Sports helmet with transparent windows in the side walls

• US 5,101,517 A
• Filed: 07/06/1990
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Willie Douglas
• Original Assignee: Willie Douglas
• Inventors: Douglas, Willie
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neas, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/549,110
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 2/9, 2/410, 2/411, 2/414, 2/422, 2/423, 2/424, 2/425
• US Class Current: 2/424
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0406 Accessories for helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/20 Face guards, e.g. for ice hockey A42B3/22 takes precedence

Abstract

The helmet of the present invention has a hard outer shell, a flexible and resilient inner shell and a face mask coupled to the outer shell. The side walls of the outer shell have transparent windows therein, which are located so as to be laterally of and rearwardly of the eyes of the wearer. The windows increase the peripheral vision of the wearer. The inner shell, which is removably coupled to the inside of the outer shell, is made up of foam with numerous springs embedded therein. The inner shell, with the springs and foam, absorb shock delivered to the helmet. Hearing protection to the wearer is also provided with narrow slots in the outer shell near the ears and with the inner shell completely surrounding each ear so as to attenuate any sound not entering through the slots.

Claims

1. A helmet for use in sporting activities by a human, comprising:

a) an outer shell having top, back and side walls, said outer shell having an opening therein which opening is adapted to fit the head of a human such that the top wall is on top of the head, the side walls cover the ears and are adjacent to the sides of the face and the back wall covers the back of the head, said outer shell side walls having respective bottom edges, each of said bottom edges merging with a front edge of said respective side wall, each of said front edges extending from said respective bottom edge to said top wall, said outer shell being made of a hard and rigid material, said outer shell being opaque;

b) an inner shell being located inside of said outer shell and being coupled thereto such that said inner shell is interposed between said outer shell and the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, said inner shell extending along said top, back and side walls, said inner shell being made of a material that is flexible and resilient;

c) each of said side walls having a transparent window located therein, said windows extending from the front edge of each side wall rearwardly toward said back wall, wherein the peripheral vision of a human wearing said helmet is enhanced by said windows, said outer shell having respective opaque portions, each of which opaque portions extends between each window and the bottom edge of said outer shell;

d) said inner shell having notches therein, said notches being aligned with said windows, wherein said inner shell does not interfere with viewing through said windows, said inner shell being located adjacent to portions of the ears of said human wearing said helmet so as to provide protection to said ears.

2. The helmet of claim 1 wherein said inner shell is made out of flexible and resilient foam and has numerous spring means installed therein, said spring means being less resilient than said foam, each of said spring means having two ends with one end being located adjacent to said outer shell and the outer end being located adjacent to the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, there being foam interposed between said spring means and the head of said human, said spring means being distributed over areas corresponding to the top, back and side walls wherein said spring means serve to absorb the shock produced by an impact to said outer shell.

3. The helmet of claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises helical springs and have spring windings, said helical springs being located in said foam inner shell such that said foam is interposed between said spring windings.

4. The helmet of claim 3 wherein said springs windings are plastic coated.

5. The helmet of claim 1, wherein said inner shell is removable from said outer shell, said inner shell being coupled to an inner surface of said outer shell with hook and loop fasteners.

6. The helmet of claim 1 wherein said outer shell is made out of a light-weight material that can be moldable.

7. The helmet of claim 1 wherein each of said outer shell side walls have narrow slots, said slots being located adjacent to the ears of a wearer when wearing said helmet, and said inner shell has two openings therein, said openings being located so as to correspond to said slots, said openings being closed such that each opening has 360 degrees of foam surrounding each opening, wherein said inner shell and said slots provide some hearing protection to a wearer.

8. The helmet of claim 1, wherein:

a) said inner shell is made out of flexible and resilient foam and has numerous spring means installed therein, said spring means being less resilient than said foam, each of said spring means having two ends with one end being located adjacent to said outer shell and the other end being located adjacent to the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, there being foam interposed between said spring means and the head of said human, said spring means being distributed over areas corresponding to the top, back and side walls wherein said spring means serve to absorb the shock produced by an impact to said outer shell;

b) each of said outer shell side walls have narrow slots, said slots being located adjacent to the ears of a wearer when wearing said helmet, and said inner shell has two openings therein, said openings being located so as to correspond to said slots, said openings being closed such that each opening has 360 degrees of foam surrounding each opening, wherein said inner shell and said slots provide some hearing protection to a wearer.

9. The helmet of claim 8, wherein:

a) said spring means comprises helical springs located in said foam inner shell such that said foam is interposed between said spring windings;

b) said inner shell is removable from said outer shell, said inner shell being coupled to an inner surface of said outer shell with hook and loop fasteners.

10. The helmet of claim 1 wherein said respective windows are integral with said respective side walls.

12. The helmet of claim 10 wherein said inner shell is made out of flexible and resilient foam and has numerous spring means installed therein, said spring means being less resilient than said foam, each of said spring means having two ends with one end being located adjacent to said outer shell and the other end being located adjacent to the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, there being foam interposed between said spring means and the head of said human, said spring means being distributed over areas corresponding to the top, back and side walls wherein said spring means serve to absorb the shock produced by an impact to said outer shell.

13. The helmet of claim 12 wherein said spring means comprises helical springs and have spring windings, said helical springs being located in said foam inner shell such that said foam is interposed between said spring windings.

14. The helmet of claim 13 wherein said springs windings are plastic coated.

19. The helmet of claim 10, wherein said inner shell has notches therein, said notches being aligned with said windows, wherein said inner shell does not interfere with viewing through said windows, said inner shell being located adjacent to portions of the ears of said human wearing said helmet so as to provide protecting to said ears.

11. A helmet for use in sporting activities by a human, comprising:

a) an outer shell having top, back and side walls, said outer shell having an opening therein which opening is adapted to fit the head of a human such that the top wall is on top of the head, the side walls cover the ears and are adjacent to the sides of the face and the back wall covers the back of the head, said outer shell side walls having respective bottom edges, each of said bottom edges merging with a front edge of said respective side wall, each of said front edges extending from said respective bottom edge to said top wall, said front edges being located laterally of the eyes of a human when said helmet is being worn, said outer shell being made of a hard and rigid material, said outer shell being opaque;

b) said side walls each having a transparent window located therein, said windows extending from said front edges of each side wall rearwardly towards said back wall, said windows being located so that the peripheral vision of a wearer is enhanced by said windows, said outer shell having respective opaque portions, each of which extends between each window and the bottom edge of said outer shell;

c) an inner shell located inside of said outer shell and coupled thereto such that said inner shell is interposed between said outer shell and the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, said inner shell extending along said top, back and side walls, said inner shell being made of a material that is flexible and resilient, said inner shell having notches formed therein, said notches corresponding to said windows so as to permit viewing through said windows;

d) a face mask coupled to said outer shell, said face mask being coupled to said outer shell at said opaque portions extending between said windows and the bottom edges of said outer shell.

15. The helmet of claim 11, wherein said inner shell is removable from said outer shell, said inner shell being coupled to an inner surface of said outer shell with hook and loop fasteners.

16. The helmet of claim 11 wherein said outer shell is made out of a light-weight material that can be moldable.

17. The helmet of claim 11 wherein each of said outer shell side walls have narrow slots, said slots being located adjacent to the ears of a wearer when wearing said helmet, and said inner shell has two openings therein, said openings being located so as to correspond to said slots, said openings being closed such that each opening has 360 degrees of foam surrounding each opening, wherein said inner shell and said slots provide some hearing protection to a wearer.

18. The helmet of claim 11, wherein:

a) said inner shell is made out of flexible and resilient foam and has numerous spring means installed therein, said spring means being less resilient than said foam, each of said spring means having two ends with one end being located adjacent to said outer shell and the other end being located adjacent to the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, there being foam interposed between said spring means and the head of said human, said spring means being distributed over areas corresponding to the top, back and side walls wherein said spring means serve to absorb the shock produced by an impact to said outer shell;

b) each of said outer shell side walls have narrow slots, said slots being located adjacent to the ears of a wearer when wearing said helmet, and said inner shell has two openings therein, said openings being located so as to correspond to said slots, said openings being closed such that each opening has 360 degrees of foam surrounding each opening, wherein said inner shell and said slots provide some hearing protection to a wearer.

20. A helmet for use in sporting activities by a human, comprising:

a) an outer shell having top, back and side walls, said outer shell having an opening therein which opening is adapted to fit the head of a human such that the top wall is on top of the head, the side walls cover the ears and are adjacent to the sides of the face and the back wall covers the back of the head, said outer shell being made of a hard and rigid material;

b) said outer shell side walls having respective front edges that are located laterally of the eyes of a wearer, said side walls each having a transparent window located therein, said windows extending from said front edges of each side wall rearwardly towards said back wall, said windows being located so that the peripheral vision of a wearer is enhanced by said windows;

c) an inner shell located inside of said outer shell and coupled thereto such that said inner shell is interposed between said outer shell and the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, said inner shell extending along said top, back and side walls, said inner shell being made of a material that is flexible and resilient, said inner shell having notches formed therein, said notches corresponding to said windows so as to permit viewing through said windows;

d) a face mask coupled to said outer shell;

e) said face mask has ends that are received by said outer shell, each of said face mask ends being coupled to said outer shell by pins that are transverse to said respective face mask ends, said pins being received by openings in said outer shell and in said face mask ends, said pins being retained in said outer shell by releasable retaining means.

21. The helmet of claim 20, wherein:

a) said inner shell is made out of flexible and resilient foam and has numerous spring means installed therein, said spring means being less resilient than said foam, each of said spring means having two ends with one end being located adjacent to said outer shell and the other end being located adjacent to the head of a human when said helmet is being worn, there being foam interposed between said spring means and the head of said human, said spring means being distributed over areas corresponding to the top, back and side walls wherein said spring means serve to absorb the shock produced by an impact to said outer shell;

b) said spring means comprises helical springs and have spring windings, said helical springs being located in said foam inner shell such that said foam is interposed between said spring windings;

c) each of said outer shell side walls have narrow slots, said slots being located adjacent to the ears of a wearer when wearing said helmet, and said inner shell has two openings therein, said openings being located so as to correspond to said slots, said openings being closed such that each opening has 360 degrees of foam surrounding each opening, wherein said inner shell and said slots provide some hearing protection to a wearer;

d) said inner shell is removable from said outer shell, said inner shell being coupled to an inner surface of said outer shell with hook and loop fasteners.

22. A helmet for use in sporting activities by a human, comprising:

a) an outer shell having top, back and side walls, said outer shell having an opening therein which opening is adapted to fit the head of human such that the top wall is on top of the head, the side walls cover the ears and are adjacent to the sides of the face and the back wall covers the back of the head, said side walls each having a front edge extending to said top wall, said front edges and said top wall forming a front opening through which a human wearing said helmet can see, said front edges being located evenly with the eyes of said human;

b) said outer shell being made of a hard and rigid material, said outer shell being opaque;

c) each of aid side walls having a transparent window located therein, said windows being integral with said respective side walls, said windows extending from the front edge of each side wall rearwardly toward said back wall, wherein the peripheral vision of a human wearing said helmet is enhanced by said windows, said outer shell having respective opaque portions, each of which extends between each window and the bottom edge of said outer shell;

d) a face mask coupled to said outer shell, said face mask extending across said front opening, said face mask being coupled to said outer shell at said opaque portions extending between said windows and the bottom edges of said outer shell.