U.S. patent number 3,852,821 [Application Number 05/368,926] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-10 for impact absorbent pad for helmet shell.
Invention is credited to Larry S. Mickel.
United States Patent |
3,852,821 |
Mickel |
December 10, 1974 |
IMPACT ABSORBENT PAD FOR HELMET SHELL
Abstract
An impact absorbent pad, which is supported by the neckband of a
helmet shell against the base of the skull of a wearer thereof to
protect the wearer against serious injury by the rim of the helmet
shell when the helmet shell is impacted from the rear. The impact
absorbent pad is particularly useful in combination with helmet
shells worn by parachutists.
Inventors: |
Mickel; Larry S. (Fort Benning,
GA) |
Family
ID: |
23453335 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/368,926 |
Filed: |
June 11, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/415; 2/421 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B
3/142 (20130101); A42B 3/127 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A42B
3/04 (20060101); A42B 3/10 (20060101); A63b
071/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/3R,3A,3B,3C,5,6,2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stevens, III; Eugene E. Labadini;
Lawrence E. Rainey; Charles C.
Claims
I claim:
1. In combination, a protective helmet comprising a substantially
rigid shell and a webbing type suspension system mounted therein
for supporting said helmet on the head of a wearer thereof, an
impact absorbing pad comprising a body member having the
configuration of an inverted T when said impact absorbing pad is in
an operative position, said impact absorbing pad being disposed
against the head of the wearer of said helmet over the nape area
and the base of the skull when in an operative position, an
adjustable neckband adapted to overlie the rear of the crossing
portion of the inverted T-shaped body member and to support said
impact absorbing pad horizontally, said neckband being adjustably
attached at each of the two ends thereof to said webbing type
suspension at spaced apart points, a suspension strap attached at
one end thereof to said neckband at a point approximately midway
between said two ends of said neckband and attached at the other
end thereof to the inner surface of the rear portion of said rigid
shell, said suspension strap being adapted to support said neckband
in a vertical direction and to overlie the rear of the base portion
of said inverted T-shaped body member and to support the base
portion of said inverted T-shaped body member vertically and to
hold said base portion against the nape area and the base of the
skull of the wearer when said impact absorbing pad and said
suspension strap are in operative positions, and means carried by
said body member for detachably mounting said impact absorbing pad
on said neckband when said impact absorbing pad is in an operative
position, whereby said neckband and said suspension strap maintain
said impact absorbing pad disposed against the nape area and the
base of the skull of the wearer so that said impact absorbing pad
prevents impact of the lower rear rim of said rigid shell against
the nape or base of the skull of the wearer when the lower rear rim
of said rigid shell is forced in the direction of the nape and base
of the skull of the wearer.
2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said body member
comprises a T-shaped piece of expanded closed cell cellular
elastomeric impact absorbing material encased in a flexible
T-shaped envelope, said means for detachably mounting said impact
absorbing pad on said neckband being carried by said flexible
T-shaped envelope.
3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said flexible
T-shaped envelope is formed of a fabric material and said means for
mounting said impact absorbing pad on said neckband comprise two
fabric loops attached to said crossing portion of said envelope in
substantially parallel spaced apart relation, said fabric loops
being adapted for threading said neckband therethrough.
Description
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and
licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without
the payment to me of any royalty thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an impact absorbing pad for use in
conjunction with the neckband of a helmet shell to prevent or
minimize injury to the base of the skull of the wearer of a helmet
when the helmet is subjected to impact from the rear.
The Armed Forces have for many years used helmets to protect the
heads of soldiers against missiles, shrapnel, and the like. A
helmet is usually made of a metal having high impact and ballistic
resistance within which a helmet shell is worn, the helmet shell
usually being made of relatively hard plastic, often reinforced
with fiberglass. Inside of the helmet shell a helmet shell
suspension is mounted. The helmet shell suspension is made of
flexible webbing materials arranged to fit the crown of the head of
the wearer of the helmet and thus keep the helmet shell spaced
somewhat away from the head of the wearer. Usually there is a chin
strap to be passed under the chin and fastened to the helmet shell
suspension on both sides of the head to prevent the helmet shell
from tilting backwards on the head. Also, there is a neckband which
is fastened to the helmet shell suspension on both sides of the
head and passes around the base of the skull in the rear, usually
contacting the nape of the neck, and serving to prevent forward
tilting of the helmet on the head. Such an arrangement is disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,043 and will under most circumstances
provide adequate protection for the head of the wearer. However, it
has been found that in the case of parachute jumps occasionally a
soldier lands off balance or may be dragged by a parachute and
thrown to the ground with great force. If this occurs and the rear
edges of the helmet shell or helmet are jammed against the neck and
base of the skull, there is grave danger of severe or even fatal
injury to the parachutist.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an impact
absorbent pad for use with a helmet shell to provide protection to
the nape area of the neck and the base of the skull against the
effects of severe impacts on the rear portions and especially the
rear rim of a helmet shell or helmet.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following
description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel
features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection
with the appended claims.
SUMMARY
The invention comprises an impact absorbing pad to be mounted on
the neckband of a helmet shell suspension system so as to be held
between the neckband and the area at the base of the skull of the
wearer to prevent the back rim of the helmet shell or the back rim
of the helmet from striking against the neck or base of the skull
of the wearer with damaging force when the helmet and helmet shell
are subjected to impact from the rear.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The drawing shows the preferred embodiment of the invention.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an impact absorbing pad embodying
the invention, the pad being viewed from a position to the rear and
somewhat to the right side of the wearer if the pad were being worn
in conjunction with a helmet shell.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a helmet shell on the head of
a wearer thereof, including an impact absorbing pad embodying the
invention, the impact absorbing pad being viewed in perspective and
from the left side of the wearer. The helmet shell suspension has
been cut away except for the lower portion of the headband to which
the neckband is attached, the neckband and a suspension strap
supporting the impact absorbing pad against the base of the skull
of the wearer.
FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of a helmet shell as in FIG. 2 on
the head of a wearer thereof, including the impact absorbing pad
embodying the invention, the impact absorbing pad being viewed from
the rear thereof. As in FIG. 2, the helmet shell suspension has
been cut away except for the lower portion of the headband to which
the neckband is attached on both sides of the helmet shell, the
neckband and a suspension strap supporting the impact absorbing pad
as in FIG. 2. Lower portions of the chin strap are also cut away
for convenience.
Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters designate like
parts in all views, 10 designates generally the body of an impact
absorbing pad embodying the invention. The impact absorbing pad,
when in use, is generally in the shape of an inverted T. It
comprises a fabric envelope 11 within which a T-shaped sheet of
expanded closed cell cellular elastomeric material, such as
material known as "Ensolite" and manufactured by Uniroyal, Inc., is
inserted; and the fabric envelope is closed by a seam 12. The sheet
of expanded closed cell cellular elastomeric material provides
resiliency and impact absorption characteristics to the impact
absorbing pad. Its thickness is such as to provide adequate
cushioning for the nape of the neck and base of the skull of the
wearer against impact by the lower rear rim 13 of the helmet shell
14 in the event of an incorrect parachute landing fall in which the
back of the helmet would strike the ground jamming the rear rim of
the helmet shell against the nape of the neck and base of the skull
of the wearer. The impact absorbing pad is provided with two straps
15, usually made of webbing, sewn or otherwise attached to the
envelope on the rear surface thereof and along the two side edges
of the rear surface so as to form two substantially parallel spaced
apart loops 16. Neckband 17 is flexible and usually made of
webbing, is adjustable in length, is fastened to headband 18 by a
rivet 19 on each side of the helmet shell, and is threaded through
loops 16, providing support for the crossing portion 20 of the
inverted T-shaped impact absorbing pad against the base of the
skull of the wearer 21 of the helmet shell. A flexible suspension
strap 22, preferably made of webbing, is attached at one end
thereof to the neckband 17 approximately midway between the points
of attachment of the neckband to the headband on the two sides of
the helmet shell, passes upwardly across the base portion 23 of the
inverted T-shaped pad, and is attached at the other end thereof to
the helmet shell by rivet 24. The suspension strap 22 provides
additional support to the impact absorbing pad over that provided
by the central portion of the neckband. It also helps maintain the
impact absorbing pad centered with respect to the rear of the skull
of the wearer by cooperation with loops 16 since either of the two
loops 16 is prevented from shifting past one of the edges of
suspension strap 22. The loops 16 may be made wide enough or the
suspension strap 22 may be made wide enough to prevent any
possibility of the shifting of the impact absorbing pad along the
neckband 17 and toward one side or the other of the head of the
wearer. In any case, the loops 16 and the suspension strap 22
should be made wide enough to insure that the pad remains in close
contact with the nape area, thus insuring that if the lower rear
rim 13 of the helmet shell is forced in the direction of the skull
and nape of the neck of the wearer, it will strike only the impact
absorbing pad. Thus serious injury due to concussion at the base of
the skull will be prevented when the impact absorbent pad is
provided with a sufficiently thick sheet of expanded closed cell
cellular elastomeric material within fabric envelope 11 and the pad
is properly installed in cooperation with the neckband and the
helmet shell, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Chin strap 25 under
normal conditions under which a helmet shell is worn prevents
backward tilting of the helmet shell. However, it is unable to
prevent the rear rim of the helmet shell from striking the nape
area or base of the skull if the helmet and helmet shell are
impacted with great force from the rear. The impact absorbent pad
prevents severe damage under such circumstances.
The expanded closed cell cellular elastomeric material employed in
the sheet inclosed within fabric envelope 11 may be produced in
accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,182 or U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,333
or by other procedures known in the art for producing such impact
absorbing materials.
Although the invention has been described in terms of an impact
absorbent pad comprising a fabric envelope inclosing an expanded
closed cell cellular elastomeric material, which is the impact
absorbent component of the pad, it is to be understood that other
kinds of impact absorbent materials may be employed. The type of
material and thickness, density, resilience, tensile strength and
other properties will determine how effective the impact absorbent
pad will be for protecting the neck and base of the skull of the
wearer of the helmet shell. The important consideration is that the
impact absorbing pad be sufficiently thick and be made of materials
which will prevent transmission of enough force to the nape of the
neck and the base of the skull through the rear rim of the helmet
shell or of the helmet to cause injury to the wearer of the helmet.
The particular hazards to which the wearer will be exposed will
determine in large measure the materials of construction and
thickness required in the impact absorbing pad, parachutists
requiring greater impact protection in the area of the base of the
skull than foot soldiers, in general.
The impact absorbing pad of the invention is particularly useful in
conjunction with conventional neckbands used with helmet shells,
thus obviating the making of special neckbands for use by members
of the Armed Forces who are likely to be exposed to such hazards as
the sudden and forceful jamming of a narrow rear rim or edge of a
helmet shell or helmet against the nape and base of the skull areas
in case of a fall involving striking the back of the helmet shell
or helmet against a relatively unyielding surface.
The impact absorbing pad is most useful in combination with
parachutists' helmets, but it is not intended that its use should
be so limited since it would be useful with any type of helmet or
helmet shell which is made of hard or rigid materials. The impact
absorbing pad has proven very effective in preventing serious
injuries to the skulls and necks of a large number of parachutists
who have worn such impact absorbing pads.
It will be understood that various changes in the details,
materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein
described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the
invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the
principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended
claims.
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