CA3092185A1 - Helmet for ball hockey or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The problem of the heaviness of ice hockey helmet and of their lack or aeration for the practice of ball hockey is solved i) by providing a lighter helmet formed by injection molding a foam layer in a hard shell such that the portions of the helmet around the ears are formed by the foam layer and free of the hard shell layer, and ii) by integrating aeration pieces to the hard shell layer via the foam layer such that they cover the portion of the helmet around the ear, while further acting as reinforced anchoring element for ear loops and other accessories.

Description

TITLE
Helmet for Ball Hockey or the Like FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure concerns protective equipment for ball hockey or the like. More specifically, the present disclosure is concerned with a helmet for ball hockey or the like.
BACKGROUND

[0002] Helmets are well-known pieces of equipment worn by sports athlete's to protect their head from injury. Each sport has its own particularities which dictate the shape and construction of the helmet used.

[0003] Ice Hockey helmets typically include a solid, high density polycarbonate shell with internal padding for protecting the wearer's head.
Ice Hockey helmets also generally include a fit system to aid in properly fitting a helmet on a wearer.

[0004] Ball hockey is a derivative of the sport of ice hockey, which is also called floor hockey, cosom hockey or dek hockey. As such, ball hockey is closely related to ice hockey, with a main difference that the game is played on foot on a non-ice surface. The player's equipment is also different, including a ball that is used instead of a hockey puck.

[0005] Ball hockey being derivative from ice hockey, ball hockey players traditionally uses an ice hockey helmet to protect their heads. However, there are many drawbacks in such a practice, including the helmet being hot and heavy.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0006] Bike helmets are designed to be lighter and cooler than ice hockey helmet. They are however ignored by ball hockey players, with reasons, because of their look, which differs too much from the traditional hockey helmet, but also because they lack protection on the back of the head and on the ears, such protection not being required when biking.

[0007] A helmet that is adapted for the practice of ball hockey is therefore desirable.
SUMMARY

[0008] The problem of the heaviness of ice hockey helmet and of their lack of aeration for the practice of ball hockey is solved i) by providing a lighter helmet formed by injection molding a foam layer in a hard shell such that the portions of the helmet around the ears are only formed by the foam layer, and ii) by integrating aeration pieces to the helmet such that they cover the portion of the helmet around the ear, while further acting as reinforced anchoring element for ear loops and other removable accessories.

[0009] According to an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a helmet for ball hockey comprising:

[0010] a hard shell layer;

[0011] a foam layer that is integrated to the hard shell layer such that a pair of opposite side portions of the helmet around the ears are defined by the foam layer and are free of the hard shell layer; and

[0012] two reinforcement pieces that are attached to the foam layer, each on a respective side portion; each of the two reinforcement pieces including Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 at least one aeration portion and at least one anchoring portion to receive removable accessories of the helmet.

[0013] According to another illustrative embodiment, there is provided process for manufacturing a helmet for ball hockey comprising:

[0014] providing a hard shell;

[0015] providing two reinforcement earpieces, each including at least one aeration portion and at least one anchoring portion to receive removable accessories of the helmet;

[0016] positioning the hard shell layer and the two reinforcement earpieces in an injection mold so that the two reinforcement earpieces contact the hard shell layer on respective lateral sides thereof; and

[0017] overmolding a foam layer onto both the hard shell layer therein and onto the two reinforcement earpieces.

[0018] According to still another illustrative embodiment, there is provided a head protective equipment comprising:

[0019] an impact resistant layer forming a shell to be worn on a person's head;

[0020] a resilient layer that is attached to the impact resistant layer therein having lateral portions, each extending downwardly beyond the impact resistant layer to cover part of a temporal region of the person's head; and Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0021] two side pieces including ventilation openings that are integrally attached via the resilient layer to the impact resistant layer so as to extend therefrom and so as to cover the lateral portions of the resilient layer and beyond;
each of the two side pieces including attachment portion to receive accessories for the helmet.

[0022] According to another illustrative embodiment, there is provided a helmet for ball hockey comprising:

[0023] a hard shell layer; and

[0024] a foam layer integrated to the hard shell layer;

[0025] the helmet having a crown region, a front region extending from the crown region on a first side thereof, a rear region extending from the crown region on a second side thereof opposite the first side, two side regions extending from the crown region on respective third and fourth sides thereof, each between the front and rear regions, a neck region extending from both the rear and sides regions and two ear regions extending from both the side regions and the neck region on respective sides thereof;

[0026] the helmet further having openings in the first and second side regions that have a cumulative area that is between eight (8) to fifteen (15) percent of an overall area of the first and second side regions.

[0027] Other objects, advantages and features of embodiments of a helmet for ball hockey and of a process for manufacturing a helmet for ball hockey will become more apparent upon reading the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the appended drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a helmet for ball hockey according to a first illustrative embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 is a partly exploded perspective view of the helmet from Figure 1, showing that the reinforcement earpieces are provided independently from the hard shell layer;

[0031] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the helmet from Figure 1, the helmet being shown with detachable ear loops attached thereto; and

[0032] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the helmet from Figure 3, the helmet being further shown with a protective grid attached thereto; and

[0033] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a helmet for ball hockey according to a second illustrative embodiment, illustrated with detachable ear loops attached thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been given similar reference numerals, and in order not to weigh down the figures, some elements are not referred to in some figures if they were already identified in a precedent figure.

[0035] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one", but it Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 is also consistent with the meaning of one or more", at least one", and one or more than one". Similarly, the word "another" may mean at least a second or more.

[0036] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising"
(and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having"
(and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "include" and "includes") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"), are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, un-recited elements.

[0037] A first illustrative embodiment of a helmet 10 for ball hockey of the like is shown in Figures 1 to 2.

[0038] The helmet 10 comprises a hard shell layer 12, a foam layer 14, and two reinforcement earpieces 16. The inside of the helmet 10 is obviously shaped to fit on the head of a person.

[0039] The hard shell layer 12 is thermoformed from a thin polycarbonate sheet (not shown). Since thermoforming is believed to be well-known, it will not be described herein in more detail for concision purposes.

[0040] The hard shell layer 12 has a front region 18, two side regions 20 (only one shown), a rear region 22, a neck region 23 and a crown region 24.

[0041] The crown region 24 includes top 26, front 28, back (not shown) and side 30 openings. The neck portion 23 includes openings 32 (only one shown).
The rear region 22 includes openings 34 (only one shown). The side regions 20 includes openings 36.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0042] It is to be noted that same reference numerals are used for opening in a same region, even though such openings in same region may have different sizes and geometries.

[0043] The openings 26-36 are generally tapered from the outside of the layer 12 to the inside thereof so as to present a greater area outside than inside due to mechanical limitations during molding.

[0044] The increased overall area of the openings 26-36, compared to conventional ice hockey helmet allows to reduce the overall weight of the helmet 10 and to provide increased aeration to the wearer's head (not shown).

[0045] More specifically, the surface ratio of the side openings 36 to the two side regions 20 is about 12 percent, which is more than double the typical ratio for conventional ice hockey helmet, wherein aeration is less of an issue considering that the sport is practiced on ice. It has been found that a number of openings and or the sizes thereof that result in a surface ratio of the side openings 36 to the two side regions 20 that is between about eight (8) to fifteen (15) percent provide a good compromised between protection and aeration. This is considering that a greater such surface ratio would weaken the hard shell 12.
This is also considering that impacts on a ball hockey player's head are less frequent and less violent, the game being slower than ice hockey.

[0046] It is to be noted that the configuration, size and number of openings may be different than illustrated.

[0047] The hard shell 12 is not limited to being made of polycarbonate and can alternatively be made of other impact-resistant plastic.. Also, the hard shell 12 can be shaped using other methods than thermoforming, such as without limitations injection molding.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0048] According to the illustrative embodiment, the thickness of the hard shell layer 12 is about 1 mm.

[0049] The foam layer 14 is made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polypropylene (EPP) or a combination thereof.

[0050] The foam layer 14 is overmolded onto the hard shell 12 and onto two reinforcement earpieces 16. Its thickness is about15 mm. According to another embodiment, the foam layer has a thickness between about 10 mm and 20 mm.

[0051] According to another embodiment, the foam layer 14 is attached to the hard shell layer 12 using an adhesive or attachments.

[0052] The foam layer 14 is shaped with openings (not shown) that are registered with the openings 26-36 in the hard shell layer 12.

[0053] As can be better seen in Figure 2, the foam layer 14 is configured and sized to conform to the hard shell layer 12, with the addition of two side ear-surrounding portions 38 that extend from both the side and neck regions 20 and 23 and of the hard shell layer 12 therebetween.

[0054] Each side ear-surrounding portion 38 includes i) a first leg extending from the neck portion 23 towards the front of the helmet 10 and including an enlarged portion 42 on the side thereof opposite the side region 20, and ii) a second leg 44 extending downwardly from the side region 20. Together, the first and second legs 40 and 44 are shaped to define an arcuate ear-lodging recess 46.

[0055] In a nutshell, the reinforcement earpieces 16 are shaped similarly to the ear-surrounding portions 38 so as to conform thereto, with the following exceptions:

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0056] ¨
the back portion 48 of the earpiece 16 that corresponds to the first leg 40 extends wider towards the front;

[0057] ¨
the front portion 50 of the earpiece 16 that corresponds to the second leg 44 extends longer downwardly;

[0058] ¨ a slated L-shaped bridge 52 connects both portions 48 and 50 so as to define a hole 54 therebetween; and

[0059] -insert elements 56, 56' and 56" that extend upwardly and/or laterally from the front and back portions 48 and 50 and also slightly towards the back thereof.

[0060] The insert elements 56, 56' and 56" are inserted under the hard shell 12 during the overmolding process so as to be integrated in the foam layer 14 and allowing a stronger assembly.

[0061] The insert elements 56, 56' and 56" are not limited to the illustrated embodiment and can take other forms.

[0062] The reinforcement pieces 16 are configured, sized and positioned relative to the hard shell layer 12 so as to complement it after the molding of the foam layer 14. More specifically, each reinforcement piece 16 abuts both the lower edge 55 of a respective side region 20 of the hard shell layer and a front edge 57 of the neck region 23.

[0063]
Each reinforcement piece 16 includes a first generally rectangular anchoring portion 58 that extends along its height under the tab 56, and a second anchoring portion 60 near the bottom of the back portion 48. Both Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 anchoring portions 58 and 60 are configured to attach accessories for the helmet 10, as will be described hereinbelow in more detail.

[0064] More specifically, the first anchoring portion 58 includes two fastener-receiving holes 62 to receive fasteners 65 to attach a clip 64 for a grid 66 (see on Figure 4) or visor (not shown) and a slit 67 to receive ear loops 68 (see on Figure 3).

[0065] The front region 18 of the hard shell layer 12 also includes holes 73 to receive fasteners 75 for further securing the grid 66 to the helmet 10.

[0066] The second anchoring portion 60 includes a similar slit 69 and a snap button-receiving hole 70. As can be seen in Figure 3 and 4, a snap button can be secured therein, which is part of an anchoring system of the grid 66.

[0067] Both slits 67 and 69 being located in the portion of the earpieces 16 that extend beyond the hard shell layer 12, they are not prevented by the hard shell layer 12 from being accessible from both sides.

[0068] Except for the first and second anchoring portions 68 and 70 and bridge 52, most of the remaining surface of the reinforcement earpieces 16 are provided with aeration holes 72.

[0069] The aeration portions defined by the holes 72 yield improved side aeration for the wearer of the helmet 10 and contributes to lighten the reinforcement pieces 16 and therefore the helmet 10.

[0070] Also, the earpieces 16 provide solid anchoring portions 67 and 69 that can resist repetitive installations and pullings of the ear loops 68 and Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 of other removable equipments. This is compared to if the anchoring portions were in the foam layer 14 (not shown), which would be lightweight but not resistant.

[0071] According to the first illustrative embodiment, the reinforcement earpieces 16 are made of nylon and manufactured using an injection molding process, which allows the forming of a piece with small details such as the holes

72. According to another embodiment, the reinforcement earpieces 16 are made of polycarbonate or of another impact-resistant material.
[0072] The hole 54 in the earpiece 16 aims both at increasing the aeration for the wearer and to maximize her/his hearing on the playing field.

[0073] According to another embodiment (not shown), the single larger hole 54 is omitted or replaced by a plurality of aeration holes 72.

[0074] It is to be noted that the helmet 10 may further include a well-known helmet fit system or adjustment mechanism (not shown). Such a mechanism, along with any inserts (not shown) for securing the grid 66 and ear loops 68, are integrated to the helmet 10 during the foam layer overmolding process.

[0075] Figure 5 illustrates a ball hockey helmet 74 according to a second illustrative embodiment. Since the helmet 74 is very similar to the helmet 10, only the differences therebetween will now be described for concision purposes.

[0076] The only difference between both helmets 10 and 74 lies in the anchoring portion of the reinforcement earpieces. In the helmet 74, the slit and 69 are substituted by holes (not shown), which allow receiving fastening buttons 76 for the ear loops 78.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

[0077] It is to be noted that many modifications could be made to the helmet 10 and 74 described hereinabove and illustrated in the appended drawings.
For example:

[0078] ¨ the overall shape and size of the helmet may be different;

[0079] ¨ the thickness of the hard shell and foam layers 12 and 14 may differ than illustrated;

[0080] ¨ the surface of the foam layer 14 may be provided with grooves, patterns or the likes;

[0081] ¨ the positions and/or relative proportions of the anchoring and aeration portions of the reinforcement earpieces 16 may be different than illustrated.

[0082] A person skilled in the art will now appreciate that a helmet for ball hockey according to illustrated embodiments would not be possible using conventional manufacturing processes used for ice hockey helmet. Moreover, the characteristics and features of the present helmet differ non-obviously from those of bike helmet or other sports' helmet since they are dictated by the specificities of ball hockey.

[0083] It has been found that, on average, the helmets described hereinabove are about fifty percent (50%) lighter than conventional ice hockey helmets.

[0084] Although a helmet for ball hockey has been described hereinabove by way of illustrated embodiments thereof, it can be modified. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 illustrative embodiments and that the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiment but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

Claims (22)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A helmet for ball hockey comprising:
a hard shell layer;
a foam layer that is integrated to the hard shell layer such that a pair of opposite side portions of the helmet around the ears are defined by the foam layer and are free of the hard shell layer; and two reinforcement pieces that are attached to the foam layer, each on a respective side portion; each of the two reinforcement pieces including at least one aeration portion and at least one anchoring portion to receive removable accessories of the helmet.

2. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the hard shell layer is made of polycarbonate.

3. The helmet as recited in claim 1 including a crown region, a front region extending from the crown region on a first side thereof, a rear region extending from the crown region on a second side thereof opposite the first side, two side regions extending from the crown region on respective third and fourth sides thereof, each between the front and rear regions, a neck region extending from both the rear and sides regions therebetween and two ear regions extending from both the side regions and the neck region on respective sides thereof.

4. The helmet of claim 3 comprising openings in the first and second side regions that have a cumulative area that is between eight (8) to fifteen (15) percent of an overall area of the first and second side regions.

5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the cumulative area is about twelve (12) percent.

6. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the foam layer includes at least one of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP).

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

7. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the foam layer is overmolded onto the hard shell layer and the two reinforcement pieces.

8. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the opposite side portions of the helmet around the ears defined by the foam layer includes an arcuate recess.

9. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the two reinforcement pieces extends downwardly from the hard shell layer beyond the foam layer.

10. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the two reinforcement pieces abut the hard shell layer so as to define extensions thereof.

11. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one aeration portion includes openings therein.

12. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one anchoring portion includes at least one of a fastener receiving hole, a slit and an attachment.

13. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the two reinforcement pieces includes an ear-corresponding hole.

14. The helmet as recited in claim 1, wherein the two reinforcement pieces are made of polycarbonate or nylon.

15. A process for manufacturing a helmet for ball hockey comprising:
providing a hard shell;
providing two reinforcement earpieces, each including at least one aeration portion and at least one anchoring portion to receive removable accessories of the helmet;
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04 positioning the hard shell layer and the two reinforcement earpieces in an injection mold so that the two reinforcement earpieces contact the hard shell layer on respective lateral sides thereof; and overmolding a foam layer onto both the hard shell layer therein and onto the two reinforcement earpieces.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the hard shell is thermoformed.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the hard shell results from an injection molding process.

18. The process of claim 15, wherein the hard shell is made of polycarbonate.

19. The process of claim 15, wherein the two reinforcement pieces are made by an injection molding process.

20. The process of claim 15, wherein each of the two reinforcement pieces includes insert elements that extend therefrom so as to be integrated in the foam layer during the overmolding.

21. A head protective equipment comprising:
an impact resistant layer forming a shell to be worn on a person's head;
a resilient layer that is attached to the impact resistant layer therein having lateral portions, each extending downwardly beyond the impact resistant layer to cover part of a temporal region of the person's head; and two side pieces including ventilation openings that are integrally attached via the resilient layer to the impact resistant layer so as to extend therefrom and so as to cover the lateral portions of the resilient layer and beyond;
each of the two side pieces including attachment portion to receive accessories for the helmet.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04

22. A helmet for ball hockey comprising:
a hard shell layer; and a foam layer integrated to the hard shell layer;
the helmet having a crown region, a front region extending from the crown region on a first side thereof, a rear region extending from the crown region on a second side thereof opposite the first side, two side regions extending from the crown region on respective third and fourth sides thereof, each between the front and rear regions, a neck region extending from both the rear and sides regions and two ear regions extending from both the side regions and the neck region on respective sides thereof;
the helmet further having openings in the first and second side regions that have a cumulative area that is between eight (8) to fifteen (15) percent of an overall area of the first and second side regions.

Date Recue/Date Received 2020-09-04