Layered construction of protective headgear with one or more compressible layers of thermoplastic elastomer material

1 . Protective headgear, comprising an impact-absorbing shell including a hard inner shell layer formed into a shape of helmet and a compressible layer attached to and covering an outer surface of the hard inner shell layer, the compressible layer being made of a thermoplastic elastomer material that compresses when impacted by a force and returns substantially to the original shape of the helmet after the force ceases.

2 . The protective headgear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a honeycomb structure.

3 . The protective headgear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a glass-transition temperature below or equal to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

4 . The protective headgear of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has low rebound resilience.

5 . The protective headgear of claim 1 , further comprising a compressible internal liner attached to an inner surface of the impact-absorbing shell, the internal liner making contact with the head of a wearer.

6 . The protective headgear of claim 5 , wherein the internal liner is made of a thermoplastic elastomer material.

7 . The protective headgear of claim 5 , wherein the internal liner is made of an expanded polystyrene foam.

8 . The protective headgear of claim 1 , wherein the impact-absorbing shell further comprises an outer shell layer disposed on an outer surface of the compressible layer.

9 . Protective headgear, comprising:

an energy-absorbing shell including:

an outer shell layer;

a non-compressible inner shell layer; and

a compressible middle layer disposed between the outer shell layer and the non-compressible inner shell layer, the compressible middle layer being comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer material that can compress upon impact and return substantially to an original shape of the headgear after the impact has ended; and

a compressible internal liner attached to an inner surface of the energy-absorbing shell.

10 . The protective headgear of claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a honeycomb structure.

11 . The protective headgear of claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material of the middle layer has a glass-transition temperature below or equal to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

12 . The protective headgear of claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material of the middle layer and of the internal liner has low rebound resilience.

13 . The protective headgear of claim 9 , wherein the internal liner is made of thermoplastic elastomer material.

14 . The protective headgear of claim 9 , wherein the internal liner is made of expanded polystyrene foam.

15 . A method for making a helmet, comprising

providing a hard inner shell layer formed in a shape of a helmet; and

covering an outer surface of the hard inner shell layer with a compressible middle layer of thermoplastic elastomer material; and

covering an outer surface of the compressible middle layer with an outer shell layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material has a honeycomb structure.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material of the compressible middle layer has a glass-transition temperature below or equal to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material of the compressible middle layer and of the internal liner has low rebound resilience.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising attaching a compressible internal liner made of thermoplastic elastomer material to an inner surface of the hard inner shell layer.

20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising attaching a compressible internal liner made of expanded polystyrene foam to an inner surface of the hard inner shell layer.