Flex spring helmet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9907347-B2
Application number	US-201514790968-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A helmet can include a helmet body formed of a foam energy-absorbing material in which the helmet body includes inner and outer opposing surfaces. A plurality of lower slots can be formed completely through the helmet body and can be open at a lower edge of the helmet body. A plurality of upper slots can be formed completely through the helmet body and be open at a top portion of the helmet body to form a star shape. An S-shaped panel of the helmet body can include an undulating form from the alternating and overlapping positions of the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots. A reinforcing halo can be disposed within the helmet body to reinforce areas of weakness in the helmet body resulting from the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A helmet comprising:
a helmet body formed of a foam energy-absorbing material, the helmet body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
a plurality of lower slots formed in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, the plurality of lower slots being open at a lower edge of the helmet body;
a plurality of upper slots formed in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, wherein the plurality of upper slots are separate from and do not intersect with the plurality of lower slots, and the plurality of upper slots intersect with each other at a top portion of the helmet body to form a star shape;
wherein a shape of a continuous portion of the helmet body forms an S-shaped panel between a lower end of one of the plurality of upper slots extending from the top portion of the helmet body to between upper ends of two of the plurality of lower slots; and
a reinforcing halo disposed within the helmet body to reinforce areas of weakness in the helmet body resulting from the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots.

2. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots comprises an upper slot crossing a connecting line formed between upper ends of two lower slots by a distance in a range of 2-5 centimeters (cm).

3. The helmet of claim 2 , wherein the foam energy-absorbing material comprising EPS, EPP, EPTU, or EPO.

4. The helmet of claim 3 , wherein the helmet is configured such that a force in a range of 22-66 Newtons applied to the helmet will reduce a width of one of the plurality of upper slots or one of the plurality of lower slots by a distance greater than or equal to 5 millimeters (mm).

5. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein a side portion of the helmet comprises a total of at least three slots.

6. The helmet of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the plurality of upper slots or at least one of the plurality of lower slots comprises a height Hs in a range of 7.5-15.5 centimeters (cm).

7. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing halo comprises an annular shape and is disposed within the S-shaped panel without being exposed by the plurality of lower slots or the plurality of upper slots.

8. A helmet comprising:
a helmet body formed of a foam energy-absorbing material, the helmet body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
a plurality of lower slots formed in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, the plurality of lower slots being open at a lower edge of the helmet body;
a plurality of upper slots, separate from and not intersected with the plurality of lower slots, formed in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, the plurality of upper slots being intersected with each other at a top portion of the helmet body; and
wherein a shape of a continuous portion of the helmet body forms an S-shaped panel between a lower end of one of the plurality of upper slots extending from the top portion of the helmet body to between upper ends of two of the plurality of lower slots.

9. The helmet of claim 8 , further comprising straps disposed through openings in the helmet body at opposing sides of the lower plurality of slots.

10. The helmet of claim 8 , wherein the helmet is formed of a unitary helmet body without an outer shell disposed over the helmet body.

11. The helmet of claim 10 , further comprising a bike snap disposed within the helmet body and extending from the outer surface to the inner surface.

12. The helmet of claim 10 , wherein the foam energy-absorbing material comprising EPS, EPP, EPTU, or EPO.

13. The helmet of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots comprises an upper slot crossing a connecting line formed between upper ends of two lower slots by a distance in a range of 2-5 centimeters (cm).

14. The helmet of claim 13 , further comprising an annular shape halo in-molded within the S-shaped panel of the helmet body without the halo being exposed by the plurality of lower slots or the plurality of upper slots.

15. A helmet comprising:
a helmet body formed of a foam energy-absorbing material, the helmet body comprising an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
a plurality of lower slots formed in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, the plurality of lower slots being open at a lower edge of the helmet body; and
a plurality of upper slots formed separate from and not intersected with the plurality of lower slots in the helmet body that extend completely through the helmet body from the outer surface to the inner surface, the plurality of upper slots being continuous with each other at a top portion of the helmet body;
wherein the plurality of lower slots and the plurality of upper slots comprises an upper slot crossing a connecting line formed between upper ends of two lower slots by a distance in a range of 2-5 centimeters (cm).

16. The helmet of claim 15 , further comprising straps disposed through openings in the helmet body at opposing sides of the lower plurality of slots.

17. The helmet of claim 15 , wherein the helmet is formed without an outer shell disposed over the helmet body.

18. The helmet of claim 17 , wherein the foam energy-absorbing material comprising EPS, EPP, EPTU, or EPO.

19. The helmet of claim 15 , further comprising an annular shape halo in-molded within an S-shaped panel of the helmet body without the halo being exposed by the plurality of lower slots or the plurality of upper slots.

20. The helmet of claim 15 , wherein a shape of a continuous portion of the helmet body forms an S-shaped panel between a lower end of one of the plurality of upper slots to between upper ends of two of the plurality of lower slots.

Assignees

• Bell Sports Inc

Inventors

• Allen Scott

Classifications

• A63B71/10

  for the head ({A63B71/081 takes precedence } ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00) · CPC title

• A42B3/08

  Chin straps or similar retention devices · CPC title

• A42B3/125 Primary

  with a padded structure, e.g. foam · CPC title

• A42B3/04

  Parts, details or accessories of helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/062

  with reinforcing means · CPC title