HELMETS INCLUDING SPRAY ON MATERIALS
Various embodiments of helmets and methods of their manufacture are disclosed. In some embodiments, the helmet includes a helmet shell having a helmet shell edge and/or a mounting location for mounting an accessory to the helmet shell. A material that is adherent to the helmet shell may be sprayed onto the helmet shell edge of the helmet shell to form a trim. Alternatively, the material may be sprayed onto a portion of the helmet shell associated with either a mounting location for mounting an accessory or a position for a mounted accessory.
1 . A helmet comprising:
a helmet shell including a helmet shell edge; and
a sprayed on trim directly adhered to the helmet shell and covering the helmet shell edge.
2 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the trim covers an entire length of the helmet shell edge.
3 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the sprayed on trim comprises a polymeric material.
4 . The helmet of claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material is an elastomeric material.
5 . The helmet of claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea.
6 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet shell comprises a plurality of laminated layers.
7 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the trim substantially conforms to a shape of the helmet shell edge and is substantially stress free.
8 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the sprayed on trim includes a tapered edge.
9 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the sprayed on trim comprises an additive or composite material to increase a fire resistance, abrasion resistance, or chemical resistance of the material.
10 . The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the helmet shell includes an intermediate non-adhesive layer disposed between an underlying base material of the helmet shell and the sprayed on trim.
11 . A method of manufacturing a helmet, the method comprising:
spraying a material onto a helmet shell edge of a helmet shell to form a trim along the helmet shell edge.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein spraying the material further comprises spraying a mixture of a polymeric resin and an activator.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising mixing the mixture of the polymeric resin and the activator during spraying.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material fully cures after it is sprayed on the helmet shell.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising masking a portion of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material to define a shape and location of the trim along the helmet shell edge.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein masking the portion of the helmet shell includes masking an interior portion of the helmet shell and masking an exterior portion of the helmet shell.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein masking the portion of the helmet shell includes masking the portion of the helmet shell with a collapsible mask.
20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying an intermediate non-adhesive layer to an underlying base material of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material onto the helmet shell.
21 . A helmet comprising:
a helmet shell including a mounting location for mounting an accessory to the helmet shell; and
a sprayed on material directly adhered to a portion of the helmet shell associated with either the mounting location or a position for a mounted accessory, wherein a coefficient of friction of the material is greater than a coefficient of friction of the helmet shell.
22 . The helmet of claim 21 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material.
23 . The helmet of claim 22 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea.
23 . The helmet of claim 22 , wherein the polymeric material is an elastomeric material.
24 . The helmet of claim 21 , wherein the sprayed on material substantially conforms to a shape of the helmet shell and is substantially stress free.
25 . The helmet of claim 21 , wherein the material comprises an additive or composite material to increase a fire resistance, abrasion resistance, or chemical resistance of the material.
26 . The helmet of claim 19 , wherein the helmet shell includes an intermediate non-adhesive layer disposed between an underlying base material of the helmet shell and the sprayed on material.
27 . A method of manufacturing a helmet, the method comprising:
spraying a material onto a portion of a helmet shell associated with either a mounting location for mounting an accessory or a position for a mounted accessory, wherein a coefficient of friction of the material is greater than a coefficient of friction of the helmet shell.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea.
30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the polymeric material fully cures after it is sprayed on the helmet shell.
31 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising masking a portion of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material to define a shape and location of the portion of the helmet shell the material is applied to.
32 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising applying an intermediate non-adhesive layer to an underlying base material of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material onto the helmet shell.