CA1109601A

CA1109601A - Safety helmet

Info

Publication number: CA1109601A
Application number: CA291,965A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Kalman Gyory
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-12-29
Filing date: 1977-11-29
Publication date: 1981-09-29
Also published as: FR2375840A1; GB1591265A; BE862380A; FR2375840B1; DE2659324B2; JPS5395215U; DE2659324A1; AT354115B; IT1114178B; ATA854777A; DE2659324C3; JPS5917859Y2

Abstract

SAFETY HELMET

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A safety helmet comprising an inflatable, inter-connected air-cushion system wherein the air-cushion system is positioned in the lower part of an integral helmet. The integral helmet has a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and has a frontal opening for the face. The air cushion system is positioned within a pocket in the helmet and extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet The air-cushion system comprises a continuous band of two flexible foils, and means for interconnecting said foils in an air-tight manner, preferably comprising cross-pieces extending between the foils in such a way that the foils and the cross-pieces form two inflatable cheek cushions and one inflatable neck-cushion. Connecting passage-ways between the cheek cushions and the neck cushion are provided, and throttling passageways are positioned between the non-inflatable areas and the inflatable areas.

Description

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¦i lrhe present invention i5 conccrned with a safety !I helmet for motor-cycli.sts that satlsfies the special demands ¦ made upon this type of head year, to an extent never achieveA
before. Sirnple helmets have been in general use for a long time, and consist essentially of a hard shell covering the ;
Il cranium and the temples reaching just above eye level, and have ¦ a soft padding. These simple helmets may be used, in practicall~
¦¦ the same design for a wide racge of purposes, as crash helmcts, ! - 1`
I! safety helmets, workmen's "hard hc~ts'', etc. There have also bQen, .j, developed a number of special helmets for particular purposes, such as helmets for hockey, football or ruyby players, auto ! racing drivers, and a-~iators, to cite ju~t a few examples. All ¦ of these special helmets must meet the particular requirements ¦¦ essential only for their particular intended use. For example, I , ¦ a special feature of ~ootball and rugby helrnets is that they l! Inust lcave the f~ce of the player free as much as possible in 1~ order to afford him th~ widest posslble field of vi.sion, as well ¦
as to show his face to the spectators. Less important in such cases is the consiclerahly time required to put on and fit the helmet.

! The followiny features satisi~ somc of tile spccidl requirements of sa~e~ty helmc7~ ior motor-cyclis~s that are no~ , ! required of any other type of protective hecld ycar. Firs~ of all, no ot}lex kind o~ heln~.t is ~Yposed to wi3.d velocities o~ al:y~,~hcrc~
near the s~me Ira.J~ltuùo S~ larly, tlle ~L~arcr o tnc hel ot ,1 :` ~
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¦ faces great danger in case of an accident, due to the high speeds. , On the other hand, the wearer does not require an equally wide ¦ ~
field of vision extending to nearly 360, as does a rugby player.l -For these reasons, it is expedient and warranted to encase the head of the wearer, including the full face plus the mouth, ;;
nose, cheeks, and chin, in a helmet that is padded all over ¦ and in which only a frontal opening for the face has been left, this opening being formed by a transparent visor. Protective helmets of the type that encase the entire head and extend down-¦ ward so as to cover the chin, are known as "integral helmets"
; I and are gaining increased acceptance because of their excellent protective features even in very serious accidents against which other helmets do not offer any protection, or only minimal protection, although there does exist certain considerable !~ drawbac~s to these helmets.
These disadvantages have largely to do with thP afore-mentioned high travel speeds to which a helmet and its wearer ma~¦
be exposed. The velocities tend to make the helmet slip out ¦¦ of place if it is not made to fit the head of the wearer very , 20 1¦ exactly and ti~htly, thereby causing discomfort to thP wearer.
retofore it has not been fully possible, because of technical ¦ and commercial reasons, to meet this requirement of a close j fit of the wearers' head not only with respect to size, but ¦ also shape. ~ product of such general usc would be uneconomical to keep in stock, sincc it requires a complete line of head sizes and at least four differcnt head shapes ransing from angular and ¦ broad to slim and oval.

An even greater disadvantage arising from the require-ment of a perfect fit of an integral helmet lies in the fact that the helmet that meets this requirement completely can only be put on and taken off by overcoming the resist-ance of the elastic padding, since the helmet tapers off downwardly and forwardly to conform to the anatomy of the -~
human head. While this presents a minor problem for healthy uninjured persons, it becomes quite difficult in the case of neck injuries that are unavoidable even with -the best protective helmet. In such cases, it is highly important that the helmet be lifted off the head of an injured person as carefully as possible, and this cannot `
be done with the known integral helmets for the afore-- mentioned reasons. This difficulty is so serious that for some time, all ambulances have been equipped with bone saws, not because`it is necessary to saw off a bone at the scene of an accident, but solely for the purpose to remove, wh`ere necessary, an integral helmet from the head of the accident victim without injury to him. Obviously, !
the task of removing the helmet cannot be left to laymen, nor even to highly skilled persons, including doctors, if they are not provided with the necessary special saws. As a result, valuable time may be lost in many cases before the medical care of an accident victim can be initiated.
The present invention is concerned with a motor-cycle helmet that has all the advantages of the known integral helmets, namely their excellent protection in case of an accident, but avoids all of the drawbacks that have not ~ `~
been overcome so far.
According to the invention there is provided a safety helmet comprising an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion ~ .
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~ 96~1 system wherein the air-cushion system is positioned in the lower part of an integral helmet, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and havlng a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from :
the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet; and wherein said air-cushion system comprises a continuous band of two flexible foils, means for interconnecting said foils in an air-tight manner comprising cross-pieces extending between said foils, in such a way that the foils and the cross-pieces form two inflatable cheek cushions and one inflatable neck-cushion, wherein said foils, in the areas between the neck-cushion and the cheek-cushions are inter-connected in such a way so that these areas cannot be inflated, connecting passage-way means between the cheek cushions and the neck cushion, and throttling passageway means positioned between the non-inflatable areas and the inflatable areas.
Thus, the motor-cycle helmet in accordance with the invention makes possible an exact fitting of the head :
size of the wearer as well as its shape, requiring a considerably smaller number of helmets to be kept in stock, and facilitating an easy and gentle removal, never achieved before, from the head of the wearer. Even in the :
case of serious injuries to the spine, any further harm to the victim due to the removal of the helmet is positively prevented.
The advantages in accordance with at least the -preferred embodiments of the invention are achieved by j. ,,~,, ,.~

' 6~1 designing a protective helmet, generally familiar, to enclose the entire head of the wearer, including his face, and extending downward below the lower edge of the chin, and provided with a visor type of opening for the face that tapers off downwardly. ~he inside of the helmet is padded using a system, the principle of which is known as such in other contexts, of inflatable air-cushions that are inter-connected by throttling passage-ways. This system differs in many respects from the known systems of air~cushions with inter-connected throttling passage~ways in design, in the manner of its fastening to the helmet, and also by its interaction with other padding features of the helmet.
An essential characteristic of the invention lies in the fact that, while the air-cushion system encloses and protects the neck and cheeks of the wearer, it leaves `~ !
free the top of the skull, in contrast to all known safety helmets that use inflatable air~cushions, and assigns the protection of the cranium entirely to a familiar padding with an elastic material such as styropor and/or foam rubber. This does not impair the protection in the area of the cranium, but offers the special advantage of eliminating undesirable and often unavoidable upward pull on the chin~strap. ~ -Another advantage achieved by omitting air-cushions above the cranium consists in avoiding the recoil effect that occurs after the end part of an impact due to the re~
expansion of the air~cushion.
In accordance with this invention, the air cushions are arranged in the helmet in such a way that they extend from the lower edge of the cheek~bones to the uppermost '.

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tip of the ears, but not as far as the temple.
The air-cushion system with throttling passage-ways between the various air-cushions, is designed as a con-tinuous band made up of two foils, which are superimposed and inter-connected in a gas-tight manner. Similarly, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the inven-tion, cross-pieces, likewise made of elastic gas-tight material may be mounted on the upper, lower and lateral edges. This latter embodiment of the invention has the advantage, compared to the simpler embodiment, that the air-cushion will not bulge forward when inflated, and thereby exert an undesirable pressure. The width of these cross-pieces should amount to not less than half the dif-ference between the inside diameter of the helmet and the diameter of the smallest head-size to be fitted, and not greater than three times the amount of that difference.

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~' ' . -- 6a -,,1 11~96~1 1 ._ ¦ A pre f erred de s ign o f the a i r- cus hi on sys t em con s i s ~s i of a double-walled gas-tight band with perhaps elastic cross-i pieces between the walls, and containiny, in the cervical region ! and in the two regions of the cheeks, inflatable air-cushions.
Between the inflatable air cushions are two non-inflatable parts ¦
of the band. The non-inflatable parts of the band have passage- ¦
ways leading to the adjoining inflatable cushion parts. In addition, throttling passage-ways are provided between each air I cushion and its adjoining non-inflatable section, said throttlin~
j passage-ways affording a pressure balance between the various air ¦ cushions, but also retarding the air from tlle air cushions. The ¦
intensity of the retarding effect must be regulated rather ! carefully. If it is too weak, the air-cushion system does not develop sufficient elasticit~ and thus does not provide sufficient protection; if it is too strong, the fitting of the helmet to the ¦I size and sha~e of the head of the wearer is impaired.
An ideal throttling effect that is neither too weak nor too strong can be achieved in accordance with a preferred l embodiment of the invention by affixing labyrinth joints to the 1 throttling passage-ways. These labyrinth joints can be made most effectively by using some, preferably not more than two, welded or adhesive ceams that are staggered and placed adjacent to each other.
Advantageously, the lateral, or cheek, cushions of the !I system extend no farther ~orward than to the bor~erline bctwecn l jaw bones and chin, while the chin region of the helmet is lined ¦

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with a familiar non-inflatable pliable cushioning material, for I instance styropor or foam rubber. In this way, any undesirable horizontal pull during inflation of the cushion-system is avoided , The same purpose is served by designing an air-cushion that protects the neck, e.g., by installing some welded joints so jj that it will be inflated less than the cheek cushions, when the system is inflated. .
¦ It is also advantageous to have the neck support ! consist not of an inflatable air-cushion, but of elastic foam ¦ 10 ! material, in the conventional manner.
I ~ The fastening of the air-cushion system within the . helmet may be done advantageously by placing it inside a pocket . that is firmly attached to the helmet and preferably, by : ;
! fasteniny the ai.r-cushion system to the pocket fi.rmly, but so I ! as to be detachable by means of snap fasteners.
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j~ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
A preferred embodiment of the invention shall be ! explained in greater detail, schemati.cally and by way of 20 1 example, on the basis of the drawings: ¦
Figure 1 is a view of a vertical section along the i line 1-1 of Figure 2. In this section, the facial opening 2, jl located in front of the plane of the section has been drawn for the sake of clarity;
Figure 2 i5 a vertical section along the line II-II of Figure 1.

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Figure 3 is an enlargement of the circular area of ~I Figure l; ~ -Fiyurc 4 is a view of the system preferably designed as a band, of air-cushions that are inter-connected by throttling ! passageways, shown in an unfo]ded state; ¦
Figure 5 is the top-view of the band in the direction of the arrow ~5) of ~igure 4.

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il DETAILED DESCRIP'l`ION OF THE DRAWINGS ;~
~10 ,1 In the Figures, 1 designates the shell of the helmet, ; ! 3 is the styropor padding of the upper part of the helmet, positioned above the air-cushion paddir.g that is inserted in accordance with the invention, 4 denotes an additiona~ padding that is made, e.g., of PVC-foam-coated tissue, or layer, that ~¦ extends not altogether up to the roof of the skull, and that is ~ `
¦¦ applied above the styropor, and 5 designatPs the continuous system of inflatable air-cushions that is inter-connected by way of throttling passage-ways and is located in the pocket 6.
I The pock~t 6, as shown in Fiyure 3, consists, for example, of 1 20- 1 a rigid, but sufficiently flexible hard-PVC- foil 7, forming the rear wall of the pocket that is joined, by way of a se~m j 8, to a connecting piece ~, and to a front wall 10. The front ¦ wall 10 of the pocket, consists, for exampLe, of tissue coated with foam mat~rial on the inside.
The pocket 6 is solidly and firmly attached to the l shell 1 of the helmet, e.g., by means of rivets 11. ~ solid, ¦ fixedly, but ad~lantageously detachably, connection between the ¦ ;
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¦ air-cushion padding 5 and the pocket 6 can be provided, by means of snap-fastener connections 12.
As may be seen in Figure 2, the air-cushion padding 5 extends only to a point on the helmet corresponding to the ! border-line between the chin and jaw bones, while the chin il region of the llelmet is padded with another material, e.g., with foam-rubber coated styropor 13. The air-cushion padding 5 extendc to a point slightly below where the helmet side portions start l to curve toward each other. The neck support 14 also has been I -~
¦ developed in a conventional way, viz., not as an air cushion but ¦instead is made of a foam materia. 15 is the fastening device ¦ of the chin strap 16.
Further details of a preferred design of the air-cushion system may be seen in Figs.-~ and 5. The air-cushion system ¦ comprises two flexible air-tight foils 17 that are inter-I! connected on all sides by means of seams, preferably welding ; I! seams. In accordance with the particularly preferred design as shown in Figure 5, the foils 17 are inter-connected on all sides by means of connecting pieces 18, 19 and 20 which are arranged on all sides and between the two foils 17. The width b extending between the foils 17 should amount to not less than i one half, and preferably to 100~ of the difference between the inside di~meter of the helmet and the diameter of the smallest head size to be fitted, and to no more than three times that difference.

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~ our throttling passageways are shown as labyrinth-joints, and consist of two welding seams 21 each staggered, but arranged very closely adjacent eacll other, preferably 5 mm apart of approximately the same width c, and of a length of a few centimeters. These seams 21 separate the two cheek-cushions 22 from the ear-patches 24, and likewise, separate .he ear-patches I 24 from the neck-cushion 23. The seams 21 extend fully between the side foils 17 so that the passa~e of air is possible only ¦ along the narrow and restricted paths as shown by the arrows 90.
~¦ In the larger part 24a of the area of the ear-patches 24, the two foils 17 are solidly welded or pasted together, so that that ¦
area cannot be inflated, and only narrow passageways 24b for the gas remain between the cheek-cushions 22 and the neck-¦I cushion 23. A few welded joints 25 within the area of the neck- I
j cushion 23 keep them from being inflated by the same air pressure, similarly to the cheek cushions 22. Numbers 26 are snap-fasten-ers for attacl~ing the air-cushion system to pocket 6. Number 27 is the valve for inflating~the system as well as for letting the air out of the helmet so as to facilitate the removal of the ¦

helmet, and 28 is the tube for the air intake.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A safety helmet comprising an inflatable, inter-connected air-cushion system wherein the air-cushion system is positioned in the lower part of an integral helmet, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet; and wherein said air-cushion system com-prises a continuous band of two flexible foils, means for interconnecting said foils in an air-tight manner comprising cross-pieces extending between said foils, in such a way that the foils and the cross-pieces form two inflatable cheek cushions and one inflatable neck-cushion, wherein said foils, in the areas between the neck-cushion and the cheek-cushions are interconnected in such a way so that these areas cannot be inflated, connecting passage-way means between the cheek cushions and the neck cushion, and throttling passageway means positioned between the non-inflatable areas and the inflatable areas.

2. A safety helmet, in accordance with claim 1, wherein said air cushion system includes regions that are free of air-cushions.

3. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said air cushion system extends upward no further than the boundary line between jaw bone and the chin of the wearer, and wherein the cranial region of the helmet is padded with a material such as styropor lined with foam rubber.

4. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said throttling passage-way means comprises labyrinth joints having at least two staggered welded or pasted seams.

5. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, further comprising welded joint means in the neck-cushion for reducing the thickness when inflated, of the neck cushion from the thickness of the two cheek-cushions.

6. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1 wherein the width of the cross-pieces is between 50% and 300% of the difference between the inside diameter of the helmet and of the smallest head size to be fitted.

7. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said air cushion system is placed inside a pocket, said pocket comprising a relatively rigid foil that is solidly attached to the helmet shell and comprises a hardened PVC-plate, and a soft layer of material welded to said plate, the inside of said soft layer preferably coated with foam material.

8. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 7, wherein said air cushion system is fixedly and detachably con-nected with the pocket by snap fasteners.

9. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said integral helmet includes a styropor lining above said air cushion system.

10. A safety helmet in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a covering of foamed-plastic tissue in the lower region of the styropor lining above the air-cushion system.

11. A safety helmet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the width of the cross-pieces is equal to 100% of the difference between the inside diameter of the helmet and of the smallest head size to be fitted.