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US 6,934,971 B2Granted
Football helmet
AssigneeRiddell, Inc.
InventorsThad M. Ide, Ralph J. Infusino, Nelson Kraemer, Christopher R. P. Withnall, Timothy D. Bayne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A new football helmet includes: a jaw flap attached to the ear flap of the helmet, and the jaw flap overlies the sides of the lower jaw of football player; and a face guard connector which includes a shock absorbing member.
Claims73
A football helmet, comprising:
- a plastic outer shell having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the shell including a crown, a back, a front, a lower edge surface, and two sides, the shell being adapted to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the wearer having a lower jaw having two side portions;
- each side of the shell includes an ear flap adapted to generally averlie an ear and a portion of a cheek of the wearer;
- each ear flap generally extending downwardly from its respective side;
- each ear flap including a jaw flap attached to the ear flap, each jaw flap extending from the ear flap forwardly toward the front of the shell and adapted to generally extend to overlie the front portion of the lower jaw of the wearer of the helmet;
- each side having a chin protector connector, adapted to connect a portion of a chin protector to the shell;
- each side having a face guard connector, adapted to connect a portion of a face guard to the shell;
- and a liner connector, adapted to connect a shock absorbing liner to a portion of the inner wall surface of the shell.
4 more elements
A helmet, comprising:
- an outer shell having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the shell including a crown, a back, a front, a lower edge surface, and two sides wherein each side has a chin protector connector, the shell being adapted to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet;
- a chin protector having two sides and at least two flexible members associated with each side of the chin protector, the at least two flexible members adapted to engage with one of the chin protector connectors on the sides of the shell, and the chin protector connector includes at least two notches formed in the lower edge surface of the shell, with at least one notch being disposed on each side of the shell, and at least one of the flexible members on each side of the chin protector passes through at least one of the notches on each side of the shell.
A helmet, comprising:
- an outer shell having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the shell including a crown, a back, a front, a lower edge surface, and two sides, the shell being adapted to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet;
- a shook absorbing and sizing liner associated with the inner wall surface of the shell;
- the shook absorbing and sizing liner includes a plurality of resilient members adapted to both absorb shock forces exerted upon the shell and to help size the helmet to the head of the wearer of the helmet, and the plurality of resilient members are disposed along the inner wall surface of the back and sides of the shell;
- the shock absorbing and sizing liner including at least one resilient member which contacts the lower, frontal portion of a mandible of the wearer of the helmet.
1 more element
A football helmet, comprising:
- an outer shell having an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the shell including a crown, a back, a front, a lower edge surface, and two sides, the shell being adapted to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the head having a basic plane and a coronal plane, the wearer having a lower jaw having two side portions;
- each side of the shell includes an ear flap adapted to generally overlie an ear and a portion of a cheek of the wearer each ear flap generally extending downwardly from its respective side;
- each side having a chin protector connector, adapted to connect a portion of a chin protector to the shell;
- each side having a face guard connector positioned along a bottom edge of the shell, the face guard connector adapted to connect a portion of a face guard to the shell;
- a substantial amount of energy foam disposed within the outer shell and in front of the coronal plane of the head of the wearer and below the basic plane of the head of the wearer;
- and,
- wherein each ear flap includes a jaw flap attached to the ear flap, each jaw flap extending from the ear flap forwardly toward the front of the shell and adapted to generally extend to overlie the side and front portions of the lower jaw of the wearer of the helmet.
4 more elements
A football helmet comprising:
- a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, and two side regions;
- an ear flap depending from each side region of the shell wherein the ear flap overlies a ear of the wearer;
- and,
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap, respectively, whereby each jaw flap overlies a front portion of a mandible of the wearer.
1 more element
A helmet for use in playing a sport, the helmet comprising:
- a plastic shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, two side regions;
- an ear flap depending from each side region of the shell wherein the ear flap overlies an ear and a portion of a cheek of the wearer;
- and,
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap, wherein the jaw flap has a terminal end that is directed towards the front region of the shell and that overlies a chin of the wearer, and wherein the jaw flaps collectively define a central opening.
1 more element
A helmet for use in playing a sport, the helmet comprising:
- a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, and two side regions;
- an ear flap depending from each side region of the shell wherein the ear flap overlies an ear and a portion of a cheek of the wearer;
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap towards the front region of the shell, wherein each jaw flap overlies a chin of the wearer;
- and,
- at least one face guard connector positioned along a bottom edge of the shell, wherein the connector is configured to connect a portion of a face paid to the shell.
2 more elements
A sports helmet comprising:
- a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, and two side regions;
- an ear flap depending from each side region of the shell wherein the ear flap overlies an ear of the wearer;
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap towards the front region of the shell, wherein the jaw flap has a terminal edge that is coincident with a chin of the wearer;
- and,
- at least one face guard connector positioned along a bottom edge of the shell, wherein the connector is configured to connect a portion of a face guard to the shell.
2 more elements
A spoilt helmet comprising:
- a plastic outer shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front portion, a rear portion, and two opposed side portions, and wherein the shell has a lower edge with a circumference;
- an ear flap depending from each side portion of the shell;
- and,
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap, respectively, each jaw flap having a terminal end wherein the terminal ends reside in a single quadrant of the circumference of the shell.
1 more element
A sports helmet comprising:
- a shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, and two side regions;
- an ear flap depending from each side region of the shell wherein the ear flap overlies an ear of the wearer;
- a jaw flap extending from each ear flap towards the front region of the shell, wherein the jaw flap overlies an extent of a mandible of the wearer;
- and,
- a jaw pad removably connected to each jaw flap, the jaw pad having a density of at least approximately 5 pounds per cubic foot and at least approximately a 25% compression deflection of 8 pounds per square inch.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.