Helmet and helmet system

Abstract

A protective helmet system ( 10 ) that integrates turn signal light, break signal light, motion sensors ( 710 ), Bluetooth connectivity and a remote control ( 180 ) is provided. The system ( 10 ) comprises a helmet ( 20 ) for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle, and a remote control ( 180 ) for wirelessly controlling electronics in the helmet ( 20 ) to perform functions. The helmet ( 20 ) comprises a LED strip ( 60 ). The LED strip ( 60 ) comprises a flexible base ( 68 ) and a plurality of LEDs ( 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 671, 672, 673 ) installed on the flexible base ( 68 ). In addition, the LED strip ( 60 ) is configured to produce light signals to cars and pedestrians surrounding the rider, causing the rider to be more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians to thereby promote safety to the rider.

1 . A helmet for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle, comprising:
 a LED strip installed on the helmet, comprising a flexible base and a plurality of LEDs installed on the flexible base, wherein the LED strip is configured to produce light signals to cars and pedestrians surrounding the rider, causing the rider to be more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians to thereby promote safety to the rider.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a liner configured to protect a head of the rider, wherein the LED strip is integrated with the liner.   
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 2 , wherein the liner is made from high-density impact-absorption foam, enabling the liner to protect the head of the rider. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an electronics and battery box having electronics for at least controlling the plurality of LEDs, wherein the electronics and battery box is integrated with the liner.   
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the electronics and battery box comprises:
 a bottom plastic housing and an upper plastic housing both configured to form an enclosure when the bottom plastic housing is fitted to the upper plastic housing.   
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the electronics and battery box comprises:
 a magnetic charging port.   
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the electronics and battery box is configured with Bluetooth connectivity for communicating with an external Bluetooth-enabled device. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of LEDs includes a front-right LED, a back-right LED, a back LED, a back-left LED, a front-left LED, a left brim LED, a right brim LED and a center brim LED. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein:
 each of the front-right LED and the front-left LED is a super-bright dual-color orange and white LED;   the back-right LED and the back-left LED are super bright orange LEDs;   the back LED is a super bright red LED;   the left brim LED and the right brim LED are orange LEDs; and   the center brim LED is red.   
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the electronics and battery box is configured to:
 when the rider is biking straight, control the LED strip such that the back LED is blinking, causing the rider to become more visible to the surrounding cars and pedestrians.   
     
     
         11 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the electronics and battery box comprises one or more proximity sensors, one or more speakers, and one or more vibration motors; and   the electronics and battery box is configured, when detecting an approaching vehicle via the one or more proximity sensors, to control the center brim LED to blink and increase the brightness of the LED strip, and to trigger the one or more vibration motors to vibrate and the one or more speakers to emit alarming sound thus to notify the rider.   
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 8 , wherein the electronics and battery box comprises:
 one or more motion sensors.   
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 12 , wherein the electronics and battery box is configured, when the one or more motion sensors senses deceleration of the vehicle, to keep the back left LED, the back LED, the back right LED on until the vehicle comes to a stop. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an upper shell and a bottom shell both for protecting the rider.   
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a harness for enabling the helmet to be fastened to a head of the rider.   
     
     
         16 . A protective helmet system comprising:
 the helmet of any of  claims 1 - 15 ; and   a remote control for wirelessly controlling electronics in the helmet to perform functions.   
     
     
         17 . A protective helmet system of  claim 16 , wherein the remote control comprises a left button, a right button and a mount, the left button and the right button being positioned on or over the mount. 
     
     
         18 . A protective helmet system of  claim 16 , wherein the remote control comprises a mount having two wired buttons as a left button and a right button. 
     
     
         19 . A protective helmet system comprising:
 the helmet of  claim 8 ; and   a remote control for wirelessly controlling electronics in the helmet to perform functions, the remote control comprising a left button and a right button;   wherein the system is further configured such that:   when the rider presses the left button to signal that the vehicle is turning left, the back LED, the left brim LED, the front-left LED and the back-left LED keep blinking; and   when the rider presses the right button to signal that the vehicle is turning right, the back LED, the right brim LED, the front-right LED and the back-right LED keep blinking.   
     
     
         20 . A helmet for providing protection and enhancing safety to a rider on a vehicle, comprising one or more electronics boxes, wherein an individual electronics box comprises:
 a cover;   a bottom;   a wing protruding from the cover and extending to contact the helmet for absorbing impact energy during an impact; and   a cavity situated between the bottom and the helmet, for preventing compression of a foam of the helmet beneath the individual electronics box at an early stage of the impact.