By Fluid-containing Cushion Patents (Class 2/413)
  • Patent number: 12167765
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for protecting a user head are provided. In one example, a computer-implemented method can comprise receiving, by a processor operatively coupled to a helmet device, helmet data comprising at least one of statistical data, statistical models, or natural intelligence algorithms. The computer-implemented method can also comprise inflating, by a gas delivery system of the helmet device, a pressure chamber element of the helmet device based on the helmet data. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method can comprise scanning, by a sensor system of the helmet device, surrounding environments of the helmet device for object data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Inventor: Donald Martin
  • Patent number: 12127609
    Abstract: Different safety gear for the head, face, and body are disclosed with an outer shell made of a flexible antiballistics material or aramid fiber based fabric, an inflatable chamber adjacent to or integrated into the outer shell, a valve coupled to the inflatable chamber, and energy absorbing structures. The inflatable chamber extends across the outer shell and provides a first layer protecting the wearer from impact energy. The inflatable chamber has an internal cavity that expands in response to injection of air or liquid through the valve. The energy absorbing structures provide a second layer supplementing the first layer of the inflatable chamber protecting the wearer from the impact energy. The energy absorbing structures are compressible bars, tubes, rods, or ribs or rubber or high-density polyurethane foam extending against the inflatable chamber and compressing in response to the impact energy transferring from the outer shell or the inflatable chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Inventor: Nick Trozzi
  • Patent number: 11930875
    Abstract: Personal protective devices with an impact reduction system that includes a first bladder system including a fluid and a second bladder system are disclosed. A passage couples the first bladder system to the second bladder system and includes a first series of Tesla valves that resist flow of the fluid from the first bladder system to a common point of the passageway when an impact occurs to the first bladder system. In some embodiments, the passage further includes a second series of Tesla valves that resist flow of the fluid from the second bladder system to the common point of the passageway when an impact occurs to the second bladder system. The impact reduction system is a passive, closed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: John Hooman Kasraei
  • Patent number: 11771166
    Abstract: A protective headgear having a protective outer layer, an inner impact dispersing layer, an opening in the posterior of the helmet to allow hair to exit the protective helmet, and juxtaposed to the posterior opening, a flap that covers a portion of the opening and is selectively attachable to the inner impact attenuating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Hummingbird Sports, LLC
    Inventor: Robert H Stolker
  • Patent number: 11744311
    Abstract: A head covering to reduce the force from an external surface on the head of an individual. The head covering is formed from thin polymeric tubes that are inflated by blowing via lung exhalation. The head covering is light weight and can be folded into a small in volume such that it is easily carried in a shirt or pant pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: William Joseph Drasler
  • Patent number: 11730225
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed toward a helmet liner coupler for coupling a helmet liner in a helmet. The coupler preferably includes a base and a plug. The plug preferably extends away from the base. The plug is preferably configured to engage in an interference fit with a female tubular member in the helmet. The base is preferably configured to engage the helmet liner and thereby couple the helmet liner to the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: LIFT Airborne Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Guido Rietdyk
  • Patent number: 11633000
    Abstract: A tactical helmet assembly has a helmet retention harness includes left and right straps that form a snapback adjustment assembly. The first strap has a first end with a helmet mounting feature mountable to a first lateral, interior side of a helmet. The first strap includes a second end having a first strap slot. The first strap presents snap stud(s) on a first surface. The snapback adjustment assembly includes a second strap having a first end inserted through the first strap slot of the first strap. the second strap includes a helmet mounting feature mountable to a second lateral, interior side of the helmet. The second strap includes a second end having a second strap slot through which the first end of the first strap is inserted. The second strap presents more than one eyelets longitudinally aligned to receive the snap stud(s) of the first strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Hard Head Veterans LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Dumph
  • Patent number: 11547158
    Abstract: The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrative embodiments of an impact protection device that comprises the following elements: a machine, a protective structural member, and a fluid holding member. The impact protection device is designed to protect a user from an impact to the protective structural member by dissipating a portion of the kinetic energy of the impact. Machine operation translates into a controlled movement between elements of the impact protection device that deform the fluid holding member, thereby displacing a fluid. This controlled movement also dictates a throttling profile that regulates the amount of damping; thereby managing the portion of kinetic energy dissipated. The machine can be a mechanical assembly incorporating levers, cams and or computerized controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Titon Ideas, Inc.
    Inventors: Juan Francisco Javier Mini Townson, Jose Rodrigo Aragon Cabrera, Juan Pablo Alfaro Samayoa
  • Patent number: 11517062
    Abstract: A helmet features an inner shell, a non-rigid outer shell surrounding the inner shell in outwardly spaced relation therefrom, and a plurality of impact absorbing layers disposed between the shells. Each impact absorbing layer features an envelope, and a plurality of impact absorbing members disposed internally within said envelope. At least one adjacent pair of impact absorbing layers are displaceable relative to one another to enable impact-driven shifting between the adjacent pair, whereby impact energy is absorbed by the impact absorbing members within the impact absorbing layers, and absorbed and/or redirected by the impact-driven shifting between the adjacent absorbing layers. Resiliently stretchable material is attached to the adjacent layers at discrete locations such that, after being stretched by the relative shifting, the material returns to a relaxed state to reset the shifted layers back into a default positional relationship, in which ventilation passages in the absorbing layers are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventor: Brian Timlick
  • Patent number: 11517064
    Abstract: The present invention provides a safety helmet inner lining adjustable for suitable wearing, consisting of: a covering body, which has an inner side surface that contacts a user's head and an outer side surface relative to the inner side surface; at least one interlayer pocket, which is disposed on the outer side surface of the covering body; and at least one cushiony pad, which is suitable for placement inside the interlayer pocket. A user is able to place the cushiony pads of suitable thickness into the interlayer pockets at preset positions according to the user's to head shape and dimensions. The inner lining is then put onto the head and a safety helmet put on top. The cushiony pads enable correcting the interspace between the user's head and the safety helmet, thereby allowing suitable and perfect fitting of the safety helmet that ensures safety of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Inventor: Cheng-Ting Chen
  • Patent number: 11457684
    Abstract: A helmet harness (3200) has an outer shell (3205) and an inner shell (3210) held moveably together by a grommet (3215). The outer shell has an outer frame (3220) and a plurality of pads (3225) for protection and comfort. The inner shell has an inner frame (3250) and a plurality of pads (3255) for protection and comfort. The outer frame and the inner frame have a plurality of longitudinal and lateral ribs (3235, 3265). The ribs form a plurality of holes of voids (3237, 3267) which reduce weight and provide for ventilation. The pads cover at least a portion of the inside surfaces of the outer frame and the inner frame. The grommet allows the outer shell and the inner shell to pitch, roll, and yaw with respect to each other, but not to so freely move as to be distracting and undesirable to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Brad W. Maloney
  • Patent number: 11432610
    Abstract: Exemplary noise reducing methods and systems are configured to acoustically reproduce two electrical noise reducing signals at two opposing positions in a helmet; to pick up sound at positions in the vicinity of the positions where the noise reducing signals are reproduced; and to generate the two noise reducing signals from error-signals and reference-signals. For each noise reducing signal, the corresponding error-signal is generated from the sound picked-up at the same position where the respective noise reducing signal is reproduced; and the reference-signal is generated from the sound picked-up at the position where the respective other noise reducing signal is reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Christoph
  • Patent number: 11419379
    Abstract: A body part protector includes an inner layer defining an interior space that is configured to be occupied by a human body part, an outer layer connected to the inner layer and forming at least one chamber therebetween, and a plurality of separate dampers. A damper is at least partially disposed in the chamber. Each damper extends into the interior space along a respective longitudinal axis. Each damper has an outer end disposed at a fixed position relative to the outer layer and an inner end disposed longitudinally opposite the outer end in the interior space. The protector includes a plurality of separate engagement members corresponding to the plurality of dampers. Each engagement member is disposed at the inner end of the corresponding damper and is configured to engage the body part of the user. Each damper includes a plurality of compressible damper elements concentrically arranged about the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Donald Edward Morgan
  • Patent number: 11350682
    Abstract: A protective padding section includes an upper layer, an opposing lower layer and a repeating array of cushioning regions disposed between, and continuously bonded to, the upper layer and the lower layer. Each cushioning region has a same first cushion thickness. A repeating array of apertures is disposed between the cushioning regions and each aperture extends through the padding section. The padding section has a first thickness and a first width and upon application of a force, the padding section expands in width from the first width to a second width greater than the first width and when the application of force is removed, the width of the padding section contracts to the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: G-FORM LLC
    Inventors: Brant Michael Taylor, Michael Newton, Nicholas H. Dupree, James E. Gaudet
  • Patent number: 11324271
    Abstract: An inner buffering structure of a helmet comprising an air bladder, wherein the air bladder comprises a detachable inner-layer air bladder and an outer-layer air bladder, and the inner-layer air bladder is used for being in contact with a user's head; a plurality of ventilation openings is formed in the inner-layer air bladder and the outer-layer air bladder; the portions where the inner-layer air bladder and the outer-layer air bladder correspond to the ventilation openings are provided with inner convex edges extending towards the interior of the ventilation openings; a first air valve is arranged on the inner-layer air bladder, a second air valve is arranged on the outer-layer air bladder, and a reserved hole allowing the first air valve to pass through is formed in the outer-layer air bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Swo-Chung Chai
  • Patent number: 11311067
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protective sports helmet including a helmet shell, a face guard and an internal padding assembly positioned within the helmet shell. The internal padding assembly includes a brow pad having a first peripheral connection portion and a second peripheral connection portion. The internal padding assembly also includes a first jaw pad having an upper connection portion that mates with the first connection portion of the brow pad, and a second jaw pad having an upper connection portion that mates with the second connection portion of the brow pad. The internal padding assembly also includes a crown assembly with pad elements that include an internal separation layer that partitions the element into a first inflatable section and a second un-inflatable section. The connection portion of the jaw pads also mates with frontal pad elements of the crown assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Vittorio Bologna, Nelson Kraemer, Ralph Infusino, Thad M. Ide
  • Patent number: 11291906
    Abstract: Headgear includes a base configured to engage the head of the wearer. A force absorbing structure is carried by the base. In some cases, the force absorbing structure includes a surface including a coarse macrostructure configured to facilitate absorbing forces applied to the headgear. The coarse macrostructure includes a plurality of protrusions, and at least one of the protrusions has a thickness of at least about 0.50 mm. In some cases, the force absorbing structure includes a porous macrostructure configured to facilitate absorbing forces applied to the headgear. The porous macrostructure includes a plurality of passageways each having a width of at least about 2.00 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: HANSEN PHARMACEUTICAL, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Jensen, Jason R. Hanft, Jeffrey L. Jensen, Adam Scott Landsman
  • Patent number: 11234475
    Abstract: A protective helmet includes a plurality of fluid filled bladders, impact sensors, valves, and pumps wherein the helmet absorbs energy from an impact to protect a person wearing the helmet from traumatic brain injury. The bladders expel fluid in response to a triggering event such as energy from an impact detected as a pressure spike event and/or detected as an acceleration event. A selected bladder may expel fluid to other bladders, to a reservoir, to the environment outside of the protective helmet, or combinations thereof. In embodiments where the bladders need additional fluid after an impact, one or more pumps may refill selected deflated bladders. When a bladder is underinflated, an indicator light may emit light on an outer surface of the protective helmet to warn that the bladder is not yet ready to be placed in operation to absorb another impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Ronald A. Podboy
  • Patent number: 11234474
    Abstract: A protective helmet liner apparatus for prevention of head injury, concussions, and brain trauma includes a liner body dimensioned such that a bottom edge sits below a user's skull and a front edge extends from behind the user's ears, over the ears, and across the forehead above the user's eyebrows. A shock-absorptive filling is coupled within the liner body between an inside and an outside of the liner body. A plurality of engagement members comprises a plurality of first engagement members coupled to the outside of the liner body and a plurality of second engagement members coupled to an inner side of a helmet. The first engagement members are selectively engageable with the second engagement members to secure the liner body to the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Theron Tephabock
  • Patent number: 11229254
    Abstract: A system and method for a protection helmet which has exterior moveable tiles to move upon impact and then retract to their original placements. The system prolongs the impact time by de-accelerating it and minimizing its damaging effects by spreading out the impact force over a larger surface area. A system and method for a helmet's face mask to absorb impact and return back to its original state whether impacted on its bars, interior/exterior assembly, or any part of the face mask. A system and method for a football helmet's padding to be multi-layered and have multiple ancillary cavities that compress and retract back to their original state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Rose Elizabeth Matteucci, Carlo Matteucci
  • Patent number: 11229255
    Abstract: A helmet assembly includes an upper member, a lower member, and rigid or semi-rigid plates connected between the two members. The helmet may include a series of fluidly connected air compartments beneath the plates is disclosed. Embodiments of the helmet may dissipate impact energy in multiple ways including deformation of the plates, shifting of the plates, cushioning of the plates against a resilient compressible material present in the upper member, compression of air within the air compartments, movement of air within the air compartments, and/or expansion of air in non-impacted sections of the air compartments which causes the shifting of non-impacted plates. Springs with or without resilient, compressible inserts may be positioned between movable plates and a frame member. A spine including compressible material may extend along a top section of the helmet and connect plates on opposite sides of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: JMH Consulting Group, LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Herbert, Bryan R. Hotaling, Patrick J. Devine
  • Patent number: 11192656
    Abstract: A life preserver head restraint may be configured to inflate in response to deployment of a parachute assembly. The life preserver head restraint may comprise an inflatable volume and a charge tank fluidly coupled to the inflatable volume. In an inflated state, the life preserver head restraint may restrict head movement during line stretch of the parachute assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Jaro S. Volny, Kassidy L. Carson
  • Patent number: 11166512
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for protecting a user head are provided. In one example, a computer-implemented method can comprise receiving, by a processor operatively coupled to a helmet device, helmet data comprising at least one of statistical data, statistical models, or natural intelligence algorithms. The computer-implemented method can also comprise inflating, by a gas delivery system of the helmet device, a pressure chamber element of the helmet device based on the helmet data. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method can comprise scanning, by a sensor system of the helmet device, surrounding environments of the helmet device for object data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Donald K Martin
  • Patent number: 11166510
    Abstract: Aspects herein relate to protective headgear for sports and to methods of using such headgear. In one aspect, the headgear has an external head-protecting shell that is soft to reduce the risk of injuring other players. In another aspect, the headgear has a rear closure arrangement that includes a bridge component for ease of putting on the headgear and for added protection at the closure area of the rear closure arrangement. In another aspect, fit pads of different sizes are removeably attachable to a cheekbone extension member of the headgear to provide a proper fit to the wearer's cheekbone. A face mask is integrated with the headgear in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cascade Maverik Lacrosse, LLC
    Inventors: Jesse Newman, Nicholas Colville, David Winthrop Fream, Stephen Moore
  • Patent number: 11154108
    Abstract: A soft-sided helmet may comprise a ventilation system having at least two radial vents, including a first radial vent and a second radial vent; at least a first air channel connecting the first radial vent to at least one other radial vent; and at least a second air channel connecting the second radial vent to at least one other radial vent. The first radial vent may oppose the second radial vent. The ventilation system may further comprise further radial vents, which optionally may be connected to each other via one or more air channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventor: Joey LaRocque
  • Patent number: 11109633
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a helmet comprising a shell; and a force redirection member disposed between the shell and a head when the helmet is worn, the member configured to redirect a force impacting on the shell to a direction different from the original direction of the impact on the shell. The present invention also relates to a method to decrease the risk of injury to a person wearing a helmet, caused by rotational forces when the helmet is impacted by a force characterized by a specific direction having a first vector, the method comprising redirecting the force into a different direction having a second vector, wherein the direction of the second vector is selected to reduce the risk of a specified injury associated with acceleration of the head in the direction of the first vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: MIPS AB
    Inventor: Thomas Blaine Hoshizaki
  • Patent number: 11109631
    Abstract: A device for detecting a force or pressure applied to an object is disclosed. The device (200) comprises a first flexible substrate layer (101) having a first plurality of pressure sensors (103) thereon; and a first plurality of electrically conductive tracks (102); wherein the first plurality of electrically conductive tracks are arranged to provide an electrical connection to the plurality of pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HP1 Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Timothy Nicholas Moor
  • Patent number: 11064753
    Abstract: A dual functioning head protection device for a fall prone user including a c-shaped neck collar that is configured to compress the jugular veins of the user during application to the user's neck and an expandable airbag helmet that is removably affixed to the collar. The airbag helmet includes an inflatable inner bag surrounded by an outer bag, such that the structure of the outer bag defines a shape of the airbag helmet when the inner bag is inflated. The inner bag includes a number of chambers which inflate to protect the user's skull during a fall. A trigger device in the collar detects if the user is falling and inflates the airbag helmet in such instances. This dual functioning device also protects the user's brain from brain slosh because of the collar's compression of the user's jugular veins. Compression of the vein sends blood into the skull with each fall impact, which reduces the brain's freedom to jostle around in the skull in a fall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Medical Justice Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Segal
  • Patent number: 11051572
    Abstract: An air inflatable and thus collapsible when air is removed, safety helmet preferably comprised of multiple inflatable lobes with a head conforming and surrounding inflatable ring and separate or integrated skull cap, for wear by the user, for placement on top of the lobes and/or for location within the chamber(s) formed of the lobes, or worn by the wearer directly upon the head, made of flexible, force absorbing and dissipating material. The lobes and ring are provided with quick release air inflation and deflation valves. The safety helmet can simply alternatively comprise air inflatable lobes with a minimally elastic outer covering to encase and minimize the movement or air within the chambers during a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Jeffrey Klein
  • Patent number: 11019871
    Abstract: A helmet for protecting the head of a user. The helmet includes an outer shell, an inner shell having padding that contacts the head and a cavity formed between the inner and the outer shells, wherein the cavity is filled with a fluid such as air. The helmet also includes a plurality of resilient strands located in the cavity and affixed between the outer and inner shells, wherein an impact force on the outer shell causes the head to impact the padding with a reaction force that compresses the cavity. Compression of the cavity pushes fluid through the strands to increase fluid friction and alter a velocity of the fluid. This decreases the energy of impact and consequently reduces an amount of force transferred to the head thereby protecting the head from normal and shear force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventors: Ali M. Sadegh, Peyman Honarmandi, Paul V. Cavallaro
  • Patent number: 10974007
    Abstract: An improved sealing element for a facemask and facemasks which include the sealing element are provided. The sealing element may be formed of a flexible material having a durometer value of 60 or less on a Type 000 scale, and the sealing element may have at least three primary external faces including a) a facemask attachment face; b) a skin contact face; and c) a third face. When viewed in cross-section, the skin contact face is the longest of the three faces, and the sealing element is formed into a triangular or trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration during manufacturing. Also when viewed in cross section, the side corresponding to the third face may have a length which is less than 90% of the length of the skin contact face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Sleepnet Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Moulton, Jerry J. Gong
  • Patent number: 10952479
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) device that includes a plurality of sensors, an actuator, a plurality of protective mechanisms, and a processor configured to identify a situational state of a user of the HMD device within a proximity of the user, based on sensor input received from the plurality of sensors. A risk-level of a potential injury to the user from a component of the HMD device is determined based on the identified situational state and the sensor input. A protective mechanism is selected from the plurality of protective mechanisms based on the identified situational state and the determined risk-level. The actuator is controlled to deploy the selected protective mechanism to mitigate injury to the user from the component of the HMD device, based on the identified situational state and the determined risk-level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bibhudendu Mohapatra, Keith Resch, Fred Ansfield, Loren Pineda
  • Patent number: 10834985
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a process in which a helmet system including a machine is provided, that when worn by a user, positions the machine in a proximate relationship to a head portion, a neck portion, or both of the user. The helmet system provides a redistributing of a force responsive to a collision received along a first direction, wherein the force results from kinetic energy of an impact encountered at an external surface of the helmet system. The force induces an actuation of the machine, wherein the redistributing of the received collision force is based on the actuation of the machine. Energy transferred to the head portion, the neck portion, or both, resulting from the kinetic energy of the impact, is reduced, e.g., absorbed, based on the actuation of the machine. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TITON IDEAS, INC.
    Inventors: Juan Francisco Javier Mini Townson, José Rodrigo Aragón Cabrera, Juan Pablo Alfaro Samayoa
  • Patent number: 10806206
    Abstract: A venting system for hats has a resilient, shock-absorbing headband inside the lower periphery of a hat dome. The headband has inner and outer annular bands spaced apart by a air passages. A plurality of arcuate septums are in contact with one another consecutively around a perimeter of the headband. Inwardly directed forces normal to the headband are converted into compressive forces on the septums directed along the headband perimeter. Forces on the head of the user are thereby reduced. A top vent with ports around a chamber extends upward from the dome. A cover across the top vent sheds water. The top vent is selectively movable upward into an open position to allow air flow through the headband air passage, the dome, the chamber, and out of the ports by convection. Ambient air will also flow in through the top vent ports and exit the ports on the opposite side. This will cause a lower than ambient air pressure to draw air out, cooling the dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Inventor: John P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 10806203
    Abstract: A helmet including a shell, a plurality of panel buttons pivotally attached at their proximal face to the outer surface of the shell, and the panel buttons are made of a flexible or elastic material with a protective outer coating to protect the panel buttons from abrasion. In one embodiment, the panel buttons are pivotally attached to the outer surface of the shell with a living hinge that allows the panel buttons to swivel in multiple planes that are generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Turtle Shell Protective Systems LLC
    Inventor: Darin Grice
  • Patent number: 10779602
    Abstract: A helmet configured to protect a human head against mild traumatic brain injury upon impact includes an outer shell and a liner consisting of pairs of fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers fluidly connected to each other by fluid connections between each of the pairs of fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers being spaced on opposite sides of the helmet and configured to fill a space between the head and the outer shell when the helmet is positioned on the head. Impact resistant flexible pads are also inside the liner and are spaced around an inner circumference of the outer shell adjacent to each of the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers. A flexible inner shell inside the liner is configured to fit closely on the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Inventors: Wayne H. Tuttle, Lisa C. Whitaker
  • Patent number: 10744021
    Abstract: The solution to protecting the human knee from external forces is to surround the knee with a brace that includes adjustable air bladders to absorb external forces before the external forces pass into the knee and cause internal knee injury. Such a brace includes a pair of struts that are bifurcated by hinges, the adjustable air bladders placed between the knee and the hinges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Richard Nace
  • Patent number: 10702152
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protective sports equipment system with real-time impact monitoring of a player engaged in a contact sporting activity. The system includes a protective equipment assembly and an interface liner disposed within a padding assembly of the protective equipment assembly. The interface liner has a sensing and control unit with an array of sensors to detect impact data, a processor to determine an impact result, and a transmitter to transmit the impact result. The system also includes a remote unit that receives and displays the transmitted impact result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Crisco, III, Richard M. Greenwald, Jeffrey J. Chu
  • Patent number: 10687577
    Abstract: A protective liner, attachable to the inner surface of a helmet, comprising an inner face and an outer face oriented towards the inner surface of the helmet, wherein the joining of faces gives rise to a plurality of inflatable chambers permeable to water vapour and connected by means of pressurised air distribution channels. The chambers and channels form a single body extending at least along the inner surface of the helmet above the Frankfurt plane. The outer face comprises a layer of rigid material while the inner face comprises a layer of elastic material, whose area expands when the chambers are filled with air, such that the expansion in volume occurs mainly by means of the deformation of the elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: MAT PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY, S.L.U.
    Inventors: Javier Cadens Ballarin, Marie-Christine Eckloo, Colin Ramsay Bell, Xavier Mateu Codina, Pau Llibre Roig
  • Patent number: 10632360
    Abstract: A sports helmet comprises a single-piece plastic shell, an occipital shock absorber attached to the inner surface of the shell in the rear region to at least partially overlie an occipital area of the head, an inflatable occipital pad removably attached to the inner surface of the shell in the rear region and positioned between the inner surface of the shell and the lateral padding assembly to push the occipital shock absorber forward when the occipital pad is inflated. The occipital pad comprises a top sheet and a bottom sheet bonded together, a plurality of inflatable pockets formed in the top sheet and fluidly connected through channels formed in the top sheet, a valve assembly for inflating the plurality of inflatable pockets, the valve assembly bonded to the bottom sheet. The valve assembly extends through a hole in the shell for inflation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Kranos IP Corporation
    Inventors: Cortney Warmouth, Louis Anthony VanHoutin, Vincent R. Long
  • Patent number: 10492557
    Abstract: A helmet with two layers configured to slide with respect to each other is provided. The surface of one or both layers contains a sliding facilitator to improve slidability between the two layers. The sliding facilitator may be any one or a combination of (i) an organic polymer, a polysiloxane and a surfactant; (ii) an organic polymer and a copolymer based on a polysiloxane and an organic polymer; or (iii) a non-elastomeric cross-linked polymer obtained or obtainable by subjecting a polysiloxane and an organic polymer to a cross-linking reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: MIPS AB
    Inventors: Kay Grinneback, Daniel Lanner, Marcus Seyffarth
  • Patent number: 10426214
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems, methods, products, and implementations, including a head gear device that includes a helmet adapted to be worn by a user, at least one sensor to measure one or more of, for example, force and/or motion, and one or more moveable members, the one or more moveable members configured to be displaced to apply a counterforce to a head of the user based, at least in part, on detection of one or more of, for example, a force component applied to the user and/or motion undergone by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventor: Noam Rabinovitch
  • Patent number: 10390580
    Abstract: An airbag (20) for protecting the head of a user in case of an accident is hereby presented. The airbag comprises an inflatable inner bag (21, 40, 50, 60) surrounded by an outer bag (22), wherein the structure of the outer bag (22) defines the shape of the airbag (20) when the inner bag (21) is inflated, and wherein said inner bag (21, 40, 50, 60) comprises a plurality of elongate first chambers (28, 29, 210, 211, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 65, 66, 69, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614), each of which elongate first chambers forms a head protective part when inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: HĂ–VDING SVERIGE AB
    Inventors: Dick Olsson, Ulf Sellergren
  • Patent number: 10368604
    Abstract: An impact attenuation helmet construction having a rigid outer shell, a rigid inner shell adapted to being worn upon a wearer's head and arranged a spatially separated distance from the outer shell. A plurality of resilient plasticized members, each having circular cross sectional profiles, are provided and extend between the inner and outer shells in a three dimensional array in order to spatially support said outer shell a distance from an outer surface of said inner shell. The resilient members include any of disk or sphere shaped components, each having outer and inner flattened mounting locations securing to opposing locations of the inner and outer shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: LINARES MEDICAL DEVICES, LLC
    Inventors: Miguel A. Linares, Miguel A. Linares, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10362829
    Abstract: A protective helmet can include an outer shell and a multi-layer liner disposed within the outer shell and sized for receiving a wearer's head. The multi-layer liner can include and inner-layer, a middle-layer, and an outer-layer. The inner-layer can include an inner surface oriented towards an inner area of a helmet for receiving a wearer's head. The inner-layer can comprise a mid-energy management material with a density in a range of 40-70 g/L. The middle-layer can be disposed adjacent an outer surface of the inner-layer, wherein the middle-layer comprises a low-energy management material with a density in a range of 10-20 g/L. The outer-layer can be disposed adjacent an outer surface of the middle-layer, the outer-layer comprising an outer surface oriented towards the outer shell, wherein the outer-layer comprises a high-energy management material with a density in a range of 20-50 grams g/L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Lowe
  • Patent number: 10342281
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, devices, and systems for improved protective clothing such as helmets and protective headgear, including improvements in modular, semi-custom or customized helmet liners and/or inserts to enhance wearer comfort and reduce the deleterious effects of impacts between the wearer and other players and/or objects in all types of wearer activities (i.e., sports, military, equestrian, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: VICIS, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Fischer, Kayla Fukuda, Mike Czerski, Adam Frank, Cord Santiago
  • Patent number: 10327482
    Abstract: An apparatus (30) that dissipates a force (44). The apparatus (30) can be implemented in a wearable embodiment (31) such as a helmet (50) as well as non-wearable embodiments (32). Elastic structures (210) within the apparatus (30) dissipate the force (44) striking a shielded mass (39).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Helmet Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Justin B. Wenner, Christopher J. Falkowski
  • Patent number: 10292643
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for rapidly introducing treatment to patients suffering traumatic brain injuries. A wearable map of the brain electroencephalography (EEG) points is worn in a headscarf, helmet, or other headgear for providing real-time information on a wearer's brain condition. The overall system includes an application (app) or program software that may run on a tablet, portable communication device, or computing device that processes the data from the EEG sensors and interprets the data in real time. If there is an accident or other stress forces experienced by the wearer that mimics a concussion, the system initiates the real-time ejection of a cooling agent within the headgear to provide a reduction in the victim's brain temperature with the helmet cooling system. A drug intervention system and injury detection app for expedited treatment of a potential brain injury during the critical early phases of the injury is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ASTROCYTICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Landon C. G. Miller, Scott Behrens, Kevin Butterfield
  • Patent number: 10228036
    Abstract: There is provided an impact diffusing apparatus for diffusing force on an object being impacted, the apparatus having a body intersected by a plane having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The body has a first collapsible structure on the first side of the plane and a second collapsible structure on the second side of the plane, each collapsible structure having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surfaces of the collapsible structures are shaped to define an interior cavity. The apparatus has air passages communicating between the interior cavity of the collapsible surfaces and an external environment, as well as a mounting structure for mounting the body to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Inventor: Albert A. Beyer
  • Patent number: 10219572
    Abstract: A baseball cap having impact protection includes a prior art baseball cap and an inner impact layer. The inner impact layer preferably includes at least two impact wedges. Each impact wedge matches the outer perimeter shape of one of the six wedges that make-up a cap portion of the baseball cap. Each impact wedge includes a plurality of non-bursting gas cells. Each gas cell preferably has a semi-spherical or a semi-tubular shape. The plurality of impact wedges may be permanently or removably secured to an inside surface of the baseball cap. The impact wedge includes a base sheet and an outside sheet. The outside sheet is attached to the base sheet to form the plurality of non-bursting gas cells. Alternatively, each wedge may be fabricated from closed cell foam that matches the outer perimeter shape of one of the six wedges that make-up a cap portion of the baseball cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Inventor: John E. Whitcomb