Protective helmet for sporting use, in particular for use while skiing
View Patent ↗There is described a protective helmet for sporting use, in particular for use while skiing, comprising an external cap-like structure ( 2 ) of a resiliently flexible material, an internal cap-like structure ( 3 ) which is received in the external cap-like structure ( 2 ) and which comprises a plurality of cap portions ( 5 a, 5 b ) of expanded material which are structurally independent of each other and which are mutually interconnected with limited relative mobility between contiguous portions, the internal cap-like structure ( 3 ) delimiting a cavity ( 4 ) which is open towards the outer side and which is capable of receiving the head of the user, and at least one device ( 6 ) for absorbing energy as a result of forces of impacts on the helmet, which device is interposed between the internal cap-like structure ( 3 ) and external cap-like structure ( 2 ). The device comprises at least one flexible member ( 12 ) which includes a plate-like portion ( 12 a ) having a transverse thickness ( 13 ) which is defined between a pair of opposing surfaces ( 13 a, 13 b ) and a plurality of reliefs ( 14 ) which project in the same direction from one of the surfaces ( 13 a, 13 b ), the reliefs ( 14 ) extending with a tapering formation in the direction of the free end ( 14 a ) thereof, in the direction away from the portion ( 12 a ), and the at least one member ( 12 ) being fixedly joined to the external cap-like structure ( 12 ) in the region of the respective free ends ( 14 a ) of the reliefs ( 14 ) and the internal cap-like structure ( 3 ) in the region of the surface ( 13 a ) of the opposite portion ( 12 a ) to the portion which has the reliefs.
1. A protective helmet for sporting use comprising:
an external cap ( 2 ) of a resiliently flexible material,
an internal cap ( 3 ) which is received in the external cap and which comprises a plurality of cap portions ( 5 a , 5 b ) of expanded material which includes sections that are interconnected such by a fabric structure that each section allows for some degree of independent movement, the internal cap ( 3 ) delimiting a cavity ( 4 ) and which is capable of receiving the head of the user,
at least one device ( 6 ) for absorbing energy as a result of forces of impacts on the helmet, which device is interposed between the internal cap ( 3 ) and external cap ( 2 ),
wherein the at least one device ( 6 ) comprises at least one flexible member ( 12 ) which includes a base portion ( 12 a ) having a transverse thickness ( 13 ) which is defined between a pair of opposing surfaces ( 13 a , 13 b ) and a plurality of reliefs ( 14 ) which project in the same direction from one of the surfaces ( 13 a , 13 b ), the reliefs ( 14 ) extend with a tapering formation in a direction of a free end ( 14 a ) thereof, in the direction away from the base portion ( 12 a ), the at least one member ( 12 ) is fixedly joined to the external cap ( 2 ) in the region of the respective free ends ( 14 a ) of the reliefs ( 14 ) with the external cap ( 2 ) being fixedly joined to the ends ( 14 a ) of the reliefs ( 14 ) and the at least one member ( 12 ) is fixedly joined to the internal cap ( 3 ) in the region of the surface ( 13 a ) of the opposite base portion ( 12 a ) to the portion which has the reliefs ( 14 ), wherein the respective free ends ( 14 a ) of the reliefs ( 14 ) are secured to a surface ( 2 a ) of the external cap ( 2 ) facing it, by means of adhesive bonding and the base portion ( 12 a ) of the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) is secured to the internal cap ( 3 ) by means of adhesive bonding.
2. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the reliefs ( 14 ) are solid and have a frustoconical formation.
3. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reliefs ( 14 ) are arranged on the at least one member ( 12 ) with rows of reliefs ( 14 ) which are spaced apart from each other in a direction, and wherein the reliefs ( 14 ) of each row are mutually spaced apart with regular pitch.
4. The helmet according to claim 3 , wherein the reliefs ( 14 ) of a row are staggered with respect to the reliefs ( 14 ) of an adjacent row.
5. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) is produced from an expanded rubber.
6. The helmet according to claim 5 , wherein the material of the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) is an expanded rubber based on polyurethane, or nitrile or based on EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate polymer).
7. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the member ( 12 ) is produced from an open celled microcellular expanded material.
8. The helmet according to claim 7 , wherein the microcellular expanded material is based on polyurethane.
9. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) is produced with injection processes, an expansion process or both an injection and an expansion process inside molds or with hot molding processes.
10. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cap portions ( 5 a , 5 b ) are retained relative to each other by the fabric structure ( 10 ) in a mutually spaced-apart position in order to enclose a user's head with limited relative mobility.
11. The helmet according to claim 10 , wherein the fabric structure ( 10 ) comprises a fabric that allows passage of air.
12. The helmet according to claim 11 , wherein the fabric that allows passage of air is positioned on respective surfaces of the plurality of cap portions ( 5 a , 5 b ) which are directed towards the external cap ( 2 ) and is secured to the surfaces so as to maintain each cap portion at a distance from a contiguous cap portion of the plurality of cap.
13. The helmet according to claim 12 , wherein the fabric that allows passage of air is secured to the plurality cap portions ( 5 a , 5 b ) by means of a co-injection-molding process.
14. The helmet according to claim 12 , comprising, on the surfaces of the plurality of cap portions which are directed towards the external cap ( 2 ), recessed portions which define seats ( 16 ) for at least partially receiving the base portion ( 12 a ) of the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) of the at least one device ( 6 ) for absorbing impact energy.
15. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cap portions ( 5 a , 5 b ) comprises a first upper central cap portion ( 5 a ) and surrounding cap portions ( 5 b ) which extend around the first central cap portion ( 5 a ) as far as a location at a lower edge ( 5 c ) of the helmet.
16. The helmet according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible member ( 12 ) is resilient.