Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPORTING HELMET HAVING AN INFLATABLE BLADDER WITH A
PUMP
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to the field of sporting helmets, and more
particularly to
a sporting helmet having an inflatable bladder with a pump. The sporting
helmet can
be used for the practice of sports such as hockey, lacrosse or football.
Background of the invention
U.S. Patent No. 4,566,137 relates to an inflatable liner for protective
headgear, the
liner comprising a plurality of pre-formed air compartments with co-acting
bafflements and intercommunicating air channels between the air compartments.
The
liner also comprises an inflating valve.
U.S. Patent No. 5,083,320 relates to a helmet comprising an outer shell and a
liner
that may include a shock absorbent layer of softer and lighter material
secured to the
interior of outer shell. The liner is mounted inside the helmet and comprises
a
2o plurality of inflatable air compartments. The air compartments are
interconnected by
a number of air channels. The helmet also c~nprises a self contained tactile
actuatable air pump mounted within the outer shell of the helmet.
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a
U.S. Patent No. 6,073,271 relates to a protective helmet that incorporates an
inflatable
liner that has front, crown, rear, left and right side portions. To ensure
uniform
inflation, the inflatable liner comprises a plurality of inflatable cells
interconnected by
a series of air passageways.
U.S. Patent No. 6,178,560 relates to a fit system positionable within a helmet
for
improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium of the player. The system
comprises an
elongate fluid impervious bladder being positionable in a non-planar
relationship
within the helmet so as to substantially wrap around side portions of the
cranium,
temple areas of the cranium, a rear occipital protuberance portion of the
cranium and
an upper portion of the cranium without compromising the fluid flow path.
There is a need in the industry to provide a novel sporting helmet comprising
an
inflatable bladder having an actuatable pump for inflating the bladder which
is free to
expand and apply pressure on the occipital region of the head of the player.
Summary of the invention
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention seeks to
provide a
sporting helmet for receiving a head of a player, the head having a crown
region, left
and right temple regions, left and right side regions and an occipital region,
said
helmet comprising: (a) a front shell for at least receiving the crown region
and left and
right temple regions of the head, said front shell having an inner surface;
(b) a rear
shell for at least receiving left and right side regions and the occipital
region of the
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head, said rear shell having an inner surface; (c) a front pad for covering
said inner
surface of said front shell, said front pad having an inner surface; (d) a
rear pad for
covering said inner surface of said rear shell, said rear pad having an inner
surface; (e)
a front comfort pad for covering said inner surface of said front pad; (f) a
rear comfort
s pad for covering said inner surface of said rear pad; (g) an inflatable
bladder mounted
between said rear pad and said rear comfort pad, said inflatable bladder
comprising an
occipital chamber in fluid communication with left and right side chambers
through
left and right channels respectively; and (h) a pump imfluid communication
with said
inflatable bladder, said pump being actuatable by the player for inflating
said
to inflatable bladder such that said occipital chamber and said left and right
side
chambers apply pressure upon the occipital region and the left and right side
regions
of the head respectively, thereby bringing said inner surfaces of said front
and rear
comfort pads closer to the head.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention further seeks
to
15 provide a sporting helmet for receiving a head of a player, the head having
a crown
region, left and right temple regions, left and right side regions and an
occipital
region, said helmet comprising: (a) a front shell for at least receiving the
crown region
and left and right temple regions of the head; (b) a rear shell for at least
receiving left
and right side regions and the occipital region of the head, said rear shell
having an
2o inner surface; (c) a rear pad for covering said inner surface of said rear
shell, said rear
pad having an inner surface; (d) a rear comfort pad for covering said inner
surface of
said rear pad; (e) an inflatable bladder mounted between said rear pad and
said rear
comfort pad, said inflatable bladder comprising an occipital chamber in fluid
communication with left and right side chambers through left and right
channels
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respectively; and (f) a pump in fluid communication with said inflatable
bladder, said
pump being actuatable by the player for inflating said inflatable bladder such
that said
occipital chamber and said left and right side chambers apply pressure upon
the
occipital region and the left and right side regions of the head respectively.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention further seeks
to
provide a sporting helmet for receiving a head of a player, the head having a
crown
region, left and right temple regions, left and right side regions and an
occipital
region, said helmet comprising: (a) a shell for at least receiving the crown
region, left
and right temple regions, left and right side regions and the occipital region
of the
1 o head, said shell having an inner surface; (b) a pad for covering said
inner surface of
said shell, said pad having an inner surface; (c) a comfort pad for covering
said inner
surface of said pad; (d) an inflatable bladder mounted between said pad and
said
comfort pad, said inflatable bladder comprising an occipital chamber; and (e)
a pump
in fluid communication with said inflatable bladder, said pump being
actuatable by
the player for inflating said inflatable bladder such that said occipital
chamber apply
pressure upon the occipital region of the head.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention further seeks
to
provide a sporting helmet for receiving a head of a player, the head having a
crown
region, left and right temple regions, left and right side regions and an
occipital
2o region, said helmet comprising: (a) a shell for at least receiving the
crown region, left
and right temple regions, left and right side regions and the occipital region
of the
head, said shell having an inner surface; (b) a pad for covering said inner
surface of
said shell, said pad having an inner surface; (c) an inflatable bladder
affixed to said
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inner surface of said pad, said inflatable bladder comprising an occipital
chamber; and
(d) a pump in fluid communication with said inflatable bladder, said pump
being
actuatable by the player for inflating said inflatable bladder such that said
occipital
chamber apply pressure upon the occipital region of the head.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention further seeks
to
provide a sporting helmet for receiving a head of a player, the head having a
crown
region, left and right temple regions, left and right side regions and an
occipital
region, said helmet comprising: (a) a shell for at least receiving the crown
region, left
and right temple regions, left and right side regions and the occipital region
of the
head, said shell having an inner surface; (b) a pad for covering said inner
surface of
said shell; (c) an inflatable bladder mounted between said shell and said pad,
said
inflatable bladder comprising an occipital chamber; and (d) a pump in fluid
communication with said inflatable bladder, said pump being actuatable by the
user
for inflating said inflatable bladder such that said occipital chamber apply
pressure
upon the occipital region of the head.
Preferably, the inflatable bladder comprises a release valve mounted on the
occipital
chamber. The inflatable bladder also comprises a tube connecting the occipital
chamber and the pump, the tube comprising a one way valve mounted therein. The
helmet also comprises a pump cover that protects the dome of the pump and the
release valve. The pump cover is sufficiently flexible to allow the player to
depress
the dome of the pump and the release valve.
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More preferably, the front and rear shells of the helmet are interconnected
together
and adapted to move in relation to each other. The helmet also comprises two
locking
devices that allow the player to expand or contract the helmet and to secure
together
front and rear shells in the selected position.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference
to the
following description and the drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
1o
A detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention
is
provided herein below, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sporting helmet having an inflatable
bladder with a
pump constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a right side view of the helmet of Figure 1;
2o Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the helmet of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a more detailed exploded perspective view of the helmet of Figure
1;
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Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rear comfort pad and a pump cover of the
helmet
of Figure l;
Figure 6 is a elevation view of an inflatable bladder with a pump of the
helmet of
Figure I ;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the helmet of Figure 1 worn by a player with
the
inflatable bladder with a pump shown in full lines; and
1o Figure 8 is a cross-section view of the helmet of Figure 1 worn by a
player.
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way
of
examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings
are only
for the purpose of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not
intended
~ 5 to be a definition of the limits of the invention.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments
Shown in Figures 1 to 8 is a sporting helmet 20 according to a preferred
embodiment
20 of the present invention. On these figures, sporting helmet 20 is a hockey
helmet.
Helmet 20 is made up of a front shell 22 and a back shell 24 interconnected
together
and adapted to move in relation to each other, and two locking device 48
located on
each side of helmet 20 just above the ears of the player. Front shell 22 and
back shell
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24 are preferably made of a relatively rigid material, such as a polycarbonate
material,
a rigid thermoplastic, or a thermosetting resin in order to provide a strong
helmet that
will protect the head of the player.
Front shell 22 includes a plurality of ventilation apertures 26 located at
various
positions. While ventilation apertures 26 are not essential to the present
invention,
they do provide the added comfort of allowing air to circulate around the head
of the
player, thus permitting perspiration to evaporate.
1o The inner surfaces of front shell 22 and back shell 24 are covered with
front and rear
inner pads 28 and 30 respectively. More preferably, both front and rear pads
28, 30
entirely cover inner surfaces of front shell 22, 24. Front and rear pads 28,
30 are
preferably made of expanded polypropylene (EPP). Rear pad 30 comprises a top
portion 30T extending over the head of the player. The inner surface of front
pad 28
is covered with a front comfort pad 32 and the inner surface of rear pad 30 is
covered
with a rear comfort pad 34 and a top comfort pad 36. Front comfort pad 32 and
rear
and top comfort pads 34, 36 may or not entirely cover inner surfaces of front
and rear
pads 28, 30 respectively. Rear comfort pad 34 comprises an occipital portion
340C, a
left side portion 34LS and a right side portion 34RS (see Fig. 5).
Helmet 20 also comprises two downwardly extending sides 38 that extend along
the
sides of the face of the player in front of the ears of the player. Sides 38
provide
additional protection to the sides of the head of the player, and further
provide a
useful location for connecting ear loops 40. At the base of sides 38 are
apertures 42
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(only the left side shows apertures 42) through which ear loops 40 is looped.
The
other end of ear loops 40 is looped into one of apertures 44 located on the
base of rear
shell 24. A chinstrap 46 is adapted to be attached to each of ear loops 40, so
that
when it is secured beneath the chin of the player, helmet 20 is securely
fastened onto
the head of the player.
Helmet 20 comprises locking mechanisms 48 each having a door 50, springs 52,
an
actuator 53 and a base 54. Overlapping portions of front and rear shell 22 and
24 are
confined between actuator 53 and base 54. These overlapping portions may
comprise
1o a plurality of engaging members that will allow front shell 22 to be
secured to rear
shell 24 in a selected position. In the locking position the cooperation
between
actuator 53 and base 54 exerts a compressive force on the engaging members of
front
shell 22 and rear shell 24, so that they interact with one another to secure
the front and
rear shells 22, 24 in a selected position.
In operation, a player who puts on helmet 20 and realizes that it is too large
or too
small, does not need to remove helmet 20. The player must simply reach up and
pull
upwards so that locking device 48 moves into the release position. Once
locking
device 48 is in the release position, the player can expand or contract the
size of
2o helmet 20 by pushing or pulling front and rear shells 22, 24 in relation to
each other.
Helmet 20 may comprise ear covers 56 for protecting the ears of the player.
It is understood that helmet 20 may comprise a sole shell having front and
rear
portions, a sole inner pad having front and rear portion covering the inner
surface of
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the sole shell and a sole comfort pad covering the inner surface of the inner
pad. It is
also understood that helmet 20 may comprise front and rear shells that are not
adjustable one relative to the other.
Helmet 20 further comprises an inflatable bladder 58 mounted between rear
comfort
pad 34 and rear pad 30. Inflatable bladder 58 comprises an occipital chamber
580C
in fluid communication with left and right side chambers 58LS, 58RS through
respective left and right air channels 60L, 60R. A pump 62 is connected to
inflatable
bladder 58, pump 62 being in fluid communication with occipital chamber 580C
1o through a tube 64. It is understood that pump 62 may be connected to left
or right
side chambers 58LS, 58RS. A one way valve (not illustrated) is mounted within
tube
64. Pump 62 comprises a dome 66 and a base 68 having an aperture 70
communicating with tube 64, dome 66 being sealed to the base 68. Apex portion
of
dome 66 comprises an aperture through which air may pass. Inflatable bladder
58
also comprises a release valve 72 mounted on occipital chamber 580C for
deflating
inflatable bladder 58. Again, it is understood that release valve 72 may be
mounted
on left or right side chambers 58 LS, RS. A pump cover 74 protects dome 66 and
release valve 72.
As shown on Figures 7 and 8, the head of the player comprises a crown region
CR,
left and right temple regions LT, RT, left and right side regions LS, RS and
an
occipital region OC. Left and right side regions LS, RS are approximately
located
above the ears of the player. Occipital region OC substantially corresponds to
the
region under the occipital protuberance of the head.
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In operation, upon depression of dome 66, air located within dome 66 passes
through
tube 64 and reaches occipital chamber 580C, and eventually, left and right
side
chambers 58LS, 58RS. When dome 66 return to its natural form, air is again
admitted
in dome 66. Occipital and left and right side chambers 580C, 58LS, 58RS can
therefore be filled to the desired volume of air by repeatedly depressing dome
66.
Pump 62 is thus actuatable by the player when he/she repeatedly depresses dome
66.
Pump cover 74 is sufficiently flexible to allow the player to depress dome 66
and
release valve 72. More particularly, pump cover 74 may comprise grooves for
allowing the player to depress the portions of pump cover 74 located over dome
66
to and release valve 72 respectively, or the portions of pump cover 74 that
cover dome
66 and release valve ?2 respectively may have a thinner thickness.
When inflated, inflatable bladder 58 applies pressure upon occipital region OC
and
left and right side regions LS, RS of the head of the player in order to have
a close fit
between the head and the helmet. More particularly, contact of inflatable
bladder 58
with occipital region OC tends to urge the interior of helmet 20 closer to the
head. In
fact, left and right side chambers 58LS, RS allow a better lateral fit while
occipital
chamber 580C allows a better longitudinal fit. Hence, pump 62 is actuable by
the
player for inflating inflatable bladder 58 such that occipital chamber 580C
and left
2o and right side chambers 58LS, 58RS apply pressure upon occipital region OC
and left
and right side regions LS, RS of the head, thereby bringing the inner surfaces
of
helmet 20 closer to the head. If necessary, the player can deflate inflatable
bladder 58
by depressing release valve 72.
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Inflatable bladder 58 is not confined within a pad or liner and is thus free
to expand
and the air path is not therefore compromised. Gaps between occipital region
OC and
left and right side regions LS, RS and the interior of helmet 20 may be filled
by
inflatable bladder 58 as desired by the player. Refernng to Figure 6,
inflatable
bladder 58 comprises several apertures 76 for affixing inflatable bladder 58
to the
outer surface of rear comfort pad 34. Inflatable bladder 58 is thus mounted
between
rear comfort pad 34 and rear pad 30 and can expand therebetween in order to
apply
pressure upon occipital region OC and left and right side regions LS, RS. It
is
understood that inflatable bladder 58 may also be affixed to rear pad 30. It
is also
1o understood that different affixing means may be used to affixed inflatable
bladder 58
to rear comfort pad 34 or rear pad 30. It is further understood that
inflatable may only
comprise an occipital chamber in fluid communication with a pump. Lastly, it
is
understood that the inflatable bladder may be affixed to the inner pad
covering the
interior surface of the shell of the helmet, the inflatable bladder contacting
the
occipital region of the head, or it can be mounted between the shell and the
inner pad.
The above description of preferred embodiments should not be interpreted in a
limiting manner since other variations, modifications and refinements are
possible
within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the
invention is
2o defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
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