Impact reduction helmet
OwnerWesley W.O. Kruegerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An impact reduction helmet and method are disclosed. The helmet and method include an inner frame having interior pads that rest on a person's head and a second frame coupled to the first frame with shock absorbers wherein the shock absorbers are larger in the section of the helmet near the rear of the helmet and shorter in the section closer to the front of the helmet in order to move the rotational center of the helmet closer to the rotational center of the head. The first frame and second frame are also spaced farther apart than prior art helmets to increase the distance available for impact absorption.
Claims22
A helmet comprising:
- a first frame;
- a plurality of pads attached to the first frame wherein the pads are configured to rest against a person's head;
- a rigid second frame wherein the second frame is external to the first frame;
- and
- a plurality of shock absorption elements that couple the first frame to the second frame wherein:
- the shock absorption elements further comprise a force displacement curve having a displacement of at least 50 millimeters;
- and
- the shock absorption elements located at the front of the helmet are shorter than the shock absorption elements at the back of the helmet whereby the center of rotation of the helmet is nearer to the center of rotation of the person's head.
A wearable protection device for a person's head, the device comprising:
- at least one pad configured to rest against a person's head;
- a first frame attached to the pad;
- a rigid second frame that surrounds the first frame further comprising a gap of at least 50 millimeters at all points between the first frame and the second frame wherein the gap is greater in the part of the device proximate to the rear of the person's head than the part of the device proximate to the front of the person's head;
- and
- at least one energy-absorbing element coupling the first frame to the second frame.
A method for minimizing the effect of rotational impacts on a person's head, the head protection method comprising:
- configuring a pad to be placed on the person's head;
- attaching a first frame to the pad;
- attaching a shock-absorbing element externally to the first frame;
- attaching a second frame externally to the shock absorbing element in a configuration that provides:
- a minimum gap of at least 50 millimeters between the first frame and the second frame and
- a greater gap between the first frame and the second frame in the part of the first frame located closest to the rear of the person's head than the gap between the first frame and the second frame in the part of the first frame located closest to the front of the person's head;
- and
- coupling at least one rigid third frame element externally to the second frame wherein coupling further comprises a rotational coupler capable of sliding the third frame element over the second frame in a tangential direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.