Helmet With Integrated Shoulder Pad

What is this patent about?

’631 is related to the field of protective headgear, specifically helmets designed to mitigate shoulder injuries. Helmets are widely used in sports, recreation, and industrial settings to protect the head from impacts. A common problem is that the lower edge of the helmet can strike the wearer's shoulder or collarbone during rapid head movements, potentially causing injury. This patent addresses that issue.

The underlying idea behind ’631 is to integrate shoulder pads directly into the helmet's energy management liner . These pads are strategically positioned to protrude from the lower edge of the helmet shell, effectively cushioning the impact between the helmet and the wearer's shoulder. The key insight is to use the helmet's existing structure to provide this additional protection without significantly increasing bulk or weight.

The claims of ’631 focus on a helmet comprising an outer shell with recesses at its lower edge on both sides, and an energy management liner. The liner features two shoulder pad assemblies, each with a shoulder pad that extends downward into the recess. The shoulder pad is designed to alleviate impact to the wearer's shoulder, and has a width substantially the same as the width of the outer shell and energy management liner inside the outer shell .

In practice, the helmet's outer shell is molded with indentations or recesses along its lower edge, specifically where the helmet is likely to contact the shoulders. The energy management liner, typically made of materials like EPS or EPP, is then formed with integrated shoulder pads that fit into these recesses. These pads extend outward and downward, providing a buffer zone. The shoulder pads are designed to deform elastically upon impact, absorbing and dissipating energy before it reaches the shoulder.

This design differs from prior approaches that may have used separate, add-on shoulder pads or relied solely on the helmet's shell for protection. By integrating the shoulder pads directly into the energy management liner and recessing them into the shell, ’631 provides a more streamlined and effective solution . The use of different materials, such as a harder plastic for anchors and softer foam for the pads, allows for optimized energy absorption and durability. The co-molding process ensures a strong and reliable connection between the pads and the rest of the liner.