Patent ID: 8566968

Claim:
A protective helmet, comprising: a shell defining a shell exterior and a shell interior, and being configured to receive a wearer's head and extend to protectively cover the head circumferentially and vertically over the top of a wearer's skull; a first cushioning member disposed within the shell interior and configured for cushioning the skull; and a plurality of columnar cushioning members configured for supporting the shell on the skull, wherein: the columnar cushioning members have inner surfaces disposed further inwardly with respect to the shell than the first cushioning member surface to position the columnar member inner surfaces for resting against the skull and to leave a space between the first cushioning member inner surfaces and the skull, and the columnar cushioning members are flexible in bending to allow rotational movement of the shell with respect to the skull, and the columnar cushioning members and the first cushioning member define gaps therebetween, sufficient to prevent or reduce resistance against rotation between the shell and skull to prevent or significantly reduce incidence of concussions.