Impact-absorbing helmet

Abstract

The invention relates to a helmet that includes an outer shell and a cap, the cap being comprised of a material such as EPS or EPP and arranged inside the shell. The shell has an upper portion designed to cover at least the crown portion of the skull, the cap further comprising a first layer having a thickness covering substantially the upper portion and a plurality of pads of height projecting from the first layer towards the head, the first layer and the pads forming a single piece, and the height of the pads being greater than the thickness of the first layer.

1 . A helmet comprising:
 an outer shell;   a cap, comprising EPS or EPP, arranged inside the outer shell and having an upper portion designed to cover at least a crown portion of a wearer's head, the cap comprising:
 a first layer having thickness covering substantially the upper portion; and 
 a plurality of pads having a height projecting from the first layer in a direction away from the outer shell, the first layer and the pads forming a single piece; 
   the pads having a height greater than a thickness of the first layer.   
     
     
         2 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the thickness of the first layer is between 1.0 mm and 17.5 mm.   
     
     
         3 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the thickness of the first layer is less than 10 mm.   
     
     
         4 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the height of the pads in the upper portion of the cap is between 10 mm and 35 mm.   
     
     
         5 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 an average cross section of the pads is between 0.5 mm 2  and 5.0 mm 2 .   
     
     
         6 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a plurality of the plurality of pads of the upper portion of the cap are dimensioned such that their height is greater than a smallest dimension of an average cross section of the plurality of pads.   
     
     
         7 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first plurality of the plurality of pads are dimensioned and arranged for axial compression along a height of the pads in response to an impact; and   a second plurality of the plurality of pads are dimensioned and arranged to be deformed in a non-axial direction.   
     
     
         8 . A helmet according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the second plurality of the plurality of pads are dimensioned and arranged to buckle or bend in the non-axial direction   
     
     
         9 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pads are distributed randomly in the upper portion of the cap.   
     
     
         10 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 tops of the pads are designed to be in contact with the wearer's head or an inner cap covering the wearer's head.   
     
     
         11 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pads have a substantially parallelepipedic shape.   
     
     
         12 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cap is a unitary piece.   
     
     
         13 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a plurality of the plurality of the pads have respective bases; and   a cross section of each of the bases is substantially the same as respective cross sections of tops of the pads.   
     
     
         14 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of pads are oriented such that their height extends substantially along a vertical direction.   
     
     
         15 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cap is a molded cap.   
     
     
         16 . A helmet according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of pads are recessed.