Magnetic impact absorption in protective body gear

Abstract

Magnetic repulsive forces can be exploited for impact absorption in protective body gear such as, e.g., helmets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shock-absorbing helmet comprising:
 a protective shell;   connected to an inner surface of the shell, an interior liner for contact with a wearer's head; and   disposed between the shell and the interior liner, first and second spaced-apart magnetic elements oriented such that they are mutually repulsive between the interior liner and the shell.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising mechanical constraints on the shell and liner for laterally aligning the first and second magnetic elements. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the mechanical constraints prevent lateral motion of the magnetic elements at a distance therebetween that exceeds a specified threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements have substantially opposite polarity and are mounted to opposing interior surfaces of a compression cell disposed between the shell and the interior liner. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the shock-absorbing cell is substantially tubular and the first and second magnetic elements are mounted to an interior floor and an interior ceiling, respectively, of the substantially tubular cell. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements are disk-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second elements have magnetic strengths sufficient to prevent contact therebetween in response to shock forces not exceeding an expected maximum force. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 1 , comprising multiple distributed pairs of first and second magnetic elements. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the magnets are spaced apart along an axis passing perpendicularly through the interior liner and the shell. 
     
     
         10 . Protective body gear comprising:
 a protective shell;   connected to an inner surface of the shell, an interior liner for contact with a wearer's body; and   disposed between the shell and the interior liner, first and second spaced-apart magnetic elements oriented such that they are mutually repulsive between the inner liner and the shell.   
     
     
         11 . The body gear of  claim 10 , further comprising mechanical constraints on the shell and liner for laterally aligning the first and second magnetic elements. 
     
     
         12 . The body gear of  claim 11 , wherein the mechanical constraints prevent lateral motion of the magnetic elements at a distance therebetween that exceeds a specified threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The body gear of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements have substantially opposite polarity and are mounted to opposing interior surfaces of a compression cell disposed between the shell and the interior liner. 
     
     
         14 . The body gear of  claim 13 , wherein the shock-absorbing cell is substantially tubular and the first and second magnetic elements are mounted to an interior floor and an interior ceiling, respectively, of the substantially tubular cell. 
     
     
         15 . The body gear of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements are disk-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The body gear of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second elements have magnetic strengths sufficient to prevent contact therebetween in response to shock forces not exceeding an expected maximum force. 
     
     
         17 . The body gear of  claim 10 , comprising multiple distributed pairs of first and second magnetic elements. 
     
     
         18 . The body gear of  claim 10 , wherein the magnets are spaced apart along an axis passing perpendicularly through the interior liner and the shell.