Multi-layer helmet and method for making the same
A protective helmet to be worn by a player engaged in a sport comprises a flexible outer shell and a multi-layer liner assembly disposed within the outer shell. The multi-layer liner assembly includes an inner-layer, a middle-layer and an outer-layer, and permits relative rotational movement between said layers when the helmet is worn by the player and receives an impact. The inner-layer is made from a first material with a first density and is mechanically coupled to the outer-layer without adhesive. The outer-layer is made from a second material with a second density that is greater than the first density of the inner-layer. The middle-layer is made from a third material that has a third density that is greater than the first density. The outer-layer also has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the inner-layer and varies between a front region of the outer-layer and a crown region of the outer-layer.
1 . A protective sports helmet to be worn by a player, the protective sports helmet comprising:
an outer shell;
a multi-layer liner assembly disposed within the outer shell, the multi-layer liner assembly including an inner-layer, a middle-layer, and an outer-layer;
wherein the inner-layer is positioned adjacent to the player's head when the protective helmet is worn by the player, and wherein said inner-layer has: (i) a first density, (ii) a first thickness at a first location, and (iii) a crown segment with an outwardly extending projection;
wherein the outer-layer has: (i) a second density that is greater than the first density of the inner-layer, (ii) a second thickness at a second location and a third thickness at a third location, wherein the second and third thickness are different; and
wherein the middle-layer is positioned between an extent of an outer surface of the inner-layer and an extent of an inner surface of the outer-layer, wherein the projection extends past the middle-layer and into a portion of the outer-layer, and wherein said middle-layer has a fourth thickness at a fourth location that is less than each of the second thickness, and the third thickness.
2 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the middle-layer does not continuously extend between the front region of the helmet, through the crown region of the helmet, and to a rear region of the helmet.
3 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the middle-layer has a periphery that is less than a periphery of the outer-layer whereby the middle-layer underlies less than 90% of the inner surface of the outer-layer.
4 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the outer-layer has a receiver that is configured to receive a portion of the outwardly extending projection of the crown segment.
5 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , further comprising a comfort liner with an outer surface that is positioned adjacent to an inner surface of the inner-layer.
6 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the middle-layer has a third density that is greater than the first density.
7 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the inner-layer has a first chemical composition and the outer layer has a second chemical composition that is different from the first chemical composition.
8 . The protective helmet of claim 1 , wherein the middle-layer has a first chemical composition and the inner layer has a second chemical composition that is different from the first chemical composition.
9 . A football helmet to be worn by a player, the football helmet comprising:
an outer shell;
a multi-layer liner assembly disposed within the outer shell, the multi-layer liner assembly including an inner-layer, a middle-layer, and an outer-layer;
wherein the inner-layer is positioned adjacent to the player's head when the football helmet is worn by the player, said inner-layer: (i) including a first material, and (ii) having an inner-layer thickness at a first location;
wherein the outer-layer: (i) includes a second material that is different from the first material, (ii) has a first outer-layer thickness at a second location, and (iii) a second outer-layer thickness at a location in a crown region of the helmet that is different than the first outer-layer thickness; and
wherein the middle-layer is positioned between an extent of an outer surface of the inner-layer and an extent of an inner surface of the outer-layer, and wherein said middle-layer: (i) includes a third material that is different from each of the first and second materials, (ii) has a middle-layer thickness at a third location that is between the first and second locations, wherein the middle-layer thickness is less than each of the inner-layer thickness, the first outer-layer thickness, and the second outer-layer thickness, and (iii) wherein the middle-layer has a first density and the outer-layer has a second density that is different than the first density.
10 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the inner-layer includes a front segment positioned in a front region of the helmet and a rear segment positioned in a rear region of the helmet, and wherein the inner-layer lacks an extent that is positioned in the crown region of the football helmet.
11 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the inner-layer includes a segment with an outwardly extending projection that extends past the middle-layer and into a portion of the outer-layer.
12 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the inner-layer has a third density, and the second density is less than the third density.
13 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the inner-layer has a third density, and the second density is greater than the third density.
14 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the inner-layer has a third density that is less than the first density.
15 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein the second density is less than the first density.
16 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein inner-layer has a hardness that is less than a hardness of the middle-layer.
17 . The football helmet of claim 9 , wherein inner-layer has a hardness that is less than a hardness of the outer-layer.
18 . An American football helmet to be worn by a player, the football helmet comprising:
an outer shell;
a multi-layer liner assembly disposed within the outer shell, the multi-layer liner assembly including an inner-layer, a middle-layer, and an outer-layer;
wherein the inner-layer is positioned adjacent to the player's head when the football helmet is worn by the player, and wherein said inner-layer: (i) includes a first material, and (ii) has a segment with an outwardly extending projection;
wherein the outer-layer is positioned adjacent to an inner surface of the outer shell, and wherein the outer-layer includes: (i) a second material, and (ii) a first outer-layer thickness at a first location in a front region of the helmet that is different than a second outer-layer thickness at a second location in a crown region of the football helmet; and
wherein the middle-layer is positioned adjacent to an extent of an inner surface of the outer-layer, wherein the projection extends through the middle-layer and into an extent of the outer-layer, and wherein said middle-layer includes a third material that is different from both of the first and second materials.
19 . The American football helmet of claim 18 , wherein the inner-layer has a plurality of channels that extend completely through the inner-layer.
20 . The American football helmet of claim 18 , wherein the middle-layer does not continuously extend between the front region of the football helmet, through the crown region of the football helmet, and to a rear region of the helmet.
21 . The American football helmet of claim 18 , wherein the inner-layer is configured to absorb a first impact type with a first impact magnitude while the outer-layer is configured to absorb a second impact type with a second impact magnitude, and wherein the first impact magnitude is less energy than the second impact magnitude.
22 . The American football helmet of claim 18 , wherein the middle-layer has an outer periphery that is less than an outer periphery of the outer-layer whereby a region of the outer-layer is exposed due to said lesser outer periphery of the middle-layer.