Patents Assigned to Southern Impact Research Center, LLC
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Patent number: 6591428Abstract: A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium. The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander
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Patent number: 6530092Abstract: An inflatable liner for a helmet. The liner has a first elongated cell and a second elongated cell extending substantially parallel to the first elongated cell. Passages extend through the first divider to permit air to pass between the first and second cells during an impact event. The second elongated cell is divided into separate sub cells and a single air inlet is provided for introducing air into the liner.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2001Date of Patent: March 11, 2003Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventor: Dean F. Pope
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Patent number: 6497012Abstract: A buckle for receiving a strap member and for snap-fitting to a snap stud located on a helmet. The buckle includes a metal member having opposite ends, with an aperture located between the ends and a slit on either side of the aperture. Each of the slits including a plurality of rugous surfaces suitable for frictionally engaging a strap member positionable there through, and a plastic material substantially encasing the metal member except that at least a portion of the rugous surfaces are not encased by the plastic material and remain exposed, and a region surrounding the aperture of the metal member is not encased and the plastic material located adjacent the aperture defines a barrel configured for receiving and mating in a snap-fit relationship with a snap-stud fastener located on a helmet with which the buckle is to be used.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2001Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: Thad Ide, P. David Halstead
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Patent number: 6481066Abstract: A buckle for receiving a strap member and for snap-fitting to a snap stud located on a helmet. In a preferred embodiment, the buckle includes a metal member having opposite ends, with an aperture located between the ends and a slit on either side of the aperture. Each of the slits includes a plurality of rugous surfaces suitable for frictionally engaging a strap member positionable there through, and a plastic material substantially encasing the metal member except that at least a portion of the rugous surfaces and the aperture are not encased by the plastic material and remain exposed. A metal snap is affixed to the buckle by a fastener connectingly associated with the metal snap and the aperture, the metal snap being configured to matingly engage a snap stud.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2001Date of Patent: November 19, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: Thad Ide, P. David Halstead
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Patent number: 6434755Abstract: A helmet which includes a substantially rigid shell having a shell thickness defined by a substantially continuous exterior surface spaced apart from a substantially continuous interior surface. A one-piece first shock attenuating member is positioned adjacent to and in substantially in contact with portions of the interior surface of the shell. The first shock attenuating member has a first thickness and a first compression deflection. A plurality of discrete second shock attenuating members are positioned adjacent to portions of the first shock attenuating member and adjacent to and in substantially in contact with portions of the interior surface of the shell. Each second shock attenuating member has a second thickness and a second density, with the second thickness being greater than the first thickness and the second compression deflection being less than the first compression deflection.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander, Thad Ide
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Patent number: 6370699Abstract: A pad including a member provided by a substantially rigid sheet material having a crease formed therein to define first and second member portions that are yieldably positionable relative to one another about the crease and within a defined range of motion, a cushion secured adjacent the first member portion opposite the second member portion, and a covering substantially encasing the yieldable member and the cushion.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2001Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander
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Patent number: 6371710Abstract: An attachment system including an attachment member having a height and a width with a base and a main body having a height extending away from the base and being substantially flexible along the height thereof and substantially inflexible along its width. The main body includes a plurality of substantially inflexible portions vertically spaced apart from the base and from one another by a plurality of substantially flexible connecting portions.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: Thad Ide, P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander
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Patent number: 6351853Abstract: A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium. The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander
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Patent number: 6178560Abstract: A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium. The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1999Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: Peter David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander
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Patent number: D466651Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2000Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: Southern Impact Research Center, LLCInventors: P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander, Thad Ide