US3105240A

US3105240A - Protective helmet

Info

Publication number: US3105240A
Application number: US97673A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jansson Janne Knut Gerhard
Original assignee: Jofa AB
Current assignee: CCM Hockey AB
Priority date: 1960-03-25
Filing date: 1961-03-22
Publication date: 1963-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1963 -.J. K. G.JANS$ON PROTECTIVE HELMET Filed March 22, 1961 United States Patent This invention concerns a protective helmet comprising a bowl-shaped outer shell, preferably of hard plastic material, and an inner padding or fitting.

Protective helmets of this kind are known, the outer shell usually consisting of a rigid calotte of plastic. The known helmets, however, have the disadvantage that they, in the same way as military steel helmets, are only adaptable to heads of different sizes by adjustment of the padding arranged inside the outer shell. The outer shell thus often has to have unnecessarily large dimensions to allow adjustment within sufiiciently wide limits, if a very great number of different sizes of outer shells are not manufactured and stocked. Therefore protective helmets or" this kind are clumsy, heavy and often impractical.

The invention has an object to set aside these disadvantages and provide protective helmets by which the size of the outer shell itself is adaptable within Wide limits.

Icehockey players use protection for the head by which the size of the hard outer shell is adjustable to fit heads of different sizes. This protection, however, only consists of a protection for the forehead and one for the back of the head, said parts being displaceable relatively to one another. The head protection thus leaves the crown unprotected which presents great risks.

The protective helmet according to the present invention, however, protects all parts of the skull, i.e. forehead, back of the head and crown, but can in accord- .ance with the above mentioned head protection at the same time be adapted to heads of different sizes, the size of the outer shell thereby being adjusted.

According to the invention this is achieved by providing the outer shell with slots at the sides thereof, adapted to cover the sides of the skull, said slots extending from the edge of the outer shell up to a calotte, covering and protecting the top of the skull, whereby the diameter of the outer shell is adaptable to skulls of different sizes by displacing the sections of said outer shell bordering said slots relatively to each other while resiliently deforming the calotte.

The sections of the outer shell bordering said slots can preferably be arranged in suc.- a way that they overlap each other and the helmet is provided with locking means for retaining the chosen size.

In one preferred embodiment the padding or fitting consists of two separate parts, fastened to the outer shell each on one side of the slots, and the two parts of .the padding or fitting are interconnected by adjustable and lockable means so that the size of the outer shell can be adapted to and retained in a chosen size by means of the padding or fitting.

Some embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with references to the accompanying schematical drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding View from below;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of a strengthened calotte of a protective hehnet according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view from below of a protective helmet manufactured in two parts, the padding being omitted;

FIG. 5 is a View from below in perspective, showing one embodiment of an adjustable padding or fitting, and

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 and showing another embodiment of an adjustable padding or fitting.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1 the protective helmet comprises an outer shell 1 which preferably is manufactured or" a hard plastic material. The outer shell is cup-shaped so that it can enclose a skull and cover all parts thereof, i.e. the forehead, the back of the head and the crown, the lower edge at the forehead lying on a level with the eyebrows and at the back of the head covering the occipital bone. Furthermore, it has such a size that it surrounds the skull with considerable play at all sides.

In each of the parts adapted to cover the sides of the skull, i.e. at the temples or above the ears, the outer shell 1 is provided with a slot 2, extending upwardly from the lower edge 3 of the outer shell. The top part of the cute shell forms a cap or calotte 4 meant to protect the crown, and the slots 2 reach to the edge of said calotte.

The slots 2 and cut-outs 5 divide the outer shell 1 into two parts, of which one 6 covers the front par-t of the skull while the other '7 surrounds the back part thereof. These parts are connected to form a unit through the calotte 4, covering the crown. This connection, however, is not absolutely rigid so that the two parts 6 and 7 of the outer shell can be moved towards each other and away from each other so that the size of the circumference of the outer shell 1 can be altered. Wlhen displacing the parts of the outer shell towards each other the edge sections 8 and 9, bordering the slots 2, must be bent out of the plane of the outer shell so that they overlap each other. Thus it is possible to control the circumference of the outer shell and adapt the protective helmet to skulls of different sizes. As the outer shell preferably is made so that a considerable play exists between same and the skull when the outer shell has its original form, the adaptation 'as to size can be accomplished by pressing the two parts of the outer shell towards each other. On account thereof, the outer shell can be manufactured in one or a few sizes and still through adjustment beadapted to different sizes of skulls.

The stresses caused by the displacement of the two parts of the outer shell are mainly taken up by the calotte 4 which acts as a resilient joint for the two parts 6 and 7. {If the outer shell is manufactured of soft and ductile material it is convenient to provide the calot-te 4 with a strengthening 412 on the lower side thereof so that the stresses can be taken without the calotte 4 being folded or otherwise damaged.

The slots 2 do not have to be 'very broad. It is sufficient if they form narrow through-incisions in the material of the outer shell 1. However, it is convenient for the top end of the slots 2 to open into openings or cut-outs 5 in the outer shell, said out-outs being considerably broader than the slots. By aid of said cut-outs it is possible to bring the edges 8 and 9 borderin the slots 2 into overlapping positions along all their length in such a way that said edges 8 and 9 are nowhere brought into contact with each other so that the stresses of the material increase when the parts 6 and 7 are displaced towards each other. The cut-outs 5 also decrease the weight of the outer shell 1 and the latter can also be provided with further cut-outs 39, extending from the edges of said calotte 4 a distance downthe outer shell 1, whereby the ductility of the outer shell is enhanced and the weight thereof is decreased, but without, to any appreciable degree, decreasing the protection said helmet offers. 7

The protecting helmet also comprises locking means by the aid of which the desired adjustment of the size of the outer shell is maintained. In its simplest form said locking means consists of a rivet 11, extending through the edge parts 8 and 9 overlapping each other and retaining same in the chosen degree of overlapping. The edge parts can preferably be provided with holes 12 in rows perpendicularly to said slots 2, a suitable hole 3 in one edge part being brought into alignment with a corresponding hole in the other edge part, whereafter the rivet 11 is inserted and clinched. However, said rows of holes can be omitted and holes suitable for the chosen adjustment be taken up in the edge parts 8 and 9 while fitting the helmet.

According to another embodiment said locking means can consist of a strap or band extending around the outer shell 1 perpendicularly across said slots 2, which strap or band is tightened until the outer shell is adjusted to the form suitable for the head and thereafter locked.

The locking of the two parts 6 and 7 of the outer shell 1 in the adjusted position can also be accomplished by using some sort of eccentric locking means extending perpendicularly across each slot 2. and retaining said edge parts 8 and 9 in the desired degree of overlapping.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, each pant 6 or 7 of said outer shell can be manufactured separately, thereby comprising a mainly semi-circular disc 4a which together with corresponding disc of the other part forms the calotte 4 protecting the crown. From said disc one or more bands 13 extend in an arch downwards to a mainly semi-cylindrical envelope 14, meant to surround the forehead and part of the sides of the head or the back of the head and the remaining parts of the sides of same respectively. In this embodiment the edge par-ts 15 of the semi-cylindrical envelope of one of the two parts 6 or 7 can be stepped inwards for a distance corresponding to the material thickness of said outer shell. When the helmet is put together the corresponding edge part 16 of the other part can thus rest against these inwardly stepped edge parts 15 so that the whole of the outer shell surface is smooth. Provisions must thereby be taken so that a sufiicient distance for the adjustment is formed between the edge 17 and the line 18 along which the edge part 15 is stepped inwards. The two parts 6 and 7 of the outer shell 1 are thereafter joined along the straight edges of the discs 4a by welding or other suitable manner. The form of the outer shell 1 thus manufactured on the whole corresponds to the one already described, therefore further details need not be described.

The inside of the outer shell 1 is in known manner furnished with a padding or fitting 20 so that the helmet can rest softly on the head. The fitting 20 of the protective helmet according to the invention is, however, contrary to known fittings constructed so that it adapts itself to the outer shell 1 when this is adjusted. This can be achieved in dilferent ways. The fitting can, for instance, consist of two altogether separate pants, one for each part 6 or 7 of the outer shell 1. But the fitting can also be in one piece and be supported by an easily deformable frame of wire or plastic which, when the outer shell is adjusted to different sizes adapts itself to the inner contour of the outer shell.

Instead of adjusting the circumference of the outer shell 1 by means of a rivet, extending through the edge parts 8 and 9 of the slots 2 as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the adjustment of the circumference of the shell can be performed by aid of the fitting of the helmet. The fitting is then adapted to the size of the head and this adjustment is transferred to the rigid outer shell so that the size of the gap between or the degree of overlapping of said edge parts 8 and 9 is changed. The resistance of the outer shell against knocks and the protection of the helmet when used by an icehockey player is usually quite sufiicient even if said edge pants are not connected to each other. A satisfactory padding can furthermore be arranged inside the outer shell if necessary.

FIG. shows an embodiment in which a fitting consists of two bands or

straps

20, 21 of leather, plastic, etc. which are fastened to the outer shell by rivets 22. The ends of the

straps

20, 21 overlap each other at both sides of the helmet and the end of one strap is provided with slots 23, holes or the like, for fastening means 24, for instance, a clip, button, etc. on the other strap. With these means the joint circumference of the straps 2t 21 can be adapted to the desired head size and at the same time the gap between or the overlapping of the edge parts 8 and 9 is given corresponding adjustment and the parts 6, 7 of the outer shell 1 are displaced relatively to each other under resilient deformation of the calotte 4.

The fitting shown in FIG. 6 substantially corresponds to the one just described. The only difference is that the straps 29, 21 are shorter so that their ends do not overlap each other. Instead the said ends are interconnected by adjustable bands or straps 25, the adjustment of which is maintained by a buckle 26 or the like. The adjustment is performed substantially in the same way as described with reference to FIG. 5

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 a supporting cross 27, for the crown consisting of bands of plastic, etc. is also fastened to the outer shell 1 with the rivets 22 for the

straps

20, 21.

Between the

straps

20, 21 and the shell apadding 28 can be arranged, said padding either being fastened to the straps or the shell or only inserted between them.

It is also possible to connect the straps 29, 21 with rivets or the like, or said straps can be made in one piece, originally adapted for a certain head size, the outer shell adapting itself to the size of the fitting when same is mounted in said shell with the rivet 22. However, it is best if the fitting is adaptable as this decreases the amount of stock and facilitates interchange of helmets between different players.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular advantageous features before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible to modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principles involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. Protective helmet having an outer shell of hard resilient material and an inner padding, wherein said outer shell consists of a calotte section and a rigid front strip and a rigid back strip, said front and back strips being adapted to cover and protect the forehead and neck, respectively, of the person wearing said helmet, said strips being rigidly connected to said calotte section by the aid of connecting means adapted to cover the top of the skull and being displaceable towards each other, such displacement being counteracted by elastic deformation of said calotte section, and said connecting means, generated by said displacement, said front and back strips being retained in the position reached by said displacement by the aid of locking means so as to adapt said outer shell for heads of different sizes.

2. Protective helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of said front and back strips overlap each other and are provided with alignable rivet holes, said locking means consisting of rivets extending through said aligned holes in said ends.

3. Protective helmet, comprising an outer shell of hard resilient material and an inner padding, wherein said outer shell consists of a calotte section and a rigid front strip and a rigid back strip, said front and back strips being adapted to cover and protect the forehead and neck, re-

spectively, of a person wearing said helmet, said strips being rigidly connected to said calotte section by the aid of connecting means, adapted to cover the top of the skull and being displaceable towards each other, said displace ment being counteracted by elastic deformation of said calotte section and said connecting means, generated by said displacement, said padding consisting of two parts fastened to said front and back strip, respectively, and adjustable means for interconnecting said two parts, whereby said padding retains the helmet in the chosen displaced condition.

4. Protective helmet as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for interconnecting said two padding parts consists of extensions of said padding in the form of straps provided with a row of slots and clamps engaging and holding the same.

5. Protective helmet as defined in claim 3, wherein said means interconnecting said two padding parts consist of adjustable straps.

References fited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kowasik June 2, 1925 Lipschutz Dec. 6, 1927 Fischer Mar. 20, 1928 Segan Nov. 22, 1960 Dye Jan. 31, 1961

Claims

1. PROTECTIVE HELMET HAVING AN OUTER SHELL OF HARD RESILIENT MATERIAL AND AN INNER PADDING, WHEREIN SAID OUTER SHELL CONSISTS OF A CALOTTE SECTION AND A RIGID FRONT STRIP AND A RIGID BACK STRIP, SAID FRONT AND BACK STRIPS BEING ADAPTED TO COVER AND PROTECT THE FOREHEAD AND NECK, RESPECTIVELY, OF THE PERSON WEARING SAID HELMET, SAID STRIPS BEING RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID CALLOTE SECTION BY THE AID OF CONNECTING MEANS ADAPTED TO COVER THE TOP OF THE SKULL AND BEING DISPLACEABLE TOWARDS EACH OTHER, SUCH DISPLACEMENT BEING COUNTERACTED BY ELASTIC DEFORMATION OF SAID CALOTTE SECTION, AND SAID CONNECTING MEANS, GENERATED BY SAID DISPLACEMENT, SAID FRONT AND BACK STRIPS BEING RETAINED IN THE POSITION REACHED BY SAID DISPLACEMENT BY THE AID OF LOCKING MEANS SO AS TO ADAPT SAID OUTER SHELL FOR HEADS OF DIFFERENT SIZES.