Technical field

[0001 ] The present invention relates generally to a protection device for a helmet.

Background art

[0002 ] It is known to use helmets comprising inner portions of energy or shock absorbing material such as for instance expanded polystyrene ( EPS ) or expanded polypropylene ( EPP ) to provide light-weight helmets with energy absorbing capabilities. Such helmets are known from for instance

US2012/0036619 A, or US2008/01 72774 A1 by the applicant.

[0003 ] In alpine skiing sports, involving high speeds and the turning around poles defining a course, the continuous high energy impact hitting of the poles against the helmet and other portions of the skier's equipment or body is present. As the skier seeks the shortest distance and/or the least time consuming path along the course the poles often need to be brought out of the way leading to a direct contact situation between the skiers body, and often, helmet and the poles. The combination of high speeds and the relatively heavy poles generates high energy impacts against the skier's helmet.

[0004] The ability of the material of the helmet to withstand the impact in a crash situation and absorb the resulting high energies due to the large forces acting on the helmet in such situations may be decreased by the frequently occurring impacts from e.g. poles causing plastic deformation of the material of the helmet over time. Another disadvantage is that these repeated impacts each may cause the head and brain to frequently accelerate to undesirable levels. Summary of invention

[0005 ] An object of the present invention is to alleviate some of the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide an improved helmet, which improves the helmets ability to protect the users head in a crash-situation after a prolonged use involving repeated impacts.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a light-weight and aerodynamic helmet that protects the users head during repeated impact from reaching undesirable acceleration levels.

[0007 ] According to one embodiment of the invention, a helmet is provided comprising: a rigid outer shell, at least one inner portion comprising a first energy absorbing material, wherein the helmet further comprising a protection device comprising a protective section, wherein the protective section comprises a surface portion, wherein a second energy absorbing material is arranged between the first energy absorbing material and the surface portion of the protective section.

[0008 ] According to one embodiment, the protective section comprises a raised protective section extending from the rigid outer shell.

[0009 ] According to another embodiment the second energy absorbing material is arranged adjacent the first energy absorbing material.

[0010] According to another embodiment, the protection device is formed integrally with the rigid outer shell, wherein the protective section comprises the rigid outer shell, wherein the protective section forms an inner space, wherein the second energy absorbing material is arranged in the inner space. [0011 ] According to another embodiment, the protection device is arranged on the rigid outer shell, wherein the rigid outer shell is arranged between the first energy absorbing material and the second energy absorbing material.

[0012 ] According to another embodiment, the protective section further comprises an edge portion wherein the surface portion and edge portion forms the inner space and the edge portion has an angle a in relation to the surface portion, wherein a>90D, preferably in the range of 110D - 160D .

[0013 ] According to another embodiment, the protection device comprises a plurality of raised protective sections.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the helmet comprises a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the protection device is formed on the front portion of the helmet.

[0015 ] According to another embodiment, the first energy absorbing material comprises Expanded Polypropylene.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the second energy absorbing material comprises foam polyurethane, preferably viscoelastic flexible polyurethane.

[0017 ] According to another embodiment, the surface portion comprises a low friction material having a friction coefficient μ against itself, i.e. wherein the countersurface/material is formed by the low friction material, below 0,6, more preferably being in the range of 0,1 <μ<0,4.

[0018 ] According to another embodiment a helmet is provided comprising: a rigid outer shell, at least one inner portion comprising a first energy absorbing material; wherein the rigid outer shell comprises a low friction material. Brief description of drawings

[0019 ] The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a helmet with a protection device. [0021 ] Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the helmet according to Fig. 1 . [0022 ] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the helmet according to Fig. 1 . Description of embodiments

[0023 ] In the following, a detailed description of the invention will be given. In the drawing figures, like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements throughout the several figures. It will be appreciated that these figures are for illustration only and are not in any way restricting the scope of the invention.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a helmet 1 comprising a rigid outer shell 2 and inner portion of a first energy absorbing material 4. The outer shell 2 may comprise more than one layer, for example an outer polycarbonate layer and an inner glass fibre reinforced resin layer. According to one embodiment, the outer shell comprises ABS. According to one embodiment, the outer shell comprises polycarbonate. Also the inner portion of energy absorbing material 4 may comprise more than one layer, for example a layer of honeycomb material, a layer of Expanded Polypropylene ( EPP ) or Expanded Polystyrene ( EPS ) , and a layer of soft foamed plastic. According to one embodiment, the inner portion 4 comprises a liner of EPP or another type of foam Polypropylene with elastic properties, i.e. a so called multi-impact material with the ability to return to its original shape after being deformed by impacts on the material. According to one embodiment, the inner portion 4 comprises a liner of EPS.

[0025 ] As can be seen in Fig. 2, the helmet 1 further comprises a protection device 3 comprising a protective section 3a or panel. According to one embodiment, the protective section 3a is raised above the rest of the helmet 1 or at least raised above a separate non-raised section of the outer shell 2, i.e. extends from the non-raised section of the outer shell 2. According to one embodiment, a raised protective section 3a or point on a raised protective section 3a is radially more distant from a center of the helmet than a non- raised section or point on the non-raised section along the same radial line from the center of the helmet 1. According to one embodiment, the raised protective section 3a forms a surface portion 3b and an edge portion 3c, wherein the surface portion 3b and the edge portion 3c may be formed by the same or a different material. According to one embodiment, the surface portion 3b may comprise the entire protective section 3a, i.e. wherein there is no clear edge portion 3c but simply a smooth bending of the surface portion 3b forming the raised protective section 3a. According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 or panel is formed integrally with the rigid outer shell 2, by a protective section 3a of the rigid outer shell 2. According to one embodiment, the shape of the outer shell 2 comprising the protective section 3a is injection moulded in one piece. According to one embodiment, the protective section is raised a distance d above the rest of the outer shell 2, the distance d preferably being in the range 1 mm <d<5 mm, more preferably 2 mm<d<3 mm. The angle between the edge portion 3c and the surface portion 3b may vary but is preferably more than 90D , more preferably in the range of 1 10D - 1 60D , wherein a smooth and aerodynamic transition from the non-raised section of the outer shell and the raised protective section 3a is formed. The smoothness of the helmet is increasing the safety for the user of the helmet in that the risk of hooking into e.g. poles or other objects in for instance a crash situation can be reduced. According to one embodiment, the curvature of the surface portion 3b of the protective section 3a follows the curvature of the helmet. Hence, a corresponding angle to the angle between the surface portion 3b and the edge portion 3c can be found between the non-raised portion of the outer shell 2 at a point of transition from a non-raised portion of the shell 2 to the edge portion 3c and the edge portion 3c.

[0026] According to one embodiment, an inner space 6 is formed by the protective section 3a being hollow and defined by the surface portion 3b and, when present, the edge portion 3c. According to one embodiment, a second energy absorbing and chock absorbing protective material 5 is arranged below the protective section 3a, on the inner surface, facing the inner space 6, of the surface portion 3b of the protective device 3a. According to one embodiment, an adhesive is used to fixedly arrange the second energy absorbing material onto inner surface of the surface portion 3b. According to one embodiment, the second energy absorbing material 5 is arranged in the inner space 6. According to one embodiment, the protective second energy absorbing material 5 is arranged directly onto and adjacent the first energy absorbing material 4 by the use of an adhesive, i.e. wherein an adhesive is arranged between the first energy absorbing material and the second energy absorbing material.

[0027 ] According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 is arranged onto the outer shell 2, i.e. whereby the rigid outer shell 2 is arranged between the first energy absorbing material 4 and the second energy absorbing material 5. In this embodiment, a separate protection device 3 may be arranged onto the outer shell 2 of the helmet 1. The separate protection device 3 may have a shell formed by the same material as the outer shell 2, and forms a separate inner space 6 which may be filled with the second energy absorbing material 5.

[0028 ] According to one embodiment, the second energy absorbing material 5 comprises a viscoelastic flexible polyurethane foam also known by the registered trademark VPD® by the applicant. According to one embodiment, the protective material 5 may comprise any type of polyurethane foam having elastic and energy absorbing capabilities. Such material is commonly referred to as a multi- impact material. According to one embodiment, the second energy absorbing material 5 may comprise any kind of polymeric foam. According to one embodiment, the second energy absorbing material may be a shock absorbing pad. According to one embodiment, the second energy absorbing material may comprise honeycomb material.

[0029 ] According to one embodiment, the protective section 3a, and at least the surface portion 3b may be formed by a low friction material having a lower friction coefficient than the outer shell 2 against a given countersurface/material, to reduce the friction between e.g. the poles and the helmet during impact and, subsequently, the sliding of the pole against the helmet as the skier passes the pole/gate. If the raised protective section 3a is formed by the same material as the outer shell 2, the protective section 3a may be covered by a thin layer of low friction material having a lower friction coefficient than the outer shell 2 against a given countersurface/material.

[0030] According to one embodiment, a helmet is provided comprising a rigid outer shell 2, and an inner portion 4 comprising an energy absorbing material 4, wherein the rigid outer shell 2 comprises a low friction material. The helmet 1 may be provided comprising a rigid outer shell 2, and an inner portion 4 comprising an energy absorbing material 4, wherein the entire shell 2 is covered by a material having a low friction coefficient. The rigid outer shell 2 may also be formed by a low friction material.

[0031 ] According to one embodiment, the low friction material has a friction coefficient which is lower than that of polycarbonate or ABS against a given and same countersurface/material. According to one embodiment, the friction coefficient μ of the low friction material against itself, i.e. wherein the

countersurface/material is formed by the low friction material, is below 0, 6, more preferably in the range of 0,1 <μ<0,4.

[0032 ] According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 is arranged on the helmet in an area where the most frequent engagement or hitting of the poles against the helmet has been found to occur from a plurality of studies. Fig. 3 shows the helmet 1 from the side, i.e. a first side, in a normal use position by a user, wherein the normal direction of the crown of the user's head is essentially pointing in a vertical direction. It should be noted that the helmet 1 is symmetrically designed and has a similar and corresponding second side as the side shown in Fig. 3, although not shown. A center plane ( not shown ) with a surface in the vertical plane and having a normal direction extending in a forward direction, divides the helmet in two halves, half way between a rearmost portion furthest to the right in Fig. 3 and a foremost portion of the helmet furthest to the left in Fig. 3 in the normal use position of Fig. 3. The center plane comprises the vertical axis ( not shown ) extending in a vertical direction. The portions left of the center plane is defined as the front portion of the helmet 1 and the portions right of the helmet 1 is defined as the rear portion of the helmet 1 in Fig. 3. According to one embodiment, the protection device is arranged on the front portion of the helmet. According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 extends along the side of the helmet towards and past the center plane to also be arranged on the back portion of the helmet 1 and thereby essentially forming a U-shape. According to one embodiment, one end, i.e. the bottom of the U of the protection device 3, is arranged essentially at the foremost portion of the helmet or at least within the range of 1 mm to 2 cm from the foremost portion of the helmet and extends towards the vertical axis and such that the protection device has a width covering between 40% - 70% of the length from the first end to the vertical axis. According to one embodiment, the width of the protection device slightly increases as the protection device 3 extends along the sides of the helmet. According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 extends passed the center plane towards the rearmost portion of the helmet, so that the protection device covers 25% -50% of the distance from the center plane to the rearmost portion of the helmet 1. According to one embodiment, a center of the helmet 1 corresponds to a point on the center plane in the interior of the helmet 1 half-way between the uppermost intersection of the center plane and the helmet 1 and the lowermost intersection of the center plane and the helmet 1 .

[0033 ] According to one embodiment, the protection device 3 may comprise a plurality of protective sections 3a ( not shown ) distributed on suitable areas of the surface of the helmet, i.e. areas comprised by the area as previously defined. [0034] A preferred embodiment of a protection device for helmet according to the invention has been described. However, the person skilled in the art realizes that this can be varied within the scope of the appended claims without depart ^¬ ing from the inventive idea.

[0035 ] All the described alternative embodiments above or parts of an embodiment can be freely combined without departing from the inventive idea as long as the combination is not contradictory.