Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HELMET WITH CHIN GUARD
The present application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent
Application
61/557,587, entitled, "Helmet with Chin Guard", filed November 9, 2011.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to protective head gear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional protective head gear, such as helmets to safeguard sports
participants,
military personnel and others engaging in high risk activities, is designed to
protect the
skull from head trauma by primarily addressing linear acceleration caused by
impact to
the head by another object. This approach has only been successful to a
limited extent, in
part because such devices fail to account for the rotational components of an
impact to
the head, such as is sustained in a hit to the underside of the chin and jaw.
In general terms, there are two main types of forces at play when an impact to
the head
occurs: 1) A linear force, which is caused by a straight and direct impact,
and 2) a
rotational force, which is slightly oblique and causes the head to rotate
around its point of
articulation, i.e. its neck, at the top of the spine as it is hit. Angular or
rotational
acceleration of the skull caused by impact with another object is a common,
but often
under recognized, cause of head trauma and injury. Accordingly, there is a
need for a
protective device that addresses the rotational impact to the skull as well as
direct blunt
trauma to the chin and jaw.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the invention provide a protective device that may reduce head
and
facial injuries resulting from forces such as rotational and linear
accelerations.
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According to an illustrative embodiment of the invention a helmet assembly is
provided
that includes a helmet shell to which a chin guard assembly is attached. The
chin guard
assembly is disposed and configured to protect the underside of the wearer's
chin and jaw
and counter rotational acceleration created by impact to the underside of the
wearer's
30 chin or jaw. This supplements protection afforded by traditional helmets
that are
designed to protect against linear accelerations but fail to address
rotational acceleration
that can impart angular motion between the brain and brainstem, sufficient to
cause
concussions. The positioning of the chin guard assembly with respect to the
helmet shell,
and thus with respect to the wearer's chin, must be such that it may reduce
the possibility
35 of concussion sustained by torque on the brainstem caused by rotational
acceleration.
This is generally accomplished by providing protection to the underside of the
wearer's
chin from impact.
Additional features and embodiments will become apparent from the following
40 specification in conjunction with the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when
read with
the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 depicts a front isometric view of a helmet assembly having a face
mask and chin
45 guard assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 depicts a side isometric view a helmet assembly having a face mask
and chin
guard assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 depicts a further isometric view of a helmet assembly having a face
mask and
chin guard assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
50 Figure 4 depicts a front view of a helmet assembly having a face mask
and chin guard
assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
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Figure 5 depicts a helmet assembly having a face mask and chin guard assembly
according to another illustrative embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 depicts a helmet assembly having a chin guard assembly and no face
mask
55 according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
Figure 7 depicts a further helmet assembly having a chin guard assembly not
directly
engaged with a face mask according to an illustrative embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a fastening assembly for securing a chin guard
assembly to
a helmet shell according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
60 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1-4 depict a helmet assembly 100 according to an illustrative embodiment
of the
invention. Helmet assembly 100 includes a helmet shell 102 to which a chin
guard
assembly 104 is attached. Chin guard assembly 104 is disposed and configured
to protect
the underside of the wearer's chin and jaw and counter rotational acceleration
created by
65 impact to the underside of the wearer's chin. This supplements
protection afforded by
traditional helmets that are designed to protect against linear accelerations
but fail to
address rotational acceleration. Rotational acceleration can impart angular
motion
between the brain and brainstem, sufficient to cause concussions. The
positioning of chin
guard assembly 104 with respect to helmet shell 102, and thus the wearer's
chin, must be
70 such that it may reduce the possibility of concussion sustained by
torque on the brainstem
caused by rotational acceleration and blunt force trauma to the chin and jaw.
When
aligned properly, chin guard assembly 104 accomplishes this goal, provided
helmet
assembly 100 is secured adequately to the wearer.
75 Chin guard assembly 104 includes a rigid expanse 106 extending from the
helmet shell
right side 108 to the helmet shell left side 110 and disposed on the front
side of the
wearer. "Front side" is used in a general sense and thus, includes rigid
expanse 106
disposed to protect the underside of the chin and jaw. Rigid expanse 106 is
attached at a
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first end to helmet shell right side 108 and attached at a second end to
helmet shell left
80 side 110 and disposed to protect against impact to the underside of a
wearer's chin and
jaw. Rigid expanse 106 may or may not pivot with respect to helmet shell 110
at the
attachment locations on the helmet shell right and left sides 108, 110.
Preferably chin
guard assembly 104 is adjustable with respect to helmet shell 102.
85 Preferably rigid expanse 106 is shaped to generally follow a wearer's
chin. A preferred
shape is that which maximizes a player's range of motion in lateral flexion
and rotation
while still providing the desired protection from injury caused by impact to
the underside
of the chin.
90 Rigid expanse 106 has a right elongated member 112 attached to the
helmet shell right
side 108 and a left elongated member 114 attached to the helmet shell left
side 110. One
or both of the elongated members 112, 114 is attached by a fastening assembly
having a
sleeve 116 attached to helmet shell 102 into which a portion of an end of one
of
elongated members 112, 114 is disposed. A first stop 118 is provided at the
end of the
95 elongated member. First stop 118 may be for example, a cap such as shown
in FIG. 1, a
curved portion 220 of an elongated member 212, such as shown on helmet 200 in
FIG. 5,
or a cylindrical component 180 with a set screw 182 disposed about an
elongated member
184 such as shown in FIG. 8. First stop 118 is designed to inhibit removal of
chin guard
104 from sleeve 116. Similarly, first stop 220 is designed to inhibit removal
of chin guard
100 204 from sleeve 216.
Helmet assembly 100 may include a spring 122 disposed about a portion of the
end of
elongated member 112, 114 between first stop 118 and sleeve 116.
Alternatively, a spring
can be omitted such as shown in FIG. 5.
105
Helmet assembly 100 may also include a second stop 124 disposed about a
portion of the
end of elongated member 112, 114 on a side of sleeve 116 opposing first stop
118/120.
Second stop 124 can be adjustable along the elongated member. Adjustability
may be
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provided for example by use of a set screw 126. The first stop can also be
adjustable
110 along the elongated members.
The fastening assembly for attaching elongated members 112, 114 as described
above
allows the chin guard assembly to be pulled away from a wearer's face to
facilitate
removal of helmet assembly 100. The fastening assembly may be spring-loaded.
Springs
115 122 draw chin guard assembly back toward the wearer when helmet
assembly 100 is in
place on the wearer. Second stop 124 can protect against chin guard assembly
being
pushed into a wearer's neck.
The chin guard assembly may also be rotatable with respect to the helmet
shell. For
120 example, chin guard assembly 702 shown in FIG. 7 can be rotatable at
fastening
mechanism 704, by virtue of pivots incorporated therein. Chin guard assembly
702
includes a rigid expanse in the form of a single bar 712 without attachment to
face mask
706. A strap 708 with a cupped chin portion 710 is proved to secure the helmet
assembly
to a wearer. Bar 712 is curved at its distal end 714 to reduce the possibility
of bar 712
125 disengaging from helmet shell 716. A stop 718 is provided to further
eliminate the
possibility of components separating from one another.
Helmet assembly 100 may include a face mask 128, or not as shown in FIG. 6. If
a face
mask is provided, chin guard assembly 106 may be attached to face mask 128. In
an
130 illustrative embodiment of the invention, chin guard assembly 104 is
pivotally attached to
face mask 128. An illustrative attachment apparatus includes one or more bars
130, 132
rotatable about a substantially horizontal bar 134 of face mask 128, and/or
rotatable about
rigid expanse 106. When bars 130, 132 are rotatable about a component of face
mask
128, such as horizontal bar 134, and also rotatable about a component of the
chin guard
135 assembly such as rigid expanse 106, further protection may be afforded
from the chin
guard assembly rotating upwards. Bars 130, 132 may also provide further
protection from
facial trauma. One or more of bars 130, 132 can be releasably attached to
horizontal bar
134 or other portion of face mask 128 or rigid expanse 106 to further
facilitate removal of
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helmet assembly 100 from a wearer, or to remove chin guard assembly 104 from
helmet
140 assembly 100.
FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, show spacer components 190, 192, 194, which are
provided
to hold the position of bars 130, 132 so that the bars remain in a desired
position with
respect to horizontal bar 134 of face mask 128 and rigid expanse 106 of chin
guard
145 assembly 104. This can be particularly beneficial when chin guard
assembly 104 is
rotated. Other mechanisms to position the components can also be used. A
further
example includes notches and bumps for example, that inhibit sliding of bars
130, 132
along bars in face mask 128 and/or chin guard assembly 104. Spacer components
can
also be used in other areas where moveable parts need to retain certain
relative positions.
150 Another example of spacer elements are parts 196, 198 shown in FIG. 5.
Spacer components may be for example, coils or springs formed of an elastomer
such as
silicone elastomers sold under the trademark Silastic0. They can also be made
of a
compressive material such as a foam or a non-compressive material. Coiled
components
155 are advantageous because they may slide easily along a bar, yet keep a
preferred relative
distance between parts. Spacer components that can be easily cut and put in
place can
provide a user with the ability to customize the apparatus. Properly spacing
carious
components of the helmet apparatus may reduce head and facial injuries.
160 Helmet assembly 100 can have a chin strap assembly 136, as shown in
FIGS. 1 ¨ 4 for
example. Chin strap assembly 136 can include one or more straps 138, 140
attached to
shell 102. The straps may include a rigid, non-rigid or semi-rigid cupped
component
142. The helmet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a chin strap coupled to
the
helmet shell for securing the helmet assembly in place on a wearer. Chin
straps 138, 140
165 can be used to help keep chin guard assembly 104 in place by, for
example engaging
strap 138 around elongated members 112, 114.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, a strap 144 can be included without a
cupped portion
attached thereto. The helmet assembly 170 shown in FIG. 6 has a cupped portion
146
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170 incorporated with chin guard assembly 148. Cupped portion 146 fits
against a wearer's
chin. Cupped portion 146 is attached to elongated members 150, 152, which in
turn are
attached to helmet shell 160 by fastening mechanism 154. Elongated members
150, 152
can slide within sleeve 162 to facilitate removal of the helmet assembly and
have a stop
156 to keep chin guard assembly 148 from detaching entirely from helmet shell
160.
175 Sleeve 162 may or may not pivot with respect to helmet shell 160. Stop
156 can be
removable from the elongated members to fully remove chin guard assembly 148
from
helmet shell 170.
The chin guard assembly can be configured to be an add-on component or
accessory to
180 an existing helmet to supplement the protection provided by the helmet
protecting the
underside of the wearer's chin against impact thereto. Preferably the chin
guard
assembly accessory will include fastening mechanisms that can be incorporated
into
existing parts of the existing helmet. For example, snaps and sleeves can
serve to accept
complimentary components on the chin guard assembly accessory. Adapter
components
185 can be included, for example to space the elongate members from the
helmet shell to
allow proper movement and securing of the chin guard assembly. An example of
which is
part 170 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.
A helmet accessory may include elements to attach the chin guard assembly to a
face
190 mask that may be present on the existing helmet. For example, bars such
as 130, 132
shown in FIG. 3 may be included. Spacer components, such as parts 190, 192,
194 may
also be included.
The helmet shell to which the chin guard is attached should fit firmly and sit
squarely on
195 the wearer's head. The front of the helmet should be within about one
half inch of a
wearer's eyebrows to provide protection to the forehead. If a chin strap is
used to secure
the helmet assembly to the wearer there should be no or minimal slack. Padding
within
the helmet shell can afford beneficial protection and aid in a firm, and
possibly adjustable
fit. If padding is included, it should provide a comfortable amount of
pressure on the
200 head.
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Rigid components of the helmet assembly can be plastic or metal for example,
provided
they have the impact resistance desired and are durable enough to withstand
the
application to which they are applied.
205 Although specific types of helmets are shown in the figures, the helmet
assemblies can be
used for and designed for various sports, including for example, football,
lacrosse,
skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, motor cross, hockey and cycling. Which
specific
configuration and combination of components described will depend, at least in
part, on
the application of the helmet and the materials used to form the chin guard
apparatus.
210 The magnitude and direction of the impact expected will require
particular configurations
and materials to meet the needs of the wearer.
While the invention has been described by illustrative embodiments, additional
advantages and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the
215 invention in its broader aspects is not limited to specific details
shown and described
herein. Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of the
invention. For example, embodiments of the invention may be implemented on
helmets
of various types, such as those for different sports or other activities.
Accordingly, it is
intended that the invention not be limited to the specific illustrative
embodiments, but be
220 interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims and
their equivalents.
Various embodiments of the invention have been described, each having a
different
combination of elements. The invention is not limited to the specific
embodiments
disclosed, and may include different combinations of the elements disclosed or
omission
of some elements and the equivalents of such structures.
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