Patent Publication Number: US-8966671-B2

Title: Sporting helmet with outer pads

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/424,324, filed Dec. 17, 2010, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to sporting helmets and, more particularly, to a sporting helmet with flexible recessed inserts to help prevent concussions. 
     For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, when someone is hit on a helmet, the brain, which is incased in fluid, is pushed to the skull. The hard external surface of a helmet does not absorb any force applied to the helmet. Instead, this force is transmitted into the helmet. While current sports helmets have an internal padding system, this padding system does not prevent concussions. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an improved helmet that may absorb the force of an impact on the helmet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a helmet comprises at least one recessed insert surface formed on an exterior of the helmet; at least one insert adapted to fit into the recessed insert surface; and an outer finish adapted to cover the exterior of the helmet when the insert is disposed in the recessed insert surface. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a helmet comprises a front insert disposed in a front recessed insert surface; a top insert disposed in a top recessed insert surface; a left side insert disposed in a left side recessed insert surface; a right side insert disposed in a right side recessed insert surface; a back insert disposed in a back recessed insert surface; and a smooth outer surface covering an exterior of the helmet. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing the potential for injury from a head blow while playing sports comprises fitting players with a helmet, the helmet having a plurality of inserts disposed in a plurality of recessed insert surfaces and an outer surface covering an exterior of the helmet; and absorbing at least a portion of the head blow with one of the plurality of inserts. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a helmet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a left side view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the helmet of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a helmet according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a sports helmet that includes recessed insert surfaces on its exterior to accommodate shock absorbing inserts disposed therein. The helmet may include, for example, five recessed insert surfaces, a front recessed surface, a top recessed surface, a rear recessed surface, and two side recessed surfaces. The inserts may be disposed into the recessed surfaces to create a substantially uniform outer helmet shape. A uniform finish may cover the exterior of the helmet. The shock absorbing inserts, when used on a person receiving a force to the helmet&#39;s insert, will absorb at least a portion of the force, limiting the force&#39;s impact on the wearer&#39;s brain. The helmet may, for example, help prevent concussions and other brain injuries in sport participants. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , a helmet system  10  may include a helmet  12  having a plurality of distinct recessed insert surfaces  14 . For example, five recessed insert surfaces (each generally labeled as recessed insert surfaces  14 ) may be configured on the exterior surface  30  of the helmet  12 . A front insert  20  may fit into a front recessed surface, a left side insert  22  may fit into a left side recessed insert surface, a right side insert  24  may fit into a right side recessed insert surface, a top insert  26  may fit into a top recessed insert surface, and a back insert  28  may fit into a back recessed insert surface. In some embodiments, the recessed insert surfaces  14  may touch adjacent recessed insert surfaces  14 , such that inserts may contact each other when disposed in the recessed insert surfaces  14 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the left side insert  22  may be disposed adjacent the front insert  20 , and these inserts  22 ,  20  may touch each other along at least one portion thereof. 
     The inserts (or pads)  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be made out of shock absorbent material. In one embodiment, the pads may be made of foam, rubber, gel, plastic, polymer, or light foam. In one embodiment, the pads  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may have a slippery shiny surface. 
     Helmet ventilation holes  16  may be disposed at various locations in the helmet, as may be conventional in the art. Insert ventilation holes  18  may be disposed through the inserts. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the helmet ventilation holes  16  may align with the padding ventilation holes  18  so that air may circulate between the interior and the exterior of the helmet. 
     An outer finish  34  may cover an exterior of the helmet  12  (except for the ventilation holes  16 ,  18 . The outer finish  34  may be a smooth, hard finish, similar in visual appearance to conventional helmets. In other words, from an aesthetic perspective, the helmet system  10  of the present invention may appear the same or similar to conventional helmets. 
     The recessed surfaces  14  may be recessed from about ⅛ inch to about ¼ inch, typically about 3/16 inch. Therefore, the inserts  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may have a thickness that is the same as the depth of the recessed surfaces  14 . For example, the recessed surfaces  14  may have a depth of about 3/16 inch and the inserts  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may have a thickness of 3/16 inch. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a helmet system  40  may include a space between the recessed surfaces  14 . The space may be defined by a tapered divider  36 . The tapered divider  36  may have a taper from about 10 to about 45 degrees from perpendicular. The inserts  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may have a corresponding taper such that the inserts fit into each of the recessed surfaces, as shown, for example, in  FIG. 7 . Similar to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the inserts may fit into the recessed surfaces to form a substantially uniform outer surface of the helmet. This outer surface may be covered with the outer finish  34 , as described above. In some embodiments, the tapered divider  36  may have a height that is the same as the thickness of the insert plus the outer finish  34 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . In other embodiments, the tapered divider  36  may have a height that is the same as the thickness of the insert alone. In this embodiment, the outer finish  34  may cover not only the inserts, but also the top portions of the tapered divider  36 . 
     The helmet  12  may be used in various sports. For example, the helmet may be used in baseball, football, cycling, skateboarding, roller blading, and the like. The helmet may include other conventional features, such as a face guard  38 , for example. The helmet  12  may also be useful for special needs uses and for safety for persons with various illnesses. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.