Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,314 · App. 18/835,415 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventor: Wilhelm Marschall (London, GB)

Assignee: RE-ZRO Limited

A41D13/015A41D13/05A41D2600/102

Abstract

Claims (37)

1 . Apparatus for absorbing an impact comprising:

a connected array of tubular structures defining a surface for absorbing an impact, each tubular structure having a wall defining an interior region of the tubular structure extending substantially along an axial direction of said tubular structure;

wherein the axial direction of each tubular structure extends substantially perpendicularly to the surface;

wherein the wall of each of a plurality of the tubular structures is at least partially discontinuous, such that said tubular structures preferentially deform in the region of the discontinuity during an impact;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures are connected by a connecting sheet or array of connecting members such that each tubular structure has at least one free end, spaced from the connecting sheet or array of connecting members along the axial direction; and

wherein each at least partial discontinuity in the wall of a plurality of the tubular structures is provided in a free end of the respective tubular structure.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wall of each of a plurality of the tubular structures is partially discontinuous, such that at least a portion of the wall extends completely around the interior region.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the wall of each of said plurality of the tubular structures is continuous at one end of each tubular structure along the axial direction, preferably the same end, such that the wall at said end extends completely around the interior region.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wall of each of the plurality of the tubular structures comprises a notch such that the wall is partially discontinuous, wherein a base of the notch is pointed, curved, or flat.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the notch extends through the full thickness of the wall between the interior region of said tubular structure and an exterior of said tubular structure.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each tubular structure has only one free end, preferably on a same side of the connecting sheet or array of connecting members in the axial direction.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of a plurality of the tubular structures is connected to one or more adjacent tubular structures in the array using respective connecting members.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the height of each of the said tubular structures along the axial direction is greater than the height of each of its connecting members along said direction.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of a plurality of the tubular structures comprises one or more internal supporting elements extending across said tubular structures at an angle to the axial direction, preferably substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more internal supporting elements extend between opposing interior sides of the tubular structures.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein a plurality of internal supporting elements meet within the tubular structures, preferably at the centre of the tubular structures.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the one or more at least partial discontinuities around the respective axial direction is different for at least some adjacent tubular structures.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is formed from a thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer, TPE, thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU, or a thermoplastic vulcanizate, TPV.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is formed from a foamed or unfoamed material.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the interior region of each tubular structure is empty.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion has a first connected array of tubular structures having first parameters and the second portion has a second connected array of tubular structures having second parameters different from the first parameters, and the different parameters preferably include different size and/or shaped tubular structures and/or different forms of at least partial discontinuities.

17 . A garment comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the garment is a helmet, body armour, shoulder pad, elbow pad or a knee pad.

18 . Apparatus for absorbing an impact comprising:

a connected array of tubular structures defining a surface for absorbing an impact, each tubular structure having a wall defining an interior region of the tubular structure extending substantially along an axial direction of said tubular structure;

wherein the axial direction of each tubular structure extends substantially perpendicularly to the surface;

wherein the wall of each of a plurality of the tubular structures is at least partially discontinuous, such that said tubular structures preferentially deform in the region of the discontinuity during an impact;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures are connected by a connecting sheet or array of connecting members such that each tubular structure has at least one free end, spaced from the connecting sheet or array of connecting members along the axial direction, wherein said free end of each tubular structure of the plurality of tubular structures is an open free end; and

wherein each at least partial discontinuity in the wall of a plurality of the tubular structures extends along the axial direction from the open free end of the respective tubular structure towards the connecting sheet or array of connecting members and does not reach the connecting sheet or array of connecting members.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein each tubular structure of the plurality of tubular structures is open at both ends along the axial direction.

20 . Apparatus for absorbing an impact comprising:

a connected array of tubular structures defining a surface for absorbing an impact, each tubular structure having a wall defining an interior region of the tubular structure extending substantially along an axial direction of said tubular structure;

wherein the axial direction of each tubular structure extends substantially perpendicularly to the surface;

wherein the wall of each of a plurality of the tubular structures is at least partially discontinuous defining a notch in the wall of each of the plurality of the tubular structures, such that said tubular structures preferentially deform in the region of the discontinuity during an impact, wherein each of the plurality of the tubular structures has only one notch;

wherein each tubular structure of the plurality of tubular structures are open at both ends along the axial direction;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures are connected by a connecting sheet or array of connecting members such that each tubular structure has at least one free end, spaced from the connecting sheet or array of connecting members along the axial direction, wherein the free end of each tubular structure of the plurality of tubular structures is an open free end;

wherein the position of the notch around the respective axial direction is different for at least some adjacent tubular structures of the plurality of tubular structures; and

wherein each notch in the wall of a plurality of the tubular structures extends along the axial direction from the open free end of the respective tubular structure towards the connecting sheet or array of connecting members and does not reach the connecting sheet or array of connecting members.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (29)