US4484364A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shock attenuation system for headgear
Assignee: Rawlings Sporting Goods Co Inc
•
Filing: 1983-01-07
•
Granted: 1984-11-27
•
Expires: 2003-01-07
Abstract
Abstract A shock attenuation system for headgear having an outer protective shell, the system comprising a liner adapted to be secured to the internal surface of the shell, the liner comprising a series of tubes of elastomeric material extending with their axes generally parallel to the internal surface of the shell, and generally parallel to one another. Each tube is open at an end thereof and is elastically deformable under loads applied against the side of the tube, whereby, with the headgear worn by a wearer and upon application of an impact load to the headgear, the tubes in the area of impact deform elastically under the applied load and attenuate the shock upon the wearer from the applied load.
Inventors
- 👤 Hal D. Mitchell
- 👤 David C. Rust
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:08
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/10; A42B3/12; A42B3/124; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S2/00; Y10S2/908; Y10S2/909
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
Headgear comprising an outer protective shell, a suspension system on the inside of the shell at the crown of the shell for protecting the top of the head, and a shock attentuation system around the inside of the shell for protecting the front, back and sides of the head, said system including a liner comprising a series of relatively long slender open-ended tubes of elastomeric material disposed in generally parallel side-by-side relation, and means for securing the liner on the inside of the shell with the longitudinal axes of the tubes generally parallel to the internal surface of the shell, said tubes being elastically deformable under loads applied against the sides thereof and being spaced sufficiently close to one another that when one tube deforms under a load it is engageable with the sides of adjacent tubes for deforming them whereby when the headgear is worn by a wearer and subjected to an impact load, the sides of the tubes in the area of impact deform elastically under the load into engagement with the sides of adjacent tubes and thereby deform the adjacent tubes for attenuating the shock on the wearer, said tubes being distributed over a relatively large portion of the inside of the shell from adjacent the bottom of the shell to adjacent said crown suspension system for protecting the front, back and sides of the head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
Headgear comprising an outer protective shell, a suspension system on the inside of the shell at the crown of the shell for protecting the top of the head, and a shock attentuation system around the inside of the shell for protecting the front, back and sides of the head, said system including a liner comprising a series of relatively long slender open-ended tubes of elastomeric material disposed in generally parallel side-by-side relation, and means for securing the liner on the inside of the shell with the longitudinal axes of the tubes generally parallel to the internal surface of the shell, said tubes being elastically deformable under loads applied against the sides thereof and being spaced sufficiently close to one another that when one tube deforms under a load it is engageable with the sides of adjacent tubes for deforming them whereby when the headgear is worn by a wearer and subjected to an impact load, the sides of the tubes in the area of impact deform elastically under the load into engagement with the sides of adjacent tubes and thereby deform the adjacent tubes for attenuating the shock on the wearer, said tubes being distributed over a relatively large portion of the inside of the shell from adjacent the bottom of the shell to adjacent said crown suspension system for protecting the front, back and sides of the head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the liner further comprises an inner layer of cushioning material engageable with the wearer's head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 2 wherein the layer of cushioning material is detachably secured to the tubes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 2 wherein the cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 2 wherein the cushioning material is a foamed vinyl resin material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubes of the liner extend in side-by-side relation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 6 wherein adjacent tubes of the liner are joined together at their sides.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 6 wherein the tubes are laced together by lacing extending through the sides of the tubes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the liner further comprises a carrier sheet, said tubes being joined to said sheet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the liner further comprises means forming pockets at spaced intervals adapted to receive said tubes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sides of the adjacent tubes of the liner are spaced apart.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein with the liner secured in the shell the axis of each tube extends generally vertically.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Headgear system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the liner comprises a lower section, at the lower margin of the shell, and a separate upper section above the lower section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the liner is engageable with and comformable to the internal surface of the shell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubes are of polyurethane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubes are of polyethylene.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubes are of polyarylate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubes are of synthetic rubber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubes are open ended and in communication with the interior of the headgear whereby when the tubes are deformed during an impact air is adapted to flow out of the tubes and into the interior of the shell for ventilating the headgear.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubes extend generally vertically upwardly from adjacent the bottom edge of the shell to adjacent said crown suspension system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
Headgear as set forth in claim 20 further comprising a plurality of pads of cushioning material detachably secured to the tubes on the inside thereof for engagement with the head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US882686A
Cited
US1652776A
Cited
US2585937A
Cited
US3186004A
Cited
US3600714A
Cited
US3829900A
Cited
GB1503483A
Cited
US4023213A
Cited
FR2375840A1
Cited
US4133055A
Cited
US4172495A
Cited
DE7829829U1
Cited
US4223409A
Cited
DE2938355A1
Cited
US4343047A
Cited
US4375108A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-11-27 | 1988-05-28 | 1988-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-11-27 | 1992-05-28 | 1992-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-11-27 | 1996-05-28 | 1996-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |