Helmet fitting system

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6178560
  • Patent Number
    6,178,560
  • Date Filed
    Friday, June 4, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 30, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium. The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet. The bladder is positionable within the helmet so as to substantially wrap around side portions of the cranium, temple areas of the cranium, a rear occipital protuberance portion of the cranium and an upper portion of the cranium without compromising the fluid flow path.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to helmets and more particularly to a device and method for fitting helmets to the craniums of users.




BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Helmets, such as football helmets often include a high impact polymer shell and a shock absorbing component interior the shell. For mass produced helmets, the shells and shock absorbing components typically are provided in standard sizes, e.g., small, medium and large. To account for variances in head or cranium size, shape and the like within a size, a fitting component may be provided to adjust the fit of the helmet.




The present invention relates to an improved fitting component that overcomes disadvantages of prior fitting components and offers improved fit, comfort and ease of use for the user.




Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system for fitting of helmets to craniums.




Another object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described that is of one piece construction.




An additional object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described that enables custom fitting for individual users.




Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described that can be manufactured from a blank yet which enables fluid to be introduced via a flow path that does not become blocked or otherwise obstructed when the fit system is positioned about the cranium of a user.




A further object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described that enables fluid to be introduced via a single flow path for expanding the fit system a desired amount.




A still further object of the invention is to provide a system of the character described that enables fluid to be introduced via one or more discrete flow paths for expanding the fit system a desired amount.




It is another object of the invention to provide a helmet that incorporates fit systems in accordance with the invention and methods for fitting such helmets to users.




A further object of the invention is to provide a fit system of the character described that is uncomplicated in configuration and convenient to use.




With regard to the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium.




The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having an inlet end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a terminal end distal from the inlet end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the inlet end and the terminal end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.




In another aspect, the fit system includes an elongate pliable member that is substantially M-shaped when positioned in a planar orientation and positionable in a non-planar relationship within a helmet so as to substantially wrap around side portions of the cranium, temple areas of the cranium, a rear occipital protuberance portion of the cranium and an upper portion of the cranium.




The invention also provides a blank for manufacture of the fit system and having a first fluid impervious sheet material overlying a second fluid impervious material, with selected substantially continuous portions of the first and second sheet materials being sealed together to define a single fluid path that provides an elongate substantially M-shaped cavity for receiving a fluid for expanding the cavity.




In still another aspect, the invention provides a method of fitting a helmet to a cranium.




In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing a helmet comprising a shell having a shock attenuation liner adjacent an interior portion of the shell and a fit system adjacent the interior portion for contacting portions of the cranium. The fit system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. The bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder to engage adjacent portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet. The bladder is positionable within the helmet so as to substantially wrap around portions of the cranium without compromising the fluid flow path.




Next, the helmet is positioned on the cranium of the user such that the fit system substantially wraps around portions of the cranium without compromising the fluid flow path. Fluid is then introduced into the bladder via the inlet port to desirably expand the fit system to engage adjacent portions of the cranium of the user and the liner of the helmet.




In still another embodiment, the invention relates to a fit system including a pair of elongate fluid impervious bladders. Each bladder includes a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end. Each bladder defines a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.




The invention advantageously enables fitting a helmet to a cranium of a user to enhance comfort and aids in maintaining the helmet desirably positioned on the cranium of the user.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become further known from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is top plan view of a fit system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 2

is a bottom plan view of the fit system of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a cross-sectional end view of the fit system of

FIG. 1

taken along line


3





3


.




FIG.


4


. is a top plan view of a blank for providing the fit system of FIG.


1


and





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional view taken along line


5





5


of FIG.


4


.





FIG. 6

is an exploded perspective view showing a fit system according to the invention and a cranium.





FIG. 7

is a perspective view showing a fit system according to the invention installed within a helmet shell.





FIGS. 8 and 8



a


are top plan views of fit system in accordance with the invention having circulating fluid.





FIG. 9

is a perspective view showing a fit system according to another embodiment of the invention.





FIG. 10

is a bottom plan view showing the fit system of

FIG. 8

installed within a helmet shell.





FIGS. 11-15

are plan views of alternate embodiments of fit systems in accordance with the invention having a single fluid flow path.





FIGS. 16-20

are plan views of alternate embodiments of fit systems in accordance with the invention having plural fluid flow paths.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION





FIGS. 1-8






With initial reference to

FIGS. 1-3

, there is shown a fit system


10


for use with a helmet for fitting an interior portion of the helmet to a cranium of a user to reduce slippage between the cranium of the user and the helmet, to assist in maintaining the helmet in place on the cranium and to avoid discomfort to the user. The fit system


10


enables a medium to be introduced in a fluid state to void spaces between the interior of the helmet and the cranium to fill or partially fill the void spaces as desired. The medium is flowably introduced through a single, serpentine flow path located between the interior of the helmet and the cranium of the user while the helmet is worn on the cranium. The configuration of the flow path enables a substantially equal pressure to be exerted by the fluid against the cranium of the user regardless of the area of the flow path at a given location of the flow path.




The fit system


10


preferably includes a first portion


12


of a fluid impervious material overlying a second portion


14


of a fluid impervious material. The first layer


12


and the bottom layer


14


are preferably made of a relatively flexible and fluid impervious plastic sheet material, such as vinyl.




The first portion


12


and the second portion


14


are fixedly attached to one another to provide a substantially impervious bladder


18


therebetween for receiving a fluid. The fluid is preferably either a gas such as air, gels, liquids such as water, or curable liquids, such as liquid-based foams that cure or set into a solid form, such as polyurethane foam.




As shown in

FIG. 3

, the first portion


12


preferably has a thin layer


16


of a soft material exterior to the bladder, such as nylon, velo, moleskin, or other soft, flexible fabric, secured thereto as by adhesive for contacting the cranium of the user.




An inlet port


20


is located at an inlet end


22


of the bladder


18


for introducing fluid into the bladder


18


. An outlet port


24


is preferably provided at a outlet or terminal end


26


of the bladder


18


when a curable liquid fluid is to be introduced into the bladder


18


for enabling the fluid to flow out of the bladder


18


during filling. For example, a liquid foam is preferably flowed through the bladder


18


from inlet end


22


to outlet end


26


until fluid is observed to flow out of the port


24


. The presence of fluid exiting the bladder through the port


24


indicates that the bladder is substantially uniformly expanded with the fluid.




In the use of non-setting fluids, e.g., gas, gels and liquids that do not change state and maintain their fluidity, the outlet port


24


is preferably not included or is provided with a seal and the inlet port


20


preferably includes a suitable valve arrangement that enables fluid to be introduced into the bladder


18


through the port and to inhibit introduced fluid from exiting the bladder


18


back through the port


20


.




The fit system


10


may be manufactured using a blank


27


as shown in

FIGS. 4 and 4



a


. Sheets


28


and


30


of material representing portions


12


and


14


, respectively are placed in an adjacent orientation. A seal, such as a heat seal, is applied to a selected continuous region of the sheets to bond facing portions of the sheets together in a sealing relationship that defines a seal or border


32


that surrounds a cavity area


34


. The cavity area


34


defines the bladder


18


. Material surrounding the border


32


or material of the border


32


may be trimmed, as by cutting along dashed line


36


or dashed line


38


, to remove excess material as desired.




Returning to

FIG. 2

, the bladder


18


of the fit system


10


defines a single, uninterrupted flow path (defined by arrows


40


) extending between inlet


20


and outlet


24


. The path defined by the arrows


40


traverses a plurality of individual and interconnected segments, such as segments


42




a


-


42




t,


configured in a generally “M”-shaped arrangement when the bladder


18


is lying in a plane.




The configuration of the fit system


10


and its interconnected segments


42




a


-


42




t


advantageously enables a single flow path that can be adapted to be positioned in a non-planar relationship without creasing or bending so as to compromise the flow path. That is, the interconnected segments


42




a


-


42




t


cooperate with one another and enable the bladder


18


of the fit system


10


to be positioned about the cranium of the user and within the helmet and to receive fluid and expand the bladder


18


, with the fluid pressure within the bladder being substantially uniform in each of the segments


42




a


-


42




t.






In this regard, it will be understood that the fit system


10


may have a greater or less number of segments depending on the size of the overall fit system and the size of each segment. That is, each segment may be smaller such that a greater number of segments is required to provide a fit system of desired size or each segment may be larger so that fewer segments are needed. The segments are preferably of substantially uniform size (and volume), however, it will be understood that segments of varying size may be utilized in conjunction with one another.




With additional reference to

FIGS. 6 and 7

, the fit system


10


is configured for placement within an interior portion of a helmet, such as football helmet


50


for receiving a portion of a cranium


52


of a user. As oriented in

FIG. 6

, the fit system


10


has been placed desirably for placement about the cranium


52


. The flow path, represented by arrows


40


′ is continuous and placement of the fit system


10


about the cranium


52


has not resulted in creases between segments or other blockage to flow.




The helmet


50


preferably includes a shell


70


having ear holes


72


and a shock attenuation liner


74


adjacent an interior portion of the shell


70


. A face mask


76


is also preferably mounted to the shell


70


, as by fasteners. The liner


74


may be secured to the interior of the shell


70


as by adhesive or mating hook and loop material or other fastening means. The fit system


10


is secured to the liner


74


, preferably releasably secured as by hook and loop material, with the layer of soft material


16


positioned for contacting the cranium of a user.




The fit system


10


substantially wraps around the sides, temple areas


58


of the cranium, above ears


59


, the rear occipital protuberance portion


60


of the cranium and an upper or crown portion


62


of the cranium


52


. Upon introduction of fluid into the bladder


18


, the fluid will travel along the flow path


40


′ and expand the bladder


18


so that it substantially occupies void areas or-gaps between the cranium and adjacent interior surfaces of the helmet. Contact of the fit system with the occipital protuberance


60


tends to urge the fit system and hence the entire helmet in a generally downward direction so as to draw the interior of the helmet closer to the cranium of the user.




The following designations referenced in the drawings with regard to portions of the fit system


10


identify particular portions of the cranium to be contacted by the fit system when installed:





















TP




Temples







AE




Above ear







UOR




Under occipital protuberance








in the rear







CR




Crown















Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the fit system


10


may be advantageously used to fit a helmet to a cranium of a user to enhance comfort and to aid in maintaining the helmet desirably positioned on the cranium of the user. In a preferred embodiment, the fit system


10


may be used to custom fit the helmet to the user. This may be accomplished by first placing the helmet system


70


, with the fit system


10


substantially void of fluid, on the cranium of the user. Fluid may then be introduced into the fit system via the inlet port


20


to desirably expand the fit system so that substantially the entire length of the fit system engages mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and the liner


74


of the helmet.




A desirable fit is achieved when the bladder is sufficiently expanded such that the user experience a snugness of the helmet against the cranium without feeling significant discomfort. In the case of non-curable fluids, such as air and water and the like, a valve mechanism associated with the port


20


inhibits the introduced fluid from exiting the bladder such that the desired pressure achieved by introducing the fluid is maintained. It will be understood that more or less fluid may be introduced and/or subsequently added or removed as desired.




When the introduced fluid is a curable liquid, such as a liquid-based foam that cures or sets into a solid form, the fluid is flowed into the bladder via the port


20


until fluid exits the bladder via the port


24


. At that point, the flow of fluid is ceased and the user maintains the helmet in the desired position for several minutes while the fluid cures into a solid form. The curable liquid therefore provides a custom fit that maintains its shape substantially indefinitely.





FIGS. 8 and 8



a


shows another embodiment of a fit system


80


in accordance with the invention. The fit system


80


is configured similar to the fit system


10


, except that it includes tubing


82


and


84


. In

FIG. 8

, one end of the tubing


82


is in fluid communication with the port


20


and one end of the tubing


84


is in fluid communication with the port


24


. The opposite ends of tubing


82


and


84


connects to a circulator


86


for circulating fluid through the fit system.




For example, when the fluid is water, the circulator is preferably a water pump for recirculating the water through the flow path for cooling purposes. The water pump may be a small, battery powered unit that can be worn while the helmet is in use. A temperature control unit


88


, such as a chiller or heater or heat exchanger, may also be incorporated in-line with the circulator for maintaining the fluid at a desired temperature. During cold weather, it is desirable to heat the fluid and in hot weather to cool the fluid.




Alternatively, as shown in

FIG. 8



a


, the exit end of conduit


84


may be free to the atmosphere and the circulator


86


provided as by a source


90


of chilled or heated water for feeding a continuous supply of water through the system.





FIGS. 9-10






Turning now to

FIGS. 9 and 10

, there is shown an alternate embodiment of a fit system


100


having a shape generally conforming to that of the fit system


10


but of solid construction. For example, the fit system


100


may be made as by flowing foam through the blank of

FIG. 4

, letting the foam set and thereafter removing all of the material surrounding the set foam to yield a series of interconnected foam segments


102




a


-


102




x,


with each adjacent segment being connected by a connecting portion


104


. The segments


102




a


-


102




x


are preferably secured, as by adhesive, to a flexible backing material


106


.




As shown in

FIG. 10

, the fit system


100


may be incorporated (in the manner of the fit system


10


) into a helmet system


108


having a shell


110


and a shock attenuation system or liner


112


, with the backing material


106


being secured, as by hook and loop material, to the liner


112


.




A preferred shell and shock attenuation system are described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/325,827, naming as inventors P. David Halstead, Cherie F. Alexander and Thad Ide, filed on even date herewith and entitled HELMET, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.





FIGS. 11-20






Turning to

FIGS. 11-20

, there are shown various additional embodiments of fit systems in accordance with the invention. The following designations referenced in the drawings with regard to portions of the fit systems identify particular portions of the cranium to be contacted by the fit system when installed:





















TP




Temples







AE




Above ear







UOR




Under occipital protuberance








in the rear







CR




Crown







MR




Middle of rear







FR




Front/forehead















The embodiments shown in

FIGS. 11-15

have single fluid paths and the embodiments of

FIGS. 16-20

have a pair of discrete single flow paths. Each of the fit systems of

FIGS. 11-20

is constructed similarly to the fit system


10


in that they are configured to provide a substantially impervious bladder for receiving a fluid.





FIG. 11

shows a fit system


120


having a single flow path indicated by arrows


122


between an inlet port


124


and an outlet port


126


.

FIG. 12

shows a fit system


130


having a single flow path indicated by arrows


132


between an inlet port


134


and an outlet port


136


.

FIG. 13

shows a fit system


140


having a single flow path indicated by arrows


142


between an inlet port


144


and an outlet port


146


.

FIG. 14

shows a fit system


150


having a single flow path indicated by arrows


152


between an inlet port


154


and an outlet port


156


.

FIG. 15

shows a fit system


160


having a single flow path indicated by arrows


162


between an inlet port


164


and an outlet port


166


.





FIG. 16

shows a fit system


170


having a pair of discrete single flow paths indicated by arrows


172


and


173


between inlet ports


174


,


175


and outlet ports


176


,


177


, respectively.

FIG. 17

shows a fit system


180


having a pair of discrete flow paths indicated by arrows


182


and


183


between inlet ports


184


,


185


and outlet ports


186


,


187


, respectively.

FIG. 18

shows a fit system


190


having a pair of discrete flow paths indicated by arrows


192


and


193


between inlet ports


194


,


195


and outlet ports


196


,


197


, respectively.

FIG. 19

shows a fit system


200


having a pair of discrete flow paths indicated by arrows


202


and


203


between inlet ports


204


,


205


and outlet ports


206


,


207


, respectively.

FIG. 20

shows a fit system


210


having a pair of discrete flow paths indicated by arrows


212


and


213


between inlet ports


214


,


215


and outlet ports


216


,


217


, respectively.




The foregoing description of certain embodiments of the present invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only, and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may be made in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium, the system comprising an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end, the bladder defining a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage mutually facing portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet, the bladder being substantially M-shaped when positioned in a planar orientation and being positionable in a non-planar relationship within the helmet so as to substantially wrap around side portions of the cranium, temple areas of the cranium, a rear occipital protuberance portion of the cranium and an upper portion of the cranium without compromising the fluid flow path.
  • 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of gel, gas and liquid.
  • 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an outlet port adjacent the second end and in flow communication with the bladder and the atmosphere and the fluid comprises a curable liquid that sets into a solid form.
  • 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flowpath comprises a plurality of individual and interconnected segments.
  • 5. A blank for manufacture of a fit system for helmet, the blank comprising a first fluid impervious sheet material overlying a second fluid impervious material, with selected substantially continuous portions of the first and second sheet materials being sealed together to define a single fluid path comprising an elongate substantially M-shaped cavity for receiving a fluid for expanding the cavity.
  • 6. A fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium, the system comprising a pair of elongate fluid impervious bladders, each bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end, each bladder defining a single continuous fluid flowpath between the first end and the second end for receiving fluid introducible into the bladder through the inlet port for expanding the bladder so that substantially the entire length of the bladder may be expanded to engage portions of the cranium of the user and interior portions of the helmet.
  • 7. The fit system of claim 6, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of gel, gas and liquid.
  • 8. The fit system of claim 6 further comprising an outlet port adjacent the second end and in flow communication with the bladder and the atmosphere and the fluid comprises a curable liquid that sets into a solid form.
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