US2014020157A1PendingUtilityA1

Soft safe helmet

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Jul 19, 2012Filed: Jul 19, 2013Published: Jan 23, 2014
Est. expiryJul 19, 2032(~6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Robert A. Barr
A42B 3/121A42B 3/125A42B 3/0473A42B 3/00
53
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

Various helmets for protecting a wearer's head are provided that include a shell, at least one pad, and a lower portion coupled to the shell. The shell is configured to receive the wearer's head and can be formed from an elastomeric material. The pad is coupled to an interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell, where the pad can include one or more fluid filled bladders. The lower portion is configured to limit flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the wearer's head.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A helmet for protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 a shell configured to receive the wearer's head;   at least one pad coupled to an interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell; and   a lower portion coupled to the shell, the lower portion configured to limit flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the wearer's head.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the shell includes an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Young's modulus that is less than the Young's modulus of polycarbonate. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Young's modulus less than 2 GPa. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the elastomeric material is a member of the group consisting of a rubber, an unsaturated rubber, a saturated rubber, a thermoset polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the pad comprises at least one fluid filled bladder. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder includes a valve for transferring fluid to and from the bladder. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder is comprised by a plurality of fluid filled bladders coupled to the interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fluid filled bladders includes one bladder fluidly coupled to another bladder. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 10 , wherein a valve fluidly couples the one bladder to the another bladder, the valve configured to regulate the rate of fluid transfer between the one bladder and the another bladder. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion comprises a material having a Young's modulus that is greater than a Young's modulus of the shell. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion limits flexion by contacting a chest of the wearer. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 13 , wherein the lower portion limits flexion to less than about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion limits extension by contacting a back of the wearer. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the lower portion limits extension to less than about 70 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion limits lateral bending by contacting a shoulder of the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet of  claim 17 , wherein the lower portion limits lateral bending to less than about 45 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . A helmet for protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 a shell configured to receive the wearer's head, the shell comprising an elastomeric material;   a plurality of fluid filled bladders coupled to an interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell; and   a lower portion coupled to the shell, the lower portion configured to limit flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the wearer's head, the lower portion comprising a material having a Young's modulus that is greater than a Young's modulus of the elastomeric material.   
     
     
         20 . A helmet for protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 a shell configured to receive the wearer's head;   at least one pad coupled to an interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell; and   a lower portion coupled to the shell, the lower portion configured to limit flexion, extension, and lateral bending of the wearer's head, the lower portion including at least one tether coupled to a member of the group consisting of a chest of the wearer, a back of the wearer, a left shoulder of the wearer, a right shoulder of the wearer, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         21 . A helmet for protecting a wearer's head comprising:
 an elastomeric shell configured to receive the wearer's head; and   at least one pad coupled to an interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell.   
     
     
         22 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Young's modulus that is less than the Young's modulus of polycarbonate. 
     
     
         23 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Young's modulus less than 2 GPa. 
     
     
         24 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the elastomeric material is a member of the group consisting of a rubber, an unsaturated rubber, a saturated rubber, a thermoset polymer, a thermoplastic polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the pad comprises at least one fluid filled bladder. 
     
     
         26 . The helmet of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder is filled with a gas. 
     
     
         27 . The helmet of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder includes a valve for transferring fluid to and from the bladder. 
     
     
         28 . The helmet of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one fluid filled bladder is comprised by a plurality of fluid filled bladders coupled to the interior of the shell and configured to be positioned between the wearer's head and the shell. 
     
     
         29 . The helmet of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of fluid filled bladders includes one bladder fluidly coupled to another bladder. 
     
     
         30 . The helmet of  claim 29 , wherein a valve fluidly couples the one bladder to the another bladder, the valve configured to regulate the rate of fluid transfer between the one bladder and the another bladder.

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