Football safety helmet

Abstract

A multilayer safety helmet assembly is provided comprising a helmet assembly including a helmet outer shell, a helmet inner shell, and an array of vibration dampeners disposed intermediate the outer shell and the inner shell. A resilient face guard/shock absorber assembly is further provided including a face guard and shock absorber assembly extending between the face guard and the helmet assembly. A head motion restraint assembly includes a first portion engaged to the helmet assembly and a second portion engageable to a shoulder pad(s) worn by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayer safety helmet assembly comprising:
 a) a helmet assembly including a helmet outer shell, a helmet inner shell and an array of vibration dampeners disposed intermediate the outer shell and the inner shell;   b) a resilient face guard/shock absorber assembly including a face guard and a shock absorber extending between the face guard and the helmet assembly; and   c) a head motion restraint assembly including a first portion engaged to the helmet assembly and a second portion engageable to a shoulder pad(s) worn by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the outer shell is formed of Kevlar/compo site material. 
     
     
         3 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the helmet assembly outer shell comprises resilient surface material formed on an outer surface of the outer shell. 
     
     
         4 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the vibration dampeners are formed of materials selected to regulate transmission of shock forces from the helmet assembly outer shell to the helmet assembly inner shell. 
     
     
         5 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 4  wherein the vibration dampeners are resiliently deformable to dissipate transmission of shock forces from the helmet assembly outer shell to the helmet assembly inner shell. 
     
     
         6 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the shock absorber is adjustable to provide a selective dampening of impact forces upon the face guard and to mitigate the communication of the impact forces upon the face guard to the helmet assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein the face guard shock absorber assembly is adjustable to provide low resistance to minor impact forces upon the face guard. 
     
     
         8 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein the face guard shock absorber assembly is adjustable to provide low resistance to low impact forces on the face guard and higher resistance to high impact forces upon the face guard. 
     
     
         9 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein the shock absorber comprises a translatable hydraulic piston. 
     
     
         10 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein the shock absorber is engaged to the helmet assembly inner shell. 
     
     
         11 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a shoulder pad engagement assembly having a first portion engageable to the shoulder pad(s) and a second portion engageable to the head motion restraint assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 11  wherein the head motion restraint assembly includes a quick connect/disconnect assembly engageable to shoulder pad engagement assembly second portion, for connecting/disconnecting the head motion restraint assembly from the shoulder pad engagement assembly second portion. 
     
     
         13 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein the shoulder pad engagement assembly second portion is adjustable to laterally translate with respect to the shoulder pad engagement assembly first portion. 
     
     
         14 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein the head motion restraint assembly comprises a tubular torsion member having a torsion member first portion engaged to the helmet assembly and a torsion member second portion engageable to the shoulder pad engagement assembly second portion. 
     
     
         15 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 13  wherein the head motion restraint assembly comprises a tension spring having a tension spring first portion engaged to the helmet assembly and a tension spring second portion engageable to the shoulder pad engagement assembly second portion. 
     
     
         16 . The safety helmet assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the head motion restraint assembly comprises an elastic cord.