Sports helmet with rotational impact protection

Abstract

A sports helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, comprising: an outer shell comprising an external surface of the sports helmet; inner padding disposed between the outer shell and the wearer's head; an adjustment mechanism operable by the wearer to vary an internal volume of the cavity to adjust a fit of the sports helmet on the wearer's head; and a rotational impact protection device disposed between the external surface of the sports helmet and the wearer's head when the sports helmet is worn, the rotational impact protection device comprising a surface movable relative to the external surface of the sports helmet in response to a rotational impact on the outer shell to absorb rotational energy from the rotational impact, the surface of the rotational impact protection device undergoing displacement when the adjustment mechanism is operated by the wearer to vary the internal volume of the cavity.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A sports helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, said sports helmet defining a cavity for receiving the wearer's head, said sports helmet comprising:
 (a) an outer shell comprising an external surface of said sports helmet;   (b) inner padding disposed between said outer shell and the wearer's head when said sports helmet is worn;   (c) an adjustment mechanism for adjusting an internal volume of said cavity to adjust a fit of said sports helmet on the wearer's head; and   (d) a floating liner disposed between said inner padding and the wearer's head when said sports helmet is worn, said floating liner being movable relative to said outer shell in response to a rotational impact on said outer shell to absorb rotational energy from the rotational impact, said floating liner being configured to accommodate adjustment of said internal volume of said cavity when said adjustment mechanism is operated by the wearer.   
     
     
         7 . The sports helmet of  claim 6 , wherein said floating liner comprises elastically deformable flex zones to permit relative movement of segments of the floating liner and thereby accommodate adjustments of said internal volume of said cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The sports helmet of  claim 6 , wherein said floating liner comprises an opening changeable in shape to accommodate adjustments of said internal volume of said cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The sports helmet of  claim 6 , wherein said floating liner comprises stretchable material such that at least part of the rotational energy is absorbed by stretching of said stretchable material. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A hockey or lacrosse helmet for protecting a head of a hockey or lacrosse player, said helmet defining a cavity for receiving the player's head, said helmet comprising:
 (a) an outer shell comprising an external surface of said helmet, said outer shell comprising a first shell member and a second shell member moveable relative to one another for adjusting an internal volume of said cavity to adjust a fit of said helmet on the player's head;   (b) inner padding disposed between said outer shell and the player's head when said helmet is worn; and   (c) a floating liner disposed between said inner padding and the player's head when said helmet is worn, said floating liner being movable relative to said outer shell in response to a rotational impact on said outer shell to absorb rotational energy from the rotational impact, said floating liner being configured to accommodate adjustments of said internal volume of said cavity when said first shell member and said second shell member are moved relative to one another.   
     
     
         16 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said inner padding comprises a plurality of inner pad members movable relative to one another when said first shell member and said second shell member are moved relative to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said floating liner comprises elastically deformable flex zones to permit relative movement of segments of the floating liner and thereby accommodate adjustments of said internal volume of said cavity when said first shell member and said second shell member are moved relative to one another. 
     
     
         18 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 16 , wherein a first one of said inner pad members is affixed to said first shell member and a second one of said inner pad members is affixed to said second shell member, said floating liner being connected to at least one of said first shell member and the first one of said inner pad members and to at least one of said second shell member and the second one of said inner pad members. 
     
     
         19 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said floating liner comprises stretchable material such that at least part of the rotational energy is absorbed by stretching of said stretchable material. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said floating liner comprises an opening changeable in shape to accommodate adjustments of said internal volume of said cavity when said first shell member and said second shell member are moved relative to one another. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said floating liner is fastened to at least one of said inner padding and said outer shell via a plurality of fastening members that are spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 27 , wherein said helmet extends along a longitudinal axis bisecting said helmet into a first half and a second half, a first one of said fastening members is located in the first half of said helmet, and a second one of said fastening members is located in the second half of said helmet. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         34 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , comprising an occipital pad for engaging an occipital region of the player's head, said occipital pad being selectively movable relative to said outer shell, said floating liner being mounted to said occipital pad such that said floating liner moves with said occipital pad when said occipital pad is moved. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The hockey or lacrosse helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said floating liner comprises a top portion for contacting a top region of the player's head and a plurality of branches extending downwardly from said top portion of said floating liner for contacting the player's head. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A sports helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, said sports helmet defining a cavity for receiving the wearer's head, said sports helmet comprising:
 (a) an outer shell comprising an external surface of said sport helmet;   (b) inner padding disposed between said outer shell and the wearer's head when said sports helmet is worn;   (c) a floating liner disposed between said inner padding and the wearer's head when said sports helmet is worn, said floating liner being movable relative to said outer shell in response to a rotational impact on said outer shell to absorb rotational energy from the rotational impact;   (d) an occipital pad for engaging an occipital region of the wearer's head, said occipital pad being mounted to said floating liner; and   (e) an adjustment mechanism operable by the wearer to selectively move the occipital pad relative to the outer shell to adjust a fit of said sports helmet on the wearer's head.   
     
     
         42 . The sports helmet of  claim 41 , wherein said floating liner is fastened to at least one of said inner padding and said outer shell via a plurality of fastening members that are spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         43 . The sports helmet of  claim 41 , wherein said helmet extends along a longitudinal axis bisecting said helmet into a first half and a second half, a first one of said fastening members is located in the first half of said helmet, and a second one of said fastening members is located in the second half of said helmet. 
     
     
         44 . The sports helmet of  claim 41 , wherein said floating liner comprises a top portion for contacting a top region of the player's head and a plurality of segments extending downwardly from said top portion of said floating liner for contacting the wearer's head. 
     
     
         45 . The sports helmet of  claim 44 , wherein the occipital pad is connected to one or more of the downwardly extending segments of the floating liner. 
     
     
         46 . The sports helmet of  claim 41 , wherein the helmet is a hockey helmet or a lacrosse helmet.