US2016157545A1PendingUtilityA1

Collapsible safety helmet

41
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 5, 2014Filed: Nov 23, 2015Published: Jun 9, 2016
Est. expiryDec 5, 2034(~8.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael Bowman
A42B 3/067A42B 3/046A42B 3/125A42B 3/14A42B 3/0453
41
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A safety helmet includes an outer collapsible shell that collapses toward an inner shell when an impact force is received, and does not return toward its initial (pre-collapsed) state when the impact force is removed. The safety helmet provides improved protection against injuries.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
I claim: 
     
         1 . A safety helmet, comprising:
 an outer collapsible shell having an initial configuration for receiving an impact force;   an inner shell configured to receive a head of a wearer; and   a space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell;   wherein upon receiving an impact force, at least a portion of the outer shell collapses by a distance toward the inner shell through the space and does not return to the initial configuration when the impact force is removed.   
     
     
         2 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell remains collapsed by at least 75% of the distance when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         3 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell remains collapsed by at 90% of the distance when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         4 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell remains collapsed by about 100% of the distance when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         5 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises an inelastic polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The safety helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the inelastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene, polyesters, polyamides, polytetrafluoroethylene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises a collapsible metallic foil. 
     
     
         8 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell comprises a rigid plastic material. 
     
     
         9 . The safety helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the rigid plastic material is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyacrylonitrile, rigid plastic foams, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising a foam layer between the outer collapsible shell and the inner shell. 
     
     
         11 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the helmet comprises a front region, a rear region, a crown region, two side regions and a face mask. 
     
     
         12 . The safety helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the outer collapsible shell covers the front region, rear region, crown region and two side regions. 
     
     
         13 . The safety helmet of  claim 12 , wherein the space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell and the inner shell is thicker in the crown region than in the two side regions. 
     
     
         14 . The safety helmet of  claim 12 , wherein the outer collapsible shell has a thickness that is greater in the crown regions than in the two side regions. 
     
     
         15 . The safety helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising vent openings in the outer collapsible shell and one or more breakable bladders in the space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell. 
     
     
         16 . The safety helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more breakable bladders contain a colored fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The safety helmet of  claim 15 , further comprising one or more lights on or in the outer collapsible shell, responsive to a breaking of one or more of the breakable bladders. 
     
     
         18 . A safety helmet, comprising:
 a front region, a rear region, a crown region and two side regions;   an outer collapsible shell having an initial configuration for receiving an impact force;   an inner shell configured to receive a head of a wearer; and   a space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell;   wherein upon receiving an impact force in the crown region, the outer collapsible shell collapses toward the inner shell in the crown region and does not return to the initial configuration when the impact force is removed.   
     
     
         19 . The safety helmet of  claim 18 , wherein upon receiving an impact force in the front region, the outer collapsible shell collapses toward the inner shell in the front region and does not return to the initial configuration in the front region when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         20 . The safety helmet of  claim 18 , where upon receiving an impact force in the rear region, the outer collapsible shell collapses toward the inner shell in the rear region and does not return to the initial configuration in the rear region when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         21 . The safety helmet of  claim 18 , wherein upon receiving an impact force in either side region, the outer collapsible shell collapses toward the inner shell in the side region and does not return to the initial configuration in the side region when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         22 . The safety helmet of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more breakable bladders in the space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell. 
     
     
         23 . The safety helmet of  claim 22 , further comprising a colored fluid contained in the one or more breakable bladders. 
     
     
         24 . The safety helmet of  claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of lights responsive to a breaking of one or more of the breakable bladders. 
     
     
         25 . The safety helmet of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of lights comprises LED lights. 
     
     
         26 . The safety helmet of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of lights comprises strobe lights. 
     
     
         27 . A safety helmet, comprising:
 an outer collapsible shell having an initial configuration for receiving an impact force;   an inner shell configured to receive a head of a wearer;   a space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell; and   one or more sensors for detecting a distance of collapse in the outer collapsible shell and sending a signal corresponding to the distance of collapse;   wherein upon receiving an impact force, the outer collapsible shell collapses by the distance toward the inner shell through the space and does not return to the initial configuration when the impact force is removed.   
     
     
         28 . The safety helmet of  claim 27 , wherein the outer collapsible shell remains collapsed by at least 90% of the distance when the impact force is removed. 
     
     
         29 . The safety helmet of  claim 27 , comprising a plurality of the sensors in different regions of the helmet. 
     
     
         30 . The safety helmet of  claim 27 , further comprising a layer of padding in the space between the inner shell and the outer collapsible shell. 
     
     
         31 . The safety helmet of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more sensors transmits a signal to a remote booth when the outer collapsible shell receives an impact force.

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