Abstract: Various embodiments of helmets and methods of their manufacture are disclosed. In some embodiments, the helmet includes a helmet shell having a helmet shell edge and/or a mounting location for mounting an accessory to the helmet shell. A material that is adherent to the helmet shell may be sprayed onto the helmet shell edge of the helmet shell to form a trim. Alternatively, the material may be sprayed onto a portion of the helmet shell associated with either a mounting location for mounting an accessory or a position for a mounted accessory.

Abstract: A helmet attachment system is usable to attach a mandible or face or mouth guard. The helmet attachment system also comprises a pair of attachment bases, each arranged on a side of the helmet near to an ear covering of the helmet. The attachment bases each include a metal base plate covered by an attached body block. Each attachment base provides provisions for attaching opposite ends of a mandible to the bases. The metal base plate includes hooks for engaging an edge of the helmet. A pair of strap assemblies is provided, each strap assembly connected to one attachment base. The strap assemblies extend rearward and are connected to the back rail by a buckle member on the end of each strap assembly. The back rail includes a pair of buckle member-receiving slots. The straps assemblies and the hooks provided on the attachment bases secure the attachment bases to the helmet.

Abstract: A helmet assembly is provided including a front mount configured to attach to the front of the helmet above a brim of the helmet, a mandible for protecting a portion of the user's face, a lower edge rim mounting portion such as a halo attached along the lower edge of the helmet for securing the mandible to a helmet and providing power and data conduits. The front mount provides a center top mounting arrangement that operatively connects a center top location of the face shield to a center front mount on the helmet. The mount provides frontal bracket portions for mounting accessories. The helmet assembly provides a helmet shell with a curved shape having a surrounding reinforcing ridge. A reeling system is provided for adjusting front and lower chin straps. Other improvements in helmet assemblies are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and devices for adjusting the position of a mandible guard relative to a helmet are disclosed. Adjustment of the mandible guard may be performed by a user while the user is wearing the helmet and/or without the use of tools. A mandible guard adjustment system may be combined with an attachment system for attaching and removing the mandible guard to a helmet.

Abstract: A bio-monitoring system for armor plates. A piezoelectric sensor is used to measure flexing of an armor plate resulting from a wearer's respiration. The resulting measurements are used to determine at least one of a respiration rate and a heart rate of the wearer. Additional bio-monitoring sensors may be used. The system may be used in combination with an armor plate damage detection system.

Abstract: An attachment system is provided which may include a cord, a fastener coupled to a first portion of the cord, a tensioner coupled to a second portion of the cord, and a first fitting arranged to couple either the fastener or the tensioner to the cord. The tensioner is configured to retain a third portion of the cord to maintain the tension in the cord. An attachment system may include a first working component configured to be coupled to the cord, and a first fitting arranged to couple the first working component to the cord. The first working component may have a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the first fitting, and the first fitting may have an actively moveable element configured to retain the cord when the first fitting is positioned in the working component cavity.

Abstract: A battery balancing system for parallel connected batteries for balancing batteries that are at dissimilar voltages. The system has first and second buses, connected by a current limiter. A high bus takes energy from the highest voltage battery or batteries in the system and transfers the energy through the current limiter to the low bus, which in turn delivers energy to the lowest voltage battery or batteries in the system.

Abstract: A contact surface, such as a seating surface on a mandible guard is adjustable such that variations in helmet geometry and/or mandible geometry can be accommodated. The mandible guard may be fixedly attached to a helmet with an attachment arm, yet be configured to permit adjustment of the height of the contact surface to reduce or eliminate a gap between the helmet and a guard portion of the mandible guard. A tilt arrangement may be provided between the attachment arm and the guard portion of the mandible guard to allow a wearer to adjust a pitch angle of the guard portion relative to the attachment arm.

Abstract: A helmet earpiece is provided which includes a body, a first feature configured to fit with a complimentary first feature associated with a helmet, and a second feature configured to fit with a complimentary second feature associated with the helmet. The first and second features on the body may be configured to fit with the respective complimentary first and second features associated with the helmet to mount the helmet earpiece to the helmet. The first feature may include an opening, and a lock adjacent the opening. The lock has an unlocked position and a locked position, where in the unlocked position, the opening may be configured to receive the complimentary first feature associated with the helmet, and in the locked position, the lock may be configured to retain the complimentary first feature in the opening.

Abstract: Described is an energy share pack comprising a housing, at least one energy storage component within the housing, at least one energy conversion component within the housing, and a connection point for connecting to more than one of energy users, energy sources and other energy share packs simultaneously for sharing energy. The energy share pack may have an energy generation component for generating harvestable energy, and two or more ports of any combination of the following types: bidirectional power port, bidirectional USB port, unidirectional output power port, and unidirectional input power port. The share pack ports may operate simultaneously at different voltage levels, and at least one port may be bi-directional. Furthermore, the share packs may have an integrated display for providing information on the energy share pack in which the display is integrated and information about other energy share packs connected thereto.