Patent Publication Number: US-6986168-B2

Title: Protective headgear

Description:
This application claims priority of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/444,701, filed on Feb. 5, 2003. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The field of this invention pertains to protective headgear used in connection with contact sports such as boxing and martial arts, and self-defense training, which may involve trauma forces to the head. The invention relates more specifically to such protective headgear fabricated from foam material. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Participants in contact sports, or self-defense training often require protective wear to minimize injury. Helmets or protective headgear are used in various sports such as football, baseball, ice hockey, field hockey, martial arts, boxing or self-defense training. Protective headgear used in boxing and martial arts may be fabricated from a resilient foam material such as polyurethane foam, which is cut and/or molded to cover sensitive portions of the head for protection. Sections of the headgear may be perforated, or contain openings for ventilation, viewing or hearing. The foam absorbs energy from blows to the head, and is lightweight to minimize stress to the neck and shoulders during use. However these headgear devices may not provide sufficient protection to certain sensitive areas of the head without adding any measurable weight or size to the headgear. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is for a protective headgear device comprising a circumferential member composed of a foam material, having an interior that generally conforms to the shape of one&#39;s head. The circumferential member has a first opening for viewing and a second open through which the neck of the user extends. A plurality of pads (also referred to as “internal pads”) are secured to an interior surface of the circumferential member, and are spaced apart from one another, to protect predetermined sensitive areas of the head. The internal pads absorb trauma forces applied to the headgear. In addition, impact plates, or inserts, are affixed to the interior surface of outer shell, and each impact plate is disposed between the circumferential member and a corresponding internal pad. The impact plates supplement the protection of the internal pads and outer shell for absorbing trauma forces applied to the headgear. 
   A method for the fabrication of a protective headgear device is also described herein as comprising the steps of forming a foam material to define a resilient and flexible circumferential member generally conforming to the shape of a user&#39;s head, positioning a plurality of impact plates at predetermined locations on an interior surface of the circumferential member; affixing the impact plates to the interior surface of the circumferential member at the predetermined locations, positioning a plurality of internal pads along the interior surface of the outer shell at the predetermined locations; and, affixing each internal pad to the interior surface of the circumferential member over a corresponding impact plate. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when read with the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the interior of a protective headgear device. 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a protective headgear device. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the protective headgear taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG.  2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the protective headgear taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an internal pad the protective headgear device. 
       FIG. 6  is an alternative embodiment of the invention having an integrated chin pad. 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG.  6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   An exemplary embodiment of the present invention for a protective headgear  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The protective headgear device  10  includes a circumferential member  11 , or outer shell, that generally conforms to the shape of one&#39;s head and covering portions of one&#39;s head for protection. The circumferential member  11  includes a front section  14  for covering the forehead, a back section  15  for covering the back of the head, two side sections  16  for covering the ears, temples, jaws and side of the head and a top section  17 . The sections  14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are arranged to form a first opening  12  through which a user is capable of viewing, and a second opening  13  through which a user&#39;s neck extends. 
   In addition, sections of the headgear  10  may be perforated for ventilation and hearing. For example, openings  19  at the top section  17  provide ventilation for a user. Apertures  20  adjacent one&#39;s ear on the side sections  16  also provides for ventilation, and assist in hearing. 
   A chinstrap  18  is secured to each of the side sections  16 , and extends under a user&#39;s chin to secure the device  10  on the head. 
   The circumferential member  11  is fabricated from a suitable foam material that is conformable and resilient, capable of absorbing energy and forces when contacted and deformed by a strike or blow from another person. In an exemplary embodiment, the foam material is a polyvinylnitrile closed cell foam product that is die-cut according to predetermined specifications for forming the various sections  14 - 17 , apertures  20  and openings  12 ,  13  and  19 . The circumferential member  11  has a substantially uniform thickness that may range from about 0.375 inches to about 0.50 inches, depending on the size of the headgear  10 . 
   The circumferential member  11 , and supplemental parts including the internal pads  21 , and impact plates  22 , is encased within a tough pliable coating, preferably comprising a polyvinyl chloride. Known dipping or painting processes are used to apply the coating. 
   Protection to certain crucial parts of the head is supplemented by the addition of internal pads  21  secured to an interior surface of the circumferential member  11 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the internal pads  21  are spaced apart along the internal surface of the circumferential member  11  to protect predetermined areas of the head from trauma applied to the head  25  and headgear  10 . The internal pads  21  are placed on the headgear  10  so the internal pads  21  are positioned adjacent ears (not shown) of the user and the back of the head. 
   The internal pads  14  are preferably constructed of the same foam material used to fabricated the circumferential member  11 , and are the substantially the same thickness as the circumferential member  11 . The invention is not limited by these identified dimensions, which may vary according to the size of the headgear  10 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , impact plates  22  are secured to the interior surface of the circumferential member  11  and disposed between the internal pads  21  and the interior surface  11 A of the circumferential member  11 . The impact plates  22  have an outer edge  22 A corresponding to a predetermined sensitive area on a user&#39;s head, and which are coextensive with the outer edges  21 A of the internal pads  21 . With respect to  FIG. 5 , the impact plates  22  and internal pads  21  are generally shaped to protect the outer ear of a user, but do not cover the apertures  20  on the headgear  10 . 
   The impact plates  22  are comprised of a rigid plastic material that also has sufficient flexibility or resiliency to conform to the configuration of the interior surface of the circumferential member  11  and upon impact from a blow to the headgear  10 . In an exemplary embodiment, the impact plates  22  are constructed from an injection molding process using acrylnitrile butadiene styrene plastic. The impact plates  22  are preferably about ⅛ inch thick, which provides sufficient rigidity and flexibility to absorb and/or disperse force applied by a blow to the head. The impact plates  22  are preferably affixed to the interior surface  11 A of the circumferential member  11  using contact cement. 
   An alternative exemplary embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , and includes a chin protector  23  integrally formed with the circumferential member  11 . The chin protector  23  includes a foam section integrally formed with the side sections  16  of the circumferential member  11 . An impact plate  22  and internal pad  21  are affixed to an interior surface of the chin protector  23  so that the internal pad  22  is positioned adjacent the chin of a user wearing the headgear  10 . 
   The method of fabrication of the protective headgear  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , comprises the steps of providing a foam material die cut and/or molded to incorporate the sections  14 - 17  and apertures  20  of the protective headgear  10 . A substantially flat piece of the foam material is cut into the two half portions  24  of the headgear  10  whereby the half portions  24  include a side section  16 , and respective portions of the front section  14 , back section  15  and top section  17 . The internal pads  21 , fabricated from the same foam material, are provided with the impact plates  22 , which are fabricated from injection molding techniques known to those skilled in the art. 
   Once all the pieces are produced from die-cut and/or injection molding, the impact plates  22  are affixed to the interior surface of the circumferential member  11  at those predetermined areas designated to protect the head. In a preferred embodiment, the impact plates  22  and internal pads  21  for protecting the ears are affixed to the side sections  16 . The internal pads  21  are secured to the interior surface  11 A circumferential member  11  over the impact plates  22 , encapsulating the impact plates  22  within the protective headgear  10 , between the circumferential member  11  and the internal pads  21 . 
   The two half portions  24  are then affixed to one another using known adhesives preferably beginning along the back section  15 , forming a seam (not shown), which is covered with a vinyl tape. An impact plate  22  and internal pad are then affixed to the back section  15  of the headgear. Subsequently, the top section  17  and front section  14 , of the two halves  24  are affixed to one another forming the circumferential member  11 . The entire protective headgear  10  may then be dipped or brushed with a colored polyvinyl chloride. The chinstrap  18  may then be affixed to side sections  16 . Prior to the dipping process, the seam (not shown) formed along the top section  17  and front section is preferably covered with tape to protect adhesive from the polyvinyl chloride coating. 
   While the invention has been described in what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the specific illustrated embodiment, but be interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims.