Helmet and helmet system

Abstract

A protective helmet system (10) that integrates turn signal light, break signal light, motion sensors (710), Bluetooth connectivity and a remote control (180) is provided. The system (10) comprises a helmet (20) for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle, and a remote control (180) for wirelessly controlling electronics in the helmet (20) to perform functions. The helmet (20) comprises a LED strip (60). The LED strip (60) comprises a flexible base (68) and a plurality of LEDs (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 671, 672, 673) installed on the flexible base (68). In addition, the LED strip (60) is configured to produce light signals to cars and pedestrians surrounding the rider, causing the rider to be more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians to thereby promote safety to the rider.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 126,579, filed on Feb. 28, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to helmets and safety devices for protecting riders of vehicles, including bicycles and motorcycles.BACKGROUND[0003]The helmet is intended to protect the head in the event of impact. However, most bicycle helmets are not designed to prevent accidents that may result in head impacts or other bodily harm. According to the Boston Cyclist Safety Report 2013 published in May 2013 and by the City of Boston, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, 32% of bicycle accidents are due to motorists not seeing the cyclists; this includes 18% of bicycle accidents that result from “dooring”, i.e. when a vehicle door is extended into cyclists (p. 17 of Boston Cyclist Safety Report 2013). Anoth...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a helmet for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle.

[0012]The helmet comprises a light emitting diode (LED) strip installed on the helmet. The LED strip comprises a flexible base and a plurality of LEDs installed on the flexible base. In particular, the LED strip is configured to produce light signals to cars and pedestrians surrounding the rider, causing the rider to be more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians to thereby promote safety to the rider.

[0013]The helmet further comprises a liner configured to protect a head of the rider. The LED strip is integrated with the liner. Preferably, the liner is made from high-density impact-absorption foam, enabling the liner to protect the head of the rider.

[0015]Preferably, the plurality of LEDs includes a front-right LED, a back-right LED, a back LED, a back-left LED, a front-left LED, a left brim LED, a right brim LED and a center brim LED. In one realization, each of the front-right LED and the front-left LED is a super-bright dual-color orange and white LED, the back-right LED and the back-left LED are super bright orange LEDs, the back LED is a super bright red LED, the left brim LED and the right brim LED are orange LEDs, and the center brim LED is red. The electronics and battery box is configured to when the rider is biking straight, control the LED strip such that the back LED is blinking, causing the rider to become more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians.

[0018]Preferably, the helmet further comprises an upper shell and a bottom shell both for protecting the rider. It is also preferable that the helmet further comprises a harness for enabling the helmet to be fastened to a head of the rider.

[0022]A third aspect of the present invention is to provide a helmet for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle. The helmet comprises one or more electronics boxes. An individual electronics box comprises a cover, a bottom, a wing and a cavity. The wing protrudes from the cover and extends to contact the helmet for absorbing impact energy during an impact. The cavity is situated between the bottom and the helmet. The cavity is used for preventing compression of a foam of the helmet beneath the individual electronics box at an early stage of the impact.

Problems solved by technology

However, most bicycle helmets are not designed to prevent accidents that may result in head impacts or other bodily harm.

Taken together, 70% of bicycle accidents are due to a combination of poor cyclist visibility and improper adherence to road rules.

The conventional bicycle helmet is limited to reactively minimizing impact to the head.

This conventional design minimizes head trauma in the event of an impact, but it does not help cyclists avoid impact by being more visible on the road, especially in darkening or dark environments when most accidents occur.

These solutions are insufficient as most lights and reflectors are too small to be seen or are not bright enough to be seen from a safe following distance.

The lack of a standardized, common lighting system can result in motorists, other cyclists and pedestrians not adequately seeing cyclists.

Furthermore, helmets have thus far not been well utilized as a platform for additional technology enhancements.

However, thus far, few have been brought to the market.

However, doing so effectively means removing protective material from the helmet, decreasing its ability to pass the impact tests required of the EN1078 and the CPSC 16 C.F.R part 1203.

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