Patent Publication Number: US-11641903-B2

Title: Helmet

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a helmet to protect the head or neck of a person wearing the helmet. The invention is hereinafter described with reference to the use of the helmet by a participant in a ball game, such as cricket, but such application is exemplary only and is non-limiting for the principles of the invention can be used in other protective headgear e.g. a riot head piece, a ski helmet and so on. 
     The specification of U.S. Pat. No. 9,072,332 describes a sports helmet which is worn to provide head protection against impact of a cricket ball, a baseball or the like. The specification describes the use of a grille arrangement which is attached to a helmet shell by means of attachment formations which are displaceably mounted to the helmet shell by means of shock absorbing mountings which are “doughnut-shaped” and which are located on the helmet shell. The size of each shock absorbing mounting is limited in that it is mounted on the helmet shell and, consequently, its capability of absorbing shock caused by a ball impacting on the grille is also restricted. 
     An object of the present invention is to address, at least to some extent, the aforementioned shortcoming. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a helmet which includes a helmet shell, a protective shield, and at least first and second fastener arrangements which respectively secure the protective shield to opposing sides of the helmet shell. Each fastener arrangement includes a shock absorbing element engaged with and secured to the protective shield. 
     The shock absorbing element may comprise a body which is made from a resiliently deformable material. 
     The protective shield may be of any suitable form required for the application. For example, the protective shield may be made from a sheet material such as a toughened, transparent plastics material for a riot helmet or similar application or, for a sports helmet, from a suitably configured grille. The sheet material need not be continuous. It can be made from a plurality of sections. Also, the sheet material can include a plurality of apertures to allow for air circulation and sound transmission. 
     In the former example the sheet material may include at least one keying formation such as an aperture, a projection or an irregular surface in or on the sheet material and the shock absorbing element may be positioned to engage with the keying formation. 
     In the other example the protective grille may include a plurality of elongate members and a plurality of cross members which are secured to the elongate members to form a plurality of mesh apertures. In this instance the shock absorbing material may engage with one or more of at least one aperture, a part of at least one elongate member and a part of at least one cross member. 
     Each formation in the protective shell (sheet material or grille) used as a keying formation, normally calls for the shock absorbing element to have a complementary formation which is engageable therewith and which, depending on the circumstances, may also be considered to be a keying formation. 
     A portion of the shock absorbing element may be positioned between and in contact with at least first and second said elongate members which are spaced apart from each other. Preferably a portion of the shock absorbing element is positioned between and is in contact with at least first and second said cross members which are spaced apart from each other. Thus, the shock absorbing element may be positioned at least partly within at least one of the mesh apertures. 
     In a preferred embodiment a third cross member, which is located between said first and second cross members, is in contact with the shock absorbing element. 
     A periphery of the shock absorbing element may abut portions of those elongate members and cross members which bound or are adjacent the mesh aperture. 
     In one embodiment, the body of the shock absorbing element has grooves in which are respectively located one or more of the following: a portion of a first cross member, a portion of a second cross member, a portion of a first elongate member and a portion of a second elongate member. 
     Each said shock absorbing element may be positioned to overlie at least partly a respective ear of a person wearing the helmet and the shock absorbing element may be formed with at least one hole to allow for the transmission of sound to the ear. 
     Each fastener arrangement may respectively include a first component which is fixed to the helmet shell and a second component which is fixed to the first component, and possibly to the helmet shell as well, with at least a part of the shock absorbing element located between opposing surfaces of the first and second components. 
     Each component may comprise a respective plate, preferably a thin metallic plate. 
     The helmet may include a rear fastener arrangement which secures the protective shield to a rear end of the helmet shell and which includes a shock absorbing element which is engaged with and secured to a rear section of the protective shield. 
     Each fastener arrangement may respectively be secured to the helmet shell by means of at least one respective fastener which includes a resiliently deformable member. 
     The protective shield is preferably configured to be in the form of a closed loop structure which, in use, extends around a head of a user of the helmet but with the protective shield being spaced from the head and positioned spaced from, and, in use, below a lower edge of the helmet shell. 
     The closed loop structure holds at least two significant benefits. Firstly, physical protection against impact whether by a ball or other implement is provided on all sides of the head and neck by the shield and, secondly, the impact force on the shield is transmitted in a “circumferential” manner around the shield due to the closed loop structure. Each fastener arrangement is thus able to absorb a part of the impact force. 
     In another form of the invention the helmet comprises a helmet shell with opposed first and second sides, a front end, a rear end and a lower edge. A protective shield comprising a closed loop structure with a radial inner side, a radial outer side and keying formations in or on the shield. A plurality of fasteners secure the protective shield to the helmet shell with the protective shield and are spaced from the helmet shell. The plurality of fasteners comprise at least first and second side fastening arrangements which respectively secure the protective shield to said first and second sides of the helmet shell. Each fastener arrangement respectively includes first and second spaced apart components located respectively on said radial inner side of the closed loop structure and on said radial outer side of the closed loop structure, and at least one shock absorbing element which is engaged with at least one keying formation. The shock absorbing element is located at least partly between said first and second components, and at least one fixing member which is engaged with the first and second components and which urges the first and second components towards each other. 
     In one embodiment the protective shield is formed from a plurality of elongate members and a plurality of cross members respectively secured to the elongate members at spaced apart locations thereby forming a plurality of mesh apertures, and each shock absorbing element is located at least partly within a respective mesh aperture which is bounded by opposed portions of two elongate members and two opposed portions of two cross members. Such aperture, and the portions of the elongate and cross members, thus act as keying formations which engage with the shock absorbing element but in such a way that, under impact, at least a part of the element can deform in a shock absorbing manner. 
     The engagement of the keying formation with the shock absorbing element may be such that, effectively, there is no slip of the formation, relative to the element, under impact on the shield. The impact force is then absorbed by deformation of the element. 
     In another form of the invention the protective shield comprises sheet material which depending on the application may be transparent or apertured. The keying formations, e.g. protrusions or apertures or both may then be formed directly in the sheet material. Alternatively, suitably shaped members may be fixed to the sheet material in any suitable way or project therefrom to act as keying formations. 
     Each shock absorbing element may be sandwiched between opposing surfaces of the first and second components which are used to secure the shock absorbing element to the closed loop structure. The shock absorbing element is laminated between the first and second components and the resulting structure, although flexible and deformable to some extent, is strong and is able to withstand a direct impact by a high speed ball or implement. Thus, the protective shield protects the head and neck against impact, e.g. of a ball or implement, from any direction to the side of a person wearing the helmet. 
     Registering holes are positioned in the components and in the shock absorbing element so that in use sound can be transmitted through the registering holes to an ear of a person wearing the helmet. 
     The first component may comprise a first plate. The second component may comprise a second plate. Each component may be made from any suitable material e.g. a tough plastics material. Preferably each component comprises a plate made from a thin sheet of a suitable grade of steel. Each plate, although thin, is sufficiently strong to secure the protective shield to the helmet shell in the described manner. It is important that the protective shield should not add unduly to the mass of the helmet and for this reason lightweight parts are used where possible in the construction of the shield and to secure the shield to the helmet shell. 
     The shock absorbing element may comprise a body which is made from a resiliently deformable material such as polyurethane, rubber or the like. A suitable material is rubber with a Shore hardness which is less than 50. Preferably the Shore hardness is of the order of 20 to 30. 
     The shock absorbing element may be perforated or aerated to enhance its shock absorbing capabilities. 
     Each fixing member may extend through the shock absorbing element and may be located at a position which is spaced from a solid part of the shield by a part of the shock absorbing element so that the fixing member is mounted in a floating state in that it abuts the resiliently deformable shock absorbing element, and does not directly contact a solid part of the protective shield. Thus, when the shield is impacted a portion of the shock absorbing element can deform and so absorb at least some of the shock loading without directly transferring the impact shock to the shield. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a side view of a helmet according to the invention, 
         FIG.  2    shows a rear end of a part of the helmet of  FIG.  1   , 
         FIG.  3    shows an inner component of a side fastener arrangement which is used to secure a protective grille to a shell of the helmet, 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded view in perspective of parts of the side fastener arrangement, 
         FIG.  4 A  shows a different form of the arrangement in  FIG.  4   , 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of a shock absorbing element which is placed over a side of the inner component shown in  FIG.  3   , 
         FIG.  6    is a view in cross section, taken on a line  6 - 6  in  FIG.  1   , of a side fastener arrangement on the helmet, 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a fastening arrangement at a rear end of the helmet which is shown in  FIG.  2   , and 
         FIGS.  8 ,  9  and  10    correspond respectively to  FIGS.  1 ,  5  and  6    and illustrate a helmet according to another form of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    of the accompanying drawings is a side view of a helmet  10  according to one form of the invention. The helmet  10  includes a helmet shell  12 , a protective shield  14  in the form of a protective grille  14 G, two side fastening arrangements  16  and  18  respectively, and a rear fastening arrangement  20  which is shown in more detail in  FIGS.  2  and  7   . 
     Inside the helmet shell  12 , but not shown in the drawings, is a shock absorbing layer which facilitates mounting of the helmet shell on the head of a user in a comfortable and shock absorbing manner. This aspect is not described further herein for in general terms it is known in the art. 
     The helmet shell  12 , which is made from a suitable material such as fiber glass or another plastics composite material, has opposed first and second sides  24  and  26  respectively, a front end  28 , a rear end  30  and a lower edge  32 . 
     The protective grille  14 G includes first, second and third elongate members  40 ,  42  and  44  respectively each of which, viewed in plan, roughly follows an oval path. The grille  14 G further includes a number of cross members which are collectively designated  46 . The cross members  46  are transverse to the elongate members  40  to  44  and are positioned at spaced locations to form a closed loop structure  48  with a plurality of mesh apertures  50 . The cross members  46  are welded to the adjacent members  40  and  44  at respective points of contact  52 . 
     The elongate members and the cross members, in exemplary and non-limiting form, are made from steel rods or the like. 
     The closed loop structure  48  has a radial inner side  54  and a radial outer side  56 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a portion of the side fastener arrangement  16 , a part of the helmet shell  12  and a part of the protective grille  14 G. The side fastener arrangement  18  has a similar construction to the arrangement  16  and therefore is not further described herein.  FIG.  4    shows the side fastener arrangement  16  in exploded perspective form—detached from the grille. 
     The side fastener arrangement  16  includes a first component  58  and a second component  60 . The components  58  and  60  are substantially identical in outline and each comprises a respective stiff steel plate which has a cross piece  62  with spaced apart attachment holes  64  and  66 . 
     An extension piece  70  projects downwardly (in use) from the cross piece  62 . The extension piece  70  and an adjacent section  74  of the grille  14 G are configured so that a portion  42 A of the elongate member  42  is positioned more or less at a midpoint between adjacent portions  40 A and  44 A of the elongate members  40  and  44 , and so that the extension piece  70  overlies adjacent spaced apart cross members  46 A and  46 B. The design is such that a hole  78  at a junction of the cross piece  62  and the extension piece  70  directly overlies an ear of a user (not shown). 
     An elongate slot  80  is formed in the extension piece  70 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  4 ,  5  and  6    the fastening arrangement  16  further includes a shock absorbing element  84 . 
     The shock absorbing element  84  includes a body  90  which is made from a shock absorbing or resiliently deformable material such as a suitable grade of polyurethane or rubber. Preferably rubber with a Shore hardness of less than 50 is used. A suitable Shore hardness which has been found to be effective in absorbing impact shock is from 20 to 30. 
     The body  90  is sized so that, as is shown in  FIG.  5   , parts of the body  90  can be closely positioned inside two adjacent mesh apertures  50 A and  50 B respectively in the closed loop structure  48 . Opposing grooves  90 A and  90 B are formed near respective generally linear edges of the body  90 . These grooves are designed and positioned so that relevant parts of cross members  46 A and  46 B at opposite sides of the mesh apertures  50 A and  50 B can be located closely in the grooves. Additionally, the body is formed with transversely extending grooves  90 C,  90 D and  90 E into which the portions  40 A,  42 A and  44 A of the elongate members  40 ,  42  and  44 , at respective edges of the mesh apertures  50 A and  50 B, can be located. 
     The component  60  overlies and is in contact with what, in use, is an outer side of the body  90 . The component  60 , the body  90  and the component  58  are formed with respective holes  100 ,  102 ,  100  which are in register when these parts are correctly assembled, and thereby form passages which receive respective fasteners  110 . As each fastener  110  is put into position and tightened the body  90  is clamped between opposing surfaces of the components  58  and  60 . The portion  42 A of the elongate component  42  is positioned inside the groove  90 D which goes from one edge of the body  90  to an opposing edge. Each fastener  110  is preferably a flush-fitting rivet, or the like. 
     The shock absorbing element  84  is sandwiched between the spaced apart but opposing steel plates which constitute the components  58  and  60 . This is shown in  FIG.  6   . This laminated type of construction is strong and is able to resist direct impact forces from a high speed ball. The element  84  thus is engaged with an aperture and parts of the respective elongate and cross members which act as keying formations and vice versa. 
     The cross pieces  62  of the two components  58  and  60  are in register with each other and fasteners  114  are engaged with the attachment holes  64  and  66  and with holes in the helmet shell  16  thereby to secure the side fastener arrangement  16  to the helmet shell—see  FIG.  6   . Each fastener  114  is preferably “floating” in that it has a shank  116  which is surrounded by material of the shock absorbing element  84  and does not contact the component  58  nor the component  60 . Additionally, a resilient bush  118  is located between the helmet shell and the inner component  58 . This enables the interface between the helmet shell and the fastener arrangement  16  to be of a shock absorbing nature. 
       FIG.  4 A  shows a modification of the  FIG.  4    construction in that, in place of the four holes per aperture, a single hole  100 F is made in each component  58 ,  60  and a single registering hole  102 F in the body  90  for a single fastener (not shown—three in total), to achieve a laminate in which the body  90  is tightly clamped between the components  58  and  60  in a manner which is effectively non-slip, but which is capable of absorbing an impact shock by resiliently deforming the body  90 . 
     Details of the rear fastening arrangement  20  are shown in  FIG.  2    and in  FIG.  7   . In concept the fastening arrangement  20  is similar to the fastening arrangement  16  although the concept is embodied in a construction which is smaller, physically, than what is employed in each side fastening arrangement  16 ,  18 . 
     The fastening arrangement  20  thus has an inner component  120  and an outer component  122  each of which is formed from a respective stiff steel plate, and a resiliently deformable shock absorbing element  124  which is between the components and which is formed with grooves which engage with corresponding sections of the elongate elements  40 ,  42  and  44  at the rear end of the helmet shell and with cross members  46 P and  46 Q which are transverse to and welded to the elongate members. The shock absorbing element  124  can be resiliently deformed but it is not capable of escaping from the closure which is formed by the parts referred to. 
     The shock absorbing arrangements  16 ,  18 ,  20  which fix the closed loop structure  48  of the protective grille  14 G to the helmet shell  12  are lightweight and are configured not to obstruct the visibility of a wearer of the helmet nor to interfere with the transmission of sound to the ears of the user. If a ball should strike the protective grille  14 G from practically any direction the shock absorbing elements in the respective fastening arrangements  16 ,  18 ,  20  are deformed to a greater or lesser extent depending on the force of impact of the ball. The degree of deformation is dependent at least on the physical size of each element and its hardness. As noted each element may be perforated or aerated to control a deformation vs force characteristic. Also, by forming an aperture in the components  58  and  60 , such as the elongate slot  80 , the clamping effect of the plates is reduced, and an opening is formed into which a part of the shock absorbing element can be forced, with an extruding-type action. 
     The protective shield is spaced from, and does not directly contact, the helmet shell. Shock forces are not transferred to the shell via the shock absorbing elements. For an application like cricket, the shell is preferably spaced from the lower edge of the helmet. However, depending on the application a part of the helmet, or the entire shell may extend above and below the lower edge—the invention is not limited in this respect. 
     The deformation process is accompanied by the transmission of force from a ball impacting on the protective grille, to the helmet shell  12 , but this is through the intermediary of the shock absorbing, resiliently deformable, elements. The degree of force which is transmitted is thus reduced by the amount of force which is absorbed in the process of deforming the shock absorbing element. The helmet shell  12 , in turn, is engaged with a user&#39;s head via an intermediate shock absorbing liner inside the helmet shell. Thus, although the transmission of force to the user&#39;s head is not eliminated, the magnitude of the force which is so transmitted is much reduced. 
     Upon impact the shock absorbing element remains connected in a non-slip manner to the grille due to the keying formations which are engaged with the element. The element can however deform under the impact and in this way help to absorb the shock and so provide protection for the wearer of the helmet. 
     The closed loop structure  48  provides all-round protection against impact, say from a ball, for the head and neck of a user. Impact force on the closed loop structure  48  is transmitted in what may be referred to as a “circumferential” manner by the looped elongate members  40 ,  42  and  44  and, consequently, each fastening arrangement  16 ,  18 ,  20  is capable of absorbing some of the impact force via the respective shock absorbing elements. In each fastening arrangement  16 ,  18 ,  20  the spaced apart plates and the intermediate shock absorbing element provide a laminated form of structure which is resistant to bending and which thus provides protection against direct side impact. Nonetheless via the intermediate shock absorbing element between the plates forces on the closed loop structure  48  are dispersed circumferentially and absorbed in the manner which has been described. 
       FIGS.  8  to  10    correspond to  FIGS.  1 ,  5  and  6    respectively but illustrate an arrangement in which the protective shield  14  is modified in that the protective grille  14 G is replaced by a protective sheet material  14 S. The sheet material  14 S (by way of example only) follows the outline of the grille  14 G and also forms a closed loop structure. The sheet material comprises a tough plastics material which is impact and shock resistant. 
     The principles outlined in connection with  FIGS.  1  to  7    apply to the configuration shown in  FIGS.  8  to  10   . For this reason like reference numerals with the suffix S are used to designate like components. However the protective sheet material is formed on each of two opposing sides  24 A and  26 A, respectively adjacent the sides  24  and  26  of the helmet shell  12 , with keying formations which, in this example, are in the form of apertures  150  and  152  respectively which broadly correspond to the mesh apertures  50 A and  50 B shown in  FIG.  5   . A solid strip  154  of the sheet material is between the two apertures  150  and  152  which are flanked above and below by solid strips  156  and  158  of the sheet material and on the sides by edges  160 ,  162 ,  164  and  166  of the sheet material. 
       FIG.  9    illustrates one side of the arrangement—a similar configuration is adopted on the opposing side. 
     The shock absorbing element  84 S is configured so that portions  150 X and  152 X thereof occupy the apertures  150  and  152  and so that outer surfaces  84 X and  84 Y of the element  84 S closely contact opposing inner surfaces of the components  58 S and  60 S. Fasteners  110 S pass through registering holes in the components  58 S and  60 S and in the shock absorbing element  84 S. Shanks  170  of the fasteners  110 S are floating in that they are spaced from sides of the strips  154 ,  156  and  158 , and from sides of the edges  160 ,  162 ,  164  and  166 . The sheet material, under impact, can thus move as the material of the shock absorbing element is deformed between each shank and an opposing surface of the sheet material. Thus if the shield  14  is impacted by a ball or other object the shock absorbing material  84 S sandwiched between the components  58 S and  60 S can deform and absorb a substantial part of the shock. Impact loading is also transferred, as appropriate, to the rear end of the helmet which is configured in a similar way to what has been shown in  FIG.  9   . 
     Alternatively or additionally to the apertures  150 ,  152  in the sheet material, keying formations of a different kind e.g. projections can be formed in or fixed to the sheet material—the element  84 S is then formed with formations of a complementary shape to the keying formations so that engagement of the element  84 S with the sheet material  14 S is effected in a non-slip, yet resiliently deformable, shock-absorbing manner. 
     The laminated structure of each fastening arrangement  16 S,  18 S absorbs shock loading in the manner described and also transfers loading to the helmet shell through the intermediary of the associated shock absorbing attachments  118 S and fasteners  114 S.