Helmet cover

Abstract

To provide a helmet cover with improved safety. [Solution] A helmet cover 1 is fitted to a hard competition helmet to absorb external impacts; its surface is covered with a plurality of impact-absorbing pads, and is divided by circumferentially continuous ruled lines 10 into an upper cover section 11 that protects the upper side of the head and a lower cover section 21 that protects the lower side of the head; the plurality of pads include, in the upper cover section 11, a top pad 12 provided in a position corresponding to the top of the head, and a plurality of upper pads 13 provided in positions radially from the top of the head; and, in the lower cover section 21, a front pad 22 provided in a position corresponding to the forehead, ear pads 23 provided in positions corresponding to the ears, and a plurality of lower pads 24 provided in positions corresponding to the sides and back of the head; when fitted, each of the upper pads 13 is formed in a horizontally elongated shape, and each of the lower pads 24 is formed in a vertically elongated shape.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a helmet cover, and more particularly to a helmet cover to be attached to a sports helmet used in practice and games such as American football. [Background technology]

[0002] Athletic helmets used in practice and games for sports such as American football and lacrosse are constructed with a hard resin or metal surface that covers the user's (athlete's) head, protecting the user's head and neck from impacts that occur during practice or games. A face guard may also be attached to the front of the helmet, and a shock-absorbing cushion may be installed inside the hard helmet portion.

[0003] There are helmet covers that can be worn on the outside of such hard sports helmets. The surface is covered with multiple impact-absorbing pads to absorb external impacts. This allows them to protect against concussions and other injuries that hard sports helmets do not provide sufficient protection against.

[0004] For example, the protective headgear disclosed in Patent Document 1 is for rugby and is not a helmet cover that is attached to a hard helmet, but similarly, the surface is covered with shock-absorbing pads, and the pads absorb external shocks to prevent injuries to the user, such as concussion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2019-506544 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the pads in the protective headgear of Patent Document 1 are characterized by their layer structure, and there is still room for improvement in the arrangement and outer edge shape of the pads in the protective headgear.

[0007] The inventor of the present invention came up with the idea that the safety of a helmet cover can be improved by improving the pad arrangement and outer edge shape, and has put this idea into practice.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a helmet cover with improved safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a helmet cover that is attached to a hard competition helmet to absorb external impacts, and is provided with a plurality of impact-absorbing pads that cover the surface of the helmet cover, and is divided into an upper cover that protects the upper side of the head and a lower cover that protects the lower side of the head by continuous circumferential lines, and the plurality of pads include, in the upper cover, a top pad provided in a position corresponding to the top of the head, and a plurality of upper pads provided in positions radially from the top of the head, and in the lower cover, a front pad provided in a position corresponding to the forehead, ear pads provided in positions corresponding to the ears, and a plurality of lower pads provided in positions corresponding to the sides and occipital regions, and when attached, each of the upper pads is formed in a horizontally elongated shape, and each of the lower pads is formed in a vertically elongated shape.

[0010] With this configuration, the upper pad can more easily absorb and deflect impacts from the horizontal direction, and the lower pad can more easily absorb and deflect impacts from the vertical direction.

[0011] The invention of claim 2 is the same as the invention of claim 1, except that each of the upper pads is formed in a horizontally elongated shape that curves downward.

[0012] With this configuration, the upper pad can more easily deflect impacts from the horizontal direction in the vertical direction as well.

[0013] The invention described in claim 3 is the same as the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, except that a slit extending from the top pad to the ruled line is formed in the upper part of the cover, and the upper part of the cover is divided into areas in the circumferential direction through the slit.

[0014] With this configuration, the slits can absorb deformation of the upper part of the cover and also make it easier to conform to the shape of the helmet.

[0015] The invention described in claim 4 is the same as the invention described in claim 3, except that the upper part of the cover is divided into one frontal head protection section, two side head protection sections, and two occipital head protection sections through multiple slits.

[0016] This configuration makes it easier to protect each area of ​​the head.

[0017] The invention described in claim 5 is the same as the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, except that the lower part of the cover further comprises a band at its rear that is stretchable in the horizontal direction.

[0018] With this configuration, the band stretches and contracts when worn, making it easier to conform to the shape of the helmet.

[0019] The invention described in claim 6 is the same as the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, but is equipped with front straps that are attached to both the left and right sides of the front pad, extend downward, and hook onto a part of the competition helmet, and side straps that are attached to the connection point between the front pad and the ear pads, extend diagonally downward, and hook onto another part of the competition helmet.

[0020] With this configuration, displacement of the helmet cover due to a vertical impact is absorbed mainly by the front strap, and impacts from the horizontal direction can be absorbed by the side straps.

[0021] The invention described in claim 7 is the same as the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, except that each of the upper pads has a planar length in the vertical direction within the range of 3cm to 7cm, and each of the lower pads has a planar length in the horizontal direction within the range of 3cm to 7cm.

[0022] With this configuration, the strength of the upper and lower pads themselves can be maintained even if they are formed into any shape. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] As explained above, the invention described in claim 1 makes it easier for the upper pad to deflect impacts from the horizontal direction and the lower pad to deflect impacts from the vertical direction, so the upper part of the cover has an increased ability to withstand impacts from the horizontal direction and the lower part of the cover has an increased ability to withstand impacts from the vertical direction, thereby improving safety.

[0024] The invention of claim 2 has the same effect as the invention of claim 1, but in addition, the upper pad is able to deflect horizontal impacts in the vertical direction as well, which increases the upper part of the cover's ability to withstand horizontal impacts, thereby further improving safety.

[0025] In addition to the effects of the invention of claim 1 or claim 2, the invention of claim 3 can absorb deformation of the upper part of the cover through the slits and makes it easier to conform to the shape of the helmet, thereby further improving safety by further increasing the ability of the upper part of the cover to withstand impacts.

[0026] The invention of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 3, makes it easier to protect each area of ​​the head, thereby further improving safety.

[0027] The invention of claim 5 has the same effect as the invention of claim 1 or claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 5, the band stretches when worn, making it easier to fit the shape of the helmet, so it conforms to the shape of the helmet and reduces the risk of it coming off accidentally, further improving safety.

[0028] The invention of claim 6 has the effect of the invention of claim 1 or claim 2, in addition to which the front straps mainly absorb displacement of the helmet cover due to vertical impacts, and the side straps absorb impacts from the horizontal direction, resulting in a stable wearing state and further improved safety.

[0029] The invention described in claim 7 allows the strength of the upper pad and lower pad themselves to be maintained even if they are formed into any shape, thereby improving safety and increasing design freedom. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a rear view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a bottom view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a back view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a side view of a helmet cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In the present invention, the direction facing the position corresponding to the forehead of the user as shown in FIG. 2 is defined as a front view.

[0033] Referring to these figures, the helmet cover 1 is provided with a plurality of shock absorbing pads that cover the surface of the helmet cover 1, and each pad is configured to have cushioning properties by enclosing a shock absorbing material inside. The three-dimensional shape of each pad is a bulging shape with rounded flat surfaces at the ends.

[0034] The material and structure of the cushioning material are not limited as long as it has the ability to absorb shock, but foamed resins such as polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA), and polyethylene, as well as elastomers such as silicone gel and thermoplastic rubber (TPR), can be used.

[0035] Furthermore, the surface of the pad is not limited to any particular material or structure as long as it can properly retain the cushioning material inside, but polyester, polyurethane, synthetic leather, cotton cloth, etc. can be used. The static friction coefficient of the surface is not particularly limited, and a surface of approximately 0.1 to 1.5 can be used, but depending on the sport, there may be situations where the impact from the ball or contact with other players has a directional effect, and in order to easily deflect that impact, it is preferable that the static friction coefficient be within the range of 0.1 to 0.5.

[0036] The helmet cover 1 covered with such padding can be attached to the outside of a hard athletic helmet (not shown) used in practice or games for sports such as American football or lacrosse to absorb external impacts.

[0037] A competition helmet has at least a hard outer shell, which can be made of materials such as polycarbonate (PC), ABS resin, or fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). A layer with impact absorption properties may be provided on the inside of the outer shell. A face guard (face mask) made of steel or titanium with a lattice pattern may also be provided to protect the face, and the front straps and side straps of the helmet cover 1, which will be described later, can be fastened to the face guard.

[0038] The helmet cover 1 is divided by a circumferentially continuous ruled line 10 into an upper cover portion 11 that protects the upper side of the user's head and a lower cover portion 21 that protects the lower side of the head.

[0039] The pads of the helmet cover 1 include a top pad 12 provided in the upper cover portion 11 at a position corresponding to the top of the user's head and multiple top pads 13 provided in positions radially from the top of the head, and a front pad 22 provided in the lower cover portion 21 at a position corresponding to the user's forehead, ear pads 23 provided in positions corresponding to the ears, and multiple lower pads 24 provided in positions corresponding to the sides and back of the head. There is no limit to the number of pads, and for example, the top pad 12 or the front pad 22 may be divided into multiple pieces. The pads may also include types of pads other than those described above (with different uses, functions, positions, and shapes).

[0040] When attached to a racing helmet, each of the upper pads 13 is formed in a horizontally elongated shape, and each of the lower pads 24 is formed in a vertically elongated shape.

[0041] With this configuration, the upper pad 13 can more easily deflect impacts from the horizontal direction, and the lower pad 24 can more easily deflect impacts from the vertical direction, so that the upper cover 11 has an increased ability to withstand impacts from the horizontal direction, and the lower cover 21 has an increased ability to withstand impacts from the vertical direction, thereby improving safety.

[0042] The top pad 12 is disposed at the top of the helmet cover 1 and absorbs impacts to the top of the user's head. In this embodiment, the outer edge has an elliptical shape, as shown in Fig. 4 in particular.

[0043] The upper pads 13 are arranged in the cover upper portion 11 excluding the top portion of the helmet cover 1, and the area where they are arranged is divided into two in the vertical direction by a groove 14 that separates the pads, and includes upper pads 13a to 13e located on the upper area side and upper pads 13f to 13j located on the lower area side. In this embodiment, each of the upper pads 13 (13a to 13j) is formed in a horizontally elongated shape that curves downward.

[0044] By configuring it in this way, the upper pad 13 can more easily deflect horizontal impacts not only horizontally but also vertically, so that the cover upper part 11 has an increased ability to withstand horizontal impacts, thereby further improving safety.

[0045] In addition, slits 15a to 15e are formed in the cover upper portion 11, extending from the top pad 12 to the ruled line 10, and the cover upper portion 11 is divided into regions in the circumferential direction via the slits 15a to 15e.

[0046] By configuring it in this manner, the slits 15a to 15e can absorb deformation of the upper cover part 11 and make it easier to conform to the shape of the helmet being worn, thereby further increasing the ability of the upper cover part 11 to withstand impacts and further improving safety.

[0047] 3, the formation start point of slit 15e is top pad 12, but the formation end point is open and not along crease 10. In this way, slits 15 that divide the circumferential region of cover upper portion 11 may include slits other than those that extend from top pad 12 to crease 10.

[0048] In this embodiment, the upper cover portion 11 is divided by these five slits 15a to 15e into one forehead protection portion (a portion including upper pads 13c and 13h), two side head protection portions (a portion including upper pads 13b and 13g, and a portion including upper pads 13d and 13i), and two occipital protection portions (a portion including upper pads 13a and 13f, and a portion including upper pads 13e and 13j).

[0049] This configuration makes it easier to protect each area of ​​the user's head, further improving safety.

[0050] Next, the outer edge of the front pad 22 in the cover lower part 21 is oval. To enhance the protection performance for the user's forehead, the pad may contain a relatively large amount of cushioning material. Also, a design such as a company logo may be provided on the surface.

[0051] The ear pads 23 are provided on the earmuffs around the openings 25a and 25b to prevent external sounds from reaching the user's ears.

[0052] In addition, on both the left and right sides of the front pad 22, there are provided front straps 26a, 26b that extend downward and engage with part of the competition helmet (part of the face guard mentioned above), and on both sides of the connection point between the front pad 22 and the ear pads 23, there are provided side straps 27a, 27b that extend diagonally downward and engage with another part of the competition helmet (another part of the face guard).

[0053] With this configuration, displacement of the helmet cover 1 due to impact from the vertical direction is absorbed mainly by the front straps 26a, 26b, and impact from the horizontal direction can be absorbed by the side straps 27a, 27b, resulting in a stable wearing state and further improved safety.

[0054] In this embodiment, the front straps 26a, 26b and the side straps 27a, 27b all have hook-and-loop fasteners, which allow them to be switched between a rolled-up closed state and a stretched-out, band-like open state, making them suitable for engaging with part of the lattice-shaped face guard.

[0055] The cover lower part 21 further includes a band 28 at its rear part that is stretchable in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the band 28 is fixed to the cover lower part 21, but it may be unfixed and the length of the band 28 may be adjustable using a hook-and-loop fastener or the like.

[0056] With this configuration, the band 28 stretches and contracts when worn, making it easier to fit the shape of the helmet, so it conforms to the shape of the helmet and reduces the risk of it coming off accidentally, further improving safety.

[0057] The lower pad 24 is disposed in the area of ​​the cover lower portion 21 excluding the front pad 21 , the ear pads 22 and the band 28 , and each of these is formed in a vertically elongated shape as described above.

[0058] Each of the upper pads 13 has a planar length in the vertical direction (length L1 shown in FIG. 1) in the range of 3 cm to 7 cm, and each of the lower pads 24 has a planar length in the horizontal direction (length L2 shown in FIG. 1) in the range of 3 cm to 7 cm. Note that the short-side length of each pad is set as described above, but the long-side length is not particularly limited.

[0059] By configuring it in this manner, the strength of the upper pad 13 and the lower pad 24 themselves can be maintained even if they are formed into any shape within the above numerical range, thereby improving safety and increasing design freedom.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the pad covers the entire front side of the helmet cover, but there may be a portion that is not covered by the pad. Also, a pad may be provided on the back side of the helmet cover.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the upper pad is formed in a horizontally elongated shape that curves downward, but it may not be curved downward.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, slits are formed in the upper part of the cover, but slits do not have to be formed. Even if slits are formed, there is no limit to the number of slits, and there is no particular limit to the types of regions into which the cover is divided.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a band is provided at the rear of the lower part of the cover, but a band may not be provided. Also, even if a band is provided, it may be provided at the top of the cover or on both side parts.

[0064] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment includes front straps and side straps, the device may not include straps. Furthermore, even if straps are included, the number and positions of the straps may be changed.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the planar length of each pad in the shorter direction is set to be within a specific numerical range, but even if some pads do not fall within that numerical range, as long as the other main pads fall within that numerical range, this essentially constitutes the present invention.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each of the upper pads is formed in a horizontally elongated shape and each of the lower pads is formed in a vertically elongated shape, but even if some of the pads do not fall into this shape, as long as the other main pads fall into this shape, it essentially constitutes the present invention.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the three-dimensional shape of the pad has a specific bulge, but it may have a different bulge shape.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the positions and number of pads are specific, but the positions and number are not particularly limited and may be other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1. Helmet cover 10...Rounded lines 11...Top of cover 12...Top pad 13...Upper pad 15...Slit 21...Bottom of cover 22...Front pad 23...Ear pads 24...Lower pad 26...Front strap 27...Side straps 28...Band In addition, the same reference numerals in each drawing indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims

1. A helmet cover that is attached to a hard sports helmet to absorb external impacts, A plurality of shock absorbing pads are provided to cover the surface of the helmet cover, The cover is divided into an upper cover portion that protects the upper side of the head and a lower cover portion that protects the lower side of the head via a circumferentially continuous score line, The plurality of pads include: A top pad is provided at a position corresponding to the top of the head in the upper part of the cover, and a plurality of upper pads are provided at positions radially from the top of the head; The cover includes a front pad provided at a position corresponding to the forehead, ear pads provided at positions corresponding to the ears, and a plurality of lower pads provided at positions corresponding to the sides and back of the head, In a worn state, each of the upper pads is formed in a horizontally elongated shape, and each of the lower pads is formed in a vertically elongated shape.

2. 2. The helmet cover according to claim 1, wherein each of said upper pads is formed in a horizontally elongated shape that curves downward.

3. A slit is formed in the upper portion of the cover, the slit extending from the top pad to the crease; 3. The helmet cover according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the cover is divided into regions in the circumferential direction by the slits.

4. 4. The helmet cover according to claim 3, wherein the upper cover portion is divided into one front head protection portion, two side head protection portions, and two rear head protection portions via a plurality of the slits.

5. 3. The helmet cover according to claim 1, wherein the lower cover portion further comprises a band at a rear portion thereof that is stretchable in the lateral direction.

6. Front straps are provided on both the left and right sides of the front pad, extend downward, and engage with a part of the competition helmet; 3. The helmet cover according to claim 1, further comprising a side strap provided at the connection between the front pad and the ear pad, extending diagonally downward, and engaging with another part of the racing helmet.

7. each of the upper pads has a planar length in the vertical direction within the range of 3 cm to 7 cm; 3. The helmet cover according to claim 1, wherein each of the lower pads has a horizontal planar length within a range of 3 cm to 7 cm.

Images