System and method for custom forming a protective helmet for a customer's head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10159296-B2
Application number	US-201414156269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2014
Priority date	Jan 18, 2013
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A custom-fitted helmet and a method of making the same can comprise, at a first location, obtaining head data for a customer's head comprising a length, a width, and at least one head contour. With at least one processor, generating a computerized three-dimensional (3D) headform matching the customer's head length, width, and head contour from the head data. The 3D headform can be compared to a helmet safety standard. At a second location different from the first location, a custom-fitted helmet based on the 3D headform can be formed, wherein the custom-fitted helmet satisfies the safety standard and comprises an inner surface comprising a topography that conforms to the length, width, and at least one contour of the customer's head. The first location can be a home or a store. Obtaining the head data from photographic images of a deformable interface member disposed on the customer's head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a custom-fitted helmet, comprising:
at a first location, scanning a customer's head with a non-contact sensor and a processor, to obtain head data from a customer's head, said head data includes a length, a width, and at least one contour of the customer's head;
generating, with at least one computer, a three-dimensional headform, said three-dimensional headform has an outer surface that matches the head data;
providing, with said computer, a three-dimensional helmet safety standard;
comparing, with said computer, the outer surface of the three-dimensional headform against the three-dimensional helmet safety standard; and
when said three-dimensional helmet safety standard is satisfied, forming a custom-fitted helmet at a second location different from the first location, wherein said custom-fitted helmet has an inner surface with a topography that conforms to the length, width, and at least one contour of the head data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining head data of the customer's head by obtaining images, using the non-contact sensor, of a deformable interface member disposed on the customer's head, wherein a thickness of the deformable interface member approximates a thickness of a padding layer disposed within the custom-fitted helmet.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising obtaining the images by using an optical sensor, a camera or a laser.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising obtaining images of the deformable interface member comprising measurement points.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising obtaining images comprising a marker of a known size.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating a customer's head data by measuring at least the customer's head length and head width after at least six months.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining the head data at the first location by capturing a photographic image of the customer's head, wherein the first location is a customer's home or a store; and
sending the captured photographic image of the customer's head from first location to the at least one computer located at a location remote from the first location.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional helmet safety standard includes a three-dimensional certified surface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the computer positions the three-dimensional certified surface between the outer surface of the three-dimensional headform and an outer shell of the custom-fitted helmet.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the three-dimensional helmet safety standard is satisfied when the outer surface of the three-dimensional headform does not extend into the three-dimensional certified surface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional helmet safety standard includes a test line.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a helmet base unit having a surface with a size and shape different than a size and shape of the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet; and
forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by removing expanded polystyrene from the helmet base unit-using a computer numerical control machine.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by an additive process.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by inserting a liner comprising a plurality of contiguous pieces or a plurality of separated pieces into a helmet base unit.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming the liner as a substantially flat array of pieces; and
adjusting a surface of the substantially flat array of pieces to mirror the computerized headform.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the three-dimensional headform within the three-dimensional helmet safety standard to optimize a field of view for the customer.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional helmet safety standard includes a minimum dimension.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising an actual dimension, said actual dimension extends between the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet and an outer shell of the custom-fitted helmet; and
wherein the three-dimensional helmet safety standard is satisfied when the actual dimension is greater than the minimum dimension.

19. A computer-executed method of making a custom-fitted helmet, comprising:
providing at least one non-contact sensor and a processor;
using the non-contact sensor to obtain head data for a customer's head;
providing, with a computer, a helmet safety standard that includes a certified surface;
comparing, with said computer, the head data to the certified surface of the helmet safety standard to assess whether the obtained head data extends through the certified surface; and
when said head data does not extend through the certified surface, forming a custom-fitted helmet, wherein a protective base material of the custom-fitted helmet has an inner surface with a topography that conforms to the obtained head data.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein obtaining head data for the customer's head further comprises obtaining the customer's head length, width, and at least one head contour.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
generating a graphical three-dimensional (3D) headform from the head data;
providing the helmet safety standard as a graphical 3D helmet safety standard; and
comparing the graphical 3D headform to the graphical 3D helmet safety standard by positioning the graphical 3D headform within the graphical 3D helmet safety standard to determine a size and shape of the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the helmet safety standard includes a test line.

23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
selecting a protective base material having a surface comprising a size and shape different than a size and shape of the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet; and
forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by removing expanded polystyrene from the protective base material using a computer numerical control machine.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
forming the protective base material comprising a first protective material and a second protective material disposed adjacent to the first protective material; and
forming the custom-fitted helmet by removing a portion of the second protective material.

25. The method of claim 19 , further comprising forming the custom-fitted helmet comprising posts configured to interface with a jig to stabilize the custom-fitted helmet during forming.

26. The method of claim 19 , further comprising forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by an additive process.

27. The method of claim 19 , further comprising forming the inner surface of the custom-fitted helmet by inserting a custom-fitted liner into a stock helmet.

28. The method of claim 19 , further comprising obtaining head data for the customer's head by obtaining images of a deformable interface member disposed on the customer's head, wherein a thickness of the deformable interface member corresponds to a thickness of a padding layer within the custom-fitted helmet.

29. The metho

Assignees

• Bell Sports Inc
• Riddell

Inventors

• Pietrzak Christopher T
• Lowe Michael W

Classifications

• A42B3/00 Primary

  Helmets; Helmet covers {; Other protective head coverings} ({hoods for welders A61F9/06;} defence protection helmets F41H1/04) · CPC title

• A42C2/007 Primary

  Manufacturing custom-sized helmets · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G05B2219/49023

  3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder · CPC title

• G05B2219/35217

  Cagd computer aided geometric design, sbgd scanning based geometric design · CPC title