Protective headgear system

Abstract

Protective headgear systems are disclosed. One protective headgear system includes an impact-resistant pad and a helmet. The impact-resistant pad includes a top portion configured to be positioned covering a top of a user's head, and first and second side portions extending downward from the top portion. The helmet is unconnected to the impact-resistant pad. The helmet is configured to be positioned overtop of the impact-resistant pad when the impact-resistant pad is positioned on the user's head.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A protective headgear system comprising:
 an impact-resistant pad comprising:
 a top portion configured to be positioned covering a top of a user's head; and 
 first and second side portions extending downward from the top portion; and 
   a helmet unconnected to the impact-resistant pad, the helmet configured to be positioned overtop of the impact-resistant pad when the impact-resistant pad is positioned on the user's head.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side portions comprise a front portion and a rear portion. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the back portion extends a greater distance from the top portion than the front portion. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side portions are not directly connected to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein a circumferential gap is formed between the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the helmet covers the circumferential gap when it is positioned overtop of the impact-resistant pad. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion includes a plurality of openings for providing ventilation to the user's head. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of openings are formed around the periphery of the top portion. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the impact-resistant pad includes a layer of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the impact-resistant pad consists of a single layer of the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the impact-resistant pad comprises a plurality of layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the impact-resistant pad further comprises a layer of high tensile strength fibrous material between two layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the impact-resistant pad has a thickness of no greater than approximately 13 mm. 
     
     
         14 . An impact-resistant pad for a protective headgear system comprising:
 a top portion configured to be positioned covering a top of a user's head; and   first and second side portions extending downward from the top portion,   wherein the impact-resistant pad is unconnected to any supporting structure, and is configured to be worn under a helmet.   
     
     
         15 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second side portions comprise a front portion and a rear portion. 
     
     
         16 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 15 , wherein the back portion extends a greater distance from the top portion than the front portion. 
     
     
         17 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second side portions are not directly connected to each other. 
     
     
         18 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 17 , wherein a circumferential gap is formed between the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         19 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 14 , wherein the top portion includes a plurality of openings for providing ventilation to the user's head. 
     
     
         20 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of openings are formed around the periphery of the top portion. 
     
     
         21 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 14 , wherein the impact-resistant pad includes a layer of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         22 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 21 , wherein the impact-resistant pad consists of a single layer of the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         23 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 21 , wherein the impact-resistant pad comprises a plurality of layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         24 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 23 , wherein the impact-resistant pad further comprises a layer of high tensile strength fibrous material between two layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         25 . The impact-resistant pad of  claim 14 , wherein the impact-resistant pad has a thickness of no greater than approximately 13 mm. 
     
     
         26 . A protective headgear system comprising:
 a deflection layer configured to be positioned on a user's head, the deflection layer comprising a plurality of deflection plates lacking a rigid connection therebetween; and   a headgear component unconnected to the deflection layer, the headgear component configured to be positioned overtop of the deflection layer when the deflection layer is positioned on the user's head.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the headgear component comprises a component selected from a group consisting of a knit cap, a baseball cap, and an athletic helmet. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the deflection layer comprises a polycarbonate material. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising one or more straps connecting between the plurality of deflection plates. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of deflection plates comprise a front deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a front of the user's head, a middle deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a middle of the user's head, and a rear deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a rear of the user's head. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising a first strap connected between the front deflection plate and the middle deflection plate and a second strap connected between the middle deflection plate and the rear deflection plate. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of deflection plates comprise a front deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a front of the user's head, a pair of side deflection plates configured to be positioned adjacent sides of the user's head, a rear deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a rear of the user's head, and a top deflection plate configured to be positioned adjacent a top of the user's head. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the plurality of deflection plates comprises a ledge portion, the ledge portion extending beneath another one of the plurality of deflection plates. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising an impact-resistant pad configured to be positioned between the deflection layer and the user's head, the impact-resistant pad more flexible than the deflection layer. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the impact-resistant pad consists of a single layer of the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the impact-resistant pad comprises a plurality of layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the impact-resistant pad further comprises a layer of high tensile strength fibrous material between two layers of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a layer of high tensile strength fibrous material between the impact-resistant pad and the deflection layer. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the layer of high tensile strength fibrous material is attached to the deflection layer.