HELMET FOR IMPACT ENERGY DISPLACEMENT AND/OR ABSORPTION

Abstract

A helmet includes an outer shell, an intermediate isolator shell, an intermediate damping shell and an inner shell. The helmet further includes inner padding, a plurality of shocks, a plurality of shock mounts and one or more sensors. The helmet can further include an intermediate piston shell, one or more brake pads, a landing padding, and a bottom support. The helmet is configured to provide impact energy absorption and protect a user from brain and/or head injuries. The helmet provides controlled deceleration of the brain so as to prevent or minimize damage to the brain or head of the user. The one or more sensors of the helmet enables an impact detection system to be used concurrently with the helmet. The impact detection system is configured to measure, track, store, and present data collected during each use via a mobile application.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/212,766, filed Jun. 21, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a helmet which provides impact energy absorption and protects wearers against brain or head injuries.

BACKGROUND

A brain or head injury, such as a concussion, may arise when there is an initial glancing blow to a person's head. The force from the impact may cause the person's brain to rotate inside of the skull. Concussions are caused by the brain moving, or accelerating, around the inside of the skull. Off-center blows may be more likely to cause a concussion than straight-on hits. The hit may cause the brain to swell, which may put pressure on the brain stem, which controls breathing and other basic life functions. In many situations, it may be very difficult to entirely stop motion of the brain inside the skull when a person experiences a blow to the head. Presently available helmets do not stop concussions or significantly reduce their severity. Thus, there is a need for a helmet that is capable of providing impact energy absorption to protect the wearer from brain and/or head injuries by providing controlled deceleration of the brain so as to prevent or minimize damage to the brain or head of the wearer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first example hereof, a helmet includes an outer shell, an inner shell disposed within the outer shell, and a plurality of shocks coupling the outer shell to the inner shell, wherein a first end of each shock is coupled to the outer shell and a second end of each shock is coupled to the inner shell.

In a second example, in the helmet of the first example, the helmet further comprises an intermediate isolator shell disposed within and coupled to the outer shell, wherein the inner shell is disposed within the intermediate isolator shell.

In a third example, in the helmet of the second example, the intermediate isolator shell includes a plurality of isolator shell openings disposed therethrough, wherein each shock of the plurality of shocks extends through a corresponding opening of the plurality of isolator shell openings.

In a fourth example, in the helmet of the third example, the helmet further comprises an intermediate damping shell, the intermediate damping shell disposed within the intermediate isolator shell, and the inner shell disposed within and coupled to the intermediate damping shell.

In a fifth example, in the helmet of the fourth example, the intermediate damping shell includes a plurality of damping shell openings disposed therethrough, wherein each shock of the plurality of shocks extends through a corresponding damping shell opening of the plurality of isolator shell openings.

In a sixth example, in the helmet of the fourth example, the outer shell comprises carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or other high strength to weight ratio composite materials.

In a seventh example, in the helmet of the sixth example, the intermediate isolator shell comprises a material selected from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, silicone foam, and/or elastomers with high resilience characteristics, the material having a hardness from Shore 20A to 80A.

In an eighth example, in the helmet of the seventh example, the intermediate damping shell comprises a material selected from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, silicone foam, and/or low resilience elastomers, the material having a hardness from Shore 20A to 80A.

In a ninth example, in the helmet of the eighth example, the inner shell comprises carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or any other high strength to weight ration composite materials.

In a tenth example, in the helmet of the first example, the helmet further comprises a first shock mount coupled to the first end of each shock and the outer shell and a second shock mount coupled the second end of each shock and the inner shell, the first and second shock mounts for coupling the shocks to the outer and inner shells, respectively.

In an eleventh example, in the helmet of the first example, the helmet further comprises inner padding disposed within and coupled to an interior of the inner shell.

In a twelfth example, in the helmet of the eleventh example, the inner padding has a low natural frequency below 100 Hz.

In a thirteenth example, an impact detection system comprises a helmet configured to be worn by a user, the helmet including a sensor including a data capture unit and a wireless communication processor to send information to a mobile application, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a fall by the user and/or an impact of the helmet; and a mobile application wirelessly connected to the helmet, wherein the mobile application uses the user's height, age, and weight to establish baseline concussion thresholds, wherein information regarding a fall by the user and/or impact of the helmet is wirelessly communicated to the mobile application, wherein the mobile application uses the information from received from the sensors and baseline concussion thresholds to alert the user if the baseline concussion thresholds are exceeded.

In a fourteenth example, in the impact detection system of the thirteenth example, the mobile application is configured to call an emergency number if a dangerous fall is detected based on measured parameters of the sensor, such as velocity, rate of deceleration, 3D position data and force.

In a fifteenth example, in the impact detection system of the thirteenth example, the mobile application is configured to call an emergency number if the user does not respond within a predetermined time after a fall or impact.

In a sixteenth example, in the impact detection system of the thirteenth example, the helmet further includes a GPS locator such that the mobile application can track the location of the helmet.

The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following description of embodiments hereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings may not be to scale.

FIGS. 1A-1B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of a helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 2 shows an expanded view of the helmet of FIGS. 1A-1B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the helmet of FIGS. 1A-1B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 4A shows a side view of a shock, a first shock mount and a second shock mount according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 4B shows a side view of the shock, the first shock mount and the second shock mount of FIG. 4A disposed within an outer shell of the helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the outer shell and an intermediate isolator shell of the helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective side view of an inner shell, a plurality of shocks, and a plurality of shock mounts of the helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the outer shell, the inner shell, a plurality of shocks, and a plurality of shock mounts of a helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 8 shows a close up view of a shock, a first shock mount and a second shock mount of FIG. 4A coupled within the helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 9A shows a rear view of the helmet without the outer shell according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 9B shows a front view of the helmet without the outer shell according to embodiments herein.

FIGS. 10A-10B show bottom views of the helmet of FIGS. 1A-1B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 10C shows a close-up view of the helmet of FIG. 10B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11A shows an expanded view of a helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11B shows a perspective side view of an intermediate piston shell and one or more brake pads of FIG. 11A according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11C shows a perspective top view of the outer shell and the intermediate piston layer of FIG. 11B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11D shows a perspective side view of the helmet of FIG. 11A without the outer shell according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11E shows a cross section of the outer shell of the helmet and a landing padding and bottom support of FIG. 11A according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 11F shows a bottom view of the helmet of FIG. 11A according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 12A shows a sensor coupled to an intermediate damping shell of the helmet according to embodiment herein.

FIG. 12B shows a perspective front view of the helmet with the sensor of FIG. 11A according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 12C shows a perspective rear view of the helmet with the sensor of FIG. 11A according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 13A shows a first side of a sensor of the helmet according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 13B shows a second side of the sensor of FIG. 12A according to embodiments herein.

FIGS. 14A-14D show a display interface of data collected from the sensor of FIGS. 11A-12B according to embodiments herein.

FIG. 15 shows a summary of vibration testing results of a helmet in accordance with embodiments herein and conventional helmets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood that various embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the techniques). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single device or component for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of devices or components associated with, for example, a delivery device. The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention of the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding field of the invention, background, summary or the following detailed description.

As used in this specification, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” specifically also encompass the plural forms of the terms to which they refer, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, in the region of, roughly, or around. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20%. It should be understood that use of the term “about” also includes the specifically recited number of value.

Further, numerical terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. used herein are not meant to be limiting such that use of the term “second” when referring to a part in the specification does not mean that there necessarily is a “first” of part in order to fall within the scope of the invention. Instead, such numbers are merely describing that the particular embodiment being described has a “first” part and a “second” part. The invention is instead defined by the claims, in which one or more of the numbered parts may be claimed.

The directions used to describe the orientation and position of parts within the helmet 100 are relative to a user standing and wearing the helmet, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B. Accordingly, upwards and vertically upwards, and down, downwards, and vertically downwards are all used relative to a user standing and wearing the helmet. The term “radial” is used herein to describe a direction relative to a center of the helmet or the user's head. Accordingly, radially inward is used herein to mean towards the user's head and radially outward is used herein to mean away from the user's head. Vertically upwards is used herein to mean a direction towards a top of the user's head or a top of the helmet and vertically downwards is used herein to mean a direction towards the user's body or a bottom of the helmet.

Embodiments hereof relate to a helmet configured to provide impact energy absorption and protect the wearer from brain and/or head injuries. More particularly, in some embodiments, the helmet is configured to provide controlled deceleration of the brain so as to prevent or minimize damage to the brain or head of the wearer. The helmet may provide features such as intermittent energy displacement to gradually slow down motion, dynamic tension to create a neutral area based on opposing forces, deflection of force, a neutral zone, and/or controlled deceleration. In some embodiments, the helmet in this disclosure may reduce an amount of low-frequency vibrations, e.g., less than 50 Hz, that reaches a user's head when there is a collision or other impact to the helmet.

FIGS. 1A-1B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of a helmet 100 described and disclosed herein. The helmet 100 is a substantially hollow, half-sphere shape, wherein the hollow interior is configured to receive or house the head of a wearer. The helmet 100 includes a top end 101A, a bottom end 101B, front end 102, a rear end 104, a first or left side 106, and a second or right side 108. The helmet 100 further includes an interior surface 109A and an exterior surface 109B, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B. As can be seen, a bottom edge of the front end 102 of the helmet 100 is raised relative to a bottom edge of the rear end 104 of the helmet 100 such that the helmet 100 does not cover the user's eyes and the user's field of view is not obscured by the helmet 100.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the components of the helmet 100. As can be seen, the helmet 100 includes an outer shell 110, an intermediate isolator shell 120, an intermediate damping shell 130, and an inner shell 140. In an assembled configuration, the outer shell 110 encloses or surrounds the intermediate isolator shell 120, the intermediate damping shell 130, and the inner shell 140. As such, the intermediate isolator shell 120 is sized and shaped to fit within an interior surface 119A of the outer shell 110, the intermediate damping shell 130 is sized and shaped to fit within an interior surface 129A of the intermediate isolator shell 120, and the inner shell 140 is sized and shaped to fit within an interior surface 139A of the intermediate damping shell 130. The helmet 100 further includes inner padding 150, a plurality of shocks 160 and a plurality of sensors 170. The plurality of shocks 160 are coupled to the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100 via shock mounts 162 and are configured to dampen vibrations when a force is exerted on the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100 and travels to the inner shell 140 and the wearer's head, which will be described in further detail below. The shock mounts 160 include first shock mounts 162A and second shock mounts 162B, which will be described in further detail below. The inner padding 150 and sensors 170 of the helmet 100 will also be described in further detail below.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100 includes a front end 112, a rear end 114, a first or left side 116, a second or right side 118, an inner surface 119A, and an outer surface 119B. The outer shell 110 further includes a plurality of openings or cutouts 110A disposed at various locations throughout the outer shell 110 that extend through an entirety of the outer shell 110, from the inner surface 119A to the outer surface 119B, best shown in FIG. 4B. The openings 110A of the outer shell 110 are sized and shaped to receive a first shock mount 162A therewithin, which will be described in further detail below. The outer surface 119B of the outer shell 110 defines the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100, as can be seen in FIGS. 1A-1B. The outer shell 110 is configured to provide initial impact protection and improve helmet durability by spreading the impact over a large area. The outer shell 110 has a height H1 of about 10-40 cm, a width W1 of about 12-40 cm, and a thickness T1 of about 20-30 cm, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The outer shell 110 may comprise of high Strength to Weight Ratio (<100 kN·m/kg) materials, carbon reinforced nylon such as polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art.

In the assembled configuration, the intermediate isolator shell 120 is disposed radially inward from the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100, as can be seen in FIG. 5. The intermediate isolator shell 120 includes a front end 122, a rear end 124, a first or left side 126 and a second or right side 128 that align with the front, rear, first side and second side of the outer shell 110, as best shown in FIG. 5. The intermediate isolator shell 120 also includes an inner surface 129A and an outer surface 129B. The intermediate isolator shell 120 further includes a plurality of openings or cutouts 120A disposed in various locations throughout the intermediate isolator shell 120 that extend through an entirety of the intermediate isolator shell 120, from the inner surface 129A to the outer surface 129B, as best shown in FIG. 2. The openings 120A of the intermediate isolator shell 120 are sized and shaped to allow the shocks 160 to extend through the openings 120A, which will be described in further detail below. Some of the openings 120A of the intermediate isolator shell 120 overlap such that a larger opening 120A is formed, as can be seen in FIG. 5.

When assembled, the outer surface 129B of the intermediate isolator shell 120 is coupled to the inner surface 119A of the outer shell 110, as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. The intermediate isolator shell 120 can be coupled to the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100 by means of mechanical attachment, adhesive bonding and/or any other methods known to those skilled in the art. The intermediate isolator shell 120 has a height H2 of about 10-40 cm, a width W2 of about 12-40 cm, and a thickness T2 of about 0.5-30 mm, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The intermediate isolator shell 120 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, silicone foam, elastomers with high Resilience characteristics and durometers ranging from shore A20 to Shore A70 depending on application, closed cell structure, and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art.

In the assembled configuration, the intermediate damping shell 130 is disposed radially inward from both the outer shell 110 and the intermediate isolator shell 120 of the helmet 100, as can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 10C. The intermediate damping shell 130 includes a front end 132, a rear end 134, a first or left side 136 and a second or right side 138 that align with the front, rear, first side and second side of the outer shell 110 and intermediate isolator shell 120, as shown best in FIGS. 10A-10B. The intermediate damping shell 130 also includes an inner surface 139A and an outer surface 139B. The intermediate damping shell 130 further includes a plurality of openings or cutouts 130A disposed at various locations throughout the intermediate damping shell 130 that extend through an entirety of the intermediate damping shell 130, from the inner surface 139A to the outer surface 139B, as best shown in FIG. 2. The openings 130A of the intermediate damping shell 130 are sized and shaped to allow the shocks 160 to extend through the openings 130A, which will be described in further detail below. Some of the openings 130A of the intermediate damping shell 130 overlap such that a larger opening 130A is formed, as can be seen in FIG. 2. When assembled, the outer surface 139B of the intermediate damping shell 130 is disposed radially inward from the inner surface 129A of the intermediate isolator shell 120, as can be seen in FIGS. 10A-10C. The intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are not directly coupled to one another. Instead, the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are coupled to each other through being coupled to the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140, respectively, and the outer shell 120 being coupled to the inner shell via the shocks 160. The intermediate damping shell 130 has a height H3 of about 10-30 cm, a width W3 of about 12-30 cm, and a thickness T3 of about 0.5-30 mm, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The intermediate damping shell 130 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), low Resilience characteristics and durometers ranging from shore A20 to Shore A70 depending on application, closed cell structure, and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art. Although specific materials have been discussed herein with respect to particular shells of the helmet, the materials may be modified depending on the application for which the helmet is being used.

As stated previously, the intermediate isolator shell 120 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam or elastomer with high rebound characteristics, and the intermediate damping shell 130 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or low rebound elastomer. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as the intermediate isolator shell 120 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or low rebound elastomer while the intermediate damping shell 130 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam or elastomer with high rebound characteristics.

In the assembled configuration, the inner shell 140 is disposed radially inward from the outer shell 110, the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130, as can be seen in FIGS. 10A-10C. The inner shell 140 includes a front end 142, a rear end 144, a first or left side 146 and a second or right side 148 that align with the front, rear, first side and second side of the outer shell 110, the intermediate isolator shell 120, and the intermediate damping shell 130. The inner shell 140 also an inner surface 149A and an outer surface 149B. The inner shell 140 further includes a plurality of openings or cutouts 140A disposed at various locations throughout the inner shell 140 that extend through an entirety of the inner shell 140, from the inner surface 149A to the outer surface 149B, as best shown in FIG. 6. The openings 140A of the inner shell 140 are sized and shaped to receive a second shock mount 162B therewithin and allow the shock 160 to partially extend through the opening 140A, which will be described in further detail below. When assembled, the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140 is coupled to the inner surface 139A of the intermediate damping shell 130, as can be seen in FIGS. 10A-10B. The inner shell 140 can be coupled to the intermediate damping shell 130 of the helmet 100 by means of mechanical attachment or adhesive bonding and/or any other methods known to those skilled in the art. The inner shell 140 is configured to further reduce impact energy. The inner shell 140 has a height H4 of about 10-30 cm, a width W4 of about 10-30 cm, and a thickness T4 of about 0.3-5.0 mm, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The inner shell 140 may comprise carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art.

As stated previously, the helmet 100 further includes inner padding 150. The inner padding 150 includes relatively large segments of padding that line the inner surface 149A of the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100. The inner padding 150 of the helmet 100 defines the inner surface 109A of the helmet 100, as best shown in a bottom view of the helmet 100 in FIG. 3. The inner padding 150 is configured to provide comfort and a “pillow like” effect on the impact by providing vibration absorption or isolation. The inner padding 150 can have a thickness T5 of about 1-30 mm and may comprise memory foam, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, and or any other materials known to those skilled in the art that have a low natural frequency and provides damping across 5-100 Hz bandwidth, minimizing potential brain injury. The inner padding may also be includes in a layer of cloth from comfort.

As noted above, the helmet 100 may also include a plurality of sensors 170 coupled to an outer surface 139B of the intermediate damping shell 130 and can be one or more of a speed sensor, an impact sensor, an acceleration or deceleration sensor, a vertical or horizontal fall sensor, and/or a movement vs. still sensor, and can include one or more accelerometers, a GPS radio, Bluetooth radio, cellular eSim, and/or power supply with wired and/or wireless recharging, which will be described in further detail below. The plurality of sensors 170 may be coupled or attached to any of the shells of the helmet 100.

FIG. 4A shows an exemplary shock 160 and exemplary first and second shock mounts 162A, 162B according to embodiments herein. The shock 160 includes a first end 164, a second end 166, a spring 168 and a body 169 disposed therebetween. The body 169 extends through a central lumen of the spring 168, as shown best in FIG. 4A. The shock mounts 162A, 162B provide flexible connection for the inner and outer shells 140, 110, respectively. The first shock mount 162A is coupled to the first end 164 of the shock 160 and the second shock mount 162B is coupled to the second end 166 of the shock 160, as shown in FIG. 4A. When in the assembled configuration, the first shock mount 162A is configured to attach the first end 164 of the shock 160 to one of the openings 110A of the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100, and the second shock mount 162B is configured to attach the second end 166 of the shock 160 to one of the openings 140A of the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100, as best shown in FIGS. 4B, 7 and 8. As such, the springs 168 and bodies 169 of the shocks 160 extend through the openings 120A, 130A of the intermediate isolator and damping shells 120, 130, respectively. The shocks 160 extend between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 to delay transmission of energy or movement from the outer shell 110 to the inner shell 140, or from the inner shell 140 to the outer shell 110. The shocks delay transmission of energy or movement by compressing the spring of the shock or oil within the shock such that resistance gradually increases until the shock is fully compressed. Although four shocks 160 are shown in particular locations of the helmet 100, shocks 160 can be added, removed, or rearranged based on the application of the helmet 100, i.e. the sport or activity the helmet 100 is being used in, the max speed of the user when the helmet 100 is being worn, and/or the user's weight. The shocks 160 have a length L1 of about 12 to 40 mm and comprise of tunable oil filled shock absorbers or elastomer replicating slow deceleration of the shocks and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art.

The shocks 160 are configured to provide a “soft” landing effect and minimize impact energy transmission by delaying the transmission of energy or movement from the outer shell 110 to the inner shell 140, as described above. The shocks 160 can be mounted to the outer shell 110 in a non-rigid manner. Although the shocks 160 described above utilize springs, oil filled shocks (i.e. hydraulic shocks) or other types of shocks may also be used. The shocks 160 are configured to compress as the inner shell 140 moves toward the outer shell 110 or as the outer shell 110 moves toward the inner shell 140. The shock mounts allow for rotational motion of the shells of the helmet, for example up to 30 degrees of rotation. The shocks are configured to gradually compress during rotation, which delays the transmission of vibration or other forces between the two shells 110, 140, respectively. The delay caused by the shocks 160 provides time for vibrations to naturally dissipate. The shock mounts 162A, 162B provide additional vibration damping properties and may comprise elastomer like polyurethane with a firmness/softness range of Shore 30A to 80A, and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art. The shock mounts 162A, 162B preferably provide good tear resistance and flex, (e.g. tensile strength of 2.0-6.0 MPa). The shocks 160 can twist and rotate relative to the outer shell 110, which will be described in further detail below. The shocks can include impact-protecting foam (not shown) around the shocks 160 to protect the shocks 160 from damage.

In some embodiments, the helmet 100 can have no shocks 160 in the front end 102 of the helmet 100 to allow for a good range of motion during frontal impact, because shocks 160 at the front 102 of the helmet 100 can provide too much resistance to motion and create a situation in which the shock mounts 162 cannot provide enough flex to compensate for the shock movement. In such embodiments, the helmet 100 can include shocks 160 on the sides 106, 108 of the helmet 100 and/or shocks 160 in the rear end 104 of the helmet 100. In some embodiments, the helmet 100 can have exactly one shock 160 on the first side 106 of the helmet 100 and exactly one shock 160 on the second side 108 of the helmet 100. In such an embodiment, having more shocks 160 on the sides 106, 108 can also provide too much resistance and prevent enough flex to compensate for the shock movement.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the helmet 100 includes exactly four shocks 160. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as the helmet 100 can include more or fewer than four shocks 160. For example, the helmet 100 may include exactly one shock 160, or exactly two shocks 160, or exactly three shocks 160, or exactly five shocks 160, or exactly six shocks 160, or exactly seven shocks 160, or exactly eight shocks 160, or exactly nine shocks 160, or exactly ten shocks 160, or more than ten shocks 160.

FIG. 4B shows a cross-section of the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100. As can be seen, the first shock mount 162A is coupled to an opening 110A of the outer shell 110 such that a portion of the first shock mount 162A extends through the outer shell 110 and is disposed on the outer surface 119B of the outer shell 110, and a portion of the first shock mount 162A is disposed within the interior surface 119A of the outer shell 110. When the first shock mount 162A is attached to the outer shell 110, the first end 164 of the shock 160 is effectively coupled to the interior surface 119A of the outer shell 110 and extends radially inward and vertically upwards therefrom, as can be seen in FIG. 4B.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the helmet 100 according to embodiments herein. The intermediate damping shell 130, the inner shell 140 and the inner padding 150 of the helmet 100 have been omitted in the figure for clarity purposes only. As can be seen, two shocks 160 are coupled to the front end 102 of the helmet 100 and two shocks 160 are coupled to the rear end 104 of the helmet 100. The intermediate isolator shell 120 is coupled to the interior surface 119A of the outer shell 110 such that the intermediate isolator shell 120 is disposed radially inward from the outer shell 120. In the embodiment shown, four of the openings 120A of the intermediate isolator shell 120 are aligned with the shocks 160 that are coupled to the outer shell 110 such that the shocks 160 can extend through the intermediate isolator shell 120. The shocks 160 generally extend radially inward and vertically upwards from the first shock mount 162A coupled to the outer shell 110. In other words, the second end 166 of each shock 160 is generally disposed vertically above the first end 164 of each shock 160, which can be seen best in FIG. 7. The intermediate isolator shell 120 includes four additional cut-outs or openings 120A, one at the front end 122, one at the rear end 124, one at the first side 126 and one at the right side 128 of the intermediate isolator shell 120. The four additional openings 120A are left open such that four additional shocks 160 can be added to the helmet 100 if needed. Depending on application, arrangement and position of shocks can be adjusted and optimized.

The inner shell 140 of the helmet 100 includes a plurality of openings 140A disposed at various locations around the inner shell 140, as can be seen in FIG. 6. The openings 140A include a portion sized and shaped to receive the second shock mounts 162B therewith, as can be seen in FIG. 6. In the assembled configuration, the second shock mount 162B is disposed within the portion of the opening 140A from the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140 such that a first portion of the second shock mount 162B is disposed on the interior surface 149A of the inner shell 140 and a second portion of the second shock mount 162B is disposed on the exterior surface 149B of the inner shell 1140. Once the second shock mount 162B is attached to the portion of the opening 140A, the second end 166 of the shock 160 is effectively coupled to the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140 and extends radially outward and vertically downwards therefrom. More particularly, the shock 160 generally extends in a radially outward and vertically downward direction from the second shock mount 162B and second end 166 of the shock 160, as can be seen in FIG. 6. A lower portion of the opening 140A is elongated in a rectangular shape and allows the shock 160 to extend through the inner shell 140 when substantial shock movement is caused, rather than abutting or contacting the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140, as can be seen in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the helmet 100 according to embodiments herein. The intermediate isolator and intermediate damping shells 120, 130 are omitted from the figure for clarity purposes only. As can be seen, the first shock mounts 162A are coupled to the outer shell 110 and the second shock mounts 162B are coupled to the inner shell 140 such that the shocks 160 extend between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100. The openings 140A of the inner shell 140 are longitudinally aligned with the shocks 160 of the helmet 100 such that the shocks 160 may extend through the openings 140A of inner shell 140 during movement. As stated previously, the shocks 160 are disposed substantially vertical within the helmet 100, such that the first end 164 of each shock 160 is disposed vertically below the second end 166 of each shock 160.

FIG. 8 shows a close-up view of the helmet 100 as viewed from the bottom 101B of the helmet 100. As can be seen, the outer surface 129B of the intermediate isolator shell 120 is coupled to the inner surface 119A of the outer shell 110 and the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140 is coupled to the inner surface 139A of the intermediate damping shell 130. The intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are not directly coupled to one another. Instead, the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are coupled to each other through being coupled to the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140, respectively, and the outer shell 120 being coupled to the inner shell via the shocks 160. The inner shell 140 is disposed radially inward from the intermediate damping shell 130, the intermediate damping shell 130 is disposed radially inward from the intermediate isolator shell 120, and the intermediate isolator shell 120 is disposed radially inward from the outer shell 110. As can be seen, the first shock mount 162A is coupled to the outer shell 110 and the second shock mount 162B is coupled to the inner shell 140 such that the shock 160 is disposed therebetween, extending through the openings 120A, 130A, 140A of the intermediate isolator shell 120, the intermediate damping shell 130, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100.

FIGS. 9A-9B show rear and front views of the helmet 100, respectively, with the outer shell 110 omitted for clarity purposes only. The openings 120A, 130A of the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 of the helmet 100 are strategically placed to avoid overlapping with critical areas of the head or brain of the user so that the critical areas of the head or brain can be covered by both the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 of the helmet 100, depending on the application of the helmet 100. In the embodiment shown, in both the front and the rear ends 102, 104 of the helmet 100, three of the openings 120A, 130A of the intermediate isolator and damping shells 120, 130 overlap to create a substantially upside down “U” shape with a rectangular-shaped opening 120A, 130A extending longitudinally upward from a center of the upside down “U”. The three openings 120A, 130A at the front and rear ends 102, 104 of the helmet 100 allow for exactly three shocks 160 at the front end 102 of the helmet 100 and exactly three shocks 160 at the rear end 103 of the helmet 100. However, in FIGS. 9A-9B, only two shocks 160 are shown at the front end 102 of the helmet 100 and only two shocks 160 are shown at the back end 104 of the helmet 100. The space under the upside down “U” opening 120A, 130A at the front and rear ends 102, 104 of the helmet 100 may be covered with additional, separate pieces of the intermediate isolator and intermediate damping shells 120, 130, as can be seen in FIGS. 9A-9B to protect the critical areas of the wearer's brain that align with the front and rear ends 102, 104 of the helmet 100.

FIGS. 10A-10C show bottom views of the helmet 100, omitting the inner padding 150 for clarity purposes only, according to embodiments herein. FIG. 10A shows the helmet 100 prior to any impact. As can be seen, the intermediate isolator shell 120, the intermediate damping shell 130, and the inner shell 140 are all disposed radially inward from the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100. As stated previously, the outer shell 110 is coupled to the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 is coupled to the inner shell 140. The intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are not directly coupled to one another. Instead, the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are coupled to each other through being coupled to the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140, respectively, and the outer shell 120 being coupled to the inner shell via the shocks 160. FIGS. 10B-10C show the helmet 100 after an impact. As can be seen, the shocks 160 and shock mounts 162 of the helmet 100 allow the inner shell 140 and the intermediate damping shell 130 attached thereto, to rotate relative to the outer shell 110 and the intermediate isolator shell 120 attached thereto. In other words, upon impact, the inner shell 140 and the intermediate damping shell 130 are free to rotate or swivel independently from the outer shell 110 and the intermediate isolator shell 120. During impact, the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 may collide or come in contact with one another due to the movement of the intermediate damping shell 130 and the inner shell 140 relative to the outer shell 110 and the intermediate isolator shell 120, as shown in FIGS. 10B-10C. This collision dissipates vibrations from the impact, minimizing the vibrations that reach the head of the wearer.

The helmet 100 may experience an impact or blow when an object hits the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100 or when the user falls and the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100 impacts the ground. When the helmet 100 experiences a force from an impact or blow, the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100 is configured to provide initial impact protection and spread the impact over a large area, i.e. the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100. The outer shell 110 may comprise high strength to weight composite material such as carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), and/or any other carbon fiber composites to improve the helmet's durability and increase the amount of uses or impacts the helmet 100 can sustain until it is no longer effective relative to regular-type helmets which require replacement every couple of years to guarantee safety. The shocks 160 and shock mounts 162 of the helmet 100 provide a flexible connection between the inner shell 140 and the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100.

The shocks 160 decelerate the velocity and vibration initiated at the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100 that travels radially inwards towards the user's head by compressing the spring 168 and/or oil inside the shock 160. As the shock 160 compresses, resistance gradually increases until the shock 160 is fully compressed. The shock mounts 162A, 162B are designed such that when a catastrophic failure occurs, the exterior or first shock mounts 162 coupled to the outer shell 110 fail first to minimize risk of potential injury to the user from the shocks 160. In other embodiments, the first and second shock mounts 162A, 162B can fail at the same time. The inner shell 140 of the helmet 100 further reduces impact energy during an impact or blow by interacting with the inner padding 150. The inner padding 150 of the helmet 100 directly contacts the user's head.

FIGS. 11A-11F depict another embodiment of a helmet 100′ similar to the helmet 100 described above with respect to the outer shell 110, the inner shell 140, the inner padding 150, the one or more shocks 160, and the one or more shock mounts 162. However, the helmet 100′ described herein includes an intermediate piston shell 220, one or more brake pads 230, a landing padding 240 and a bottom support 250.

FIG. 11A shows an exploded view of the helmet 100′ described herein. As can be seen, the outer shell 110, the inner shell 140, the inner padding 150, the one or more shocks 160, and the one or more shock mounts 162 are all the same as described above with respect to the helmet 100. The helmet 100′ includes an intermediate piston shell 220 disposed between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ instead of the intermediate isolator shell 120 and the intermediate damping shell 130 described above. The intermediate piston shell 220 includes one or more brake pads 230 disposed on or coupled to the intermediate piston shell 220, which will be described in further detail below. In this embodiment, the helmet 100′ further includes a landing padding 240 and a bottom support 250. The landing padding 240 is a strip of padding that lines the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′, which will be described in further detail below. The bottom support 250 is a hard plastic component that houses the landing padding 240 and provides support to the bottom of the helmet 100′, which will be described in further detail below.

FIG. 11B shows a perspective side view of the intermediate piston shell 220 according to embodiments herein. As can be seen, the intermediate piston shell 220 includes a front end 222, a rear end 224, a first or left side 226, a second or right side 228, an inner surface 229A and an outer surface 229B. The intermediate piston shell 220 further includes a plurality of openings or cutouts 220A disposed at various locations throughout the intermediate piston shell 220 that extend through an entirety of the intermediate piston shell 220, extending from the inner surface 229A to the outer surface 229B, as best shown in FIG. 11B. The openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220 are sized and shaped to allow the one or more shocks 160 to extend through the openings 220A, which will be described in further detail below. When assembled, the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220 is coupled to the inner surface 119A of the outer shell 110, as shown in FIG. 11C. The intermediate piston shell 220 has a height H5 of about 10-30 cm, a width W5 of about 10-30 cm, and a thickness of about 0.3-5 mm. The intermediate piston shell 220 may comprise of thermoplastic material, fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or carbon fiber composite and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art.

As can be seen in FIG. 11B, one or more brake pads 230 are disposed on or coupled to the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220. The one or more brake pads 230 are coupled to the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220 and do not overlap with any of the openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220. Thus, the one or more brake pads 230 vary in shape and size, as can be seen in FIG. 11B. For example, some brake pads 230 are substantially square-shaped, while other brake pads 230 are substantially triangle-shaped or rectangular-shaped. The brake pads 230 can include any size or shape that allows the brake pad 230 to cover a portion of the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220 without overlapping with any of the openings 220A. The brake pads 230 may comprise a ceramic blend, proprietary microcellular polyurethane foam, textured plastic and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art and can have a thickness of about 0.3-5.0 mm. When the helmet 100′ assembled, the brake pads 230 are disposed between the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220 and the inner surface 119A of the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100′.

FIG. 11C shows a perspective top and partial cut-out view of the helmet 100′ according to embodiments herein. In FIG. 11C, the inner shell 140, landing padding 240 and bottom support 250 of the helmet 100′ are omitted for clarity purposes only. As stated previously, the one or more openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220 are sized and shaped to allow the one or more shocks 160 to extend through the openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220. As similarly described above with respect to the previous embodiment, each shock 160 includes a first end 164, a second end 166 and a spring 168 and a body 169 disposed between the first end 164 and the second end 166. A first shock mount 162A is coupled to the first end 164 of the shock 160 and a second shock mount 162B is coupled to the second end 166 of the shock 160. As similarly described above, the openings 110A of the outer shell 110 are sized and shaped to receive the first shock mounts 162A and a portion of the openings 140A of the inner shell 140 are sized and shaped to receive the second shock mounts 162B such that the shocks 160 are effectively coupled to the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′. Accordingly, the one or more springs 168 and bodies 169 of the shocks 160 extend through the openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220 that is disposed between the outer shell 110 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′, as best shown in FIG. 11C.

FIG. 11D shows a perspective side view of the helmet 100′ according to embodiments herein. In FIG. 11D, the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100′ is omitted for clarity purposes only. As can be seen, the intermediate piston shell 220 is disposed radially outward from the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′. The inner surface 229A of the intermediate piston shell 220 may be coupled to the outer surface 149B of the inner shell 140. The intermediate piston shell 220 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ may be coupled by means of elastomer spacers and/or any other means known to those skilled in the art. The one or more openings 140A of the inner shell 140 align with the one or more openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220, as shown in FIG. 11D. More specifically, the portion of the openings 140A of the inner shell 140 align with a portion of the openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220 such that the spring 168 and body 169 of the shock 160, that extends in a substantially vertical direction, is able to extend through the openings 220A of the intermediate piston shell 220 and the openings 140A of the inner shell 220, as shown in FIG. 11D. The brake pads 230 are disposed in various locations on the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston layer 220 and do not come into contact with the one or more shocks 160 and one or more shock mounts 162 of the helmet 100′. The bottom support 250 is shown coupled to the bottom edges of the intermediate piston shell 220 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′, which will be described in further detail below with regard to FIG. 11E.

The bottom support 250 of the helmet 100′ includes a cavity 252 defined by two vertically extending side walls 254 and a bottom surface 256 disposed between the two vertically extending side walls 254. The two vertically extending side walls 254 includes an outer vertical side wall 254A and an inner vertical side wall 254B. The bottom surface 256 of the bottom support 250 couples the bottom of the two vertical side walls 254A, 254B to define the cavity 252 of the bottom support 250, as shown in FIG. 11E. The vertical side walls 254A, 254B may have a height H6 of about 1 to 30 mm and a thickness T6 of about 0.3 to 5.0 mm. The bottom surface 256 of the bottom support 250 may have a width W7 of about 10 to 60 mm and a thickness T7 of about 0.3 to 5.0 mm. The bottom support 250 may comprise of thermoplastic, fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), carbon fiber composite and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art. The bottom support 250 of the helmet 100′ extends in a circumferential direction and creates a closed loop that mirrors or matches the circumferential shape of the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′. The bottom support 250 of the helmet 100′ is configured to house the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ within the cavity 252 of the bottom support 250, as shown in FIG. 11E with respect to the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100′. The bottom support 250 can be combined with the outer shell 110 or inner shell 140 of the helmet 100.

The landing padding 240 of the helmet 100′ is a strip of padding that similarly extends in a circumferential direction and creates a closed loop that mirror or matches the circumferential shape of the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′. The landing padding 240 is sized and shaped to sit within the cavity 252 of the bottom support 250 such that the landing padding 240 is flush against the bottom surface 256 of the bottom support 250, as can be seen in FIG. 11E. The landing padding 240 may comprise thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), silicone foam and/or any other materials known to those skilled in the art and can have a thickness of about 0.5 to 20 mm.

When assembled, the landing padding 240 is disposed within the cavity 252 of the bottom support 250 against the bottom surface 256 of the bottom support 250. The assembly of the landing padding 240 and the bottom support 250 is then advanced towards the bottom of the helmet 100′ such that the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ are aligned with the landing padding 240 within the bottom support 250. The bottom support 250 can then be advanced the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220 and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ contact the landing padding 240 and are disposed within the cavity 252 of the bottom support 250 in a snug-fit. The outer side wall 254A of the bottom support 250 can then be coupled to the outer surface 119B of the outer shell 110 and the inner side wall 254B of the bottom support 250 can be coupled to the inner surface 149A of the inner shell 140 by means of adhesive bonding or mechanical interlock and/or any other means known to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 11F shows a bottom view of the helmet 100′ according to embodiments herein. As can be seen, the bottom support 250 houses the bottom edges of the outer shell 110, the intermediate piston shell 220, and the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′. The inner padding 150, similar to that described with respect to the first embodiment, is coupled to the inner surface 149A of the inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ and defines the innermost surface 109A of the helmet 100′.

Similar to the helmet 100 described in the previous embodiment, the helmet 100′ may experience an impact or blow when an object hits the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100′ or when the user falls and the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100′ impacts the ground. When the helmet 100′ experiences a force from an impact or blow, the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100′ is configured to provide initial impact protection and spread the impact over a large area, i.e. the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100′. The outer shell 110 may comprise carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66) and/or similar material to improve the helmet's durability and increase the amount of uses or impacts the helmet 100′ can sustain until it is no longer effective compared to regular-type helmets which require replacement every couple of years to guarantee safety. The shocks 160 and shock mounts 162 of the helmet 100′ provide a flexible connection between the inner shell 140 and the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100′. The shocks 160 and shock mounts 162 allow the inner shell 140 and the intermediate piston shell 220 coupled thereto, to rotate or swivel relative to the outer shell 110. The rotation of the inner shell 140 and the intermediate piston shell 220 that can happen during an impact allows the brake pads 230 coupled to the outer surface 229B of the intermediate piston shell 220 and the inner surface 119A of the outer shell 110 to collide, further dissipating vibrations to minimize the vibrations that reach the user's head.

The shocks 160 decelerate the force initiated at the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100′ that travel radially inwards towards the user's head. The shock mounts 162A, 162B are designed such that when a catastrophic failure occurs, the exterior or first shock mounts 162 coupled to the outer shell 110 fail first to minimize risk of potential injury to the user's head from the shocks 160. In alternate embodiments, the first and second shock mounts 162A, 162B can fail at the same time. The inner shell 140 of the helmet 100′ further reduces impact energy during an impact or blow by interacting with the inner padding 150. The inner padding 150 of the helmet 100′ directly contacts the user's head. During an impact or blow to the outer surface 109B of the helmet 100′, the inner padding 150 provides a comfortable, “pillow-like” effect. The inner padding 150 may comprise memory foam that has a low natural frequency. Thus, the inner padding 150 is able to dampen across 5-100 Hz bandwidth, further minimizing potential brain injury.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, the invention is not limited to such embodiments. In particular, as described above, controlling the deceleration of the brain upon impact is an imperative to reducing concussion severity. Controlling deceleration by displacing impact energy throughout the helmet in its entirety reduces the deceleration of the brain. Controlling the impact energy displacement between the inner and outer shells of the helmet is based upon the shock system and the materials. The shocks, their placement and mounting functionally control the movement between the outer and inner shells thereby dispersing energy away from the brain. The function of the shocks is to allow the outer and inner shells to move, slide, displace, and rotate in a controlled manner to allow the deceleration of energy as a result of a fall and/or impact to the helmet. The shocks themselves can be mechanical in nature, comprising a spring and a hydraulic liquid mechanism, or a viscoelastic material, which would function in the same manner as the mechanical shock. The number, and location of the shocks regardless of mechanism will vary depending upon performance considerations.

Both embodiments of the helmets 100, 100′ described above may include one or more sensors 170, as shown in FIG. 12A. The helmet 100, 100′ may include exactly one sensor 170, exactly two sensors 170, exactly three sensors 170, exactly four sensors 170, or five or more sensors 170. In the embodiment shown, the sensor 170 is coupled to the outer surface 139B of the intermediate damping shell 130. More specifically, the sensor 170 is shown coupled to the rear end 134 of the intermediate damping shell 130. However, this is not meant to be limiting, as the one or more sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ may be coupled to the inner or outer surface of any of the shells of the helmet 100, 100′ depending on the application of the helmet 100, 100′, for example, the one or more sensors 170 may be coupled to the intermediate piston shell 220 of the helmet 100, 100′. Similarly, the one or more sensors 170 may be disposed at one or more of the front end 102, the rear end 104, the first side 106 and/or the second side 108 of the helmet 100, 100′, depending on the application of the helmet 100, 100′.

FIGS. 12B-12C show perspective front and rear views of the helmet 100, 100′ with sensors 170 attached thereto. In FIGS. 12B-12C, the outer shell 110 is omitted for clarity purposes only. FIG. 12B shows the front end 102 of the helmet 100, 100′. As can be seen, a sensor 170 may be placed at the front end 102 of the helmet 100, 100′ under the U-shaped openings 120A, 130A of the intermediate isolator and damping shells 120, 130, respectively. In the embodiment shown, the sensor 170 is coupled to the outer surface 139B of the intermediate damping shell 130. In such an embodiment, the intermediate isolator shell 120 includes a cut-out or opening 120A that is sized and shaped to allow the sensor 170 to extend through the intermediate isolator shell 120, as shown in FIGS. 12B-12C. The sensor 170 is disposed in between the two shocks 160 disposed at the front end 102 of the helmet 100, 100′. Similarly, sensors 170 may be disposed on the first and second sides 106, 108 of the helmet 100, 100′, as well as the rear end 104 of the helmet 100, 100′, as can be seen in FIGS. 12B-12C. In the embodiment shown, the sensors 170 are not covered by any of the inner shell 140, the intermediate damping shell 130, or the intermediate isolator shell 120. The outer shell 110 is the only shell of the helmet 100, 100′ that may cover, or be disposed radially outward from, the sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′. In other words, the sensors 170 are covered by the outer shell 110 only, as the sensors 170 extend through openings 120A of the intermediate isolator shell 120, as can be seen. The one or more sensors 170 are configured to measure one or more kinetic characteristics associated with the helmet 100, 100′. For example, the one or more sensors 170 may measure kinetic characteristics such as force (e.g., force magnitude over time) applied to one or more surface of the helmet 100, 100′, impact to the helmet 100, 100′, pressure on the helmet 100, 100′, motion of the helmet 100, 100′, acceleration of the helmet 100, 100′, and any other measurable kinetic characteristic, as well as each of the above in any combination.

FIGS. 13A-13B show an exemplary first and second side of a sensor 170 according to embodiments herein. The first side of the sensor 170, shown in FIG. 13A, faces toward the helmet 100, 100′ and the second side of the sensor 170, shown in FIG. 13B, faces outwardly from the helmet 100, 100′. The one or more sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ enable an Impact Detection System to be used concurrently with the helmet 100, 100′.

The Impact Detection System uses the sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ to capture data elements associated with the above-discussed kinetic characteristics that may be displayed via a mobile device in communication with the helmet's sensors 170. Such data elements may include raw kinetic characteristic data, presented as averages, maximums, minimums, over time, etc., as well as factors and parameters derived from the measured kinetic characteristics. In addition, the raw kinetic characteristic data may be used and streamed to research and medical professionals involved with the diagnosis and treatment of real time head trauma. The Impact Detection System comprises a data capture unit, data logger and compute units, mobile application connectivity (low power Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and/or any other suitable communications technology), and secure data transmission. The data capture unit may be embedded in the one or more sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ and may include one or more accelerometers, a GPS radio 180, a Bluetooth radio 176, cellular eSim 178, a controller or power supply or battery 172, a charging port 174 with wired and/or wireless recharging, and/or additional sensors 182, as can be seen in FIGS. 13A-13B. The data logger unit of the Impact Detection System is configured to receive user input data, including, for example, the user's age, height, weight, and/or any other parameters known to those skilled in the art. The data logger unit may further be configured to use the mobile application connectivity to communicate with the data capture unit to receive the kinetic characteristics to accurately represent the user's movements while using the Impact Detection System.

The Impact Detection System is configured to detect a fall, impact, or other anomalous motion. For example, a fall may be detected if the sensors 170 detect a rapid vertical motion. An impact may be detected if the sensors 170 detect a force or pressure exerted on the helmet 100, 100′ and/or if the sensors 170 detect an abrupt or sudden stop in motion. The Impact Detection System is further configured to automatically call 911 responsive to detection of a dangerous fall or impact. The Impact Detection System is further configured to track the helmet 100, 100′ through GPS location.

Impact detection capabilities of the Impact Detection System may be provided by an external impact detection system and/or an internal impact detection system. The sensors 170 of the external impact detection system are configured to detect impacts that are applied to the exterior of the helmet 100, 100′, i.e., to the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100, 100′. The external impact detection system may detect the area of the helmet 100, 100′ impacted, the force of the impact, the speed of the impact, and the direction of the impact. The sensors 170 of the internal impact detection system are configured to detect impacts that are applied to the interior of the helmet 100, 100′, i.e., within the outer shell 110 of the helmet 100, 100′. The internal impact detection system may detect the area of the helmet 100, 100′ impacted, the force of the impact, the speed of the impact, the direction of the impact, and the amount of impact that is deflected by the helmet 100, 100′. The Impact Detection System may use the sensors 170 of the internal impact detection system to further measure the percentage of active energy reduced by the helmet 100, 100′ (e.g., by comparison with data measured by the external impact detection system). The Impact Detection System is further configured to manage a concussion threshold (e.g., based on internal impact detection system measurements), and to aggregate statistics over the days, weeks, months, and/or years of the Impact Detection System's use.

The Impact Detection System's mobile application allows a user's iOS or Android phone, or any other suitable device, to sync to the helmet 100, 100′ via a mobile application (app) installed on the device and configured to sync with the sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′. The mobile application may be configured to incorporate a user's profile which provides relevant information about the user, including but not limited to the user's name, emergency contact, age, height and/or weight. The mobile application may be configured to share information with other mobile applications on the mobile phone as well, such as the iOS Health App, iWatch App, and/or other health and recreations applications.

The mobile application of the Impact Detection System may be configured to communicate with the sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ via Bluetooth or other suitable communication technology. The helmet 100, 100′ may be configured to use Bluetooth (or other suitable communication technology) to alert the user via the app and/or use Bluetooth (or other suitable communication technology) to initiate an emergency (911) call if necessary. Bluetooth (or other suitable communication technology) may be used to transmit kinetic characteristics, such as helmet positional, dynamic and status data from the sensors 170 of the helmet 100, 100′ to the mobile application of the Impact Detection System. The mobile application may be configured to communicate the raw data (or other factors or parameters derived therefrom) and present it in a useable form to the end-user based upon the data received from the sensors 170. In an embodiment, responsive to detection of a fall, impact, or crash (e.g., based on measured movement or forces applied to the helmet 100, 100′), the Impact Detection System may be configured to present a user interface configured to determine whether a user requires assistance. For example, FIG. 14A shows an exemplary user interface of the mobile application. As can be seen, the screen on the mobile device may be configured to prompt the user to answer two yes or no questions: 1. “Did you fall?”, and 2. “Do you need help?”. FIG. 14B shows the mobile application alerting the user that a fall notification was sent to the user's emergency contact. The Impact Detection System may further be configured to dial 911 or emergency services if the user fails to respond to the alert within a certain, predetermined amount of time.

Anonymized data, including meta data, may be sent to a server for data collection, analysis or distribution to research and/or medical professionals. The mobile application is configured to provide the user with fall/crash/impact related information to import or prompt the user to seek appropriate medical treatment if the baseline concussion thresholds are exceeded, as shown in FIG. 14D. These baseline thresholds are established based on the height, age and weight of the user, as well as various crash parameters. FIG. 14D also shows the mobile application presenting the user with data that has been collected, such as: concussion alerts, number of rides tracked, number of falls per ride, shell impact force and active energy force.

The Impact Detection System is configured to capture data on falls, impacts to the helmet, and the transference of forces to the head of the user. The data (e.g., kinematic characteristics) may be granular and in raw form unimportant to the end user. However, to researchers and medical professionals, the stream of data may be a valuable tool in evaluating helmet efficacy using real world data v. labs only data. To medical professionals, the frequency and forces of head impacts are invaluable to diagnosis and treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

A helmet in accordance with embodiments herein was tested against conventional, commercial available helmets. In particular, the helmet in accordance with embodiments herein (identified as IED PROTOTYPE) was tested against a baseball helmet, a BMX bicycle helmet, a cricket helmet, a MIPS snow helmet, a riding helmet, and a hard hat. Testing was conducted with an impulse hammer with a force sensor, a rig simulating a human head, and triaxial accelerometers to measure response to impacts. Impact force data and vibration response data within the artificial head cavity were collected for impacts in different parts of the helmets (front, back, left, right, top). FIG. 15 shows a summary of results of the testing, using the root mean square (RMS) of the Velocity Impulse Response for comparison of the helmets. The results are for a particular embodiment of a prototype helmet and may be improved by changes in location and/or quantity of shocks, for example.

It should be understood that various embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the techniques). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single device or component for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of devices or components.

Claims

1. A helmet comprising:

an outer shell;

an inner shell disposed within the outer shell; and

a plurality of shocks coupling the outer shell to the inner shell, wherein a first end of each shock is coupled to the outer shell and a second end of each shock is coupled to the inner shell.

2. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate isolator shell disposed within and coupled to the outer shell, wherein the inner shell is disposed within the intermediate isolator shell.

3. The helmet of claim 2, wherein the intermediate isolator shell includes a plurality of isolator shell openings disposed therethrough, wherein each shock of the plurality of shocks extends through a corresponding opening of the plurality of isolator shell openings.

4. The helmet of claim 3, further comprising an intermediate damping shell, the intermediate damping shell disposed within the intermediate isolator shell, and the inner shell disposed within and coupled to the intermediate damping shell.

5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the intermediate damping shell includes a plurality of damping shell openings disposed therethrough, wherein each shock of the plurality of shocks extends through a corresponding damping shell opening of the plurality of isolator shell openings.

6. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the outer shell comprises carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or any other high strength to weight ration composite materials.

7. The helmet of claim 6, wherein the intermediate isolator shell comprises a material selected from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, silicone foam, and/or elastomers with high resilience characteristics, the material having hardness from Shore 20A to 80A.

8. The helmet of claim 7, wherein the intermediate damping shell comprises a material selected from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam, silicone foam, and/or low resilience elastomers, the material having a hardness from Shore 20A to 80A.

9. The helmet of claim 8, wherein the inner shell comprises carbon reinforced nylon, polyamide 6 (PA6), nylon 66 (PA66), fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and/or any other high strength to weight ration composite materials.

10. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising a first shock mount coupled to the first end of each shock and the outer shell and a second shock mount coupled the second end of each shock and the inner shell, the first and second shock mounts for coupling the shocks to the outer and inner shells, respectively.

11. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising inner padding disposed within and coupled to and interior of the inner shell.

12. The helmet of claim 11, wherein the inner padding memory foam having a low natural frequency below 100 Hz.

13. An impact detection system comprising:

a helmet configured to be worn by a user, the helmet including a sensor including a data capture unit and a wireless communication processor to send information to a mobile application, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a fall by the user and/or an impact of the helmet; and

a mobile application wirelessly connected to the helmet, wherein the mobile application uses the user's height, age, and weight to establish baseline concussion thresholds, wherein information regarding a fall by the user and/or impact of the helmet is wirelessly communicated to the mobile application, wherein the mobile application uses the information from received from the sensors and baseline concussion thresholds to alert the user if the baseline concussion thresholds are exceeded.

14. The impact detection system of claim 13, wherein the mobile application is configured to call an emergency number of a dangerous fall is detected based on measured parameters of the sensor, such as velocity, rate of deceleration, 3D position data and force.

15. The impact detection system of claim 13, wherein the mobile application is configured to call an emergency number if the user does not respond within a predetermined time after a fall or impact.

16. The impact detection system of claim 13, wherein the helmet further includes a GPS locator such that the mobile application can track the location of the helmet.