TWI747112B - A connector and an apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector for connecting inner and outer layers of an apparatus, the connector comprising: an anchor point configured to be connected to one of the inner and outer layers; a resilient portion arranged to at least partially surround the anchor point about a first axis extending in a first direction and connected to the anchor point; a peripheral portion arranged to at least partially surround the resilient portion about a second axis extending in the first direction and connected to the resilient portion, and configured to be connected to the other of the inner and outer layers; wherein the resilient portion is configured to protrude from the peripheral portion in the first direction, in a connected state in which the connector is connected to the inner and outer layers, and deform to allow the anchor point to move relative to the peripheral portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Description

Connectors and equipment

The present invention relates to a connector between the internal part and the external part of a device. In particular, the present invention relates to a device that can include a sliding interface between two components, such as a helmet.

As we all know, helmets are used in various activities. These activities include combat and industrial purposes, such as, for example, protective helmets for soldiers and helmets or helmets used by operators of construction workers, miners, or industrial machinery. Helmets are also often used in sports activities. For example, protective helmets can be used for ice hockey, bicycle racing, motorcycle racing, racing, skiing, snowboarding, skating, skateboarding, equestrian sports, American football, baseball, rugby, football, cricket, lacrosse, mountaineering, golf, soft bouncing Airsoft, roller skating blocking competition and paintball sports.

The helmet can have a fixed size or can be adjusted to fit different head sizes and shapes. In some types of helmets (for example, commonly used in ice hockey helmets), adjustability can be provided by moving parts of the helmet to change the inner and outer dimensions of the helmet. This can be achieved by having a helmet with two or more parts that can move relative to each other. In other cases (such as in common cycling helmets), the helmet has an attachment device for fixing the helmet to the user's head, and it is an attachment device whose size can be changed to fit the user's head , And the main body or shell of the helmet remains the same size. In some cases, the comfort padding inside the helmet can act as an attachment device. The attachment device can also be provided in the form of a plurality of physically separated parts (for example, a plurality of comfort pads that are not interconnected with each other). These attachment devices for wearing a helmet on a user's head can be used with additional straps (such as a brace) to further secure the helmet appropriately. The combination of these adjustment mechanisms is also feasible.

Helmets are usually made of a shell (which is usually hard and made of a plastic or a composite material) and an energy absorbing layer called a pad. In other configurations (such as a football faceoff helmet), a helmet may not have a hard shell, and the helmet as a whole may be flexible. Nowadays, no matter what the situation, a protective helmet must be designed to meet specific legal requirements, especially in relation to the maximum acceleration that can occur in the center of gravity of the brain under a specified load. Usually, a test is performed in which a so-called false head wearing a helmet is subjected to a radial impact towards one of the heads. This has resulted in modern helmets having good energy absorption capacity when the head is subjected to radial impact. Progress has also been made in the development of helmets (for example, WO 2001/045526 and WO 2011/139224, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) by absorbing or dissipating rotational energy and/or combining it Change the direction to translation energy instead of rotational energy to reduce the energy transmitted from the oblique impact (that is, its combination of both the tangential component and the radial component).

These oblique impacts (without protection) cause both the translational acceleration and the angular acceleration of the brain. Angular acceleration causes the brain to rotate within the skull to cause damage to the body elements that connect the brain to the skull and also to the brain itself.

Examples of rotational injuries include mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) (such as concussion) and severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) (such as subdural hematoma (SDH), bleeding caused by rupture of blood vessels, and diffuse axons Injury (DAI)), which can be summarized as the excessive stretching of nerve fibers caused by high-shear deformation of brain tissue.

May suffer from concussion, SDH, DAI, or a combination of these injuries depending on the characteristics of the rotation force (such as duration, amplitude, and growth rate). Generally speaking, SDH occurs in the case of short-duration and large-amplitude acceleration, while DAI occurs in the case of longer and more general acceleration loads.

In helmets such as the helmets disclosed in WO 2001/045526 and WO 2011/139224 (which can reduce the rotational energy transmitted to the brain caused by oblique impact), the two parts of the helmet can be configured to be at an oblique angle. Sliding relative to each other after the impact. A connector that allows parts of a helmet to move relative to each other under an impact when connecting parts of a helmet together can be provided.

To provide such a helmet, it may be desirable to provide two components that can slide relative to each other to provide a sliding interface. It can also be expected that such a sliding interface can be provided without substantially increasing the manufacturing cost and/or workload.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for connecting an inner layer and an outer layer of a device, the connector including: an anchor point configured to be connected to one of the inner layer and the outer layer; An elastic portion configured to surround a first axis extending in a first direction at least partially surrounding the anchor point and connected to the anchor point; a peripheral portion configured to extend around the first direction A second axis at least partially surrounds the elastic portion and is connected to the elastic portion, and is configured to be connected to the other of the inner layer and the outer layer; wherein the elastic portion is configured to be connected in the connector In a connected state to the inner layer and the outer layer, they protrude from the peripheral portion in the first direction and deform to allow the anchor point to move relative to the peripheral portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

In an undeformed state, the elastic part is substantially flat as appropriate, and the connection state is a deformed state of the elastic part. This feature can provide a more compact connector and actively pull the components of the device together for a more compact device. Alternatively, in an undeformed state, the elastic portion protrudes from the peripheral portion in the first direction. This feature can provide a connector that is relatively easy to install.

The elastic part extends across a central area of the connector surrounded by the peripheral area as appropriate.

Depending on the situation, the elastic part substantially covers the entire central area. This prevents useless materials (such as dust) that would interfere with the performance of the connector from entering. Alternatively, the elastic portion includes a plurality of sections with gaps between them. This can reduce the amount of material required for the connector and/or allow finer control over the flexibility of the connector. The plurality of sections optionally extend in a radial direction relative to the first axis.

The peripheral part forms a closed loop as appropriate. Depending on the situation, the peripheral portion is substantially annular and the second axis passes through the center of the peripheral portion. These features improve the stability of the connector.

The anchor point is aligned with the first axis as appropriate.

The first axis and the second axis coincide depending on the situation.

The elastic part and the peripheral part have rotational symmetry around the coincident first axis and the second axis as appropriate. This configuration ensures that the connector performs consistently regardless of the direction of sliding movement.

The peripheral part is optionally formed of a rigid material.

The connector optionally further includes an insert formed from a rigid material, the insert being configured to be embedded in the peripheral portion to prevent deformation of the peripheral portion. This can improve the stability of the connector. The peripheral part is optionally formed of an elastic material.

The elastic part and the peripheral part are integrally formed as appropriate. This can provide a more robust connector.

The anchor point optionally includes a buckle connector that is configured to buckle with the inner layer or the outer layer. This can provide a relatively simple connection mechanism and/or a relatively robust connection mechanism that reduces installation time.

The connector optionally further includes a cap configured to cover a central area of the connector surrounded by the peripheral area to prevent useless materials from entering the central area.

The connector optionally further includes a protrusion connected to the peripheral portion and configured to anchor the peripheral portion in the inner or outer layer. This can provide a stronger connection between the connector and the device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device comprising: an inner layer; an outer layer; a sliding interface between the inner layer and the outer layer; and a connector according to any of the foregoing technical solutions, It is connected to the inner layer and the outer layer to allow relative sliding between the inner layer and the outer layer at the sliding interface in response to an impact on the device.

The peripheral part is optionally arranged on one side of the inner layer or the outer layer connected to the peripheral part, the side opposes the sliding interface, and the elastic part protrudes through the inner layer or the outer layer. This can simplify the installation of the connector in the device and/or reduce the space required between the layers to thereby provide a more compact configuration.

The peripheral part is optionally arranged in one of the grooves in the inner layer or the outer layer connected to it. This can provide a relatively compact device.

The device is a helmet depending on the situation.

The outer layer is optionally a hard shell and the inner layer is optionally an energy absorbing layer. Alternatively, the inner layer is a hard shell and the outer layer includes one or more plates connected to the hard shell. Alternatively, both the inner layer and the outer layer are energy absorbing layers. Alternatively, the outer layer is an energy absorbing layer and the inner layer is configured to interface with an interface layer of a wearer's head. The interface layer optionally includes comfort padding.

Figure 1 depicts a first helmet 1 of the kind discussed in WO 01/45526, which is intended to provide protection against diagonal impacts. This type of helmet can be any of the helmet types discussed above.

The protective helmet 1 is constructed by an outer shell 2 and an inner shell 3 (which is intended to be used in contact with the wearer's head) arranged inside the outer shell 2.

A sliding layer 4 (also referred to as a sliding promoter or low friction layer) is disposed between the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3, which can realize the displacement between the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3. In particular, as will be discussed below, a sliding layer 4 or sliding promoter can be configured such that sliding can occur between the two parts during an impact. For example, it can be configured to be able to slide under the force associated with an impact on one of the helmets 1, which is expected to protect the wearer of the helmet 1 from death. In some configurations, it may be desirable to configure the sliding layer 4 such that the coefficient of friction is between 0.001 and 0.3 and/or less than 0.15.

In the depiction in FIG. 1, one or more connecting members 5 that interconnect the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3 may be arranged in the edge portion of the helmet 1. In some configurations, the connector can offset the mutual displacement between the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3 by absorbing energy. However, this is not essential. In addition, even with this feature, the energy absorbed by the inner shell 3 is usually very small compared to the energy absorbed by the inner shell 3 during an impact. In other configurations, the connecting member 5 may not be present at all.

In addition, the positions of these connecting members 5 can be changed (for example, they are located away from the edge portion and connect the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3 through the sliding layer 4).

The shell 2 should be relatively thin and hard to withstand various types of shocks. The housing 2 may be made of a polymer material such as, for example, polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). Advantageously, the polymer material can be fiber reinforced with materials such as glass fiber, aramid, Twaron, carbon fiber or Kevlar.

The inner shell 3 is relatively thick and acts as an energy absorbing layer. Therefore, it can attenuate or absorb the impact on the head. It can be advantageously made from each of the following: foamed materials, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polypropylene (EPP), expanded polyurethane (EPU), vinyl nitrile foam; or formed (For example) other materials of a honeycomb structure; or (such as) strain rate sensitive foams commercially available ^{under the brand names Poron TM} and D3O ^TM. The structure can vary in different ways, which are presented in the following using, for example, several layers of different materials.

The inner shell 3 is designed to absorb the energy of an impact. Other components of the helmet 1 will absorb the energy to a limited extent (for example, the hard shell 2 or the so-called "comfort pad" provided in the inner shell 3), but this is not its main purpose and compared with the energy absorption of the inner shell 3. The contribution of energy absorption is minimal. In fact, although some other elements such as comfort padding can be made of "compressible" materials and are therefore regarded as "energy-absorbing" in other contexts, it is well known that in the field of helmets, compressible materials do not necessarily have the purpose of "Energy absorption" in the sense of reducing damage to the wearer of the helmet and absorbing a large amount of energy during an impact.

Several different materials and embodiments can be used as the sliding layer 4 or the sliding promoter, such as grease, Teflon, microspheres, air, rubber, polycarbonate (PC), fabric materials such as felt, and so on. This layer can have a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm, but other thicknesses depending on the material selected and the desired performance can also be used. The number of sliding layers and their positioning can also vary, and an example of this will be discussed below (refer to FIG. 3B).

For example, a plastic or metal deformable band anchored in the outer shell and the inner shell in a suitable manner can be used as the connecting member 5.

FIG. 2 shows the functional principle of the protective helmet 1. It is assumed that the helmet 1 and a head 10 of a wearer are semi-cylindrical, and the head 10 is positioned on a longitudinal axis 11. When the helmet 1 undergoes an oblique impact K, the torque and torque are transmitted to the head 10. The impact force K results in both _{a directional force K T} and a radial force K _{R to the protective helmet 1.} In this particular context, only the helmet rotation tangential force K _T and its effects are concerned.

It can be seen that the force K causes the outer shell 2 to be displaced 12 relative to one of the inner shells 3, and the connecting member 5 is deformed. This configuration can be used to achieve a significant reduction in the torque transmitted to the head 10. A typical reduction can be about 25%, but in some cases, the reduction can be as high as 90%. This is because the sliding motion between the inner shell 3 and the outer shell 2 reduces the energy converted into radial acceleration.

Sliding motion can also occur in the circumferential direction of the protective helmet 1, but this is not depicted. This can be due to the rotation of the circumferential angle between the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3 (ie, during an impact, the outer shell 2 can rotate by a circumferential angle relative to the inner shell 3).

Other configurations of the protective helmet 1 are also feasible. Some possible variants are shown in Figure 3. In FIG. 3A, the inner shell 3 is constructed by a relatively thin outer layer 3" and a relatively thick inner layer 3'. The outer layer 3" is preferably harder than the inner layer 3'to help promote sliding relative to the outer shell 2. In FIG. 3B, the inner shell 3 is constructed in the same manner as in FIG. 3A. However, in this case, there are two sliding layers 4 with an intermediate shell 6 between them. The two sliding layers 4 can be embodied in different ways and made of different materials as desired. For example, one possibility is to make the friction of the outer sliding layer lower than that of the inner sliding layer. In Fig. 3C, the housing 2 is embodied in a different way than before. In this case, a harder outer layer 2" covers a softer inner layer 2'. The inner layer 2 ′ can be, for example, the same material as the inner shell 3.

Figure 4 depicts a second helmet 1 of the kind discussed in WO 2011/139224, which is also intended to provide protection against diagonal impacts. This type of helmet can also be any of the helmet types discussed above.

In FIG. 4, the helmet 1 includes an energy absorbing layer 3 similar to the inner shell 3 of the helmet of FIG. The outer surface of the energy absorbing layer 3 may be provided by the same material as the energy absorbing layer 3 (that is, there may be no additional outer shell), or the outer surface may be a rigid shell 2 (which is equivalent to the outer shell 2 of the helmet shown in FIG. 1 Refer to Figure 5). In this case, the rigid shell 2 may be made of a material different from the energy absorbing layer 3. The helmet 1 of FIG. 4 has a plurality of vent holes 7 (which are optional) extending through both the energy absorbing layer 3 and the outer shell 2 to allow airflow through the helmet 1.

An interface layer 13 (also referred to as an attachment device) is provided for interfacing with a wearer's head (and/or attaching the helmet 1 to a wearer's head). As previously discussed, this can be expected to be used when the energy absorbing layer 3 and the rigid shell 2 cannot be adjusted in size, because it allows the size of the attachment device 13 to be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of heads. The attachment device 13 may be made of an elastic or semi-elastic polymer material (such as PC, ABS, PVC or PTFE) or a natural fiber material (such as cotton). For example, a textile cap or a net can form the attachment device 13.

Although the attachment device 13 is shown as including a headband portion and further strap portions extending from the front, back, left and right sides, the specific configuration of the attachment device 13 may vary according to the configuration of the helmet. In some cases, the attachment device may be more like a continuous (shaped) sheet, which may have, for example, holes or gaps corresponding to the location of the vent 7 to allow airflow through the helmet.

FIG. 4 also depicts an optional adjustment device 6 for adjusting the diameter of the headband of the attachment device 13 for a specific wearer. In other configurations, the headband may be an elastic headband, in which case the adjustment device 6 may not be included.

A sliding promoter 4 is arranged in the radial direction of the energy absorbing layer 3. The sliding promoter 4 is adapted to slide against the energy absorbing layer or against the attachment device 13 provided to attach the helmet to the head of a wearer.

The sliding promoter 4 is provided to promote the sliding of the energy absorbing layer 3 with respect to an attachment device 13 in the same manner as discussed above. The slip promoter 4 may be a material with a low coefficient of friction or may be coated with such a material.

Therefore, in the helmet of FIG. 4, the sliding promoter 4 can be provided on the innermost side of the energy absorbing layer 3 or integrated with the innermost side of the energy absorbing layer 3 to face the attachment device 13.

However, it is also conceivable that for the same purpose of providing slidability between the energy absorbing layer 3 and the attachment device 13, the sliding promoter 4 may be provided on the outer surface of the attachment device 13 or outside the attachment device 13. Surface integration. That is, in certain configurations, the attachment device 13 itself can be adapted to act as a slip promoter 4 and can include a low friction material.

In other words, the sliding promoter 4 is disposed in the radial direction of the energy absorbing layer 3. The sliding promoter can also be arranged radially outward of the attachment device 13.

When the attachment device 13 is formed as a cap or net (as discussed above), the slip promoter 4 can be provided as a patch of low friction material.

The low friction material can be a waxy polymer (such as PTFE, ABS, PVC, PC, nylon, PFA, EEP, PE, and UHMWPE) or a powder material (which can be added with a lubricant). The low friction material can be a fabric material. As discussed, this low-friction material can be applied to either or both of the slip promoter and the energy absorbing layer.

The attachment device 13 may be fixed to the energy absorbing layer 3 and/or the housing 2 by a fixing member 5 (such as the four fixing members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d in FIG. 4). These can be adapted to absorb energy by deforming in an elastic, semi-elastic or plastic manner. However, this is not essential. In addition, even with this feature, the energy absorbed by the energy absorbing layer 3 during an impact is usually very small.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the four fixing members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are the suspension members 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d having a first part 8 and a second part 9, wherein the suspension members 5a, 5b, The first part 8 of 5c and 5d is adapted to be fixed to the attachment device 13 and the second part 9 of the suspension members 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d is adapted to be fixed to the energy absorbing layer 3.

Fig. 5 shows a configuration of a helmet similar to the helmet in Fig. 4 when worn on the head of a wearer. The helmet 1 of FIG. 5 includes a hard shell 2 made of a material different from the energy absorbing layer 3. Compared with FIG. 4, in FIG. 5, the attachment device 13 is fixed to the energy absorbing layer 3 by two fixing members 5a, 5b, and the fixing members 5a, 5b are adapted to absorb energy and force with elasticity, semi-elasticity or plasticity. .

Fig. 5 shows a frontal oblique impact I generated on a rotational force of the helmet. The oblique impact I causes the energy absorbing layer 3 to slide relative to the attachment device 13. The attachment device 13 is fixed to the energy absorbing layer 3 by the fixing members 5a, 5b. Although only two of these fixing members are shown for the sake of clarity, there may actually be many such fixing members. The fixing member 5 can absorb rotational force by elastic or semi-elastic deformation. In other configurations, the deformation may be plastic, which can even cause one or more of the fixing members 5 to break. If plastic deformation occurs, it is necessary to replace at least the fixing member 5 after an impact. In some cases, a combination of plastic deformation and elastic deformation of the fixing member 5 may occur, that is, some fixing members 5 rupture to plastically absorb energy, while other fixing members elastically deform and absorb energy.

Generally speaking, in the helmets of FIGS. 4 and 5, during an impact, the energy absorbing layer 3 acts as an impact absorber by compressing in the same manner as the inner shell of the helmet of FIG. 1. If a shell 2 is used, it will help disperse the impact energy on the energy absorbing layer 3. The slip promoter 4 will also allow sliding between the attachment device and the energy absorbing layer. This allows to dissipate energy that would otherwise be transmitted to the brain as rotational energy in a controlled manner. Energy can be dissipated by frictional heat, deformation of the energy absorbing layer, or deformation or displacement of the fixing member. Reducing the energy transmission leads to a reduction in the rotational acceleration that affects the brain, thereby reducing the brain's rotation in the head. This reduces the risk of rotational injury including MTBI and STBI (such as subdural hematoma (SDH), vascular rupture, concussion, and DAI).

The following will describe the connectors that can be used in a helmet. It should be understood that these connectors can be used in a variety of contexts and are not limited to use in helmets. For example, it can be used in other devices that provide impact protection, such as protective clothing or padding for sports equipment. In particular, in the context of helmets, connectors can be used to replace previously known connecting members and/or fixing members of the configurations discussed above.

In one configuration, the connector can be used with a helmet 1 of the type shown in FIG. 6. The helmet shown in FIG. 6 has a configuration similar to the configuration discussed above with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. In particular, the helmet has a relatively hard shell 2 and an energy absorbing layer 3. A head attachment device is provided in the form of a helmet liner 15. The cushion 15 may include the comfort padding discussed above. Generally speaking, compared to the energy absorbed by the energy absorbing layer 3, the pad 15 and/or any comfort pad cannot absorb a large proportion of the energy of an impact.

The liner 15 is removable. This can enable the pad to be cleaned and/or can provide a pad modified to fit a particular wearer.

An inner shell 14 formed of a relatively hard material (that is, a material harder than the energy absorbing layer 3) is provided between the liner 15 and the energy absorbing layer 3. The inner shell 14 can be molded to the energy absorbing layer 3 and can be made of any of the materials discussed above in connection with the formation of the outer shell 2. In an alternative configuration, the inner shell 14 may be formed of a fabric material coated with a low friction material as appropriate.

In the configuration of FIG. 6, a low friction interface is provided between the inner shell 14 and the gasket 15. This can be implemented by appropriately selecting at least one of the material used to form the outer surface of the liner 15 or the material used to form the inner shell 14. Alternatively or in addition, a low-friction coating may be applied to at least one of the opposed surfaces of the inner shell 14 and the liner 15. Alternatively or in addition, a lubricant may be applied to at least one of the opposed surfaces of the inner shell 14 and the gasket 15.

As shown in the figure, the pad 15 can be connected to the rest of the helmet 1 by one or more connectors 20, as will be discussed in further detail below. The location where the connector 20 is used and the number of the connector 20 may depend on the configuration of the rest of the helmet.

In a configuration such as that shown in FIG. 6, at least one connector 20 may be connected to the inner shell 14. Alternatively or in addition, one or more of the connectors 20 may be connected to another part of the rest of the helmet 1, such as the energy absorbing layer 3 and/or the shell 2. The connector 20 can also be connected to two or more parts of the remaining part of the helmet 1.

FIG. 7 depicts another alternative configuration of a helmet 1. As shown in the figure, the helmet 1 of this configuration includes a plurality of independent sections of comfort padding 16. Each section of the comfort pad 16 can be connected to the rest of the helmet by one or more connectors 20.

The section of the comfort pad 16 may have a sliding interface provided between the section of the comfort pad 16 and the rest of the helmet 1. In this configuration, the section of the comfort pad 16 can provide a function similar to the function of the pad 15 in the configuration shown in FIG. 6. The options discussed above for providing a sliding interface between a pad and a helmet are also applicable to the sliding interface between the section of the comfort pad and the helmet.

It should also be understood that the configuration of FIG. 7 (ie, a plurality of independent installation sections of the comfort pad 16 that provide a sliding interface between the section of the comfort pad 16 and the rest of the helmet) can be used with any form of helmet (Including helmets such as those depicted in Figures 1 to 5 that also have a sliding interface provided between two other parts of the helmet).

Except that the inner shell 14 is applied to the cushion 15 (in FIG. 8) or the comfort pad 16 (in FIG. 9), FIGS. 8 and 9 show configurations equivalent to the configurations of FIGS. 6 and 7. As far as FIG. 9 is concerned, compared with the substantially full-shell configuration of FIGS. 6 to 8, the inner shell 14 may be only a part of the shell or a plurality of sections of the shell. In fact, in both FIGS. 8 and 9, the inner shell 14 can also characterize a relatively hard coating on the cushion 15 or the comfort cushion 16. As far as FIGS. 6 and 7 are concerned, the inner shell 14 is formed of a relatively hard material (ie, a material harder than the energy absorbing layer 3). For example, the material can be PTFE, ABS, PVC, PC, nylon, PFA, EEP, PE, and UHMWPE. The material can be combined to the outer side of the pad 15 or the comfort pad 16 to simplify the manufacturing process. This bonding can be done by any means, such as by adhesives or by high frequency welding or stitching. In an alternative configuration, the inner shell 14 may be formed of a fabric material coated with a low friction material as appropriate.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, a low friction interface is provided between the inner shell 14 and the energy absorbing layer 3. This can be implemented by appropriately selecting at least one of the material used to form the outer surface of the energy absorbing layer 3 or the material used to form the inner shell 14. Alternatively or in addition, a low-friction coating may be applied to at least one of the opposed surfaces of the inner shell 14 and the energy absorbing layer 3. Alternatively or in addition, a lubricant may be applied to at least one of the opposed surfaces of the inner shell 14 and the energy absorbing layer 3.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, at least one connector 20 can be connected to the inner shell 14. Alternatively or in addition, one or more of the connectors 20 may be connected to another part of the remaining part of the connector pad 15 or the comfort pad 16.

In another configuration, the connector can be used with a helmet 1 of the type shown in FIG. 10. The helmet shown in Figure 10 has a configuration similar to the configuration discussed above with respect to Figures 1, 2, 3A, and 3B. In particular, the helmet has a relatively hard shell 2 and an energy absorbing layer 3 that are configured to slide relative to each other. At least one connector 20 can be connected to the housing 2 and the energy absorbing layer 3. Alternatively, the connector may be connected to one or more intermediate sliding layers associated with one or both of the housing 2 and the energy absorbing layer 3, which provide low friction.

In yet another configuration, the connector can be used with a helmet 1 of the type shown in FIG. 11. The helmet shown in Figure 11 has a configuration similar to the configuration discussed above with respect to Figure 3B. In particular, the helmet has a relatively hard shell 2 and an energy absorbing layer 3 that are configured to slide relative to each other, and the energy absorbing layer 3 is divided into an outer part 3A and an inner part 3B. At least one connector 20 can be connected to the outer part 3A and the inner part 3B of the energy absorbing layer 3. Alternatively, the connector may be connected to one or more intermediate sliding layers associated with one or both of the outer part 3A and the inner part 3B of the energy absorbing layer 3, which provides low friction.

Figure 12 depicts yet another alternative configuration of a helmet 1. In this configuration, one or more outer panels 17 can be mounted to a helmet 1 having at least one energy absorbing layer 3 and a relatively hard layer 2 formed on the outside of the energy absorbing layer 3. It should be understood that this configuration of the outer panel 17 can be added to any helmet according to any of the configurations discussed above (ie, having a sliding interface between at least two layers of the helmet 1).

The outer plate 17 can provide a low friction between the outer surface of the relatively hard layer 2 and at least a part of the surface of the outer plate 17 in contact with the outer surface of the relatively hard layer 2 under at least one of the outer plates 17 impact One way to install the interface to the relatively hard layer 2. In some configurations, an intermediate low friction layer may be provided between the hard layer 2 and the plate 17.

In addition, the way of installing the outer plate 17 is such that under an impact on one of the outer plates 17, the outer plate 17 can slide across the relatively hard layer 2 (or the middle low-friction layer). Each outer panel 17 can be connected to the rest of the helmet 1 by one or more connectors 20.

In this configuration, if the helmet 1 is subjected to an impact, it can be expected that the impact will occur on one or a limited number of outer panels 17. Therefore, by configuring the helmet, one or more outer panels 17 can move relative to the relatively hard layer 2 and any outer panels 17 that have not been subjected to an impact, and the impact-receiving surface (ie, one or a limited number of outer panels 17 ) Can move relative to the rest of the helmet 1. For an oblique or omnidirectional impact, this can reduce the transfer of rotational force to the rest of the helmet. This in turn can reduce the rotational acceleration applied to the brain of a wearer of the helmet and/or reduce brain damage.

A possible configuration of the connector 20 will now be described. For convenience, the connector will generally be described as connecting a shell of a helmet to an energy absorbing layer, such as shown in FIG. 11. However, it should be understood that the connector 20 can be used to connect any two parts of a device (such as any of the layers described above) together. In addition, when the connector 20 is described below as having a first component connected to a first part (for example, a housing) of a device and a second part connected to a second part of a device (for example, an energy absorbing layer) When making components, it should be understood that this can be reversed with appropriate modifications.

13 to 15 show different views of a first exemplary connector 20 according to the present invention. As explained above, the connector 20 is used to connect the inner and outer layers of a device (such as a helmet).

The connector 20 generally includes an anchor point 21 that is configured to connect to an energy absorbing layer 3 of a helmet and/or an intermediate low friction layer 4 associated with the energy absorbing layer 3. The connector 20 further includes an elastic portion 22 configured to at least partially surround the anchor point 21 and connect to the anchor point 21 around a first axis A extending in a first direction. A peripheral portion 23 of the connector 20 is configured to at least partially surround the elastic portion 22 and be connected to the elastic portion 22 around a second axis B extending in the first direction. The peripheral portion 23 is also configured to connect to the outer shell 2 of the helmet. The elastic portion 22 is configured to deform to allow the anchor point 21 to move relative to the peripheral portion 23 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

The anchor point 21 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 includes a through hole for attaching a fastener (such as a pin, bolt, or the like). However, alternative configurations are possible. For example, the anchor points 21 can be connected to the energy absorbing layer 3 by glue, a hook and loop configuration, or a magnet instead. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the anchor point 21 may be formed in a part of the material forming the elastic portion 22. Alternatively, the anchor point 21 may be formed of a relatively rigid material connected to the material forming the elastic portion 22 or integrated with the material forming the elastic portion 22 (shown in FIG. 41 and an example of this configuration will be further described below). It should be understood that the term "anchor point" generally refers to any structure that is configured to attach (or anchor) the connector 20 to a part of the helmet 1. However, in some embodiments, the anchor point 21 may be relatively smaller than the connector 20 so as to be substantially positioned at a point on the connector 20 (for example, a point on the first axis A).

The peripheral portion 23 is mainly provided for connecting the connector 20 to the housing 2. However, the peripheral portion 23 can also provide the strength and stability of the connector 20. Therefore, the peripheral portion 23 may be formed of a material that is relatively rigid than the material forming the elastic portion 22. The rigid material may be configured to maintain its shape under an impact on one of the helmets 1, while the elastic portion 22 deforms under the same impact. The rigid material can be, for example, PTFE, ABS, PVC, PC, nylon, PFA, EEP, PE, UHMWPE, and metals.

As shown in FIGS. 13-15, the peripheral portion 23 may have a substantially annular shape. Therefore, the peripheral portion 23 defines a central area surrounded by an annulus. The ring shape shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 is an example of a connector 20 in which the peripheral portion 23 forms a closed loop surrounding a central area. However, other examples may have different shapes, such as rectangles, squares, triangles, or any other arbitrary shapes. In addition, in other examples, the peripheral portion 23 may not be closed around a central area, but still surround the central area. The second axis B may pass through the center of the central area, such as the center of the annular peripheral portion 23.

As shown in Figure 15, the peripheral portion 23 may be substantially flat. In other words, the peripheral portion 23 may have a thickness that is relatively smaller than its length and width. The length and width directions can define a plane (horizontal in FIG. 15), where the thickness direction (vertical in FIG. 15) is perpendicular to the plane. The thickness direction corresponds to the first direction defined above.

The peripheral portion 23 may have a substantially flat lower surface. This surface can be configured to connect to the inner shell 3. The flat surface may be in a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

As shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, the elastic portion 22 extends across the central area of the connector 20. In other words, the elastic part 22 extends from one part of the peripheral part 23 to another part. In this example, the elastic portion 22 is provided in a plurality of sections separated by gaps. Specifically, in this example, there are 4 sections forming an X shape. The anchor point 21 is located at the center of the X shape, but this is not essential. More generally, the segments of the elastic portion 22 may extend in a radial direction relative to the first axis A surrounded by the elastic portion 22. In addition, the elastic portion 22 may have rotational symmetry around the first axis A. Any number of sections can be provided.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, the first axis A passes through the anchor point 21. In this example, the first axis A and the second axis B coincide. In other words, the two axes are the same. However, this is not essential. In this example, the peripheral portion 23 and the elastic portion 22 have rotational symmetry around the coincident first axis and the second axis.

In the example shown in FIGS. 13-15, one part of the material forming the elastic portion 22 extends above the top of the peripheral portion 23 (ie, on the side of the housing instead of the energy absorbing layer) and the other part surrounds the peripheral portion twenty three. This helps to provide a firm connection between the elastic portion 22 and the peripheral portion 23. In addition, the elastic portion 22 can be integrally formed with the peripheral portion 23 by, for example, co-molding different materials together.

13 to 15 show the exemplary connector 20 when the elastic portion 22 is in an undeformed state. In this undeformed state, the elastic portion 22 is substantially flat. In other words, the elastic portion 22 does not substantially protrude from the peripheral portion 23 in the first (thickness) direction.

FIG. 16 shows the connector 20 of FIGS. 13 to 15 when the connector 20 is connected to the shell 2 of the helmet 1 but before the connector 20 is connected to the energy absorbing layer 3. It can be seen that the elastic portion 22 is still in its undeformed state.

As shown in FIG. 16, the connector 20 is positioned on one of the outer sides of the housing 2. In other words, the peripheral portion 23 is disposed on the side of the casing 2 opposite to the sliding interface (which is between the casing and the energy absorbing layer 3). A through hole is provided in the housing 2 to allow connection to the energy absorbing layer 3. As shown in Fig. 16, a groove 2A is provided in the housing to accommodate the peripheral portion of the connector. This groove 2A is not essential, but it prevents lateral movement on the connector 20. Other mechanisms (some examples of which will be described below) may be used instead or in addition to anchor the peripheral portion 23. In addition, the energy absorbing layer 3 includes a groove on the side facing the sliding interface. In other configurations (for example, with a thicker shell 2), the groove facing the sliding interface can be replaced or additionally provided in the shell 2.

Figure 17 shows the connector 20 of Figures 13 to 15 when the connector 20 is connected to both the shell 2 and the energy absorbing layer 3 of the helmet 1 (via the low friction layer 4 associated with the energy absorbing layer 3). When connected, the elastic portion 22 is configured to protrude from the peripheral portion 23 through the housing 2 in the first direction.

It can be seen from FIG. 17 that when connected, the elastic portion 22 assumes a deformed state. The elastic portion 22 can be further deformed to allow the anchor point 21 to move relative to the peripheral portion 23 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

As shown in Figure 17, the anchor point 21 includes a fastener 24 in the form of a pin. In this example, the buckle pin passes through the through hole of the anchor point 21 and is buckled with a corresponding part (in this case, the part of the low friction layer 4) associated with the energy absorbing layer 3.

Figures 18 and 19 show a second exemplary connector 20. This connector 20 is similar to the first exemplary connector 20 in many respects. Therefore, the main differences will be described. As shown in FIG. 18, the elastic portion 22 of the second exemplary connector has three sections instead of four. The three sections form a Y shape. In addition, the material forming the elastic portion 22 extends below the peripheral portion 23 rather than above the top.

Figures 20 and 21 show a third exemplary connector 20. This connector 20 is similar to the first exemplary connector 20 in many respects. Therefore, the main differences will be described. As shown in FIG. 20, the elastic portion 22 of the third exemplary connector covers the entire central area. Specifically, the elastic portion 22 is a section rather than a plurality of sections with gaps between them. In other words, the elastic portion 22 is substantially disc-shaped. In other examples in which the peripheral portion is not annular, the elastic portion 22 may be substantially formed as a piece of material. In addition, although the elastic portion 22 still extends above the top of the peripheral portion 23, it no longer surrounds the peripheral portion 23. However, in other examples, it may surround the peripheral portion 23.

Due to the disc shape, the overlap with the top of the peripheral portion 23 is relatively large, so that the elastic portion 22 is appropriately fixed to the peripheral portion 23. This configuration has the benefit that the central area is covered to prevent the entry of useless materials.

Figures 22 and 23 show a fourth exemplary connector. This connector 20 is similar to the third exemplary connector 20 in many respects. Therefore, the main differences will be described. As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the material forming the elastic portion 22 extends below the peripheral portion rather than above the top. In addition, the material forming the elastic portion 22 completely covers the peripheral portion on one side instead of only partially covering the peripheral portion. This provides a stronger attachment between the elastic portion 22 and the peripheral portion 23.

Figures 24 to 26 show a fifth exemplary connector 20. This connector is a type different from the type shown in FIGS. 13-23. Although the examples shown in FIGS. 13 to 23 are of the type in which the elastic portion 22 is substantially flat in an undeformed state, this does not apply to the cases of the type shown in FIGS. 24 to 26. In contrast, the elastic portion 22 of the fifth exemplary connector 20 protrudes from the peripheral portion 23 in the first direction in the undeformed state (for example, when not connected to the helmet 1).

Despite the foregoing, the fifth exemplary connector 20 is similar to the first exemplary connector 20 in most respects. Therefore, further major differences will be described. As shown in Figure 26, the material forming the elastic portion 22 extends below the peripheral portion 23 rather than above the top.

FIGS. 28 and 29 show the connector 20 of FIGS. 24 to 26 when the connector 20 is connected to the outer shell 2 and the energy absorbing layer 3 of the helmet 1. Figures 28 and 29 show basically the same things, but the helmet of Figure 28 includes a visible low-friction layer 4, while the low-friction layer 4 is not visible in Figure 29. It should be noted that in the example of FIG. 28, a through hole is provided in the low friction layer 4 and the connector 20 is directly connected between the outer shell 2 and the inner shell 3 through the through hole.

Like the previous exemplary connector 20, when connected, the elastic portion 22 of this example is configured to protrude from the peripheral portion 23 through the housing 2 in the first direction. Therefore, when the elastic portion 22 is connected, it substantially maintains its undeformed state. However, some deformation can occur. The elastic portion 22 can be deformed (or further deformed) to allow the anchor point 21 to move relative to the peripheral portion 23 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

The connection configuration shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 is similar to the connection configuration shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. However, it should be noted that no groove 2A is provided in this configuration. In addition, the anchor point (via the pin 24) is directly connected to the energy absorbing layer 3 instead of via the low friction layer 4.

Figures 30 to 32 show a sixth exemplary connector 20. The connector 20 is similar to the fifth exemplary connector 20 in many respects. Therefore, the main differences will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 30 to 32, the peripheral portion 23 of the connector 20 of the sixth example includes a protrusion 23 that extends substantially radially with respect to the second axis B. As shown in FIG.

In addition, the connector 20 includes an insert 26 that is configured to be embedded in the peripheral portion 23. The insert 26 is made of a rigid material (such as the material described above with respect to the peripheral portion 23 of the previous example) and is configured to prevent the peripheral portion 23 from being deformed and/or displaced. Therefore, the peripheral portion 23 of this example is formed of an elastic material (for example, an elastic material that forms the elastic portion 22 of the connector 20). As in this example, the insert 26 may be configured to be embedded in the protrusion of the peripheral portion 23.

As shown in the figure, the insert 26 may include a central portion substantially in shape corresponding to the central area defined by the peripheral portion 23 and a protrusion from the central portion substantially corresponding in shape to the protrusion of the peripheral portion 23. This configuration has the additional benefit of covering the central area to prevent the entry of useless materials.

FIG. 27 shows a seventh example connector 20. As shown in FIG. In this example, the peripheral portion includes a buckle portion 25 for connecting with the housing 2. The engaging portion 25 extends from below the peripheral portion 23 in the first direction. The buckling portion 25 is configured to buckle around the edge of the through hole in the housing 2. This is an example of a mechanism for anchoring the peripheral portion 23 to the housing 2.

Figures 33 and 35 show an eighth exemplary connector 20. In this example, the peripheral portion 23 includes protrusions 27 (two in this case, but can be any number) extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (for example, the radial direction with respect to the second axis B). ). As shown in FIG. 35, the protrusion 27 is configured to protrude under a part of the housing 2. This configuration can provide a snap-fit connection between the peripheral portion 23 and the housing 2. The protrusion 27 may protrude below one of the protrusions of the housing 2, as shown in the figure. However, this is not essential. This is another example of a mechanism for anchoring the peripheral portion 23 to one of the housing 2.

Figures 36 to 39 show a ninth exemplary connector. In this example, the peripheral portion 23 includes protrusions 28 (two in this case, but any number) extending obliquely with respect to the first direction. As shown in the figure, the protrusions 28 may each form a loop.

The protrusion 28 is configured to be embedded in one of the helmet layers to anchor the peripheral portion 23 to the layer. In this case, the layer should be relatively thick, so it is more likely to be the energy absorbing layer 3 rather than the shell 2, but this is not necessarily the case. Therefore, the anchor point 21 can be connected to the housing 2. Figures 37 and 38 show a cross section through this configuration. FIGS. 37 and 38 show basically the same things, but the helmet of FIG. 38 includes a low-friction layer 4, and the helmet of FIG. 37 does not include the low-friction layer 4.

In this example, the peripheral portion 23 further includes protrusions 28 (two in this case, but any number) extending perpendicular to the first direction. These can be used to position and align the connector 20 in the energy absorbing layer 3 by engaging with corresponding grooves in the energy absorbing layer, as shown in FIG. 39.

Figures 40 and 41 show a tenth exemplary connector 20. In this example, the connector 20 includes a cap 30 for covering the central area to prevent useless materials from entering. The cap 30 is connected to the peripheral portion 23 via a hinge 31. The cap also includes a snap-on connector 32 that is configured to engage with a corresponding portion 33 of the peripheral portion. The cap 30, the hinge 31 and the snap connector 32 can be integrally formed with each other and with the peripheral portion 23.

The tenth exemplary connector 20 further includes protrusions 29 (two in this case, but any number) extending downward in the first direction (ie, toward the energy absorbing layer 3). These can be used to position and align the connector 20 in the housing 2 by engaging with corresponding grooves in the housing 2.

In addition, the anchor point 21 of this example includes a one-piece molded fastener in the form of a buckle pin 24. The buckle pin 24 may be formed of a rigid material (for example, the same material as the rigid peripheral portion 23). For example, the material of the buckle pin 24 and the material forming the elastic portion 22 may be molded together.

Figures 42 to 44 show an eleventh exemplary connector 20. In this example, a cap 30 is provided again. However, the cap 30 is not permanently connected to the peripheral portion via a hinge 31. Instead, the cap 30 is provided as a separate component. In this example, the peripheral portion 23 includes snap connectors (two in this case, but any number) that are configured to engage with the corresponding portion 33 of the cap 30.

FIGS. 45 and 46 show the twelfth and thirteenth example connectors 20 with alternative configurations of anchor points 21. In these examples, the anchor point 21 is formed of a relatively hard material (for example, the same material as the peripheral portion 23). This can be co-molded with, for example, the material forming the elastic portion 22. As shown in FIG. 45, the anchor point 21 includes a circular through hole. As shown in FIG. 46, the anchor point 21 includes a substantially circular through hole with one of further (eg, four) cut portions extending radially from the circular portion (eg, to form a cross shape). In both cases, the through hole may be configured to snap to one of the buckles associated with the layer attached to the through hole (e.g., the energy absorbing layer 3).

Figures 47 and 48 show a fourteenth exemplary connector 20. As shown in the figure, the basic structure of the connector is similar to the connector shown in FIG. 20. As shown in Figure 47, the connector 20 includes a protrusion 27 from the peripheral portion 23 that is configured to provide a snap connection with one of the layers of the device to which the protrusion is attached.

As depicted in the cross-section shown in Figure 48, the anchor point 21 of the connector 20 includes a pin fastener 24 that is configured to attach to another layer of the device. In this example, the buckle pin 24 includes a collar or flange 24 a surrounding the buckle pin 24. This flange 24a helps to correctly fix the pin fastener 24 to the layer of the device.

Figures 49 and 50 show a fifteenth exemplary connector 20. As shown in the figure, the connector 20 is similar to the connector in FIGS. 24-27 in many respects. However, as shown in the figure, the elastic portion 22 of the fifteenth exemplary connector covers the entire central area. In addition, the elastic part 22 is disposed above the top of the peripheral part 23. In addition, the anchor point 21 includes a pin 24.

Figures 51 and 52 show a sixteenth exemplary connector 20. As shown in the figure, the connector 20 is similar in many respects to the example connectors shown in FIGS. 49 and 50. However, the elastic part 22 is provided below the peripheral part 23. In addition, the elastic portion 22 includes a collar or flange portion 22 a surrounding the elastic portion 22. The flange portion 22 a defines a gap between itself and the peripheral portion 23. This gap is configured to accommodate a portion of the layer of the device connected to the peripheral portion 23. This helps to properly secure the connector to the device.

Figure 53 shows a seventeenth exemplary connector. As shown in the figure, the anchor point 21 includes two arms 21a extending in mutually different directions. As shown in the figure, the arm 21a may extend perpendicular to the first axis A. The arm may be configured to fit through a hole in the layer attached to the anchor point, and then extend to prevent the connector 20 from disconnecting from the layer. Therefore, the arm may be formed of an elastic material (for example, the same material as the elastic portion 22).

Figure 54 shows an example shell 2 of a helmet that is configured to be used with any of the connectors 20 described above. The housing 2 includes a groove 2A described above for accommodating a connector. In this example, the groove 2A is at least partially defined by a peripheral ridge 2B. The groove 2A further includes a hole 2C through which the connector 20 passes to connect to another layer of the device. Although Figure 54 shows the housing 2 as a single section, in other examples, the housing may be divided into multiple sections, each of which is configured to slide independently of each other. Therefore, one or more connectors 20 will be provided to each section.

Fig. 55 shows an exemplary helmet including the outer shell 2 shown in Fig. 54 with a plurality of connectors 20 connecting the outer shell 2 to an inner layer of the helmet. As shown in the figure, different types of connectors 20 can be used in different positions on the helmet. In some examples, the inner surface of the outer shell 2 and the outer surface of the inner layer of the helmet may each have a substantially spherical surface to improve the sliding between the layers.

FIG. 56 shows another exemplary helmet 1 including a connector 20. As shown in FIG. In this example, the helmet 1 has a configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 11. That is, the helmet 1 includes an outer shell and an energy absorbing layer formed into two parts (outer and inner) 3A and 3B that are configured to slide relative to each other. The inner part 3B of the energy absorbing layer includes a (low friction) sliding layer 4 at one of its outer surfaces. In this exemplary helmet, the connector 20 connects the two parts 3A, 3B to allow sliding.

Fig. 57 shows a close-up view of a connection configuration of the helmet 1 of Fig. 56. A groove 3C is provided in the portion 3B to accommodate the connector 20, in particular, the peripheral portion 23 of the connector 20. A through hole is provided in the groove 3C to allow the anchor point 21 of the connector 20 to be attached to the portion 3A. The width of the through hole is smaller than the width of the groove 3C, so that the connector 20 is supported in the groove 3C by the material surrounding the through hole. In this example, this material is part of the sliding layer 4. However, in other examples, the energy absorbing material may perform this function.

In the above example, the anchor point 21 includes a pin 24. As shown in FIG. 57, the portion 3A includes a portion 40 for engaging with the buckle pin 24, specifically, a buckle bracket. The snap bracket 40 is shown in more detail in FIG. 58. The buckle bracket 40 generally includes a main body 41 and a hole 42. The hole 42 may be formed so that the shape of the hole 42 can be changed to snap around the buckle pin 24 after being inserted. The main body 41 may be flat or concave, as shown in the figure. As shown in the figure, the buckle bracket 40 may also include one or more protrusions 43 from the main body 41 that are configured to be embedded with the portion 3A to anchor the buckle bracket in place. As shown in the figure, the protrusions 43 can be interconnected to form a single structure.

Generally speaking, the aforementioned connector 20 may be configured such that the peripheral portion is substantially located in a plane parallel to the layer attached to the peripheral portion (ie, a plane substantially perpendicular to the radial direction of a helmet). The aforementioned first axis and/or second axis may be configured to extend substantially in the radial direction of a helmet. The connector 20 can allow relative movement between layers that are substantially perpendicular to the radial direction of a helmet.

The various configurations for anchoring the peripheral portion 23 in the housing 2 are described above. However, alternatively, the peripheral portion 23 may be part of the housing 2 or integrally formed with the housing 2. For example, the central area may be formed by one of the through holes in the housing 2 so that the edge of the through hole may be regarded as the peripheral portion 23. The elastic member 22 may be attached to the housing 2 or integrated with the housing 2 (e.g., co-molded with the housing 2). In another example, the housing 2 may be molded around the connector 20 or co-molded with the connector 20 such that the connector 20 is embedded in the housing 2.

It should be understood that the features of each of the above examples can be combined. For example, any of the above examples can be modified to include features described with respect to any other of the examples. For example, any of the different configurations of the peripheral portion 23 and/or the elastic portion 22 can be interchanged. In addition, any of the configurations for aligning or anchoring the peripheral portion in the housing 2 can be used with any of the described connectors 20 and in combination with other configurations. In addition, any of the connectors may be modified to include any type of cap 30. In addition, any type of fastening member can be used to connect the anchor point 21 of any of the above-mentioned connectors to the helmet 1.

1: First helmet 2: Outer shell 2': Inner layer 2'': Outer layer 2A: Groove 2B: Peripheral ridge 2C: Hole 3: Inner shell/energy absorbing layer 3': Inner layer 3'': Outer layer 3A: Outer Part 3B: Internal Part 3C: Groove 4: Sliding Layer/Low Friction Layer/Slip Accelerator 5: Connecting Member/Fixed Member 5a: Fixed Member/Suspended Member 5b: Fixed Member/Suspended Member 5c: Fixed Member/Suspended Hanging member 5d: fixed member/suspension member 6: middle shell/adjusting device 7: vent 8: first part 9: second part 10: head 11: longitudinal axis 12: displacement 13: interface layer/attachment device 14: Inner shell 15: Helmet pad 16: Comfort pad 17: Outer panel 20: Connector 21: Anchor point 21a: Arm 22: Elastic part/Elastic member 22a: Flange part 23: Peripheral part/Protrusion 24: Fastener / Buckle pin 24a: Flange 25: Fastening part 26: Insert 27: Protruding part 28: Protruding part 29: Protruding part 30: Cap 31: Hinge 32: Fastening connector 33: Part 40: Part/ Snap support Frame 41: main body 42: hole 43: protrusion A: first axis B: second axis I: front oblique impact K: oblique impact K _R : radial force K _T : tangential force

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 depicts a cross-section through a helmet used to provide protection against oblique impact;

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the functional principle of the helmet of Figure 1;

Figure 3A, Figure 3B and Figure 3C show a modification of the structure of the helmet of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 schematically depict another configuration of a helmet;

Figures 6-9 schematically depict further configurations of the helmet;

Figure 10 schematically depicts another configuration of a helmet;

Figure 11 schematically depicts another configuration of a helmet;

Figure 12 schematically depicts another configuration of a helmet;

Figure 13 shows a first view of a first exemplary connector;

Figure 14 shows a second view of a first exemplary connector;

Figure 15 shows a third view of a first exemplary connector;

Figure 16 shows a connection configuration including a first exemplary connector;

Figure 17 shows a connection configuration including a first exemplary connector;

Figure 18 shows a first view of a second exemplary connector;

Figure 19 shows a second view of a second exemplary connector;

Figure 20 shows a first view of a third exemplary connector;

Figure 21 shows a second view of a third exemplary connector;

Figure 22 shows a first view of a fourth exemplary connector;

Figure 23 shows a second view of a fourth exemplary connector;

Figure 24 shows a first view of a fifth exemplary connector;

Figure 25 shows a second view of a fifth exemplary connector;

Figure 26 shows a third view of a fifth exemplary connector;

Figure 27 shows a first view of a seventh exemplary connector;

Figure 28 shows a connection configuration including a fifth exemplary connector;

Figure 29 shows another connection configuration including a fifth exemplary connector;

Figure 30 shows a first view of a sixth exemplary connector;

Figure 31 shows a second view of a sixth exemplary connector;

Figure 32 shows a third view of a sixth exemplary connector;

Figure 33 shows a first view of an eighth exemplary connector;

Figure 34 shows a second view of an eighth exemplary connector;

Figure 35 shows a connection configuration including an eighth exemplary connector;

Figure 36 shows a first view of a ninth exemplary connector;

Figure 37 shows a connection configuration including a ninth exemplary connector;

Figure 38 shows another connection configuration including a ninth exemplary connector;

Figure 39 shows another connection configuration including a ninth exemplary connector;

Figure 40 shows a first view of a tenth exemplary connector;

Figure 41 shows a second view of a tenth exemplary connector;

Figure 42 shows a first view of an eleventh exemplary connector;

Figure 43 shows a second view of an eleventh exemplary connector;

Figure 44 shows a third view of an eleventh exemplary connector;

Figure 45 shows a twelfth exemplary connector;

Figure 46 shows a thirteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 47 shows a first view of a fourteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 48 shows a second view of a fourteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 49 shows a first view of a fifteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 50 shows a second view of a fifteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 51 shows a first view of a sixteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 52 shows a second view of a sixteenth exemplary connector;

Figure 53 shows a seventeenth exemplary connector;

Figure 54 shows an example helmet shell;

Figure 55 shows an example helmet;

Figure 56 shows another example helmet;

Figure 57 shows a connection configuration in another exemplary helmet;

Figure 58 shows a bracket for receiving a latch.

The ratio of the thickness of the various layers in the helmet depicted in the figure has been enlarged in the figure for clarity and can of course be adjusted according to needs and requirements.

20: Connector

21: anchor point

22: Elastic part / elastic member

23: Peripheral part

Claims (28)

A connector for connecting an inner layer and an outer layer of a device. The connector includes: an anchor point configured to be connected to one of the inner layer and the outer layer; and an elastic part configured to surround A first axis extending in a first direction at least partially encloses the anchor point and is connected to the anchor point; a peripheral portion configured to at least partially enclose the anchor point around a second axis extending in the first direction The elastic portion is connected to the elastic portion and is configured to be connected to the other of the inner layer and the outer layer; wherein the elastic portion is configured to connect the connector to one of the inner layer and the outer layer In the connected state, it protrudes from the peripheral portion in the first direction and deforms to allow the anchor point to move relative to the peripheral portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Such as the connector of claim 1, wherein in an undeformed state, the elastic portion is substantially flat, and the connection state is a deformed state of the elastic portion. Such as the connector of claim 1, wherein in an undeformed state, the elastic portion protrudes from the peripheral portion in the first direction. Such as the connector of claim 2 or 3, wherein the elastic portion extends across a central area of the connector surrounded by the peripheral area. Such as the connector of claim 4, wherein the elastic part substantially covers the entire central area. Such as the connector of claim 4, wherein the elastic portion includes a plurality of sections with gaps between them. The connector of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sections extend in a radial direction relative to the first axis. Such as the connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the peripheral part forms a closed loop. The connector of claim 8, wherein the peripheral portion is substantially ring-shaped and the second axis passes through the center of the peripheral portion. Such as the connector of claim 9, wherein the anchor point is aligned with the first axis. Such as the connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first axis and the second axis coincide. Such as the connector of claim 11, wherein the elastic part and the peripheral part have rotational symmetry around the coincident first axis and the second axis. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the peripheral portion is formed of a rigid material. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an insert formed of a rigid material, the insert being configured to be embedded in the peripheral portion to prevent deformation of the peripheral portion. Such as the connector of claim 14, wherein the peripheral part is formed of an elastic material. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elastic part and the peripheral part are integrally formed. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the anchor point includes a snap-on connector that is configured to snap with the inner layer or the outer layer. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, which further includes a cap configured to cover a central area of the connector surrounded by the peripheral area to prevent useless materials from entering the central area. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 3, which further includes a protrusion connected to the peripheral area and configured to anchor the peripheral portion in the inner or outer layer. A device for providing impact protection, comprising: an inner layer; an outer layer; a sliding interface between the inner layer and the outer layer; and Such as the connector of any one of claims 1 to 19, which is connected to the inner layer and the outer layer to allow relative sliding between the inner layer and the outer layer at the sliding interface in response to an impact on the device . Such as the device of claim 20, wherein the peripheral part is disposed on one side of the inner or outer layer connected to the peripheral part and opposite to the sliding interface, and the elastic part protrudes through the inner or outer layer. Such as the device of claim 21, wherein the peripheral portion is disposed in one of the grooves in the inner layer or the outer layer connected with the peripheral portion. Such as the equipment of any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the equipment is a helmet. The device of claim 23, wherein the outer layer is a hard shell and the inner layer is an energy absorbing layer. The device of claim 23, wherein the inner layer is a hard shell and the outer layer includes one or more boards connected to the hard shell. Such as the device of claim 23, wherein both the inner layer and the outer layer are energy absorbing layers. The device of claim 23, wherein the outer layer is an energy absorbing layer and the inner layer is configured to interface with an interface layer of a wearer's head. Such as the device of claim 26, wherein the interface layer includes comfort padding.

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