Helmet with floating shell plates

Abstract

A football helmet comprises a plastic shell having a recess formed in the shell, a shock absorbing pad in the recess and removably connected to the shell, and a floating shell plate removably attached to the shock absorbing pad and further connected to the shell by a tab-slot engagement. The helmet may further comprise an inner liner comprising a shock absorbing element, an inflatable liner element, and a mobility layer disposed between the shock absorbing element and the inflatable liner element, the mobility layer having a plurality of raised elements formed therein to separate the shock absorbing element from the mobility layer thereby forming a gap between the shock absorbing element and the mobility layer, enabling relative movement of the inflatable liner with respect to shock absorbing element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A football helmet comprising:
 a plastic shell adapted to receive and protect the head of a wearer; the shell having a front region, a crown region, a rear region, a left side region, a right side region, an inner surface and an outer surface;   a crown recess formed in shell and associated with the crown region; a first slot formed in the shell and associated with the crown recess; a crown shock absorbing pad in the crown recess and removably connected to the shell; a crown shell plate removably attached to the crown shock absorbing pad and having a first tab formed therein; the first tab engaging the first slot; and   a rear recess formed in shell and associated with the rear region; a second slot formed in the shell and associated with the rear recess; a rear shock absorbing pad in the rear recess and removably connected to the shell; a rear shell plate removably attached to the rear shock absorbing pad and having a second tab formed therein; the second tab engaging the second slot.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the crown shock absorbing pad is composed of a single sheet of TPU having domes formed in the single sheet to provide shock absorption. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the rear shock absorbing pad is composed of a single sheet of TPU having domes formed in the single sheet to provide shock absorption. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the crown recess has a first bank and a second bank; the first slot is formed in the first bank and a third slot is formed in the second bank, the crown shell plate further comprises a third tab; and the third tab engages the third slot. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet of  claim 4  wherein the first bank and second bank are on opposite sides of the crown recess and are joined by a floor of the crown recess. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet of  claim 1  wherein the rear recess has a first bank and a second bank; the second slot is formed in the first bank and a third slot is formed in the second bank, the rear shell plate further comprises a third tab; and the third tab engages the third slot. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet of  claim 6  wherein the first bank and second bank are on opposite sides of the rear recess and are joined by a floor of the rear recess. 
     
     
         8 . A helmet comprising:
 a plastic shell adapted to receive and protect the head of a wearer; the shell having a front region, a crown region, a rear region, a left side region, a right side region, an inner surface and an outer surface;   a liner associated with the inner surface, the liner comprising a shock absorbing element, an inflatable liner element, and a mobility layer disposed between the shock absorbing element and the inflatable liner element, the mobility layer having a plurality of raised elements formed therein, the plurality of raised elements separating the shock absorbing element from the mobility layer thereby forming a gap between the shock absorbing element and the mobility layer, enabling relative movement of the inflatable liner with respect to shock absorbing element.   
     
     
         9 . The helmet of  claim 8  wherein the shock absorbing element is composed of a sheet of TPU having a plurality of hollow projections formed therein for shock absorption. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of raised elements is a plurality of domes. 
     
     
         11 . A football helmet comprising:
 a plastic shell adapted to receive and protect the head of a wearer; the shell having a front region, a crown region, a rear region, a left side region, a right side region, an inner surface and an outer surface;   a composite front pad associated with the inner surface of the shell and positioned over a front edge of the shell to at least partially overlie the brow of a wearer;   the composite front pad comprising a shock absorbing element and a brow pad;   the shock absorbing element in the form of a sheet of plastic material having a first plurality of hollow projections formed therein; the brow pad formed of a resilient polymer material and having a plurality of passages formed therein; the plurality of passages receiving the first plurality of hollow projections.   
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 11  wherein the shock absorbing element comprises a second plurality of hollow projections formed in the sheet of plastic material, the second plurality of hollow projections abutting the brow pad but not received in passages. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 11  wherein the brow pad comprises a thick region and a thin region, the plurality of passages being formed in the thin region, the thick region and thin region being integrally formed thereby a recess between the thin region and the thick region, the shock absorbing element being received in the recess. 
     
     
         14 . The football helmet of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a liner associated with the inner surface, the liner comprising a first shock absorbing element, an inflatable liner element, and a mobility layer disposed between the first shock absorbing element and the inflatable liner element, the mobility layer having a plurality of raised elements formed therein, the plurality of raised elements separating the first shock absorbing element from the mobility layer thereby forming a gap between the first shock absorbing element and the mobility layer, enabling relative movement of the inflatable liner with respect to first shock absorbing element; and 
 a composite front pad associated with the inner surface of the shell and positioned over a front edge of the shell to at least partially overlie the brow of a wearer; the composite front pad comprising a second shock absorbing element and a brow pad; the second shock absorbing element in the form of a sheet of plastic material having a first plurality of hollow projections formed therein; the brow pad formed of a resilient polymer material and having a plurality of passages formed therein; the plurality of passages receiving the first plurality of hollow projections.