Blunt force protection headgear technology

Abstract

Helmets and pad kits for use in helmet shells are provided. The pad kits, when inserted or attached to the inner surface of a helmet shell, provide a user or wearer with enhance blunt force protection relative to padding in prior helmet systems. Pad kits include pads having one or more layers of differing material, typically two or more layers of material; one layer including a rate sensitive, impact absorbing material, and another layer including a comfort or form-fitting material. The impact absorbing material provides enhanced protection to the user's head from impact to the helmet shell.

1 . A helmet wearable by a user, the helmet comprising:
 a shell portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface configured to cover the head of a user; and   one or more pads, each pad attached to the interior surface of the helmet, and arranged to receive the head of the user so that the head of the user does not make direct contact with the interior surface,   wherein each pad includes a first layer of rate sensitive material and a second layer of a form-fitting material that molds to or adapts to the users head when worn, wherein the impact absorbing material provides enhanced protection to the head of the user from a blunt force impact to the exterior of the helmet.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the rate sensitive material includes a material selected from the group consisting of Y-20 foam and a SHOCKtec™ foam. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the form fitting material includes a non-memory foam material. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the form fitting material is glued or bonded to the impact absorbing material. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads include one or more fabric materials covering the first and second layers. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein one of said fabric materials is a heat and moisture wicking material. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 6 , wherein the heat and moisture wicking material includes one of a DriFit™ fabric or a ProDri™ fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the fabric material has stitching. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein at least one pad has stitching that visually makes the pad appear as two or more individual pads coupled together. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the pad is coated with a waterproof and air breathable coating material. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the coating material includes a urethane-based coating material. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pads are removably attached to the interior surface by Velcro. attachments. 
     
     
         13 . A pad kit for use in attaching to an interior surface of a helmet shell such that when attached to the interior surface of the helmet the head of the user does not make direct contact with the interior surface, the kit comprising:
 one or more pads, each pad includes a first layer of a rate sensitive material and a second layer of a form-fitting material that molds to or adapts to the users head when in contact with a portion of the user's head, wherein the impact absorbing material provides enhanced protection to the head of the user from a blunt force impact to the exterior of the helmet.   
     
     
         14 . The padkit of  claim 13 , wherein a first. one of said one or more pads is a single piece element having a shape that, when attached to the interior surface of a helmet, is positioned to contact multiple portions of the user's heads, including a top portion and a forehead portion of the users head. 
     
     
         15 . The pad kit of  claim 14 , wherein the first pad has a shape that also includes a portion positioned to contact a back portion of the users head. 
     
     
         16 . The pad kit of  claim 13 , further including a set of Velcro attachments for attaching the one or more pads to the interior surface of the helmet. 
     
     
         17 . The pad kit of  claim 13 , wherein the rate sensitive material includes a material selected from the group consisting of Y-20 foam and a SHOCKtec™ foam. 
     
     
         18 . The pad kit of  claim 13 , wherein the form fitting material includes a non-memory foam material. 
     
     
         19 . The pad kit of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more pads include one or more fabric materials covering the first and second layers. 
     
     
         20 . The pad kit of  claim 19 , wherein one of said fabric materials is a heat and moisture wicking material.