Patents by Inventor Thad M. Ide

Thad M. Ide 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: 20200245709
    Abstract: A pad assembly is provided for use with a protective sports helmet in a contact sport, the helmet having an opening. The pad assembly includes a pad member within a pad housing, and a retainer having a projection that fits within the helmet opening. The pad assembly also includes a cap detachably coupled to the retainer, the cap including a base portion that fits within the helmet opening and a flange portion that fits within a countersunk recess disposed around the helmet opening, the cap detachably receiving the projection of the retainer. A protective sports helmet having a pad assembly is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Ralph J. Infusino, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide
  • Publication number: 20200215415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-step method with a number of processes and sub-processes that interact to allow for the selection, design and/or manufacture of a protective sports helmet for a specific player, or a recreational sports helmet for a specific person wearing the helmet. Once the desired protective sports helmet or recreational sports helmet is selected, information is collected from the individual player or wearer regarding the shape of his/her head and information about the impacts he/she has received while participating in the sport or activity. The collected information is processed to develop a bespoke energy attenuation assembly for use in the protective helmet. The energy attenuation assembly includes at least one energy attenuation member with a unique structural makeup and/or chemical composition. The energy attenuation assembly is purposely engineered to improve comfort and fit, as well as how the helmet responds when an impact or series of impacts are received by the helmet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Murphy Gillogly, Thad M. Ide
  • Publication number: 20200205506
    Abstract: A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Nelson Kraemer, Thad M. Ide
  • Patent number: 10624407
    Abstract: A pad assembly is provided for use with a protective sports helmet in a contact sport, the helmet having an opening. The pad assembly includes a pad member within a pad housing, and a retainer having a projection that fits within the helmet opening. The pad assembly also includes a cap detachably coupled to the retainer, the cap including a base portion that fits within the helmet opening and a flange portion that fits within a countersunk recess disposed around the helmet opening, the cap detachably receiving the projection of the retainer. A protective sports helmet having a pad assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph J. Infusino, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide
  • Publication number: 20200100554
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protective sports helmet purposely designed for a selected group of helmet wearers from amongst a larger population of helmet wearers. A multi-step method for helmet design starts by collecting information from a population of players that may include information about the shape of a player's head and the impacts the player has sustained. This information is then processed to create player population information that is sorted to create categories. Advanced mathematical techniques are utilized to further sort these categories into player groups or data sets based on player attributes. Once the player groups are identified, another multi-step process is utilized to design optimized helmet prototype models for each player group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Murphy Gillogly, Thad M. Ide
  • Patent number: 10582737
    Abstract: A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Nelson Kraemer, Thad M. Ide
  • Patent number: 10561193
    Abstract: A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the connector upon an impact to the faceguard. In general terms, when a substantially on-center impact to the faceguard occurs, the faceguard is displaced towards the shell and the connector bracket flexes outward relative to the helmet shell to help dissipate impact energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Patent number: 10506841
    Abstract: A protective football helmet is provided having a face guard mounting system with at least one pair of opposed recessed mounting regions that ensure a low-profile mounting arrangement for a face guard to the helmet. The recessed mounting regions are formed in both the inner and outer surfaces of the helmet shell along a frontal opening in the shell. As a result of the streamlined frontal appearance provided by the face guard mounting system, the width of the face guard closely corresponds to the width of the helmet at the recessed mounting regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Nelson Kraemer, Thad M. Ide
  • Publication number: 20190290201
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for monitoring a physiological parameter of players engaged in a sporting activity. The system includes a plurality of reporting units, a controller, and a signaling device. The reporting unit has an arrangement of sensing devices that measure the physiological parameter of an individual player and generate parameter data. The controller receives the parameter data transmitted from each reporting unit and then processes the parameter data to calculate a parameter result. When the parameter result exceeds a predetermined value, the controller communicates with a signaling device that provides an alert to sideline personnel to monitor the player(s) in question. The system also includes a remote storage device for holding historical data collected by the system which permits subsequent analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Richard M. Greenwald, Jeffrey J. Chu, Joseph J. Crisco, Thad M. Ide
  • Publication number: 20190254378
    Abstract: A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the connector upon an impact to the faceguard. In general terms, when a substantially on-center impact to the faceguard occurs, the faceguard is displaced towards the shell and the connector bracket flexes outward relative to the helmet shell to help dissipate impact energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Patent number: 10292650
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for monitoring a physiological parameter of players engaged in a sporting activity. The system includes a plurality of reporting units, a controller, and a signaling device. The reporting unit has an arrangement of sensing devices that measure the physiological parameter of an individual player and generate parameter data. The controller receives the parameter data transmitted from each reporting unit and then processes the parameter data to calculate a parameter result. When the parameter result exceeds a predetermined value, the controller communicates with a signaling device that provides an alert to sideline personnel to monitor the player(s) in question. The system also includes a remote storage device for holding historical data collected by the system which permits subsequent analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Greenwald, Jeffrey J. Chu, Joseph J. Crisco, III, Thad M. Ide
  • Patent number: 10271605
    Abstract: A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The sports helmet can be configured as a football helmet to be worn by a player and where the lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the connector upon an impact to the faceguard. The football helmet has a unique collection of helmet shell features that include an arrangement of a raised central band, lateral ridges, frontal vent openings and rear vent openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Publication number: 20190098954
    Abstract: A football helmet includes a plastic shell with side regions having an ear flap with a face guard connector, an ear opening, a slot, and a snap connector. The helmet also includes an internal padding assembly removably connected to the plastic shell and including a jaw pad with a force attenuating layer. When the helmet is worn, a front edge of the jaw pad is positioned both in front of a coronal plane and below a basic plane of a head of the helmet wearer. A chin strap assembly releasably secures the helmet to the wearer and includes a lower flexible strap extending outwardly from each side of a central protective member. When the helmet is worn, an extent of the lower flexible strap is received by the slot when said strap is affixed to the snap connector. The shell also includes a raised central band integrally formed as part of the shell and extending across the crown region to the rear region. An arrangement of elongated vent openings flank the raised central band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Thad M. IDE, Ralph J. INFUSINO, Nelson KRAEMER, Christopher R.P. WITHNALL, Timothy D. BAYNE
  • Patent number: 10143257
    Abstract: A football helmet includes a plastic shell with side regions having an ear flap with a face guard connector, an ear opening, a slot, and a snap connector. The helmet also includes an internal padding assembly removably connected to the plastic shell and including a jaw pad with a force attenuating layer. When the helmet is worn, a front edge of the jaw pad is positioned both in front of a coronal plane and below a basic plane of a head of the helmet wearer. A chin strap assembly releasably secures the helmet to the wearer and includes a lower flexible strap extending outwardly from each side of a central protective member. When the helmet is worn, an extent of the lower flexible strap is received by the slot when said strap is affixed to the snap connector. The shell also includes a raised central band integrally formed as part of the shell and extending across the crown region to the rear region. An arrangement of elongated vent openings flank the raised central band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Thad M. Ide, Ralph J. Infusino, Nelson Kraemer, Christopher R. P. Withnall, Timothy D. Bayne
  • Patent number: 10136692
    Abstract: The present invention provides a protective sports helmet for a wearer engaged in a contact sport, such as football. The helmet includes a shell having a front region, a rear region, two side regions, and an ear flap depending from a side region. A jaw flap extends forwardly from each ear flap, wherein the jaw flap overlies an extent of a mandible of the wearer. The shell also includes a raised central band that extends from the front region across the crown to the rear region. The central band has lower side portions that extend from the rear region towards the side region of the shell and terminate proximate an ear opening in the shell. The central band has a width defined by a pair of opposed sidewalls that extend transversely from an outer surface of the shell. The shell also includes a first plurality of vent openings aligned along a first side of the raised central band and a second plurality of vent openings aligned along a second side of the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Thad M. Ide, Ralph J. Infusino, Nelson Kraemer, Christopher R. P. Withnall, Timothy D. Bayne
  • Publication number: 20180295923
    Abstract: A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The sports helmet can be configured as a football helmet to be worn by a player and where the lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the connector upon an impact to the faceguard. The football helmet has a unique collection of helmet shell features that include an arrangement of a raised central band, lateral ridges, frontal vent openings and rear vent openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Publication number: 20180049506
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved sports helmet including a quick release connector assembly for the faceguard that allows for rapid disconnection of the faceguard from the helmet shell. The connector includes a bracket, and a coupler mechanism featuring an elongated pin, a head component, a spring, a retractable engaging element and a washer. The connector assembly is moveable between a use position, wherein the faceguard is secured to the shell by the bracket and the coupler mechanism, and a released position wherein the bracket and the faceguard are disconnected from the shell. An inwardly directed actuation force that lacks a rotational component is applied to the elongated pin to move from the use position to the released position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Thad M. Ide, Nelson Kraemer, Ralph J. Infusino, Vittorio Bologna
  • Patent number: D838922
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Patent number: D856600
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Withnall, Michael Wonnacott, Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide, Ralph Infusino, Nelson Kraemer
  • Patent number: D856601
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Thad M. Ide