TITLE: PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR

THIS INVENTION relates to headgear. In particular, it is directed to protective headgear which provides an improved fit for a wearer thereof.

Protective headgear, sometimes referred to more colloquially as a "crash helmet", is required for many occupations and leisure pursuits. Such occupations and pursuits include construction, mining and other heavy industry workers, powered and unpowered bicycle commuting and racing, motor vehicle racing and rallying, horse riding, ball sports such as rugby, grid iron and cricket. Typically, this protective headgear comprises (a) an outer rigid shell manufactured from an appropriate material to protect a wearer from damage to their skull from impact forces and (b) a softer, inner lining to at least partially absorb any impact forces to the head and also to provide a comfortable fit for the wearer of the headgear. Manufacturers of such headgear size the headgear for a range of average head sizes and thus clearly fail to accommodate all of the variations of head shapes and sizes across the range of users of this headgear. Any contour fit adjustment is only provided by tightening a chin strap in an attempt to provide a better contour of the inner lining to the head of the wearer by providing a force at the two points of attachment of the strap to the helmet.

It is thus a general object of the present invention to overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided protective headgear, said headgear including:

an outer rigid shell adapted to protect a wearer of said headgear from damage to the skull, head or neck areas or any combination thereof of said wearer from impact forces;

a soft, inner lining adapted to provide a comfortable fit for said wearer of said headgear; and

an inflatable bladder interposed between said shell and said lining, said bladder adapted to substantially conform said lining to the contours of said skull, head or neck areas or any combination thereof of said wearer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said bladder comprises a single inflatable cell.

In another embodiment of the present invention, said bladder comprises a plurality of interconnected inflatable cells.

Preferably, in all embodiments of the present invention, said bladder includes a valve adapted to allow fluid, such as air, to be pumped into said bladder and subsequently expelled therefrom as required.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general schematic sectional view of a typical motorcycle helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a first embodiment of a motorcycle helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of a second embodiment of a motorcycle helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view of one component of a third embodiment of a motorcycle helmet constructed in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1 , the helmet (1 ) includes an outer rigid shell (2) over a polystyrene liner (8). The shell (2) is manufactured from an appropriate material to protect a wearer of the helmet (1 ) primarily from damage to their skull and head from impact forces, the material including kevlar, carbon fibre, glass reinforced plastic and similar materials well known in the art. An inner lining (3) abuts the skull and head of the wearer and is manufactured from a soft material such as cotton-covered foam plastics, such an inner lining also being well known in the art. Interposed between the shell (2) and lining (3) is an inflatable bladder (4). The bladder (4) is a hollow single cell manufactured from plastic, rubber or other suitable material well known in the art, which essentially follows the contours of the head of the wearer of the helmet (1). A bite valve (5), similar to the valve found on a water back-pack, is located at the base of the bladder (4).

In use, with the bladder (4) deflated, the helmet is positioned on the head of the wearer and the chin strap (7) is tightened to an appropriate fit. On blowing air through the valve (5), the bladder (4) is gradually inflated, the bladder (4) then bearing upon the inner lining (3) which, in turn, is forced into contact with the contours of the skull and head of the wearer of the helmet (1 ).

Turning now to FIG. 2, the helmet (10) is of the type commonly referred to as a "full-face" helmet, a helmet which covers the entire head, with a rear that covers the base of the skull, a protective section over the front of the chin, and an open cutout in a band across the eyes and nose with a plastic shield that generally swivels up and down to allow access to the face. The helmet (10) is constructed similarly to that described with reference to FIG. l and includes an outer rigid shell (12) over a polystyrene liner (not illustrated). The shell (12) is manufactured from an appropriate material to protect a wearer of the helmet (10) from damage to their skull and head from impact forces, the material including kevlar, carbon fibre, glass reinforced plastic and similar materials well known in the art. An inner lining (13) abuts the skull and head areas of the wearer and is manufactured from a soft material such as cotton-covered foam plastics, such an inner lining also being well known in the art. Interposed between the shell (12) and lining (13) is an inflatable bladder (14). The bladder (14) is a hollow single cell manufactured from plastic, rubber or other suitable material well known in the art, which essentially follows the contours of the head of the wearer of the helmet (10). A bite valve (15), similar to the valve found on a water back-pack, is located at the base of the bladder (14).

With reference FIG.3, the helmet (20) is of the type commonly referred to as an "open-face" helmet, a helmet which covers the head, having a rear that covers the base of the skull but lacks the protective section over the front of the chin offered by a full-face helmet. The helmet (20) is constructed similarly to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 & 2 and includes an outer rigid shell (22) over a polystyrene liner (not illustrated). The shell (22) is manufactured from an appropriate material to protect a wearer of the helmet (20) from damage to their skull and head areas from impact forces, the material including kevlar, carbon fibre, glass reinforced plastic and similar

materials well known in the art. An inner lining (23) abuts the skull and head areas of the wearer and is manufactured from a soft material such as cotton- covered foam plastics, such an inner lining also being well known in the art. Interposed between the shell (22) and lining (23) is an inflatable b ladder (24). The bladder (24) is a hollow single cell manufactured from plastic, rubber or other suitable material well known in the art, which essentially follows the contours of the head of the wearer of the helmet (20). A bite valve (15), similar to the valve found on a water back-pack, is located at the base of the bladder (24).

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative bladder for use in a full-face helmet as described above with reference to FIG. 2. The bladder (34) extends down past the base of the skull of a wearer to follow the contours over the front of the chin section (35). Cut-outs (36a, b) accommodate the temple areas of the wearer.

Most helmets are worn by a single wearer and thus, once the bladder in all embodiments of the present invention has been inflated sufficiently to provide a comfortable fit for that wearer, it would not usually be necessary to deflate the bladder to remove the helmet - once the appropriate contours have been set, no adjustment will be required for the next use by the same wearer. However, of course, if there has been a prolonged delay between uses which has resulted in a slight leakage of air from the bladder, or the wearer might elect to wear sunglasses or similar at the next use, or if indeed the helmet is subsequently used by a different wearer, it is a simple matter to deflate/re- inflate the bladder to ensure that the inner lining adopts the appropriate contours for any given wearer of the helmet.

The present invention thus provides protective headgear which can readily conform to the contours of the skull, head, chin and neck areas or any combination thereof of a wearer of the headgear, thus providing a more comfortable fit of that headgear, irrespective of the size and shape of the head and skull of that wearer.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiments are only exemplifications of the various aspects of the present invention and that modifications and alterations can be made thereto without departi ng from the inventive concept as defined in the following claims.