DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to protective helmets such as an example, motorcycle helmets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Helmets are used for recreational activities and sports (e.g. jockeys in horse racing, American football, ice hockey, cricket, baseball, camogie, hurling, mountain skiing and rock climbing); dangerous work activities (e.g. construction, mining, riot police, fighter pilots); and transportation (e.g. motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets). Most helmets are made from resin or plastic, which may be reinforced with fibres such as aramids.

Document US10159296B2 describes a method for the customized moulding of a protective helmet based on the creation of a computerized three- dimensional (3D) head shape corresponding to the client's head length, width and head contour from the head data. The inner surface of a custom helmet can be formed by an additive process. The liner can be adjusted to reflect the computerized head shape.

Document US 20110203038A1 describes a method for manufacturing a helmet by measuring the geometry of a person's head to display its contour, selecting a suitable size for an unfinished helmet having a foam liner with an unfinished inner surface and cutting parts of the foam insert to provide a shape that matches the contour of the person's head.

Document US 6591428B2 describes a fit system positionable adjacent interior portions of a helmet and cranial surfaces of a cranium of a wearer of the helmet proximate the interior portions of the helmet for improving the fit of the helmet to the cranium. The system includes an elongate fluid impervious bladder having a first end including an inlet port in fluid communication with the bladder and a second end remote from the first end.

Document EP2484239 discloses an inner liner of a helmet) interposed between a user's head and a cap of the helmet. The inner liner includes a pad comprising at least one first layer and at least one second layer, said second layer being at least partially overlapped to said first layer limitedly to defined zones of the first layer.

The Applicant observes the above-mentioned methods show disadvantages due to complexity and excessive duration of the corresponding manufacturing methods together with and unsatisfying performance of the resulting helmets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a technique that allows a non-complex but satisfying adjustment of a helmet fit in order to reach the comfort desired by the helmet's user.

According to a first object, the present invention relates to a kit for adjusting the fit of a helmet as defined by the appended independent claim 1. Particular embodiments of the kit are described by the dependent claims 2-7.

In accordance with a second object, the present invention relates to a helmet system as defined by the appended claim 8.

In accordance with a third object, the present invention relates to method for adjusting the fit of a helmet as defined by the appended claim 9 and its particular embodiment defined by claim 10.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages will be more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and of its alternatives given as an example with reference to the enclosed drawings in which:

- Figure 1 shows an example of a helmet liner provided with a plurality of compressible elements;

- Figure 2 shows a user wearing the helmet comprising a protection portion and said liner provided with the compressible elements;

- Figure 3 shows the user wearing the helmet comprising the protection portion and said liner provided with a plurality of correction elements;

- Figure 4 shows an example of a compressible element;

- Figure 5 shows an example of a correction element;

- Figure 6 illustrates an example of step of the method for adjusting the fit of a helmet in which the protection portion of the helmet is connected to the helmet liner and a compressible element is compressed;

- Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an example of another step of said method wherein a correction element is fixed to the helmet liner in such a way to surround a compressible element;

- Figure 9 illustrates another example of said method wherein the correction element is fixed to the helmet liner replacing a previously removed compressible element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An example of a kit for adjusting a helmet fit is described in the following with reference to the appended drawings 1-9. The above kit is intended to be employed by a user together with a helmet 6 (figures 2 and 3).

The helmet 6 can be any other type of protective helmet to be used for recreational activities and sports (e.g. jockeys in horse racing, American football, ice hockey, cricket, baseball, camogie, hurling, mountain skiing and rock climbing); dangerous work activities (e.g. construction, mining, riot police, fighter pilots); and transportation (e.g. motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets).

The helmet 6 can be, as an example, a conventional motorcycle helmet comprising an inner liner 3 and protection portion 4. Typically, in the helmets for motorcyclists the protective portion 4 is an outer shell in moulded thermoplastic. According other technologies the protection portion 4 can be in composite materials: carbon, Kevlar, aramid fibre, fibreglass. Generally speaking, thermoplastic shells guarantee a higher impact resistance performance, while those made of carbon or three-composite stand out for their lightness. The protective portion 4 may also comprise an expanded polystyrene shell. The inner liner 3 (e.g. provided with cheek protectors) is removable and made of breathable and washable material and is employed to ensure comfort.

Alternatively, the helmet 6 can be as an example a hockey helmet having, a moulded thermoplastic outer shell (protective portion 4), without an expanded polystyrene shell, and an inner liner 3 may be made to provide both comfort and protection.

As shown in figure 1, the inner liner 3 defines an external surface 31 configured to contact an inner surface 41 of the protective portion 4 of the helmet 6 (Figure 2), when the helmet 6 is put on the user's head 5.

The kit comprises a plurality of compressible elements 1 and a plurality of thickness correction elements 2. As an example, each compressible element 1 has a column structure or a tubular structure, having a base with a circular or polygonal shape or with another type of shape. According to the examples of figures 5, 7-9 the correction element 2 defines a central hole 13.

As will be clarified later, the compressible elements 1 can be compressed, causing a thickness reduction, when the user wear the helmet 6. Particularly, each compressible element 1 has the properties of reducing its thick under the influence of a compressive force, because of the softness and brittleness of the material with which is made, and fixing the assumed shape (i.e. it assumes a steady thickness), after the cessation of the compressive force.

Compressible element 1 can be made of foams and materials with shape memory properties, such as phenolic foam (https:/ / www.cannonplastec.com/technologies/ reactive- polymers/phenolic-foams/). Particularly, compressible elements 1 can be made by cutting/ chopping sheets, casting or by three-dimensional printing.

As an example, the compressible elements 1 can have an initial thick comprised between 5 - 15 mm depending on the helmet type, model and size.

The compressible elements 1 are fixable (removably or irremovably) to the external surface 31 of the inner liner 3, as shown in the drawings. Alternatively, the compressible element 1 are fixable (removably or irremovably) to the inner surface 41 of the protective portion 4 of the helmet 6.

It is observed that the embodiment according to which the compressible elements 1 are fixed to the external surface 31 of the inner liner 3 can be preferable, as an example, for motorcyclist helmets while the embodiment according to which the compressible elements 1 are fixed to the inner surface 41 is can be preferable , as an example, for hockey helmets.

The compressible elements 1 can be fixed to the external surface 31 or the inner surface 41 by suitable fixing means 12 (Figure 4), such as an example, adhesive material or fasteners (e.g. "velcro" tape).

Making reference to the thickness correction elements 2, it is observed that each correction element 2 has a column structure or a tubular structure, having a base with a circular or polygonal shape or with another type of shape. As it will be better clarified in the following, the correction elements 2 are configured to be fixed to the inner liner 3 or to the inner surface 41 of the protective portion 4 in order to fill corresponding gaps between the protective portion 4 and the inner liner 3.

Preferably, the kit includes correction elements 2 having different predetermined thicknesses, as an example, from 1 mm to 15 mm, but not limited and depends on the helmet type, model and size, with a step size in thickness upward depending on the type of helmet.

The correction elements 2 show the property to be relatively incompressible that is to say that each correction element does not reduce substantially its thick and tends to keep it's geometry under the compression of the helmet 6 when worn by the user, but it is compressible under impact forces when they are applied.

Moreover, correction elements 2 have the property of absorbing and redirecting impact energy, such as the energy involved in car/ motorcycle crashes or falls during extremal activities. The above properties are due to the type of employed material, the geometric shape and the design of the correction element 2. Preferably, the correction element 2 is made of soft and light materials, for example, from expanded polyethylene, but not only. The corrective elements 2 can be obtained by cutting/ chopping sheets, casting or by three-dimensional printing.

The correction elements 2 can be fixed to the inner liner 3 or the inner surface 41 by further fixing means 22 (fig. 5) or by the same fixing means 12 above described. The further fixing means 22 can include adhesive material, "velcro" tapes, mechanical fasteners (preferably, having a flat shape) or sewing.

An example of a method 100 for adjusting a helmet fit is described in the following also with reference to figure 10 that illustrates the method under the form of a flowchart. Method 100 illustrates an example of how the above described kit can be employed and may substantially correspond to instructions provided to the user together with the kit.

The example described refers to the particular case in which the compressible elements 1 and the correction elements 2 are fixed to the external surface 31 of the inner liner 3, but an analogous description is valid when said elements 1 and 2 are fixed to the inner surface of the protection portion 4.

The method 100 includes a step (HLM-STP) in which the standard helmet 6 is provided and a first step SI (SEPAR-STP) in which the inner liner 3 is separated from the inner surface 41 of the protective portion 4 of the helmet 6.

In a second step S2 (FIX-STP) a required number of compressible elements 1 are placed and fixed (using fixing means 12) to selected positions on the external surface 31 of the inner liner 3 (as also shown in figure 1). When placing compressible elements 1 on the inner liner 3 the helmet design, the position of helmet possible ventilation openings and individual preferences of the user can be taken into account.

Moreover, the user can independently select the necessary setting positions POS (Figure 2) for the best, in his opinion, comfort, and can also use recommended ones. Recommended position charts can be generated for different helmet sizes and types. The number of positions POS can vary for different helmets and ranges, as an example, from units to tens.

In a third step S3 (CONNT-STP) the user connects the inner liner 3 and the protective portion 4, so assembling the helmet 6.

Method 100 also comprises a fourth step S4 (WR-STP) in which the assembled helmet 6 is put on the user's head 5, to physically adjust the comfortable pressure of the helmet 6 on the head. By applying a compression pressure CP (fig. 6) on the compressible elements 1 that are inside the helmet 6, the user adjusts the uniformity of the comfortable pressure between the helmet 6 and the head 5.

As shown in the example of figure 6, a gap Li is present between the inner surface 41 and the inner liner 3, before applying any compression pressure. The compressible element 1 has an initial volumetric shape and shows an upper surface 11 defining the initial maximum height of the compressible element itself.

When the compression force CP, created by the user, begins to act on the compressible element 1, said element is compressed and the upper surface 11 begins to move. After equalizing the forces of compression and resistance, the upper surface of 11 of the compressible element 1 is shifted to assume the compressed surface 11b and remains fixed, as shown in the same figure 6.

As a consequence of said fourth step S4, it is possible that at least part of the compressible elements 1 are compressed and their thicknesses are reduced.

It is noticed that the compressible elements 1 allow performing a measure of the gap separating the worn protective portion 4 and inner liner 3 at points.

In a fifth step S5 (SEPAR-L-STP), the user again separates the inner liner 3 from the protective portion 4 of the helmet 6.

In a sixth step S6 (TK-SEL-STP) the user performs a selection of the thickness of the correction elements 2 according to the thickness of the compressible elements 1 as resulting from the fourth step S4 in which the user has worn the helmet 6, taking into consideration the same positions.

Particularly, for each compressible elements 1 a corresponding correction element 2 is selected. Each selected correction element 2 has the same thickness of a compressible element 1 as resulting from the fourth step S4. In some cases, the selected correction element 2 has the same thickness of the compressible element 1 that has been reduced in thickness (i.e. compressed) during the fourth step S4. In other cases, the selected correction element 2 has the same thickness of a compressible element 1 that has not been compressed. Particularly, the thickness of a selected correction element 2 is not higher than the thickness of the corresponding compressible element 1.

In a seventh step S7 (CORR-STP), the selected correction elements 2 are fixed to the inner liner 3 in the corresponding positions POS of the compressible elements 1 (having the same thicknesses) taken into consideration for the selection described above.

According to a first example, the selected correction elements 2 are fixed to the inner liner 3 in addition to the previously fixed compressible elements 1, as shown in figures 7 and 8. In accordance with this first example, a selected correction element 2 having the central hole 13 is fixed (e.g. using the further fixing means 22) to the inner liner 3 surrounding the corresponding compressible element 1.

According to a second example (as represented in figure 9), the compressible elements 1 are detached from the inner liner 3 and the selected correction elements 2 are fixed to the inner liner 3 in the corresponding positions, so replacing the compressible elements 1.

In a height step S8 (CONNT-HL-STP) the user connects again the inner liner 3 with the protective portion 4, so assembling the helmet 6.

It is observed that, after completing this sequence of actions, the user obtain (final step CONF-HLM-STP) a helmet customized for his personal head shape and fitting preferences.

It is noticed that if a significant number of compressible elements 1 are not compressed in the fourth step S4 and show the original thickness it is possible to repeat some steps of the method 100 using compressible elements 1 having greater thickness or using additional elements (preferably, incompressible) to be staked on the previous fixed compressible elements 1.

Moreover, according to a particular embodiment it is possible to convert the results of the method 100 into digital data corresponding to the user's preferences. If a digital 3D model of a helmet 6 is available it is possible to enhance this 3D model with the results of the method 100 by storing data corresponding to the positions POS at which the compressible elements 1 have been placed and the corresponding thicknesses assumed after the compression of the fourth step S4.

According to a further embodiment, the acquisition of the data corresponding to the positions POS at which the compressible elements 1 have been placed and the corresponding thickness assumed after the compression of the fourth step S4 can be made by using a digital camera, such as a photocamera or a video-camera.

According to this embodiment, the digital camera acquires images of the inner liner 3 as resulting from the sixth step S6 or from the seventh step S7. A specific software processing the acquired images can associate each compressible element 1 (or each correction element 2) with the corresponding position and thickness thanks to specific visible tags or labels representing different thicknesses. As an example, labels with different letters, symbols, barcodes, or colours can be applied to each compressible element 1 or to each correction element 2. According to another solution, strikers coded to represent the corrected thickness are fixed to the corresponding positions on the inner liner 3 (or the inner surface 41). The software employed to process the acquired images decodes the information represented by the tags, the labels or the stickers and enriches the 3D model of the helmet 4.

It is noticed that the helmet 6 provided with the correction elements 2 shows an improved fit since uncomfortable compressions or excessively large fits can be avoided or reduced.

The fact that the described kit can be used to perform the method 100 by the same user wearing the helmet ensures a special effectiveness of the present invention. In deed, the accuracy of the helmet comfort settings is provided by the user himself, taking into account his personal sensitivity and requirements for pressure on the head.

LIST OF THE COMPONENTS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS - compressible element 1

- correction elements 2

- inner liner 3

- external surface 31 - protection portion 4

- inner surface 41

- user's head 5

- helmet 6

- upper surface 11 - compressed surface 11b

- fixing means 12

- central hole 13

- position POS

- further fixing means 22