Shock absorbers for protective body gear
AssigneeXenith, LLC
InventorsVINCENT FERRARA, ALEXANDER REYNOLDS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Shock absorbers for integration into protective structures generally take the form of hollow, fluid-filled, compressible cells. In various embodiments, the cell enclosure includes one or more orifices, or vents, through which a fluid (such as air or water) can escape from the inner chamber formed by the enclosure.
Claims18
A compressible cell for attenuating impact forces imparted thereto, the cell comprising:
- an enclosure defining an inner chamber for containing a fluid, the enclosure comprising a top wall including corrugations around a periphery thereof, a bottom wall, and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls, the side wall and corrugations of the top wall resistively yielding in response to an impact imparted to the top wall so as to attenuate impact forces while allowing the cell to compress.
In a safety article comprising a compressible cell that includes an enclosure defining an inner chamber, a top wall having corrugations around a periphery thereof, a bottom wall, and a side wall extending between the top and bottom walls, the safety article being worn on a body with the bottom wall closer to the body than the top wall, a method for protecting the body from damage due to impacts, the method comprising:
- attenuating an impact imparted on the top wall at least partially with the side wall and the corrugations of the top wall by resistive yielding thereof.
A compressible cell for attenuating impact forces imparted thereto, the cell comprising:
- an enclosure defining an inner chamber for containing a fluid, the enclosure comprising at least one side wall extending between a top wall and a bottom wall, the at least one side wall resistively yielding in response to an impact imparted to the top wall so as to allow the cell to compress,
- wherein at least one of the top wall or the bottom wall comprises vertically extending features that increase resistance to compression of the cell as the top wall approaches the bottom wall.
In a safety article comprising a compressible cell that includes an enclosure defining an inner chamber, a side wall, and top and bottom walls at least one of which includes vertically extending features, the safety article being worn on a body with the bottom wall closer to the body than the top wall, a method for protecting the body from damage due to impacts, the method comprising:
- in response to an impact imparted to the top wall, attenuating the impact at least partially with the side wall by resistive yielding thereof;
- and
- attenuating the impact at least partially with the vertically extending features as the top wall approaches the bottom wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.