EP0625318A1

EP0625318A1 - Improved helmet construction and method therefor

Info

Publication number: EP0625318A1
Application number: EP94200874A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Massimo Spriano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-28
Filing date: 1994-03-30
Publication date: 1994-11-23
Also published as: ITMI930835A1; IT1272380B; ITMI930835A0; JPH0748711A

Abstract

An improved helmet construction comprises an outer body (2), made of an injection molded or thermofored or rotatively molded or blown molded plastic material, adapted to provide a die member for making the helmet.

On the inner surface of the outer body (2) there being applied layers (10) made of a glass-resin material or of composite materials forming the high strength structure of the helmet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved helmet construction and to a meking method therefor.
As is known,in order to make glass-resin or other layered plastic material helmets for motor-cyclists,car drivers for sport and work use there are generally used multiple moulds which must be fitted to several different size helmets on which there are applied multiple overlying layers of a glass-resin material or composite materials such as kevlar,carbon fibres and/or reinforcement material of different types.
After a curing step,the helmet is removed from the mould and is subjected to finishing operations of smoothing the outer surface thereof and preparing its bottom.
In addition,it is also necessary to trim it in order to precisely define the edge portions of the helmet.
In the prior helmet making methods,accordingly, it is necessary to provide a comparatively great number of moulds,also considering the fact that,for each helmet size,one must use a proper size mould;in this connection it should moreover be pointed out that the moulds must be moreover subjected to specific processing operations carried out in order to cause a proper releasing or detaching of the helmets from the moulds.
A further drawback derives furthermore from the fact that the above mentioned smoothing operation on the outer surface of the helmet must be carried out with a high skillness in order to remove possible valleys and ridges therefrom.
Finally,yet another drawback is that the above mentioned prior helmet making methods are comparatively long,require a lot of moulds,with the related making costs,thereby it is necessary to use techniques and materials providing a quick curing of the made article in order to at least partially reduce the number of the moulds which are necessary for the several processing steps.
Attempts which have been made for making helmets by injecting plastic material,either of a thermoset or of a thermoplastic type,have not been found to be satisfactory,since a helmet construction is obtained which has a very poor impact strength.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly,the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks,by providing a helmet construction which can be made by a construction method very different from the above mentioned prior methods,and,in particular without the need of using a lot of moulds or performing a lot of operations for releasing the helmet from the mould and processing the mould itself.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim,a main object of the present invention is to omit the trimming or finishing operation of the made helmet,by providing a helmet body in an already finished condition,while simplifying and accelerating all of the making operations or steps,with a great reliability and safety in operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an improved helmet construction which has a very high mechanical resistance againts possible impacts,owing to a great reduction of delaminating effects and breaking effects on the helmet fibre composite layers.
According to one aspect of the present invention,the above mentioned aim and objects,as well as yet other objects,which will become more apparent hereinafter,are achieved by an improved helmet construction characterized in that said helmet construction comprises an outer body,made of a plastic material,molded by an injection molding method or a thermoforming molding method or a rotary molding method or a blowing molding method,so as to provide a die member for making said helmet construction,on an inner surface of said outer body there being applied layers made of a glass-resin material or composite materials forming said helmet high mechanical resistance structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed description of a preferred,though not exclusive,embodiment of a helmet construction,simple to be made,which is illustrated by way of an indicative,but not limitative example,in the figures of the accompanying drawings,where:

Fig.1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the moled plastic material outer body of the helmet according to the present invnetion;
Fig.2 is a further cross-sectional viaw illustrating the outer body of the helmet having applied thereon the glass-resin or composite material layers;
Fig.3 is yet another cross-sectional view,on an enlarged scale,of a portion of the helmet in which it is possible to clearly see the several layers thereof;
and
Fig.4 is a side view of the helmet according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the number references of the figures of the accompanying drawings,the improved helmet construction,simple to be made,and which has been generally indicated at the reference number 1,comprises an outer body 2 which is made of a molded plastic material,obtained by any suitable plastic material molding method,such as a thermoset plastic material molding method,so as to provide an element which has a perfectly smooth and finished outer surface.
The outer body has the main feature of constituting the die,or mould,for applying,on the inner surface thereof,a plurality of layers,indicated at the reference number 10,which are made of a glass-resin material or of composite materials,such as Kevlar,carbon fibres or reinforcement elements of different types,which layers are bound to and integrated in the outer body of the helmet.
Thus,as the helmet is made each outer body thereof,which is made by simply molding a plastic material,will constitute the mold for forming the helmet.
Moreover,the mentioned outer body,which will also constitute a portion of the helmet structure, does not require any outer finishing operation,since it can be removed from the mould in a perfectly finished condition.
Thus,the helmet maker will have a nearly unlimited number of moulds available,inside which he can apply the glass-resin layers which will be bound to and integrated with said outer body,withoud the need of performing any additional processing operations on said moulds,as conventionally performed,and without the need of using curing accelerating materials,since said outer body,which operates as a mold for applying the layers, will also constitute an integrating portion of the helmet being made.
Another main aspect of the present invention is that there are omitted finishing steps on the made article,since the outer body,which is made of a thermoplastic material,is well size defined and,accordingly, it will allow to reduce the helmet making operations.
From the above disclosure it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.
In particular,the fact is to be pointed out that the invention provides the possibility of making a helmet which,on its outside,is made of a plastic material which can be easily molded and finished,even by applying a possible painting coating,whereas,in its inside,there is provided a structure,made of a glass-resin material,or other layered materials,which will constitute the reinforcement structure proper of the helmet,adapted to provide the required impact resistance of said helmet.
The invention,as disclosed,is susceptible to several modifications and variations,all of which will come in the scope of the invention.
Moreover,all of the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.
In practicing the invention,the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes can be any depending on requirements.

Claims

An improved helmet construction comprising an outer body,made of a plastic material,molded by an injection molding method or a thermoforming molding method or a rotary molding method or a blowing molding method,so as to provide a die member for making said helmet construction,on an inner surface of said outer body there being applied layers made of a glass-resin material or composite materials forming a high mechanical resistance structure of said helmet construction.
A helmet construction,according to claim 1,wherein said helmet construction further comprises,on a surface of said outer body,a paint coating.
A helmet construction,according to claim 1,wherein said glass-resin or composite material layers form a single body with said outer body.
A method for making an improved helmet construction according to claim 1,wherein said method comprises the steps of making,by molding a plastic material,an outer body,applying on an inner surface of said outer body a plurality of layers made of a glass-resin material or composite materials,including a curing material therein, applying a paint outer coating and,finally,covering the glass-resin or composite material layers with a padding layer.