Protective headwear to reduce risk of injury

Abstract

A helmet configured to protect a human head against mild traumatic brain injury upon impact includes an outer shell and a liner consisting of fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers fluidly connected to each other by fluid connections. The fluid chambers being spaced around the circumference of the helmet and configured to fill a space between the head and the outer shell when the helmet is positioned on the head. Impact resistant flexible pads are also in the liner and are spaced around an inner circumference of the outer shell adjacent to each of the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers. A flexible inner shell inside the liner is configured to fit closely on the head. The flexible fluid chambers are configured to compress in response to impacting of the helmet on an impact side and to force liquids through the fluid connections to inflate other fluid chambers inside the helmet thereby cushioning the head against a rebound impact on the inside of the helmet.

1 . A helmet configured to protect a human head against mild traumatic brain injury upon impact comprising:
 an outer shell;   a liner inside the outer shell, the liner comprising fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers fluidly connected to at least one other chamber by fluid connections therebetween, wherein the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers are located around a circumference of the helmet and configured to fill a space between the head and the outer shell when the helmet is positioned on the head;   impact resistant flexible pads inside and spaced around an inner circumference of the outer shell adjacent to each of the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers; and   a flexible inner shell inside the liner, configured to fit on the head;   the flexible fluid chambers being configured to compress in response to impacting of the helmet on an impact side, and to force fluids through the fluid connections to inflate fluid chambers in other regions of the helmet, thereby cushioning the head against a rebound from normal impacts, tangential impacts and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers are fluidly connected to at least two other fluid chambers by fluid connections therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid connections are sized based on fluid viscosity to establish a rate of fluid transfer during impact to absorb impact energy and lengthen a time of energy absorption to reduce an effective frequency of energy transfer. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 3  wherein the fluids comprise dilatant fluids. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is a hard material with a hardness greater than Rockwell M 62. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 4 , wherein the outer shell is composed of polycarbonate, fiberglass or Kevlar. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is a compliant material. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the inner shell is an impact resistant layer comprising a non-resilient compressible material that permanently deforms at force levels from 60 G to 150 G. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the impact resistant pads are resistant to forces of 5 G to 10 G. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 1 , wherein the inner shell is composed of elastomer, elastomeric polymer, polymer impregnated fabric, elastomer impregnated fabric, laminated fabric, polymer fiber composite, leather, synthetic leather or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a helmet to protect a human head against mild traumatic brain injury upon impact comprising:
 forming an outer shell larger than the head;   forming a liner comprising fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers fluidly connected to at least one other chamber that fit inside the outer shell around the circumference of the helmet, the flexible fluid chambers being configured to fill a space between the head and the outer shell when the helmet is positioned on the head;   connecting each group of flexible fluid chambers with a fluid connection, so that each group of flexible fluid chambers is interconnected;   filling the groups of interconnected flexible fluid chambers with fluid;   forming impact resistant flexible pads in the liner spaced around an inner circumference of the outer shell adjacent to each of the flexible fluid chambers;   forming a flexible inner shell inside the liner, configured to fit closely on the head;   attaching the flexible fluid chambers and flexible pads to the inner and outer shells to form the helmet such that the flexible fluid chambers are configured to compress in response to impacting of the helmet on an impact side, and force liquid through the fluid connections to inflate other fluid chambers in the helmet, thereby cushioning the head against a rebound impact on helmet; and   attaching a chin strap and fastener to the helmet.   
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 11  wherein the fluid fillable flexible fluid chambers are fluidly connected to at least two other fluid chambers by fluid connections there between. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the fluid connections are sized based on fluid viscosity to establish a rate of fluid transfer during impact to absorb impact energy and lengthen a time of energy absorption to reduce an effective frequency of energy transfer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the fluids comprise dilatant fluids. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the outer shell material is a hard material with a hardness greater than Rockwell M 62. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the outer shell is composed of polycarbonate, fiberglass or Kevlar. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the outer shell is a compliant material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the inner shell is an impact resistant layer comprising a non-resilient compressible material that permanently deforms at force levels from 60 G to 150 G. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the outer shell is composed of elastomer, elastomeric polymer, polymer impregnated fabric, elastomer impregnated fabric, laminated fabric, polymer fiber composite, leather, synthetic leather or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the impact resistant pads are resistant to forces of 5 G to 10 G. 
     
     
         21 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible fluid chambers are filled with water, mineral oil, or mixtures of water and non-toxic antifreeze liquids. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible fluid chambers and fluid connections are each produced from two or more sheets of polymeric material by welding the sheets along a pattern defining the flexible fluid chamber and fluid connection.