Patent Publication Number: US-2019183203-A1

Title: Bicycle helmet with ventilation plate

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/599,565, filed Dec. 15, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of bicycle helmets and specifically to bicycle helmets designed for improved ventilation. 
     Bicycle helmets are designed to protect a user&#39;s head in the event of an accident. Bicycle helmets typically include a thick liner of expanded polystyrene (EPS) covered with a thin shell of a hard plastic material, such as lexan, polycarbonate, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
     In order to increase a user&#39;s comfort when riding a bicycle, bicycle helmets may be designed to be lightweight and/or to have ventilation so that the user&#39;s head is cooled while riding. For example, ventilation may include inlet ventilation ports on the front of the bicycle helmet and outlet ventilation ports on the rear of the bicycle helmet, thereby facilitating the flow of air through the bicycle helmet. As bicycle helmet design has evolved, ventilation ports have generally become larger and more numerous in order to increase the amount of air flowing through the helmet. 
     As the size of ventilation ports have increased, reinforcing struts have been added to enhance the strength of the bicycle helmet. These struts can extend laterally across the ventilation ports in order to provide strength to the underlying liner. Struts can be made of a variety of materials, such as plastic mesh or plastic strip, and the struts are often covered with a layer of EPS. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is front perspective view of a bicycle helmet embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a left side view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a right side view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a section view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 9  is a section view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 10  is a section view of the bicycle helmet of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of the section of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of the section of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In some embodiments, a bicycle helmet has a front portion, a rear portion, an overall length, and an overall width. The bicycle helmet includes a liner having a plurality of vents at the front portion of the bicycle helmet and being impact-absorbing. The bicycle helmet further includes a shell over an outer surface of the liner at the front portion of the bicycle helmet, and a plate over the outer surface of the liner at the rear portion of the bicycle helmet. The plate is devoid of vents in a narrow region starting at approximately 45% to 65% of the overall length from a front of the bicycle helmet and extending to a rear of the bicycle helmet. The narrow region is laterally centered on the bicycle helmet and has a width of approximately 30% to 50% of the overall width. 
     In yet other embodiments, a bicycle helmet has a front portion, a rear portion, an overall length, and an overall width. The bicycle helmet includes a liner including a plurality of rails defining vents at the front portion of the bicycle helmet, and a plurality of struts extending between the plurality of rails. The bicycle helmet further includes a shell over an outer surface of the liner at the front portion of the bicycle helmet, and a plate over the outer surface of the liner at the rear portion of the bicycle helmet. The plate is devoid of vents and defines air channels beneath the plate and between the plurality of rails. The plate extends approximately from a center of the bicycle helmet to a rear of the bicycle helmet. 
     The plate can be made from a very stiff material, such as a carbon fiber composite, and thus substantially adds to the strength and stiffness of the rear portion of the bicycle helmet. As a result of this increased strength and stiffness, less liner material can be needed in this region of the bicycle helmet, resulting in larger air channels for cooling the rider. In addition, the lack of vents in this region of the bicycle helmet results in cooling air being channeled parallel and close to the surface of a user&#39;s head, which can enhance the cooling provided by the airflow. 
     Other elements of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and drawings. 
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
     The bicycle helmet  20  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-10  comprises a liner  22 , a shell  24 , and a plate  26 . The bicycle helmet  20  can be configured to receive a head of a user, such as, for example, to protect the head of the user from impacts. For example, the bicycle helmet  20  can receive the head of the user at an interior surface  48  ( FIG. 11 ) of the liner  22 . Meanwhile, as discussed below, the shell  24  and/or the plate  26  can be over (e.g., partially over) and/or secured (e.g., partially secured) to an outer surface of the liner  22  opposite the interior surface  48  ( FIG. 11 ) of the liner  22 . In some embodiments, as discussed below, part or all of the liner  22  can be omitted from under the plate  26 . 
     Although not shown in the drawings, the bicycle helmet  20  also can include one or more pads between the liner  22  and a user&#39;s head to enhance comfort and to absorb sweat. For example, the pad(s) can be located at the interior surface  48  ( FIG. 11 ) of liner  22 . In addition, head straps and buckles of bicycle helmet  20  are not shown, but can be used for securing the bicycle helmet  20  to a user&#39;s head. 
     The liner  22  can surround a portion (e.g., a large portion) of the user&#39;s head when bicycle helmet  20  is worn by the user. Further, the liner  22  can be impact-absorbing. The liner  22  can comprise a layer of at least one material. One of more of the material(s) implemented for liner  22  can be lightweight and/or energy-absorbing. For example, one or more of the material(s) implemented for liner  22  can be EPS and/or polyurethane foam. The liner  22  can have a thickness of up to approximately 20 millimeters or more. The thickness can be measured between the interior surface  48  ( FIG. 11 ) and outer surface of the liner  22 . In some embodiments, the thickness can be approximately constant. However, in other embodiments, the thickness can vary at different portions of the liner  22 . For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the liner  22  under at least part of the plate  26  can be less than the thickness of the liner  22  under at least part of the shell  24 . 
     The liner  22  can include a plurality of vents (i.e., ventilation ports) that facilitate airflow through the bicycle helmet  20  when the user is riding. In some embodiments, the bicycle helmet  20  can include five longitudinal vents: a center vent  30 , right and left frontal vents  32 , and right and left temporal vents  34 . Each of these longitudinal vents can extend generally from a frontal region (e.g., front portion)  35  of the bicycle helmet  20  to a parietal region (e.g., rear portion)  36  of the bicycle helmet  20 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The five longitudinal vents can divide the liner  22  into six longitudinally extending rails: left and right center rails  40 , left and right parietal rails  42 , and left and right temporal rails  44 . In other embodiments, other numbers of longitudinal vents and/or longitudinally extending rails can be implemented. For example, in some embodiments, three longitudinal vents and four longitudinally extending rails can be implemented, or seven longitudinal vents and eight longitudinally extending rails can be implemented 
     In order to enhance the strength of the longitudinally extending rails, the bicycle helmet  20  further can include lateral struts  46  spanning one or more of the longitudinal vents between adjacent rails of the longitudinally extending rails. In many embodiments, the lateral struts  46  can be generally thinner (e.g., approximately 5 to 20 mm from the head, upward) than the liner  22 . However, in other embodiments, the lateral struts  46  can be the same thickness or thicker than the liner  22 . Further, the lateral struts  46  can comprise polycarbonate plastic or another suitable reinforcing material, such as, for example, injected nylon. In some embodiments, the lateral struts  46  can be molded into the liner  22  during a process of molding the liner  22 . In some embodiments, one or more of lateral struts  46  can be implemented for one or more of the longitudinal vents. 
     In many embodiments, the shell  24  can be secured to the outer surface of the liner  22 . For example, the shell  24  and liner  22  can be bonded together, or the liner  22  can be molded into the shell  24 . In some embodiments, the shell  24  can comprise polycarbonate that is approximately 0.5 to 1 millimeter thick, but in other embodiments, different or additional materials can be implemented, such as, for example, ultra-high molecular weight polyurethane (e.g., Dyneema composite sold by Royal DSM N.V. of Heerlen, Netherlands)), injected nylon, graphene, ABS, Polyethylene, etc.; and/or a different thickness can be implemented. In many embodiments, the shell  24  can cover the outer surface of the liner  22 , except for the region covered by the plate  26 , as described below in more detail. In other embodiments, the shell  24  can cover part or all of the region covered by the plate  26 . For example, in these embodiments, the plate  26  can cover part of the shell  24  and/or can be secured to part of the shell  24 . 
     The plate  26  can be positioned over the parietal, or rear, region  36  and as illustrated in  FIG. 2  can provide a connection between rear regions or ends  37  of the center rails  40  and parietal rails  42 . In many embodiments, the plate  26  can be approximately 1 millimeter to 5 millimeters thick and can be made from at least one material. The material(s) used to implement the plate  26  can be strong and/or impact resistant. For example, the material(s) used to implement the plate  26  can comprise a composite reinforced polymer. Different or additional material(s) can be implemented for the plate  26 , such as ultra-high molecular weight polyurethane (e.g., Dyneema composite sold by Royal DSM N.V. of Heerlen, Netherlands), a fiberglass fabric and epoxy matrix (e.g., Texalium composite sold by Hexcel Corporation of Stamford, Conn., United States of America), a polypropylene weave composite (e.g., Curv composite sold by Propex, Inc. of Chattanooga, Tenn., United State of America), fiberglass, a tri-weave of Kevlar/fiberglass/carbon, or polycarbonate folded onto itself with a midlayer for support/adhesion. 
     The plate  26  can be positioned over and/or adjacent the outer surface of the liner  22  over the center rails  40 , spaced from the interior surface  48 , thereby creating large airflow channels  50  between the longitudinally extending rails. The plate  26  can provide strength and/or impact resistance over the parietal region, thus reducing the amount of material (e.g., a thickness of the liner  22 ) needed in that region. For example, part or all of the liner  22  can be omitted from under the plate  26  in the airflow channels  50 . However, a thin layer of material (e.g., EPS, expanded polypropylene (EPP), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polycarbonate, etc.) can be implemented for the liner  22  under the plate  26 . In some embodiments, the material(s) implemented for the liner  22  under the plate  26  can be the same as a reminder of the liner  22 , or in other embodiments, can be different or additional material(s). The plate  26  further can permit reinforcing struts to be reduced or omitted under the plate  26 . Accordingly, positioning the plate  26  on the outer surface of the liner  22  can reduce or eliminate the liner  22  under the plate  26 , and/or reduce or eliminate reinforcing struts under the plate  26 , and as a result, a larger amount of airflow can be accommodated, thereby enhancing the cooling effect and reducing the choking of airflow under the plate  26 . 
     It is further noted that the plate  26  can be devoid of vents and/or a portion of the liner  22  under the plate  26 , which can encourage airflow close to the user&#39;s head (e.g., at interior surface  48  ( FIG. 11 )), instead of out exit vents, thereby enhancing the cooling effect. The portion of the bicycle helmet  20  with no vents can include a narrow region or area  52  and wider region or area  54 . The precise dimensions of these regions can vary depending on the size of the bicycle helmet  20 , and can be generally proportional to the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) and overall width W 1  ( FIG. 4 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 . For example, in some embodiments, the bicycle helmet  20  can have an overall length L 1  of approximately 270 millimeters and/or an overall width W 1  of approximately 210 millimeters. In this example, the illustrated narrow region  52  can be centered on the bicycle helmet  20  and/or can have a width W 2  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 ) of approximately 86 millimeters, which can be approximately 41% of the overall width ( FIG. 4 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 . The narrow region  52  can start at the back of the bicycle helmet  20  and/or can have a length L 2  ( FIG. 7 ) of approximately 118 millimeters, which can be approximately 44% of the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 . The wider region  54  in this example can be centered in the bicycle helmet  20  and/or can have a width W 3  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 )) of approximately 174 millimeters, which can be approximately 83% of the overall width W 1  ( FIG. 4 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 . The wider region  54  can start at the back of the bicycle helmet  20  and/or can have a length L 3  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 ) of approximately 85 millimeters, which can be approximately 31% of the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 . In other embodiments, these ratios of lengths and/or widths can be applied to different dimensions of the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) and the overall width W 1  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     In further embodiments, the positioning of the narrow and wide regions  52 ,  54  can vary. For example, while the narrow region  52  of the illustrated embodiment starts approximately 56% of the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) from a front or foremost point  58  ( FIG. 7 ) of the bicycle helmet  20 , this could vary from approximately 45% to 65% (the length L 1  being measured from the front or foremost point  58  to a rear or rearmost point  60 ). Similarly, while the wider region  54  of the illustrated embodiment starts approximately 69% of the overall length L 1  ( FIG. 7 ) from the front or foremost point  58  of the bicycle helmet  20 , this could vary from approximately 55% to 80%. Furthermore, the width W 2  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 ) of the narrow region  52  can be approximately 30%-50% of the overall width W 1  ( FIG. 7 ), and the width W 3  ( FIGS. 4 &amp; 7 ) of the wider region  54  can be approximately 70%-90% of the overall width W 1  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     The illustrated airflow channels  50  created by the plate  26  can be large and can facilitate enhanced cooling.  FIG. 11  shows the size of the center channel  56  relative to the adjacent center rails  40  rearward of the front of the narrow region  52  of the bicycle helmet  20  (corresponding with the section of  FIG. 8 ). In this embodiment or other embodiments, the center rails  40  can have a thickness T 1  of approximately 25 millimeters and/or have an average width W 4  of approximately 21 millimeters, resulting in a total cross sectional area of the center two rails  40  of about 1050 millimeters 2 . In that same section, the center channel  56  can have a thickness T 2  of approximately 25 millimeters and/or a width W 5  of approximately 36 millimeters, for a total cross sectional area of approximately 900 millimeters 2 . Accordingly, in this section, the area of the airflow channel can be approximately 86% of the cross-sectional area of the liner  22 , but that can vary from approximately 70% to 100% in other embodiments. For example, the thicknesses T 1  and/or T 2 , and/or the widths W 4  and/or W 5  can be different in other embodiments. In some embodiments the total cross sectional area of the center two rails  40  is approximately 1080 millimeters 2 , and the area of the airflow channel can be approximately 89% of the cross-sectional area of the liner  22 . 
       FIG. 12  shows the size of the center channel  56  relative to the adjacent center rails  40  rearward of the front of the wider region  54  of the bicycle helmet  20  (corresponding with the section of  FIG. 9 ). In this embodiment, the center rails  40  can have a thickness T 3  of approximately 25 millimeters and/or can have an average width W 6  of approximately 20 millimeters, resulting in a total cross sectional area of the center two rails  40  of approximately 1000 millimeters 2 . In that same section, the center channel  56  can have a thickness T 4  of approximately 25 millimeters and a width W 7  of approximately 30 millimeters, for a total cross sectional area of about 750 mm 2 . Accordingly, in this section, the area of the airflow channel is approximately 75% of the cross-sectional area of the liner  22 , but that can vary from approximately 65% to 90%, in other embodiments. For example, the thicknesses T 3  and/or T 4 , and/or the widths W 6  and/or W 7  can be different in other embodiments. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.