U.S. patent application number 15/972160 was filed with the patent office on 2018-11-08 for helmet apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Toribio Robert Mestas. Invention is credited to Toribio Robert Mestas.
Application Number | 20180317589 15/972160 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64013641 |
Filed Date | 2018-11-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180317589 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mestas; Toribio Robert |
November 8, 2018 |
Helmet Apparatus
Abstract
The present invention is a helmet apparatus configured to
accommodate multiple impact hits thereafter retaining usability,
with the helmet including an outer shell that is divided into a
posterior and an anterior portion, further the outer shell is
divided into a left and a right portion, the shell is rigid except
for a first relatively less rigid portion that is disposed within
the posterior portion straddling the left and right portions, and a
second relatively less rigid portion disposed within the anterior
portion straddling the left and right portions. Further a flexible
channel is disposed along a shell major and minor axes, also a
series of fluid bladder layers slidably engaged to one another are
disposed on the inside of the shell, wherein the first, second, and
channel less rigid portions along with the slidable bladders absorb
kinetic energy impacts to the shell reducing energy transfer to the
user's head.
Inventors: |
Mestas; Toribio Robert;
(Highlands Ranch, CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mestas; Toribio Robert |
Highlands Ranch |
CO |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
64013641 |
Appl. No.: |
15/972160 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62502717 |
May 7, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 3/061 20130101;
A42B 3/121 20130101; A42B 3/064 20130101; A42B 3/205 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A42B 3/12 20060101
A42B003/12; A42B 3/06 20060101 A42B003/06; A42B 3/20 20060101
A42B003/20 |
Claims
1. A helmet apparatus configured to accommodate multiple impact
hits thereafter retaining usability, said helmet comprising: (a) an
outer shell having a major axis and a substantially perpendicularly
oriented minor axis, wherein said outer shell forms a substantially
elliptically shaped concave structure having an exterior surface
and an oppositely disposed interior surface, said outer shell is
divided into a posterior portion and an opposing anterior portion
that are about said minor axis, said anterior portion partially
terminates in a first lower cantilever terminating extension and an
opposing second lower cantilever terminating extension, further
said outer shell is divided into a left portion and an opposing
right portion that are about said major axis, said outer shell is
constructed of a substantially rigid material except for a first
relatively less rigid portion that is disposed within said
posterior portion straddling said left and right portions, and a
second relatively less rigid portion disposed within said anterior
portion straddling said left and right portions, further a flexible
channel is disposed along said major axis and along said minor
axis, wherein operationally said outer shell substantially mimics a
human skull rigid and soft construction to help reduce skull stress
from impact hits to the outer shell; (b) a first low fiction liner
sheet having a first convex affixment surface and an opposing first
concave low friction surface, wherein said first convex affixment
surface is affixed to said interior surface; (c) a flexible primary
bladder constructed of a primary sidewall having a primary sidewall
outside surface and an opposing primary sidewall inside surface
that defines a primary bladder interior, wherein said primary
sidewall is substantially parallel to itself with said primary
bladder interior formed from said parallel primary sidewall primary
parallel relationship wherein said primary sidewall inside surface
is a primary default state distance apart from said primary
parallel relationship, said primary sidewall is sized and
configured to conform to and be disposed adjacent to said first low
friction surface specifically having a portion of said primary
outside surface in contact with said first low friction surface,
said primary bladder interior further including a plurality of
primary elastomeric elements that each span across said primary
bladder interior being attached to opposing portions of said
primary inside surface, wherein said primary elastomeric elements
urge said primary bladder interior to said primary default state
distance apart to have a substantially constant opposing primary
distance as between said primary inside surfaces that are opposite
of one another, said primary bladder interior is filled with a low
viscosity primary fluid such that said primary default state
distance is maintained, wherein said primary bladder primary
sidewall outside surface and said first concave low friction liner
have an outer primary slidable engagement to one another, wherein
operationally if said primary bladder sustains a local compression
pushing said primary sidewalls toward one another thus locally
reducing said primary default state distance, the primary fluid is
moved to temporarily increase said primary default state distance
everywhere else to a primary extended state distance within said
primary bladder interior to help absorb kinetic energy from the
local compression, wherein said plurality of primary elastomeric
elements are operational to urge said primary extended state
distance back to said default state distance; (d) a second low
friction liner sheet having a second convex low friction surface
and an opposing second concave low friction surface, wherein said
second convex low friction surface is in contact with said flexible
primary bladder sidewall outside surface oppositely positioned from
said first low friction liner sheet in relation to said flexible
primary bladder; and (e) a flexible secondary bladder constructed
of a secondary sidewall having a secondary sidewall outside surface
and an opposing secondary sidewall inside surface that defines a
secondary bladder interior, wherein said secondary sidewall is
substantially parallel to itself with said secondary bladder
interior formed from said parallel secondary sidewall parallel
relationship wherein said secondary sidewall inside surface is a
secondary default state distance apart from said secondary parallel
relationship, said secondary sidewall is sized and configured to
conform to and be disposed adjacent to said second concave low
friction surface specifically having a portion of said secondary
outside surface in contact with said second concave low friction
surface, said secondary bladder interior further including a
plurality of secondary elastomeric elements that each span across
said secondary bladder interior being attached to opposing portions
of said secondary inside surface, wherein said secondary
elastomeric elements urge said secondary bladder interior to said
secondary default state distance apart to have a substantially
constant opposing secondary distance as between said secondary
inside surfaces that are opposite of one another, said secondary
bladder interior is filled with a high viscosity secondary fluid
such that said secondary default state distance is maintained,
wherein said secondary bladder and said second low friction liner
sheet have a secondary slidable engagement to one another, thus
said primary and secondary bladders have a slidable engagement to
one another, wherein operationally if said secondary bladder
sustains a local compression pushing said secondary sidewalls
toward one another thus locally reducing said secondary default
state distance, the secondary fluid is moved to temporarily
increase said secondary default state distance everywhere else to a
secondary extended state distance within said secondary bladder
interior to help absorb kinetic energy from the local compression,
wherein said plurality of secondary elastomeric elements are
operational to urge said secondary extended state distance to said
secondary default state distance.
2. A helmet apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a
chin and lower face guard element that extends from said anterior
portion of said outer shell, wherein structurally said chin and
lower face guard element extends from and joins said first and
second lower cantilever terminating extensions, wherein said major
axis extends therethrough said chin and lower face guard element
including said flexible channel.
3. A helmet apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said chin and
lower face guard element further comprises an outer surface and an
oppositely disposed inner surface, wherein said first low friction
liner sheet is extended to affix to said inner surface resulting in
an inner low friction surface for said inner surface of said chin
and lower face guard element, further said flexible primary bladder
is also extended to be in contact with said inner low friction
surface forming a chin and lower face guard element primary bladder
inner surface, further said second low friction liner sheet is
extended to be in contact with said chin and lower face guard
element primary bladder inner surface forming a chin and lower face
guard element second low friction inner liner surface, and said
flexible secondary bladder is extended to be in contact with said
chin and lower face guard element second low friction inner
liner.
4. A helmet apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said flexible
channel that is disposed within said chin and lower face guard
element has a flexibility that is less than one-half a flexibility
of said outer shell outside of said flexible channel and said first
and second relatively less rigid portions, wherein said flexibility
is in units of pounds force per inch of deflection.
5. A helmet apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said flexible
channel that is disposed along said major and minor axes within
said outer shell has a flexibility that is less than one-half a
flexibility of said outer shell outside of said flexible channel
and said first and second relatively less rigid portions, wherein
said flexibility is in units of pounds force per inch of
deflection.
6. A helmet apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and
second relatively less rigid portions have a flexibility that is
less than one-half a flexibility of said outer shell outside of
said first and second relatively less rigid portions and said outer
shell outside of said flexible channel, wherein said flexibility is
in units of pounds force per inch of deflection.
Description
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
patent application Ser. No. 62/502,717 filed on May 7, 2017 by
Toribio Robert Mestas of Highlands Ranch, CO, U.S.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a helmet
apparatus to be used where there is risk of head injury due to an
individual's activities. More particularly, the present invention
is a helmet for use in football that has some unique features such
as rapid impact recovery for multiple sequential impacts on a
single helmet, reducing skull rotational moment torsion from
impact, along with progressive kinetic energy absorption and
progressive dampening all to mimic a skulls flexibility and a
brain's fluid suspension in the skull to help lessen the helmet
external impact upon the brain.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] Helmet protection of the skull and brain is a well
established field being around for many decades, as helmets are
used in a multitude of activities such as skiing, snowboarding,
skate boarding, rollerblading/roller skating, bicycling,
motorcycling, horse racing, kayaking, skydiving, football,
baseball, hockey, plus by construction workers, police, and so on,
in addition helmets give a convenient place to mount goggles,
glasses, eye shields, cameras, and the like for the helmet
user.
[0004] However, as common as helmets are in everyday life, very
little specific study and modeling has been done to optimize helmet
design based upon the unique type of impacts that a helmet may
receive in all the different various helmet uses, wherein typical
helmet design includes a rigid outer shell, a layer of foam padding
inside of the shell (or one-time collapsible Styrofoam type
material), and a retention strap to secure the helmet to the head.
Most helmets are designed for a single hard impact use-i.e. once
the helmet is impacted-the shell may fracture and the Styrofoam
type material will permanently compress rendering the helmet
disposable, the exception to this is the football helmet that in
use will take repeated impacts during the course of a game and
further be used in subsequent games and practices thus potentially
experiencing thousands of impacts upon a single helmet, thus
football helmets do not use one-time collapsible Styrofoam type
materials.
[0005] Looking specifically at football helmet design, a first
challenge is that it cannot be one-time impact disposable which
would allow for materials that absorb impact energy while
destroying themselves as the multiple impact use of the football
helmet requires that the impact energy absorbing materials must
regenerate themselves in a relatively short amount of time-say 30
seconds or so to be ready for a subsequent impact-thus this is a
major factor in the design of the football helmet that
distinguishes the football helmet from most other helmet designs
that are one time crash disposable.
[0006] Further challenges in football helmet design relate to the
omni-directional nature of the impact and the elliptical type shape
of the helmet that causes the impact that comes from any direction
to have an almost arbitrarily high coefficient of restitution
effect on the forces that the helmet experiences, being a multitude
of forces in different directions in addition to rotationally
twisting or torsional moments that are initially experienced by the
shell that then translate to the helmet liner and further to the
skull and then to the brain. Also, unfortunately higher
coefficients of restitution exist in helmet to helmet contact being
the primary impact, wherein lower coefficients of restitution exist
in helmet to ground contacts or helmet to shoulder, arm, leg,
torso, or foot contacts. In addition, there are other complications
with rebound inertia effects from the original impact and the fact
that the original impact can be followed by a quick sequence
(within a fraction of a second) of additional impacts from other
directions, i.e. a player getting hit by 3-4 other players in a
single play in the helmet area. So in summary, on the impact side
we can have impacts from any direction that can be multiple in
rapid sequence occurring on a non-symmetric helmet shell that can
result in a multitude of multi-directional forces, rotations, and
inertia rebounds that make up the kinetic energy factors that the
helmet is trying to reduce as it translates to the brain, thus
making the kinetic energy factors difficult to predict.
[0007] On the potential brain damage side, the medical profession
has a hard time precisely defining the mechanics of what causes
brain damage or what is commonly termed a concussion other than the
symptoms or effects of the concussion in the behavior of the person
who is experienced a concussion, i.e. the typical dizziness,
confusion, double vision, unconsciousness, headache, nausea, and
the like, attributes of a concussion. As the brain is buoyantly
suspended in a plasma type fluid (Cerebrospinal Fluid) disposed
within the skull, further wherein the brain itself has a Jell-O
like consistency, it is difficult to be precise about how brain
damage from kinetic energy actually occurs, recent thinking is that
instead of the brain bruising itself as against the inside of the
skull, the brain actually has deep internal stresses (being
compression, tension, and shear), that act to damage the delicate
nerve cells and their connections being the axons, from the kinetic
energy, however, there is currently no technical way to detect this
deep brain damage in a living subject, as only when the brain is
dissected post mortem can damaged brain tissue be discovered. The
reason for the difficulty in brain damage detection is that the
brain damage is non-structural and does not cause bleeding-thus
being invisible to CT and MRI testing, however, there is promise in
detecting tau protein that binds to a tracer that can be indicative
of brain damage, thus allowing testing in vivo, currently this in
vivo testing is not considered reliable enough being still in the
trial phase.
[0008] From observation of longer term football players and retired
football players it is known that that the kinetic energy caused
deep brain nerve cell damage is cumulative over time-resulting in
ever increasing brain nerve damage amounts stemming from
potentially thousands of kinetic energy episodes in the brain being
termed Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE for short, thus
obviously the goal of the helmet is to help reduce the occurrence
of CTE. It is noted that what is termed sub-concussive episodes,
i.e. the ones that typically don't show the typical dizziness,
confusion, double vision, unconsciousness, headache, nausea, and
the like, attributes of a concussion can still have a deep brain
nerve cell damaging effect from potentially thousands of
sub-concussive episodes also resulting in CTE. However, it cannot
be definitively defined how many kinetic energy dissipating
episodes the brain needs to experience or the severity (kinetic
energy level) of each episode to cause CTE, all that is known is
that the kinetic energy episodes are additive in their brain nerve
cell damaging effect.
[0009] Current football helmets are basically good at preventing
skull fracture, being defined as when a area concentrated impact
hits the helmet shell, the shell is operative to increase the
concentration area of the impact to lower the unit loading of the
impact-being similar to a shoulder pad, knee pad, hip, pad, and the
like, thus diffusing the impact over an increased area to lessen
the damage, as a hip pad for instance has a rigid outer layer with
a foam inner layer. However, it is now known that brain damage can
occur without skull fracture, so the helmet protection must extend
beyond preventing skull fracture, especially in the rotational
factor of the kinetic energy where it is suspected that the most
brain nerve cell damage occurs, possibly because this puts the
brain damage mostly from shear as opposed to compression and
tension being in conjunction with most ductile materials that have
less strength in shear as opposed to compression and tension.
[0010] So the key in a better helmet design is in energy
absorption, not just energy diffusion, as energy absorption can be
thought of as energy dampening, that needs to be accomplished
substantially within the current physical helmet silhouette due to
desiring to minimize helmet weight and neck stress, wherein a much
thicker and heavier helmet could easily absorb more energy, it
would not be practical as the current helmet thickness and weight
would be desirably kept, although helmet weight reduction would
always be welcomed.
[0011] Brain Damage from football injuries is at a critical level.
Severe injuries occur daily and the numbers of children playing
this sport have diminished significantly in the past several years.
The traditional helmet liner and shell are ripe for improvement
innovation. Helmet improvement can include shell and facemask being
one continuous component. The improved helmet will be lighter than
a traditional helmet thus not putting so much stain and pressure on
the neck and related physical structure in young children who
choose to play football.
[0012] Testing must be done on the shell and liner to ascertain
improved impact reduction to address this very serious health
concern that needs to be addressed in more depth. The benefits in
preventing/reducing brain injury are important to both children and
adults in addition to being durable for many years (liner
replacement and sizing). This will replace the traditional helmet
with new look helmet that is functional, practical, inexpensive and
most importantly, safe.
[0013] In looking at the prior art in the helmet arts, starting
with U.S. Patent Application No. 2017/0042271 to Tuttle, et al.
disclosed is a helmet configured to protect a human head against
mild traumatic brain injury upon impact comprising: an outer shell;
a liner inside the outer shell, the liner comprising pairs of
oppositely positioned fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers
fluidly connected to each other by fluid connections therebetween.
Each of the pairs of fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers in
Tuttle being spaced on opposite sides of the helmet and configured
to fill a space between the head and the outer shell when the
helmet is positioned on the head, see FIG. 1.
[0014] Further in Tuttle; impact resistant flexible pads inside and
spaced around an inner circumference of the outer shell adjacent to
each of the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers; and a flexible
inner shell inside the liner, configured to fit closely on the
head; and the flexible fluid chambers being configured to compress
in response to impacting of the helmet on an impact side, and force
liquid through the fluid connections to inflate fluid chambers on
an opposite side of the helmet, thereby cushioning the head against
a rebound impact on the opposite side. Tuttle does recognize the
problem of inertia rebound impact on the head, however, has no
teaching as to the recovering of the chambers for quick succession
subsequent impacts, nor is there any addressing of the torsional
rotational impact effects.
[0015] Next in the helmet prior arts in U.S. Patent Application No.
2016/0366969 to Suddaby disclosed is a protective helmet,
comprising: an outer shell including at least one aperture; an
elastomeric diaphragm connected to an inner surface of the outer
shell and covering the at least one aperture; an inner shell
slidingly connected to the outer shell where the inner shell is
spaced apart from the outer shell; and, at least one expandable
bladder positioned between the outer shell and the inner shell and
operatively arranged to displace the elastomeric diaphragm in the
at least one aperture of the outer shell. Suddaby does recognize
the problem of torsional rotation translating from the impact on
the outer shell to the skull via having diaphragms disposed as
between the helmet inner and outer shell that allows the inner and
outer shells to move relative to one another being cushioned and
controlled via the diaphragms, further inertia rebound energy is
recognized also that requires the diaphragm to expand outward from
the outer shell, however, potentially causing outer shell impact
adherence issue with other objects that are impacted.
[0016] Continuing in the helmet prior art in U.S. Pat. No.
9,034,441 to Anderson, disclosed is a protective element for an
article of apparel, the protective element comprising: a first
material layer having a first side and an opposite second side; a
second material layer associated with the first material layer; a
pad component located between the first material layer and the
second material layer; and a plate component positioned adjacent to
the first material layer. Wherein in Anderson, the plate component
is disposed adjacent the first side of the first material layer and
the pad component is located adjacent the second side of the first
material layer so that the first material layer is disposed between
the plate component and the pad component, wherein the plate
component has a first portion having a first thickness and a second
portion having a second thickness.
[0017] In addition, in Anderson the first thickness is greater than
the second thickness; an attachment area formed on an outer
perimeter of the plate component, wherein the attachment area
corresponds to the second portion so that the attachment area has
the second thickness; and an attachment element that attaches the
plate component to the first material layer, wherein the attachment
element extends entirely through the second thickness of the
attachment area. Anderson does not recognize the need for
compressive material to regenerate itself quickly nor the Anderson
teach anything related to rotational torsional impact effects
translating through the helmet to the skull.
[0018] Moving onward in the helmet prior art, in U.S. Pat. No.
8,955,169 to Weber, et al. disclosed is an apparatus, comprising: a
head guard: a multi-layered sidewall, the multi-layered sidewall
comprising: a stretchable fabric layer, the stretchable fabric
layer comprising an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer,
the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer cooperating to
define a pocket; and a side padding layer non-removably positioned
within the pocket, the side padding layer being disconnected from
each of the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer, the side
padding layer comprising a padding material. Further, in Weber the
multi-layered sidewall and the side padding layer form a
substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein the substantially
cylindrical shape defines a circular opening for a head of a
wearer; and wherein the side padding layer is substantially
rectangular and extends circumferentially about the head guard, the
side padding layer comprising a first end surface, a second end
surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface.
[0019] As Weber has the first end surface and the second end
surface being connected by the top surface and the bottom surface,
and wherein the first end surface is circumferentially spaced from
the second end surface to define a padding gap therebetween in a
rear portion of the head guard, the padding material extending
continuously and circumferentially within the pocket about the head
guard, between the first end surface and the second end surface,
such that the entirety of the padding gap defined by the first end
surface and the second end surface is devoid of the padding
material. Weber definitely recognizes the rotational torsional
impact effects on the skull with the slidability of the outer and
inner shells to one another, like Suddaby, with Weber having
different structure in the form of elastic links as between the
inner and outer shells, which also does teach recovering of the
inner and outer shell sliding movement for subsequent impacts,
however, rebound inertia of the impact is not addressed in
Weber.
[0020] Next, in the helmet prior art in U.S. Patent Application No.
2017/0042272 to Ferguson, disclosed is a protective
impact-absorbing headgear liner and impact sensing system for use
with various types of helmets and protective gear or clothing. The
lining material in Ferguson has unique impact absorbing properties
to additionally protect a wearer from impact related injuries. The
headgear liner in Ferguson has a band and crown which are variously
shaped and positioned to receive impact-absorbing pads, wherein the
position of the pockets depends on the helmet style. In one example
for Ferguson the liner is a stretchable material. Impact absorbing
pads in Ferguson are as described herein may be used in a variety
of clothing and protective gear to protect from impact injury,
wherein examples are football shoulder pads, thigh pads, bicycle
helmets, and the like.
[0021] The liner in Ferguson may also be an expanded foam, with a
preferred pad material being a gel containing a thermoplastic
elastomer. The impact sensing system in Ferguson utilizes an impact
sensor assembly to sense the force of impact received and transmit
the data to a personal electronics device running an application
program to process and display sensor data, in addition other data
such as temperature, or the like provided by other ancillary
sensors may also be processed by the application program. Ferguson
being a helmet liner only does not address the rotational torsional
impact issue to the skull nor the rebound inertia issue from the
impact to the shell effect on the skull.
[0022] What is needed is a helmet that basically fits substantially
within the current helmet silhouette of total helmet wall thickness
and to be no heavier than current helmets and even preferably
lighter in weight than current helmets. Further a helmet that
accommodates rotational torsional impact effects to lessen the
rotational torsional factors from the helmet outer shell to the
skull plus in addition to a combination of helmet liner structure
that absorbs rebound inertia thus truly helping to reduce the
kinetic energy from the outer shell impact. Also the helmet needs
to re-form and re-center itself quickly after the impact to be able
to take additional subsequent impacts.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0023] Broadly, the present invention is a helmet apparatus
configured to accommodate multiple impact hits thereafter retaining
usability, with the helmet including an outer shell having a major
axis and a substantially perpendicularly oriented minor axis,
wherein the outer shell forms a substantially elliptically shaped
concave structure having an exterior surface and an oppositely
disposed interior surface. The outer shell is divided into a
posterior portion and an opposing anterior portion that are about
the minor axis, further the outer shell is divided into a left
portion and an opposing right portion that are about the major
axis. The outer shell is constructed of a substantially rigid
material except for a first relatively less rigid portion that is
disposed within the posterior portion straddling the left and right
portions, and a second relatively less rigid portion disposed
within the anterior portion straddling the left and right portions.
Further a flexible channel is disposed along the major axis and
along the minor axis, wherein operationally the outer shell
substantially mimics a human skull rigid and soft construction to
help reduce skull stress from impact hits to the outer shell.
[0024] Also included in the helmet apparatus is a first low fiction
liner sheet having a first convex affixment surface and an opposing
first concave low friction surface, wherein the first convex
affixment surface is affixed to the interior surface.
[0025] Further included in the helmet apparatus is a flexible
primary bladder constructed of a primary sidewall having a primary
sidewall outside surface and an opposing primary sidewall inside
surface that defines a primary bladder interior, wherein the
primary sidewall is substantially parallel to itself with the
primary bladder interior formed from the parallel primary sidewall
primary parallel relationship. Wherein the primary sidewall inside
surface is a primary default state distance apart from the primary
parallel relationship, the primary sidewall is sized and configured
to conform to and be disposed adjacent to the first low friction
surface specifically having a portion of the primary outside
surface in contact with the first low friction surface. The primary
bladder interior further including a plurality of primary
elastomeric elements that each span across the primary bladder
interior being attached to opposing portions of the primary inside
surface, wherein the primary elastomeric elements urge the primary
bladder interior to the primary default state distance apart to
have a substantially constant opposing primary distance as between
the primary inside surfaces that are opposite of one another. The
primary bladder interior is filled with a low viscosity primary
fluid such that the primary default state distance is maintained,
wherein the primary bladder primary sidewall outside surface and
the first concave low friction liner have a slidable engagement to
one another. Wherein operationally if the primary bladder sustains
a local compression pushing the primary sidewalls toward one
another thus locally reducing the primary default state distance,
the primary fluid is moved to temporarily increase the primary
default state distance everywhere else to a primary extended state
distance within the primary bladder interior to help absorb kinetic
energy from the local compression, wherein the plurality of primary
elastomeric elements are operational to urge the primary extended
state distance back to the default state distance.
[0026] In addition, the helmet apparatus includes a second low
friction liner sheet having a second convex low friction surface
and an opposing second concave low friction surface, wherein the
second convex low friction surface is in contact with the flexible
primary bladder sidewall outside surface oppositely positioned from
the first low friction liner sheet in relation to the flexible
primary bladder.
[0027] Further, the helmet apparatus includes a flexible secondary
bladder constructed of a secondary sidewall having a secondary
sidewall outside surface and an opposing secondary sidewall inside
surface that defines a secondary bladder interior. Wherein the
secondary sidewall is substantially parallel to itself with the
secondary bladder interior formed from the parallel secondary
sidewall parallel relationship wherein the secondary sidewall
inside surface is a secondary default state distance apart from the
secondary parallel relationship. The secondary sidewall is sized
and configured to conform to and be disposed adjacent to the second
concave low friction surface specifically having a portion of the
secondary outside surface in contact with the second concave low
friction surface. The secondary bladder interior further including
a plurality of secondary elastomeric elements that each span across
the secondary bladder interior being attached to opposing portions
of the secondary inside surface, wherein the secondary elastomeric
elements urge the secondary bladder interior to the secondary
default state distance apart to have a substantially constant
opposing secondary distance as between the secondary inside
surfaces that are opposite of one another. The secondary bladder
interior is filled with a high viscosity secondary fluid such that
the secondary default state distance is maintained, wherein the
secondary bladder and the second low friction liner sheet have a
slidable engagement to one another, thus the primary and secondary
bladders have a slidable engagement to one another. Wherein
operationally if the secondary bladder sustains a local compression
pushing the secondary sidewalls toward one another thus locally
reducing the secondary default state distance, the secondary fluid
is moved to temporarily increase the secondary default state
distance everywhere else to a secondary extended state distance
within the secondary bladder interior to help absorb kinetic energy
from the local compression, wherein the plurality of secondary
elastomeric elements are operational to urge the secondary extended
state distance to the secondary default state distance.
[0028] These and other objects of the present invention will become
more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the
following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the
present invention when taken together with the accompanying
drawings, in which;
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 shows an elevated perspective view of the helmet
apparatus, showing the anterior and posterior shell portions, the
helmet shell, plus the position of the multiple impact hits and
rotational torsional impact hits, note with the mask and retention
strap removed for pictorial clarity;
[0030] FIG. 2 shows an action shot of a football player using the
helmet apparatus with the retention strap and the mask, further
noting that for all the other Figures the mask and retention strap
removed for pictorial clarity, further for all the other Figures
the helmet apparatus is shown not being on the player also for
pictorial clarity, however, all reference to centroids and moments
are all assumed that the player has the helmet apparatus on their
head and the players head and the helmet are kinetically acting as
a single mass from the multiple impact hits and the rotational or
torsional impact hits;
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view of the helmet shell
showing the major and minor axes, the typical positions of the
multiple impact hits and the rotational or torsional impact hits,
the offset moment arms, the centroid, and the moment as experienced
by the helmet shell;
[0032] FIG. 4 also shows a side elevation view of the helmet shell
being specifically cross section cut 4-4 from FIG. 7, wherein FIG.
4 shows the anterior and posterior portion of the shell, plus the
major and minor axes, the centroid, and the exterior and interior
surfaces of the helmet shell;
[0033] FIG. 5 also shows a front elevation view of the helmet shell
being specifically view 5-5 from FIG. 3, wherein FIG. 5 shows the
left and right portions of the anterior portion of the shell, plus
the major and minor axes, the centroid, and the exterior and
interior surfaces of the helmet shell in addition to the first and
second relatively less rigid portions, plus the typical positions
of the multiple impact hits and the rotational or torsional impact
hits, the offset moment arms, the centroid, and the moment as
experienced by the helmet shell;
[0034] FIG. 6 also shows a front elevation view of the helmet shell
being specifically cross section cut 6-6 from FIG. 3, wherein FIG.
6 shows the left and right portions of the shell, plus the major
and minor axes, the centroid, and the exterior and interior
surfaces of the helmet shell;
[0035] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the helmet shell showing the
anterior and posterior portions of the shell, the left and right
portions of the shell, plus the major and minor axes, the centroid,
the moment arms, the moment, the typical positions of the multiple
impact hits, and the rotational or torsional impact hits, plus the
exterior surface of the helmet shell;
[0036] FIG. 8 shows an upper inside view of the helmet shell as
denoted by cross section 8-8 from FIG. 3, herein FIG. 8 shows the
major and minor axes, plus inner and exterior surfaces of the
helmet shell, the substantially rigid portion of the shell, in
addition to the substantially elliptically shaped concave structure
of the shell, and the flexible channel portions that run along the
major and minor axes;
[0037] FIG. 9 shows cross section cut 9-9 from FIG. 3 showing the
posterior portion of the helmet apparatus plus the left and right
portions of the helmet apparatus, also shown are the interior and
outer surfaces of the shell, along with the first low friction
liner sheet that is affixed to the interior surface of the shell
having an outer primary slidable engagement with the flexible
primary bladder with its primary sidewall having an outside and
inside surface along with the primary bladder interior and primary
elastomeric elements disposed within the primary bladder interior,
wherein the primary default state distance is shown with the
primary low viscosity fluid disposed within the primary bladder
interior, further along with the second low friction liner sheet
that is in an inner primary slidable engagement to the outside
surface of the primary bladder, wherein the second low friction
liner sheet also having a secondary slidable engagement with the
flexible secondary bladder on its secondary sidewall outside
surface, the secondary bladder sidewall further having an inside
surface along with the secondary bladder interior and secondary
elastomeric elements disposed within the secondary bladder interior
wherein the secondary default state distance is shown with the
secondary high viscosity fluid disposed within the secondary
bladder interior;
[0038] FIG. 10 shows cross section cut 10-10 from FIG. 3, being the
same as FIG. 9, except that FIG. 9 shows the flexible primary and
secondary bladders each in their default state distance to span the
primary and secondary interiors and FIG. 10 shows the flexible
primary and secondary bladders each in their non-default states of
being reduced and extended distances that span the primary and
secondary interiors from the multiple impact hits and the
rotational or torsional impact hits on the exterior surface of the
helmet shell;
[0039] FIG. 11 shows a front side perspective view of the helmet
apparatus with the added chin and lower face guard element also
including the posterior and anterior portions of the outer shell
with the flexible channel portion also in the outer shell;
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a side elevation view of the helmet apparatus
with the added chin and lower face guard element also including the
posterior and anterior portions of the outer shell with the
flexible channel portion also in the outer shell;
[0041] FIG. 13 shows a top front perspective view of the helmet
apparatus with the added chin and lower face guard element also
including the anterior portion of the outer shell with the flexible
channel portion also in the outer shell;
[0042] FIG. 14 shows a rear elevation view of the helmet apparatus
with the added chin and lower face guard element also including the
posterior portion of the outer shell with the flexible channel
portion also in the outer shell;
[0043] FIG. 15 shows a bottom plan view of the helmet apparatus
with the added chin and lower face guard element including the
posterior and anterior portions of the outer shell;
[0044] FIG. 16 shows cross section cut 16-16 from FIG. 13 showing
the anterior and posterior portions of the helmet apparatus that
includes the chin and lower face guard element, also shown are the
interior and outer surfaces of the shell, along with the first low
friction liner sheet that is affixed to the interior surface of the
shell having an outer primary slidable engagement with the flexible
primary bladder with its primary sidewall having an outside and
inside surface along with the primary bladder interior and primary
elastomeric elements disposed within the primary bladder interior,
wherein the primary default state distance is shown with the
primary low viscosity fluid disposed within the primary bladder
interior, further along with the second low friction liner sheet
that is in an inner primary slidable engagement to the outside
surface of the primary bladder, wherein the second low friction
liner sheet also having a secondary slidable engagement with the
flexible secondary bladder on its secondary sidewall outside
surface, the secondary bladder sidewall further having an inside
surface along with the secondary bladder interior and secondary
elastomeric elements disposed within the secondary bladder interior
wherein the secondary default state distance is shown with the
secondary high viscosity fluid disposed within the secondary
bladder interior;
[0045] FIG. 17 shows cross section cut 17-17 from FIG. 12 showing
the anterior and posterior portions of the helmet apparatus that
includes the chin and lower face guard element, also shown are the
interior and outer surfaces of the shell, along with the first low
friction liner sheet that is affixed to the interior surface of the
shell having an outer primary slidable engagement with the flexible
primary bladder with its primary sidewall having an outside and
inside surface along with the primary bladder interior and primary
elastomeric elements disposed within the primary bladder interior,
wherein the primary default state distance is shown with the
primary low viscosity fluid disposed within the primary bladder
interior, further along with the second low friction liner sheet
that is in an inner primary slidable engagement to the outside
surface of the primary bladder, wherein the second low friction
liner sheet also having a secondary slidable engagement with the
flexible secondary bladder on its secondary sidewall outside
surface, the secondary bladder sidewall further having an inside
surface along with the secondary bladder interior and secondary
elastomeric elements disposed within the secondary bladder
interior, wherein the secondary default state distance is shown
with the secondary high viscosity fluid disposed within the
secondary bladder interior;
[0046] FIG. 18 shows an upper perspective view of the test stand
assembly that shows the vertically sliding structure all the way
down and in contact with the base, also shown are the vertical
frame and the vertical guide rods, and the sensor module; and
[0047] FIG. 19 shows an upper perspective view of the test stand
assembly in use that shows the vertically sliding structure part
way down the vertical guide rods headed toward the helmet apparatus
that is mounted to the base, wherein the vertically sliding
structure is ready to impact the helmet apparatus for testing
purposes, also shown are the vertical frame and the vertical guide
rods, and the sensor module.
REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS
[0048] 50 Helmet apparatus [0049] 55 Multiple impact hits on the
outer shell 85 exterior surface 105 [0050] 60 Rotational torsional
impact hits on the outer shell 85 exterior surface 105 [0051] 65
Centroid of the helmet apparatus 50 [0052] 70 Offset moment arm as
between the rotational torsional impact hit 60 and the centroid 65
of the helmet apparatus 50 [0053] 75 Moment imparted to the helmet
apparatus 50 from the rotational torsional impact hit 60 acting
through the offset moment arm 70 to the centroid 65 of the helmet
apparatus 50 [0054] 80 Inertia rebound hits from the multiple
impact hits 55 or rotational torsional impact hits 60 [0055] 85
Outer shell [0056] 90 Major axis of the outer shell 85 [0057] 95
Minor axis of the outer shell 85 [0058] 100 Substantially
elliptically shaped concave structure of the outer shell 85 [0059]
105 Exterior surface of the outer shell 85 [0060] 110 Interior
surface of the outer shell 85 [0061] 115 Posterior portion of the
outer shell 85 [0062] 120 Anterior portion of the outer shell 85
[0063] 125 Left portion of the outer shell 85 [0064] 130 Right
portion of the outer shell 85 [0065] 135 Substantially rigid
material portion of the shell 85 [0066] 140 First relatively less
rigid portion of the shell 85 in comparison the substantially rigid
material portion 135 [0067] 145 Second relatively less rigid
portion of the shell 85 in comparison the substantially rigid
material portion 135 [0068] 150 Flexible channel portion in
comparison the substantially rigid material portion 135 [0069] 155
First low friction liner sheet [0070] 160 First convex affixment
surface of the first low friction liner sheet 155 [0071] 165
Opposing first concave low friction surface of the first low
friction liner sheet 155 [0072] 170 Affixed structure of first
convex affixment surface 160 to the interior surface 110 [0073] 180
Flexible primary bladder [0074] 185 Primary sidewall of the
flexible primary bladder 180 [0075] 190 Primary outside surface of
the primary sidewall 185 [0076] 195 Primary inside surface on the
primary sidewall 185 [0077] 200 Interior of the primary bladder 180
[0078] 205 Primary sidewall 185 being substantially parallel to
itself [0079] 210 Primary default state distance apart from the
primary parallel relationship 205 [0080] 215 Primary sidewall has a
portion of the outside surface 190 that is sized and configured to
conform to and be disposed in adjacent contact to the first low
friction surface 165 [0081] 220 Plurality of primary elastomeric
elements [0082] 225 Span on the primary elastomeric element across
the primary bladder interior 200 [0083] 230 Attached structure of
the primary elastomeric elements 225 attached to opposing portions
of the primary inside surface 195 [0084] 235 Urge bias of the
primary elastomeric elements 220 to push the primary sidewalls 185
toward the primary default state 210 [0085] 240 Primary low
viscosity fluid [0086] 241 Movement of the primary low viscosity
fluid 240 from impacts 55 and 60 [0087] 245 Outer primary slidable
engagement of the first concave low friction liner sheet 165 and
the primary sidewall 185 outside surface 190 of the primary bladder
180 [0088] 250 Local compression from multiple impacts 55 or
rotational torsional impact hits 60 [0089] 255 Pushing the primary
sidewalls 185 toward one another from the local compression 250
[0090] 260 Reduced primary default sate distance [0091] 264 Pushing
the primary sidewalls 185 away from one another from the primary
fluid 240 local volume increase from fluid movement 241 [0092] 265
Increased or extended primary default state distance [0093] 270
Second low friction liner sheet [0094] 275 Second convex low
friction surface of the second low friction liner sheet 270 [0095]
280 Opposing second concave low friction surface of the second low
friction liner sheet 270 [0096] 285 Inner primary slidable
engagement contact of the second convex low friction surface 275
with the primary bladder 180 sidewall 185 outside surface 190
opposite of the first low friction liner sheet 155 in relation to
the flexible primary bladder 180 [0097] 290 Flexible secondary
bladder [0098] 295 Secondary sidewall of the flexible secondary
bladder 290 [0099] 300 Secondary outside surface of the secondary
sidewall 295 [0100] 305 Secondary inside surface on the secondary
sidewall 295 [0101] 310 Interior of the secondary bladder 290
[0102] 315 Secondary sidewall 295 being substantially parallel to
itself [0103] 320 Secondary default state distance apart from the
secondary parallel relationship 315 [0104] 325 Secondary sidewall
295 has a portion of the secondary outside surface 300 that is
sized and configured to conform to and be disposed in adjacent
contact to the second concave low friction surface 280 [0105] 330
Plurality of secondary elastomeric elements [0106] 335 Span on the
secondary elastomeric element 330 across the secondary bladder
interior 310 [0107] 340 Attached structure of the secondary
elastomeric elements 330 attached to opposing portions of the
secondary inside surface 305 [0108] 345 Urge bias of the secondary
elastomeric elements 330 to push the secondary sidewalls 295 toward
the secondary default state 320 [0109] 350 Secondary high viscosity
fluid [0110] 351 Movement of the secondary high viscosity fluid 350
from impacts 55 and 60 [0111] 355 Secondary slidable engagement of
the second concave low friction liner sheet 280 and the secondary
sidewall outside surface 300 of the secondary bladder 290 [0112]
360 Pushing the secondary sidewalls 295 toward one another from the
local compression 250 [0113] 365 Reduced secondary default sate
distance [0114] 369 Pushing the secondary sidewalls 295 away from
one another from the secondary fluid 350 local volume increase from
fluid movement 351 [0115] 370 Increased or extended secondary
default state distance [0116] 375 Football player [0117] 380 Helmet
retention strap [0118] 385 Helmet face mask [0119] 390 Player's
head [0120] 500 First lower cantilever terminating extension of the
outer shell 85 [0121] 505 Second lower cantilever terminating
extension of the outer shell 85 [0122] 510 Chin and lower face
guard element of the outer shell 85 [0123] 515 Outer surface of the
chin and lower face guard element 510 [0124] 520 Inner surface of
the chin and lower face guard element 510 [0125] 525 Affixment of
the low friction liner sheet 155 to the inner surface 520 [0126]
530 Inner low friction surface of the inner surface 520 [0127] 535
Contact of the flexible primary bladder 180 to the chin and lower
face guard element 510 inner low friction surface 530 [0128] 540
Chin and lower face guard element 510 primary bladder 180 inner
surface 195 [0129] 545 Chin and lower face guard element 510 second
low friction liner 270 inner surface 280 [0130] 550 Contact of the
flexible secondary bladder 290 to the chin and lower face guard
element 510 second low friction liner 270 inner surface 545 [0131]
555 Test stand assembly [0132] 560 Base of the test stand assembly
555 [0133] 565 Vertical frame support extending from the base 560
[0134] 570 Vertical guide rods affixed to the base 560 and vertical
frame 565 [0135] 575 Vertically sliding structure that is slidably
engaged to the rods 570 [0136] 580 Sensor module mounted on the
vertical frame support 565 [0137] 585 Weight disposed on the
sliding structure 575 [0138] 590 Movement of the sliding structure
575
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0139] With initial reference to FIG. 1, shown is an elevated
perspective view of the helmet apparatus 50, showing the anterior
120 and posterior 115 shell 85 portions, the helmet shell 85, plus
the position of the multiple impact hits 55 and rotational
torsional impact hits 60, note with the mask 385 and retention
strap 380 removed for pictorial clarity.
[0140] Next, FIG. 2 shows an action shot of a football player 375
using the helmet apparatus 50 with the retention strap 380 shown
and the mask 385 shown, further noting that for all the other
Figures the mask 385 and retention strap 380 are removed for
pictorial clarity, further for all the other Figures the helmet
apparatus 50 is shown not being on the player 375 also for
pictorial clarity, however, all reference to centroids 65, moment
arms 70, and moments 75 are all assumed that the player 375 has the
helmet apparatus 50 on their head 390 and the players 375 head 390
and the helmet 50 are kinetically acting as a single mass from the
multiple impact hits 55 and the rotational or torsional impact hits
60.
[0141] Continuing, FIG. 3 shows a side elevation view of the helmet
shell 85 showing the major 90 and minor 95 axes, the typical
positions of the multiple impact hits 55 and the rotational or
torsional impact hits 60, the offset moment arms 70, the centroid
65, and the moment 75 as experienced by the helmet shell 85
translating into the helmet apparatus 50 and to the players 375
head 390.
[0142] Moving ahead, FIG. 4 also shows a side elevation view of the
helmet shell 85 being specifically cross section cut 4-4 from FIG.
7, wherein FIG. 4 shows the anterior 120 and posterior 115 portions
of the shell 85, plus the major 90 and minor 95 axes, the centroid
65, and the exterior 105 and interior 110 surfaces of the helmet
shell 85.
[0143] Further, FIG. 5 also shows a front elevation view of the
helmet shell 85 being specifically view 5-5 from FIG. 3, wherein
FIG. 5 shows the left 125 and right 130 portions of the anterior
portion 120 of the shell 85, plus the major 90 and minor 95 axes,
the centroid 65, and the exterior 105 and interior 110 surfaces of
the helmet shell 85 in addition to the first 140 and second 145
relatively less rigid portions, plus the typical positions of the
multiple impact hits 55 and the rotational or torsional impact hits
60, the offset moment arms 70, the centroid 65, and the moment 75
as experienced by the helmet shell 85 translating into the helmet
apparatus 50 and to the players 375 head 390.
[0144] Yet further, FIG. 6 also shows a front elevation view of the
helmet shell 85 being specifically cross section cut 6-6 from FIG.
3, wherein FIG. 6 shows the left 125 and right 130 portions of the
shell 85, plus the major 90 and minor 95 axes, the centroid 65, and
the exterior 105 and interior 110 surfaces of the helmet shell
85.
[0145] Continuing, FIG. 7 shows a top view of the helmet shell 85
showing the anterior 120 and posterior 115 portions of the shell
85, the left 125 and right 130 portions of the shell 85, plus the
major 90 and minor 95 axes, the centroid 65, the moment arms 70,
the moment 75, the typical positions of the multiple impact hits 55
and the rotational or torsional impact hits 60, and the exterior
surface 105 of the helmet shell 85.
[0146] Next, FIG. 8 an upper inside view of the helmet shell 85 as
denoted by cross section 8-8 from FIG. 3, herein FIG. 8 shows the
major 90 and minor 95 axes, plus interior surface 110 and exterior
surfaces 105 of the helmet shell 85, the substantially rigid
portion 135 of the shell 85, in addition to the substantially
elliptically shaped concave structure 100 of the shell 85, and the
flexible channel portions 150 that run along the major 90 and minor
95 axes.
[0147] Moving onward, FIG. 9 shows cross section cut 9-9 from FIG.
3 showing the posterior portion 115 of the helmet apparatus 50 plus
the left 125 and right 130 portions of the helmet apparatus 50,
also shown in the interior 110 and outer 105 surfaces of the shell
85, along with the first low friction liner sheet 155 that is
affixed 160, 170 to the interior surface 110 of the shell 85 having
an outer primary slidable engagement 245 with the flexible primary
bladder 180 with its primary sidewall 185 having an outside 190 and
inside surface 195. Also FIG. 9 shows the flexible primary bladder
180 along with the primary bladder interior 200 and primary
elastomeric elements 220 disposed within the primary bladder
interior 200 wherein the primary default state distance 210 is
shown with the primary low viscosity fluid 240 disposed within the
primary bladder interior 200.
[0148] In addition, FIG. 9 shows the second low friction liner
sheet 270 that is in an inner primary slidable engagement 285 to
the outside surface 190 of the primary bladder 180, wherein the
second low friction liner sheet 270 also having a secondary
slidable engagement 355 with the flexible secondary bladder 290 on
its secondary sidewall 295 outside surface 300. Wherein FIG. 9
shows the secondary bladder 290 sidewall 295 further having an
inside surface 305 along with the secondary bladder interior 310
and secondary elastomeric elements 330 disposed within the
secondary bladder interior 310 wherein the secondary default state
distance 320 is shown with the secondary high viscosity fluid 350
disposed within the secondary bladder interior 310.
[0149] Further, FIG. 10 shows cross section cut 10-10 from FIG. 3,
being the same as FIG. 9, except that FIG. 9 shows the flexible
primary 180 and secondary 290 bladders each in their default state
distance 210, 320 to span the primary 200 and secondary 310
interiors. Wherein FIG. 10 shows the flexible primary 180 and
secondary 290 bladders each in their non-default states of being
reduced 255, 260, 360, 365 and extended distances 264, 265, 369,
370 that span the primary 200 and secondary 310 interiors from the
multiple impact hits 55 and the rotational or torsional impact hits
60 on the exterior surface 105 of the helmet shell 85. Thus in FIG.
10 the simultaneous reduced 260 and extended 265 distances show the
accommodating of the inertia rebound hit 80 from the impact hits 55
and rotational hits 60.
[0150] Next, FIG. 11 shows a front side perspective view of the
helmet apparatus 50 with the added chin and lower face guard
element 510 also including the posterior 115 and anterior 120
portions of the outer shell 85 with the flexible channel portion
150 also in the outer shell 85.
[0151] Continuing, FIG. 12 shows a side elevation view of the
helmet apparatus 50 with the added chin and lower face guard
element 510 also including the posterior 115 and anterior 120
portions of the outer shell 85 with the flexible channel portion
150 also in the outer shell 85.
[0152] Further, FIG. 13 shows a top front perspective view of the
helmet apparatus 50 with the added chin and lower face guard
element 510 also including the anterior portion 120 of the outer
shell 85 with the flexible channel portion 150 also in the outer
shell 85.
[0153] Moving onward, FIG. 14 shows a rear elevation view of the
helmet apparatus 50 with the added chin and lower face guard
element 510 also including the posterior 115 portion of the outer
shell 85 with the flexible channel portion 510 also in the outer
shell 85.
[0154] Yet further, FIG. 15 shows a bottom plan view of the helmet
apparatus 50 with the added chin and lower face guard element 510
including the posterior 115 and anterior 120 portions of the outer
shell 85.
[0155] Next, FIG. 16 shows cross section cut 16-16 from FIG. 13
showing the anterior 120 and posterior 115 portions of the helmet
apparatus 50 that includes the chin and lower face guard element
510, also shown are the interior 110 and outer 105 surfaces of the
shell 85, along with the first low friction liner sheet 155 that is
affixed 160 to the interior surface 110 of the shell 85 having an
outer primary slidable engagement 245 with the flexible primary
bladder 180 with its primary sidewall 185 having an outside 190 and
inside surface 195. Also FIG. 16 shows the primary bladder 180
interior 200 and primary elastomeric elements 220 disposed within
the primary bladder interior 200, wherein the primary default state
distance 210 is shown with the primary low viscosity fluid 240
disposed within the primary bladder interior 200.
[0156] In addition FIG. 16 shows the second low friction liner
sheet 270 that is in an inner primary slidable engagement 285 to
the outside surface 190 of the primary bladder 180, wherein the
second low friction liner sheet 270 also having a secondary
slidable engagement 355 with the flexible secondary bladder 290 on
its secondary sidewall 295 outside surface 300. Wherein FIG. 16
shows the secondary bladder 290 sidewall 295 further having an
inside surface 305 along with the secondary bladder interior 310
and secondary elastomeric elements 330 disposed within the
secondary bladder interior 310 wherein the secondary default state
distance 320 is shown with the secondary high viscosity fluid 350
disposed within the secondary bladder interior 310.
[0157] Continuing, FIG. 17 shows cross section cut 17-17 from FIG.
12 showing the anterior 120 and posterior 115 portions of the
helmet apparatus 50 that includes the chin and lower face guard
element 510, also shown are the interior 110 and outer 105 surfaces
of the shell 85, along with the first low friction liner sheet 155
that is affixed 160 to the interior surface 110 of the shell 85
having an outer primary slidable engagement 245 with the flexible
primary bladder 180 with its primary sidewall 185 having an outside
190 and inside surface 195. Further FIG. 17 shows the primary
bladder 180 interior 200 and primary elastomeric elements 220
disposed within the primary bladder interior 200, wherein the
primary default state distance 210 is shown with the primary low
viscosity fluid 240 disposed within the primary bladder interior
200.
[0158] In addition FIG. 17 shows the second low friction liner
sheet 270 that is in an inner primary slidable engagement 285 to
the outside surface 190 of the primary bladder 180, wherein the
second low friction liner sheet 270 also having a secondary
slidable engagement 355 with the flexible secondary bladder 290 on
its secondary sidewall 295 outside surface 300. Wherein FIG. 17
shows the secondary bladder 290 sidewall 295 further having an
inside surface 305 along with the secondary bladder interior 310
and secondary elastomeric elements 330 disposed within the
secondary bladder interior 310 wherein the secondary default state
distance 320 is shown with the secondary high viscosity fluid 350
disposed within the secondary bladder interior 310.
[0159] Next, FIG. 18 shows an upper perspective view of the test
stand assembly 555 that shows the vertically sliding structure 575
all the way down and in contact with the base 560, also shown are
the vertical frame 565 and the vertical guide rods 570, and the
sensor module 580. Continuing, FIG. 19 shows an upper perspective
view of the test stand assembly 555 in use that shows the
vertically sliding structure 575 with a weight 585 part way down
the vertical guide rods 570 headed toward the helmet apparatus 50
that is mounted to the base 560, wherein the vertically sliding
movement 590 structure 575 is ready to impact the helmet apparatus
50 for testing purposes, also shown are the vertical frame 565 and
the vertical guide rods 570, and the sensor module 580.
[0160] Broadly, the present invention is a helmet apparatus 50
configured to accommodate multiple impact hits 55, 60 thereafter
retaining usability, with the helmet 50 including an outer shell 85
having the major axis 90 and the substantially perpendicularly
oriented minor axis 95, wherein the outer shell 85 forms a
substantially elliptically shaped concave structure 100 having an
exterior surface 105 and an oppositely disposed interior surface
110, see FIGS. 1 and 3 to 8. The outer shell 85 is divided into the
posterior portion 115 and the opposing anterior portion 120 that
are about the minor axis 95, wherein the anterior portion 120
partially terminates in the first lower cantilever terminating
extension 500 and the opposing second lower cantilever terminating
extension 505, see FIG. 1, further the outer shell 85 is divided
into the left portion 125 and the opposing right portion 130 that
are about the major axis 90, as best shown in FIGS. 4 to 8.
[0161] The outer shell 85 is constructed of a substantially rigid
material 135 except for a first relatively less rigid portion 140
that is disposed within the posterior portion 115 straddling the
left 125 and right 130 portions, and a second relatively less rigid
portion 145 disposed within the anterior portion 120 straddling the
left 125 and right 130 portions, see in particular FIG. 5, but also
FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 6 to 8. Further a flexible channel 150 is
disposed along the major axis 90 and along the minor axis 95, see
in particular FIG. 8 and also FIGS. 3 to 7. Wherein operationally
the outer shell 85 substantially mimics a human skull rigid and
soft construction to help reduce skull stress from impact hits 55,
60 to the outer shell 85, see FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 7.
[0162] Also included in the helmet apparatus 50 is a first low
fiction liner sheet 155 having a first convex affixment surface 160
and an opposing first concave low friction surface 165, wherein the
first convex affixment surface 160 is affixed 170 to the interior
surface 110, see in particular FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0163] Further included in the helmet apparatus 50 is a flexible
primary bladder 180 constructed of the primary sidewall 185 having
the primary sidewall outside surface 190 and the opposing primary
sidewall inside surface 195 that defines the primary bladder
interior 200, wherein the primary sidewall 185 is substantially
parallel 205 to itself with the primary bladder interior 200 formed
from the parallel primary sidewall 185 primary parallel
relationship 205, see FIGS. 9 and 10. Wherein the primary sidewall
inside surface 195 is the primary default state distance apart 210
from the primary parallel relationship 205, the primary sidewall
185 is sized and configured 215 to conform to and be disposed
adjacent to the first low friction surface 165, specifically having
a portion of the primary outside surface in contact with the first
low friction surface 215, as best shown in FIG. 9.
[0164] The primary bladder interior 200 further including a
plurality of primary elastomeric elements 220 that each span 225
across the primary bladder interior 200 being attached 230 to
opposing portions of the primary inside surface 195, wherein the
primary elastomeric elements 220 urge 235 the primary bladder
interior 200 to the primary default state distance apart 210 to
have a substantially constant opposing primary distance 225 as
between the primary inside surfaces 195 that are opposite of one
another, as best shown in FIG. 9. The primary bladder interior 200
is filled with a low viscosity primary fluid 240 such that the
primary default state distance 210 is maintained, wherein the
primary bladder primary sidewall outside surface 190 and the first
concave low friction liner 165 have an outer primary slidable
engagement 245 to one another.
[0165] Wherein operationally if the primary bladder 180 sustains a
local compression 255, 260 pushing the primary sidewalls 185 toward
one another thus locally reducing the primary default state
distance 260, the primary fluid 240 is moved 241 to temporarily
increase the primary default state distance 264, 265 everywhere
else to a primary extended state distance 265 within the primary
bladder interior 200 to help absorb kinetic energy from the local
compression 250, wherein the plurality of primary elastomeric
elements 220 are operational to urge the primary extended state
distance 265 back to the default state distance 210, see in going
from FIG. 9 to FIG. 10 and back to FIG. 9.
[0166] In addition, the helmet apparatus 50 includes a second low
friction liner sheet 270 having a second convex low friction
surface 275 and an opposing second concave low friction surface
280, wherein the second convex low friction surface 275 is in
contact 285 with the flexible primary bladder sidewall outside
surface 190 oppositely positioned from the first low friction liner
sheet 155 in relation to the flexible primary bladder 180, again
see FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0167] Further, the helmet apparatus 50 includes the flexible
secondary bladder 290 constructed of the secondary sidewall 295
having the secondary sidewall outside surface 300 and the opposing
secondary sidewall inside surface 305 that defines the secondary
bladder interior 310, again see FIGS. 9 and 10. Wherein the
secondary sidewall 295 is substantially parallel 315 to itself with
the secondary bladder interior 310 formed from the parallel
secondary sidewall parallel relationship 315 wherein the secondary
sidewall inside surface 305 is a secondary default state distance
apart 320 from the secondary parallel relationship 315, see FIGS. 9
and 10. The secondary sidewall 295 is sized and configured 325 to
conform to and be disposed adjacent to the second concave low
friction surface 280 specifically having a portion of the secondary
outside surface 300 in contact with the second concave low friction
surface 280, see FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0168] The secondary bladder interior 310 further including a
plurality of secondary elastomeric elements 330 that each span 335
across the secondary bladder interior 310 being attached 340 to
opposing portions of the secondary inside surface 305, wherein the
secondary elastomeric elements 330 urge 345 the secondary bladder
interior 310 to the secondary default state distance 320 apart to
have a substantially constant opposing secondary distance 320 as
between the secondary inside surfaces 305 that are opposite of one
another, see FIG. 9. The secondary bladder interior 310 is filled
with a high viscosity secondary fluid 350 such that the secondary
default state distance 320 is maintained, wherein the secondary
bladder 290 and the second low friction liner sheet 270 have a
secondary slidable engagement 355 to one another, thus the primary
180 and secondary 290 bladders have a slidable engagement 285, 355
to one another, see FIG. 9.
[0169] Wherein operationally if the secondary bladder 290 sustains
a local compression 250 pushing the secondary sidewalls 295 toward
one another 360 thus locally reducing the secondary default state
distance 365, the secondary fluid 350 is moved 351 to temporarily
increase the secondary default state distance 369 everywhere else
to a secondary extended state distance 370 within the secondary
bladder interior 310 to help absorb kinetic energy from the local
compression 250, wherein the plurality of secondary elastomeric
elements 330 are operational to urge 345 the secondary extended
state distance 370 to the secondary default state distance 320, see
in going from FIG. 9 to FIG. 10 and back to FIG. 9 again. Thus with
the primary 180 and secondary 290 bladders operating in a series
manner allow for a "progressive" reduction of impact hit 55, 60
kinetic energy due to the primary bladder 180 having more
deflection 210 to 260 than the secondary bladder 290 having less
deflection 320 to 365.
[0170] Looking at FIGS. 11 to 17 in particular for the helmet
apparatus 50 can further comprise the chin and lower face guard
element 510 that extends from the anterior portion 120 of the outer
shell 85, wherein structurally the chin and lower face guard
element 510 extends from and joins the first 500 and second 505
lower cantilever terminating extensions of the outer shell 85,
wherein the major axis 90 extends therethrough the chin and lower
face guard element 510 including the flexible channel 150, all as
best shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 and FIGS. 15 to 17.
[0171] Also looking at FIGS. 11 to 13, and 15, plus in particular
FIGS. 16 and 17 to further detail for the chin and lower face guard
element 510 can further comprise an outer surface 515 and the
oppositely disposed inner surface 520, wherein the first low
friction liner sheet 155 is extended to affix 525 to the inner
surface 520 resulting in an inner low friction surface 530 for the
inner surface 520 of the chin and lower face guard element 510.
Further the flexible primary bladder 180 is also extended to be in
contact 535 with the inner low friction surface 530 forming a chin
and lower face guard element 510 primary bladder inner surface 540,
further the second low friction liner sheet 270 is extended to be
in contact with the chin and lower face guard element 510 primary
bladder 180 inner surface 195 forming a chin and lower face guard
element 510 second low friction inner liner 270 surface 545, and
the flexible secondary bladder 290 is extended to be in contact 550
with the chin and lower face guard element 510 second low friction
inner liner 270, as best shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.
[0172] Focusing on FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 for the helmet apparatus 50
wherein the flexible channel 150 that is disposed within the chin
and lower face guard element 510 has a flexibility that is less
than one-half a flexibility of said outer shell 85 outside of the
flexible channel 150 and the first 140 and second 145 relatively
less rigid portions, wherein the flexibility is in units of pounds
force per inch of deflection.
[0173] Looking in particular at FIG. 8 for the helmet apparatus 50
wherein the flexible channel 150 that is disposed along the major
90 and minor 95 axes within the outer shell 85 has a flexibility
that is less than one-half a flexibility of the outer shell 85
outside of the flexible channel 150 and the first 140 and second
145 relatively less rigid portions, wherein the flexibility is in
units of pounds force per inch of deflection.
[0174] As best shown in FIG. 5 in particular for the helmet
apparatus 50 wherein the first 140 and second 145 relatively less
rigid portions have a flexibility that is less than one-half a
flexibility of the outer shell 85 outside of the first 140 and
second 145 relatively less rigid portions and the flexible channel
150, wherein the flexibility is in units of pounds force per inch
of deflection.
[0175] In looking at FIGS. 18 and 19 in particular the test stand
assembly 555 is disclosed wherein baseline data is determined from
dropping the vertically sliding structure 575 that is slidably
engaged to the rods 570 down along the vertical frame support 565
towards the base 560 and measuring through accelerometers mounted
on the vertically sliding structure 575 the impact upon the base
560 as monitored by the sensor module 580, essentially in going
from FIG. 18 to FIG. 19 without the helmet apparatus 50 in place
for the baseline test, wherein the vertically sliding structure 575
directly contacts the base 560. The initial goal is to generate
about a one-hundred G initial base line impact, wherein a G is
defined as a perception of weight force being actually a resistance
to an objects (vertically sliding structure 575 in this case)
freedom to move, thus the G's are really surface contact forces (as
between the vertically sliding structure 575 and the base 560)
wherein these surface contact forces result in stresses and strains
upon the vertically sliding structure 575 and the base 560, wherein
future testing will be concerned with the stresses and strains upon
the helmet apparatus 50 emanating from the vertically sliding
structure 575 g's impact upon the helmet apparatus 50.
[0176] So a baseline of one G is the resistance that the earth
ground surface places upon an object to keep that object from
falling toward the center of the earth, i.e. commonly known as the
weight (force in pounds) of the object on earth, wherein a
particular "weight" of an object is only valid upon the earth's
surface and would of course change on another planet or in outer
space. Units of G's are distance per time squared, i.e. feet per
second squared-which is really an acceleration, thus when G's are
used synonymous with a particular force-that is only valid on earth
wherein a constant gravitational acceleration is experienced.
[0177] In so far as human tolerance for G's, (ultimately being of
interest here for increasing head 390 protection from the helmet
apparatus 50 experiencing G forces) can be highly variable as the
human body is flexible which causes the amount of G's tolerated to
be highly variable, whereas G magnitude, timing, and location all
play a factor in human G tolerance, i.e. a local very short
duration hit on an arm or leg may produce over a hundred G's with
no real damage, wherein a lower G's hit for a sustained period of
time can be deadly.
[0178] The settings for the initial base line data were to use a
two hundred G sensor size set at five hundred micro seconds data
intervals (about 5 ten-thousandths of a second per data read), with
the two hundred G sensor mounted on the vertically sliding
structure 575. Wherein the initial impact of the vertically sliding
structure 575 to the base 560 accounted for about four data points
equaling about 2 one-thousandths of a second total at a peak of
about 115 G's with a rebound peak of about negative 38 G's with the
curve showing resonance as between the vertically sliding structure
575 to the base 560 between the 115 G peak to the negative 38 G
point as evidenced by somewhat even G-force oscillations (in time
and amplitude) between the 115 G peak to the negative 38 G point
with around four data points equaling about 2 one-thousandths of a
second between the 115 G peak to the negative 38 G point. Noting
that the zero to 115 G peak time and the 115 G peak to the negative
38 G time are about equal indicates that the modulus of elasticity
(stress-strain relationship) of the vertically sliding structure
575 to the base 560 are about equal-which would be expected.
Wherein subsequent (time wise) to the negative 38 G, the positive
and negative G forces significantly subside being attributable to
the hysteresis (internal dampening friction) of the materials of
the vertically sliding structure 575 and the base 560.
CONCLUSION
[0179] Accordingly, the present invention of the helmet apparatus
has been described with some degree of particularity directed to
the embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated,
though; that the present invention is defined by the following
claim construed in light of the prior art so modifications of the
changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present
invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained
therein.
* * * * *