Protective helmet assembly
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration
InventorsFrederic S. Dawn, John D. Eck, Fred R. Weiss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective helmet assembly (10) comprising a hard ballistic outer shell (12) in a clam shell construction of hinged shell portions (14, 16), the front portion (14) being provided with a window opening (20) and a facial seal (34). A transparent visor (22) and sun visor (24) are pivotally mounted on the shell portion (14) and are positionable to cover the window with a seal (23) between the visor (22) and shell portion (14). Impact absorbing pads (31, 32) of open cell flexible polyimide foam material are attached to the inner surface of the hard shell portions (14, 16) by cooperative fastener strips (35, 36) of hook-and-loop material.
Claims7
A protective helmet assembly comprising:
- a hard rigid ballistic outer shell having a clam shell construction including a frontal shell portion and a rear shell portion joined together by a hinged connection near the top of the helmet assembly whereby the shell portions are moveable between an open position which facilitates donning of the helmet, and a closed position wherein said shell portions are sized to fit relatively closely over a helmet wearer's head, said frontal shell portion having a window opening;
- first and second impact absorbing pads in said frontal and rear shell portions, respectively, said second pad being spaced rearwardly from said first pad and from said frontal shell portion, each pad being disposed in a contour conforming relationship to an adjacent portion of the interior surface of the respective associated shell portion, and having an outer face conforming with the interior surface of the respective associated shell portion;
- said pads being made of open cell polyimide foam material wherein said material is flexible and resilient in the temperature range of 330 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and incapable of off-gas in a vacuum environment;
- and
- cooperative fastener means fixed to the inner surfaces of each of the shell portions and to the outer surfaces of each of said pads to releasably attach the impact absorbing pads in the helmet assembly, each impact absorbing pad comprising resilient means postionable between the interior surface of the respective, associated shell portion and a wearer's head for protecting the wearer's head from injury.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.