Method and apparatus for an adaptive impact absorbing helmet system
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for construction of a protective head covering, such as a helmet, to be worn by individuals engaged in activity that may, without the apparatus, cause concussive brain injury. The helmet, which is comparable in weight and envelope to conventional helmets, can be constructed from commercially available materials. The design features a dual shell concept where outer shell deflection under load triggers the primary attenuation mechanism. A second more rigid inner shell defines a space where one or more compartmentalized sealed elastomer energy absorbing cells are located. These cells contain a gas and/or liquid agent designed to adaptively convert potentially injurious normal impact force energy to energy that is channeled between the shells and therefore harmless to the wearer. A portion of this converted energy will be stored and then utilized to automatically re-set the apparatus for the next impact event.
1. A helmet comprising:
a flexible outer shell;
an inner shell, the inner shell being smaller than the outer shell and having a modulus of elasticity higher than the outer shell; and
an intervening space containing one or more self-contained diffusion cells defining one or more hermetically sealed, self-resetting, expandable bladders having a diffusing agent contained therein, the one or more bladders attached to at least one of the outer shell and the inner shell.
2. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a liquid and a gas.
3. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a gas.
4. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a liquid.
5. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the one or more diffusion cells include a plurality of diffusion cells, each independently containing a gas, a liquid or a liquid and gas in any combination.
6. A helmet comprising:
a flexible outer shell;
an inner shell, the inner shell being smaller than the outer shell; and
an intervening space containing one or more self-contained diffusion cells defining one or more hermetically sealed, self-resetting bladders containing a diffusing agent, the one or more bladders attached to at least one of the outer shell and the inner shell, wherein
the inner shell has an equal or lower elastic modulus than the outer shell, provided that an amount of elastic modulus differential of the inner and outer shells does not materially degrade the diffusion cell's adaptive response to impact load.
7. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a gas.
8. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a liquid.
9. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the diffusion cells contain a liquid and a gas.
10. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the one or more diffusion cells are a plurality of diffusion cells each containing a gas, a liquid, or a liquid and gas in any combination.
11. The helmet of claim 6 , wherein the one or more bladders are attached to both the outer shell and the inner shell.
12. The helmet of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bladders are attached to both the outer shell and the inner shell.