IMPACT ISOLATION SPORTS HELMET

Abstract

An improved sports helmet construction with a spaced two-part rigid outer impact shell configuration, each having an independent shock absorbing elastomeric support layer. Each impact outer helmet shell half isolates vector induced force impacts occurring during sports play while maintaining a head padding supportive contiguous inner shell about the player's head. A resilient gasket joins the independent outer shells along a continuous center helmet line maintaining force dependent isolation alignment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to head protection and specifically to improved sports helmets having an impact force isolation outer shell providing improved impact protection.

The potential for a head injury while participating in a sports activity is dependent on the type and nature of the sport and the skill of the player. Head gear capable of withstanding repeated impacts without injury to the individual is critical, especially in high repetitive impact sports such as football. In an effort to reduce head injuries, various protection groups have been established for evaluating the safety of helmets and related accessories. Most notable is the nonprofit group National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment NOCSAE. The members of NOCSAE include the American College Health Association, American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, Athletic Equipment Managers Association, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association, National Athletic Trainers Association, National High School Athletic Coaches Association, Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and the College Football Association. NOCSAE was formed in 1969 in response to the need for a performance test standard for football helmets. Since then standards have been developed for football, baseball, softball, lacrosse with additional standards for other equipment currently being evaluated.

Accordingly, a helmet is needed that provides superior comfort, padding and weight advantages for the user while simultaneously offering a more yielding external surface for contact with opposing objects. This external surface will, in itself, define an energy absorption and yet will offer a proportional softer imparted impact, hence all of the players are protected from injury impacts through their use of such designed equipment.

2. Description of Prior Art

Prior art helmets have been designed to provide the maximum protection while maintaining size and weight standards. Such helmet constructions can be seen in prior art U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,820,163, 4,404,690, 4,903,346, 5,493,736 and 6,226,801.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,163 is directed to a football helmet having a sectional liner of energy absorbing material that conforms to the shape of the outer shell.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,690 illustrates a hockey helmet having a multiple part construction wherein an internal top portion is attached to depending front, opposite opposing sides and a rear portion forming a head encompassing helmet construction.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,346 claims a multi-part protective helmet with a split inner shell liner with a one-piece outer shell positioned thereover forming a closure for the inner shell.

A sports helmet protection device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,736 having a modified structure with an inner cap attached to an inner shell in spaced relation thereto. Additionally, upright post extend from accompanying shoulder pads for engagement with a helmet collar extension forming a unitized multi-part helmet and pad configuration.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,801 is directed to a football helmet having a removable inflatable protective liner formed on multiple inflatable cells in construction in communication with one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sports helmet that provides for enhanced protection by force impact isolation with the outer helmet shell. A pair of identical helmet shells are resiliently joined together by a continuous central gasket fitting and a perimeter resilient edge piping. Respective independent shock absorbing isolation layers are bonded between each outer shell to an inner continuous support shell from which multiple helmet pads and linings are so positioned.

The energy absorbing properties of the helmet provide protection to the wearer and further operate to reduce the impact ability of the helmet when contacting another object. In this manner, the helmet provides a level of protection by isolating and absorbing a portion of the shock, lessening the force and reducing the opportunity for significant impact damage to the player's head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective front, side and top view of the helmet of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the outer helmet shell, joining gasket and energy absorbing support layer and inner shell.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the helmet of the invention with portions broken away for illustration.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective front, top and side view of the helmet of the invention illustrating the primary components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a sports helmet 10 can be seen having a two-part outer shell 11A and 11B defining an exterior contour of the helmet shown in this example chosen for illustration. Each of the outer shells 11A and 11B define the respective right and left half of an outer helmet each with contoured top surface 12, integral continuous contoured depending side surfaces 13 and corresponding rear surface 14. Each of the outer shell portions has an adjoining edge 15A and 15B that when so aligned in spaced registration with one another will define the exterior helmet contour as hereinbefore described.

The outer shells 11A and 11B are secured indirectly to a continuous contiguous interior helmet support shell 16, best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The inner helmet support shell 16 provides for interior pad assembly 17 support as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The outer surface shells 11A and 11B are bonded to the inner helmet shell 16's surface 16A by corresponding layers of elastomeric gel synthetic resin material 18A and 18B, in this example, which isolates and localizes impact force, indicated generally by force arrows IF, imparted thereto thus diminishing the overall severity of the impact.

The respective outer shells 11A and 11B, aligning edges 15A and 15B are registerably engaged to a centralized resilient foam helmet strip 19, best seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings. The helmet strip 19 is of a cross-sectionally rectangular configuration with oppositely disposed spaced parallel top and bottom surfaces 20 and 21 and interconnecting side surfaces 22 and 23. A helmet shell engagement channel is formed longitudinally in each of the respective side surfaces at 22A and 23A for registerable engagement by the hereinbefore described respective helmet outer shell adjoining edges 15A and 15B as best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The foam strip 19 acts as an isolation gasket between the shells 11A and 11B absorbing and isolating force impact to the respective shells during game play. As noted, multiple interior pad assemblies 17 shown generally for illustration purposes only in FIG. 1 and in broken lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings are positioned with corresponding pad support liner L, well known within the art into the interior surface of the inner shell 16. The interior pad assembly 17 provide direct contact with the player's head, not shown, as is typical in sports helmet construction and may be of any acceptable and approved arrangement and configuration applicable within the industry.

Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, the basic component parts of the improved sports helmet 10 of the invention as described are illustrated wherein the independent outer exterior surface shells 11A and 11B define a segmented independent impact energy absorption construction with each being bonded to the respective elastomeric gel synthetic resin layers 18A and 18B. The centralized shell adjoining resilient foam strip 19 is configured so as to registerably engage the respective aligned edges 15A and 15B of the shell in translateral spaced relation to one another assuring that no direct impact force will effectively transfer therebetween.

As such, the inner helmet shell 16 bonded to the corresponding elastomeric synthetic resin gel material layers 18A and 18B provides a support enabled structure for interior helmet pad assemblies 17 registerably retained therewithin. Resilient edge piping 24 is engaged around the perimeter edges of the respective outer exterior surface shells 11A and 11B, synthetic resin layers 18A and 18B, respective foam band 19 end edges, and inner shell 16 corresponding perimeter adjacent edge 16A as a unifying contiguous banding element there about.

While this invention has been described in what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it is capable of further modifications and is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment.

It will thus be seen that a new and novel improved sports helmet for reduced impact force transfer has been illustrated and described and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore I claim:

Claims

1. A helmet comprising,

a multiple segmented outer helmet shell secured indirectly to and integral inner shell,

a shock absorbing bonding layer of material between said respective outer shells and said inner shell,

an isolation alignment gasket engaged between said outer shells,

multiple helmet pads selectively secured to said inner shell defining a head engageable contour within said helmet.

2. The helmet set forth in claim 1 wherein said segmented outer shell comprises,

a first and second rigid continuous outer shell configuration.

3. The helmet set forth in claim 1 wherein said shock absorbing bonding layer of material between said respective outer shells and said inner shell comprises,

independent layers of elastomeric synthetic gel resin bonded there between.

4. The helmet set forth in claim 1 wherein said inner shell is of a continuous contiguous unified member of synthetic resin material having a contour and dimension so as to be registerable in spaced relation with said respective multiple segmented outer helmet shell.

5. The helmet set forth in claim 1 wherein said isolation alignment gasket comprises,

a band of resilient synthetic foam material having oppositely disposed outer side edge receiving channels there within.

6. The helmet set forth in claim 2 wherein said first and second rigid contoured outer shells are formed from synthetic resin composite material.

7. The helmet set forth in claim 2 wherein said first and second contoured outer shells further comprise,

identical perimeter edge contours effacing said isolation alignment gasket registerable there between.

8. The helmet set forth in claim 3 wherein said shock absorbing bonding layer of elastomeric synthetic gel resin material is of a non-uniform determined thickness.

9. The helmet set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer helmet shells, said shock absorbing body layer and said inner shells respective perimeter edges are registerable wherein a resilient edge piping there about.