Patent ID: 8566967

Claim:
A helmet comprising: a hard outer shell defining an interior and including an interior surface, the interior surface adapted to face toward a head of a wearer; a liner located adjacent the interior surface of the outer shell, the liner including a crown portion and an occipital portion, the crown portion adapted to be positioned adjacent a crown of the wearer's head, the occipital portion adapted to be positioned adjacent an occipital region of the wearer's head, the occipital portion including a lower rim; and a neck roll positioned adjacent the lower rim, the neck roll including a base separated from the lower rim by a preselected distance, the neck roll including a plurality of support members extending between the base and the lower rim, the plurality of support members separating the neck roll into a plurality of impact absorption compartments, wherein the neck roll includes an interior wall and an exterior wall contoured to follow a rounded curvature of the lower rim, the interior wall and exterior wall bounding at least a portion of the plurality of impact absorbing compartments, wherein the base is contoured to follow the rounded curvature of the lower rim, wherein each of the plurality of impact absorption compartments is defined by a width between first and second support members of the plurality of impact absorption compartments, and with at least one of the plurality of absorption compartments having a different width from another of the plurality of impact absorption compartments, and wherein the neck roll is configured so that when the head of the wearer is forced sideways or rearward, the neck roll absorbs an impact between the helmet and at least one of the wearer's back, trapezius, shoulder and neck, wherein the impact causes at least one of the plurality of impact absorption compartments to compress.