Helmet Impact Attenuation Article

Abstract

An impact attenuation system comprises an aluminum honeycomb sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface. The aluminum honeycomb sheet defines a plurality of approximately hexagonally shaped cells. The bottom surface defines a single sheet of contiguous cells and the top surface defines two or more islands of contiguous cells separated by one or more slits. At least a portion of one or both of the top surface and bottom surface may be covered by a polymer skin. The polymer skin may comprise carbon fibers and/or fiberglass.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method of manufacturing an impact liner system for a helmet, the method comprising:
 reducing at least a portion of a thickness of an aluminum honeycomb sheet from an initial height to a predetermined second height to form a modified aluminum honeycomb sheet, the aluminum honeycomb sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the thickness being measured from the top surface to the bottom surface;   and   pressing the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet in a mold to form an impact attenuation article such that the bottom surface forms a concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article and the top surface forms a convex outer surface of the impact attenuation article.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein reducing the thickness of the aluminum honeycomb sheet comprises cutting off a portion of the top surface of the aluminum honeycomb sheet. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein reducing the thickness of the aluminum honeycomb sheet comprises sanding down a portion of the top surface of the aluminum honeycomb sheet. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein reducing the thickness of the aluminum honeycomb sheet comprises partially crushing the aluminum honeycomb sheet to the predetermined second height. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 coupling a polymer skin to at least a portion of one of the convex outer surface and the concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article. 
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 coupling a polymer skin to at least a portion of both of the convex outer surface and the concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article. 
 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the polymer skin comprises carbon fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the polymer skin comprises fiberglass. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein partially crushing the aluminum honeycomb sheet includes applying a force to the top surface using a hydraulic press. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the polymer skin is a first polymer skin and the method further comprises:
 coupling a second polymer skin to at least a portion of one of the convex outer surface and the concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article that is not covered by the first polymer skin.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 coupling the impact attenuation article to an interior surface of the helmet such that the convex outer surface of the impact attenuation article is adjacent to the interior surface the helmet. 
 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 cutting the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet in a direction orthogonal to the top surface and the bottom surface of the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet to form one or more slits that extend from the top surface toward the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet defines a single sheet of contiguous cells and the top surface of the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet defines two or more islands of contiguous cells separated by the one or more slits. 
 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the single sheet of contiguous cells extends from the bottom surface to the one or more slits. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the aluminum honeycomb sheet includes a plurality of approximately hexagonally shaped cells each forming a tube extending from the top surface to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 coupling an attachment layer to at least a portion of one of the convex outer surface and the concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article, the attachment layer including a plurality of hooks or loops. 
 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 providing a second impact attenuation article comprising a second aluminum honeycomb sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, the second aluminum honeycomb sheet defining a plurality of approximately hexagonally shaped cells; and 
 reducing at least a portion of the thickness of the second aluminum honeycomb sheet from an initial height to a predetermined second height to form a modified second aluminum honeycomb sheet. 
 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  further comprising:
 coupling the impact attenuation article and the second impact attenuation article to a liner body such that at least a portion of the impact attenuation article and at least a portion of the second impact attenuation article are disposed within the liner body. 
 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising:
 coupling the impact attenuation article to a liner body, the liner body having an impact-absorbing material, an outer surface with a convex curvature, and an inner surface with a concave curvature. 
 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein coupling includes placing the impact attenuation article inside the liner body such that the convex outer surface of the impact attenuation article is generally aligned with the outer surface of the liner body and the concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article is generally aligned with the inner surface of the liner body. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the impact-absorbing material of the liner body is different than a material of the impact attenuation article. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein reducing the thickness of the aluminum honeycomb sheet includes crushing the aluminum honeycomb sheet to two or more different predetermined thicknesses. 
     
     
         56 . A method comprising:
 reducing at least a portion of a thickness of an aluminum honeycomb sheet from an initial height to a predetermined second height to form a modified aluminum honeycomb sheet, the aluminum honeycomb sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the thickness being measured from the top surface to the bottom surface;   cutting the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet in a direction orthogonal to the top and the bottom surface to form one or more slits that extend from the top surface toward the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface defines a single sheet of contiguous cells and the top surface defines two or more islands of contiguous cells separated by the one or more slit;   pressing the modified aluminum honeycomb sheet in a mold to form an impact attenuation article such that the bottom surface forms a concave inner surface of the impact attenuation article and the top surface forms a convex outer surface of the impact attenuation article;   coupling the impact attenuation article to a liner body; and   coupling the combined impact attenuation article and the liner body to an interior surface of a helmet.