Impact Diffusing System

Abstract

An impact diffusing system for protecting a user's head includes a headpiece cage coupled to a thoracic framework. In one aspect, the headpiece cage includes at least two support bars, a plurality of rigid bars surrounding at least a portion of the forehead, top, and sides of the head, and a face mask that encloses at least a portion the user's face. The thoracic framework covers at least a portion of a chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user, and the thoracic framework is attached to the support bars of the headpiece cage in a manner that prevents movement of the headpiece cage relative to the thoracic framework. In another aspect, the system includes a helmet component (formed of e.g., carbon fiber) coupled to a thoracic cage, wherein the helmet component is a solid, unitary piece that surrounds the top, back, and sides of the user's head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impact diffusing system for protecting a head of a user of the system, comprising:
 a headpiece cage comprising:
 at least two support bars that extend from a top of the cage to a bottom of the cage, such that the at least two support bars extend from an upper position above a top of the user's head to a lower position below a jaw line of the user, 
 a plurality of rigid bars that are sized and structured to surround at least a portion of a forehead, a top, and sides of the head, wherein the plurality of rigid bars are coupled to at least one of the support bars, and 
 a face mask structured to enclose at least a front portion of a face of the user, wherein the face mask is coupled to at least one of the support bars; and 
   a thoracic framework structured to cover at least a portion of a chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user, wherein the thoracic framework is attached to the at least two support bars of the headpiece cage in a manner that prevents movement of the headpiece cage relative to the thoracic framework.   
     
     
         2 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the face mask protrudes anterior to the coronal plane and comprises a post extending from the face mask downward from a central area of the face mask, and wherein the thoracic framework is attached to the post extending downward from the face mask. 
     
     
         3 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two support bars of the cage comprise a first support bar along the coronal plane and a second support bar along the sagittal plane posterior to the head. 
     
     
         4 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 3 , wherein the first support bar extends from one side of the head adjacent to one shoulder, around the top of the head, to the other side of the head adjacent to the other shoulder. 
     
     
         5 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two support bars of the cage comprise two support bars, each of which extends from the upper position above the top of the user's head, along a plane that is between the coronal and sagittal planes, to the lower position that is near a respective trapezius area of the user posterior to the head. 
     
     
         6 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece cage is structured to attach to a conventional helmet. 
     
     
         7 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer shell covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the headpiece cage and fixedly attached thereto. 
     
     
         8 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , further comprising inner headgear structured and sized to conform to the user's head and to fit inside the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         9 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 8 , wherein the inner headgear is sized and structured to be moveable relative to the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         10 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 9 , wherein the inner headgear comprises a friction-reducing outer coating that reduces friction when the inner headgear moves relative to the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         11 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 10 , wherein the headpiece cage comprises a friction-reducing inner coating that reduces friction when the inner headgear moves relative to the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         12 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 8 , wherein the inner headgear comprises impact absorbing padding. 
     
     
         13 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 12 , wherein the padding comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: inflatable padding, and smart material padding. 
     
     
         14 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , further comprising inner thoracic padding and an outer thoracic shell, wherein the thoracic framework is disposed between the inner thoracic padding and the outer thoracic shell. 
     
     
         15 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework is structured to attach to conventional shoulder pads. 
     
     
         16 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework is permanently attached to the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         17 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 16 , wherein the thoracic framework and the headpiece cage are manufactured as a unitary piece. 
     
     
         18 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 16 , further comprising at least three connection points between the thoracic framework and the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         19 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework comprises bars forming polygonal shapes that surround the portion of the chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework is removably attached to the headpiece cage. 
     
     
         21 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 20 , wherein the thoracic framework comprises at least three connector receptacles and the headpiece cage comprises at least three connectors each configured to removably attach to a respective one of the thoracic framework connector receptacles. 
     
     
         22 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least two support bars of the cage comprise:
 a first support bar that extends along the coronal plane from one side of the head adjacent to one shoulder, around the top of the head, to the other side of the head adjacent to the other shoulder, and   a second support bar along the sagittal plane posterior to the head, and   wherein the headpiece cage comprises a first connector at a first end of the first support bar, a second connector at a second end of the first support bar, and a third connector at an end of the second support bar.   
     
     
         23 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two support bars of the cage comprise two support bars, each of which extends from the upper position above the top of the user's head, along a plane that is between the coronal and sagittal planes, to the lower position that is near a respective trapezius area of the user posterior to the head, and wherein the headpiece cage comprises three connectors, wherein one of the three connectors is at an end of the post extending from the face mask, and the other two connectors are at respective lower ends of the two support bars. 
     
     
         24 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two support bars of the headpiece cage are connected to each other at the top of the headpiece cage, above the top of the user's head. 
     
     
         25 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece cage and the thoracic framework are made of at least one of: stainless steel, titanium and carbon fiber. 
     
     
         26 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework is formed of a rigid, inflexible material. 
     
     
         27 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 1 , wherein the thoracic framework comprises rigid portions and flexible portions. 
     
     
         28 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 27 , wherein the flexible portions are formed by hinges, reduced thickness portions, or slots or openings formed within selected regions of the framework. 
     
     
         29 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 2 , wherein the face mask post extends from a center of the face mask along the sagittal plane. 
     
     
         30 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 2 , wherein the face mask post extends from a position to one side of a center of the face mask, and the face mask further comprises a second post that extends downward from the face mask at a second position to the other side of the center of the face mask. 
     
     
         31 . An impact diffusing system for protecting a head of a user of the system, wherein the system comprises:
 a helmet component comprising a solid, rigid unitary piece structured to surround a top, a back, and sides of the user's head, such that ears of the user and at least a portion of a neck of the user are enclosed within the helmet component; and   a rigid thoracic cage structured to cover at least a portion of a chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user, wherein the thoracic cage is attached to the helmet component in a manner that prevents movement of the helmet component relative to the thoracic cage.   
     
     
         32 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , wherein the thoracic cage is attached to the helmet component via at least four connection points, wherein the at least four connection points comprise two front connection points that are anterior to a coronal plane, and two rear connection points that are posterior to the coronal plane. 
     
     
         33 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , wherein the thoracic cage is fixedly attached to the helmet component. 
     
     
         34 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , wherein the thoracic cage is removably attached to the helmet component with at least two quick-release connectors. 
     
     
         35 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , further comprising inner headgear structured and sized to conform to the user's head, fit within the helmet component, move with the user's head, and move relative to the helmet component. 
     
     
         36 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , wherein the thoracic cage and the helmet component are made of inflexible material. 
     
     
         37 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 36 , wherein the thoracic cage and the helmet component are made of carbon fiber. 
     
     
         38 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , further comprising inner thoracic padding and an outer thoracic shell, wherein the thoracic cage is disposed between the inner thoracic padding and the outer thoracic shell. 
     
     
         39 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 31 , wherein the thoracic cage is structured to attach to conventional shoulder pads. 
     
     
         40 . An impact diffusing system for protecting a head of a user of the system, comprising:
 a rigid thoracic framework structured to cover at least a portion of a chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user; and   a headpiece cage structured to surround a top, sides, and back of the head, the cage comprising:
 at least two support bars extending from a top of the cage to a bottom of the cage, wherein top portions of the support bars are attached to each other, and bottom ends of the support bars are attached to the rigid thoracic framework in a manner that prevents movement of the headpiece cage relative to the thoracic framework, 
 a plurality of rigid bars that are sized and structured to surround at least a portion of a forehead, a top, and sides of the head, wherein the plurality of rigid bars are coupled to at least one of the support bars, and 
 a face mask structured to enclose at least a portion of a face of the user, wherein the face mask is coupled to at least one of the support bars. 
   
     
     
         41 . The impact diffusing system of  claim 40 , wherein the face mask protrudes anterior to a coronal plane and comprises a post extending downward from a bottom of the face mask from a central area of the face mask, such that the post is positioned anterior to a throat of the user, and wherein the post is attached to the rigid thoracic framework, such that the headpiece cage and the thoracic framework are attached to each other at least at three attachment points.