US20230082409A1

US20230082409A1 - Helmet Sizing Assembly

Info

Publication number: US20230082409A1
Application number: US17/475,874
Authority: US
Inventors: Darwin Summers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-09-15
Filing date: 2021-09-15
Publication date: 2023-03-16

Abstract

A helmet sizing assembly for adjusting the size of a helmet includes a plurality of helmet liners that each has a dome shape to conform to an inside of a helmet. The plurality of helmet liners has a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size. In this way a selected number of the plurality of helmet liners can be stacked inside each other to accommodate a variety of head sizes. Each of the helmet liners is comprised of a resiliently compressible material to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears the helmet.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to sizing devices and more particularly pertains to a new sizing device for adjusting the size of a helmet. The device includes a plurality of helmet liners, each being stackable within one another. A selected number of the helmet liners can be positioned in a helmet to reduce the size of the helmet. In this way the helmet can be worn by a user whose head is too small for the helmet. The prior art discloses a modular helmet that includes an impact core that is insertable into a helmet.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to sizing devices including a variety of helmets that include a padded interior and which includes a sizing element for tightening around a user's head. The prior art discloses an impact absorbing liner that is integrated into a helmet and which includes an adjustment for adjusting the size of the liner. The prior art discloses a helmet that includes at least two energy management liners that are positioned in the helmet and are fixed in place with penetrating fasteners.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of helmet liners that each has a dome shape to conform to an inside of a helmet. The plurality of helmet liners has a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size. In this way a selected number of the plurality of helmet liners can be stacked inside each other to accommodate a variety of head sizes. Each of the helmet liners is comprised of a resiliently compressible material to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears the helmet.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a helmet sizing assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a left side cut-away view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a plurality of helmet liners being stacked inside each other.

FIG. 6 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a helmet liner being inserted into a helmet.

FIG. 7 is a phantom in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a helmet liner being placed within a helmet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 7 thereof, a new sizing device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7 , the helmet sizing assembly 10 generally comprises a plurality of helmet liners 12 which each has a dome shape. In this way each of the helmet liners 12 can conform to an inside of a helmet 14. The helmet 14 may be a motorcycle helmet or other type of protective head gear that is intended to protect a user's head from impact injury. The plurality of helmet liners 12 has a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size. Thus, a selected number of the plurality of helmet liners 12 can be stacked inside each other. In this way the plurality of helmet liners 12 can facilitate the helmet 14 to accommodate a variety of head sizes.
Each of the helmet liners 12 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, including but not being limited to ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears the helmet 14. Each of the helmet liners 12 has an inside surface 16, an outside surface 18 and a perimeter edge 20 extending between the inside surface 16 and the outside surface 18. The outside surface 18 is convexly arcuate with respect to the perimeter edge 20, and the inside surface 16 is concavely arcuate with respect to the perimeter edge 20. Each of the helmet liners 12 may have a thickness of approximately 2.0 mm between the inside surface 16 and the outside surface 18. Additionally, the diameter of each of the helmet liners 12 may differ by approximately 0.375 inches, and the helmet liners 12 may range in size between small, medium, large and extra large.
The small helmet liner 12 may have a diameter ranging between approximately 21.625 inches and 22.0 inches. The medium helmet liner may have a diameter ranging between approximately 22.375 inches and 22.875 inches. The large helmet liner may have a diameter ranging between approximately 23.25 inches and 23.625 inches. The extra large helmet liner may have a diameter ranging between approximately 24.0 inches and 24.375 inches.
Each of the helmet liners 12 has an opening 22 extending through the outside surface 18 and the inside surface 16, and the opening 22 is aligned with an apex of the outside surface 18. In this way the opening 22 facilitates the user's head to be ventilated when one or more of the helmet liners 12 are worn on the user's head. The perimeter edge 20 has a forward portion 24 and a rearward portion 26. Additionally, the inside surface 16 of each of the helmet liners 12 has a diameter that is sufficient to conform to the outside surface 18 of a smaller one of the helmet liners 12. Each of the helmets liners 12 has an outer layer 27 that is bonded to the outside surface 18 and the outer layer 27 completely covers the outside surface 18. The outer layer 27 is comprised of a rip inhibiting material to protect the outside surface 18 from damage. As is most clearly shown in FIG. 2 , the outer layer 27 is folded over the perimeter edge 20 to extend upwardly on the inside surface 16 a distance of approximately 1.0 inch. Furthermore, the outer layer 27 may be bonded to the outside surface 18 with hot-glue or other similar type of adhesive to add structurally integrity to the helmet liners 12.
A largest one of the helmet liners 12 has a strap 28 that is coupled to and extends away from the rearward portion 26 of the perimeter edge 20 of the largest helmet liner 12. The strap 28 is centrally positioned on the rearward portion 26 and the strap 28 has a distal end 30 with respect to the perimeter edge 20, a first surface 32 and a second surface 33. Furthermore, the outer layer 27 on the largest one of the helmet liners 12 completely covers the strap 28. A pair of mating members 34 is each coupled to a receptive first surface 32 and second surface 33 of the strap 28. A respective one of the mating members 34 is positioned adjacent to the distal end 30 and a respective one of the mating members 34 is positioned adjacent to the perimeter edge 20 of the largest helmet liner 12. The strap 28 can be wrapped around all of the helmet liners 12 when the helmet liners 12 are stacked inside of each other for storage. Additionally, the strap may have a length ranging between approximately 12.0 inches and 18.0 inches.
In use, one or more of the helmet liners 12 is positioned in the helmet 14, depending on the difference between the size of the user's head and the size of the helmet 14. In this way the user can comfortably wear the helmet 14 that would otherwise be too large to wear. Thus, a passenger on a motorcycle, for example, can wear an extra helmet provided by the driver of the motorcycle when the extra helmet is too large for the passenger. Additionally, the helmet liners 12 facilitate the helmet 14 to protect the user's head from impact injury even though the helmet 14 may be too large for the user.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

I claim:

1. A helmet sizing assembly for adjusting the size of a helmet for a user's head, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of helmet liners, each of said helmet liners having a dome shape wherein each of said helmet liners is configured to conform to an inside of a helmet, said plurality of helmet liners having a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size thereby facilitating a selected number of said plurality of helmet liners to be stacked inside each other wherein said plurality of helmet liners is configured to facilitate the helmet to accommodate a variety of head sizes, each of said helmet liners being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein each of said helmet liners is configured to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears the helmet.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said helmet liners has an inside surface, an outside surface and a perimeter edge extending between said inside surface and said outside surface, said outside surface being convexly arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge, said inside surface being concavely arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge; and

each of said helmet liners has an opening extending through said outside surface and said inside surface, said opening being aligned with an apex of said outside surface.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein:

said perimeter edge has a forward portion and a rearward portion; and

a largest one of said helmet liners having a strap extending downwardly from said rearward portion of said perimeter edge, said strap being centrally positioned on said rearward portion, said strap having a distal end with respect to said perimeter edge, said strap being matable to itself thereby facilitating said strap to be wrapped around said plurality of helmet liners when said plurality of helmet liners is stacked inside of each other for storage.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said inside surface of each of said helmet liners has a diameter being sufficient to conform to said outside surface of a smaller one of said helmet liners.

5. A helmet sizing assembly for adjusting the size of a helmet for a user's head, said assembly comprising:

a plurality of helmet liners, each of said helmet liners having a dome shape wherein each of said helmet liners is configured to conform to an inside of a helmet, said plurality of helmet liners having a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size thereby facilitating a selected number of said plurality of helmet liners to be stacked inside each other wherein said plurality of helmet liners is configured to facilitate the helmet to accommodate a variety of head sizes, each of said helmet liners being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein each of said helmet liners is configured to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears the helmet, each of said helmet liners having an inside surface, an outside surface and a perimeter edge extending between said inside surface and said outside surface, said outside surface being convexly arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge, said inside surface being concavely arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge, each of said helmet liners having an opening extending through said outside surface and said inside surface, said opening being aligned with an apex of said outside surface, said perimeter edge having a forward portion and a rearward portion, each of said helmet liners having an outer layer being bonded to said outside surface, said outer layer completely covering said outside surface, said outer layer being comprised of a rip inhibiting material wherein said outer layer is configured to protect said outside surface from damage, a largest one of said helmet liners having a strap extending downwardly from said rearward portion of said perimeter edge, said strap being centrally positioned on said rearward portion, said strap having a distal end with respect to said perimeter edge, said outer layer on said largest one of said helmets completely covering said strap, said inside surface of each of said helmet liners having a diameter being sufficient to conform to said outside surface of a smaller one of said helmet liners, said strap being matable to itself thereby facilitating said strap to be wrapped around said plurality of helmet liners when said plurality of helmet liners is stacked inside of each other for storage.

6. A helmet sizing system for adjusting the size of a helmet for a user's head, said system comprising:

a helmet being configured to be worn on a user's head, said helmet having an interior surface; and

a plurality of helmet liners, each of said helmet liners having a dome shape such that each of said helmet liners can conform to said interior surface of said helmet, said plurality of helmet liners having a sequentially increasing size ranging between a minimum size and a maximum size thereby facilitating a selected number of said plurality of helmet liners to be stacked inside each other wherein said plurality of helmet liners is configured to facilitate said helmet to accommodate a variety of head sizes, each of said helmet liners being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein each of said helmet liners is configured to facilitate the user's head to be protected from impact energy when the user wears said helmet, each of said helmet liners having an inside surface, an outside surface and a perimeter edge extending between said inside surface and said outside surface, said outside surface being convexly arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge, said inside surface being concavely arcuate with respect to said perimeter edge, each of said helmet liners having an opening extending through said outside surface and said inside surface, said opening being aligned with an apex of said outside surface, said perimeter edge having a forward portion and a rearward portion, each of said helmet liners having an outer layer being bonded to said outside surface, said outer layer completely covering said outside surface, said outer layer being comprised of a rip inhibiting material wherein said outer layer is configured to protect said outside surface from damage, a largest one of said helmet liners having a strap extending downwardly from said rearward portion of said perimeter edge, said strap being centrally positioned on said rearward portion, said strap having a distal end with respect to said perimeter edge, said outer layer on said largest one of said helmets completely covering said strap, said inside surface of each of said helmet liners having a diameter being sufficient to conform to said outside surface of a smaller one of said helmet liners, said strap being matable to itself thereby facilitating said strap to be wrapped around said plurality of helmet liners when said plurality of helmet liners is stacked inside of each other for storage.