Impact absorption padding for contact sports helmets

Abstract

There is disclosed an improved impact absorption padding for a contact sports helmet, for contact sports such as football, hockey and lacrosse, which incorporates a plurality of air pockets formed from a resiliently flexible material, such as plastic or rubber. At least some of the air pockets enclose a coil or spring. The coil or spring is also resiliently flexible over a wide range of temperatures, and oriented to compress in the general direction of impact to absorb a substantial portion of the energy before it is transferred to the head of the player. The coil or spring is also sized and shaped to return the air pocket to a desired thickness and shape after an impact. The air pockets may be arranged to substantially cover the outside of a contact sports helmet shell as a layer of impact absorption padding. A second inner layer of impact absorption padding may also be provided inside the contact sports helmet shell.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.