GB2240255A

GB2240255A - Protective helmet or like

Info

Publication number: GB2240255A
Application number: GB9001823A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Kohler; Leif Lindh
Original assignee: APPLIED BIOENGINEERING TECHNOL
Current assignee: APPLIED BIOENGINEERING TECHNOL
Priority date: 1990-01-26
Filing date: 1990-01-26
Publication date: 1991-07-31
Also published as: GB9001823D0

Abstract

The helmet comprises a shell 10, supported against the user's head by a number of spaced resilient pads 11, arranged to bear against the stronger parts of the head. The pads may be in two part form, an outer soft resilient part and an inner part which is harder and less resilient The helmet also allows airflow between the inner surface of the helmet and the user's scalp. Strapping 15, 16 is V-shaped to provide two points of connection 17, 18 to each side of the helmet. An aperture (12, Fig. 3) may be provided at the rear of the helmet to allow the user's hair to pass therethrough. A porous or perforated silk jockey cap 19 may-be fitted to the helmet. <IMAGE>

Description

PROTECTIVE HELMET This invention relates to a protective helmet, hat or other head protecting device, and has as an object to provide such a helmet which inter alia, has the following objects: Firstly, the helmet is supported on the head by resilient cushioned members which contact the harder and less impact resistant parts of the skull.

Secondly, the cushioned members are so spaced as to allow airflow between the skull and the inner surface of the helmet.

Thirdly, the helmet is so shaped as to provide maximum protection for the weaker parts of the skull.

Fourthly, the strapping by which the helmet can be attached to the user's head includes a V or Y shaped harness on each side of the helmet, an arm of the V being attached at a rearward and lower part of the helmet as compared with the attachment point of the other arm of the V so that forward motion of the helmet is resisted.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, a protective helmet, hat or other head protecting device comprises an impact resistant shell adapted to cover the skull or a substantial part of it, the inner surface of the shell being provided with a plurality of cushioned members adapted to contact the stronger parts of the skull, the cushioned members being so spaced as to allow for airflow between the user's skull and the shell.

Preferably the cushioned members are in the form of studs made of resilient material.

The cushioned members may be in two parts, an inner part adjacent to the inner surface of the shell and an outer part adapted to contact the skull of the user, the inner part being of a harder or less resilient material than the outer part.

Apertures may be provided in the shell to facilitate flow of air between the skull of the user and the inner surface of the shell.

Strapping may be provided to retain the helmet on the user's head, the strapping being attached to the helmet on each side of a V or Y shaped strap, one arm of the V or Y being attached to the helmet in the temple area and the other arm being attached at a lower rearward point behind the user's ear so that forward motion of the helmet is resisted.

The shell may extend well down over the temple area and also extend down towards the nape of the neck of the user so as to provide good protection to the weaker areas of the skull.

The helmet may be adapted for use with a suitable covering, such as jockeys use to indicate their colours, but the covering will preferably be made of porous material to allow air to flow through the covering, through the shell of the helmet and into the area between the studs so as to keep the user's scalp cool.

It is particularly important to keep the skull of the user cool when the helmet is used, as it is well adapted to be used, by horse riders. It is a common complaint, particularly among women horse riders, that the exertion and heat generated causes the hair to become saturated with sweat so that when the helmet is removed, the hair does not look attractive. By allowing a flow of air between the helmet and the skull, this problem is avoided.

The helmet may, if desired, have an aperture at the rear part sufficiently large to allow the user's hair to protrude through it in the form of a ponytail.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an underplan of the helmet showing particularly the arrangement of resilient supporting studs; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the helmet on the head of a user, the studs being shown in dotted line and a silk covering for the helmet, as used by jockeys, being shown in chain dotted line; and Figure 3 is an enlarged strap view of one of the studs and it also shows the arrangement of air holes.

In Figure 1 and 2 the helmet comprises a shell 10, which may for example be of light metal alloy such as an aluminium alloy, or it may be of hard plastic or of carbon fibre or any other tough resistant material. On the inner surface of the shell 10 are attached a series of studs 11 of resilient material such as foamed rubber or foamed plastic material.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the studs are arranged in a pattern which serves two purposes. Firstly the pattern is such as to allow a steady flow of air all over the skull between the studs and in the space between the user's skull and the shell 10. Air can enter at apertures 12 in the front part of the helmet and exit through an aperture 13 at the rear part of the helmet and, of course, it can also exit around the user's neck and the bottom edge of the helmet.

The aperture 13 may also be used to permit the user's hair e.g. in the form of a pony tail to pass through the aperture 13 and hang down at the rear of the helmet.

The setond purpose of the studs 11 is to support the helmet against the stronger parts only of the skull of the user. It will be noticed there are no studs in the weaker areas of the skull such as the lower part of the temple.

Each of the studs 11 comprises two parts, an inner part lia and an outer part lib. The inner part 11a is of harder or less resilient material than the outer part.

The shell 10 has an extended rear lower portion 13 to protect the area around the nape of the neck and it also has a portion 14 extended down over the temple area so that the vulnerable parts of the skull are well protected.

The helmet is attached to the user's head by strapping 14a joined to the helmet by a V or Y shaped strapping 15, 16. Strap 16 is attached to the helmet by a rivet 17 adjacent to the temple area and strap 15 is attached to the helmet by a rivet 18 which is well below the height of rivet 17 and is also much closer to the back of the helmet. The effect of this is to ensure that the helmet resists forward motion when impact occurs.

Straps can be made of any conventional material although a tough nylon fabric is preferred.

As seen in Figure 2, there is a silk cover 19 for the helmet which may be in racing colours if the helmet is to be worn by a jockey. Silk is preferable, porous in itself or has a pattern of holes in it to allow the outer flow through the silk cover and then through holes 12 into the space between the shell of the helmet and the scalp of the user.

It will be seen that the helmet, in accordance with this invention, is extremely light in weight, provides protection for all of the vulnerable areas of the skull, allows an air flow between the helmet and the skull and has a form of strapping which prevents the helmet moving forward and, therefore, leaving the head in the case of an impact.

Claims

1. A protective helmet, hat or other head protecting device, comprising an impact resistant shell adapted to cover the skull or a substantial part of it, the inner surface of the shell being provided with a plurality of cushioned members adapted to contact the stronger parts of the skull, the cushioned members being so spaced as to allow for airflow between the user's skull and the shell.

2. A protective helmet according to Claim 1 and in which the cushioned members are in the form of studs made of resilient material.

3. A protective helmet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 and in which the cushioned members are in two parts, an inner part adjacent to the inner surface of the shell and an outer part adapted to contact the skull of the user, the inner part being of a harder or less resilient material than the outer part.

4. A protective helmet according to any of Claims 1 to 3 and in which apertures are provided in the shell to facilitate flow of air between the skull of the user and the inner surface of the shell.

5. A helmet according to any preceding claim and in which strapping is provided to retain the helmet on the user's head, the strapping being attached to the helmet on each side by a V or Y shaped strap, one arm of the V or Y being attached to the helmet in the temple area and the other arm being attached at a lower rearward point behind the user's ear so that forward motion of the helmet is resisted.

6. A helmet according to any of Claims 1 to 5 and in which the shell extends well down over the temple area and also extends down toward the nape of the neck of the user so as to provide good protection to the weaker areas of the skull.

7. A helmet according to any preceding claim and in which there is an aperture in the rear of the helmet sufficiently large to allow the user's hair to pass through and hang down outside the helmet e.g. in the form of a pony tail.