Protective helmet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10721987-B2
Application number	US-201514925874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A protective helmet having a protective shell, a low friction layer, and a comfort liner is disclosed. The protective shell includes an energy absorbing material and an inner surface. The low friction layer is coupled to the inner surface of the protective shell. The low friction layer may be plastic having a thickness of less than approximately 3 mm. The comfort liner is removably coupled to the low friction layer opposite the protective shell, and includes a low friction material, such as brushed nylon, adjacent the low friction liner. The comfort liner may be removeably coupled protective shell with either clips that removably couple to receivers embedded in the brow of the helmet, with elastically deformable couplings that extend from the comfort liner to the protective shell, or both.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A protective helmet, comprising:
an outer shell having an inner surface and a lower edge;
an energy absorbing material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the energy absorbing material is directly connected to the inner surface of the outer shell;
a front receiver positioned adjacent to the lower edge of the outer shell and between the inner surface and outer surface of a front region of the energy absorbing material;
a comfort liner configured to contact a head of a wearer of the protective helmet, the comfort liner has: (i) a body, (ii) a front strap that extends from the body and includes a front attachment device, and (iii) an elastically deformable coupler that extends from an outer surface of the comfort liner; and
wherein the comfort liner is removably coupled within the protective helmet when: (i) an extent of the front attachment device is connected to the front receiver to provide a front connection that is positioned between the inner surface of the energy absorbing material and the outer surface of the energy absorbing material and (ii) the elastically deformable coupler extends into an opening formed within the energy absorbing material.

2. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the comfort liner includes an outer surface, said outer surface is covered with a material comprised of brushed nylon.

3. The protective helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a plastic layer that has a thickness less than approximately 3 mm, wherein the plastic layer is positioned between the comfort liner and the energy absorbing material.

4. A protective sports helmet, comprising: an outer shell having an inner surface and a lower edge; an energy absorbing material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the energy absorbing material is directly connected to the inner surface of the outer shell; a front receiver positioned directly adjacent to the lower edge of the outer shell and between the inner surface and outer surface of a front region of the energy absorbing material; a plastic layer coupled to an extent the inner surface of the energy absorbing material; a comfort liner configured to contact a head of a wearer of the protective helmet, said comfort liner has: i) a body, ii) a front strap that extends from the body and includes a front attachment device, and iii) at least two elastically deformable couplers that from an outer surface of the comfort liner; and wherein the outer surface of the comfort liner is removably positioned adjacent to the plastic layer when: i) the front attachment device is connected to the front receiver to provide a front connection that is positioned inward of the outer surface of the energy absorbing material, and ii) each of the elastically deformable couplers extends into a respective hole in the plastic layer.

5. The protective sports helmet of claim 4 , wherein the plastic layer has a thickness of approximately 3 mm or less.

6. The protective sports helmet of claim 4 , wherein the outer surface of the comfort liner is comprised of brushed nylon.

7. A protective helmet, comprising:
an outer shell having an inner surface and a lower edge;
an energy absorbing material having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the energy absorbing material is directly connected to the inner surface of the outer shell;
a front coupler bordering the lower edge of the outer shell and positioned between the inner surface and outer surface of a front region of the energy absorbing material;
a plastic layer coupled to the inner surface of the energy absorbing material wherein the plastic layer has at least one projection that extends from the plastic layer into the energy absorbing material;
a comfort liner configured to contact a head of a wearer of the protective helmet, the comfort liner having: (i) a body that includes a foam layer and (ii) a front attachment device; and
wherein the comfort liner is removably secured within the protective helmet when an extent of the front attachment device is coupled with the front coupler.

8. The protective helmet of claim 7 , wherein the front coupler comprise a U-shaped slot extending inward into the energy absorbing material from a bottom edge of the energy absorbing material.

9. The protective helmet of claim 7 , wherein the plastic layer has a thickness of 3 mm or less.

10. The protective helmet of claim 7 , wherein the comfort liner has an outer layer that is comprised of brushed nylon.

11. The protective helmet of claim 9 , wherein the comfort liner includes an elastically deformable coupler that extends from an outer surface of the comfort liner, said elastically deformable coupler removably connects the comfort liner to the energy absorbing material when an extent of the elastically deformable coupler extends through a hole in the plastic layer.

12. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the energy absorbing material is made from polyurethane.

13. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the extent of the front attachment device is positioned substantially perpendicular to a latitudinal lower front edge of the energy absorbing material, when the extent of the front attachment device is connected to the front receiver.

14. The protective helmet of claim 3 , wherein the plastic layer includes a plurality of projections that extend away from an outer surface of the plastic layer; and
when the plastic layer is coupled to the energy absorbing material, an extent of said projections are imbedded within the energy absorbing material.

15. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the elastically deformable coupler is configured to be displaced during an impact and then return to an original position after the impact.

16. The protective sports helmet of claim 4 , wherein the front region of the energy absorbing material includes a first layer and a second layer, said first layer is is made from polyurethane.

17. The protective sports helmet of claim 4 , wherein an extent of the front attachment device is positioned substantially perpendicular to a lower front edge of the energy absorbing material.

18. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the front receiver includes a recessed structure that is positioned within an extent of the energy absorbing material.

19. The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the front receiver includes at least one tooth.

20. The protective sports helmet of claim 4 , wherein the front receiver includes at least one tooth.

21. The protective sports helmet of claim 20 , wherein the at least one tooth is positioned within a recessed structure.

22. The protective helmet of claim 7 , wherein the front coupler includes a front receiver having a plurality of teeth.

23. The protective helmet of claim 22 , wherein the front receiver includes a recessed structure that is positioned within an extent of the energy absorbing material.

Assignees

• Bell Sports Inc

Inventors

• Lowe Michael W

Classifications

• A42B3/064

  with relative movement between layers · CPC title

• A42B3/105 Primary

  with additional protection for the neck (protective garments for neck or shoulder area A41D13/0512) · CPC title

• A42B3/10

  Linings (A42B3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title