EP0222029A1 - Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur - Google Patents

Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0222029A1
EP0222029A1 EP85114069A EP85114069A EP0222029A1 EP 0222029 A1 EP0222029 A1 EP 0222029A1 EP 85114069 A EP85114069 A EP 85114069A EP 85114069 A EP85114069 A EP 85114069A EP 0222029 A1 EP0222029 A1 EP 0222029A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
liner
air
bafflements
intercommunicating
compartments
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP85114069A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0222029B1 (fr
Inventor
Elwyn R. Gooding
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Matrix Technologies LLC
Original Assignee
Matrix Technologies LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to US06/572,529 priority Critical patent/US4566137A/en
Application filed by Matrix Technologies LLC filed Critical Matrix Technologies LLC
Priority to EP19850114069 priority patent/EP0222029B1/fr
Priority to DE8585114069T priority patent/DE3580110D1/de
Publication of EP0222029A1 publication Critical patent/EP0222029A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0222029B1 publication Critical patent/EP0222029B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A42—HEADWEAR
    • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
    • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
    • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
    • A42B3/10—Linings
    • A42B3/12—Cushioning devices
    • A42B3/121—Cushioning devices with at least one layer or pad containing a fluid
    • A42B3/122—Cushioning devices with at least one layer or pad containing a fluid inflatable

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to protective equipment, and, more particularly to liners for protective headgear and other protective equipment.
  • means to regulate the flow of air between the chambers have been employed, such as, the size of the intercommunicating orifice, valves and plastic plugs with filters.
  • shock-absorbing headgear inflatable liners with multiple compartments have been only partially effective.
  • the types with layers of resilient foam plastic within the compartments do not distribute the force of an impact to the helmet over a very large area of the head of the wearer.
  • the types with only air within the multiple compartments have of necessity been very thick compartments so as not to "bottom-out,” i.e. instantaneously be completely compressed, to thereby transmit a large portion of the force of the impact to the head of the wearer.
  • the types with valves or inserts with filters to control the flow of air through the intercommunicating air channels have been quite complicated for manufacturing.
  • the unique construction of this invention provides an inflatable liner with a thin profile to attenuate the force of an impact over as large an area as possible and the longest period of time with strength, durability and reliability to a high degree, together with inexpensiveness of construction.
  • the present invention provides an inflatable impact attenuating liner for protective headgear and other protective equipment comprising a plurality of pre-formed compartments with co-acting bafflements which regulate the outward flow of air to adjacent compartments through interaction of integral protrusions at the entrances of intercommunicating air channels in response to a sudden compression of a compartment.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide alternate bafflement means to control the flow of air from an air compartment in response to a sudden compression of the compartment.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a means whereby two liners having different co-acting bafflements may be stacked one atop the other to attain optimum attenuation of an impact force to the head and brain of the wearer of a protective helmet in which the liners are used.
  • a still further object of the invention is to provide a single stage bafflement means to control the rate of flow of air from an air compartment in response to a sudden compression of the compartment.
  • Yet another object and advantage of the invention is to provide a new and novel bafflement means to control air flow in an air compartment of a liner used with protective headgear such as football helmets.
  • Still another object and advantage of the invention is to provide an improved protective baffled liner for use with various equipment such as hockey equipment, space equipment, body protective pads and other applications.
  • reference numeral 5 indicates generally a football helmet of the type which has a liner that incorporates the improvement of the invention.
  • the helmet includes a shell 6 composed of a high impact-resistant plastic resin such as ABS (acrylonitrile-butadine-­styrene) or polycarbonate. It has a front edge bumper 14 of a resilient material as synthetic rubber or polyurethane and a neck bumper 15 of similar material secured to the back edge. Ear holes 8 and 9 are provided on the sides of the helmet, a liner inflation valve hole 10 and ventilation holes 11 are in the crown portion.
  • ABS acrylonitrile-butadine-­styrene
  • Ear holes 8 and 9 are provided on the sides of the helmet, a liner inflation valve hole 10 and ventilation holes 11 are in the crown portion.
  • sizing cushions 20-26 of a resilient foam plastic are positioned between the inside of the outer shell and the liner.
  • the sizing cushions are attached to the outer shell with releasable fabric fastening strips commercially sold under the trade name VELCRO as disclosed in prior U.S. Patent Nos. 2,717,437, 3,009,235, 3,083,737 and 3,154,837.
  • the sizing cushions 20-26 have recesses to accommodate the VELCRO 18 so that the sizing cushions 20-26 fit in surface-to-surface contact with the inside surface of the outer shell 6 and the inner liner 30 fits in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surfaces of the sizing cushions 20-26.
  • a larger sizing cushion 27 is used at the front of the helmet 5 for the forehead area of the wearer and another large sizing cushion 29 is used at the back of the helmet 5 for the occiput of the wearer.
  • the combination of sizing cushions and proper inflation of the liner will provide a very wide range of sizes and shapes of heads of wearers of the helmet.
  • FIG. 7 Shown in Fig. 7 is a top plan taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3 at a typical trapazoidal shaped air compartment of the liner of the invention generally indicated by reference numeral 30 in Figs. 3 and 10.
  • An air compartment and components, shown in cross-sectional views in Figs. 8 and 9 include a bottom panel 31, a pre-formed top panel 32 with integral formed intercommunicating air channels 50, with an outer bafflement 60 and inner bafflement 70 positioned between the panels.
  • the top panel 32 and bottom panel 31 are heat bonded together around the perimeter of the pre-formed air compartment in the area generally indicated by the numeral 55 leaving only the intercommunicating air channel 50 areas unbonded.
  • the outer bafflement 60 is thermoformed of resilient foam cross-linked polyethylene.
  • the inner bafflements generally indicated by reference numeral 70 are thermoformed of the same material as the outer bafflements 60 and have convolutions which are generally parallel to the contour of the outer bafflement.
  • the reference numeral 48 in Figs. 7 and 10 generally indicates the top plan of the apexes of the convolutions of the various inner bafflements 70 which apex surfaces are in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surfaces 62 of the outer bafflements 60.
  • the liner 30 removed from the helmet 5.
  • the liner 30 consists of a plurality of pre-formed air compartments 33, 34, 35, 36, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 with co-acting bafflements 60 and 70 and have intercommunicating air channels 50 between the air compartments.
  • Fig. 11 which is a cross-sectional view of the liner taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 10, shows the relationship of the pre-formed top panel 32 of the air compartments, the outer bafflements 60, inner bafflements 70, intercommunicating air channels 50, and the bottom panel 31 of the air compartments with integral bonded liner inflation valve means 100 at the center. All air compartments are inflated through the single valve means 100. When assembled in the outer shell 6, the inflation valve means 100 is positioned in the hole 10 in the crown section. This permits the liner 30 to be inflated as desired from the outside of the helmet.
  • a typical intercommunicating air channel 50 is shown in enlarged cross-section in Fig. 12.
  • a typical recess for VELCRO 18 for attaching the liner to the sizing pads or in some instances to the inside surface of the helmet shell 6 is shown in enlarged cross-section in Fig. 13.
  • the apex surface 48 of the convolutions of the inner bafflement 70 will be in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface 62 of the outer bafflement 60 with apex surfaces 49 of the reverse convolutions in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface 131 of the bottom panel 31 of the air compartment.
  • the peripheral edge surface 74 of the inner bafflement 70 will be in surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface 62 of the outer bafflement 60.
  • the outside surface of the wearer's head 105 compresses the air compartments so that the top panel 32 of the air compartment and the outer bafflement 60 are now slightly concave.
  • the pressure within all air compartments will be the same with but slight pressure of the protrusion 65 against the end of the intercommunicating air channel 50.
  • the inner bafflement 70 is compressed slightly with the resultant radially outward edgewise movement of the peripheral surface 74 against the inner surface 62 of the sidewall of the outer bafflement 60 whose surface 63 has been pressed more firmly against the inner surface 131 of the bottom panel 31 of the air compartment.
  • the protrusion 65 of the outer bafflement 60 is pressed more firmly into the end of the intercommunicating air channel 50 thereby creating a greater resistance to the flow of air through the channel at the time of impact to the helmet.
  • the rate of flow will be regulated by the afore described co-acting bafflements 60 and 70 with integral air channel 50 engaging protrusions 65.
  • the force of an impact is attenuated and distributed over a very large area of the head of the wearer and the time to complete deceleration in the given distance is greatly increased through the embodiments of the co-acting bafflements 60 and 70 within the air compartments and interaction of the protrusions 65 with the corresponding intercommunicating air channels 50.
  • FIG. 17 Illustrated in Fig. 17 are modifications which will enhance the control of the outward flow of air from an air compartment upon impact.
  • the outer bafflement 60 and inner bafflement 70 are pre-molded to more precise configurations and dimensions to effect a more efficient control of the rate of flow of air through the intercommunicating air channel 50.
  • the side walls of the outer bafflement 60 are tapered with the edge portion 66 thinner than the main portion so that it will flex edgewise more easily.
  • the inner bafflement 70 has the outer walls of the convolutions tapered as shown with the peripheral edge portion 74 being thinner than the main portion so as to exert a greater localized edgewise pressure at the end of the inter­communicating air channel 50 when the pre-formed air compartment is compressed toward the outer shell.
  • Figs. 18, 19 and 20 shown is a typical trapazoidal shaped air compartment taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 3 illustrating another set of bafflements that can be used for special applications.
  • This type of bafflement could be used in combination with other bafflements when two liners are arranged in a tier as illustrated in Fig. 22.
  • bafflements within the pre-formed air compartments of the liner next to the outer shell quite firm to thereby respond to a very high mass - high velocity impact at the onset and have bafflements within the liner next to the wearer's head somewhat softer to thereby further attenuate and redistribute the force of the impact over a much greater area of the head and in a longer period of time.
  • the two liners could be readily stacked or tiered as illustrated in Figs. 21 and 22 using releasable VELCRO 18.
  • Matching recesses 19 of the type shown in Fig. 13 to accommodate the VELCRO 18 would be provided in the innermost surface of the liner adjacent the shell and on the outermost surface of the inner liner.
  • the inner bafflement 70 has been eliminated and the applicant's device functions with the outer bafflement 60 as hereinafter modified.
  • the bottom panel 90 of the air compartment consists of a fine weave fabric which has been coated to be impervious to air and be dielectrically heat bonded to the pre-formed air compartment flexible plastic top panel 32. When the fabric bottom panel 90 is coated it becomes firmer but remains flexible.
  • the modified single stage outer bafflement 60 is the same shape as the pre-formed cavity in top panel 32 but is purposely formed slightly oversize except the protrusions 65 which are sized to the dimensions of the corresponding intercommunicating air channels 50.
  • the outer surface 61 of bafflement 60 is therefore in tight surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface 142 of the top panel 32 of the pre-formed air compartment and perimeter surface 63 is in tight surface-to-surface contact to the inner surface 91 of the bottom panel 90.
  • the integral protrusions 65 of bafflement 60 extend slightly into the intercommunicating air channels 50.
  • Figs. 25, 26 and 27 The method whereby the single stage bafflement 60 responds to an impact to an air compartment to control the rate of flow of air through the intercommunicating air channel 50 is more readily understood by the explanations of Figs. 25, 26 and 27.
  • the surfaces of the top panel 32 of the air compartments and single stage bafflements 60 are slightly convex.
  • the relationship of the surfaces of the bafflements 60 to the pre-formed air compartments will be as afore described.
  • the air compartments When positioned on the wearer's head and properly inflated as illustrated in Fig. 26, similar to Fig. 15, the air compartments will be slightly compressed so that the surfaces of the top panel 32 in contact with the wearer's head 105 will be slightly concave.
  • the side walls of bafflement 60 will compress very little so that there will be but slight pressure of protrusion 65 into the end of the intercommunicating air channel 50.
  • the applicant's new and novel invention may be used with an inner bafflement 70 and an outer bafflement 60 which may be used singly or stacked as shown in Figs. 21 and 22.
  • the inner bafflement 70 may be eliminated and the outer bafflement 60 used by itself as shown and described when referring to Figs. 23-27 of the drawings.

Landscapes

  • Helmets And Other Head Coverings (AREA)
EP19850114069 1984-01-20 1985-11-05 Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur Expired EP0222029B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/572,529 US4566137A (en) 1984-01-20 1984-01-20 Inflatable baffled liner for protective headgear and other protective equipment
EP19850114069 EP0222029B1 (fr) 1985-11-05 1985-11-05 Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur
DE8585114069T DE3580110D1 (de) 1985-11-05 1985-11-05 Aufblasbare polsterung fuer kopfschutz oder andere schutzvorrichtung.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19850114069 EP0222029B1 (fr) 1985-11-05 1985-11-05 Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0222029A1 true EP0222029A1 (fr) 1987-05-20
EP0222029B1 EP0222029B1 (fr) 1990-10-10

Family

ID=8193866

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19850114069 Expired EP0222029B1 (fr) 1984-01-20 1985-11-05 Garniture intérieure gonflable pour coiffure de protection ou autre équipement protecteur

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0222029B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3580110D1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011133589A3 (fr) * 2010-04-19 2012-02-23 Patrick Abernethy Doublures de casque amortissant les rebonds et absorbant l'énergie, dotées d'une fonction de positionnement
CN104159464A (zh) * 2012-01-06 2014-11-19 米希卡合伙有限责任公司 防护头盔
US9392833B2 (en) 2012-01-06 2016-07-19 Michcar Partners, Llc Protective helmet
CN113905629A (zh) * 2019-03-29 2022-01-07 贝尔体育用品有限公司 头盔能量管理衬垫的柔性滑动面

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60173107A (ja) * 1984-01-20 1985-09-06 マトリックス・テクノロジーズ・コーポレーション 保護帽用裏張り

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS60173107A (ja) * 1984-01-20 1985-09-06 マトリックス・テクノロジーズ・コーポレーション 保護帽用裏張り

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2011133589A3 (fr) * 2010-04-19 2012-02-23 Patrick Abernethy Doublures de casque amortissant les rebonds et absorbant l'énergie, dotées d'une fonction de positionnement
CN102892320A (zh) * 2010-04-19 2013-01-23 帕特里克·亚伯内第 具有定位特征的抑制回弹并吸收能量的安全帽衬垫
US8739317B2 (en) 2010-04-19 2014-06-03 Patrick Abernethy Rebound-dampening headgear liners with positioning feature
CN104159464A (zh) * 2012-01-06 2014-11-19 米希卡合伙有限责任公司 防护头盔
CN104159464B (zh) * 2012-01-06 2016-06-22 米希卡合伙有限责任公司 防护头盔
US9392833B2 (en) 2012-01-06 2016-07-19 Michcar Partners, Llc Protective helmet
US9420842B2 (en) 2012-01-06 2016-08-23 Michcar Partners, Llc Protective helmet
CN113905629A (zh) * 2019-03-29 2022-01-07 贝尔体育用品有限公司 头盔能量管理衬垫的柔性滑动面
CN113905629B (zh) * 2019-03-29 2024-04-09 贝尔体育用品有限公司 头盔能量管理衬垫的柔性滑动面

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0222029B1 (fr) 1990-10-10
DE3580110D1 (de) 1990-11-15

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