Method of making a helmet liner

• US 5,324,460 A
• Filed: 07/17/1991
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Helmets Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Helmets Ltd.
• Inventors: Briggs, Adrian L. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Falik, Andrew M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neas, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/731,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 2/410, 2/411, 2/412, 2/414, 2/413, 2/417, 2/192, 2/425, 36/55, 36/93, 36/119, 264/222, 264/45.2, 264/46.5, 264/45.4, 264/46.6
• US Class Current: 264/45.2
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/125 with a padded structure, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: A42C 2/007 Manufacturing custom-sized helmets

Abstract

A method forms a helmet liner which during its formation is fitted to the head of the user, by forming an inflatable liner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, providing the element with respective foam filling and vent passages, the vent passages serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, mounting the liner element in the helmet on the head of the user, supplying foam to the foam filling passages to inflate the liner element, expel air therefrom and conform the element at an outer surface to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface to the shape of the head of the user, allowing time for curing of the foam admitted to the liner element, and severing parts of the vent and foam filling passages projecting from the liner. The liner element can embrace a forehead portion only of the head of the user or a further element which embraces a rear part of the head can be added. In another form embodiment, the liner element may cover the crown, front and rear of the head of the user.

Claims

1. A method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable inner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,

(b) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and confirming the element at an outer surface thereof to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface thereof to the shape of the head of the user,

(e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user,

(g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner,

(h) forming said iner element as a rear liner element to embrace a rear portion of the head of the user of the helmet, said rear liner element having a lower part which serves as a neck pad,

(i) providing said neck pad of said rear liner element on the exterior thereof with a neck pad support in which an adjustable strap is mounted which is fixedly secured to the helmet shell at one end and adjustably secured to said shell at the other end thereof, and

(j) adjusting said strap after mounting of said helmet on the head of the user to cause engagement between said neck pad with said user prior to inflation with foam of said liner element.

2. The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,

(b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion and a forward part of the crown of the head of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user,

(c) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element of the shape of the head of the user,

(f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and

(h) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said inner.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of positioning spacer means within said liner element to facilitate foam filling of said element.

4. The method of claim in claim 3, further comprising the step of forming said spacer means as a strip of foam plastics material.

5. The method of claimed in claim 2, comprising the step of positioning a pad in the crown of said helmet formed by at least one layer of one-sided self-adhesive foam plastics material.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising the step of forming said skins from foamed plastics material.

7. The method of claim in claim 2 comprising the step of forming said liner element as a rear liner element to embrace a rear portion of the head of the user of the helmet.

8. The method of claim in claim 7 comprising the step of positioning spacer means within said rear liner element to facilitate foam filling thereof.

9. The method of claimed in claim 2 comprising the step of forming said liner element to extend over the crown, front and rear of the helmet shell.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, comprising the step of forming said liner element from the outer and inner skins being of sheet plastics material sealed along their respective marginal edges.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 comprising the step of mounting a spacer means at a selected location between said skins prior to sealing said skins along their respective marginal edges.

12. The method claimed in claim 11, comprising the step of positioning two spacer means respectively along a brow portion and at or adjacent the crown of the skins.

13. The method claimed in claim 9, comprising the step of extending a foam filling tube within the liner spaced from the crown and periphery thereof around substantially the full circumference of the liner element.

14. The method claimed in claim 10 comprising the steps of forming said outer skin from foamed plastics material in sheet form and forming said outer skin from stiffer sheet plastics material than said inner skin.

15. The method claimed in claim 10, comprising the step of forming said skins each by thermo forming, and conforming said outer skin to the interior of a helmet shell mould.

16. The method claimed in claim 15 comprising the step of thermo forming said inner skin to conform approximately to the shape of the head of the user of the helmet.

17. The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, said helmet shell being fitted with an impact absorption lining,

(b) forming aligned apertures in said impact absorption lining and said helmet shell,

(c) providing said liner element with a foam filler tube which extends through said aligned apertures,

(d) providing said element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(f) supplying foam to said foam filler tube to inflate said liner element, an admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user,

(g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and

(i) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.

18. The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin or extendible sheet plastics material and an outer skin of extensible sheet plastics material, said outer skin being stiffer the said inner skin and said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,

(b) providing said element with respect foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming and said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user,

(e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and

(g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

19. The method claim in claim 18, comprising the step of positioning a pad in the crown of said helmet formed by at least one layer of one-side self-adhesive foam plastics material.

20. The method of claim in claim 18 comprising the step of forming said rear liner element with a lower part which serves as a neck pad.

21. The method of claim 18 comprising of step of forming said skins of foamed plastics material.

22. The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,

(b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user,

(c) securing a comfort flap at an edge thereof to a front part of the helmet rim, the comfort flap in use being disposed between the forehead of the helmet user and the front liner element,

(d) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(f) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and forming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and con forming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user.

(g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and

(i) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

23. The method of forming a helmet liner element which in formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element to extend over the crown, front and rear of a helmet shell, said liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,

(b) extending a foam filling tube within the iner spaced from the crown and periphery thereof around substantially the full circumference of the liner element,

(c) providing said liner element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,

(d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,

(e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user,

(f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,

(g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and

(h) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.