# US 8,739,318 B2 · Helmet comprising an occipital adjustment mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,739,318 B2 - Document ID: US8739318B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/875,485 - Filed: 2010-09-03 - Published: 2012-03-08 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-03 - Assignees: Bauer Hockey, LLC - Applicants: Jacques Durocher - Inventors: Jacques Durocher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739318B2 ## CPC - A42B 3/125: {with a padded structure, e.g. foam} - A42B 3/085: {Occipital retention systems} - A42B: HATS; HEAD COVERINGS (headbands A41D20/00; head-scarves A41D23/00) ## Abstract A hockey or lacrosse helmet having a front shell; a rear shell having an elongated slot extending along a longitudinal axis of the helmet; a rear inner pad for facing the back and left and right side regions of the head, the rear inner pad being mounted to the rear shell; an occipital inner pad located below the rear inner pad for facing the occipital region of the head; a central member extending along the longitudinal axis of the helmet, the central member having an upper part hingedly mounted with respect to the rear shell and a lower part mounted to the occipital inner pad; and a single wedging member located between the rear shell and the central member, the single wedging member being movable along the longitudinal axis of the helmet from a first position to a second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A helmet for receiving a head of a hockey or lacrosse player, the head having a crown region, left and right side regions, a back region and an occipital region, said helmet comprising: (a) a front shell for facing the crown region of the head; (b) a rear shell for facing the left and right side regions, the back region and the occipital region of the head, said rear shell comprising inner and outer surfaces and a central elongated slot residing within an imaginary vertical longitudinal plan that bisects said rear shell of said helmet in two generally identical halves; (c) a rear inner pad for facing the back and left and right side regions of the head, said rear inner pad being mounted to said rear shell; (d) an occipital inner pad located below said rear inner pad for facing the occipital region of the head; (e) a central member extending along said imaginary vertical longitudinal plan of said rear shell, said central member comprising an upper part hingedly mounted with respect to said rear shell and a lower part mounted to said occipital inner pad; and (f) a single wedging member located between said rear shell and said central member, said single wedging member being movable along said imaginary vertical longitudinal plan of said rear shell from a first position to a second position wherein, in use, in said second position, said occipital inner pad applies pressure upon the occipital region of the head for urging said front shell towards the crown region of the head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, further comprising a single actuator connected to said single wedging member, said single actuator being accessible to the player for moving said single wedging member between said first and second positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A helmet as defined in claim 2, wherein said single actuator comprises a post extending through said central elongated slot and wherein said single actuator is movable along said central elongated slot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A helmet as defined in claim 2, wherein said single actuator is movable along central elongated slot and has (i) a button portion that is accessible to the player such that the player can operate said single actuator, (ii) a post portion extending from said button portion and through said central elongated slot and (iii) a distal end connecting said single actuator to said single wedging member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A helmet as defined in claim 4, wherein said single wedging member comprises a locking mechanism for preventing said single wedging member from moving unintentionally. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A helmet as defined in claim 5, wherein said locking mechanism comprises protrusions provided on said single wedging member adapted to register between notches extending from said inner surface of said rear shell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A helmet as defined in claim 6, wherein said single actuator is made of a resilient material such that said single actuator returns to its original shape when pressure is no longer applied on said button portion by the player. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A helmet as defined in claim 7, wherein upon pressing of said button portion by the player, said button portion is compressed and moves said post portion for disengaging said protrusions such that movement of said single wedging member is possible. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein said rear shell has a horizontal curvature and wherein said occipital inner pad has a rear surface that extends generally perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of said helmet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein said central member is integral with either one or both said occipital inner pad at its bottom part and said inner rear pad at its upper part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein said occipital inner pad is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP) or expanded polyethylene (EPE) or polyethylene foam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein said occipital inner pad is partially made of a soft absorbent material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, further comprising a front inner pad mounted to said front shell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, further comprising left and right side inner pads mounted to said rear shell. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A helmet as defined in claim 1, wherein said front shell is movable relative to said rear shell for allowing size adjustment of said helmet. ### Claim 16 A helmet for receiving a head of a hockey or lacrosse player, the head having a crown region, left and right side regions, a back region and an occipital region, said helmet comprising: (a) a front shell for facing the crown region of the head; (b) a rear shell for facing the left and right side regions, the back region and the occipital region of the head, said rear shell comprising inner and outer surfaces and a central elongated slot residing within an imaginary vertical longitudinal plan that bisects said rear shell of said helmet in two generally identical halves; (c) a rear inner pad for facing the back and left and right side regions of the head, said rear inner pad being mounted to said rear shell; (d) an occipital inner pad located below said rear inner pad for facing the occipital region of the head; (e) a central member extending along said imaginary vertical longitudinal plan of said rear shell, said central member comprising an upper part hingedly mounted with respect to said rear shell and a lower part mounted to said occipital inner pad; and (f) a single wedging member located between said rear shell and said central member, said single wedging member being movable along said imaginary vertical longitudinal plan of said rear shell from a first position to a second position wherein, in use, in said first position, said occipital inner pad applies a first pressure upon the occipital region of the head, and in said second position, said occipital inner pad applies a second pressure upon the occipital region of the head, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, further comprising a single actuator connected to said single wedging member, said single actuator being accessible to the player for moving said single wedging member between said first and second positions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A helmet as defined in claim 17, wherein said single actuator comprises a post extending through said central elongated slot and wherein said single actuator is movable along said central elongated slot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A helmet as defined in claim 17, wherein said single actuator is movable along said central elongated slot and has (i) a button portion that is accessible to the player such that the player can operate said single actuator, (ii) a post portion extending from said button portion and through said central elongated slot and (iii) a distal end connecting said single actuator to said single wedging member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A helmet as defined in claim 19, wherein said single wedging member comprises a locking mechanism for preventing said single wedging member from moving unintentionally. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A helmet as defined in claim 20, wherein said locking mechanism comprises protrusions provided on said single wedging member adapted to register between notches extending from said inner surface of said rear shell. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A helmet as defined in claim 21, wherein said single actuator is made of a resilient material such that said single actuator returns to its original shape when pressure is no longer applied on said button portion by the player. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A helmet as defined in claim 22, wherein upon pressing of said button portion by the player, said button portion is compressed and moves said post portion for disengaging said protrusions such that movement of said single wedging member is possible. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) A helmet as defined in claim 17, wherein said rear shell has a vertical curvature and said central member extends along a different curvature when no pressure is applied on it such that a space that gradually reduces in an upward direction is created between said rear shell and central member. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, wherein said central member is integral with either one or both said occipital inner pad at its bottom part and said inner rear pad at its upper part. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, wherein said occipital inner pad is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP) or expanded polyethylene (EPE) or polyethylene foam. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, wherein said occipital inner pad is partially made of a soft absorbent material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, further comprising a front inner pad mounted to said front shell. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, further comprising left and right side inner pads mounted to said rear shell. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) A helmet as defined in claim 16, wherein said front shell is movable relative to said rear shell for allowing size adjustment of said helmet.