IE86647B1 - Improvements in or relating to helmets - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective helmet primarily for sport use comprises a rigid exterior shell attached to an inner flexible liner in which no adhesive is used for the attachment of the liner.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO HELMETS The present invention relates to helmets and in particular to helmets that are worn by sports players to provide protection for the head. Protective helmets are well known and are used extensively in sports activities and helmets are known that have a rigid exterior and a foamed lining to present additional soft protection for the head.

The foam lining is usually stuck to the interior of the rigid exterior by means of an adhesive which requires an additional processing step in the manufacture of the helmet and additionally the foam lining cannot be subsequently detached from the rigid exterior for replacement in the event that it becomes worn or damaged. Additionally the foam lining has typically been made from different material than the material used for the rigid exterior which means that the helmet cannot be recycled as it results in a mixture of materials.

The present invention provides a helmet that addresses these problems.

The invention therefore comprises a protective helmet comprising a rigid exterior and a foam liner wherein the foam liner is removably attached to the rigid exterior.

In a preferred embodiment no adhesive is used to secure the foam liner to the rigid exterior. Preferably the rigid exterior is provided with through holes through which a protrusion from the foam liner can extend and mechanically key to the rigid exterior. This can be accomplished by pressing the already foamed liner through the holes, by foaming the liner in place so that it extends through the holes or by moulding the foam liner with protrusions which can be pressed through holes in the rigid exterior in each embodiment the liner keys to the rigid exterior. In this way the foamed liner may be removed by pressing the protrusion of the liner back through the hole or by removing the piece of the liner that extends through the hole.

Alternatively the foam liner may be attached inside the rigid exterior by fastening materials such as push pins and clips which can be pressed through holes in the rigid exterior to secure the foam liner within the rigid exterior without the need for an adhesive. The pins should be pushed from the interior of the helmet and not from the exterior to avoid the end of the pin bearing on the head of the wearer of the helmet. The liner can be selected to provide additional strength to the helmet and/or to provide comfort for the wearer. In a preferred embodiment the liner comprises at least two layers an external layer adjacent the rigid exterior of strengthening material which may or may not be foamed and an internal softer PAWGN1481 IE 6 647 layer of low density foam. The mechanical attachment may be formed on the layer adjacent the rigid exterior.

It is preferred that the rigid exterior and the foam liner are made of materials of similar chemical structure so that the whole helmet may be recycled after use. For example, both the rigid exterior and the foam liner may be derived from polyurethanes or polypropylene preferably thermoplastic polyurethanes although the exterior may be made from a rigid polyurethane and the foam liner may be made from a flexible polyurethane. It is further preferred that where the foam liner comprises more than one layer the layers are of materials that can be recycled together, preferably of thermoplastic polyurethane.

Depending upon the use to which the helmet is put it may be provided with a face mask typically comprising a grid. In this embodiment it is preferred that the face mask is removable from the rigid exterior of the helmet to enable it to be replaced if it is damaged and also to allow recycling of the remainder of the helmet. Face masks may be made of carbon steel or high strength fibre reinforced plastics and may be attached to the body of the helmet by clips, nuts and/or screws.

The helmets of the present invention may be used for protection in a wide variety of activities. They are primarily used for head protection for sports players particularly for hurling, ice hockey, cricket, American football, boxing and the like.

The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying figures in which Figure 1 shows a helmet according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the interior of the helmet shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the foam liner used in the helmet shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows how the foam liner can protrude through a hole in the rigid exterior of the helmet to secure the liner in place.

Figure 1 shows a helmet comprising a rigid exterior (1) moulded from thermoplastic polyurethane or polypropylene provided with a face mask (2). Figure 2 shows the interior layers of the helmet comprising a high density foamed liner (3) placed within the rigid lower density layer (4) and Figure 3 shows the lower density liner (4). Figure 4 shows how a PAWGN1481 IE fastener (5) can be integrally moulded with the low density layer (4) to pass through a hole (6) formed in the rigid exterior (1).

Claims (12)

1. A protective helmet comprising a rigid exterior and a foam liner wherein the foam liner is removably attached to the rigid exterior.

2. A protective helmet according to Claim 1 in which no adhesive is used to secure the foam liner to the rigid exterior.

3. A protective helmet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the rigid exterior is provided with through holes through which attachment means for the foam liner extend.

4. A protective helmet according to Claim 3 in which the liner is moulded with protrusions to push through holes in the rigid exterior.

5. A protective helmet according to any of Claims 1 to 4 in which the liner comprises at least two layers.

6. A protective helmet according to Claim 5 in which the first layer adjacent to the rigid exterior is of higher density than the foamed inner layer that fits the head of the wearer.

7. A protective helmet according to Claim 6 in which the first layer is unfoamed.

8. A protective helmet according to Claim 6 in which the first layer is foamed.

9. A protective helmet according to any of Claims 4 to 8 in which the foam liner is attached inside the rigid exterior by fastening means such as push pins and clips pressed through holes in the rigid exterior to secure the foam liner within the rigid exterior.

10. A protective helmet according to Claim 9 in which the inner layer comprises two layers in which the first layer is unfoamed and the fastening means is integrally moulded with the first layer.

11. A helmet according to any of the preceding claims in which the rigid exterior and the foam liner are made of materials that can be recycled together. PAWGN1481 IE

12. A helmet according to any of the preceding claims in which the rigid exterior and the foam liner are made from thermoplastic polyurethanes.