Helmet liner with improved, seam-position-enhanced, rear-sector load management

Abstract

A cushioning and head-protecting liner insert for the inside of the shell in a helmet includes fore and aft cushioning elements each formed of an expanse of a non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive, viscoelastic material, with each element possessing, throughout, a uniform thickness which is the same as that possessed by the other element, and with the two elements having edges which are disposed edge-to-edge, but slightly spaced, adjacent one another along a single, continuous, arcuate, reverse-bend line which sweeps from one lateral side of the rear of the insert, at a location spaced laterally from the insert's fore-and-aft extending, laterally central plane, through and over the crown of the insert, to a mirror-image, spaced location on the opposite lateral side of the rear of the insert.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/195,459 for Helmet Liner with Improved, Seam-Position-Enhanced, Rear-Sector Load Management, filed Oct. 6, 2008, from which this Application claims priority. The full contents of that Application are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a specially constructed load-cushioning and head-protecting liner insert, or liner, for use inside the shell of a helmet, such as the shell of a military helmet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A number of styles and configurations of helmet liners are known. The simplest form is the closed-cell foam used on the inside surface of motorcycle and bicycle helmets. While suitable for the intended use, such shock absorbing material is insufficient to protect a wearer against the shock wave from explosive devices, such as encountered in military-style helmets.

One form of military-style helmet liner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,005 B2, for Multi-Layer, Personnel-Protective Helmet Shell with Spray-Fabricated Inner and Outer Structural Layers, granted Oct. 12, 2004, to Dennis et al., which describes a spray-on foam liner having deform characteristics superior to those of conventional closed-cell foam. Another form of helmet liner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,066 B2, for Stretchable, Size-Adaptable Fabric Helmet Insert with Shock-Absorbing Structure, granted Nov. 15, 2005, which shows movable pads located inside of a helmet. Another variation is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,505 B2, for Helmet Cushioning Pad With Variable, Motion-Reactive Applied-Load Response, and Associated Methodology, granted Nov. 27, 2008, which shows an improved form of pad cushioning.

Although the movable pad systems provide superior shock cushioning to conventional closed-cell foam, the pads may slip during use. What is desired is to provide a liner system which incorporates the superior cushioning features of the adjustable pad systems and which yet provides a comfortable, one-piece liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A cushioning and head-protecting liner insert for the inside of the shell in a helmet includes fore and aft cushioning elements each formed of an expanse of a non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive, viscoelastic material, with each element possessing, throughout, a uniform thickness which is the same as that possessed by the other element, and with the two elements having edges which are disposed edge-to-edge, but slightly spaced, adjacent one another along a single, continuous, arcuate, reverse-bend line which sweeps from one lateral side of the rear of the insert, at a location spaced laterally from the insert's fore-and-aft extending, laterally central plane, through and over the crown of the insert, to a mirror-image, spaced location on the opposite lateral side of the rear of the insert.

This summary and objectives of the invention are provided to enable quick comprehension of the nature of the invention. A more thorough understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the liner of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevations of the liner, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the liner, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section through the liner, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The particular embodiment of the invention which is disclosed herein has been designed with an overall configuration intended for fitting generally within the shell of various makes of military helmets, though it should be understood, of course, that the liner insert of this invention may be specifically configured to fit within various kinds and makes of helmet shells. Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, the helmet liner insert of this invention, shown generally at 10, also referred to herein as a cushioning and head protecting liner insert for the inside of a shell in a helmet, includes, three main components. Centrally located in helmet insert 10, as one of these three components, is a two-piece load-cushioning structure 12. This structure is made up of fore-and-aft cushioning elements, 14, 16, respectively.

Additionally included in liner insert 10 of the invention, as second and third components, are, respectively, (a) an outer covering 18, e.g., over the outer surfaces of the cushioning elements, formed of a hook-and-pile-compatible fabric expanse, and (b) an inner covering 20, which is an expanse of a moisture-wicking fabric extending over the inner surfaces of the cushioning elements. Coverings 18, 20 are each formed of a single piece of fabric. With respect to these two fabric expanses, they are united, at least in part, by stitching along a continuous seam line, e.g., reverse-bend the seam line L, which follows the line of contact adjacency respecting the two cushioning elements, and which is symmetrical about a central plane P of helmet liner 10. The stitching along line L, shown at 24 in the drawings, passes between the two cushioning elements, effectively separating these elements, as shown in FIG. 4. A short, lateral seam line 22 may be provided to fix coverings 18, 20 to fore cushioning element 14, the stitching therein passing through the material of fore cushioning element 14. Another seam line of stitching, a short fore seam line 23, seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, may be provided to unite coverings 18, 20, and passes through cushioning element 14.

Cushioning elements 14, 16, each takes the form of a somewhat sheet-like expanse of a non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive, viscoelastic material. While different specific materials may be used to create these two cushioning elements, two preferred and very suitable materials usable for this purpose are sheet-like products made by EAR Specialty Composites in Indianapolis, Ind., known in the trade as Confor foam CF-40 and Confor foam CF-42. In a given liner insert, only one of these materials is used. In other words, a given insert preferably does not “blend” two, different load-cushioning materials.

Importantly, these two cushioning elements in a particular insert possess a common, uniform thickness (an important feature), which is preferably one of ¼-inches, ⅜-inches, ½-inches, and ⅝-inches. As another important feature, the two elements are disposed edge-to-edge adjacent one another, but slightly spaced, e.g., spaced by a distance less than the thickness of the aforementioned uniform thickness, in order to accommodate stitching 24 in stitched seam line L, along a single, continuous, arcuate, reverse-bend line L which sweeps from one lateral side of the rear of the insert, at a location spaced outwardly of the insert's fore-and-aft extending, laterally central plane P, through and over the crown of the insert, to a mirror-image, spaced location disposed on the opposite lateral side of the rear of the insert. Line L is also referred to herein as a seam line, and as a line of edge-to-edge adjacency.

With respect to this cushioning-element arrangement, and in relation to the insert region which extends rearwardly from its crown, it has been found to be important that the line of edge-to-edge adjacency existing between the two cushioning elements not lie along a line which lies within plane P.

Thus, and with respect to the cushioning elements, two key features are: (1) that they be characterized by the mentioned, common, uniform thickness; and (2) that, possessing the respective shapes pictured in the drawings, they not meet one another along a line containing the plane P which passes in a fore-and-aft manner through the lateral center of the insert.

Thus, a helmet liner for a head-protecting helmet, having improved, seam-position-enhanced, rear-sector load management has been disclosed. It will be appreciated that further variations and modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cushioning and head-protecting liner insert for the inside of the shell in a helmet comprising:

fore and aft cushioning elements each formed of an expanse of a non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive, viscoelastic material, with each element possessing, throughout, a uniform thickness which is the same as that possessed by the other element, and with the two elements having edges which are disposed edge-to-edge, but slightly spaced, adjacent one another along a single, continuous, arcuate, reverse-bend line which sweeps from one lateral side of the rear of the insert, at a location spaced laterally from the insert's fore-and-aft extending, laterally central plane, through and over the crown of the insert, to a mirror-image, spaced location on the opposite lateral side of the rear of the insert.

2. The liner insert of claim 1 wherein the uniform thickness is one of ¼-inches, ⅜-inches, ½-inches, and ⅝-inches.

3. The liner insert of claim 2 wherein the two elements having edges which are disposed edge-to-edge, but slightly spaced, adjacent one another are spaced apart by a distance less than that of said uniform thickness.

4. The liner insert of claim 1 which further includes, extending co-extensively over the outer surfaces of the two cushioning elements, a hook-and-pile-compatible fabric.

5. The liner insert of claim 4 which further includes an expanse of moisture-wicking fabric which extends co-extensively over the inner surfaces of the two cushioning elements.

6. The liner insert of claim 5 which further includes a continuous, arcuate, reverse-bend line of stitching which follows the mentioned reverse-bend line of adjacency associated with the cushioning elements, and which unites the two, mentioned fabric expanses.

7. A load-cushioning liner insert for a helmet comprising:

fore and aft, non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive, viscoelastic cushioning elements edge-juxtaposed, and slightly edge-spaced, along an arcuate, reverse-bend line which sweeps from one laterally centrally offset location disposed adjacent the rear of the insert, thence forwardly over the crown of the insert, and thence rearwardly to another laterally centrally offset location disposed adjacent the rear of the insert on the opposite side of the insert's lateral center relative to the first-mentioned offset location.

8. The liner insert of claim 7 wherein the cushioning elements are of uniform thickness.

9. The liner insert of claim 8 wherein the uniform thickness is one of ¼-inches, ⅜-inches, ½-inches, and ⅝-inches.

10. The liner insert of claim 8 wherein the two elements having edges which are disposed edge-to-edge, but slightly spaced, adjacent one another are spaced apart by a distance less than that of said uniform thickness.

11. The liner insert of claim 7 which further includes, extending co-extensively over the outer surfaces of the two cushioning elements, a single piece of hook-and-pile-compatible fabric.

12. The liner insert of claim 7 which further includes an expanse of moisture-wicking fabric which extends co-extensively over the inner surfaces of the two cushioning elements, wherein said expanse of moisture-wicking fabric is form of a single piece of fabric.