Adaptive fit helmet and method for fitting helmet to customer head

Abstract

An adaptive fit helmet can comprise an outer shell, and energy-absorbing material, and a fit system. The outer shell can comprise a top portion, a side portion, and an outer expansion area that extends along an interface of the top portion and the side portion from a temple area of the outer shell to a lower exterior edge of the outer shell. The energy-absorbing material can be disposed within the outer shell, wherein the energy-absorbing material further comprises a top portion, a side portion, and an inner expansion area between edges of the top portion and the side portion of the energy-absorbing material such that the inner expansion area corresponds with the outer expansion area. The fit system can comprise a belt and a fit system mechanism that control a three-dimensional size and shape of both the outer shell and the energy-absorbing material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adaptive fit helmet, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a top portion, a side portion, and an outer expansion area that extends along an interface of the top portion and the side portion from a temple area of the outer shell to a lower exterior edge of the outer shell;   an energy-absorbing material disposed within the outer shell, wherein the energy-absorbing material further comprises a top portion, a side portion, and an inner expansion area between edges of the top portion and the side portion of the energy-absorbing material such that the inner expansion area corresponds with the outer expansion area; and   a fit system comprising a belt coupled to the side portion of the outer shell and a fit system mechanism coupled to the top portion of the outer shell, wherein a position of the fit system controls both a three-dimensional size and shape of the outer shell as well as a three-dimensional size and shape of the energy-absorbing material.   
     
     
         2 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the belt of the fit system comprises a rack and the fit system mechanism comprises a pinion such that the rack and pinion are configured to both push and pull the top portion and the side portion of the outer shell to either increase or decrease the three-dimensional size and shape of both the outer shell and the energy-absorbing material. 
     
     
         3 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises a flexible outer shell and the energy-absorbing material comprises expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polyurethane (EPU or EPTU), expanded polyolefin (EPO), expanded polypropylene (EPP), or vinyl nitrile (VN). 
     
     
         4 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the fit system controls the three-dimensional size and shape of the outer shell between the temple area and an ear area of the outer shell. 
     
     
         5 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the interface of the top portion and the side portion the outer shell comprises a U-shape and the inner expansion area of the energy-absorbing material also comprises a U-shape. 
     
     
         6 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion of the outer shell and the side portion of the outer shell are formed as two discrete portions, and the top portion of the outer shell and the side portion of the outer shell are coupled to each other. 
     
     
         7 . A method of using the adaptive fit helmet of  claim 1 , comprising adjusting the fit system so that a flexibility of the adaptive fit helmet allows for a size, a shape, and a contour of the adaptive fit helmet to change to match a shape, a size, and a contour of a head of a user. 
     
     
         8 . An adaptive fit helmet, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising an outer expansion area that extends from a temple area of the outer shell to a lower exterior edge of the outer shell;   an energy-absorbing material disposed within the outer shell; and   a fit system comprising a belt coupled to the outer shell and a fit system mechanism coupled to the outer shell and the belt, wherein a position of the fit system controls a three-dimensional size and shape of the outer shell.   
     
     
         9 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the belt of the fit system comprises a rack and the fit system mechanism comprises a pinion such that the rack and pinion are configured to both push and pull the outer shell to either increase or decrease the three-dimensional size and shape of the outer shell. 
     
     
         10 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the outer shell comprises a flexible outer shell and the energy-absorbing material comprises expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polyurethane (EPU or EPTU), expanded polyolefin (EPO), expanded polypropylene (EPP), or vinyl nitrile (VN). 
     
     
         11 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the fit system controls the three-dimensional size and shape of the outer shell in front of an ear opening of the outer shell. 
     
     
         12 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the helmet tapers in towards back bottom corners of the lower exterior edge of the outer shell so that a taper ratio of a width between the back bottom corners to a width of the helmet (Wb:W) for the adaptive fit helmet in an open position is larger than a taper ratio Wb:W for the adaptive fit helmet in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the position of the fit system is configured to control both a two-dimension length and two-dimensional width of the outer shell simultaneously and to cause the outer shell to flex. 
     
     
         14 . An adaptive fit helmet, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising an outer expansion area that extends along the outer shell to a lower exterior edge of the outer shell;   an energy-absorbing material disposed within the outer shell, wherein the energy-absorbing material further comprises an inner expansion area corresponds with the outer expansion area; and   a fit system comprising a belt coupled to the outer shell and a fit system mechanism coupled to the outer shell and the belt, wherein a position of the fit system simultaneously controls both a size and shape of the outer shell as well as a size and shape of the energy-absorbing material.   
     
     
         15 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the belt of the fit system comprises a rack and the fit system mechanism comprises a pinion such that the rack and pinion are configured to alternately push and pull the outer shell to either simultaneously increase or decrease the size and shape of the outer shell as well as the size and shape of the energy-absorbing material. 
     
     
         16 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the outer shell comprises a flexible outer shell and the energy-absorbing material comprises expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polyurethane (EPU or EPTU), expanded polyolefin (EPO), expanded polypropylene (EPP), or vinyl nitrile (VN). 
     
     
         17 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the fit system controls the size and shape of the outer shell and the energy-absorbing layer in an area of the adaptive fit helmet between a temple area and an ear area of the adaptive fit helmet. 
     
     
         18 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the inner expansion area comprises a U-shape. 
     
     
         19 . The adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the outer shell comprises two discrete portions that are coupled to each other at a flange away from the outer expansion area. 
     
     
         20 . A method of using the adaptive fit helmet of  claim 14 , comprising adjusting the fit system so that a flexibility of the adaptive fit helmet allows for a size, a shape, and a contour of the adaptive fit helmet to change to match a shape, a size, and a contour of a head of a user.