Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42C—MANUFACTURING OR TRIMMING HEAD COVERINGS, e.g. HATS
  • A42C2/00—Manufacturing helmets by processes not otherwise provided for
  • A42C2/002—In-mould forming
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
  • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
  • A42B3/06—Impact-absorbing shells, e.g. of crash helmets
  • A42B3/066—Impact-absorbing shells, e.g. of crash helmets specially adapted for cycling helmets, e.g. for soft shelled helmets

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method of manufacturing sports helmets and, in particular, to the method of manufacturing infusion in-mould helmets.
• sports helmets such as bicycle helmets, skate helmets, snow helmets, climbing helmets, and riding helmets
• a harder outer shell and a softer shock absorbing inner shell are more or less the same with a harder outer shell and a softer shock absorbing inner shell.
• higher-end helmets are integrally formed having a thin polycarbonate outer shell with the softer inner shell material injected into the outer shell so that the two parts are formed together. When impact occurs, the light harder shell and softer inner shell work together to absorb the shock.
• Such types of helmet are commonly called in-mold.
• outer helmets are usually made of costly polycarbonate.
• manufacturers are forced to consider cheaper materials instead.
• PVC, PET, and PETG are potential substitutes. Nevertheless, these cheaper substitutes cannot withstand high temperatures during the forming process. The forming process thus has to be done at lower temperatures. But using normal processes, when forming at lower temperatures, the outer shell and inner shell cannot bond together.
• an objective of the invention is to provide in-mould helmet formed using lower temperatures but still creating an integral bond between the two shell materials.
• Plastic shell material that cannot withstand high temperatures such as PVC, PET, PETG and others
• PVC, PET, PETG and others is first printed and then thermoformed. And then the vents and the edges are trimmed to form an outer helmet.
• the outer helmet is then pressed together with a pre-formed inner helmet in a molding machine. They are integrally formed into a sports helmet at lower pressure, lower temperature, and shorter time.
• the invention is implemented as follows. Outer shell material that cannot withstand high temperatures (e.g., 90° C. or more), such PVC, PET, and PETG, is formed on thermo vacuuming machine. Afterwards, it is made into an outer helmet after printing, plastic removal, edge cutting, hole drilling, and so on.
• high temperatures e.g. 90° C. or more
• the PVC, PET, or PETG outer helmet thus formed is pressed together with a pre-formed inner liner (normally made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) or similar materials) in a molding machine. They are integrally formed into a sports helmet at lower pressure (0.5 ⁇ 0.1 bar), lower temperature (110 ⁇ 2° C.), and shorter time (168 ⁇ 5 sec).
• EPS expanded polystyrene
• the infusion in-mould helmet formed according to the above-mentioned method can have the same or similar appearance, functions, collision protection, and shock absorption as the conventional expensive polycarbonate outer helmet.
• the above-mentioned infusion in-mould helmet can prevent the problem of deformation due to direct sunlight as opposed to when the PVC, PET, or PETG outer shell is combined with the EPS inner helmet by glue or tape.

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Publications (1)

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Cited By (6)

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Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2008
  • 2008-08-20 TW TW097131670A patent/TW201008513A/zh unknown
• 2009
  • 2009-08-19 US US12/461,627 patent/US20100043127A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-08-19 EP EP09010687A patent/EP2156761B1/fr active Active

Patent Citations (10)

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