HEAD PROTECTIVE INSERT TECHNOLOGY FOR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING SUBCONCUSSIVE LEVEL IMPACTS TO PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR USED IN CONTACT AND COLLISION SPORTS

Abstract

Head protective inserts are designed to be removably fitted within helmets such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets. The inserts include an impact absorbing material formed of one or more polymeric materials having full elastic memory and, in some embodiments, may further include a thin polycarbonate outer layer adhered to the inner surface of the helmet. When fitted within a helmet, the inserts provide a significant increase in absorption and dissipation of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the structure and design of the helmet, without the need to change the size of the helmet. The inserts also provide increased comfort to the wearer and, in at least some embodiments, absorb and dissipate perspiration.

Description

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Safety helmets are intended to protect a wearer's head from forces of impact that may result if the wearer falls and strikes their head on the ground or if an object or part of a body (e.g., another person's head, knee or elbow) hits the wearer in the head. While safety helmets can reduce the amount of impact to a wearer's head, they are generally not designed to significantly absorb and dissipate low impact forces to the head and, in many instances, do not protect against brain injury resulting from the remaining low impact forces to the head and brain that remain after most of the high impact forces are absorbed and dissipated. For example, present designs of bicycle helmets have a thin plastic hard outer shell (e.g., ABS or polycarbonate) that covers a crushable material, such as expanded polystyrene (“EPS”) foam or expanded polypropylene (EPP) that is stiff and molded to a desired shape and configuration of the bicycle helmet. The purpose of the hard outer shell is to absorb and spread out a portion of the impact force prior to the force being transmitted to the crushable material. The crushing material under the hard shell is capable of absorbing only a portion of high level impact forces, leaving the remaining impact forces to be absorbed by the head and brain. Existing bicycle helmets of this design do not protect against low level impact forces and only provide minimal protection against high level impact forces to the extent necessary to satisfy current requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and other voluntary standards. The EPP, ABS, EPS, polycarbonate and combinations of EPS/polyurethane polymer materials used in existing bicycle helmets, as well as other protective helmets do not address the problem of protecting against low impacts that can easily cause subconcussive brain injuries that are asymptomatic and cumulative.

While some bicycle helmets have insert pads that are removably fitted within the helmet for purposes of proper fitting and increased comfort, these pads or spacers are rather flimsy and do not absorb or dissipate forces of the impact, nor do they absorb and dissipate perspiration. Their purpose is entirely for providing comfort. And, while the air vent openings on existing bicycle helmet designs are stylish, they are not efficient for purposes of absorbing or dissipating perspiration of the wearer. Further, the large amount of vent openings on existing bicycle helmet designs significantly reduces the amount of EPS foam that is used in the helmet construction, thereby taking away from the amount of available crushing area against the wearer's head and brain on impact.

Other types of sports helmets are also deficient in design and construction and do not adequately protect the wearer from impact forces to the head. For example, most equestrian, lacrosse and ski helmets provide very limited protection and do not adequately absorb and dissipate even moderate forces of impact.

Accordingly, there remains an urgent need for protective inserts that can be fitted within a helmet such as, but not limited to, a bicycle helmet, ski helmet, equestrian helmet, lacrosse helmet and football helmet, and wherein the protective headgear is specifically structured and disposed to absorb and dissipate a significant amount of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the helmet design, including low level impact forces, while significantly reducing the remaining impact forces to the brain, and further wherein the protective headgear provides for a significant improvement in the absorption and dissipation of perspiration of the wearer.

Objects and Advantages of the Invention

Considering the forgoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are adapted to be fitted within a helmet such as, but not limited to, a bicycle helmet, ski helmet, equestrian helmet, lacrosse helmet, and football helmet, and wherein the protective headgear absorbs and dissipates a significant amount of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the helmet, while significantly reducing remaining impact forces to the brain.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are designed to be fitted within a bicycle helmet that is formed of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, and wherein the protective inserts allow the EPS foam to crush into the protective headgear first, before reaching the wearer's brain, while significantly enhancing the absorption and dissipation of impact forces, and significantly reducing impact forces to the wearer's brain.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are designed to be mechanically and removeably fitted within a bicycle helmet, and wherein the protective inserts include one or more polymer inserts covered by an absorbent sweatband material, and further wherein the polymer insert(s) is optimized to achieve impact testing performance up to 200 g's under the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) testing protocol for bicycle helmets.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are adapted to be fitted within a bicycle helmet having air vent openings, and wherein the protective inserts are specifically structured and disposed for significantly increasing absorption and dissipation of perspiration while wearing the bicycle helmet.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are adapted to be fitted within a bicycle helmet and, for the first time in bicycle helmet design, allows a bicycle helmet to have a mechanism that will be able to absorb and dissipate the perspiration of the wearer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide protective polymer inserts that are designed to replace the flimsy comfort strips that are currently provided in existing bicycle helmets and other helmets when sold to consumers.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are adapted to be fitted within helmets, such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets, and wherein the protective inserts provide for increased user comfort, absorption and dissipation of additional impact forces beyond those of the helmet design, and increased absorption and dissipation of perspiration.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that can be easily and conveniently fitted within existing helmet designs, such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets, and further wherein the protective inserts can be easily removed for purposes of washing using ordinary hand soap and tap water and naturally drying in the open air.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are easily fitted and removed from within helmets, such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets, with use of hook and loop fasteners.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide protective inserts that are easily adapted for insertion within existing bicycle helmet designs without significantly increasing the cost of production and without changing existing manufacturing protocol for bicycle helmets.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to head protective insert technology that is designed to be removably fitted within helmets such as, but not limited to, bicycle helmets, ski helmets, equestrian helmets, lacrosse helmets and football helmets. The inserts include an impact absorbing material formed of one or more polymeric materials having full elastic memory and, in some embodiments, may further include a thin polycarbonate outer layer adhered to the inner surface of the helmet. When fitted within a helmet, the inserts provide a significant increase in absorption and dissipation of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the structure and design of the helmet, without the need to change the size of the helmet. The inserts also provide increased comfort to the wearer of the helmet. At least some embodiments of the inserts can also absorb and dissipate perspiration and may be covered by an absorbing knitted fabric that can be easily washed and dried naturally in the open air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the protective headgear/sweatband insert in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and wherein the protective headgear/sweatband insert is shown in relation to a bicycle helmet within which the protective headgear/sweatband insert is adapted to be fitted, and further when the protective headgear/sweatband insert is in the form of a dome shape that extends around the forehead, the left and right temporal regions, the back of the head as well as across the top of the head;

FIG. 2 is an isolated side elevational view taken from the area indicated as FIG. 2 in FIG. 1 showing a loop component of a hook and loop fastener on the exterior surface of the protective headgear/sweatband insert;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the bicycle helmet of FIG. 1 showing the protective headgear/sweatband insert fitted therein;

FIG. 4 is an isolated cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line indicated by arrows 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention directed to an arrangement of individual head protective inserts formed of one or more polymeric materials that are each adapted for removable attachment within an existing sports helmet to extend around the forehead, right and left temporal regions, back of the head, and across the top of the head, and wherein each of the individual head protective inserts are adapted for removable attachment within the helmet with the use of hook and loop fasteners or, in an alternative embodiment, the inserts are adhered to the inner surface of the element at desired locations with an adhesive;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of a sports helmet, such as a sports helmet, showing the head protective inserts of FIG. 5 fitted within the helmet;

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of yet a further embodiment of the present invention showing the head protective inserts arranged for placement within a sports helmet to extend around the forehead, right and left temporal regions, the back of the head, as well as across the top of the head;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of a sports helmet showing the head protective inserts of FIG. 7 fitted within the helmet;

FIG. 9 is an isolated perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a head protective insert of the present invention including an impact absorbing material formed of one or more polymeric materials and having an arrangement of ventilation holes formed therethrough, and further including an outer cover formed of an absorbing knitted fabric that is adapted for absorbing perspiration;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the head protective insert of FIG. 9 showing a hook component of a hook and loop releasable fastener system on one side of the insert to allow for removable attachment of the head protective insert within a sports helmet, such as a bicycle helmet;

FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of a bicycle helmet showing the head protective inserts of the present invention fitted to the inner surface of the helmet at the temporal areas and forehead area, and with a thin polycarbonate layer of the inserts positioned against the inside surface of the bicycle helmet, and further showing removal of existing comfort pads to allow for substituting placement of the head protective inserts of the present invention within the bicycle helmet;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the head protective inserts of the present invention including an impact absorbing material formed of one or more polymeric materials and a thin polycarbonate outer layer that is intended to be fitted against the inner surface of the helmet; and

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the head protective insert of FIG. 12.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the several views of the drawings, the present invention is directed to a unique and universal head protective technology for installation within sports helmets. The head protective technology includes one or more inserts 10 that are adapted to be mechanically fastened within a sports helmet, such as a bicycle helmet 100, for the purpose of absorbing and dissipating a significant amount of impact forces beyond those forces that are absorbed by the helmet design.

The various embodiments of the inserts 10 shown throughout the drawings are formed of one or more polymeric materials, and are specifically adapted to absorb and dissipate a significant amount of impact forces to the helmet beyond those forces that are absorbed by the original structural design of the helmet. Currently, testing protocol of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for bicycle helmets requires that impact testing must be under 300 g's. In testing a bicycle helmet fitted with the protective polymer inserts 10 of the present invention, non-optimized polymer inserts improved the impact testing of a bicycle helmet to under 120 g's under the CPSC testing requirements. When the polymer inserts 10 are optimized for the specific helmet design and the desired level of protection, impact protection can be brought to below 100 g's when tested according to the CPSC requirements. Optimization of the polymeric inserts of the present invention is necessary due to the varying degree of impact absorption of preexisting bicycle helmet designs and systems, as well as the varying degree of impact absorption of other types of existing helmets and protective headgear systems. The polymeric inserts 10 of the present invention must be optimized for the particular sport helmet or other protective headgear in order to effectively absorb and dissipate a significant amount of impact forces beyond those forces absorbed by the existing sports helmet or other protective headgear, thereby significantly reducing subconcussive level impact forces to the head and brain. The present invention introduces the first technology that actually provides a second and additional level of impact absorption and dissipation beyond that provided by the original helmet design. In various preferred embodiments of the invention, polymeric inserts 10 have a Shore A hardness ranging between 20 and 80 depending upon the needed optimization of the preexisting helmet or other protective headgear system considered in conjunction with the polymeric inserts 10 that are placed therein.

In a first embodiment, the protective inserts 10 are in the form of a one-piece headgear 20 that may have an exterior absorbent jacket 22 (see FIG. 4) made of a soft and pliable fabric 23 that is adapted to absorb perspiration. The headgear 20 is adapted to be mechanically fastened within the bicycle helmet 100 to surround the user's head, and particularly to extend across the forehead, left and right temporal regions, the back of the head, and across the top of the user's head when wearing the bicycle helmet 100. In a preferred embodiment, an exterior surface 24 of the headgear 20 is adapted to be mechanically fastened to the inside of the helmet 100 which can be achieved with the use of cooperating hook and loop fasteners 28 on the interior of the helmet and the exterior surface 24 of the headgear 20. An inner facing surface 26 of the headgear 20 is adapted to engage the user's head and absorb perspiration. The headgear 20 further includes one or more polymeric inserts 40 that have full elastic memory. The polymeric inserts are specifically structured and disposed to absorb and dissipate impact forces, and particularly lower level subconcussive forces to the head and brain that are not absorbed by the helmet design. As seen in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 4, the polymeric inserts include apertures formed therethrough to provide a breathable airflow system that enhances comfort and promotes drying of perspiration, particularly perspiration that has been absorbed by the outer fabric jacket (cover) 22. When the headgear 20 is fitted within the helmet 100, airflow through the vent openings 102 of the bicycle helmet 100 allows perspiration to be wicked off of the exterior surface 24 of the fabric jacket 22. More specifically, perspiration from the user is first absorbed on the inner facing surface 23 of the fabric jacket 22 and then travels through the holes in the polymeric inserts and around to the outer surface 24 of the fabric jacket, where air flow through the vent openings 102 of the bicycle helmet 100 allows the perspiration to be wicked off of the absorbent fabric jacket 22, thereby promoting dissipation of the perspiration that has been absorbed by the fabric jacket 22 of the headgear 20.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, several embodiments of the head protective inserts 10 are shown, wherein the inserts 10 are provided as individual segments or pieces for placement within the interior of the helmet 100 at locations to optimize protection of the wearer's head and brain by reducing the risk of injury from subconcussive level impacts. Specifically, the inserts 10 are shaped, sized and configured for placement around the forehead, temporal regions and back of the head, as well as across the top of the wearer's head. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the arrangement of inserts 10 that are fitted within the helmet 100 can be generally shaped in a dome configuration, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1. Alternatively, the individual inserts 10 can be selectively inserted and attached within the interior of the helmet 100 as needed, and as permitted by the existing helmet design. In both of the embodiments throughout FIGS. 5-8, one component of a cooperating hook and loop fastener system 28 is provided on the inserts and the other cooperating component of the hook and loop fastening system 28 is provided on the interior surface of the helmet 100, thereby allowing for removable attachment of each of the individual inserts 10 within the helmet 100. This allows the inserts 10 to be removed so that they can be washed and dried after becoming exposed to perspiration of the wearer.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, an isolated view of an individual one of the inserts 10 is shown, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, wherein a knitted absorbent fabric 23, similar to that used for a conventional sweatband, surrounds a polymeric impact absorbing material 50. The impact absorbing material may be formed of one or more polymers having elastic memory and which effectively absorbs and dissipates impact forces, and particularly, subconcussive level impact forces. The polymer material 50 may include an arrangement of ventilation holes 52 therethrough to allow airflow through the insert in order to promote dissipation of perspiration that has been absorbed into the exterior knitted fabric 23 by wicking.

In particular, the holes 52 through the polymer material 50 allow perspiration to travel through the insert 10 from the inner side 54 that engages the wearer's head so that the perspiration is absorbed to the outside 56 of the insert 10 where the perspiration can be dissipated by wicking from airflow through the openings in the helmet, such as a bicycle helmet 100.

Referring to FIGS. 11-13, a preferred embodiment of the inserts 10 is shown, wherein the inserts include a shock absorbing material 60 formed of one or more polymeric materials and a thin polycarbonate layer 62 bonded to the shock absorbing material 60. When fitted within a helmet, such as a bicycle helmet, the thin polycarbonate layer 62 is attached against the inner surface of the helmet while the shock absorbing polymeric material 60 engages the wearer's head. The thin polycarbonate layer 62 serves to dissipate additional subconcussive impact forces that are not absorbed by the helmet design. A substantial amount of the dissipated subconcussive impact forces are then absorbed by the shock absorbing polymeric material 60 of the inserts 10 which have memory. Accordingly, the inserts 10 provide a significant increase in the absorption and dissipation of impact forces beyond those forces that are absorbed by the structure and design of the helmet, without the need to change the size of the helmet. The inner facing sides 64 of the inserts 10 can be fabricated with a soft felt surface to add increased comfort to the fit against the wearer's head. It is further noted that the specific size, thickness and length of the inserts 10, including the thickness of the polymeric material 60 and the thin polycarbonate layer 62 can be varied according to the specific needs for each helmet design. The inserts 10 can also be placed in all vulnerable areas within the preexisting helmet. For instance, as seen in FIG. 11, the rather flimsy comfort pads 110 that are normally provided by the manufacturer of a bicycle helmet 100 can be removed to allow substituting placement of the inserts 10 of the present invention, thereby providing needed protection against subconcussive level impacts that are not absorbed by the original helmet design and structure.

While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with several preferred and practical embodiments, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are fully contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention which is not to be limited except as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A head protective insert system for installation within protective headgear, comprising: at least one insert structured and disposed for removable attachment to an inside surface of the headgear, and said at least one insert being formed of one or more polymeric materials having elastic memory, and said at least one insert being structured and disposed to significantly increase absorption and dissipation of impact forces to the headgear beyond those forces absorbed by a structure of the headgear.

2. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 1 wherein the one or more polymeric materials have a Shore A hardness ranging between 20 and 80.

3. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one insert is structured and configured to engage a user's forehead, left and right temporal regions, and at least a portion of a top and back of the user's head when installed in the headgear and with the headgear worn on the user's head.

4. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of the inserts each structured and disposed for removable attachment to the inside surface of the headgear.

5. The head protective insert as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one insert includes a fabric jacket covering the one or more polymeric materials, and the fabric jacket being structured and disposed for absorbing perspiration of a user wearing the headgear.

6. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one insert includes ventilation holes formed through the one or more polymeric materials for allowing perspiration absorbed on an inner facing side of the fabric jacket to pass through the at least one insert so that the perspiration is absorbed into an outer side of the fabric jacket where the perspiration can be dissipated by wicking.

7. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one insert includes a first layer formed of a polycarbonate material having an outer facing surface for engaging an inner surface of the headgear, and a second layer formed of one or more polymeric materials and having an inner facing surface for engaging a user's head, and the polycarbonate material of the first layer being structured and disposed for dissipating impact forces that are not absorbed by the headgear, and the one or more polymeric materials of the second layer being structured and disposed for absorbing at least a portion of the dissipated impact forces.

8. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one insert includes a hook or loop component of a hook and loop releasable fastening system for attachment to a corresponding hook or loop component on an inner surface of the headgear.

9. The head protective insert system as recited in claim 5 wherein the fabric jacket includes a hook or loop component of a hook and loop releasable fastening system for attachment to a corresponding hook or loop component on an inner surface of the headgear.

10. A method for significantly reducing subconcussive level impacts to existing protective headgear used in contact and collision sports, said method comprising the steps of: providing at least one insert structured and disposed for removable attachment to an inside surface of the headgear, and the at least one insert being formed of one or more polymeric materials having elastic memory;attaching the at least one insert to an interior of the headgear for engagement with a user's head when the headgear is worn on the user's head; andabsorbing and dissipating impact forces to the headgear by the at least one insert that are not absorbed by the structure of the headgear.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the steps of: attaching the at least one insert to an interior of the headgear for engaging the user's forehead, left and right temporal regions and at least a portion of a top and back of the user's head.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the steps of: covering the at least one insert with a fabric jacket;absorbing perspiration of the user on an inner facing side of the fabric jacket engaging the user's head;allowing the absorbed perspiration to travel to an outer facing side of the fabric jacket; anddissipating the perspiration on the fabric jacket by wicking.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising the step of: providing a plurality of holes formed through the at least one insert to allow the absorbed perspiration on the inner facing side of the fabric jacket to pass through the insert to the outer facing side of the fabric jacket for dissipation by wicking.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of: providing at least one insert having a first layer formed of a polycarbonate material and having an outer facing surface for engaging an inner surface of the headgear, and a second layer formed of one or more polymeric materials and having an inner facing surface for engaging the user's head;dissipating impact forces by the polycarbonate first layer that are not absorbed by the headgear; andabsorbing at least a portion of the dissipated impact forces by the second layer; and, thereby significantly increasing the absorption and dissipation of impact forces beyond those impact forces absorbed by the structure of the headgear.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the steps of: removing an existing pad from the headgear; andplacing the at least one insert in the headgear in replacement for the removed pad.