PROTECTIVE HELMET

Abstract

A protective helmet. The protective helmet includes an outer layer and an inner layer, each formed of a hard material. The outer layer and the inner layer each further include a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface. A flexible connector connects the concave interior surface of the outer layer to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer. The flexible connector is configured to allow the outer layer to laterally shift relative to the inner layer upon impact to the protective helmet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to all types of helmets and, more particularly, to a helmet that protects a wearer from concussions.

Head trauma resulting from sports and other activities is a common occurrence. Generally, head trauma occurs when an object impacts the head, thereby transferring energy to the head. The most common head trauma resulting from sports is a concussion, which occurs when the brain bangs inside the skull and is bruised. To reduce the incidence of skull fracture and concussion, it is common practice to wear a protective helmet. Protective helmets are ostensibly designed to deflect and absorb energy transmitted by impact to the helmet, thereby diminishing the risk of head fracture and brain injury resulting from the impact.

Protective athletic helmets have been worn for almost a century, and have evolved from sewn leather, to helmets having molded plastic outer shells with suspension webbing or other head fitting structures such as foam pads, air bladders, or padded molding on their interior. Despite the evolution of the protective helmets, the reported rate of concussions has been increasing amongst students and professional athletes in many sports and other actives. While some experts have attributed this increase to better reporting and diagnosis, other experts have attributed the increase to increased forces generated as competitive athletes continue to increase in size (mass) and increase their ability to accelerate.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved helmet that reduces the risk of concussions due to impact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a protective helmet comprises: an outer layer and an inner layer each formed of a hard material and each comprising a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface; at least one flexible connector connecting the concave interior surface of the outer layer to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, wherein the at least one flexible connector is configured to allow the outer layer to laterally shift relative to the inner layer upon impact to the protective helmet.

In another aspect of the present invention, a protective helmet comprises: an outer layer and an inner layer each formed of a hard material and each comprising a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface; at least one flexible connector connecting the concave interior surface of the outer layer to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, a receptacle coupled to one of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer; and a protrusion coupled to the other of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, wherein the at least one flexible connector is configured to allow the outer layer to laterally shift relative to the inner layer upon impact to the protective helmet, and the protrusion is disposed within the receptacle, and laterally shifts within the receptacle upon the impact to the protective helmet.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of helmet layers of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a section view of the present invention, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detail section view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating movement of a ball within a bowl; and

FIG. 6 is a detail section view of the present invention, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5 illustrating movement of a ball within a bowl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention includes a helmet that reduces impact forces to a user's head. The present invention may further prevent concussions from happening. In certain embodiments, the present invention includes an inner and outer shell. The shells are mounted together by spring loads or shock mounts. The present invention further includes an incline plain bowl-shaped receptacle disposed in between the shells and a rounded protrusion disposed within the incline plain bowl-shaped receptacle. The components of the present invention covert energy exerted on the outer helmet into a push/pull energy between the shells, thereby dissipating the energy before it reaches the inner shell and the users head. Further, the incline plain of the bowl allows for a deceleration of the impact, with tension between the inner and outer shells. The space between the two shells can be filled with additional padding for added protection to the user.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention includes a protective helmet having an outer layer 10 and an inner layer 16 each formed of a hard material. The outer layer 10 and the inner layer 16 each further include a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface. Air vents 28 may be formed through the outer layer 10 and the inner layer 16. A flexible connector 18 connects the concave interior surface of the outer layer 10 to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer. 16. The flexible connector 18 is configured to allow the outer layer 10 to laterally shift relative to the inner layer 16 upon impact to the protective helmet.

The present invention may further include a receptacle 22 and a protrusion 26. The receptacle 22 and the protrusion 26 may secured to a central portion of the helmet. The receptacle 22 may include a bottom side and a top side. The bottom side is coupled to one of the concave interior surface of the outer layer 10 and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer 16. As illustrated in the Figures, the bottom side may be coupled to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer 16 by rivets 24 or other fasteners. The top side of the receptacle 22 includes an inner surface that forms the receptacle. The inner surface includes an incline plain running from a central axis to an upper edge. For example, the inner surface may be bowl-shape, concave shape, conical shape, frusto-conical shape and the like. The protrusion 26 is coupled to the other of the concave interior surface of the outer layer 10 and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer 16. As illustrated in the Figures, the protrusion 26 may be coupled to the concave interior surface of the outer layer 10. An outer surface of the protrusion 26 may be a mirror image of the inner surface of the of the receptacle 22. For example, the outer surface of the protrusion 26 may be rounded, ball shaped, wedge shaped, a conical shape, a frusto-conical shape and the like. The flexible connector 18 may bias the protrusion 26 to rest within the central axis of the receptacle 22.

When a force is exerted on the protective outer shell due to impact, the flexible connector 18 deforms and the outer layer 10 laterally shifts relative to the inner layer 16. Due to the shifting between layers 10, 16, the protrusion 26 shifts within the bowl-shaped receptacle 22 and travels up the incline plane, which dissipates energy as the layers 10, 16 are pushed away from one another. After the impact, the flexible connector 18 recovers and the protrusion 26 shifts back to the central axis of the receptacle 22.

The flexible connector 18 may include a plurality of flexible pegs connecting the outer layer 10 to the inner layer 16. The plurality of flexible pegs may be evenly spaced apart about the perimeter of the outer layer 10 and the inner layer 16. A gap 12 may be formed between the outer layer 10 and the inner layer 16 due to the flexible pegs 18 separating the outer layer 10 from the inner layer 16. The flexible pegs 18 may include a rubber elasticity. For example, the flexible pegs 18 may be formed of a dense rubber.

The protective helmet may further include additional padding. For example, the present invention may include a plurality of compression mounts 20 secured to one of the concave interior surface of the outer layer 10 and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer 16. The compression mounts 20 may also be made of a material having rubber elasticity and may absorb additional force from the impact.

The present invention may further include an intermediary layer 14 formed of a foam padding material. The intermediary layer 14 is disposed in between the outer layer 10 and the inner layer 16. For example, the intermediary layer 14 may be adhered to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer 16. The intermediary layer 14 may be made of foam. The foam may be an elastomeric, cellular (including microcellular) foam or any other desirable foam. The intermediary layer 14 may be made of a soft resilient thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) (i.e., having a Shore hardness considerably below the Shore hardness of the hard material). In another embodiment, the intermediary layer 14 is made of open-cell polyurethane. In another embodiment, intermediary layer 14 is made of closed cell polyolefin foam. In another embodiment, the intermediary layer 14 is made of polyethylene foam which may be a high or low density polyethylene foam.

In certain embodiments, the present invention may include a plurality of cushioning pads 30 attached to the concave interior surface of the inner layer 16. The cushioning pads 30 may be made of foam. The foam may be an elastomeric, cellular (including microcellular) foam or any other desirable foam. In another embodiment, the cushioning pads 30 are made of a soft resilient thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). In another embodiment, cushioning pads 30 are made of an open-cell polyurethane. In another embodiment, the cushioning pads 30 are made of a closed cell polyolefin foam. In another embodiment, the cushioning pads 30 are made of a polyethylene foam which may be a high or low density polyethylene foam.

The hard material is considerably harder than the flexible connectors 18, the intermediary layer 14 and the cushioning pads 30. In one embodiment, the hard layers 10, 16 are made of a polycarbonate shell. In another embodiment, the hard layers 10, 16 are made of a different hard plastic such a polypropylene. In another embodiment, the hard layers 10, 16 are made of ABS resin. In another embodiment, the hard layers 10, 16 are made of carbon fiber or fiberglass. In another embodiment, the hard layers 10, 16 are made of a polypropylene which is considerably harder than the materials intermediary layer 14 and the flexible connectors 18. Generally, the hardness of the hard layers 10, 16 structure may be characterized by a hardness on the Shore D Durometer scale (typically Shore D 75 and over).

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A protective helmet comprising:

an outer layer and an inner layer each formed of a hard material and each comprising a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface; and

at least one flexible connector connecting the concave interior surface of the outer layer to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, wherein

the at least one flexible connector is configured to allow the outer layer to laterally shift relative to the inner layer upon impact to the protective helmet.

2. The protective helmet of claim 1, further comprising:

a receptacle coupled to one of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer; and

a protrusion coupled to the other of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, wherein

the protrusion is disposed within the bowl-shaped receptacle, and laterally shifts within the bowl-shaped receptacle upon the impact to the protective helmet.

3. The protective helmet of claim 2, wherein the receptacle is coupled to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer and the protrusion is coupled to the concave interior surface of the outer layer.

4. The protective helmet of claim 2, wherein the receptacle comprises a bowl-shape and the protrusion is rounded.

5. The protective helmet of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible connectors comprises a plurality of flexible pegs connecting the outer layer to the inner layer, wherein a gap is formed between the outer layer and the inner layer.

6. The protective helmet of claim 1, further comprising an intermediary layer formed of a foam padding material, the intermediary layer disposed in between the outer layer and the inner layer.

7. The protective helmet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of foam pads attached to the concave interior surface of the inner layer.

8. A protective helmet comprising:

an outer layer and an inner layer each formed of a hard material and each comprising a concave interior surface and a convex exterior surface;

at least one flexible connector connecting the concave interior surface of the outer layer to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer,

a receptacle coupled to one of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer; and

a protrusion coupled to the other of the concave interior surface of the outer layer and the convex exterior surface of the inner layer, wherein

the at least one flexible connector is configured to allow the outer layer to laterally shift relative to the inner layer upon impact to the protective helmet, and

the protrusion is disposed within the receptacle, and laterally shifts within the receptacle upon the impact to the protective helmet.

9. The protective helmet of claim 7, wherein the receptacle is coupled to the convex exterior surface of the inner layer and the protrusion is coupled to the concave interior surface of the outer layer.

10. The protective helmet of claim 7, wherein the receptacle comprises a bowl-shape and the protrusion is rounded.

11. The protective helmet of claim 7, wherein the at least one flexible connectors comprises a plurality of flexible pegs connecting the outer layer to the inner layer, wherein a gap is formed between the outer layer and the inner layer.

12. The protective helmet of claim 7, further comprising an intermediary layer formed of a foam padding material, the intermediary layer disposed in between the outer layer and the inner layer.