EP4620339A1

EP4620339A1 - Protective semi-sphere for caps

Info

Publication number: EP4620339A1
Application number: EP24165099.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carlos MANRIQUE GARCÍA; Antonio Galvez Fernandez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2024-03-21
Filing date: 2024-03-21
Publication date: 2025-09-24

Abstract

Protective semi-sphere for caps, especially for golf players, made from a circular sheet of plastic material (1) with a perimeter of 57 cm, where twelve concave curved cuts (5) are made every two that do not reach the center of the circle, which generates six identical lobes (2) and where each lobe forms an angle of 34 - 50° with the external tangent of the line that starts from the center of the template and that the angle formed between the line that starts from the center of the template and on the opposite side to the previous one cuts with the perpendicular line the axis of the lobe forms an angle of 30°.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as described in this description, refers to a protective semi-sphere for caps, especially for golf players' caps, which solves the problem of safety due to impact, in such a way that it affects all users, especially golf players, not only during the game but also as spectators or passers-by.
The invention is based on a carefully studied geometrical arrangement made on a resistant plate of minimum thickness so that when it is placed inside the spherical area of a cap it becomes a complete impact-resistant semi-sphere.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention corresponds to the auxiliary safety industry, especially to sports safety and to the manufacture of such accessories for this industry.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The inventor is aware of the existence of various types of elements for the protection of the head of users of sports which may entail a certain risk.
These include the following dossiers:
U9802497 filed on 05.10.1998 which defines a golf cap with a layer of expanded polystyrene between the outer textile and the lining capable of absorbing the impact of a golf ball. This is obviously a very different realization to the one advocated by the applicant patent.
Another similar precedent is patent US2011/0047678 applied for on 03.03.2011, which defines a protective helmet consisting of a hard outer shell and an absorbent material on the inside, also including a front visor.
The inventor is unaware of the existence of devices with the technical advantages and characteristics of the invention advocated herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The geometrical arrangement for the manufacture of a protective semi-sphere for caps proposed by the invention incorporates a number of novel features in relation to other elements used in the sector and solves problems that were hitherto difficult to solve.
More precisely, in order to define the material and shape and to establish the test conditions for the materials, it was necessary to know, in particular, the impact energy of a golf ball under different conditions.
For this purpose, the impact velocities were calculated from a hit at high velocities. Two exit angles of the ball, 11° and 15° and speeds up to 250 km/h were considered. From the results and knowledge of the weight of a regulation golf ball, the impact energies could be determined.
The following tables and graphs illustrate the results.

Angle of exit 15°

Exit Speed (km/h)	Impact Speed (Km/h)	Energy on Impact (J)
50	47,04	3, 92
75	64,87	7,45
100	78,76	10,99
125	88,19	13,77
150	93,86	15,6
175	97,14	16,71
200	99,43	17,51
225	101,61	18,28
250	104,06	19,18
275	106,84	20,21
300	109,82	21,36

Angle of exit 11°

Exit Speed (km/h)	Impact Speed (Km/h)	Energy on Impact (J)
50	47,7	4, 03
75	66,7	7, 87
100	82	11,91
125	92,8	15,24
150	98,9	17,33
175	101,6	18,27
200	102,4	18,56
225	102,7	18,69
250	103,4	18,94
275	104,7	19,41
300	106,5	20,1

As can be seen, the maximum impact energy value is around 20J, which is why it was set as the maximum limit in the tests.
In order to find out whether the test results demonstrated the viability of the material to meet the established objective, other standardized tests were analyzed as a reference.
The CE Certificate EN397 - Protective helmets for industry was taken as a reference. In the corresponding tests the helmet must be able to absorb an impact of about 50J sufficiently that the force transmitted to the wearer of the helmet is less than 5kN.
This 5kN will be marked as the upper limit of the force that the material must transmit to the golfer, as it is considered sufficient not to cause significant injury to the golfer.
In the document "PV1901240-Report.pdf" sent and signed by ITMA, the entity that carried out the impact tests, the conditions and results of the tests are stated. In the conclusions of the report it says

1.- All the samples withstand an impact of 20J with a maximum load of less than 5kN.
2.- The results obtained are independent of the impact face and the place where the specimens impact within the tested specimen.

To obtain the hemispherical shape of the protector from a 5mm thick plate, a non-total cut is used so that the lobes are joined at the sharpest vertex, forming a star-shaped arrangement.
This design ensures structural continuity in the crown area and better positioning of the protector inside the cap.
The head circumference was the parameter used to calculate the rest of the dimensions, which has allowed us to design patterns for a wide range of sizes based on the same equations.
In addition, this design has great versatility, as it can be placed in a cap, between the textile and upper surface and the inner lining and left fixed, thus allowing easy removal to place it in another cap or to stop using the protection in the installed cap, after the end of a match, to make the cap more comfortable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description being made and in order to assist in a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, two sheets of drawings are attached to the present description as an integral part of the same, in which, with identical references, identical elements are indicated and where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

FIGURE N° 1. - Plan view of the design of a lobe.
FIGURE N° 2. - Plan view of the finished geometric layout.
FIGURE No. 3.- Isometric view of the geometrical arrangement forming a semi-sphere

And in these figures the same elements are identified with identical numbering

(1).- plate,
(2).- lobe,
(3).- semispherical cap,
(4).- breathing grooves of the hemispherical cap,
(5).- curved cuts

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The geometrical arrangement for the manufacture of a protective semi-sphere for caps is made up of a circular sheet (1) of plastic material 0.5cm thick, capable of absorbing an impact of 50J with a transmission of a maximum of 5kN.
Twelve curved cuts (5) are made on this plate, concave every two cuts, which do not reach the centre of the circle, generating six identical lobes (2).
The design of each lobe (2), as detailed in figure n° 4, starts from a standard perimeter of a person's head of 57cm and, on this circle of standard diameter (57cm) the semicircular cuts are made, so that the angle formed between the virtual axis of the lobe (2) forms an angle of 34, 50° with the outer tangent of the line starting from the center of the template and the angle formed between the line starting from the center of the template and on the opposite side to the previous one cuts with the perpendicular line of the lobe axis forms an angle of 30°.
When this insole is thus formed, generating the hemispherical cap (3), it is inserted inside a cap and between the upper textile and the inner lining it takes the form of a semi-sphere with ventilation slots (4).
Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of its implementation, it should be noted that the provisions indicated above and depicted in the attached drawings are subject to modification.

Claims

Protective semi-spherefor caps, comprising a circular plate (1) of plastic material of 57cm of perimeter where twelve curved cuts (5) are made concave to each other, every two, not reaching the center of the circle hence generating six identical lobes (2) and where each lobe (2) forms an angle of between 34° and 50° with the external tangent of the line that starts from the center of the plate (1), and an angle of 30° between the line that starts from the center of the plate (1) and the line that cuts with the perpendicular line of the axis of a lobe (2), on the opposite side to the previous one.
The protective semi-spherefor caps, according to claim 1, wherein the circular plate (1) of plastic material is 0.5cm thick and is capable of absorbing an impact of 50J with a transmission of a maximum of 5kN.
The protective semi-spherefor caps, according to claim 1, wherein the semi-sphereis inserted inside a cap between the upper textile layer and the inner lining, adopting the shape of a semi-spherewith ventilation slots (4).