Flexible protective headgear

Abstract

A flexible protective headgear device providing a plurality of deformable raised pads to provide cushion against impact and are spaced apart to provide flexibility to conform to a user's head, the raised pads cooperating to reduce spacing between the raised pads upon flexing, the entire device being capable of being substantially formed from a single material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective headgear device, comprising:
 a shell having a first surface, a second surface, and an opening;   
       a plurality of raised pads disposed on said first surface; and 
       said plurality of raised pads are configured to cooperate with each other upon concave flexing of said first surface to reduce the space between said plurality of raised pads. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said second surface is substantially smooth. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of raised pads is disposed on substantially all of said first surface. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein said shell is molded as substantially hemispherical for placement on a user's head. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of raised pads is configured in a staggered pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of raised pads are elliptical shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of raised pads have a substantially uniform pad height of between 0.125 inches and 0.375 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of raised pads are spaced apart to provide a horizontal pad spacing of approximately 0.08 inches and provide a diagonal pad spacing of approximately 0.095 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4  wherein substantially the entire device is composed of a single material and said plurality of raised pads have thickness of at least 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said single material is silicone elastomer. 
     
     
         11 . A protective head gear device, comprising:
 A hemispherical shell having a first surface, a second surface, and an opening, wherein said first surface further comprises a first section and a second section separated by a crown spacing;   said first section comprises a plurality of side pads having a generally elliptical shape and arranged in a staggered pattern;   said second section comprises a plurality of side pads having a generally elliptical shape and arranged in a staggered pattern; and   said opening is suitable for placing the device on a user's head.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein substantially the entire device is composed of one material. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said one material is a silicone elastomer and said side pads have a thickness of at least 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein said first section further comprises at least one truncated pad and at least one extended pad. 
     
     
         15 . A protective headgear device comprising:
 a hemispherical shell having a first surface, a second surface, and an opening, wherein said second surface further comprises a first section, a crown section, and a second section;   said first section comprises a plurality of side pads arranged in a staggered pattern, at least one truncated pad adjacent said crown section, and at least one extended pad adjacent said crown section;   said second section comprises a plurality of side pads arranged in a staggered pattern, at least one truncated pad adjacent said crown section, and at least one extended pad adjacent said crown section;   said crown section is positioned between said first section and said second section; and   said opening is suited for placement of said device on a user's head.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said first section further comprises a first border and said second section further comprises a second border and said plurality of side pads of said first section and said second section are elliptical shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15  further comprising a plurality of crown pads having a substantially rectangular shape arranged linearly across said crown section. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said side plurality of side pads in said first section are spaced apart to provide horizontal pad spacing of at least 0.08 inches and diagonal pad spacing of at least 0.095 inches, and concave flexing of said first surface causes said plurality of side pads to converge. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein pad height of said plurality of side pads of said first section is at least 0.2 inches and pad height of said plurality of side pads of said second section is at least 0.2 inches.