GB2350546A

GB2350546A - Safety helmets : linings

Info

Publication number: GB2350546A
Application number: GB9912788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Matthew Daniel David Jeffreys
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-06-03
Filing date: 1999-06-03
Publication date: 2000-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-03
Also published as: GB9912788D0; GB2350546B

Abstract

A one-piece inner lining for a cycling or leisure sports safety helmet when assembled in an outer shell, creates a protective sub-structure for the combined skull and lower jaw regions of the head and face. The structural integrity of the lining is created by both its geometric form and integral one-piece seamless construction. The inner liner, item 2, has a dual function in that it acts as a comfortable lightweight liner against the wearer's head plus becomes an energy absorbing structure that simultaneously protects the head and lower jaw in an accident, such as a fall from a bicycle. The non-energy absorbing outer shell, item 1, is secured to the inner liner by way of adhesives.

Description

2350546 IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SAFETY HELMETS This invention

relates to a safety helmet and principle of construction thereof, particularly although not exclusively for sport and leisure purposes.

Safety helmets are well established as important equipment for cycling and other leisure pursuits where protection of the head is of fundamental concern. Fullface helmets although not common in many leisure activities, offer an additional advantage in that they protect the face and teeth from potential injury in an accident. In effect, as well as covering the top of the head, they extended forward to cover the chin and teeth whilst still allowing for adequate visibility. Such helmets, however, can be difficult and expensive to manufacture if the inherent strength and energy absorption characteristics are important design criteria. Such characteristics are necessary in order to comply with international safety standards such as EN 1078.

According to the present invention, there is provided a full-face safety helmet comprising an outer shell (either protective in itself or purely decorative) formed from a plurality of inter-engaging elements and encapsulating a plurality of energy absorbing liner elements.

By changing the form and function of the outer and inner elements, by way of alternatives in the design of the material construction, specific variations of such helmets are presented. In essence, in order to be of a strong light-weight construction any such design incorporates the use of plastic materials. The employment of vacuum forming, blow moulding and injection moulding techniques allow for the creation of the outer shell elements and inner liners. All variants are influenced by the limitations and possibilities associated with these manufacturing techniques, such as whether a moulded component can be extracted without it being locked-on or entrapped by the moulding tool itself An outer shell, moulded in one piece by any of the above methods and limited in its form by assembly constraints, is assembled with a one- piece energy absorbing liner. The liner forms the structure of the device designed to protect the chin and teeth and incorporates strategically placed slots to enable the wearer to hear through the assembled helmet.

An outer shell, moulded in two pieces by any of the above methods, is arranged such that the structural device designed to protect the chin and the teeth is an integrally moulded component joined with a second outer moulding, of similar construction methods, by either adhesives or mechanical fixings. The top inner liner is assembled with the two outer components. The lower inner liner, limited by assembly constraints, is either pre-moulded in a plurality of parts and then assembled with the outer shell or moulded into the assembled outer shell in situ. Hearing is provided for via moulded-in slots.

An outer shell, moulded in three pieces by any of the above methods, is arranged such that the structural device designed to protect the chin and the teeth is an integrally moulded component joined with a second moulding, designed to retain the pre-assembled lower liner. This subassembly is joined, with either adhesives or mechanical fixings, to a third outer moulding (an upper shell) which itself is assembled with a pre-manufactured energy absorbing liner. Hearing is provided for via moulded-in slots.

In order to more understand the invention, a number of embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure IA shows a side-elevation exploded view of the components for a first helmet according to the invention, prior to assembly. Item '1' is the outer one-piece moulded shell which assembles with item '2', the one- piece moulded inner liner, by way of adhesives. Details 'A' indicate cooling slots, details 'B' indicate hearing apertures and detail 'C' shows provision for the strap assembly. This version utilizes the liner, item '2', as the main structure protecting the face and teeth; Figure 1B shows a side-elevation sectional view through the longitudinal centre-line of the assembled helmet of figure IA. The teeth and chin protection is provided by the strength of the one-piece moulded item '2' which simultaneously provides the wearer with the ability to hear through the structure by way of slots. Item '1' provides a surface suitable for decorative finish and grooves, detail 'E', moulded into item '2' allow for cooling air to circulate before exiting via slots in item '1'.

Figure IC shows a side-elevation of the assembled helmet of figure IA indicating the moulded-in slots for the provision of hearing, detail 'B', and cooling holes, detail W; Figure 2A shows a side-elevation exploded view of the components for a second helmet according to the invention, prior to assembly. Item '3' is the top outer shell which assembles with the top inner liner, item W. These sub-assembled items join with adhesives or mechanical fasteners with item 5, the lower outer protective shell. The assembled items '3' and '5' form a protective structure for the wearer over and above the protection created by the inner liner alone. Item W, the lower inner liner may be moulded into the pre-assembled components, items '3', W and '5' in a final manufacturing operation.

Figure 2B shows a side-elevation sectional view through the longitudinal centre-line of the assembled helmet of figure 2A. Details 'A' show cooling slots, details 'B' show the provision for hearing. Detail 'C' the strap assembly slot and detail 'D' the mechanical fasteners that join the upper assembly to the lower assembly. The top outer shell, '3', nests precisely with the lower outer shell, W, by the designed form of the mating sections; Figure 2C shows a side-elevation of the assembled helmet of figure 2A indicating the moulded-in slots for the provision of hearing. Any mechanical fasteners are thus not visible from the outside of the helmet; Figure 3A shows a side-elevation exploded view of the components for a third helmet according to the invention, prior to assembly. The preassembled helmet is 7, manufactured from three moulded or vacuum formed plastic components. Item '1' is the top outer shell. Item '2' is the centre outer shell and item '3' is the lower outer shell. The inter-face between items '1' and '2' enables the mechanical fixings fastening these two components together (through the holes shown as 'A') to be invisible from the outside. The teeth and face protection is provided by the inherent strength of items '2' and '3' being joined together and the section and geometry produced by this feature.

Figure 3B shows a side-elevation sectional view through the longitudinal centre-line of the assembled helmet of figure 3A. Note that this is in effect the outer structure of the helmet, which, to be wom on the head, requires the top outer shell, item 'P, to be lined with a suitable thickness of a typical lining material (e.g. expanded polystyrene) which is not shown for clarity.

Figure 3C shows a side-elevation of the assembled helmet of figure 3A indicating the moulded-in slots for the provision of hearing; 1

Claims

1. An inner lining for a safety helmet, comprising a geometric form that both encases the skull and fully surrounds the lower jaw, which is manufactured as a sean-dess one-piece construction to create an integral and homogeneous protective material barrier around those regions.

2. A fining as claimed in Claim 1, wherein strategically positioned apertures allow for vision and hearing to be unimpaired.

3. A Bing as claimed in Claim I or 2, having cooling slots.

4. A safety helmet comprising an outer layer and an inner lining according to any one of the proceeding Claims, wherein the inner fining is attached to the outer layer by means of adhesives.

5. A safety helmet as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the outer layer comprises two or more moulded sections fixed together mechanically or by means of adhesives.

6. A method for producing an inner lining for a safety helmet as claimed in any one of Claims I to 3, by the process of injection moulding.

7. A safety helmet substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A lining substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. An inner fining for a safety helmet, comprising an upper region that encases the skull and a lower region that surrounds the lower jaw, the arrangement being such that the lower region extends substantially forwardly of the forward part of the upper region, so that, in use, the area surrounding the lower jaw forms a protective space between the chin and teeth of the user and the inner fining, and wherein the inner fining is manufactured as a ss one piew construction to create an integral and homogenous protective barrier around these regions.

2. A fining as claimed in Claim 1, wherein strategically positioned apertures allow for vision and hearing to be unimp 3. A lining as claimed in Clairns 1 or 2, having cooling slots.

4. A safety helmet comprising an outer layer and at least one inner lining according to any one of the preceding C wherein the inner lining is attached to the outer layer by means of adhesives.

5. A sakty helmet as chd in Claim 4, wherein the outer layer comprises two or more moulded ions fixed together mechanically or by means of adhesives.

6. A method for producing an inner fining for a helmet as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, by the process of hijection moulding.