HELMET DESIGNS UTILIZING FLUID-FILLED CONTAINERS
Disclosed herein is a helmet structure for reducing kinetic energy transmission. The helmet has a first layer configured as an outside layer that serves as first contact with a source of kinetic energy and a second layer having a substance that changes state to transfer kinetic energy laterally with respect to the skull. The substance has a threshold shear yield point wherein upon contact with kinetic energy, if the threshold shear yield point of the second layer is met, the layer will at least partially liquefy to yield a liquid and flow to internal or external chambers. In one embodiment, the helmet structure is reset after contact with kinetic energy. The substance in the helmet changes state such that the substance returns to its original state prior to contact with kinetic energy and the substance returns to its original location within the helmet structure.
1 . A structure for reducing kinetic energy transmission, the structure comprising:
a first layer configured as an outside layer that serves as first contact with a source of kinetic energy;
a second layer comprising a substance adjacent to the first composite layer, the second layer changing state having a threshold shear yield point, wherein upon interaction with the source, if the threshold shear yield point of the second layer is met, the second layer will at least partially liquefy to yield a liquid; and
space for the liquid in the second layer to flow.
2 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein a second layer is adjacent to a third layer comprising a substance, the third layer changing state having a threshold shear yield point, wherein upon interaction with the source, if the threshold shear yield point of the third layer is met, the third layer will at least partially liquefy to yield a liquid.
3 . The structure of claim 2 , wherein the threshold shear yield point of the second layer differs from the threshold shear yield point of the third layer.
4 . The structure of claim 2 , wherein the threshold shear yield point for the third layer is higher than the threshold shear yield point for the second layer.
5 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein, if the threshold shear yield point is met, the liquid will be ejected through an orifice to space internal to the structure.
6 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein, if the threshold shear yield point is met, the liquid will be ejected through an orifice to space external to the structure.
7 . The structure of claim 4 , wherein space internal to the structure is an internal storage chamber.
8 . The structure of claim 6 , wherein the internal storage chamber is initially collapsed.
9 . The structure of claim 6 , wherein the internal storage chamber expands as liquid flows into the chamber.
10 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein layers are bonded via at least one internal storage chamber.
11 . The structure of claim 2 , wherein the boundary between the second layer and the third layer is at least one of thick, thin, rigid, flexible, interconnected and not interconnected.
12 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the structure is reset after contact with a source kinetic energy, the steps comprising:
changing the substance state of the liquid such that the liquid is returned to its original state prior to contact with kinetic energy; and
returning the liquid to its original location within the structure.
13 . The structure of claim 12 , wherein the liquid is returned to a different location within the structure.