Headgear position and impact sensor

Abstract

A protective headgear position and impact sensor is described for use with hard hats, helmets, or other headgear. Proximity sensors are used to detect whether the headgear is being worn by the user. In some versions of the invention, additional features determine the nature of a head impact and store data related to wear of the headgear by the user. Yet other features may allow the headgear to serve as a security device, allowing entry into a facility only if the headgear is in position and if it is properly associated with an authorized individual who is wearing the headgear

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM[0001]This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61 / 434,325, filed Jan. 19, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]There are many situations in which a helmet, hard-hat, or other protective headgear is essential. For example, many jobs are performed in hazardous areas requiring a hard hat for protection. Some example jobs include building or road construction, manufacturing involving hazardous machinery or materials, logging, and many others. In some of these settings it can be difficult to perfectly police the use of headgear by those personnel in areas that require it. Some may choose not to wear the headgear at all, while others may remove it from time to time even in hazardous situations. When employees or other personnel choose not to wear protective headgear in hazardous situations it exposes those individuals to a greater risk of head injury. In addition, it expose...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In some of these settings it can be difficult to perfectly police the use of headgear by those personnel in areas that require it.

When employees or other personnel choose not to wear protective headgear in hazardous situations it exposes those individuals to a greater risk of head injury.

In addition, it exposes managerial personnel and company owners to liability that may result from such injuries.

All participants may be potentially exposed to physical harm as a result of such participation.

Physical harm is more likely to occur in athletic events where collisions between participants frequently occur (e.g., football, field hockey, lacrosse, ice hockey, soccer and the like).

This may be a conservative estimate because many minor head injuries go unreported.

Although most concussions occur in high-impact sports, athletes in low-impact sports are not immune to mild traumatic brain injury.

Both linear and rotational accelerations are likely to be encountered by the head at impact, damaging neural and vascular elements of the brain.

At the school level, school authorities have become sensitive to the risk of injury to which student participants are exposed, as well as to the liability of the school system when injury results.

Some players engage in reckless behavior on the athletic field or do not appreciate the dangers to which they and others are subject by certain types of impacts experienced in these athletic endeavors.

Unfortunately, the use of mouth guards and helmets does not prevent all injuries.

One particularly troublesome problem is when a student athlete experiences a head injury, such as a concussion, of undetermined severity even when wearing protective headgear.

The same problem arises in professional sports where the stakes are much higher for a team, where such a team loses a valuable player due to the possibility of a severe head injury.

Other attempts have been made, however all these attempts can be costly to implement and fail to provide full historical medical information to coaches, trainers and medical professionals in real-time for dozens of players at a time on one or more adjacent fields.

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