EP2982257A1

EP2982257A1 - Safety helmet

Info

Publication number: EP2982257A1
Application number: EP15460021.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Krzysztof Kubacki; Jaros?aw Paczkowski; Arkadiusz Kowalczyk; Jaros?aw Przywo?ny; El?bieta Witczak; Krystyna Fortuniak; Gra?yna Redlich; Ewa Obersztyn; Krzysztof Czerwi?ski
Original assignee: Instytut Technologii Bezpieczenstwa "moratex"
Current assignee: Instytut Technologii Bezpieczenstwa "moratex"
Priority date: 2014-08-05
Filing date: 2015-06-15
Publication date: 2016-02-10
Also published as: PL226220B1; PL409111A1

Abstract

The subject matter of the patent is a safety helmet designed for detainees in relation to whom there is a reasonable suspiction that they can act aggressively towards others around them as well as inflict harm on themselves.

The safety helmet consists of outer cushions (2), (3), (4), a hoop belt (1) buckled in the rear part and bonded with three cushions (6), (7), (8), forming the upper part, as well as a bottom "gondola" cushion (9) with a modelling elastic strap (12). The cushions comprise inserts constituting an array at least two layers of foam materials (15),(16), totalling 20-35 mm in thickness. Depending on the location, the cushions ensure the transfer of force under the helmet ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 kN upon the action of external energy of approx. 15 J.

The complementary equipment of the helmet features two disposable fibre inserts, one of which (17) serves as the lining of the upper part and the other (18) as the protection of the bottom cushion (9).

Description

The subject matter of the patent is a safety helmet designed for detainees in relation to whom there is a reasonable suspiction that they can act aggressively towards others around them as well as inflict harm on themselves.
The U.S. patent no. 2005155606 discloses a portable protective mask for detainees. It shields the nose, the mouth and the cheeks. The mask comprises a bite-preventing longitudinal element that is secured in its central area on the inside, perpendicularly to the lips. The space within the central part of the mask, between the material and the lips of the wearer, as well as the open lower part of the mask prevent accumulation of vomit and other bodily fluids in it as well as incidental choking.
The said mask is made of elastic, breatheble material and equipped with a fastening strap that connects the opposite sides, thus setting it fast on the head.
There are also transportation hoods for detainees, known from the U.S. patents no. 5664262 and no. 6131203 . The upper part of the hood, covered on the top, is made of fine elastic mesh with a high degree of transparence, and the bottom part is made of breathable material that is impervious to bodily fluids. Both parts are bonded with an elastic element in such a way that the upper part of the hood joins to the bottom part directly below the eye level. A second elastic element is sewn into the bottom-most seam of the bottom hood part, narrowing the perimeter below the chin and thus adjusting it to the neck circumference. In one embodiment, the upper extended part of the hood can be adapted to individual head sizes by means of a gathering element below the excess material.
Typical design solutions regarding helmets for motorcycle riders, hockey players, miners or firemen, involve a hard shell to protect the skull, occasionally integrated with a hinged transparent face shield and, normally, a fastening strap system with lengh adjustment elements.
The solutions presented fail to provide sufficient protection against acts of aggression on the part of a detainee such as a head-on attack or actions aimed at self-mutilation.
In many cases, the detainees put up resistance and exhibit unwillingness to cooperate, even upon the deployment of hand-cuffs and other means of immobilization. The officers of the police and penitentiacy services frequently deal with detainees who attempt to bite them or spit on them, with many detainees under the influence of drugs or alcohol likely to vomit, creating a threat to the officers in that they may come in contact with bodily fluids that may cause a whole range of infections, including HIV and hepatic liver inflammation.
A safety helmet designed for head protection of a detainee, in particular during transportation or convoy escorted by penitenciary or police officers, is mainly intended for prevention against of the effects of the acts of self-aggression as well as aggressive behaviour towards the escort.
What is key to the solution according to the invention is the design of the fabric sheaths with protective inserts as well as the helmet structure to protect the head above the bottom level of the forehead and the back of the head as well as to shield the chin along with the lips and eyes, fitted with appropriately arranged flexible elements in the form of cushions, complete with replaceable disposable inserts. The spaces between the cushions in the upper part serve as ventilation openings.
In addition, the helmet is easy to mount, adjustable and fastened on a detainee's head.
With inserts forming an array of at least two layers of foam materials, totalling 20-35 mm in thickness, the cushions the transfer of force under the helmet ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 kN upon the action of external energy of approx. 15 J.
The layout of the cushions with various thickness of inserts is made with special attention to protection of the facial areas most likely to be hurt.
The helmet according to the invention has been presented in Fig.1 , where the helmet is shown in a front view, Fig.2 - in a side view, Fig.3 - in a rear view to picture how it is connected with the inserts, Fig.4,5 - a cross-section of fragments of the helmet.
The helmet is fitted with a hoop belt 1 , with a forehead cushion on the outer side 2 , side cushions 3 and occipital cushions 4 . The back of the hoop belt 1 is open, and its both ends are fitted with velcro fasteners 5.
The hoop belt 1 is partially closed on the top by a cushion located over the forehead 6 that is connected with crosswise-oriented parietal 7 and occipital 8 cushions.
The lateral opposite parts of the hoop belt 1 are interlocked on the ear level with the bottom "gondola" 9 with a minor bottom extension 10 . The bottom cushion 9 shielding the jaw, chin, ears and nose, is equipped with an outer centralpiece of self-adhesive tape 11 and a modelling elastic strap 12 with a lateral fastener opposite the fastening.
The inner layer 13 of the hoop belt 1 and cushions 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 is made of a spatial knitted fabric and the outer layer 14 consists of watertight fabric possessing high mechanical resistance parameters. The cushion inserts, depending on the location, form an array of at least two layers 15 , 15a , 16 of foam materials.
The upper part of the helmet is equipped with several small inner self-adhesive tape pieces, not shown in the figures.
The complementary equipment of the helmet features two disposable fibre inserts, where one 17 serves as the lining of the upper part and the other 18 as the protection of the bottom cushion 9.
The inserts 17 and 18 shaped so as to form nearly a circle or a section of a circle are fitted with small self-adhesive tape pieces, designed to interlock with the complementary inner tape pieces on the helmet as well as the tape piece 11 on the bottom cushion 9.
The helmet is mounted on a detainee's head with the hoop belt 1 and elastic belt 12 open. Subsequently, the belt length 1 is adjusted with the first velcro fastener to fit the head circumference and it is secured in position with the second counter-opposing fastener 5 . In the following step, the elastic belt 12 is fastened by bringing together the opposite hems of the bottom cushion 9 and pushing forward its central part farther from the face, especially - the nose, thus enlarging the extra space that provides additional protection against injury and facilitates articulation, unrestrained respiration and bodily fluid secretion with covered mouth and nostrils.
The fibre inserts should be replaced upon each deployment of the helmet 17 , 18.

Claims

The safety helmet shielding the upper part of the head and the chin against injury, comprising strap fastening and adjustment elements is characterized in that it consists of outer cushions ( 2 ), ( 3 ), ( 4 ) a hoop belt ( 1 ) buckled in the rear part and secured with a double counter-opposing strap fastener ( 5 ), partially covered on the top with tree cushions ( 6 ), ( 7 ), ( 8 ) and interlocked with a bottom "gondola" cushion ( 9 ) by a modelling elastic strap ( 12 ), while the cushions ensure the transfer of force under the helmet ranging from 1.3 to 3.5 kN upon the action of external energy of approx. 15 J.
The helmet, according to claim 1, is characterised in that the cushions comprise inserts constituting an array of at least two layers of foam materials (15),(16), totalling 20-35 mm in thickness.
The helmet, according to claim 1, is characterised in that the inner lining ( 13 ) is made of a spatial knitted fabric.
The helmet, according to claim 1, is characterised in that the outer lining ( 14 ) consists of a watertight fabric with high mechanical resistance parameters.
The helmet, according to claim 1, is characterised in that it is fitted with complementary equipment in the form of two fibre inserts, of which one ( 17 ) serves as the lining of the upper part and the other ( 18 ) as the protection of the bottom cushion ( 9 ).