JP2015532951A - Protective headwear - Google Patents

Abstract

The protective headwear includes a first shell half and a second shell half that are coupled together by first and second elastic pieces. The combination of the first and second shell halves forms a protective cage for protecting the person's head. A plurality of pads are coupled to the inner surface of the protective cage. The pad is arranged to contact a rigid portion of the person's head when the protective cage is worn and to provide a space between the cage and the person's head. A baseball cap can be coupled to the outer surface of the cage to form a lightweight, unobtrusive, protective headwear.

Description

  The present application relates to protective headwear, and more particularly, to protective headwear for integrating with a cap having no protective function such as a baseball cap without placing a burden on the wearer.

  Protective headwear is typically comprised of a hard cover that surrounds the wearer's head. There are a variety of protective headwear, with many features such as pad, size, comfort, and aesthetic features that can be tailored for specific applications.

  One important application of protective headwear is headwear used during baseball games. Batters usually wear helmets, which are generally quite large, heavy, bulky and very noticeable. Batting helmets usually have a large covering that completely covers the head and ears, and are made of a hard plastic material and an internal pad for comfort. The batting helmet is not very well ventilated and may increase temperature and cause discomfort. For this reason, wearing a batting helmet for a long time or wearing a helmet other than a batter in a baseball game is not desirable.

  Fielders, pitchers, and coaches in the field are usually unprotected from hitting their baseballs or bats by wearing protective pads or other non-functional baseball caps. The pitcher is one of the fielders closest to the batter and is often on the path of a fast liner ball that is struck directly against the pitcher, often out of balance. The first and third base coaches are also often on a straight line of struck foul balls. Fielders also need to protect their heads during various aspects of the game.

  Head injury in baseball, although extremely rare, tends to have a unique and limited nature and may be highly traumatic. For example, when a thrown ball is struck and the liner returns directly to the pitcher, the ball may fly at a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour, giving little time for the pitcher to react. The fact that baseballs fly at this speed also indicates the possibility of serious injury from the impact of the ball hitting the pitcher's head. Many severe and other injuries, including skull and face damage, are caused by baseball hitting the head.

  Head protection can be used by all baseball players and coaches, but for reasons such as lack of comfort, lack of necessity, customs and traditions, or lack of willingness to wear large and heavy helmets Very rarely used. Fielders, pitchers, and coaches are in the field for longer than batters, which is another reason why players and coaches use protective headwear as described above. When pitchers, athletes, and coaches are seriously injured, it is a matter of public debate, but in general, it is very rare, so every pitcher, athlete, and coach takes precautions. It is not done.

  Therefore, protection is provided that is protective, comfortable, easy to use, unobtrusive and adapted to traditions and customs so that all players and coaches are encouraged to use protective headwear to overcome past problems It would be beneficial to provide headwear.

  Therefore, a headwear product that has an effect of reducing injuries, is inconspicuous, is comfortable, and can be worn is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the headwear is in the shape of a baseball cap, trying to balance to protect the baseball player and coach from the most common injuries while being received and worn. This is because protection is not provided by not wearing a helmet.

  In general, preferred protective headwear is provided herein comprising a highly rigid, multi-part cage coupled through elastic strips. The protective headwear is coupled to each other by a first elastic piece and a second elastic piece to form a protective cage that is shaped to surround a person's head when in the wearing position. A plurality of shell halves and a second shell half, coupled to the inner surface of the protective cage and arranged to contact a firm portion of the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position And a plurality of pads having a thickness and position for creating a space between the cage and the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position.

  A first shell half joined together by a first strip and a second strip on the front surface to form a protective cage that is shaped to surround a person's head when in the wearing position; A plurality of pads coupled to the second shell half and the inner surface of the protective cage and arranged to contact a solid portion of the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position; A plurality of pads having a thickness and a position for creating a space between the cage and the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position, and a baseball cap coupled to the outer surface of the cage Protective headwear is also provided.

  Additional features and advantages will become apparent by reference to the material described below.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of protective headwear worn on the head. FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the protective headwear and head. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the protective headwear. FIG. 4 is a top view of the protective headwear. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the protective headwear. FIG. 6 is a front view of the protective headwear. FIG. 7 is a left side view of the wearer's head, including the area of the head that the pad contacts. FIG. 8 is a right side view of the wearer's head, including the area of the head that the pad contacts. FIG. 9 is an isometric view of protective headwear coupled to a conventional baseball cap. FIG. 10 is an isometric view of protective headwear coupled to a custom baseball cap.

  Reference will now be made to the drawings, in which similar elements in different drawings have the same reference numerals.

  In the drawings and the following disclosure, protective headwear attached to or incorporated in a cap such as a baseball cap is shown and described. Many specific details of the headwear are included to fully understand this headwear. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may have other embodiments and that the embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some details in accordance with the following description. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain embodiments may use other materials as needed or desired when referring to the use of a particular material. The concepts of the present disclosure can be applied to other types of hats.

  Many factors are considered in the design of this headwear, including the general location of the injury and the nature of such injury. Due to the general nature of humans who turn or shrug their bodies in an attempt to avoid a struck baseball ball or other object approaching the head, the temporal lobe area of the skull is exposed to direct hits. It is. In many instances where a baseball ball hits the pitcher, player, and coach's head, the ball hits the temporal lobe area of the skull. This portion is one of the most vulnerable to damage due to the structure of the skull. The position of such a part is considered in the design of the headwear.

  Furthermore, the nature of the baseball that strikes the head is unique. When a baseball hits a helmet worn by a player, the ball usually deviates away from the player, so there is little chance of a secondary collision. For this reason, the helmet may be broken, moved, or flying while exhibiting the effect of alleviating the impact force of the ball. When the helmet breaks, moves, or flies, much of the energy of the flying ball is absorbed, so less energy is transferred to the helmet wearer. Such features are also considered in headwear design.

  Another problem is to make it acceptable for baseball players. Protective headwear for use in the field must be: (I) not be sufficiently disturbed (ie, should not interfere with the athlete's competitive behavior, sight, and hearing), as worn by the player or coach, (ii) to prevent overheating Comfortable, including good breathability, (iii) Easy to use, and (iv) Lightweight to accommodate frequent and habitual actions of putting on and taking off baseball caps.

  This headwear design takes these features into account in many ways. For example, a pad that contacts the wearer's skull at a strong position of the skull is provided, and in the event of a collision, the pad is prevented from contacting the wearer's skull at a more vulnerable position of the skull. The headwear is designed to have a certain degree of flexibility so that various parts of the headwear can absorb some energy of the impact. The split structure, pad and elastic layer help to achieve this function.

  Furthermore, in order to make this headwear acceptable to baseball players and coaches, the headwear herein includes a hat having a conventional standard baseball cap shape for comfort, flexibility, wearability, and A solution is proposed that incorporates protective headwear that has minimal impact on the wearer in terms of changing pitcher habits.

  In general, the headwear 100 includes a hard shell in the form of a multi-part cage coupled to a pad for contacting the wearer's head. The cage is divided into right and left shell halves 102, 104 which are connected back and forth via elastic pieces to make it more adjustable and comfortable to wear. In another embodiment, the shell halves may be formed as front and rear shell halves and connected laterally. The headwear will be described with a comprehensive consideration of FIGS. 1-6, but for clarity, only the hard inner shell is shown, excluding the baseball cap portion. The cage acts to divert the impact away from the temporal lobe region of the skull and to direct the impact to a more rigid part of the skull (described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8). As will be described below, the cage is preferably combined with a hat as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in order to enhance space saving and practical utility.

  Headwear 100 includes two shell halves. The right shell half 102 and the left shell half 104 fit snugly around the wearer's head, provide a hat-like fit, and break-away characteristics and flexure It is a shape that brings about sex. The shell halves 102, 104 are made of a rigid material, such as polycarbonate, that serves to provide a protective function. Vertical gaps 110a and 110b exist between the two shell halves 102 and 104, and the right shell half 102 and the left shell 104 are separated in the circumferential direction. The rear vertical gap 110b is wider than the front vertical gap 110a. The width of the rear vertical gap 110b is wider because the likelihood of a ball hitting the rear is not expected to be as high as the chance of hitting the front, thus reducing rigid material. This leads to weight reduction. However, both widths of the gaps 110b, 110a can be changed to change the characteristics of the headwear 100, such as weight, protected parts, absorbed energy to absorb, and other characteristics. The gap can also be formed laterally between the front shell half and the rear shell half.

  Elastic pieces 108a and 108b are disposed in the vertical gaps 110a and 110b. The two shell halves 102 and 104 are connected via elastic materials 108a and 108b. Reference numeral 108a denotes a front elastic piece, and reference numeral 108b denotes a rear elastic piece. The gap and elastic material can be provided in different configurations. For example, the gap may be an oblique direction instead of a vertical gap, may be curved, may have a change in the width of the gap, or may have a different shape in other respects. The elastic piece provides ease of use, comfort and adjustment. The elastic material is bonded to both shell halves 102, 104 in both vertical gaps 110a and 110b. Alternatively, the elastic piece can be provided with an adjustment function for adjusting the width of the gap for further comfort and sizing.

  The elastic materials 108a and 108b are in the form of vertical pieces of elastic material that fill the vertical gaps 110a and 110b. These elastic materials 108a and 108b serve to absorb impact when the ball hits the helmet by providing a certain degree of compressibility to the helmet that is otherwise hard. The elastic materials 108a, 108b also perform a flexing function to reduce impact energy by ensuring that some of the kinetic energy of the flying ball is absorbed and the speed of the flying ball is reduced. The elastic materials 108a and 108b also serve the purpose of allowing the hat to be easily attached and detached by imparting stretchability to the overall structure of the hat. The elastic materials 108a and 108b also serve to absorb a part of the energy of the impact applied to the cage by an object such as a ball by bending and absorbing a part of the energy when receiving an impact. The preferred elastic material should have a long life, be resistant to degradation and exposure to sunlight, be flexible and strong enough to withstand impact, and should be comfortable in contact with the wearer's head Do not stretch after repeated use.

  The two shell halves 102, 104 extend in a generally circumferential direction and allow air to flow therethrough so as to ensure ventilation on the wearer's head with a rail 120 that provides the necessary rigidity and protection. It is comprised in the shape of a cage provided with the clearance gap 116 between rails.

  In a preferred embodiment, the first set of rails 122 extends along the forehead region of the headwear 100 and curves downward toward the jawbone region. The first set of rails 122 at the bottom of the wearer's head does not go down completely to the jawbone region, but ends at a position above the wearer's eyes. The front vertical rail 128 is coupled to the first set of rails 122 at the front of the headwear 100. The front vertical rail 128 is thicker than the rails of the first set of rails 122 and can vary slightly in thickness along its length. Depending on the thickness of the front vertical rail 128, a large force from the impinging ball may move through the pad in contact with the wearer's forehead to the wearer's forehead, which is a solid part of the skull. it can.

  The second set of rails 124 extend circumferentially along the rear region of the headwear 100. This second set of rails 124 extends from a position approximately at the back of the skull to a position approximately directly above the ear, and circumferentially covers the back of the wearer's head. The rear vertical rail 130 is coupled to the second set of rails 124 at the rear of the headwear 100. The rear vertical rails 130 are thicker than the rails of the second set of rails 124, which serve to help protect the back of the wearer's head from the impact of balls and other objects, and pads 106d. Provide a place for mounting. In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, the inner surface of the rear vertical rail 130 is covered with a pad 106d for contacting the wearer's head. Near the wearer's ear, a vertical connector 131 connects the plurality of rails of the second set of rails 124. Similar to the first set of rails, the second set of rails also defines a gap 116 for ventilation of the wearer's head. The cage can be configured and shaped such that the shell material is placed at the point of protection, and the gap 116 provides ventilation where a hard shell is not required for wearer protection. For exist. Alternatively, the gap can simply be made small enough to prevent objects such as balls from colliding directly with the wearer's head.

  The temporal rails 126 extend along the temporal region of the headwear 100 and are connected to both the first set of rails 122 and the second set of rails 124. There are two temporal rails 126. The lower temporal rail is coupled to one of the rails of the first set of rails 122, approximately in the jawbone region. At this position where the two rails overlap, a reinforcing portion to which the pad 106b is attached is provided. The lower rail is also coupled to the upper two rails of the first set of rails 122. The upper temporal rail joins and overlaps all three rails of the first set of rails 122. A gap 116 is defined by the intersection of the temporal rail 126 and the first set of rails 122.

  The rail is preferably made entirely of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as a polycarbonate material that prevents the projectile from impacting the wearer's head. The cage shape is disclosed as having rails, which provides several advantages, but the cage structure is completely solid, with holes completely solid, a combination of rails of various configurations It should be understood that any of a wide variety of configurations may be included, including other different configurations. Further, the disclosed cage / rail configuration can be changed by changing the position of the gap 116, by changing the thickness of the cage at different locations, or otherwise. Any changes to the cage should be made taking into account two competing issues: 1) The level of protection provided by the cage. This can be changed, among other things, by changing the cage material and cage thickness. 2) Comfort and level of ventilation provided by features such as weight, vents (eg, gap 116) and other features.

  Pads 106a, 106b, 106c, and 106d are provided to change the direction of the impact force from where the ball hits the wearer's head to other places on the wearer's skull that are inherently stronger. (See FIGS. 7 and 8, see below). The structural rail floats above the pads and between the pads. Thus, the impact force on the rail deviates from the more fragile temporal lobe part and toward the stronger part of the skull. The pad can be made of foam or other material that provides sufficient cushioning to absorb the impact. The pad should be balanced between stiffness for shock absorption and flexibility for comfort. The pad may also be surrounded by a cloth to provide sweat absorption and comfort. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pads include a pad 106a disposed on the forehead and a pad disposed on the upper jawbone that is large enough to absorb a direct impact from the baseball. 106b and a pad 106c disposed above the ear. It should be noted that these are exemplary positions and that the position, shape, and size of the pad can be adjusted as needed. Each of these pads is located at the intersection of the two rails and provides sufficient structural reinforcement at these major portions. It should be understood that the pad can be adjusted as needed for size, position, number and other factors to provide the necessary weight, comfort, protection, ventilation and to take into account other factors. is there. The pad can be removably or non-removably attached with an adhesive or other type of fixture (such as VELCRO®) that facilitates removal and reattachment of the pad.

  A stitched portion 118 is provided for attaching the headwear 100 to a baseball cap. FIG. 9 shows the headwear incorporated into a standard baseball cap 200. Some portions of the headwear 100 may be visible even when the baseball cap covers most of the headwear 100. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the headwear 100 can be incorporated into a custom baseball cap 210. The baseball cap 210 looks like a standard baseball cap, but has a cutout 212 on the side of the cap in the wearer's parietal / temporal bone region and at the back of the cap. The cut-out portion 212 is the shape of the top surface of the headwear 100, provides a streamlined appearance, and removes a certain amount of material from the hat to remove excess portions around the wearer's ear location. Yes. The stitched portion 118 is a small plate-like extension, and extends upward from the temporal region and the portion of the pad 106b disposed on the upper jawbone. A thread or twist of any desired material may be threaded through the plurality of holes 119 in the suture portion 118 or otherwise attached to the baseball cap. For example, other methods of attaching headwear to a baseball cap include using rivets, binding, gluing, or other methods.

  The collar attaching portion 112 is provided for attaching the collar of the baseball cap. The upper hat attaching portion 127 is also provided with a hole 129 for attaching to the upper portion of the baseball cap. Similar to stitched portion 118, a thread or twist of any desired material may be attached to the baseball cap through the collar mounting portion 112 and the plurality of holes 113, 129 of the upper hat mounting portion 127. Other attachment methods can also be used, including using rivets, binding, gluing, or other methods described above.

  Ear protectors 114 can be provided on one or both sides of headwear 100 to protect the ears from side collisions. The ear protector 114 is preferably made of a rigid material similar to the cage rail. The ear protector 114 is also removable and can be coupled to the rest of the headwear 100 through the use of a snap-on mechanism Velcro or through other means.

  7 and 8 show a human skull. The human cranium is not uniformly strong everywhere. Some are fragile and some are strong. A part of the rigid part is shown in FIGS. These include a forehead 156a, an upper jawbone 156b (approximately in the cheekbone), an upper ear 156c (lower parietal bone), and a rear 156d (posterior or occipital bone of the parietal bone). When the disclosed headwear 100 is in a wear position on the wearer's head, the aforementioned pads 106a, 106b, 106c, and 106d are correspondingly rigid portions 156a, 156b, 156c, and 156d and are worn with a hat. Placed on the person's head 150. The rigid cages and the position of these pads are used to distribute the impact force from an approaching object, such as a baseball, from the weak part of the skull to the strong parts 156a, 156b, 156c, and 156d of the skull 150. Useful.

  While the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made and equivalent elements may be substituted without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Is understood. In addition, many modifications may be made to the teachings of the present disclosure to adapt to a particular situation without departing from the essential scope thereof, for example, headwear materials may include weight, cost, and Can be changed to balance the mechanical properties, the shape of the headwear can be changed based on another test, changing the joint between the protective headwear and the standard baseball cap Can do. While the present disclosure is intended not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, which are contemplated to practice the disclosure, the disclosure is within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended to include any construction, modification, or combination.

Claims (20)

A first shell half connected to each other by a first elastic piece and a second elastic piece to form a protective cage shaped to surround a person's head when in the wearing position; A second shell half;
A plurality of pads coupled to the inner surface of the protective cage and arranged to contact a rigid portion of the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position;
The plurality of pads have a thickness and a position for creating a space between the cage and the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position. The protective headwear according to claim 1, wherein the first shell half and the second shell half each have a gap for ventilation and weight reduction. Each of the first shell half and the second shell half is
The protective headwear according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of rails formed and arranged in a circumferential direction around the person's head. The plurality of rails are a portion of the person's forehead, a first set of rails circumferentially formed and arranged around the wearer's head, and a portion of the person's head at the rear. A second set of rails formed and arranged circumferentially around the head of the wearer and a temporal region of the wearer's head formed and arranged to extend circumferentially around the person's head The protective headwear according to claim 3, further comprising: a set of side temporal rails. The protective headwear according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of rails define a plurality of gaps. 6. A hat attachment portion extending from the cage in the temporal region of the wearer's head and a collar attachment portion extending from the cage at the forehead portion of the wearer. Protective headwear as described in The protective headwear according to claim 6, further comprising a baseball cap coupled to the cap mounting portion and the collar mounting portion. The pad is disposed on the cage in a position such that the pad contacts a strong portion of the person's head when the cage is in a wearing position, and the strong portion is located on the person's head. The protective headwear according to claim 5, comprising a forehead portion, a portion of the person's upper jawbone, a portion of a temporal region of the person's head, and the rear portion of the person's head. The first set of rails is connected to a front vertical rail at a front overlap portion, and the portion of the forehead of the person's head is in the same position as the front overlap portion;
The first set of rails is connected to the set of temporal rails at the jawbone overlap portion, and the portion of the person's upper jawbone is in the same position as the jawbone overlap portion;
The set of temporal rails is connected to the second set of rails at a temporal overlap portion, and the portion of the temporal region of the person's head is identical to the temporal overlap portion Position,
9. The protection according to claim 8, wherein the second set of rails is connected to a rear vertical portion at a rear overlapping portion, and the rear portion of the person's head is in the same position as the rear overlapping portion. Headwear. The protective headwear according to claim 1, further comprising an ear protector coupled to a side surface of the protective cage. A first shell half joined together by a first elastic piece and a second elastic piece to form a protective cage shaped to surround a person's head when in the wearing position; A second shell half;
A plurality of pads coupled to an inner surface of the protective cage and arranged to contact a firm portion of the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position; A plurality of pads having a thickness and position for creating a space between the cage and the person's head when the protective cage is in the wearing position;
Protective headwear comprising a baseball cap coupled to an outer surface of the cage. The protective headwear according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of pads are the only part of the headwear that substantially contacts the head of the person when the protective cage is in the wearing position. The protective shell according to claim 11, wherein each of the first shell half and the second shell half includes a plurality of rails formed and arranged to extend in a circumferential direction around a wearer's head. Headwear. A first set of rails formed and arranged to extend circumferentially around the wearer's head at a portion of the wearer's forehead; and a rear portion of the wearer's head A second set of rails formed and arranged to extend circumferentially around the wearer's head in a portion and around the wearer's head in a temporal region of the wearer's head; The protective headwear according to claim 13, comprising: a set of temporal rails formed and arranged to extend in the circumferential direction. The protective headwear according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of rails define a plurality of gaps. 16. A hat attachment portion extending from the cage in the temporal region of the wearer's head and a collar attachment portion extending from the cage at the portion of the wearer's forehead. Protective headwear as described in The protective headwear according to claim 16, wherein the baseball cap is coupled to the hat mounting portion and the collar mounting portion. The solid portion of the person's head includes a portion of the forehead of the person's head, a portion of the person's upper jawbone, a portion of a temporal region of the person's head, and the portion of the person's head. The protective headwear according to claim 15, comprising a rear portion. The first set of rails is connected to a front vertical rail at a front overlap portion, and the portion of the forehead of the person's head is in the same position as the front overlap portion;
The first set of rails is connected to the set of temporal rails at the jawbone overlap portion, and the portion of the person's upper jawbone is in the same position as the jawbone overlap portion;
The set of temporal rails is connected to the second set of rails at a temporal overlap portion, and the portion of the temporal region of the person's head is identical to the temporal overlap portion Position,
19. The protection according to claim 18, wherein the second set of rails is connected to a rear vertical portion at a rear overlapping portion, and the rear portion of the person's head is in the same position as the rear overlapping portion. Headwear. The protective headwear according to claim 11, further comprising an ear protector coupled to a left side of the protective cage.

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