Patents by Inventor Richard GROFF, III

Richard GROFF, III has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230132383
    Abstract: A sports helmet kit has a shell, attachable face guard, composite helmet liner, and fit pods to improve and customize the fit of the helmet to the wearer. The composite liner consists of a base liner and a selected group of fit elements, for example, fit pods, removably attached to the inner surface of the base liner (i.e., the surface of the base liner facing the wearer's head). The fit pods are selected from a set of fit pods having different properties, for example, different sizes, thicknesses, densities, and cross-sections. The selection of fit pods from the set may be aided by taking anatomical measurements of the wearer's head and analyzing the measurements with respect to the geometry of the helmet to produce a pressure map. The measurements may be taken by physical contact or by non-contact means. The fit pods may be selected to optimize a pressure map, and thus optimize the fit, for a given wearer of the helmet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: SCHUTT SPORTS IP, LLC
    Inventors: Louis Anthony VANHOUTIN, Vincent R. LONG, Nathan LOUCKS, Richard GROFF, III
  • Publication number: 20210392986
    Abstract: A sports helmet kit has a shell, attachable face guard, composite helmet liner, and fit pods to improve and customize the fit of the helmet to the wearer. The composite liner consists of a base liner and a selected group of fit elements, for example, fit pods, removably attached to the inner surface of the base liner (i.e., the surface of the base liner facing the wearer's head). The fit pods are selected from a set of fit pods having different properties, for example, different sizes, thicknesses, densities, and cross-sections. The selection of fit pods from the set may be aided by taking anatomical measurements of the wearer's head and analyzing the measurements with respect to the geometry of the helmet to produce a pressure map. The measurements may be taken by physical contact or by non-contact means. The fit pods may be selected to optimize a pressure map, and thus optimize the fit, for a given wearer of the helmet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: SCHUTT SPORTS IP, LLC
    Inventors: Louis Anthony VANHOUTIN, Vincent R. LONG, Nathan LOUCKS, Richard GROFF, III
  • Patent number: 11026466
    Abstract: A sports helmet has composite helmet liner to improve and customize the fit of the helmet to the wearer. The composite liner consists of a base liner and a selected group of fit elements, for example, fit pods, removably attached to the inner surface of the base liner (i.e., the surface of the base liner facing the wearer's head). The fit pods are selected from a set of fit pods having different properties, for example, different sizes, thicknesses, densities, and cross-sections. The selection of fit pods from the set may be aided by taking anatomical measurements of the wearer's head and analyzing the measurements with respect to the geometry of the helmet to produce a pressure map. The measurements may be taken by physical contact or by non-contact means. The fit pods may be selected to optimize a pressure map, and thus optimize the fit, for a given wearer of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SCHUTT SPORTS IP, LLC
    Inventors: Louis Anthony Vanhoutin, Vincent R. Long, Nathan Loucks, Richard Groff, III
  • Publication number: 20200345096
    Abstract: A NOCSAE-certified football helmet having a shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attachable to the shell, is configured and designed to have a Predictive Concussion Incidence below 1.90, or 0.75 plus or minus 0.25, or in the range of 0.50 to 1.90, as measured by the 2018 Adult Football STAR Methodology. The face guard is attached to the shell at a plurality of attachment points below a line constructed through the midpoint of the height of the helmet and has an upper portion which contacts the shell above the face opening, without being attached to the shell at that point. The internal padding includes a front pad attached within the shell above the face opening, defining a first zone of a first stiffness and, adjacent to and above the first zone, a second zone of a second stiffness lower than the first stiffness. The internal padding also includes helmet liners which are not inflatable, and which contain slow response microcellular polyurethane pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Kranos IP Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Anthony VANHOUTIN, Vincent R. LONG, Robert ERB, Richard GROFF, III
  • Patent number: 10813403
    Abstract: A NOCSAE-certified football helmet having a plastic shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attached to the shell, is configured and designed to have a Predictive Concussion Incidence below 1.90, or 0.75 plus or minus 0.25, or in the range of 0.50 to 1.90, as measured by the 2018 Adult Football STAR Methodology. The face guard is attached to the shell at a plurality of attachment points below a line constructed through the midpoint of the height of the helmet and has an upper portion which contacts the shell above the face opening, without being attached to the shell at that point. The internal padding includes a front pad attached within the shell above the face opening, defining a first zone of a first stiffness and, adjacent to and above the first zone, a second zone of a second stiffness lower than the first stiffness. The internal padding also includes helmet liners which are not inflatable, and which contain slow response microcellular polyurethane pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Kranos IP Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Anthony Vanhoutin, Vincent R. Long, Robert Erb, Richard Groff, III
  • Publication number: 20200205503
    Abstract: A sports helmet has composite helmet liner to improve and customize the fit of the helmet to the wearer. The composite liner consists of a base liner and a selected group of fit elements, for example, fit pods, removably attached to the inner surface of the base liner (i.e., the surface of the base liner facing the wearer's head). The fit pods are selected from a set of fit pods having different properties, for example, different sizes, thicknesses, densities, and cross-sections. The selection of fit pods from the set may be aided by taking anatomical measurements of the wearer's head and analyzing the measurements with respect to the geometry of the helmet to produce a pressure map. The measurements may be taken by physical contact or by non-contact means. The fit pods may be selected to optimize a pressure map, and thus optimize the fit, for a given wearer of the helmet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Kranos IP Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Anthony VANHOUTIN, Vincent R. LONG, Nathan LOUCKS, Richard GROFF, III
  • Publication number: 20190216159
    Abstract: A NOCSAE-certified football helmet having a plastic shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attached to the shell, is configured and designed to have a Predictive Concussion Incidence below 1.90, or 0.75 plus or minus 0.25, or in the range of 0.50 to 1.90, as measured by the 2018 Adult Football STAR Methodology. The face guard is attached to the shell at a plurality of attachment points below a line constructed through the midpoint of the height of the helmet and has an upper portion which contacts the shell above the face opening, without being attached to the shell at that point. The internal padding includes a front pad attached within the shell above the face opening, defining a first zone of a first stiffness and, adjacent to and above the first zone, a second zone of a second stiffness lower than the first stiffness. The internal padding also includes helmet liners which are not inflatable, and which contain Poron pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: Kranos IP Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Anthony VANHOUTIN, Vincent R. LONG, Robert ERB, Richard GROFF, III