Protective soft helmet

Abstract

A protective soft helmet integrally formed from a one-piece molded plastic foam for head protection. A gap of variable width is formed at a rear of the helmet to accommodate heads of differing sizes. A tail structure is disposable in overlapping relation to side edges of the gap so as to cover the gap. The soft helmet may include hard snap fasteners for removable attachment of a traditional chin strap to the helmet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective soft helmet, comprising:
 an upper dome;   a first sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion defined at a front end thereof and to a rear end thereof;   a second sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion at a front end thereof and to a rear end;   a gap formed between rear ends of the first and second sidewalls; and   a tail structure disposable in overlapping relation to at least one of the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls so as to cover the gap.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the tail structure extends from the dome and over the gap. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the tail structure is pivotally movable from an open position disposed away from the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls to a closed position overlapping at least one of the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the tail structure is in overlapping relation to a recessed area of the rear end of the first or second sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the tail structure is in overlapping relation to a recessed area of the rear end of each of the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 3 , including a fastener that selectively retains the tail structure in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 6 , wherein the fastener comprises a hook and loop tape band extending between the first and second sidewalls and over the tail structure. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the dome, first sidewall, second sidewall and tail structure are integrally formed with one another. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the dome, first sidewall, second sidewall and tail structure are comprised of a molded flexible foam material. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible foam material comprises an elastic polyurethane material. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 9 , including fasteners attached to the first and second sidewalls so as to removably receiving a strap thereto having a pocket portion configured to receive a user's chin therein. 
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the fasteners comprise hard plastic or metal snap fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . A protective soft helmet, comprising:
 an upper dome;   a first sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion defined at a front end thereof and to a rear end thereof;   a second sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion at a front end thereof and to a rear end; and   hard plastic or metal fasteners attached to the first and second sidewalls so as to removably receiving a strap thereto having a pocket portion configured to receive a user's chin therein;   wherein the dome, first sidewall and second sidewall are comprised of a flexible foam material molded as one piece so as to be integrally formed with one another.   
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 13 , including a gap formed between rear ends of the first and second sidewalls, and a tail structure extending from the dome and disposable in overlapping relation to at least one of the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls so as to cover the gap. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 13 , wherein the tail structure is formed integrally with the dome of the helmet. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the tail structure is pivotally movable from an open position disposed away from the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls to a closed position overlapping at least one of the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet of  claim 16 , wherein the tail structure is in overlapping relation to a recessed area of the rear end of each of the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet of  claim 16 , including a fastener that selectively retains the tail structure in the closed position. 
     
     
         19 . The helmet of  claim 18 , wherein the fastener comprises a hook and loop tape band extending between the first and second sidewalls and over the tail structure. 
     
     
         20 . A protective soft helmet, comprising:
 an upper dome;   a first sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion defined at a front end thereof and to a rear end thereof;   a second sidewall extending from the dome to a jaw portion at a front end thereof and to a rear end;   a gap formed between rear ends of the first and second sidewalls;   
       a tail structure extending from the dome and in overlapping relation to at least a portion of the rear ends of the first and second sidewalls so as to cover the gap;
 hard plastic or metal fasteners attached to the first and second sidewalls so as to removably receiving a strap thereto having a pocket portion configured to receive a user's chin therein; 
 wherein the dome, first sidewall, second sidewall and tail structure are comprised of a flexible foam material molded as one piece so as to be integrally formed with one another.