IP Library Granted Patent US 10,575,582
Granted Patent B2
US 10,575,582 · App. 15/973,510 · Granted Mar 3, 2020

Truncated helmet

Inventor: Alexander J. Szela (Santa Cruz, CA)
Assignee: BELL SPORTS, INC.
A42B3/0493A42B3/227A42B3/283A42B1/08A42B3/06A42B3/066A42B3/125
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,575,582
App. No.
15/973,510
Granted
Mar 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A helmet with an outer shell, an inner liner, a plurality of vents, and an occipital cliff is disclosed. The outer shell includes an outer surface made up of a first and second surface, the first and second surfaces joined by a drop-off running across the outer surface from a left side of the helmet to a right side of the helmet. A majority of the drop-off is closer to a coronal plane bisecting the helmet than it is to the rear of the helmet. The drop-off is contained within a posterior section of the helmet defined by the coronal plane. The first surface defines a top of the drop-off and the second surface defines a bottom of the drop-off, such that the drop-off has a height. The occipital cliff is located at the rear end of the helmet and is approximately perpendicular to the second surface proximate the drop-off.

Claims (43)

1. A helmet, comprising:

an anterior section and a posterior section defined by a coronal plane that bisects the helmet into sections having equal longitudinal length, the posterior section comprising a rear end of the helmet distal to the anterior section;

an outer shell having an outer surface and an inner surface and a perimeter edge, the outer surface comprising:

a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces joined by a drop-off extending across the outer surface from a bottom left perimeter edge of the outer shell to a bottom right perimeter edge of the outer shell opposite the bottom left perimeter edge and contained within the posterior section of the helmet, a majority of a length of the drop-off being closer to the coronal plane than to the rear end of the helmet, wherein the first surface defines a top of the drop-off and the second surface defines a bottom of the drop-off, and wherein along the entire drop-off, the bottom of the drop-off is closer to a central longitudinal axis of the helmet than the top of the drop-off such that the drop-off has a height; and

at least three chines extending forward from the drop off along the first surface;

an occipital cliff located at the rear end of the helmet and approximately perpendicular to the second surface proximate the drop-off;

a plurality of vents comprising at least one intake vent in the anterior section of the helmet and at least one output vent in the posterior section of the helmet, the plurality of vents providing fluid communication between outside the helmet and inside the helmet; and

an inner liner having an outer surface coupled to the inner surface of the outer shell and an inner surface comprising a plurality of interior channels connecting each of the at least one intake vents with a different output vent of the at least one output vent.

2. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the at least one output vents comprises at least one inline vent having a pair of surfaces approximately parallel with the second surface of the outer shell proximate the inline vent, and at least one hidden vent located on the occipital cliff.

3. The helmet of claim 2 :

wherein the second surface comprises an exterior output channel for each of the at least one inline vents that starts at the inline vent and extends away from the drop-off; and

wherein each exterior output channel is formed in the outer surface of the helmet.

4. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least three chines terminates before a front edge of the first surface.

5. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vents comprise more output vents than intake vents.

6. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein a combined incident surface area of all of the at least one output vents is greater than a combined incident surface area of all of the at least one intake vents.

7. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the drop-off runs continuously from the bottom left perimeter edge of the outer shell to the bottom right perimeter edge of the outer shell.

8. A helmet, comprising:

an anterior section and a posterior section defined by a coronal plane that bisects the helmet into sections having equal longitudinal length, the posterior section comprising a rear end of the helmet distal to the anterior section;

an outer shell having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces joined by a drop-off extending across the outer surface from a bottom left perimeter edge of the outer shell to a bottom right perimeter edge of the outer shell and contained within the posterior section of the helmet, a majority of a length of the drop-off being closer to the coronal plane than to the rear end of the helmet, wherein the first surface defines a top of the drop-off and the second surface defines a bottom of the drop-off, and wherein along the entire drop-off, the bottom of the drop-off is closer to a central longitudinal axis of the helmet than the top of the drop-off such that the drop-off has a height;

an occipital cliff located at the rear end of the helmet and approximately perpendicular to the second surface proximate the drop-off;

a plurality of vents comprising at least one intake vent in the anterior section of the helmet and at least one output vent in the posterior section of the helmet, the plurality of vents providing fluid communication between outside the helmet and inside the helmet; and

an inner liner having an outer surface coupled to the inner surface of the outer shell.

9. The helmet of claim 8 , wherein the drop-off runs continuously from the bottom left perimeter edge of the outer shell to the bottom right perimeter edge of the outer shell.

10. The helmet of claim 8 , further comprising:

a visor magnetically coupled to a front of the helmet, opposite the rear end of the helmet, through at least one magnet coupled to the first surface.

11. The helmet of claim 10 , wherein the visor terminates with two lateral edges that align, respectively, with left and right sides of the first surface at the drop-off.

12. The helmet of claim 8 , further comprising at least three chines extending forward from the drop off along the first surface.

13. A helmet, comprising:

an outer shell having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first and second surfaces joined by a drop-off extending across the outer surface from adjacent a left bottom edge of the outer shell to adjacent a right bottom edge of the outer shell;

a coronal plane coplanar with a cross-section of the outer shell having an area enclosed within the outer surface of the outer shell, and perpendicular with a central longitudinal axis of the helmet;

an anterior section anterior to the coronal plane and a posterior section posterior to the coronal plane and comprising the entire drop-off and a rear end of the helmet distal to the anterior section;

an inner liner having an inner surface, and having an outer surface coupled to the inner surface of the outer shell;

wherein a majority of a length of the drop-off is closer to the coronal plane than to the rear end of the helmet; and

wherein the first surface defines a top of the drop-off and the second surface defines a bottom of the drop-off, and wherein along the entire drop-off, the bottom of the drop-off is closer to the central longitudinal axis of the helmet than the top of the drop-off such that the drop-off has a height.

14. The helmet of claim 13 , further comprising an occipital cliff located at the rear end of the helmet and approximately perpendicular to the second surface proximate the drop-off.

15. The helmet of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of vents comprising at least one intake vent in the anterior section of the helmet and at least one output vent in the posterior section of the helmet, the plurality of vents providing fluid communication between outside the helmet and inside the helmet.

16. The helmet of claim 15 , wherein the at least one output vents comprises at least one inline vent having a pair of surfaces approximately parallel with the second surface of the outer shell proximate the inline vent, and at least one hidden vent located on an occipital cliff, the occipital cliff located at the rear end of the helmet and approximately perpendicular to the second surface proximate the drop-off.

17. The helmet of claim 16 :

wherein the second surface comprises an exterior output channel for each of the at least one inline vents that starts at the inline vent and extends away from the drop-off; and

wherein each exterior output channel is formed in the outer surface of the helmet.

18. The helmet of claim 15 , wherein a combined incident surface area of all of the at least one output vents is greater than a combined incident surface area of all of the at least one intake vents.

19. The helmet of claim 13 , further comprising at least three chines extending forward from the drop off along the first surface.

20. The helmet of claim 13 , wherein the drop-off runs continuously from the left bottom left edge of the outer shell to the right bottom right edge of the outer shell.

Assignments (8)
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Sep 17, 2025
From: BELL SPORTS, INC.
To: BELL SPORTS LLC
Reel/Frame 072908/0382 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2025
From: BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FOX HEAD, INC.; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; QUIETKAT, INC.; SIMMS FISHING PRODUCTS LLC; STONE GLACIER, INC.; WAWGD NEWCO, LLC; REVELYST OPERATIONS LLC; MILLETT INDUSTRIES
To: CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 072238/0250 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FOX HEAD, INC.; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; QUIETKAT, INC.; SIMMS FISHING PRODUCTS LLC; STONE GLACIER, INC.; WAWGD NEWCO, LLC; MILLETT INDUSTRIES; REVELYST OPERATIONS LLC
To: FORTRESS CREDIT CORP., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069817/0586 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2024
From: CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; MILLETT INDUSTRIES, INC.; AMMUNITION OPERATIONS LLC; BEE STINGER, LLC; BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FEDERAL CARTRIDGE COMPANY; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; STONEY POINT PRODUCTS, INC.; VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 069460/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 1, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: AMMUNITION OPERATIONS LLC; BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FEDERAL CARTRIDGE COMPANY; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; MILLETT INDUSTRIES, INC.; STONE GLACIER, INC.; VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC; WAWGD NEWCO, LLC; FOX HEAD, INC.; SIMMS FISHING PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 066959/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 5, 2022
From: AMMUNITION OPERATIONS LLC; BEE STINGER, LLC; BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FEDERAL CARTRIDGE COMPANY; FOX HEAD, INC.; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; MILLETT INDUSTRIES; NIGHT OPTICS USA, INC.; NORTHSTAR OUTDOORS, LLC; QUIETKAT, INC.; STONE GLACIER, INC.; STONEY POINT PRODUCTS, INC.; VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC; VISTA OUTDOOR SALES LLC; WAWGD NEWCO, LLC; VISTA OUTDOOR INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061521/0747 →
ABL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 1, 2021
From: AMMUNITION OPERATIONS LLC; BEE STINGER, LLC; BELL SPORTS, INC.; BUSHNELL HOLDINGS, INC.; BUSHNELL INC.; C PREME LIMITED LLC; CAMELBAK PRODUCTS, LLC; EAGLE INDUSTRIES UNLIMITED, INC.; FEDERAL CARTRIDGE COMPANY; GOLD TIP, LLC; LOGAN OUTDOOR PRODUCTS, LLC; MICHAELS OF OREGON CO.; MILLETT INDUSTRIES; NIGHT OPTICS USA, INC.; NORTHSTAR OUTDOORS, LLC; STONEY POINT PRODUCTS INC.; VISTA OUTDOOR INC.; VISTA OUTDOOR OPERATIONS LLC
To: CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 056033/0349 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: SZELA, ALEXANDER J.
To: BELL SPORTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 047486/0409 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62503200 · May 8, 2017
Related Publication 20180317588A1 · Nov 8, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 1,084,608