US 5,324,460 A · Method of making a helmet liner

Abstract

A method forms a helmet liner which during its formation is fitted to the head of the user, by forming an inflatable liner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, providing the element with respective foam filling and vent passages, the vent passages serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, mounting the liner element in the helmet on the head of the user, supplying foam to the foam filling passages to inflate the liner element, expel air therefrom and conform the element at an outer surface to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface to the shape of the head of the user, allowing time for curing of the foam admitted to the liner element, and severing parts of the vent and foam filling passages projecting from the liner. The liner element can embrace a forehead portion only of the head of the user or a further element which embraces a rear part of the head can be added. In another form embodiment, the liner element may cover the crown, front and rear of the head of the user.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable inner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,
(b) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,
(c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,
(d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and confirming the element at an outer surface thereof to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface thereof to the shape of the head of the user,
(e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,
(f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user,
(g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner,
(h) forming said iner element as a rear liner element to embrace a rear portion of the head of the user of the helmet, said rear liner element having a lower part which serves as a neck pad,
(i) providing said neck pad of said rear liner element on the exterior thereof with a neck pad support in which an adjustable strap is mounted which is fixedly secured to the helmet shell at one end and adjustably secured to said shell at the other end thereof, and
(j) adjusting said strap after mounting of said helmet on the head of the user to cause engagement between said neck pad with said user prior to inflation with foam of said liner element.

7 more elements

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of:

(a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell,
(b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion and a forward part of the crown of the head of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user,
(c) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds,
(d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof,
(e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element of the shape of the head of the user,
(f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element,
(g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and
(h) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said inner.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of making a helmet liner

Life of this patent

Method of making a helmet liner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23