Impact absorbing structures for athletic helmet

A helmet comprising:

• an outer shell;
• and
• an impact absorbing layer comprising a plurality of impact absorbing structures of polyurethane material positioned inside the outer shell, wherein at least a portion of the outer shell is flexible to transmit an impact force to a localized section of the plurality of impact absorbing structures positioned inside the outer shell, wherein one or more of the plurality of impact absorbing structures comprise a plurality of filaments including a first filament, a second filament, and a third filament connected at an intermediate point between a respective first end of each filament of the first filament, the second filament and the third filament and a respective second end of each filament of the first filament, the second filament and the third filament, the intermediate point comprising a node between an inner surface of the outer shell and an outer surface of a wearer's head, wherein:
• at least two of the first filament, the second filament and the third filament are oblique to the inner surface of the outer shell;
• the respective first end of each filament of the at least two of the first filament, the second filament and the third filament is proximate the inner surface of the outer shell and the at least two of the first filament, the second filament and the third filament are capable of buckling and absorbing energy when subjected to the impact force;
• the first filament, the second filament and the third filament are joined at an angle between 30 degrees and 120 degrees;
• and
• the one or more of the plurality of impact absorbing structures rebound to an undeformed shape once the impact force is removed.

A helmet comprising:

• an outer shell having a curved interior surface;
• and
• an impact absorbing layer including a plurality of modular impact absorbing arrays positioned inside the outer shell, wherein at least a portion of the outer shell is flexible to transmit an impact force to a localized section of the impact absorbing layer positioned inside the outer shell, wherein each modular impact absorbing array of the plurality of modular impact absorbing arrays includes a concentric outer surface proximate the curved interior surface, a concentric inner surface, and an impact absorbing structure between the concentric outer surface and the concentric inner surface of the respective modular impact absorbing array, the impact absorbing structure comprising at least three intersecting structures of polyurethane material, wherein:
• the at least three intersecting structures include a first structure, a second structure and a third structure;
• the first structure, the second structure and the third structure each have a respective first end proximate the concentric outer surface and a respective second end proximate the concentric inner surface;
• the first structure, the second structure and the third structure are connected at an intermediate point between the respective first end of each structure of the first structure, the second structure and the third structure and the respective second end of each structure of the first structure, the second structure and the third structure, the intermediate point comprising a node between the curved interior surface of the outer shell and an outer surface of a wearer's head;
• and
• at least two of the first structure, the second structure and the third structure are oblique to the curved interior surface of the outer shell.