Helmet
First Claim
1. A helmet assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
- a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area;
a signalling device disposed within said helmet for providing a signal to said wearer when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; and
sensor means for actuating said signalling device in response to an external impact on said crown area with said predetermined amount of axial compressive force;
said helmet assembly further comprising an extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; and
gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means;
said sensor means being constructed and arranged to operate said gas-generating means in response to said external impact with said predetermined amount of force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A helmet assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto. The assembly comprises a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer. The helmet is defined by an exterior surface including a crown areal. A transmitting device is carried by the helmet for transmitting a signal to a remote location when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to the crown area. Receiving means disposed remotely from the helmet receives the signal transmitted by the transmitting device.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A helmet assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; a signalling device disposed within said helmet for providing a signal to said wearer when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; and sensor means for actuating said signalling device in response to an external impact on said crown area with said predetermined amount of axial compressive force; said helmet assembly further comprising an extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; and gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means; said sensor means being constructed and arranged to operate said gas-generating means in response to said external impact with said predetermined amount of force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A helmet and shoulder pad assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; a signalling device disposed within said helmet for providing a signal to said wearer when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; sensor means for actuating said signalling device in response to an external impact on said crown area with said predetermined amount of axial compressive force; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet;
gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means, including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means;said sensor means being constructed and arranged to operate said gas-generating means in response to said external impact with said predetermined amount of force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer; and shoulder pads including inflatable base means for broadening the foundation on which the extensible means can engage, said inflatable base means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means being in the shape of a ring attached to the inner rim encircling the neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means extending inwardly towards the wearer'"'"'s neck when inflated to instantaneously broaden the foundation on which the extensible means can engage upon impact.
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20. The helmet and shoulder pad assembly defined in claim 20 wherein said inflatable base means is inflated by said gas generating means.
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21. A helmet and shoulder pad assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a helmet having a lower outwardly flared rim partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet having a crown area; shoulder pads having an inner inflatable shoulder bag means for raising the shoulder pads to engage the flared rim of said helmet to transfer to the shoulder pads the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; gas-generating means for almost instantaneously generating gas for inflating said inflatable shoulder bag means to raise the shoulder pads upon an impact of predetermined force on said crown area of said helmet so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area of said helmet; sensor means disposed adjacent the crown area of said helmet for detecting the external impact on said crown area with said predetermined force and operating said gas-generating means in response thereto to almost instantaneously generate said gas to inflate said inflatable shoulder bag means to raise the shoulder pads so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer; and a signalling device disposed within said helmet for providing a signal to said wearer when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area, said sensor means being constructed and arranged to actuate said signalling device in response to said external impact on said crown area with said predetermined amount of axial compressive force.
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22. A helmet for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressire force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
- a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area;
a transmitting device carried by said helmet for transmitting a signal to a remote location when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area;
sensor means for actuating said transmitting device in response to application of said predetermined amount of axial compressire force to said crown area; and
receiving means disposed remotely from said helmet for receiving said signal transmitted by said transmitting device, extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; and
gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means;
said sensor means being constructed and arranged to operate said gas-generating means in response to said external impact with said predetermined amount of force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area;
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28. A helmet and shoulder pad assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; sensor means for detecting an external impact of a predetermined amount of axial compressive force on said crown area; a transmitting device carried by said helmet and responsive to said sensor means for transmitting a signal to a remote location when said predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; receiving means disposed remotely from said helmet for receiving said signal transmitted by said transmitting device; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means; said sensor means being constructed and arranged to operate said gas-generating means in response to said external impact with said predetermined amount of force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer; and shoulder pads including inflatable base means for broadening the foundation on which the extensible means can engage, said inflatable base means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means being in the shape of a ring attached to the inner rim encircling the neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means extending inwardly towards the wearer'"'"'s neck when inflated to instantaneously broaden the foundation on which the extensible means can engage upon impact. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A helmet and shoulder pad assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a helmet having a lower outwardly flared rim partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet having a crown area; shoulder pads having an inner inflatable shoulder bag means for raising the shoulder pads to engage the flared rim of said helmet to transfer to the shoulder pads the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; gas-generating means for almost instantaneously generating gas for inflating said inflatable shoulder bag means to raise the shoulder pads upon an impact of predetermined force on said crown area of said helmet so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area of said helmet; sensor means disposed adjacent the crown area of said helmet for detecting the external impact on said crown area with said predetermined force and operating said gas-generating means in response thereto to almost instantaneously generate said gas to inflate said inflatable shoulder bag means to raise the shoulder pads so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer; a transmitting device carried by said helmet and responsive to said sensor means for transmitting a signal to a remote location when said predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; and receiving means disposed remotely from said helmet for receiving said signal transmitted by said transmitting device.
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31. A helmet assembly for providing an indication when a predetermined axial compressive force tending to cause serious injury to the wearer is applied thereto, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; a signalling device disposed within said helmet for providing a signal to said wearer when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; and sensor means for actuating said signalling device in response to an external impact on said crown area with said predetermined amount of axial compressive force; a transmitting device carried by said helmet for transmitting a signal to a remote location when a predetermined amount of axial compressive force is applied to said crown area; and receiving means disposed remotely from said helmet for receiving said signal transmitted by said transmitting device.
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Specification