Electronic helmet

Abstract

An electronic helmet is provided that includes a helmet body and an integrated electronic system disposed in the helmet body, providing a number of convenient functions. The helmet body has a hard outer shell and a hard inner shell mounted to the outer shell such that a cavity is defined between the outer and the inner shells. The inner shell can include suitable material to provide the wearer effective RF shielding from the electronic system, such as, nickel-plated carbon fiber to provide RF shielding. The helmet body further includes a shock-absorbent structure disposed between the inner shell and the head of a wearer.

1 . An electronic helmet, comprising:
 a helmet body having
 (i) a hard outer shell, 
 (ii) a hard inner shell mounted to the outer shell such that a cavity is defined between the outer and the inner shells, the inner shell including rf-shielding material disposed for the protection of a wearer of the helmet, and 
 (iii) shock-absorbent structure disposed between the inner shell and the head of the wearer; and 
   an integrated electronic system disposed in the cavity defined between the outer and the inner shells; including a central controller for controlling a plurality of subsystems disposed in the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . A helmet as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a faceguard having a hydration tube extending therethrough such that a tip of the hydration tube is accessible by the mouth of the wearer, when the helmet is worn, wherein the hydration tube is configured to be connected to a liquid container. 
     
     
         3 . A helmet as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the rf-shielding material includes metallic-coated carbon fiber embedded throughout the inner shell configured to provide effective shielding for frequencies between 800 MHz and 12 GHz. 
     
     
         4 . A helmet as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell comprises polymer material molded with rf-shielding material distributed substantially throughout the inner shell to provide RF shielding. 
     
     
         5 . A helmet as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the inner shell is molded to include a thermoplastic resin accounting for between 50 percent and 90 percent of overall weight of the inner shell and to further include the rf-shielding material having metallic fiber accounting for between 10 and 40 percent of overall weight of the inner shell. 
     
     
         6 . A helmet as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the inner shell is molded to further include a flame-retardant additive. 
     
     
         7 . A helmet as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the rf-shielding material includes a metallic-coated fiber embedded throughout the inner shell. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic helmet, comprising:
 a helmet body having
 (i) a hard outer shell, 
 (ii) a hard inner shell mounted to the outer shell such that a cavity is defined between the outer and the inner shells, the inner shell including rf-shielding material disposed for the protection of a wearer of the helmet, and 
 (iii) shock-absorbent structure disposed between the inner shell and the head of the wearer; and 
   an integrated electronic system disposed in the cavity defined between the outer and the inner shells; including a central controller for controlling a plurality of subsystems disposed in the cavity, the plurality of subsystems including
 (i) a digital image subsystem disposed in the cavity between the outer and the inner shells, the digital image recording subsystem having a camera mounted with a field of view projecting from a front side of the helmet and having an image recording device in communication with the camera, 
 (ii) a rechargeable battery disposed in the cavity between the outer and the inner shells, 
 (iii) an audio subsystem disposed in the cavity between the outer and the inner shells, and 
 (iv) a global positioning system disposed in the cavity between the outer and the inner shells. 
   
     
     
         9 . A helmet as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the digital image subsystem further includes an image transmitter in communication with the camera, the image transmitter mounted in a back side of the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . A helmet as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the electronic system is configured to transmit image data, audio data, and position data in real-time. 
     
     
         11 . A helmet as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the inner shell comprises polymer material molded with rf-shielding material distributed substantially throughout the inner shell to provide RF shielding. 
     
     
         12 . A helmet as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising a wireless remote control configure to operate at least one subsystem of the integrated electronic system. 
     
     
         13 . An electronic helmet, comprising:
 a helmet body configured to fit over the head of a wearer, the helmet body having an outer surface and an inner shell and defining a cavity therebetween, the inner shell embedded with rf-shielding material having metallic fiber configured to provide rf shielding in a range of 70 dB, for frequencies from 800 MHz to 12 GHz for the wearer; and
 an integrated electronic system disposed in the cavity defined between the outer and the inner shells; including a central controller for controlling a plurality of subsystems disposed in the cavity 
 (i) a digital image subsystem mounted between the outer surface and the inner surface of the helmet body, the image subsystem having a camera mounted with a field of view projecting from a front side of the helmet, the image subsystem further having an image recording device in communication with the camera, 
 (ii) a rechargeable battery mounted between the outer surface and the inner surface of the helmet body, 
 (iii) an audio subsystem mounted to the helmet body and configured to provide audio output to the speaker, 
 (iv) a positioning subsystem mounted between the outer surface and the inner surface of the helmet body and configured to provide position data, and 
 (v) a communications subsystem mounted between the outer surface and the inner surface of the helmet body. 
   
     
     
         14 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , wherein selected components of the electronic system are disposed in a housing mounted within the cavity of the helmet body. 
     
     
         15 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of housings mounted to the helmet body, each housing configured to secure corresponding components of the electronic system. 
     
     
         16 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the digital image subsystem further includes an image transmitter in communication with the camera, the image transmitter mounted in a back side of the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the electronic system is configured to transmit image data, audio data, and position data in real-time. 
     
     
         18 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , the integrated electronic system further including a headlamp oriented to emit light in front of the user, when the helmet is worn. 
     
     
         19 . A helmet as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the helmet body includes inner shell defining the inner surface, the inner shell molded to include a thermoplastic resin accounting for between 50 percent and 90 percent of overall weight of the inner shell, and the metallic fiber accounts for between 10 and 40 percent of overall weight of the inner shell. 
     
     
         20 . A helmet as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the inner shell is molded to further include a flame-retardant additive.