System and methods for designing and manufacturing a bespoke protective sports helmet

Abstract

A bespoke protective sports equipment to be worn by a player engaged in a sporting activity is provided. The bespoke sports equipment system includes methods for acquiring, storing and processing a player's unique data, namely the anatomical features of the body part against which the bespoke equipment is worn. The systems also includes methods of using the player's unique data to manufacture the bespoke protective equipment with a custom formed internal padding assembly that substantially corresponds to the player's unique data. The system and method allows for the design and manufacture of bespoke protective sports equipment that is purposely designed and manufactured to match the anatomical specifications of the player's body part.

1 . A protective sports helmet to be worn by a player engaged in the play of a contact sport, the helmet comprising:
 a shell with a size having an internal reference surface, wherein said shell size is selected from a predetermined number of shell sizes to ensure that the outer surface of a head scan of the player does not extend into said internal reference surface when the helmet is worn by the player in a pre-impact state;   an internal padding assembly removably positioned within the shell, said internal padding assembly including at least one pad member having:
 (i) an inner surface, 
 (ii) an outer surface, and 
 (iii) a thickness defined between the inner surface and the outer surface of the at least one pad member; and 
   wherein said thickness is based upon a comparison between (a) a first thickness associated with a first pre-manufactured pad member, (b) a second thickness associated with a second pre-manufactured pad member, and (c) a head scan of the player, and   
       wherein the comparison ensures that an interference fit is formed between the player's head and the at least one pad member when the helmet is worn by the player in the pre-impact state. 
     
     
         2 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the interference fit is formed by digitally selecting the first or second pre-manufactured pad member that has an inner surface that is inset a distance from an outer surface of the head scan of the player. 
     
     
         3 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 2 , wherein an amount of pressure exerted by the interference fit corresponds to the distance the inner surface of the at least one pad member is inset from the outer surface of the head scan of the player. 
     
     
         4 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the at least one pad member pad is dimensioned to ensure that an outer surface of the head scan of the player does not extend into the internal reference surface in a pre-impact state. 
     
     
         5 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the head scan of the player is positioned within a digital model of the helmet by digitally positioning a player's facial feature in alignment with a reference point of the digital model of the helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 5 , wherein said alignment of the head scan of the player is modified based on the player's playing position or playing level. 
     
     
         7 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pad member has physical properties that are selected based on at least one of the following factors: i) the player's impact history, iii) the player's skill level, or iii) the player's position. 
     
     
         8 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the internal reference surface is a minimum certified surface. 
     
     
         9 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the head scan is created using at least one of the following: (i) a hand-held unit with an image sensor, (ii) a scanning apparatus with LiDAR, or (iii) contact scanner. 
     
     
         10 . A protective sports helmet to be worn by a player engaged in the play of a contact sport, the helmet comprising:
 a shell;   an internal padding assembly removably positioned within the shell, said internal padding assembly including at least one pad member having:
 (i) an inner surface, 
 (ii) an outer surface, and 
 (iii) a thickness defined between the inner surface and the outer surface of the at least one pad member; and 
   wherein said thickness is based upon a comparison between (a) a first thickness associated with a first pre-manufactured pad member, (b) a second thickness associated with a second pre-manufactured pad member, and (c) an inset distance that extends inward from an outer surface of a head model generated by scanning the player's head.   
     
     
         11 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the pad member is greater than the distance between the player's head and the inner surface of the shell when the helmet is worn by the player. 
     
     
         12 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein said comparison ensures that the at least one pad member is initially compressed when the helmet is worn by the player. 
     
     
         13 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 12 , wherein said compression of the at least one pad member is formed by digitally selecting the first or second pre-manufactured pad member that has an inner surface that is inset a distance from an outer surface of the head scan of the player. 
     
     
         14 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the shell includes a size having an internal reference surface, wherein said shell size is selected from a predetermined number of shell sizes to ensure that the outer surface of a head scan of the player does not extend into said internal reference surface when the helmet is worn by the player in a pre-impact state. 
     
     
         15 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the internal reference surface is a minimum certified surface. 
     
     
         16 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the at least one pad member pad ensures that the outer surface of the head model does not extend into an internal reference surface of the helmet shell in a pre-impact state. 
     
     
         17 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one pad member has physical properties that are selected based on at least one of the following factors: i)—the player's impact history, iii) the player's skill level, or iii) the player's position. 
     
     
         18 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 10 , wherein the scan of the player's head is formed using at least one of the following: (i) a hand-held unit with an image sensor, (ii) a scanning apparatus with LiDAR, or (iii) contact scanner. 
     
     
         19 . A protective sports helmet to be worn by a player engaged in the play of a contact sport, the helmet comprising:
 a shell with a size having an internal reference coordinate, wherein said shell size is selected from a predetermined number of shell sizes to ensure that the outer surface of a head scan of the player does not extend past the internal reference coordinate when the helmet is worn by the player in a pre-impact state;   an internal padding assembly removably positioned within the shell, said internal padding assembly including at least one pad member having:
 (i) an inner surface, 
 (ii) an outer surface, and 
 (iii) a thickness defined between the inner surface and the outer surface of the at least one pad member; and 
   wherein said thickness is based upon a comparison between (a) a first thickness associated with a first pre-manufactured pad member, (b) a second thickness associated with a second pre-manufactured pad member, and (c) head data obtained from a player's head.   
     
     
         20 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 19 , wherein said comparison ensures that the at least one pad member exerts pressure on the player's head when the helmet is worn by the player in the pre-impact state. 
     
     
         21 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 20 , wherein an amount of pressure exerted by the at least one pad member on the player's head when the helmet is worn by the player is corresponds to the thickness of the at least one pad member. 
     
     
         22 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 19 , wherein said comparison ensures the inner surface of the at least one pad member is inset a distance from an outer surface of the player's head when the helmet is worn by the payer. 
     
     
         23 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 19 , wherein the thickness of the pad member is greater than the distance between the player's head and the inner surface of the shell. 
     
     
         24 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 19 , wherein the internal reference coordinate is one coordinate of a minimum certified surface. 
     
     
         25 . The protective sports helmet of  claim 19 , wherein the head data is obtained using at least one of the following: (i) a hand-held unit with an image sensor, (ii) a scanning apparatus with LiDAR, or (iii) contact scanner.