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US 11,540,580 B2Granted
Helmet comprising surface reinforcing component with embedded anchors
AssigneeSmith Optics, Inc.
InventorJames A. Chilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are helmets comprising at least one surface reinforcing component. In some embodiments the surface reinforcing component comprises at least one anchoring feature embedded in a structural feature of the helmet, such as a force absorbing element. In other embodiments, the surface reinforcing component comprises fasteners configured to mate with a respective fastener on a shell of the helmet.
Claims13
A method of making a helmet comprising:
- positioning a surface reinforcing component formed of a hard plastic material into a mold along with at least a portion of a shell of a helmet, wherein the surface reinforcing component comprises an outer surface positioned against the mold, an inner surface facing an interior of the mold's cavity, and at least one anchor feature extending from a location of the inner surface toward the interior of the mold's cavity, the outer surface opposite of the location of the inner surface from which the at least one anchor feature extends;
- providing an expandable material into the mold;
- and
- expanding the expandable material to form a force absorbing element of the helmet, wherein the expanding causes the expandable material to surround the at least one anchor feature thereby embedding the at least one anchor feature within the force absorbing element and securing the inner surface of the surface reinforcing component to the force absorbing element while the outer surface of the surface reinforcing component remains exposed to provide an exterior surface of the helmet.
1 more element
A method of making a helmet comprising:
- positioning a surface reinforcing component formed of a hard plastic material into a mold along with at least a portion of a shell of a helmet and along a brim portion of the shell of the helmet, wherein the surface reinforcing component comprises an outer surface positioned against the mold, an inner surface facing an interior of the mold's cavity, and at least one anchor feature extending from the inner surface toward the interior of the mold's cavity;
- providing an expandable material into the mold;
- and
- expanding the expandable material to form a force absorbing element of the helmet, wherein the expanding causes the expandable material to surround the at least one anchor feature thereby embedding the at least one anchor feature within the force absorbing element along the brim portion of the shell of the helmet and securing the inner surface of the surface reinforcing component to the force absorbing element while the outer surface of the surface reinforcing component remains exposed to provide an exterior surface of the helmet.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.