The present technology is generally related to protective helmets, and more specifically to protective helmets including non-linearly deforming elements.
Sports-related traumatic brain injury, and specifically concussions, have become major concerns football teams and leagues at various levels, from high school to professional. Such injuries are also significant concerns for participants in other activities such as cycling and skiing. Current helmet technology inadequately protects wearers from concussions, as current helmets primarily protect wearers from superficial head injury rather than concussions that can be caused by direct or oblique forces. Additionally, most conventional helmets linearly absorb incident forces, which transmits the bulk of the incident force to a wearer's head.
A protective helmet comprises an inner layer and an outer layer separated from the inner layer by a space. An interface layer is positioned in the space between the inner layer and the outer layer and includes an impact absorbing material that non-linearly deforms in response to an incident force on the protective helmet. For example, the impact absorbing material includes multiple filaments each having an end proximate to the inner layer and another end proximate to the outer layer interface, with the filaments configured to non-linearly deform in response to an incident force on the helmet. In some embodiments, the impact absorbing material allows the helmet to locally and elastically deform in response to an incident force. Varying the composition, number, and configuration of the filaments in the impact absorbing material or varying composition and configuration of the outer layer or of the inner layer allows deformation of the helmet to be customized for different implementations. For example, filaments in the impact absorbing material have different shapes or comprise different materials in different embodiments to customize deformation of the helmet.
Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed on illustrating clearly the principles of the present disclosure.
Protective Helmets Having an Interface Layer Between an Inner Layer and an Outer Layer
In some embodiments, the outer layer 103 of the helmet 101 is a single, continuous shell. However, the outer layer 103 may have a different configuration in other embodiments. The outer layer 103 and the inner layer 105 may both comprise a hard plastic material to provide a measure of rigidity to the outer layer 103 and to the inner layer 105. However, the outer layer 103 is pliable enough to locally deform when subject to an incident force. In certain embodiments, the inner layer 105 is relatively stiffer than the outer layer to prevent projectiles or intense impacts from fracturing the skull or creating hematomas. In some embodiments, the inner layer 105 is at least five times more rigid than the outer layer 103. The outer layer 103 may also comprise a plurality of deformable beams that are flexibly connected and arranged so that the longitudinal axes of the beams are parallel to a surface of the outer layer 103. In some embodiments each of the deformable beams is flexibly connected to at least one other deformable beam and to at least one filament 111.
The filaments 111 comprise thin, columnar or elongated structures that are configured to non-linearly deform in response to an incident force on the helmet 101. Such structures can have a high aspect ratio. For example, an aspect ratio of a filament 110 is between 3:1 and 1000:1. Non-linear deformation of the filaments 111 to provide improved protection against high-impact forces directly incident on the helmet 101, as well as high-impact forces obliquely incident on the helmet 101. More specifically, a filament 111 is configured to buckle in response to an incident force, where buckling is characterized by a sudden failure of the filament 111 when subjected to high compressive stress; the filament 111 fails when the filament 110 is subjected to compressive stress less than the maximum compressive stress that a material comprising the filament 111 is capable of withstanding. The filaments 111 may be configured to elastically deform, so a filament 111 returns to its initial configuration (or substantially returns to its initial configuration) when the compressive stress applied to the filament 110 is removed.
At least a set of the filaments 111 may be configured with a tensile strength that resists separation of the outer layer 103 from the inner layer 105. For example, during lateral movement of the outer layer 103 relative to the inner layer 105, filaments 111 having tensile strength exert force to counteract the lateral movement of the outer layer 103 relative to the inner layer 105. In some embodiments, wires, rubber bands, or other elements are embedded in or otherwise coupled to the filaments 111 to provide additional tensile strength.
As shown in
Various materials may comprise the filaments 111 in different embodiments. Example materials comprising a filament include: foam, elastomeric material, polymeric material, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the filaments 111 may comprise a material having a shape memory material or a self-healing material. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a filament 111 may exhibit different shear characteristics in different directions.
In some embodiments, the helmet 101 is configured to deform locally and elastically in response to an incident force. For example, when between approximately 100 and 500 static pounds of force are applied to the helmet 101, the outer layer 103 and the interface layer 109 deform between about 0.75 and 2.25 inches. Varying the composition, number, and configuration of the filaments 111 or varying the composition and configuration of the outer layer 103 and inner layer 105 allows the deformability of the helmet 101 to be tuned for various embodiments.
In certain embodiments, a protective helmet comprises a compression unit removably affixed to an inner layer, allowing the compression unit to be reconditioned or replaced as necessary for safety and comfort.
In some embodiments, the protective helmet further comprises a frame 407 affixed to the inner shell 406. The frame 407 may provide additional structural rigidity to the helmet 401. In certain embodiments, the frame 407 is configured to accept and secure a face mask or face guard to protect a face of the wearer's face.
Interface Layer Configuration
In certain embodiments, a protective helmet comprises an interface layer between an inner layer and an outer layer, the interface layer comprises multiple layers of individual impact absorbers. Such an interface layer provides a non-linear force displacement curve that optimally absorbs impact and reduces peak acceleration at impact, which spreads an impact to the helmet and head of a wearer over a longer period of time. In various embodiments, an interface layer comprises one or more intermediate layers and multiple, stacked pluralities of filaments with different mechanical properties, compositions, and geometries to provide the non-linear force displacement curve. For example, each plurality of filaments has a different stiffness and deforms non-linearly in response to varying levels of incident force.
In certain embodiments, protective helmets or compression units comprise a plurality of ribs. For example, the interface layer comprises plurality of ribs, where individual ribs comprise a sheet having a first edge proximate to an inner layer, a second edge proximal to an intermediate layer, and a longitudinal axis.
In some embodiments, different pluralities of ribs have different geometries, materials, and densities than other pluralities of ribs. For example, in
In a protective helmet or compression unit as further described above in conjunction with
In certain further embodiments, the protective helmet including the inner layer 701, which is sized and configured to comfortably and substantially encompass a wearer's head and has the plurality of slits 702 also includes a tightening unit configured to tighten the inner layer 701 to the head of a wearer. The inner layer 701 comprises a tightening unit, a first longitudinal inner layer portion and a second longitudinal inner layer portion having one or more slits 702 between the first and second longitudinal inner layer portions. The tightening unit having a first device 704 and a second device 705, the first device 704 attached to the first longitudinal inner layer portion, the second device 705 being attached to the second longitudinal inner layer portion, the tightening unit is configured to tighten the inner layer 701 to the head of a wearer by manipulating the first and second longitudinal inner layer portions to bring the portions of the first longitudinal inner layer portion and the second longitudinal inner layer portions 703 on either side of a slit 702 in closer proximity to each other by narrowing the width of each of the plurality of slits 702. The tightening unit may be any device 704,705 capable of bringing portions of the inner layer portions 703 on different sides of a slit 702 into closer proximity. Example devices 704,705 used for the tightening unit include: threaded screws, cables, draw strings, flexible bands affixed to either side of the slit 702, a ratchet mechanism, and the like.
In some embodiments, the inner layer of a protective helmet as described herein comprises a relatively stiff or rigid material that does not easily deform in response to an incident force. While having a relatively rigid inner layer protects a wearer by distributing incident forces on the protective helmet, rigidity of the inner layer increases the difficulty of fitting the protective helmet to a broad range of head sizes and shapes. To allow the inner layer to better fit various head sizes and shapes, in some embodiments, the inner layer comprises a thermoplastic material. Example thermoplastic materials include polyurethane, polcaprolactone, polypropylene, polyether block amide, and combinations thereof. A thermoplastic material may be heated to a temperature between a melting temperature and a heat distortion temperature and deformed by application of pressure while at the temperature. When the thermoplastic material is cooled below the heat distortion temperature, deformations of the thermoplastic material are largely maintained by the thermoplastic material. Hence, if the inner layer comprises a thermoplastic material, heating the inner layer to a temperature above a heat distortion temperature of the thermoplastic material and applying pressure to the inner layer allows the inner layer to be individually fit to a wearer's head. For example, after heating the inner layer to a temperature above the heat distortion temperature of a thermoplastic material comprising the inner layer, a protective helmet including the inner layer is placed on a wearer's head to individually fit the inner shell to the wearer's head.
In certain embodiments, an inner layer of a protective helmet as described herein comprises a shell configured to substantially surround a portion of the head of a wearer and a deformable foam cushion disposed and configured to cushion the head of the wearer from incident forces on the helmet. The deformable foam cushion may be a heat-moldable foam in various embodiments. For example, the heat-moldable fold is foam having an elastic modulus that decreases at temperatures above a plastic transition temperature (also referred to as a “softening temperature”). Hence, a heat-moldable foam softens when heated to temperatures above the softening temperature, allowing the heat-moldable foam to be molded at temperatures above the softening temperature. When the heat-moldable foam is cooled to temperatures below the softening temperature, the heat-moldable foam retains a shape to which it was molded while at a temperature above the softening temperature. Protective helmets as described here may further include an additional foam cushion that does not comprise heat-moldable foam and is positioned on an interior surface of a protective helmet and configured to contact a forehead of a wearer of the helmet.
In the embodiment shown by
To fit a helmet to a wearer's head, a helmet having an interior surface sized and shaped to conform to the head of a wearer is provided. The helmet includes a deformable foam cushion comprising heat-moldable foam positioned on an interior of the helmet. The heat-moldable foam is heated, and the head of the wearer is inserted into the helmet, causing deformation of the heat-moldable foam comprising the deformable foam cushion to fit the helmet to the head of the wearer. The heat-moldable foam is heated using a heating element shaped to conform to the interior surface of the helmet and configured to transfer heat from the heating element to the deformable foam cushion. Hence, a helmet having an interior surface sized and shaped to conform to a wearer's head and having a deformable foam cushion comprising a heat-moldable foam positioned on an interior of the helmet may be fit to the wearer's head by heating the heat-moldable foam using a heating element shaped to conform to the interior surface of the helmet and configured to transfer heat from the heating element to the deformable foam cushion. After heating the heat-moldable foam, the helmet is placed on the wearer's head while the heat-moldable foam is heated. Deformation of the heated heat-moldable foam by the wearer's head fits the helmet to the wearer's head.
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.
Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/136,969, filed Mar. 23, 2015, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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