Customizable military helmet system

• US 8,020,220 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: McElroy, Michael, Lyons, Fielder Stanton
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Hung V
• Application Number:
  US12/246,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20110197327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 246/7, 246/8, 224/2, 242/2, 297/216.12, 297/250.1, 345/156, 345/419, 345/441, 345/157, 345/8, 345/169, 359/630, 359/822, 428/411.1, 428/113, 428/174, 428/212, 524/111, 524/424, 524/447, 524/445, 361/679.06, 361/679.21
• US Class Current: 2/467
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/04 Parts, details or accessories of helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/32 Collapsible helmets; Helmets made of separable parts ; Helmets with movable parts, e.g. adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 1/08 of plastics; Plastic head-shields
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material

Abstract

A helmet system that enables a user of the helmet system to customize the helmet system according to personal taste, a task at hand, responsibilities within a tactical group (e.g., communications, command, etc.), and/or according to other parameters. The customization of the helmet system may include a customization of electronics modules carried on the helmet system that optionally provide communications, environment detection, health or biometrics monitoring, power, information transmission/reception, information processing, and/or other functionalities. The customization of the helmet system may include a customization of structural components that enable the user to balance the structural protection provided to the user against other considerations. The other considerations may include, for example, weight, form factor, comfort, and/or other considerations.

Claims

1. A helmet comprising:

a protective structure shaped to be worn on a head of a user, the protective structure being formed from a material that provides ballistic protection for the head of the user; and

a chassis provided with the protective structure, the chassis comprising;

a plurality of module connection ports configured to receive electronics modules removably connected to the helmet separately from each other; and

a system of wiring carried by the chassis that places individual ones of the plurality of connection ports in electronic communication with other ones of the plurality of connection ports so that information can be exchanged therebetween.

2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the chassis is formed separately from the protective structure, and is attached to the protective structure.

3. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the chassis is provided on the exterior of the protective structure.

4. The helmet of claim 3, wherein the chassis further comprises one or more panel interfaces that enable one or more modular panels to be removably attached to the helmet.

5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the panel interfaces provide an attachment to the one or more modular panels secure enough such that the one or more modular panels provide supplemental protection for the head of the user.

6. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the system of wiring includes a bus.

7. The helmet of claim 1, further comprising an energy absorbing layer inside of the protective structure.

8. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the protective structure is not rigid.

9. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises an external system port configured to provide an interface between electronic modules connected to the chassis and an external processor and/or power source.

10. A helmet system, the system comprising:

a protective structure shaped to be worn on a head of a user, the protective structure being formed from a material that provides ballistic protection for the head of the user;

a chassis provided with the protective structure, the chassis comprising;

a plurality of module connection ports configured to receive electronics modules removably connected to the helmet separately from each other; and

a system of wiring carried by the chassis that connects to electronics modules removably connected to module connection ports; and

one or more electronics modules configured to be removably connected to the chassis at the module connection ports, wherein the one or more electronics modules comprise at least one electronics module that generates an output signal conveying information related to the environment in which the helmet system is disposed.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more electronics module comprises one or more of a geolocation detector, a hostile threat detector, or a biometrics sensor, visual and other electromagnetic spectrum sensors including IR, UV, microware and other sensors.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the chassis is formed separately from the protective structure, and is attached to the protective structure.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the chassis is provided on the exterior of the protective structure.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the chassis further comprises one or more panel interfaces that enable one or more modular panels to be removably attached to the helmet.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising one or more modular panels that are removably attached to the helmet at the one or more panel interfaces on the chassis, wherein the one or more modular panels provide supplemental protection for the head of the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more modular panels carry at least one of the electronics modules.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the system of wiring places individual ones of the plurality of connection ports in electronic communication with other ones of the plurality of connection ports so that information can be exchanged therebetween.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system of wiring includes a bus.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising an energy absorbing layer inside of the protective structure.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the protective structure is not rigid.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the chassis further comprises an external system port in electronic communication with the system of wiring, the external system port providing an interface between electronic modules connected to the chassis and an external processor and/or power source.