Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-24
2001-12-04
Lindsey, Rodney M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S414000, C002S420000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324700
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an adjustable protective helmet for sporting activities and more particularly, to an improved adjustable helmet for use by hockey players.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective helmets comprising adjustability features are well known. In this regard, it is known to provide an adjustable helmet having two shell portions that are held together by screws. The loosening and tightening of the screws allow for adjustment of the helmet. In use, the two shell portions are fixedly held together, thus are adapted to move relative to one another when the screws are loosened. When the desired size is obtained, the screws are tightened and the two shell portions are locked in place. The two shell portions usually have overlapping surfaces to enable the shell portions to be moved relative to one another while not leaving any gap between the two shell portions. Shock-absorbing foam padding is positioned inside the helmet shells to cushion the wearer's head. For practical reasons, there are usually two sections of padding: One section of padding being attached to each shell portion of the protective helmet. This arrangement simplifies the assembly of padding and shell portions and also facilitates assembly of the components.
An important drawback of this known configuration is that the overlapping surfaces of the two shell portions create a step or ridge on the inner surface of the shell assembly directly above the head of the player. More particularly, in the area of the separation of the two shell portions, the interior curvature of the helmet shell is broken by the feature of adjustability of the helmet. This seems to create an area of concentration of forces. When an impact occurs, the step or ridge has a tendency to dig into the foam padding and apply a localized force to the head of the wearer, which is highly undesirable in a protective helmet. A protective helmet's main task is to spread the force of impact to as wide a surface as possible without bottoming out, in order to absorb impact and prevent injuries to the cranium.
A second drawback of this known configuration of an adjustable helmet is the reduced amount of foam padding at the junction of two padding sections. For practical reasons, the foam padding sections separation coincides with the shell portions separation. This arrangement entails that when the shell portions are spaced apart, a gap is formed between the padding sections in the area where the two shell portions overlap each other. As a result, certain circumstances may leave an area of the cranium with insufficient shock-absorbing foam padding and therefore more limited protection. Some helmets have been designed with no padding separation. The necessary gap for adjusting the shell portions is located at the back of the head which may leave the back portion of the cranium with insufficient shock-absorbing foam padding.
OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an adjustable protective helmet having an improved shell assembly, which overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide an adjustable protective helmet, which is adapted to reduce the concentration of force during impact absorption.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides an adjustable protective helmet for sporting activities comprising a first shell and second shell. One of the shells covering the forehead and a portion of the sides of a wearer's head, and the other one of said shells covering the top, back and a portion of the sides of a wearer's head. The first and second shells have respective cooperating inner and outer overlapping portions extending transversely across the top portion of the wearer's head for connecting together the shells to form a bowl shaped shell assembly circumscribing the wearer's head. The inner overlapping portion is disposed inwardly of the outer overlapping portion and its associated shell; the shells are movable relative to one another in the overlapping portions to provide size adjustability of the helmet. The helmet includes a shock absorbing liner inside the shell assembly. The shell assembly comprises a ramp defined by a plurality of raised formations on the inside surface of the shell assembly. The ramp is positioned next to a free edge of the inner overlapping portion thereby increasing the contact surface area between the liner and the shell assembly in the vicinity of the overlapping portions in order to reduce the risk of a the concentration of forces during impact over the head of the wearer.
Advantageously, the ramp is located in the central portion of the inside surface of the shell assembly and the raised formations that forms the ramp define a plane which is substantially co-planar with the inside surface of the inner overlapping portion. This arrangement provides an even surface of contact between the liner and the shell assembly in the area around the overlapping portions.
Preferably, the raised formations are a series of ribs extending longitudinally from the overlapping portions. The series of ribs decreases in height from the overlapping portions to blend with an inner curvature of the shell assembly.
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patent: 5511250 (1996-04-01), Field et al.
patent: 5628071 (1997-05-01), Nezer
patent: 6108824 (2000-08-01), Fournier et al.
patent: 6138283 (2000-10-01), Kress
patent: 3727701 (1989-03-01), None
patent: 0 346 608 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 7-109609 (1995-04-01), None
patent: WO 98/23174 (1998-06-01), None
Bauer Nike Hockey Inc.
Lindsey Rodney M.
Ratner & Prestia
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