HELMET

Abstract

A helmet for protecting an athlete from concussion or laceration during sporting activities is disclosed. The helmet is constructed of an outer shell and an inner cushion. The outer shell and inner cushion each have curvature relief cutouts to allow the helmet to be compressed to securely fit on the athlete's head. In addition, the outer shell and the inner cushion each have a front section and a rear section, the rear section defining an open section that allows the athlete a range of motion without interference by the helmet.

Description

BACKGROUND

(1) Technical Field

The disclosed method and apparatus relate generally to the field of head protection and more particularly to a protective helmet for use during sporting activities for absorbing shock to the cranium and preventing lacerations to the scalp.

(2) Background

Several sports activities subject involved athletes to a risk of head trauma due to concussive forces that can be sustained by the athlete. These sports include, but are not limited to surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc. Unlike other sports in which relatively large and bulky head gear can be worn, sports like surfing would benefit from a protective headgear that is less cumbersome and that is relatively light weight. For example, a helmet for surfing should allow the person wearing the helmet to have a relatively wide range of motion, while still protecting the wearer from trauma that might result from blows to the head by sharp contact with the surfboard on which the surfer is riding, with surfboards that other surfers in the area are riding or with the ocean floor, and in particular rocks, reefs and other potentially sharp and dangerous objects on the ocean floor. With surfing in particular, there is a risk that the relatively sharp fin of a surfboard may collide with the head of a surfer causing server lacerations to the scalp.

Similarly, in skateboarding, skateboarders encounter concussive blows to the head upon falling from their skateboard and having their head come into sharp contact with pavement, skate rink surfaces, the skateboard and other objects that might be encountered, such as trees, fences, rocks, cars. In protecting an athlete, in addition to absorbing the concussive force, cushioning the athlete's head and protecting the athlete's scalp from lacerations, it is useful to control the rotational motion of the headgear.

Unfortunately, most of the headgear that is current available either fails to provide sufficient protection for these sports, or is uncomfortable to wear, deterring athletes from using such protective gear, especially in light of the nature of the sportsmen that engage in such sports and the history of the sport (i.e., the fact that headgear is not common in such sports, despite the risk of injury).

Therefore, there is currently a need for a flexible, comfortable and protective headgear that would be acceptable to athletes engaged in sports such as surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding and skiing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed method and apparatus, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict examples of some embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the disclosed method and apparatus. They should not be considered to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the claimed invention. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the presently disclosed headgear.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the outer shell, which essentially conforms to the shape of the inner cushion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an outer shell with an inner cushion installed therein.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the helmet with an outer garment over the helmet.

The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the disclosed method and apparatus can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the invention should be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the presently disclosed headgear 100. The headgear 100 comprises an outer shell 102 and an inner cushion 104 cradled within the outer shell 102. The outer shell 102 essentially conforms to the inner cushion 104.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner cushion 104. FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the inner cushion 104. FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the inner cushion 104. FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the inner cushion 104.

The inner cushion 104 comprises a front section 106 and a rear section 108 and defines an inner cavity 110 into which an athlete can place his head. The rear section 108 protrudes from the front section 106. While the rear section 108 appears similar to sun visors at the front of conventional headgear, the rear section 106 is formed to provide protection to the rear portion of an athlete's skull, while allowing for an open section 402 (best seen in FIG. 5) below the rear section 108 to accommodate the athlete's neck. The open section 402 allows a degree of flexibility for the athlete's head is inside the inner cavity 110 and the athlete is engaged in playing a sport. In particular, the open section 402 makes is possible for the athlete's head to rotate backward (i.e., pick the athlete's chin up) without being restricted by the perimeter of the shell 102 to which the inner cushion 104 conforms. The relative shape of the open section 402 and the rear section 108 can vary to provide an optimal shape to allow for the type of movement that is particularly prevalent in the sport for which the helmet is designed. Accordingly, helmets may be particular designed for different sports to provide greater coverage of the skull at the expense of restricting the freedom of motion of the athlete's head and neck.

In some embodiments, the inner cushion 104 is a “foam” produced using an auxetic polyurethane foam, but may also be fabricated from other polymers, etc., either layered in panels of various thickness or formed as a unitary construct. Auxetics are structures or materials that have a negative Poisson's ratio. Poisson's ratio v (nu) is a measure of the Poisson effect. Poisson effect is an expansion or contraction of a material in directions perpendicular to the direction of loading. The value of Poisson's ratio is the negative of the ratio of transverse strain to axial strain. For small values of these changes, v is the amount of transversal expansion divided by the amount of axial compression. Most materials have Poisson's ratio values ranging between 0.0 and 0.5. When stretched, they become thicker perpendicular to the applied force. This occurs due to their particular internal structure and the way this deforms when the sample is uniaxially loaded. Auxetics can be single molecules, crystals, or a particular structure of macroscopic matter. Such materials and structures are expected to have mechanical properties such as high energy absorption and fracture resistance. The inner cushion 104 provides a cushion to absorb and disperse impact. The inner cushion 104 can be glued by an appropriate adhesive directly to the inside of the outer shell 102.

A plurality of side panel curvature relief cutouts 112 allows for expansion and contraction of the inner cavity 110 formed by the inner cushion 104. In particular, the inner cavity 110 expands when by being fitted over the user's head. In some embodiments, the inner cavity 110 then contracts under tension created by an elastic “cap” placed over the headgear 100.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the outer shell 102, which essentially has the same general shape as the inner cushion 104 to allow the inner cushion 104 to fit within the outer shell 102. Accordingly, front, side and rear plan views of the outer shell 102 are not provided, as they are essentially redundant with the views of the inner cushion 104 (although slightly smaller to fit within the outer shell 102. The outer shell 102 is made of polycarbonate or other plastic material.

A rear section 608 of the outer shell 102 provides a flexible “plate” that allow the athlete's head to move flexibly fore and aft, while maintaining a tight fit on the athlete's head. The outer shell 102 has curvature relief cutouts 606 similar to the curvature relief cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 104. The cutouts 606 in the outer shell 102 align with the cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 112 when the inner cushion 102 is inserted into the outer shell 102. This configuration of cutouts 112, 606 combined with the edges 602 of the outer shell 102 around the slide flaps 604 of the outer shell 102 keep the helmet 100 secure and reduce rotational slip on the athlete's head.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the helmet 100. The interior 702 of the right side of the inner cushion 104 is visible, as are two of the curvature relief cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 104. The cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 104 align with similar curvature relief cutouts 606 (not seen in FIG. 7) in the outer shell 102. The thickness of the inner cushion 104 is greater in the rear section 108 than in the front section 106. The outer shell 102 has essentially a uniform thickness through the shell 102. It is emphasized here that the figures are not drawn to scale.

In some embodiments, the helmet 100 is held in place upon the athlete's head by an adjustable hat, such as a baseball or sport cap having an elastic band or other adjustment in the rear of the cap, as is common on most sports caps. The helmet can also be placed under a stretch type outer garment, such as an adjustable hat, knit cap, rayon or nylon “do-rag”, neoprene rubber wetsuit hood or other covering. In some embodiments, the garment incorporates a chin strap to keep it secure on the user's head. Alternatively, the helmet 100 and outer garment remain on the athlete's head by pressure exerted on the outer shell 102 by the outer garment.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the helmet 100 with an outer garment 802 over the helmet 100.

The relief cutouts 606 are cut or molded into the solid plastic material of the outer shell 102 of the helmet 100 to allow the solid helmet 100 to conform to heads of different sizes without the use of “plates” or separate individual sections that are held together by cloth sections that are sewn together. This provides a better fit and better protective coverage in critical areas of the athlete's head. The rear section 108, 608 of the outer shell 102 and the inner cushion 104 are flexible, allowing pressure applied to the outer shell 102 by the outer garment to compress the inner cushion 104 against the athlete's head. Using the pressure of the outer garment 802 to keep the helmet 100 in place and reduce the rotational, and forward and aft shifting of the helmet 100 when impacted. The slightly thicker foam of the rear section 108 also helps keep the helmet 100 snug against the athlete's head. The use of a compressive outer garment 802 with the configuration having curvature relief cutouts 112, 606 reduces the need to add inner foam pieces or “wedges”, as is required inside some hard shell, non-flexible helmets in order to ensure a tight fit on the head. The design also reduces the need for the helmet itself to be fitted with any elastic material to keep it in place, since the helmet 100 is held in place by the outer garment stretching over the outer shell 102.

In some embodiments, the inner cushion 104 is adhered to the outer shell 102. By adhering the inner cushion to the outer shell 102 using an appropriate adhesive rather than sowing pieces together, the cost of manufacturing is reduced and allowing better integration of the inner cushion.

The design of the helmet provides a low profile form fitting headgear that conforms to the skull with the protection against concussive and lacerating blows concentrated on critical areas of head along with reducing rotation of the helmet on the head.

Although the disclosed method and apparatus is described above in terms of various examples of embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the particular features, aspects and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they are described. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claimed invention should not be limited by any of the examples provided in describing the above disclosed embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide examples of instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.

A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the disclosed method and apparatus may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in a single package or separately maintained and can further be distributed in multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described with the aid of block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.

Claims

1. A helmet to be worn during sports comprising:

a) a unitary inner cushion having: 1) a front section having a first thickness; 2) a rear section having a second thickness greater than the first section; 3) an open section that distinguishes the rear section of the inner cushion from the front section of the inner cushion; and 4) at least one curvature relief cutout distributed around the front section of the inner cushion; and

b) a unitary outer shell into which the inner cushion can be inserted, the outer shell having: 1) a front section; 2) a rear section; 3) an open section; and 4) at least one curvature relief cutout distributed around the front section of the outer shell.