Abstract:
Aspects of the present disclosure provide a protective facemask for a helmet including compression portions. In one aspect, a facemask comprises a plurality of arcuately curved bars including a frame portion and lateral bars configured to extend across the frontal opening of the helmet and join to the frame portion at terminal ends. The plurality of curved bars include one or more compression portions which are more compliant to a given force than other portions of the plurality of arcuately curved bars. A compression portion may comprise a first material that is less rigid than a second material comprising the other portions of the plurality of arcuately curved bars. A compression portion may further comprise a first zone which is more compliant to a given force than a second zone. Such compression portions may be positioned within the lateral bars near the point of joining with the frame.
Abstract:
A force attenuating helmet construction including a rigid layer generally conforming to the wearer's head. A plurality of force absorbing and reacting portions extend from locations of the rigid layer such that, in response to an impact event experienced by the helmet, the absorptive and reactive forces minimize impact forces transferred to the user's head and spine. The helmet can include inner and outer rigid layers, or shells, and which are spatially supported by a plurality of force attenuating components. A dual compression coil is associated with each of opposite end mounting portions of a face mask with the outer shell for providing for bi-directional force absorbing displacement of the mask portion.
Abstract:
A headgear accessory attachment apparatus includes a band having an adjustable size for fitting about a circumference of various outdoor sports helmets such as bicycle, skateboarding, snow sport, mountaineering, equestrian helmets, military helmets, and hard hats used in material moving, dock loading, and airport baggage handling. The accessory attachment apparatus provides the wearer an easy means to attach headgear accessories such as headlamps, helmet cameras, rear lights, goggles, visors, brims, and decorative embellishments to the helmet. The accessories may be permanently or temporarily secured to the accessory apparatus. In one headgear accessory attachment apparatus, the band includes a stop surface that opposes a bottom surface of the headgear when the apparatus is affixed to the headgear such that the apparatus is prevented from becoming dislodged during use.
Abstract:
A face shield, such as a visor, mounts to a protective helmet using a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly has a base, a spacer assembly, and a pair of posts. The base is disposed on the interior of the helmet. The posts are connected to the base and extend outwardly through holes that are formed in the side of the helmet. The spacer assembly slides over the posts when the posts are inserted through the corresponding holes in the helmet, and frictionally engages the outer surfaces of the first and second posts such that the helmet is disposed between the base and the spacer assembly. The posts threadingly receive corresponding fasteners that attach the face shield to the helmet.
Abstract:
A helmet assembly that includes a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet. The shell includes a reinforcing layer that has an outer surface and an inner surface. The reinforcing layer includes a series of linked coils that are entirely encased within a rigid filler material and are positioned between the outer surface and inner surface of the reinforcing layer. The series of linked coils includes at least first and second linked coils that each define an axis. The axes of the first and second linked coils are not co-axial.
Abstract:
A protective screen to protect the face and, above all, the eyes of a person against flying particles and sharp objects has a mesh with a mesh structure which is formed from a plurality of adjacent rows of hexagonal openings, which rows are bounded by mesh webs common to the openings. The openings in the mesh are each osubstantially the same area. The mesh is enclosed by an edge with no mesh structure which has a width which is at least equal to the height of a row of openings in the mesh structure. The mesh webs of at least two rows of openings adjacent to the edge can be made thicker than the mesh webs for the other openings, wherein, however, all the openings in the mesh are nevertheless substantially identical in area. The mesh is produced by etching spring steel sheet. A visor for a safety helmet, especially a forestry worker's helmet is produced from the protective screen by injection moulding a supporting frame around its edge.
Abstract:
A football helmet includes a plastic shell with side regions having an ear flap with a face guard connector, an ear opening, a slot, and a snap connector. The helmet also includes an internal padding assembly removably connected to the plastic shell and including a jaw pad with a force attenuating layer. When the helmet is worn, a front edge of the jaw pad is positioned both in front of a coronal plane and below a basic plane of a head of the helmet wearer. A chin strap assembly releasably secures the helmet to the wearer and includes a lower flexible strap extending outwardly from each side of a central protective member. When the helmet is worn, an extent of the lower flexible strap is received by the slot when said strap is affixed to the snap connector. The shell also includes a raised central band integrally formed as part of the shell and extending across the crown region to the rear region. An arrangement of elongated vent openings flank the raised central band.
Abstract:
A football helmet includes a plastic shell having an offset band extending around a rear region of the shell and above the lower edge surface of the shell. The offset band includes an offset band wall having an inner band surface offset from an inner shell wall surface, and an outer band surface offset from and outer shell wall surface. A pair of angled transition walls extends between the offset band wall and a rear region of the shell. The shell also includes a raised central band integrally formed as part of the shell and extending across the crown region to the rear region.
Abstract:
A reinforced and impact attenuating helmet comprising a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell comprising an outer surface and an inner surface; a series of linked coils; filler material; wherein the series of linked coils are entirely encased within the filler material to form a reinforcement layer, the reinforcement layer having a first surface and an opposing surface, the first surface of the reinforcement layer generally facing toward the inner surface of the shell, the reinforcement layer being located proximate the inner surface of the shell, forming a basic helmet assembly.
Abstract:
A sports face guard having a cage type construction of interconnected struts, and creating an unobstructed viewing aperture proximate to the eyes of a wearer during use, comprises a forward transverse sill defining at least one boundary of said viewing aperture. The forward transverse sill is comprised of at least two generally transverse struts extending across the front of the face of a wearer during use, said transverse sill having a proximal edge and a distal edge, wherein a first surface of said sill at said distal edge and a second surface of said sill at said proximal edge are spaced linearly apart and lie approximately along a common viewing axis of a wearer during use. The face guard comprises a sill which presents a reduced profile in the field of view of a wearer while presenting an increased surface for contact with an incoming projectile such as a ball, allowing the ball to be impeded and deflected, thereby providing a blocking effect of the guard and reducing the chance of injury to a wearer. The guard may be worn in combination with a helmet and may be secured to a helmet.