Helmet for a hockey or lacrosse player

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11116273-B2
Application number	US-201916283315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2008
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A helmet for receiving the head of a hockey or lacrosse player, the helmet having an outer shell and an inner lining covering at least partially the inner surface of the outer shell. In one embodiment, the helmet comprises a skeleton at least partially covered by the inner lining, a movable occipital pad and movable temple pads. The inner lining can be made of an absorptive material such as foam, expanded polypropylene or expanded polyethylene and can be overmolded onto the skeleton. The occipital pad and the temple pads may be arranged with an inward bias so as to help the helmet self-adjust to provide an advantageous fit on the player's head. In some embodiments, the outer shell and skeleton, or the outer shell and the inner lining, cooperate to define a ventilation system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A helmet for receiving a wearer's head, comprising:
a) a shell having an inner surface facing toward the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the shell defining a cavity for receiving the wearer's head, wherein left and right temple portions of the inner surface of the shell face left and right temple portions of the wearer's head when the helmet is worn; and
b) a self-adjusting fit system residing in the cavity of the helmet, the self-adjusting fit system comprising left and right temporal pads configured to abut against the left and right temple portions of the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the left temporal pad being located between the left temple portion of the wearer's head and the left temple portion of the inner surface of the shell when the helmet is worn, the right temporal pad being located between the right temple portion of the wearer's head and the right temple portion of the inner surface of the shell when the helmet is worn, each temporal pad being deflectable relative to the corresponding temple portion of the inner surface of the shell between a first position and a second position, in the first position the temporal pad being closer to the corresponding temple portion of the inner surface of the shell than in the second position;

wherein the self-adjusting fit system is configured to bias the temporal pads so as to press against the left and right temporal portions of the wearer's head both in the first position and in the second position.

2. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising an inner lining attached to the inner surface of the shell, each of the left and right temporal pads being mounted adjacent to the inner lining.

3. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein the self-adjusting fit system is configured such that, in use, when the wearer dons the helmet, each said temporal pad is movable relative to the inner lining.

4. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein each of the left and right temporal pads is an extension of the inner lining.

5. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein the shell comprises a plurality of shell members, the plurality of shell members being movable relative to one another to vary a dimension of the cavity of the helmet.

6. The helmet of claim 5 , wherein the inner lining includes a plurality of portions attached to respective shell members of the plurality of shell members, the portions of the inner lining being movable relative to one another when the respective shell members move relative to each other.

7. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the portions of the inner lining comprise at least a front portion and a rear portion.

8. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the self-adjusting fit system comprises left and right temporal members extending along respective left and right temporal regions of the helmet.

9. The helmet of claim 8 , wherein each temporal member includes semi-rigid material.

10. The helmet of claim 9 , Wherein the semi-rigid material is injection-molded polymer.

11. The helmet of claim 8 , wherein each of the temporal members is movable relative to the inner surface of the shell.

12. The helmet of claim 11 , wherein movement of the temporal members pairs with the deflection of the temporal pads.

13. The helmet of claim 12 , wherein the temporal pads are connected to the temporal members.

14. The helmet of claim 13 , wherein the temporal pads are overmolded onto the temporal members.

15. The helmet of claim 13 , wherein the temporal pads are bonded to the temporal members.

16. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein each of the temporal pads is affixed to the shell.

17. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein the self-adjusting fit system is covered at least in part by the inner lining.

18. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein each temporal pad is biased to extend inwardly up to at least ⅛ inch from the inner surface of the shell in the second position.

19. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein each temporal pad is biased to extend inwardly up to at least ¼ inch from the inner surface of the shell in the second position.

20. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein each temporal pad is biased to extend inwardly up to at least ½ inch from the inner surface of the shell in the second position.

21. The helmet of claim 1 , further comprising:
an occipital pad mounted in a rear region of the helmet, the occipital pad configured to abut against a lower portion of the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the occipital pad being deflectable relative to the shell between a first position and a second position, in the first position the occipital pad being closer to the inner surface of the shell than in the second position.

22. The helmet of claim 21 , further comprising an inner lining attached to the inner surface of the shell, wherein the occipital pad is affixed to the inner lining.

23. The helmet of claim 21 , wherein the occipital pad is affixed to the shell.

24. The helmet of claim 21 , wherein the self-adjusting fit system is configured to bias the occipital pad so as to press against the lower portion of the wearer's head both in the first position and in the second position.

25. The helmet of claim 24 , wherein the self-adjusting fit system further comprises:
an occipital member extending transversally across the rear region of the helmet; and
a support member depending downwardly from the occipital member, the occipital member and the support member being connected to one another.

26. The helmet of claim 25 , wherein the support member and the occipital member are unitarily molded together.

27. The helmet of claim 25 , the occipital member being adjacent to the inner surface of the shell and connected to the shell.

28. The helmet of claim 25 , wherein the occipital pad is connected to the support member.

Assignees

• Bauer Hockey Llc

Inventors

• Rudd David H
• Krick Thierry

Classifications

• A42B3/062 Primary

  with reinforcing means · CPC title

• A42B3/12

  Cushioning devices · CPC title

• A42B3/283 Primary

  Air inlets or outlets, with or without closure shutters · CPC title

• A42B3/281

  Air ducting systems · CPC title

• A42B3/324

  Adjustable helmets · CPC title