PROTECTIVE SNOW AND SKI HELMET

• US 20130276214A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Sports Incorporated (Easton-Bell Sports Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bell Sports Incorporated (Easton-Bell Sports Incorporated)
• Inventors: WESSON, Robert, KASS, Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 9,474,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/414
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/125 with a padded structure, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/128 with zones of different density

Abstract

An alpine helmet for protecting the head of a wearer while the helmet is worn over a broad temperature range includes an outer shell and an energy dissipating internal padding assembly coupled to the outer shell. The padding assembly includes a first pad layer disposed inwardly of a second pad layer which may be adjacent an inner surface of the helmet shell. The first pad layer includes an arrangement of structural alterations that affect the performance of the first layer.

Claims

1. An alpine helmet for protecting the head of a wearer while the helmet is worn over a broad temperature range, the helmet comprising:

an outer shell; and

an energy dissipating padding assembly coupled to an interior of the outer shell, the padding assembly including a first layer disposed inwardly of a second layer, the first layer including structural alterations that structurally weaken the first layer.

2. The alpine helmet of claim 1, wherein the first layer and the second layer are formed of the same material.

3. The alpine helmet of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes a thickness and wherein the structural alterations include through holes extending through the thickness of the first layer.

4. The alpine helmet of claim 1, wherein the first layer and the second layer are integrally formed.

5. The alpine helmet of claim 4, wherein the structural alterations extend only through the first layer, and wherein the second layer is substantially continuous.

6. The alpine helmet of claim 1, wherein the padding assembly includes a front pad assembly, a rear pad assembly, and a top pad assembly, wherein the front pad assembly, the rear pad assembly, and the top pad assembly are formed separately from one another, and wherein each of the front pad assembly, the rear pad assembly, and the top pad assembly includes a first portion that at least partially defines the first layer and a second portion that at least partially defines the second layer.

7. The alpine helmet of claim 6, wherein the front pad assembly includes a third layer positioned between the second layer and the outer shell.

8. The alpine helmet of claim 7, wherein the first layer is formed of a first layer material and wherein the third layer is formed of a third layer material having a density that is greater than a density of the first layer material.

9. The alpine helmet of claim 8, wherein the first layer and the second layer are both formed of the first layer material.

10. The alpine helmet of claim 6, wherein the first portions of the rear pad assembly and the top pad assembly are formed of vinyl nitrile having a density of 0.095-0.12 g/cm³, and wherein the second portions of the rear pad assembly and the top pad assembly are formed of vinyl nitrile having a density of 0.095-0.12 g/cm³ or 0.12-0.14 g/cm³.

11. The alpine helmet of claim 10, wherein the first and second portions of the front pad assembly are formed of vinyl nitrile having a density of 0.12-0.14 g/cm³.

12. The alpine helmet of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second portions of the rear pad assembly and the top pad assembly include a thickness of about 10 mm, wherein the first portion of the front pad assembly includes a thickness of about 10 mm, and wherein the second portion of the front pad assembly includes a thickness of about 6 mm.

13. The alpine helmet of claim 11, wherein the front pad assembly includes a third layer positioned between the second layer and the outer shell, and wherein the third layer is formed of vinyl nitrile having a density of 0.16-0.22 g/cm³.

14. The alpine helmet of claim 6, wherein the first portion of the rear pad assembly and the top pad assembly is formed of a first material having a first density, wherein the first and second portions of the front pad assembly are formed of a second material having a second density greater than the first density, and wherein the front pad assembly includes a third portion extending between the second portion and the outer shell and having a third density greater than the second density.

15. The alpine helmet of claim 14, wherein the first and second portions of the rear pad assembly each have a first thickness such that the rear pad assembly has an overall thickness substantially equal to twice the first thickness, and wherein a sum of the thicknesses of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the front pad is substantially equal to the overall thickness of the rear pad assembly and the top pad assembly.

16. The alpine helmet of claim 1, further comprising a goggle retainer coupled to a rear portion of the outer shell.

18. The alpine helmet of claim 15, wherein the plurality of apertures include through holes.

19. The alpine helmet of claim 15, wherein the front portion second layer is integral with each of the side portion second layers, and wherein a pair of grooves are defined between the front portion first layer and the side portion second layers.

17. An alpine helmet for protecting the head of a wearer while the helmet is worn over a broad temperature range, the helmet comprising:

an outer shell;

a goggle retainer coupled to a rear portion of the outer shell; and

an energy dissipating padding assembly coupled to an interior of the outer shell, the padding assembly including;

a front pad assembly including a front portion and a pair of opposed side portions, the front portion including a front portion first layer disposed inwardly of a front pad second layer, and the opposed side portions each including a side portion first layer disposed inwardly of a side portion second layer,

a rear pad assembly including a rear pad first layer disposed inwardly of a rear pad second layer, and

a top pad assembly including a top pad first layer disposed inwardly of a top pad second layer,

wherein the front pad assembly, the rear pad assembly, and the top pad assembly are formed separately from one another, and wherein each of the side portion first layers, the rear pad first layer, and the top pad first layer is structurally weakened by a plurality of apertures.

20. The alpine helmet of claim 17, wherein each of the front pad assembly, the rear pad assembly, and the top pad assembly is formed of vinyl nitrile.