Head protective insert technology for significantly reducing subconcussive level impacts to protective headgear used in contact and collision sports

Abstract

Head protective inserts are designed to be removably fitted within helmets such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets. The inserts include an impact absorbing material formed of one or more polymeric materials having full elastic memory and, in some embodiments, may further include a thin polycarbonate outer layer adhered to the inner surface of the helmet. When fitted within a helmet, the inserts provide a significant increase in absorption and dissipation of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the structure and design of the helmet, without the need to change the size of the helmet. The inserts also provide increased comfort to the wearer and, in at least some embodiments, absorb and dissipate perspiration.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This non-provisional patent application is based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 62 / 292,601 filed Feb. 8, 2016.DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]Safety helmets are intended to protect a wearer's head from forces of impact that may result if the wearer falls and strikes their head on the ground or if an object or part of a body (e.g., another person's head, knee or elbow) hits the wearer in the head. While safety helmets can reduce the amount of impact to a wearer's head, they are generally not designed to significantly absorb and dissipate low impact forces to the head and, in many instances, do not protect against brain injury resulting from the remaining low impact forces to the head and brain that remain after most of the high impact forces are absorbed and dissipated. For example, present designs of bicycle helmets have a thin plastic hard outer shell (e.g., ABS or polycarbonate) that covers a crushable material, such as expanded poly...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention offers head protective inserts that can be fitted into various types of helmets to increase the absorption and dissipation of impact forces. These inserts can be comfortably worn without changing the size of the helmet and can also absorb and dissipate perspiration. The inserts are made of a polymeric material with full elastic memory and may include a thin polycarbonate outer layer adhered to the inner surface of the helmet. The inserts may also be covered with a knitted fabric that can be easily washed and dried naturally in the open air.

Problems solved by technology

While safety helmets can reduce the amount of impact to a wearer's head, they are generally not designed to significantly absorb and dissipate low impact forces to the head and, in many instances, do not protect against brain injury resulting from the remaining low impact forces to the head and brain that remain after most of the high impact forces are absorbed and dissipated.

Existing bicycle helmets of this design do not protect against low level impact forces and only provide minimal protection against high level impact forces to the extent necessary to satisfy current requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and other voluntary standards.

The EPP, ABS, EPS, polycarbonate and combinations of EPS / polyurethane polymer materials used in existing bicycle helmets, as well as other protective helmets do not address the problem of protecting against low impacts that can easily cause subconcussive brain injuries that are asymptomatic and cumulative.

While some bicycle helmets have insert pads that are removably fitted within the helmet for purposes of proper fitting and increased comfort, these pads or spacers are rather flimsy and do not absorb or dissipate forces of the impact, nor do they absorb and dissipate perspiration.

And, while the air vent openings on existing bicycle helmet designs are stylish, they are not efficient for purposes of absorbing or dissipating perspiration of the wearer.

Further, the large amount of vent openings on existing bicycle helmet designs significantly reduces the amount of EPS foam that is used in the helmet construction, thereby taking away from the amount of available crushing area against the wearer's head and brain on impact.

Other types of sports helmets are also deficient in design and construction and do not adequately protect the wearer from impact forces to the head.

For example, most equestrian, lacrosse and ski helmets provide very limited protection and do not adequately absorb and dissipate even moderate forces of impact.

Images