Helmet fitting and impact attenuation system

Abstract

There is provided a safety helmet with a helmet fitting and impact attenuation system. The system comprises a semi-rigid space frame attachable to the safety helmet and a headband, releasably attachable to one or more arms of the space frame. The space frame and headband accommodate the use of an impact attenuation liner mounted between the space frame and the helmet shell. The helmet fitting and impact attenuation system also may be used to update and retrofit existing helmet shells.

1 . A fitting and impact attenuation system for use in a helmet, comprising:
 a semi-rigid space frame comprising a plurality of arms extending from a central crown point wherein at least three of said arms are attachable to the helmet such that said space frame is releasably fixed to said helmet;   a headband for receiving a head of a wearer, said headband releasably attachable to said space frame by one or more of said arms; and   an impact attenuation layer, fixably mounted to an inside surface of said helmet,   wherein said space frame maintains said headband in a fixed vertical configuration relative to said helmet.   
     
     
         2 . The system of in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms comprises three arms attachable to the helmet and three arms releasably attachable to the headband. 
     
     
         3 . The system of in  claim 2 , wherein the three arms attachable to the helmet comprise:
 a back mounting arm; and   two side mounting arms,   
       the three arms being approximately equally spaced about the central crown point of the space frame. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the three arms releasably attachable to the headband comprise:
 a front arm, extending from the central crown point between the two side mounting arms and opposite the back mounting arm;   a left arm;   a right arm; and   
       each of the left and right arms being spaced about ninety degrees from the front arm and about ninety degrees from the back mounting arm. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising a rear arm extending from the central crown point below and parallel to the back mounting arm. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the headband is releasably attachable to free ends of the front arm, right arm, rear arm and left arm. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet fitting and impact attenuation system of  claim 6  further comprising a rear tab extending from and perpendicular to the free end of the rear arm. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the headband further comprises a strip of material having two free ends, the free ends of the headband being releasably attachable to the rear tab. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising a right tab extending from and perpendicular to a free end of the right arm and a left tab extending from and perpendicular to a free end of the left arm, a portion of the right tab and a portion of the left tab being releasably attachable to the headband. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the right tab extends perpendicularly from the right arm to an adjacent side mounting arm, the right tab and the adjacent side mounting arm being attachable to a first helmet mounting point and wherein the left tab extends perpendicularly from the left arm to an adjacent side mounting arm, the left tab and the adjacent side mounting arm attaching to a second helmet mounting point. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the headband is releasably attachable to the free end of the front arm, the right tab, the free end of the rear arm and the left tab. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said space frame is configured to permit lateral movement of the headband relative to said helmet. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a crown padding layer releasably attachable to the impact attenuation liner. 
     
     
         14 . A helmet comprising:
 a helmet shell;   a semi-rigid space frame comprising a plurality of arms extending from a central crown point wherein at least three of said arms are attachable to said helmet shell such that said space frame is releasably fixed to said helmet shell;   a headband for receiving a head of a wearer, said headband releasably attachable to said space frame by one or more of said arms; and   an impact attenuation layer, fixably mounted to an inside surface of said helmet shell, wherein said space frame maintains said headband in a fixed vertical configuration relative to said helmet shell.   
     
     
         15 . The system of in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of arms comprises three arms attachable to the helmet shell and three arms releasably attachable to the headband. 
     
     
         16 . The system of in  claim 15 , wherein the three arms attachable to the helmet shell comprise:
 a back mounting arm; and   two side mounting arms, the back mounting arm and two side mounting arms being approximately equally spaced about the central crown point of the space frame; and   
       wherein the three arms releasably attachable to the headband comprise:
 a front arm, extending from the central crown point between the two side mounting arms and opposite the back mounting arm; 
 a left arm, spaced about ninety degrees from the front arm and spaced about ninety degrees from the back mounting arm; and 
 a right arm, spaced about ninety degrees from the front arm and spaced about ninety degrees from the back mounting arm. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising a rear arm extending from the central crown point below and parallel to the back mounting arm. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising a crown padding layer releasably attachable to the impact attenuation liner.