Football helmet having exceptional impact performance

Abstract

A NOCSAE-certified football helmet having a shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attachable to the shell, is configured and designed to have a Predictive Concussion Incidence below 1.90, or 0.75 plus or minus 0.25, or in the range of 0.50 to 1.90, as measured by the 2018 Adult Football STAR Methodology. The face guard is attached to the shell at a plurality of attachment points below a line constructed through the midpoint of the height of the helmet and has an upper portion which contacts the shell above the face opening, without being attached to the shell at that point. The internal padding includes a front pad attached within the shell above the face opening, defining a first zone of a first stiffness and, adjacent to and above the first zone, a second zone of a second stiffness lower than the first stiffness. The internal padding also includes helmet liners which are not inflatable, and which contain slow response microcellular polyurethane pads.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A football helmet comprising a shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attachable to the shell, provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of 0.75 plus or minus 0.25. 
     
     
         2 . The football helmet of  claim 1  wherein the face guard is attachable to the shell at a plurality of attachment points, all of the plurality of attachment points below a line constructed through the midpoint of the height of the helmet as viewed from a left side of the helmet. 
     
     
         3 . The football helmet of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of attachment points comprise an upper left attachment point positioned forward of a lower left attachment point and an upper right attachment point positioned forward of a lower right attachment point. 
     
     
         4 . The football helmet of  claim 1  wherein the internal padding comprises a front pad attached within the shell in a front area of the helmet above a face opening of the shell, the front pad defining a first zone of a first stiffness and, adjacent to and above the first zone, a second zone of a second stiffness lower than the first stiffness. 
     
     
         5 . The football helmet of  claim 1  wherein the internal padding comprises a front pad attached within the shell in a front area of the helmet above a face opening of the shell, the front pad comprising a first polymer material having a first durometer and a second section above the first section comprising a second polymer material having a second durometer; wherein the first durometer is greater than the second durometer. 
     
     
         6 . The football helmet of  claim 5  wherein the first durometer is 90 A plus or minus 3, or 95 A plus or minus 3; and the second durometer is 85 A plus or minus 3; provided that the first durometer is greater than the second durometer. 
     
     
         7 . The football helmet of  claim 1  wherein the internal padding comprises a front pad attached within the shell in a front area of the helmet above a face opening of the shell, the front pad comprising a polymer sheet having integrally formed, tapering, hollow projections extending from the sheet in both the first section and the second section, the projections spaced apart from each other, the projections in the first section being made of a first polymer material having a first durometer, the projections in the second section being made of a second polymer material having a second durometer less than the first durometer. 
     
     
         8 . The football helmet of  claim 7  wherein the first durometer is 90 A plus or minus 3, or 95 A plus or minus 3; and the second durometer is 85 A plus or minus 3; provided that the first durometer is greater than the second durometer. 
     
     
         9 . The football helmet of  claim 1  wherein the internal padding comprises one or more helmet liners wherein none of the helmet liners are air liners. 
     
     
         10 . The football helmet of  claim 1  provided that the football helmet is NOCSAE-certified, and the face guard is NOCSAE-certified. 
     
     
         11 . A football helmet comprising a shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attachable to the shell, provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.9, the football helmet is NOCSAE-certified, and the face guard is NOCSAE-certified. 
     
     
         12 . A football helmet comprising a shell, internal padding attached to an inner surface of the shell, and a face guard attachable to the shell, provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.90, the football helmet is NOCSAE-certified, and the face guard is NOCSAE-certified. 
     
     
         13 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.8. 
     
     
         14 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.7. 
     
     
         15 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.6. 
     
     
         16 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.5. 
     
     
         17 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.4. 
     
     
         18 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.3. 
     
     
         19 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.2. 
     
     
         20 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.1. 
     
     
         21 . The football helmet of  claim 11  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence of less than 1.0. 
     
     
         22 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.80. 
     
     
         23 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.70. 
     
     
         24 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.60. 
     
     
         25 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.50. 
     
     
         26 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.40. 
     
     
         27 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.30. 
     
     
         28 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.25. 
     
     
         29 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.10. 
     
     
         30 . The football helmet of  claim 12  provided that the football helmet has a Predictive Concussion Incidence in the range of 0.50 to 1.0.