Protective sports helmet with energy-absorbing padding and a facemask with force-distributing shock absorbers

Abstract

A protective helmet having a layer of foam covering the hard shell of the helmet configured such that the foam absorbs shock from an impact thereby decreasing the amount of force translated to the head, neck, or spine of the wearer. A force-distributing shock absorber coupled to a helmet and facemask to protect the jaw from shock impacts.

1 . A helmet comprising:
 a helmet shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet and configured to receive an impact force, wherein the helmet shell has a plurality of regions including:
 a crown region; 
 a rear region; 
 a front region; and 
 two side regions; 
   a layer of cushioning coupled to the outside of the helmet shell, wherein the layer of cushioning is configured to absorb at least a portion of said impact force;   a faceguard configured to substantially cover the face, jaw, and chin of said wearer, wherein said faceguard is coupled with the front region of said helmet shell and to each of said two side regions via a shock-absorbent facemask coupling, said shock-absorbent facemask coupling comprising:
 an axial member extending parallel to an axis of a predominant force component of a force exerted on the chin and jaw of a wearer during a head-to-head collision between the wearer and another human; 
   a dampening mechanism coupled to said axial member configured to at least partially resist said predominant force component of said force; and   a quick-release mechanism configured to release said shock-absorbent facemask coupling.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , further comprising an inner cushioning layer coupled with the inner surface of the our shell outer-shell. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of cushioning comprises a polymer foam. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet according to  claim 3 , wherein said foam is contoured over the surface of said shell such that said foam is thicker in regions most frequently impacted during normal sport. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet according to  claim 3 , wherein the thickness of said foam falls within a range between 0.25 inches and 2.50 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet according to  claim 3 , wherein the density of said foam falls into a range between 0.75 pounds per cubic foot and 2.00 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein shell includes one or more ventilation holes disposed therein, and wherein said layer of cushioning includes one or more ventilation slits disposed therein, wherein one or more of said ventilation holes and one or more of said ventilation slits are substantially lined up, thereby exposing at least a portion of the head of the wearer to the environment. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , further comprising a deformable polymer outer-shell coupled to an outside surface of said layer of cushioning. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet according to  claim 8 , wherein said deformable polymer outer-shell is paintable and does not freeze during environmental conditions normally associated with sports activity. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein said shock-absorbent facemask coupling couples with said facemask via a snap-on clip. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein said shock-absorbent facemask coupling couples with said facemask via clip, and wherein said clip includes a quick release strap mechanism for securing said facemask within the clip such that said coupling can be released by releasing said quick release strap mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of cushioning is permanently coupled with said shell. 
     
     
         13 . A helmet comprising:
 a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet and configured to receive an impact force, wherein the shell has a plurality of regions including:
 a crown region; 
 a rear region; 
 a front region; and 
 two side regions; 
   a layer of cushioning coupled to the shell, wherein the layer of cushioning is configured to absorb at least a portion of said impact force.   
     
     
         14 . The helmet according to  claim 13 , wherein said layer of cushioning comprises a polymer foam. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet according to  claim 13 , wherein said layer of cushioning is permanently coupled with said shell. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet according to  claim 14 , wherein said foam is contoured over the surface of said shell such that said foam is thicker in regions most frequently impacted during normal sport. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet according to  claim 14 , wherein the thickness of said foam falls within a range between 0.25 inches and 2.50 inches, and wherein the density of said foam falls into a range between 0.75 pounds per cubic foot and 2.00 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet according to  claim 13 , wherein shell includes one or more ventilation holes disposed therein, and wherein said layer of cushioning includes one or more ventilation slits disposed therein, wherein one or more of said ventilation holes and one or more of said ventilation slits are substantially lined up, thereby exposing at least a portion of the head of the wearer. 
     
     
         19 . The helmet according to  claim 13 , further comprising a deformable polymer outer-shell coupled to an outside surface of said layer of cushioning. 
     
     
         20 . A helmet comprising:
 a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet and configured to receive an impact force, wherein the shell has a plurality of regions including:
 a crown region; 
 a rear region; 
 a front region; and 
 two side regions; 
   a faceguard configured to substantially cover the face, jaw, and chin of said wearer, wherein said faceguard is coupled with the front region of said shell and to each of said two side regions via a shock-absorbent facemask coupling, said shock-absorbent facemask coupling comprising:
 an axial member extending parallel to an axis of a predominant force component of a force exerted on the chin and jaw of a wearer during a head-to-head collision between the wearer and another human; 
 a dampening mechanism coupled to said axial member configured to at least partially resist said predominant force component of said force. 
   
     
     
         21 . The helmet according to  claim 20 , wherein said shock-absorbent facemask coupling couples with said facemask via a means selected from among:
 a snap-on clip; and   a u-shaped clip, and wherein said u-shaped clip includes a quick release strap mechanism for securing said facemask within said u-shaped clip such that said coupling can be released by releasing said quick release strap mechanism.