Abstract:
A helmet, which includes an injection molded shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the injection molded shell including a first main body portion and a second main body portion, wherein the first and second main body portions are formed of a first material; and a first molded hinge portion formed intermediate the first and second main body portions, the molded hinge portion adapted to allow the first main body portion and the second main body portion to move relative to each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/954,969, titled “Protective Helmet,” filed Dec. 12, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a protective helmet. 
     2. Background Art 
     Participants in sports involving contact with other players or objects are particularly susceptible to head and brain injuries. It is well known to use various types of protective headgear during participation in these sporting activities to prevent or limit injuries. The amount of protection afforded by headgear is determined by many factors, including the fit of the headgear on the user&#39;s head and the type, location, and amount of padding used in the headgear. 
     Furthermore, players of different sports require various degrees of protection from headgear depending on the amount of head impact commonly encountered in the sport. In sports such as American football, where violent head to head or head to ground contact is commonplace, the ideal headgear has a substantial amount of padding and is formed of a substantially rigid shell so as to provide maximum protection to the athlete. In sports involving somewhat lower impact forces to the head, such as hockey, the ideal headgear is more closely tailored to the shape of the user&#39;s head while still providing sufficient protection. 
     To achieve a tailored fit, it is well known to construct hockey helmets with separate front and back pieces. This construction allows for a degree of custom fitting, but results in a helmet that is adjustable only along one axis. Other helmet constructions utilize adjustable liner systems. While these systems improve the fit of the helmet, the size of the helmet shell itself is not adjustable. This results in a helmet with a shell that is unnecessarily bulky. Thus, there is a need for a helmet that allows for an improved fit to the head of an athlete. 
     There is also a need for a helmet with a shell that allows for an improved fit while at the same time offering an adjustable amount of padding. Inflatable articles of manufacture or bladders for use in inflatable articles of manufacture have been known for decades. Such articles of manufacture include inflatable air mattresses and pillows, inflatable life preservers and rafts, and athletic equipment. In the field of athletic equipment, inflatable bladders have been incorporated in the interior of balls (e.g., basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, etc.), as well as in articles of protective apparel, gloves, chest protectors and footwear. 
     U.S. application Ser. No. 10/887,927 filed on Jul. 12, 2004 (and published as U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20050028404-A1 on Feb. 10, 2005), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a shoe having an inflatable bladder. Other pumps and valves, suitable for use, among other things, with inflatable bladders for helmets, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,599, 5,074,765 and 5,144,708, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Inflatable bladders have also been incorporated into protective helmets. However, these helmets are bulky and not well adapted to sports where a helmet with a more tailored fit is required. Accordingly, there is a need in the art to have a lightweight protective helmet that is able to provide a custom fit to an individual user while at the same time providing an adequate amount of cushioning. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicant has developed an innovative protective helmet, comprising: an injection molded shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the injection molded shell comprising: a first main body portion and a second main body portion, wherein the first and second main body portions are formed of a first material; and a first molded hinge portion formed intermediate the first and second main body portions, the molded hinge portion adapted to allow the first main body portion and the second main body portion to move relative to each other. 
     Applicant has further developed an innovative helmet, comprising: an injection molded shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the injection molded shell comprising: a left portion; a right portion; and a center portion disposed intermediate the left portion and the right portion; a first molded hinge portion integrally formed intermediate the left portion and the center portion, wherein the first molded hinge portion is adapted to allow the left portion and the center portion to move relative to each other; and a second molded hinge portion integrally formed intermediate the right portion and the center portion, wherein the second molded hinge portion is adapted to allow the right portion and the center portion to move relative to each other. 
     Applicant has developed an innovative helmet comprising: a dual-injected shell having a plurality of sections, wherein each section has an exterior surface and an interior surface, the dual-injected shell comprising: a molded hinge formed in the shell, the molded hinge allowing at least two of the sections to move relative to each other; an inflatable bladder affixed to a portion of the interior surface, and an inflation mechanism fluidly connected to the inflatable bladder. 
     Applicant has developed a helmet comprising: a dual-injected shell having a plurality of sections, the dual-injected shell comprising: an over-molded bumper, and a molded hinge, wherein the molded hinge allows two or more of the sections to move relative to each other; wherein at least two of the molded hinge, the over-molded bumper, and the sections are formed of differently colored materials. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated heroin and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a right side plan view of a dual-injected helmet with molded hinges, over-molded bumpers, and an on-board pump for use in inflating a bladder serving as a helmet liner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear plan view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a left side plan view of a helmet according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side plan view of a helmet according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear plan view of the helmet of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front plan view of the helmet of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross section of a molded hinge according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross section of an over-molded bumper according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross section of a helmet and bladder system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an impact liner and associated bladder system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
     The present invention is directed to a protective helmet, particularly a helmet designed for use in sports where a streamlined helmet is desirable, such as ice hockey or the like.  FIG. 1  is a right side plan view of a dual-injection molded helmet shell  100 . The left and right sides of helmet shell  100  are generally symmetrical. Thus, it is understood that the left side (not shown) of helmet shell  100  is generally a mirror image of  FIG. 1 . 
     Helmet shell  100  includes a front section  110  and a rear section  120  joined together. In one embodiment, front section  110  and rear section  120  are joined by a screw and post combination. As would be apparent to one of skill in the art, front section  110  and rear section  120  could also be joined by other methods such as riveting. In a preferred embodiment, helmet shell  100  is formed of HDPE (high density polyethylene). However, helmet shell  100  could also be formed of a variety of high impact resins suitable for use in protective headgear. The left and right sides of helmet shell  100  are generally symmetrical. Alternatively, helmet  100  could be formed of more than two sections or could be formed as a single unit. Helmet shell  100  comprises a plurality of molded hinges  130  formed by a process of dual-injection molding or co-molding. Molded hinges  130  can be located in a variety of areas on a helmet shell to improve the fit of the shell on the head of a user. For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , front section  110  comprises a molded hinge  130  located intermediate the main portion of front section  110  and a temple flange  112 . Molded hinge  130  allows temple flange  112  to pivot relative to the main portion of front section  110  to improve the fit of the helmet to a user&#39;s head. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , helmet shell  100  may also comprise molded hinges  130  located on rear section  120  of helmet shell  100 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , rear section  120  is provided with a molded hinge  130  that begins on a forward upper portion  122  of rear section  120  at a location proximal to front section  110  and extends generally to a lower rear portion  124  of rear section  120 . An identical molded hinge  130  extends down the left side (not shown) of rear section  120  of helmet shell  100 .  FIG. 7  shows a cross section of one embodiment of a molded hinge according to an embodiment of the present invention. In embodiments of the present invention, molded hinges  130  are formed by a process of dual-injection or co-molding. 
     Helmet shell  100  may also comprise a flex zone  150  located on the lower-most perimeter of lower rear portion  124  of rear section  120 . Flex zone  150  is designed to contact the user&#39;s neck when the helmet is worn, thereby providing an improved fit and increased comfort. 
     Helmet shell  100  may also comprise one or more bumpers  140 . Over-molded bumpers  140  provide impact attenuation or vibration control when the helmet collides with an object. Over-molded bumpers  140  can be formed in a variety of locations on helmet shell  100 , but are preferably placed in locations where collisions are most common or where substantial vibration is experienced following a collision.  FIGS. 1-6  illustrate several embodiments that demonstrate locations for molded hinges and over molded bumpers. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , helmet shell  100  may comprise an over-molded bumper extending from a right rear portion  114  of front section  110  to a right front portion  116  of front section  110 . An additional over-molded bumper  140  may be located on an upper front portion  118  of front section  110 .  FIG. 8  shows a cross section of an over-molded bumper according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, bumpers  140  are over-molded onto a separately molded helmet shell. Alternatively, bumpers  140  could be formed on helmet shell  100  by dual-injection or co-molding, or could be applied to helmet shell  100  after molding is completed. 
     Helmet shell  100  may also comprise one or more over-molded bumpers  140  on rear section  120 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , an over-molded bumper may be provided on rear section  120  extending generally from a upper front portion  122  to a lower right portion  126 . 
     Molded hinges  130 , over-molded bumpers  140 , and flex zone  150  may each be formed from a different material, or may each be formed of the same material, but with differing hardness or stiffness. Similarly, front section  110  and rear section  120  may each be formed of different materials, and may be formed of different materials than one or more of molded hinges  130 , over-molded bumpers  140 , and flex zone  150 . In addition, each component of helmet shell  100  could be formed of materials having different colors, or of the same material with different colors, to achieve a desired aesthetic effect. 
     Helmet shell  100  may also be provided with one or more ventilation apertures  160  which allow air to pass through the shell.  FIG. 1  shows a plurality of ventilation apertures  160  located generally at a right front portion  116  of front section  110 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , helmet shell  100  may have a plurality of ventilation apertures  160  on a center portion of rear section  120 . 
     Helmet shell  100  may also have an inflatable bladder provided on the interior of front section  110  and rear section  120 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an on-board manually operated inflation mechanism  410  may be included as means for inflating the bladder. As further shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , inflation mechanism  410  may be provided on the lower rear portion  124  of rear section  120 . It is understood that inflation mechanism  410  could also be located at other positions on helmet shell  100 . 
       FIG. 2  is a rear plan view of helmet shell  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. As apparent from  FIG. 2 , rear section  120  of helmet shell  100  comprises a left side  125 , a center channel  127 , and a right side  129 . Center channel  127  begins at the top of rear section  120  at a location proximal to the intersection of rear section  120  and front section  110  and extends to flex zone  150  following the contour of a user&#39;s head. Center channel  127  includes sidewalls  128  that extend generally in a perpendicular direction from the base of center channel  127  to molded hinges  130 . Molded hinges  130  define the boundaries between center channel  127  and left and right sides  125  and  129 . Ventilation apertures  160  may be provided on sidewalls  128 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Ventilation apertures could also be placed at other locations on helmet shell  100  to aid in cooling the head of a user and decreasing the weight of the helmet. In an alternative embodiment, helmet shell  100  could also be formed with no center. 
     Molded hinges and over-molded bumpers can be located at various positions on a helmet in order to achieve the desired fit to a wearer&#39;s head and collision protection.  FIG. 3  demonstrates one of the many possible configurations of over-molded bumpers and molded hinges on a helmet. Helmet  200  has a molded hinge extending from the left side of upper front portion  222  of rear section  220  to the crown region of rear section  220 , and then wrapping back to the right side of upper front portion  222 . Over-molded bumpers are provided in several locations on front section  210  in order to absorb impact during collisions. 
       FIGS. 3-6  depict another embodiment of a helmet of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , two over-molded bumpers  340  extend from the left front portion  317  to the right front portion  316  of front section  310 . Over-molded bumpers  340  are also provided directly above temple flanges  312  on each side of helmet  300 . Molded hinges  330  are located on rear section  320  of helmet shell  300 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , rear section  320  is provided with a molded hinge  330  that begins on a forward upper portion  322  of rear section  320  at a location proximal to front section  310  and extends to a lower rear portion  324  of rear section  320 . An identical molded hinge  330  extends down the left side of rear section  320  of helmet shell  100 . Flex zone  350  is located on the lower-most perimeter of lower rear portion  324  of rear section  320 . Flex zone  350  is designed to contact the user&#39;s neck when the helmet is worn, thereby providing improved fit and increased comfort. 
       FIG. 5  also shows an alternate location for inflation mechanism  410 . As would be apparent to one of skill in the art, inflation mechanism  410  can be located in a variety of positions on a helmet shell of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  shows a cross section of a helmet according to an embodiment of the present invention. The helmet comprises a helmet shell  100  with an inflatable device  400  coupled thereto. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , inflatable device  400  includes an inflation mechanism  410 , one or more inflatable bladders  420 , and fluid release mechanism  430 . In one embodiment, the inflation mechanism  410  and the fluid release mechanism  430  may be combined. Bladder  420  is disposed on the interior of helmet shell  100  and is in fluid communication with inflation/release mechanism  410 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , additional layers, such as impact liner  500  and comfort liner  600 , may be provided on the interior of helmet shell  100  to provide additional cushioning. In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , impact liner  500  is formed with one or more hinges  530  which allow certain areas of the impact liner to move relative to the impact liner as a whole. Hinges  530  may be formed from traditional hinging methods or molded hinges. 
     Inflatable device  400  is shown in farther detail in  FIG. 10 . In order for a user to customize the amount of air in the bladder, bladder  420  is in communication with an inflation mechanism  410 . In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5 ,  9  and  10 , inflation mechanism  410  is located in the rear section of helmet a helmet shell. However, in alternate embodiments, inflation mechanism  410  may be located on a side of helmet shell  100  or any other area of the helmet, as would be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art. Bladder  420  comprises one or more air pockets  440  connected by one or more air channels  450 . In a preferred embodiment, air channels  450  are located in one or more depressions  510  in impact liner  500  to allow a secure fit in helmet shell  100 . Air pockets  440  are preferably located on movable portions  520  of impact liner  500 . Increasing pressure is applied to movable portions  520  as air pockets  440  are inflated and thereby push against the interior of helmet shell  100 . This pressure forces movable portions  520  closer to a user&#39;s head in key areas to provide a customized fit. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , movable portions  520  and air pockets  440  are positioned beneath helmet shell  100  at locations corresponding to lower rear portion  124  and right rear portion  114 , with reference to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . As would be apparent, movable portions  520  and air pockets  440  could be located in alternate areas under helmet shell  100  to achieve the desired fit. In addition, inflatable device  400  could be used with a traditional impact liner without movable portions. 
     A variety of different inflation mechanisms can be utilized in embodiments of the present invention. The inflation mechanism may be a simple latex bulb which is physically attached to the helmet. Alternatively, the inflation mechanism may be a molded plastic chamber, or may be a hand held pump such as one which utilizes CO 2  gas to inflate a bladder. 
     Preferably, the inflation mechanism is small, lightweight, and provides a sufficient volume of air such that little effort is needed for adequate inflation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,779, which is incorporated by reference, describes an inflation mechanism comprising a bulb (of various shapes) with a one-way check valve. When the bulb is compressed air within the bulb is forced into the desired region. As the bulb is released, the check valve opens because of the pressure void in the bulb, allowing ambient air to enter the bulb. 
     Another inflation mechanism, also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,779, incorporated herein by reference, is a bulb having a hole which acts as a one-way valve. A finger can be placed over the hole in the bulb upon compression. Therefore, the air is not permitted to escape through the hole and is forced into the desired location. When the finger is removed, ambient air is allowed to enter through the hole. An inflation mechanism having collapsible walls in order to displace a greater volume of air may be preferred. A similar inflation mechanism may include a temporarily collapsible foam insert. This foam insert ensures that when the bulb is released, the bulb expands to the natural volume of the foam insert drawing in air to fill that volume. A preferred foam is a polyurethane, such as the 4.25 4.79 pound per cubic foot polyether polyurethane foam, part number FS-170-450TN, available from Woodbridge Foam Fabricating, 1120-T Judd Rd. Chattanooga, Tenn., 37406. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,225, incorporated herein by reference, describes another type of on-board inflation mechanism suitable for the present invention. Yet another type of on-board inflation mechanism, wherein the inflation mechanism is formed from an isolated portion of the bladder, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,670, incorporated herein by reference. One skilled in the art can appreciate that a variety of inflation mechanisms are suitable for the present invention. In addition, any inflation mechanism is appropriate for use with any embodiments of the present invention. 
     These inflation mechanisms all require a one-way valve be placed between the inflation mechanism and the bladder, so that once air enters the system it may not travel backwards into the inflation mechanism. Various types of one-way valves are suitable for use in conjunction with the various inflation mechanisms of the present invention. Preferably, the valve will be relatively small and flat for less bulkiness. U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,708 to Pekar, incorporated herein by reference, describes a valve suitable for the present invention. The patent describes a valve formed between thermoplastic sheets. The valve described in the Pekar patent allows for simple construction techniques to be used whereby the valve can be built into the system at the same time the bladder is being welded. One skilled in the art would understand that a variety of suitable valves are contemplated in the present invention. 
     The one-way valve provides a method to avoid over inflation of the system. In particular, if the pressure in the bladder is equal to the pressure exerted by the inflation mechanism, no additional air will be allowed to enter the system. In fact, when an equilibrium is reached between the pressure in the bladder and the pressure of the compressed inflation mechanism, the one-way valve which opens to allow air movement from the inflation mechanism to the bladder  420  may remain closed. Even if this valve does open, no more air will enter the system. Further, one skilled in the art can design an inflation mechanism to have a certain pressure output to limit the amount of air that can be pumped into bladder  420 . Any one-way valve will provide a similar effect, as would be known to one skilled in the art. In addition, any one-way valve would be appropriate for use in any embodiments of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 10 , fluid release mechanism  430  is a deflation valve. The particular deflation valve in  FIG. 10  is a release valve. Fluid release mechanism  430  is fluidly connected to bladder  420  and allows the user to personally adjust the amount of air inserted into bladder  420 , particularly if the preferred comfort level is less than the pressure limits otherwise provided by the bladder. The release valve can comprise any type of release valve. One type of release valve is the plunger-type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,779, incorporated herein by reference, wherein the air is released upon depression of a plunger which pushes a seal away from the wall of the bladder allowing air to escape. In particular, a release valve may have a spring which biases a plunger in a closed position. A flange around the periphery of the plunger can keep air from escaping between the plunger and a release fitting because the flange is biased in the closed position and in contact with the release fitting. To release air from bladder  420 , the plunger is depressed by the user. Air then escapes around the stem of the plunger. This type of release valve is mechanically simple and light weight. The components of a release valve may be made out of a number of different materials including plastic or metal. Any release valve is appropriate for use in any embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  shows one possible location of fluid release mechanism  430  on helmet shell  100 . However fluid release mechanism  430  may be positioned in any number of different locations provided that it is fluidly connected with bladder  420 , as would be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art. Additionally, helmet shell  100  may include more than one fluid release mechanism  430 . 
     As an alternative, fluid release mechanism  430  may also be a check valve, or blow off valve, which will open when the pressure in bladder  420  is at or greater than a predetermined level. In each of these situations, bladder  420  will not inflate over a certain amount no matter how much a user attempts to inflate the helmet. 
     One type of check valve has a spring holding a movable seating member against an opening in the bladder. When the pressure from the air inside the bladder causes a greater pressure on the movable seating member in one direction than the spring causes in the other direction, the movable seating member moves away from the opening allowing air to escape the bladder. Another type of check valve is an umbrella valve, such as the VA-3497 Umbrella Check Valve (Part No. VL1682-104) made of Silicone VL1001M12 and commercially available from Vernay Laboratories, Inc. (Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA). In addition, any other check valve is appropriate for use in the present invention, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Further, any check valve would be appropriate for use in any of embodiments of the present invention. 
     In another embodiment, fluid release mechanism  430  may be an adjustable check valve wherein a user can adjust the pressure at which a valve is released. An adjustable check valve has the added benefit of being set to an individually preferred pressure rather than a factory predetermined pressure. An adjustable check valve may be similar to the spring and movable seating member configuration described in the preceding paragraph. To make it adjustable, however, the valve may have a mechanism for increasing or decreasing the tension in the spring, such that more or less air pressure, respectively, would be required to overcome the three of the spring and move the movable seating member away from the opening in the bladder. However, any type of adjustable check valve is appropriate for use in the present invention, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and any adjustable check valve would be appropriate for use in any embodiment of the present invention. 
     Bladder  420  may include more than one type of fluid release mechanism  430 . For example, bladder  420  may include both a check valve and a release valve. Alternatively, bladder  420  may contain, a fluid release mechanism  430  which is a combination release valve and check valve. This type of valve is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,670. 
     In another embodiment, small perforations may be formed in the bladder to allow air to naturally diffuse through the bladder when a predetermined pressure is reached. The material used to make bladder  420  may be of a flexible material such that these perforations will generally remain closed. If the pressure in the bladder becomes greater than a predetermined pressure the force on the sides of the bladder will open the perforation and air will escape. When the pressure in bladder  420  is less than this predetermined pressure, air will escape very slowly, if at all, from these perforations. Any embodiment of a bladder of the present invention may also have these perforations for controlling the amount of air within the bladder. 
     As noted elsewhere, these example embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes only, and are not limiting. Other embodiments are possible and are covered by the methods and systems described herein. Such embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Thus, the breadth and scope of the methods and systems described herein should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents