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US4134156A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Safety helmet

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-05-31
•
Granted: 1979-01-16
•
Expires: 1997-05-31
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Abstract

Abstract A safety helmet comprising an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system wherein the air-cushion system is positioned in the lower part of an integral helmet. The integral helmet has a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and has a frontal opening for the face. The air cushion system is positioned within a pocket in the helmet and extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet. The air-cushion system comprises a continuous band of two flexible foils, and means for interconnecting said foils in an air-tight manner, preferably comprising cross-pieces extending between the foils in such a way that the foils and the cross-pieces form two inflatable cheek cushions and one inflatable neck-cushion. Connecting passage-ways between the cheek cushions and the neck cushion are provided, and throttling passageways are positioned between the non-inflatable areas and the inflatable areas.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kalman Gyory

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 05:50
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/10; A42B3/12; A42B3/121; A42B3/122

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 146 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected aircushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet and an elastic material lining positioned in said integral helment above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer and encircling the same, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system including inflatable air cushions substantially free from cellular material having means for inflating and deflating the same, the air cushions, when inflated, contacting the head of the wearer and, when deflated, being spaced from the head of the wearer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 146 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected aircushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet and an elastic material lining positioned in said integral helment above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer and encircling the same, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system including inflatable air cushions substantially free from cellular material having means for inflating and deflating the same, the air cushions, when inflated, contacting the head of the wearer and, when deflated, being spaced from the head of the wearer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A safety helmet, in accordance with claim 1, wherein said air cushion system includes regions that are free of air-cushions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 103 words
A safety helmet, in accordance with claim 1 wherein said air-cushion system comprises a continuous band of two flexible foils, means for interconnecting said foils in an airtight manner comprising cross-pieces extending between said foils, in such a way that the foils and the cross-pieces form two inflatable cheek cushions and one inflatable neck-cushion, wherein said foils, in the areas between the neck-cushion and the cheek-cushions are inter-connected in such a way so that these areas cannot be inflated, connecting passage-way means between the cheek cushions and the neck cushion, and throttling passageway means positioned between the non-inflatable areas and the inflatable areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 3, wherein said throttling passage-way means comprises labyrinth joints having at least two staggered welded or pasted seams.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 3, further comprising welded joint means in the neck-cushion for reducing the thickness when inflated, of the neck cushion from the thickness of the two cheek-cushions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 3 wherein the width of the cross-pieces is between 50% and 300% of the difference between the inside diameter of the helmet and of the smallest head size to be fitted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
A safety helmet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the width of the cross-pieces is equal to 100% of the difference between the inside diameter of the helmet and of the smallest head size to be fitted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 55 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein in the region of the chin of a wearer said air cushion system extends upward no further than the edges of the mouth of the wearer, and wherein a cranial region of the helmet is padded with a material such as styropor lined with foam rubber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 59 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said air cushion system is placed inside a pocket, said pocket comprising a relatively rigid foil that is solidly attached to the helmet shell and comprises a hardened PVC-plate, and a soft layer of material welded to said plate, the inside of said soft layer preferably coated with foam material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 9, wherein said air cushion system is fixedly and detachably connected with the pocket by snap fasteners.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said elastic material lining is a styropor lining positioned above said air cushion system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 27 words
A safety helmet in accordance with claim 11 further comprising a covering of foamed-plastic tissue in the lower region of the styropor lining above the air-cushion system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 175 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet and an elastic material lining positioned in said integral helmet above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion adapted to extend in a downward direction below the chin of a wearer and encircling the same, and having a frontal opening for a face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of the wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system including inflatable air cushions and control means adapted for connection to a source of air pressure for controlling ingress of pressurized, inflating air into said air cushions thereby adapting the helmet to the head of the wearer, said control means also controlling egress of air from said air cushions to deflate said air cushions thereby facilitating removal of the helmet from the head of the wearer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 175 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet and an elastic material lining positioned in said integral helmet above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion adapted to extend in a downward direction below the chin of a wearer and encircling the same, and having a frontal opening for a face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of the wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system including inflatable air cushions and control means adapted for connection to a source of air pressure for controlling ingress of pressurized, inflating air into said air cushions thereby adapting the helmet to the head of the wearer, said control means also controlling egress of air from said air cushions to deflate said air cushions thereby facilitating removal of the helmet from the head of the wearer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 122 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet and an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system extending upward no further than the edges of the mouth of the wearer, and wherein a cranial region of the helmet is padded with a material such as styropor lined with foam rubber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 122 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet and an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system extending upward no further than the edges of the mouth of the wearer, and wherein a cranial region of the helmet is padded with a material such as styropor lined with foam rubber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 147 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, and a pocket attached to said helmet for holding said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system being placed inside said pocket, said pocket comprising a relatively rigid foil that is solidly attached to the helmet shell and comprises a hardened PVC-plate, and a soft layer of material welded to said plate, the inside of said soft layer preferably coated with foam material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 147 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, and a pocket attached to said helmet for holding said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet, said air cushion system being placed inside said pocket, said pocket comprising a relatively rigid foil that is solidly attached to the helmet shell and comprises a hardened PVC-plate, and a soft layer of material welded to said plate, the inside of said soft layer preferably coated with foam material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 98 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, and a styropor lining positioned in said integral helmet above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 98 words
A safety helmet comprising an integral helmet, an inflatable, interconnected air-cushion system positioned in a lower part of the integral helmet, and a styropor lining positioned in said integral helmet above said air cushion system, said integral helmet having a tapered portion extending in a downward direction below the chin of the wearer, and having a frontal opening for the face, wherein said air cushion system extends from the lower edge of said helmet to at least the level of the ears, but not higher than the level of the temples of a wearer of the safety helmet.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3186004A Cited
GB1402287A Cited
FR2285823A1 Cited
US4023213A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-01-15 1982-07-17 1983-01-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-01-15 1986-07-17 1987-01-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-01-15 1990-07-17 1991-01-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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