Helmets including spray on materials

Abstract

Various embodiments of helmets and methods of their manufacture are disclosed. In some embodiments, the helmet includes a helmet shell having a helmet shell edge and/or a mounting location for mounting an accessory to the helmet shell. A material that is adherent to the helmet shell may be sprayed onto the helmet shell edge of the helmet shell to form a trim. Alternatively, the material may be sprayed onto a portion of the helmet shell associated with either a mounting location for mounting an accessory or a position for a mounted accessory.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A helmet comprising:
 a helmet shell including a helmet shell edge; and   a sprayed on trim directly adhered to the helmet shell and covering the helmet shell edge.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the trim covers an entire length of the helmet shell edge. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the sprayed on trim comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material is an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the helmet shell comprises a plurality of laminated layers. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the trim substantially conforms to a shape of the helmet shell edge and is substantially stress free. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the sprayed on trim includes a tapered edge. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the sprayed on trim comprises an additive or composite material to increase a fire resistance, abrasion resistance, or chemical resistance of the material. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the helmet shell includes an intermediate non-adhesive layer disposed between an underlying base material of the helmet shell and the sprayed on trim. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a helmet, the method comprising:
 spraying a material onto a helmet shell edge of a helmet shell to form a trim along the helmet shell edge.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein spraying the material further comprises spraying a mixture of a polymeric resin and an activator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising mixing the mixture of the polymeric resin and the activator during spraying. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material fully cures after it is sprayed on the helmet shell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising masking a portion of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material to define a shape and location of the trim along the helmet shell edge. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein masking the portion of the helmet shell includes masking an interior portion of the helmet shell and masking an exterior portion of the helmet shell. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein masking the portion of the helmet shell includes masking the portion of the helmet shell with a collapsible mask. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising applying an intermediate non-adhesive layer to an underlying base material of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material onto the helmet shell. 
     
     
         21 . A helmet comprising:
 a helmet shell including a mounting location for mounting an accessory to the helmet shell; and   a sprayed on material directly adhered to a portion of the helmet shell associated with either the mounting location or a position for a mounted accessory, wherein a coefficient of friction of the material is greater than a coefficient of friction of the helmet shell.   
     
     
         22 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         23 . The helmet of  claim 22 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea. 
     
     
         23 . The helmet of  claim 22 , wherein the polymeric material is an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         24 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the sprayed on material substantially conforms to a shape of the helmet shell and is substantially stress free. 
     
     
         25 . The helmet of  claim 21 , wherein the material comprises an additive or composite material to increase a fire resistance, abrasion resistance, or chemical resistance of the material. 
     
     
         26 . The helmet of  claim 19 , wherein the helmet shell includes an intermediate non-adhesive layer disposed between an underlying base material of the helmet shell and the sprayed on material. 
     
     
         27 . A method of manufacturing a helmet, the method comprising:
 spraying a material onto a portion of a helmet shell associated with either a mounting location for mounting an accessory or a position for a mounted accessory, wherein a coefficient of friction of the material is greater than a coefficient of friction of the helmet shell.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the material comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the polymeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane and polyurea. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the polymeric material fully cures after it is sprayed on the helmet shell. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising masking a portion of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material to define a shape and location of the portion of the helmet shell the material is applied to. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising applying an intermediate non-adhesive layer to an underlying base material of the helmet shell prior to spraying the material onto the helmet shell.