell and at least one layer of a sheet of shock absorbing material located therein, the shock absorbing material having a top layer, a bottom layer, and a plurality of pairs of ribs that couple the top layer to the bottom layer, the pairs of ribs extent through the material so as to create a plurality of channels therein, the layers having a plurality of perforations therein that communicate with the plurality of channels and that align with the holes in the helmet, each of the plurality of channels having an opening on an end of the material for air to pass through the openings of the channels and exit through the perforations in the material.
The present application provides personal safety and comfort products, such as helmets, pads, guards, etc., with energy absorbing features. Although particular safety products may be discussed herein, it is understood that the energy absorbing features of the present application may be used in other products. Accordingly, this application is not limited to any one or more particular safety products.
In at least one embodiment, the energy absorbing features affixed to the personal safety and/or comfort devices is a resilient pad or material having structures therein that absorb the energy from an impact, hereinafter referred to as a material. Referring to
When a normal force is applied the mat, as is shown in
Similarly,
Although the exact dimensions of the rib and material size are not crucial, it has been determined that the ribs may be about ⅛ inch in thickness, and these last several ribs may be 3/16 inch in thickness. Furthermore, the spacing between ribs which are ⅛ inch in thickness is ¼ inch in the relaxed state and the spacing between ribs which are 3/16 inch in thickness are slightly less than ¼ inch. The purpose of the slightly thickened ribs is to provide additional or different impact resistance on different areas of the material. Additionally, the top layer 12 could be 3/32 inch in thickness and the bottom layer may be ⅛ inch in thickness. The overall thickness of the material may be ⅜ inch, which allows the material to be stacked to produce a thickness of ¾ inch. It is understood that the dimensions disclosed herein can be made smaller and/or larger along the entire material or at some portions to achieve the desired energy absorbing properties. Additionally, the spacing between each pair of ribs as well as the thickness of the ribs and the length of the ribs can be increased or decreased depending upon the weight of the individual, or the particular activity for which the material is designed. The durometer value of the ribs can also be altered to customize the cushioning to an individual's weight and/or the activity. It is this interaction of each pair of ribs with their adjacent ribs which produces the particular cushioning connection and not the action of any hydraulic or pneumatic force.
In another embodiment, as is illustrated with respect to
Furthermore, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the material includes a plurality of vents 54 that extend through the top and/or bottom layers 12, 16 and into the voids between the pairs of ribs 50, 52. The vents 54 may be disposed in the layers in a predetermined spacing to form a grid type pattern as shown. The grid may have dimensions such that the spacing between longitudinally and laterally adjacent vents is essentially the same. This beneficially allows a plurality of materials to be stacked over each other so that the vents can line up with one another when the ribs of each material are placed parallel or perpendicular to each other. One or more of the ends of the voids between the ribs can be either open or closed, and may include a valve that opens and closes at certain times. In this instance, the air can be forced through the vents as the material is compressed. For example, if that material is used as a mid-sole in a shoe, the vents can force air into the shoe as the person wearing the shoe is walking or running. In this instance, the ribs may run in one direction in one portion of the shoe and in another in the other portion. For example, the ribs may run longitudinally in the heel while the ribs may run laterally in the other parts of the sole.
The vents may be created in the material in a variety of ways. For example, the material may be molded with the vents therein or punched into the top and bottom layers after the material has been extruded or injection molded. The vents may be punched through the layers with an elongated rod that acts as a backing for a punch. In this instance, the rod is placed into the openings in the material between the ribs and the punch is subsequently pressed down into the layers of the material between the flat portion of the rod and the punch thereby forcing a hole therein. The rod may include a relief or hole on the flat side for the punch to pass through as the punch shears the layers of the material and for the waste material to be removed from the site. To create the grid pattern, one or a plurality of rods may be pushed into the voids of the material between the ribs and a plurality of punches in the desired pattern may be pressed against the rod or rods to create vents essentially simultaneously or otherwise. The punches may be disposed on a wheel that rolls over the material as the material is fed through the punch thereby creating a series of holes in the material.
Referring to
The ribs of the material may be oriented in the helmet in a variety of ways. For example, the ribs in material 191 may be aligned from the left to rights side of the helmet and/or the ribs of the material 196 may be aligned from the front to the back of the helmet, in reverse, diagonally, or in any desired direction. The ribs of the materials 197, 199 on the side of the helmet may be aligned from top to bottom of the helmet, circumferentially, in the reverse, diagonally, or in any desired direction. The ribs 200 may also be aligned as to extend radially outward from the top and the materials may be disposed in discrete sections 297, 297 of the helmet 190, as shown in
As noted herein, the material or materials include vents therein that allow air to pass into the voids of the material between the ribs. This feature enhances ventilation and allows perspiration to evaporate there through. Ventilation may be accommodated with a hole or holes 195 that perforate through the shell 192 of the helmet 190. The holes 195 may be disposed on various parts of the helmets. For example, the holes 195 may be disposed on the top, front, rear, or a combination thereof. The top holes 195 may allow convection to evacuate warm moist air in the helmet 190 whereas the front holes may allow air to be forced in as the wearer of the helmet is moving and the rear holes may allow that air to escape.
The holes 195 of the helmet 190 are preferably aligned with the vents in at least the top layer of the material or materials installed within the helmet 190. The holes 195 and the vents may be aligned to provide a direct opening though helmet 190 and the materials or they may be staggered to provide an indirect opening through the helmet 190. As shown, the helmet 190 includes a plurality of direct openings and a plurality of indirect openings. That is, air passes indirectly through the hole 195, through a vent in the top layer of the mat, lengthwise through the void between the ribs of the mat, and finally through a vent 198 in the bottom layer of the material that is not in alignment with the vent in the top layer. The number of vents in the top layer may be less than the number of vents in the bottom layer. That is, for every hole in the top layer, there may be a certain number of holes in the bottom layer. For example, for every hole in the top, there may be 8 or 9 holes in the bottom layer equally spaced about the hole in the top. The size of the vents may vary; however, the size of the top layer vent may be greater than the size of the bottom layer vent.
The dimensions of the material may be varied to achieve a desired result in terms of hardness and durability. In one embodiment, the dimensions of the material are calibrated in this respect to a desired durometer or dimensions to fit a particular application. For example, the material for a helmet used in football may have a different durometer reading than a helmet used for baseball. The cushioning material in the youth's helmet or any other product may have a different durometer reading than an adult's helmet or other product, because of age, size, and/or weight to maximize the benefit for the individual and/or the activity involved. The material for the adults, for example, may be harder than the material for children. The material and the helmets may therefore be customized for the particular application and/or individual.
The materials disclosed herein may be combined with other energy absorbing material, for example, to provide a feel that a wearer is accustomed to. For example, a bicycle helmet may include Styrofoam sections that come into direct contact with the wearer to mirror the feel of conventional bicycle helmets. Similarly, the material may be covered with a felt fabric and/or foam to provide greater comfort for the wearer.
As noted herein, the material may be used in other applications. Referring to
Referring to
In the embodiment shown in
A plurality of materials 160 may also be installed in the seat each in a different location. For example, a first material 160 may be installed in the seat portion and a second material 160 may be installed in the seat back portion of the seat. In this instance, each of the materials 160 may be coupled to the air conditioner separately. This beneficially allows the seat to provide at least two zones of air conditioning in the seat, one zone for each material.
Referring to
In this respect, the material 160 provides ventilation with comfortable support for the passengers of the vehicle. The material 160 may be installed in the seat in such a way to tailor the support that the material 160 provides. For example, the material 160 may be disposed so that the ribs extend from the front to the back of the seat portion or in the reverse. Similarly, the material 160 may be disposed so that the ribs extend from the top to the bottom of the back portion or in the reverse. Multiple layers may also be used as discussed herein. The size of the vents may vary to provide air in different velocities at certain portions of the seat. For example, larger holes may be provided in the seat as opposed to the seat back. Providing air conditioning to occupants locally as discussed herein beneficially uses less energy to keep occupants of the vehicle comfortable than blowing air into the vehicle. In this respect, the ventilation system reduces the load on the vehicles engine or electric motor, which allows designers to specify smaller displacement, more fuel efficient engines or motors in new cars.
The material may also be installed on the butt end of a gun stock to absorb the recoil energy from the gun when it is fired as shown in
As noted above, the material may be installed as or in a sole in a shoe. The material may be installed in a sole having a first cavity with a depth essentially the thickness of a layer of the material and a second cavity in the heel portion with a depth essentially twice the thickness of the material. In this instance, a first section of the material may be installed in the heel and a second section of the material may be installed on top of the first section to provide extra shock absorption in the heel of the sole. The second section preferably extends over essentially the entire length and/or width of the cavity within the sole. The layers of the sections of the material may be installed so that the ribs of the material extent longitudinally, laterally, diagonally, or a combination thereof That is, the ribs in one of the sections may run in a first direction while the ribs in another of the sections extend in a different direction.
While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure, that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A helmet comprising:
- an outer shell with holes located therein; and
- at least one layer of a sheet of shock absorbing material located therein, the shock absorbing material having a top layer, a bottom layer, and a plurality of pairs of ribs that couple the top layer to the bottom layer, the pairs of ribs extent through the material so as to create a plurality of channels therein, the layers having a plurality of perforations therein that communicate with the plurality of channels and that align with the holes in the helmet, each of the plurality of channels having an opening on an end of the material for air to pass through the openings of the channels and exit through the perforations in the material.
2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the material is installed in an upper hemisphere of the helmet to protect the top of a user's head.
3. The helmet of claim 2, wherein the ribs extend radially outward from the top of the helmet.
4. The helmet of claim 1, wherein material is installed as a band circumferentially around a rim line of the helmet to cover temple, forehead, and the back of a user's head.
5. The helmet of claim 1, comprising a plurality of layers of the shock absorbing material.
6. The helmet of claim 5, wherein the layers of shock material are located so that channels of respective layers of the material extend in different directions.
7. The helmet of claim 6, wherein at least one of the layers of the material extend from a front to a back of the helmet.
8. The helmet of claim 6, wherein at least one of the layers of the material extend from a first side of the helmet to a second side of the helmet opposite the first side.
9. The helmet of claim 1, wherein each of the ribs of the pair of ribs is bowed oppositely with respect to another of the pair of ribs, therewith creating alternating shaped channels.
10. The helmet of claim 9, wherein at least one channels of the alternating shaped channels has a circular cross sectional shape.
11. The helmet of claim 1, wherein each of the top and the bottom layers include perforations therein that align with the holes in the shell of the helmet.
12. The helmet of claim 1, wherein each of the top and bottom layers include perforations therein that do not align with holes in the shell of the helmet.
13. The helmet of claim 1, wherein each of the top and bottom layers include perforations therein and wherein a number of perforations in the top layer is less than a number of perforations in the top layer.
14. The helmet of claim 13, wherein a ratio of top to bottom layer perforations is from about 8 to about 9.
15. The helmet of claim 13, wherein a size of top layer perforations is greater than a size of the bottom layer perforations.
16. The helmet of claim 1, comprising foam sections to mirror feel of conventional bicycle helmets.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 25, 2012
Inventor: Eli Cohen (Lincoln Park, NJ)
Application Number: 13/539,612
International Classification: A42B 3/06 (20060101);