Multifunctional helmet

Abstract

The Multifunctional Helmet is a fully modular, mission-tailorable system designed for military and non-military use to further enhance protection and comfort. The Multifunctional Helmet uses advanced human factors methodologies to form a new shape that allows maximum coverage and protection of the head, face, and neck. When fully integrated, the Multifunctional Helmet protects against a full range of personal threats. The Multifunctional Helmet offers five independent Modularities: 1) a fabric Skullcap to maintain thermal comfort; 2) a Bone Conduction Communication System that offers fully duplex communication housed within the Skullcap; 3) an Impact Liner that absorbs impacts and blunt trauma; 4) a Ballistic Shell that protects against ballistic fragments; and 5) a Helmet Add-on that ricochets small arms fire. The Ballistic Shells are to be produced using special aramid fabrics and resins, and are laser cut, vacuum preformed, and molded.

1 . A multifunctional helmet comprising of five modularities that can be block built to meet zero, low, medium, and high threats. 
 Wherein said the multifunctional helmet is tailorable to meet military and non-military needs and threats.    Wherein said the multifunctional helmet comprises of five dependent and separate subcomponents/units of the multifunctional helmet.    Wherein said the five modularities that make up the entire multifunctional helmet are: skullcap, bone conduction communication system, impact liner, ballistic helmet shell, ballistic helmet add-on    
   
   
       2 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1)  wherein said comprises of a new helmet geometric configuration that improves situation awareness and provides maximum possible coverage of total head and back of the neck. 
 Wherein said all operations can be conducted in standing, kneeling, and prone postures with 270° fore-and-aft, yaw, lateral, pitch vertical, and head roll.    Wherein said the multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 2) , wherein multifunctional modular helmet comprises of a new helmet configuration that consists of a half sphere truncated exactly at the great circle (the intersection of the sphere with a plane through the center) and extended and merged into a cylindrical stem offering a structural stability.    Wherein said the multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 2) , wherein said new helmet configuration has no external protrusions to keep the exterior surface free of any weak point on the helmet where bullet entry may be easier, therefore all connections are provided from within the helmet itself.    Wherein said the multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 2)  has five holes (receptors), one on top and two each on the right and left sides of the helmet into which safety faceplate (with five hooks) is to be fitted.    
   
   
       3 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein said the first modularity comprises of a skullcap that covers the total cranium and back of the neck column. 
 Wherein said skullcap provides maximum possible support to cranium and neck to maintain normal head temperatures in high and low ranges so as to be able to minimize the maximum possible health hazards as well as to afford extreme comfort leading to productive operations.    Wherein said skullcap encompasses hands free duplex (talk and listen) bone conduction communication system.    Wherein said skullcap comprises of a built-in suspension and chinstrap that allows speech intelligibility when the skullcap is tightly and securely set in place.    Wherein said skullcap is cut and sewn combining of units that cover cranium and back of the neck while exposing both ears, two sewn flats that cover Zygoma and Mandible cranial areas containing two pouching (to house two bone conduction microphones and speakers on either side of the face, and a flat sewn covering the Platysma areas joined to one side and a Velcro® connection to the other for the ease of operation.    
   
   
       4 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein said the second modularity comprises of a hands free duplex (talk and listen) bone conduction communication system that uses the wearer's facial bones to transmit and receive sounds through bone vibrations by means of transducer bone conduction microphones and bone conduction speakers. 
 Wherein said bone conduction communication system, in direct contact with the bones, allows small units of users on patrol to be able to communicate with maximum discretion and minimum detection from the enemy.    
   
   
       5 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein said the third modularity comprises of an impact liner that provides protection from bumps and impacts. 
 Wherein said impact liner protects at 360° reducing possible blunt trauma to the cranium that could cause concussions    Wherein said impact trauma provides extreme comfort.    Wherein said impact liner is circular at the base to fit into the helmet perimeter, and merges into the shape of a 100 Percentile (anthropometric) cranium and, as such, provides two crescent-shaped pockets on the right and left side of the impact liner.    Wherein said the circular base (270° of the circular is a flat and deep flange (to accommodate machine screws) and 90° of the circular base towards the front is of nominal thickness to provide support with the helmet.    Wherein said two crescent-shape pockets house electronics pertaining to the functions performed by the helmet users, which may include sensory and cognitive devices such as GPS (geographic positioning system), camera, future night vision, power packs, etc.    Wherein said impact liner uses hybrid foams to provide extreme comfort to the wearer.    Wherein said impact liner circular flange is attached to the multifunctional helmet shell with five machine screws equally spaced on the 270° perimeter for loading and unloading electronics, and when needed.    
   
   
       6 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein said the fourth modularity comprises of a ballistic shell that provides protection from flying fragments from grenades and bombs as well as shots from 0.22 caliber pistol. 
 Wherein said the shell is fabricated from a series of hybrid aramid materials and resins where the composition of the materials shall remain the custody of the inventors, and where each shell structure shall comprise of a number of hybrid aramid material panels (piles) combined.    Wherein said thickness of the shell will vary by the duty each helmet is to perform whereby a higher ballistic threat shall demand a larger number of piles.    Wherein said suspension components hold the multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1)  in place and the suspension system is attached under the chin.    
   
   
       7 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein said the fifth modularity comprises of a ballistic helmet add-on slipped on top of a ballistic shell (as in  claim 6)  during direct fire from small arms to enhance protection level without constant weight on the head. 
 Wherein said helmet add-on structure offers enhanced protection to multifunctional (as in  claim 1)  helmet and also follow the shapes of current existing helmets in use including Personnel Armor System Ground Troops (PASGT) and modified derivative, Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) and the shapes of other helmets of the same general shape.    Wherein said helmet add-on is easily attached or detached depending on levels of threats by simply placing it on top of the multifunctional helmet as well as existing helmets (including PASGT and ACH) allowing the helmet add-on structure to float atop the prescribed military helmets.    Wherein said helmet add-on is connected to ballistic helmet with two extenders at right and left of the helmet add-on that attaches with the suspension system (as in  claim 6)  with Velcro®.    A minor dimensional tolerance in the interior of the fifth modularity shell allows helmet shell and helmet add-on to slightly rotate to ricochet the bullet.    To reduce the weight, material has been removed at the crown of the helmet add-on which is designed by taking into consideration the prone position posture where a direct hit is statistically improbable.    Provides protection from larger than .22 caliber pistol weapons (i.e., AK47).    The helmet add-on is fabricated from a series of hybrid aramid materials and resins whereby the composition of the materials shall remain the custody of the inventors, and where each shell shall comprise of a number of composite material panels (piles) combined.    A Helmet add-on for existing helmets (including PASGT and ACH) is to cover the shape of the given helmet from brim to the top, covering right and left temples, and offering a vertical enlargement without interfering with the combatants taking aim in prone position.    To keep the helmet add-on as light as possible, material has been removed from the top of the helmet add-on to reduce the weight, having considered areas of least statistical improbable for being under the direct fire (in prone position).    Helmet add-on internal surface is to be slightly lubricated with dry lubricants not hazardous to health keeping the internal surface slightly slippery to ricochet bullets by slightly rotating at the point of contact.    Internal surface of the helmet add-on is to be adjusted to keep clear in areas where any hardware and/or helmet brim may protrude (as in the case of the current standard PASGT and ACH).    Wherein the helmet add-on (as in  claim 1)  has a two-point suspension subsystem that is to hold the helmet add-on (as in  claim 1)  in place without falling or rocking when the wearer is moving.    Wherein the two-point suspension system (as in  claim 1)  has a built-in “weak link” if the suspension system needs to break off for safety reasons.    Helmet add-on is to be fully compatible with the existing necessary attachments.    
   
   
       8 . The multifunctional helmet (as in  claim 1) , wherein the helmet production process forms the multifunctional helmet. 
 The configuration of half sphere truncated exactly at the great circle and extended cylindrical stem forms a new shape, where the inventors have designed a preforms that shall form the prepared material into the helmet.    The preforms will be hand or laser cut.    Preforms are loaded into the Vacuum Mold designed by inventors wherein a green (uncured) helmet is to be formed.    The preforms is to be loaded into the mold under a given temperature of the heating fluid, as determined by the inventors, for molding the green helmet in a (vertical) press.    The green helmet is passed through an electronic beam to cure.