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US 12,575,630 B2Granted
Cycling helmet with rotational impact attenuation
AssigneeBell Sports, Inc.
InventorsPaul A. Kele, David T. Debus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A helmet having an outer liner with an inward-facing surface, an inner liner with an outward-facing surface that interfaces with the inward-facing surface of the outer liner, and a flexible tether coupling the outer liner to the inner. The inner liner is slidably coupled to the outer liner via a plurality of return springs, the plurality of return springs biasing the inner liner to a first position with respect to the outer liner.
Claims20
A helmet, comprising:
- an outer liner comprising an inward-facing surface;
- an inner liner comprising an outward-facing surface configured to interface with the inward-facing surface of the outer liner;
- a plurality of return springs configured to bias the inner liner to a first position with respect to the outer liner, the outer liner configured to rotate with respect to the inner liner to a second position different from the first position upon an impact to the helmet, the plurality of return springs configured to attenuate a portion of energy imparted by the impact to move the inner liner toward the first position with respect to the outer liner;
- and
- a plurality of recesses in which the plurality of return springs is seated, the plurality of recesses being formed in either the outer liner or the inner liner but not both the outer liner and the inner liner.
2 more elements
A helmet, comprising:
- an outer liner comprising an inward-facing surface;
- an inner liner comprising an outward-facing surface configured to interface with the inward-facing surface of the outer liner;
- a plurality of return springs configured to bias the inner liner to a first position with respect to the outer liner, and the outer liner configured to rotate with respect to the inner liner to a second position different from the first position upon an impact to the helmet, the plurality of return springs configured to attenuate a portion of energy imparted by the impact to move the inner liner toward the first position with respect to the outer liner;
- and
- a flexible tether comprising a slack and configured to couple the outer liner to the inner liner.
2 more elements
A helmet, comprising:
- an outer liner comprising an inward-facing surface;
- an inner liner comprising an outward-facing surface that interfaces with the inward-facing surface of the outer liner;
- a return spring configured to bias the inner liner to a first position with respect to the outer liner, and the outer liner configured to rotate with respect to the inner liner to a second position different from the first position, the return spring coupled to one of the outer liner or the inner liner, the return spring configured to attenuate a portion of energy imparted by an impact to the helmet to move the inner liner toward the first position with respect to the outer liner;
- and
- a fastener coupled to the return spring and to either the outer liner or the inner liner, the fastener configured to extend at least partially outside of either the outer liner or the inner liner.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.