Helmet with in-mold and post-applied hard shell

Abstract

The invention is related to a helmet having an interior foam liner with at least two shell portions. The helmet includes an exterior in-mold shell portion covering a portion of the liner. The helmet also includes an exterior post-applied shell portion covering a portion of the liner that is not covered by the in-mold shell portion. The helmet includes conduits located between the liner and the post-applied shell portion for ventilation and air flow useful for removing the heat generated by a user.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. A helmet, comprising:
 a foam liner having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side; 
 an in-mold hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the in-mold shell is disposed on and bonded to the surface at the generally convex major side of the foam liner and partially covers the generally convex major side of the foam liner; and 
 a post-applied hard shell defined by a single layer of material, the post-applied hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is disposed on the generally convex major side of the foam liner and a portion of the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is adjacent to and covers a portion of the generally convex major side of the foam liner not covered by the in-mold hard shell. 
 
     
     
       2. The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the in-mold shell is located at an occipital area of the helmet. 
     
     
       3. The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the in-mold shell comprises is polycarbonate. 
     
     
       4. The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the post-applied shell is located at a frontal, temporal, or coronal area of the helmet. 
     
     
       5. The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the post-applied shell comprises is poly(acrylonitrile-butyl-styrene). 
     
     
       6. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one conduit for air flow, wherein the conduit is formed from the liner and the post-applied shell. 
     
     
       7. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one through-bore in the liner that is in communication with a conduit, wherein the conduit is formed from the liner and the post-applied shell. 
     
     
       8. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one conduit for air flow between the liner and the post-applied shell, wherein the conduit has an entry point for air at the frontal area of the helmet and has an exit point for air at the occipital area of the helmet. 
     
     
       9. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising an entry point for air at the frontal area of the helmet, wherein the entry point can be closed by a vent lid. 
     
     
       10. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one through-bore in the liner that has a corresponding hole in the post-applied shell at the coronal area of the helmet. 
     
     
       11. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one post at the temporal area on both sides of the helmet for attachment to eyewear. 
     
     
       12. The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising at least one of a chin strap, ear muff, plastic trim piece or interior helmet padding. 
     
     
       13. The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the liner comprises polystyrene foam. 
     
     
       14. A helmet, comprising:
 a foam liner having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side; 
 a first in-mold hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the in-mold shell is disposed on and bonded to the surface at the generally convex major side of the foam liner and partially covers the generally convex major side of the foam liner without providing spaces for air flow between the liner and the first shell; and 
 a second post-applied hard shell defined by a single layer of material, the post-applied hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is disposed on the generally convex major side of the foam liner and a portion of the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is adjacent to and covers a portion of the generally convex major side of the foam liner not covered by the in-mold hard shell and providing provides spaces for air flow formed between the generally convex major side of the foam liner and the generally concave major side of the second hard shell. 
 
     
     
       15. The helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the liner comprises through-bores and channels from the front to the back of the liner. 
     
     
       16. The helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the second post-applied shell is applied over the channels in the liner to create passages for air flow from the front of the helmet to the back of the helmet. 
     
     
       17. The helmet of  claim 15 , wherein the second post-applied shell includes a vent that corresponds with the through-bores in the liner. 
     
     
       18. The helmet of  claim 14 , wherein the first shell covers an occipital area of the liner, and the second shell covers at least one of the frontal, temporal, or coronal areas of the liner. 
     
     
       19. A helmet, comprising:
 a foam liner having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the foam liner defines occipital, coronal, temporal, and frontal areas on the generally convex major side;   an in-mold hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the in-mold shell is disposed on and bonded to the generally convex major side of the foam liner at one of the occipital, coronal, or temporal areas and provides exposed foam at the frontal area of the foam liner; and   a post-applied hard shell defined by a single layer of material, the post-applied hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is disposed on the generally convex major side of the foam liner and a portion of the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is adjacent to and extends over the exposed foam on the frontal area of the foam liner.   
     
     
       20. A helmet, comprising:
 a foam liner having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side;   an in-mold hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the in-mold shell is disposed on and bonded to the surface of the generally convex major side of the foam liner and partially covers the generally convex major side of the foam liner; and   a post-applied hard shell defined by a single layer of material, the post-applied hard shell having a first generally concave major side and a second generally convex major side, wherein the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is disposed on the generally convex major side of the liner and a portion of the generally concave major side of the post-applied hard shell is adjacent to and covers a portion of the foam liner not covered by the in-mold hard shell, wherein the post-applied hard shell includes a plurality of downwardly projecting vent fins at an occipital area of the hard shell.   
     
     
       21. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the post-applied hard shell is a poly(acrylonitrile-butyl-styrene) monolithic material. 
     
     
       22. The helmet of claim 14, wherein the post-applied hard shell is a poly(acrylonitrile-butyl-styrene) monolithic material. 
     
     
       23. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the post-applied hard shell is a poly(acrylonitrile-butyl-styrene) monolithic material. 
     
     
       24. The helmet of claim 20, wherein the post-applied hard shell is a poly(acrylonitrile-butyl-styrene) monolithic material. 
     
     
       25. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the post-applied hard shell comprises more than one portion, each portion being a single layer thick, and each portion is separate and attached to a distinct area of the liner. 
     
     
       26. The helmet of claim 14, wherein the post-applied hard shell comprises more than one portion, each portion being a single layer thick, and each portion is separate and attached to a distinct area of the liner. 
     
     
       27. The helmet of claim 19, wherein the post-applied hard shell comprises more than one portion, each portion being a single layer thick, and each portion is separate and attached to a distinct area of the liner. 
     
     
       28. The helmet of claim 20, wherein the post-applied hard shell comprises more than one portion, each portion being a single layer thick, and each portion is separate and attached to a distinct area of the liner.