Method of making a helmet liner

Claim 1

A method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable inner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and confirming the element at an outer surface thereof to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface thereof to the shape of the head of the user, (e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, (g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner, (h) forming said iner element as a rear liner element to embrace a rear portion of the head of the user of the helmet, said rear liner element having a lower part which serves as a neck pad, (i) providing said neck pad of said rear liner element on the exterior thereof with a neck pad support in which an adjustable strap is mounted which is fixedly secured to the helmet shell at one end and adjustably secured to said shell at the other end thereof, and (j) adjusting said strap after mounting of said helmet on the head of the user to cause engagement between said neck pad with said user prior to inflation with foam of said liner element.

Claim 2

A method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable inner element of extensible sheet material approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and confirming the element at an outer surface thereof to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and at an inner surface thereof to the shape of the head of the user, (e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, (g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner, (h) forming said iner element as a rear liner element to embrace a rear portion of the head of the user of the helmet, said rear liner element having a lower part which serves as a neck pad, (i) providing said neck pad of said rear liner element on the exterior thereof with a neck pad support in which an adjustable strap is mounted which is fixedly secured to the helmet shell at one end and adjustably secured to said shell at the other end thereof, and (j) adjusting said strap after mounting of said helmet on the head of the user to cause engagement between said neck pad with said user prior to inflation with foam of said liner element.

Claim 3

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion and a forward part of the crown of the head of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user, (c) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element of the shape of the head of the user, (f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (h) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said inner.

Claim 4

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion and a forward part of the crown of the head of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user, (c) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element of the shape of the head of the user, (f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (h) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said inner.

Claim 19

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, said helmet shell being fitted with an impact absorption lining, (b) forming aligned apertures in said impact absorption lining and said helmet shell, (c) providing said liner element with a foam filler tube which extends through said aligned apertures, (d) providing said element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (f) supplying foam to said foam filler tube to inflate said liner element, an admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (i) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.

Claim 20

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, said helmet shell being fitted with an impact absorption lining, (b) forming aligned apertures in said impact absorption lining and said helmet shell, (c) providing said liner element with a foam filler tube which extends through said aligned apertures, (d) providing said element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (f) supplying foam to said foam filler tube to inflate said liner element, an admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (i) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.

Claim 21

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin or extendible sheet plastics material and an outer skin of extensible sheet plastics material, said outer skin being stiffer the said inner skin and said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) providing said element with respect foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming and said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

Claim 22

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin or extendible sheet plastics material and an outer skin of extensible sheet plastics material, said outer skin being stiffer the said inner skin and said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) providing said element with respect foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (c) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (d) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming and said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (e) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (f) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (g) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

Claim 26

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user, (c) securing a comfort flap at an edge thereof to a front part of the helmet rim, the comfort flap in use being disposed between the forehead of the helmet user and the front liner element, (d) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (f) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and forming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and con forming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user. (g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (i) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

Claim 27

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in the formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) forming said outer skin so that the outer skin extends over a forehead portion of the user, forming said inner skin to extend over said forehead portion of the user and sealing said inner skin at edges thereof to the part of the outer skin which extends over the forehead portion of the user, (c) securing a comfort flap at an edge thereof to a front part of the helmet rim, the comfort flap in use being disposed between the forehead of the helmet user and the front liner element, (d) providing said element with respective foam filling and vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (e) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (f) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and forming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and con forming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user. (g) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (h) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (i) severing parts of said vent and foam filling means projecting from said liner.

Claim 28

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element to extend over the crown, front and rear of a helmet shell, said liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) extending a foam filling tube within the iner spaced from the crown and periphery thereof around substantially the full circumference of the liner element, (c) providing said liner element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (h) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.

Claim 29

The method of forming a helmet liner element which in formation thereof is fitted to part of the head of the user and which comprises the steps of: (a) forming an inflatable liner element to extend over the crown, front and rear of a helmet shell, said liner element having an inner skin of extendible sheet material and an outer skin of extensible sheet material, said outer skin approximately conforming to the shape of the interior surface of a helmet shell, (b) extending a foam filling tube within the iner spaced from the crown and periphery thereof around substantially the full circumference of the liner element, (c) providing said liner element with vent means, said vent means serving to expel air from the liner as foam filling proceeds, (d) mounting said liner element in said helmet on the head of the user thereof, (e) supplying foam to said foam filling means to inflate said liner element, the admission of said foam causing expulsion of air from said element by way of said vent means and conforming said outer skin of the element to the shape of the interior surface of the helmet shell and conforming said inner skin of the element to the shape of the head of the user, (f) allowing time for curing of said foam admitted to the liner element, (g) removing said shell and liner element from the head of the user, and (h) severing parts of said vent means and foam filler tube projecting from said liner.