Sports helmet with collapsible modular elements

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a helmet for a user's head, comprising a shell configured to at least partially surrounds the user's head, an energy-absorbing layer, and a plurality of collapsible modular elements that are individually removably attached to and detached from the helmet. Collapsible modular elements, as used herein, are elements attached to the helmet that collapse or otherwise crush and permanently deform or to temporarily deform upon receiving an impact force of a particular pre-determined amount. By collapsing, energy from the impact is more effectively absorbed instead of being transferred to the user of the helmet.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 524,597 entitled “Modular Sports Helmet,” filed on Jun. 15, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to a high-performance helmet incorporating a collapsible modular design to achieve, among other things, improvements in energy absorption and cost efficiencies. The characteristics of the disclosure may be particularly useful in high-impact sports such as football, lacrosse, hockey, baseball, softball, cycling, skating, skiing, polo, and the like, as well as other non-sports applications where protection of a user is important.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Many current helmet designs are essentially plastic, formed shells with some variation of energy-absorbing material, such as foams, air pads, or a combination of both, placed inside or external to the shell.[0004]To optimize perf...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]The collapsible modular elements can create a variable stand-off height relative to the helmet, so that the collapsible modular elements absorb energy in a region between the shell and the stand-off height. A higher stand-off height will generally improve energy absorption while a lower stand-off height will have less resistance from users who seek to minimize the overall outer helmet profile.

[0019]The collapsible modular elements may thus provide additional stages of impact energy absorption and may be adapted to optimize performance for a specific sport or function by varying characteristics such as size, location, weight, material, method of attachment, and the like.

Problems solved by technology

However, such attempts create compromises where certain features dominate the design, and the other criteria are reduced to various degrees.

The helmets outer shell is designed to be capable of being refinished several times during its useful life, but if a key element is damaged during use, and thus not functional, the helmet has to be replaced in whole.

The designs are very efficient at absorbing energy, however they are not designed to withstand multiple impacts.

Therefore, Stage 1 of the energy absorption mechanism is largely ineffective, and the bulk of energy absorption is accomplished by the Stage 2 design elements, namely foams and air pads inside the hard shell.

Moreover, they tend to have design elements that are designed for comfort, which allow them to also work under low impact loads, or design elements that are intended to work under high impact loads However, these Stage 2 design elements do not function well for both high and low impact loads.

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