Helmet with padding arrangement

Abstract

A helmet having an outer shell defining a convex outer surface and an opposite concave inner surface circumscribing an inner cavity to receive the wearer's head is provided. The helmet has an inner liner connected to the outer shell and located in the inner cavity, where the inner liner contacts the wearer's head when the helmet is worn. The inner liner includes a padding arrangement including a plurality of padding substructures disposed at selected locations in the inner cavity, where at least one of the plurality of paddings has a shear resistance along a shear direction lower than a compressive resistance along a compressive direction, where the compressive direction extends transversally to the shear direction. The helmet also has an attachment device for securing it on the wearer's head.

1 . A helmet for wearing on a wearer's head, the helmet comprising:
 an outer shell defining a convex outer surface and an opposite concave inner surface circumscribing an inner cavity to receive the wearer's head;   an inner liner connected to the outer shell and located in the inner cavity, the inner liner contacting the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the inner liner including a padding arrangement including:
 a plurality of padding substructures disposed at selected locations in the inner cavity, at least one of the padding substructures having a shear resistance along a first shear direction lower than a shear resistance along a second shearing direction, the second shear direction extending transversely to the first shear direction, and the first and second shear directions extending transversely to a thickness of the at least one of the padding substructures; and 
   an attachment device for securing the helmet on the wearer's head.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a plurality of separate substructure segments. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet defined in  claim 2 , wherein the separate substructure segments are interconnected to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a frontal substructure located in a foremost portion of the helmet within the inner cavity, the frontal substructure extending in a front-to-back direction of the helmet from adjacent to a front peripheral edge of the helmet towards a top of the helmet, the frontal substructure configured to face a frontal zone of the wearer's head such as to cover at least part of a forehead of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet defined in  claim 4 , wherein the first shear direction of the frontal substructure extends in a front-to-back direction, from a front peripheral edge of the outer shell, along a sagittal plane of the helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes an elevated lateral substructure located in a lateral portion of the helmet within the inner cavity to face a side of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet defined in  claim 6 , wherein the first shear direction of the elevated lateral substructure extends upwardly towards a top of the helmet. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a posterior lateral substructure located in a lateral portion of the helmet within the inner cavity to face a side of the wearer's head within the inner cavity that is closer to an occipital portion of the helmet than a frontal portion of the helmet. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first shear direction of the posterior lateral substructure extends rearwardly with respect to the helmet, towards an occipital portion of the helmet. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes an occipital substructure located in an occipital portion of the helmet within the inner cavity, the occipital substructure is configured to face an occipital zone of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         11 . The helmet defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first shear direction of the occipital substructure extends in a back-to-front direction, from a rear peripheral edge of the helmet and along a sagittal plane of the helmet. 
     
     
         12 . A helmet for wearing on a wearer's head, the helmet comprising:
 an outer shell defining a convex outer surface and an opposite concave inner surface circumscribing an inner cavity to receive the wearer's head;   an inner liner connected to the outer shell and located in the inner cavity, the inner liner contacting the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the inner liner including a padding arrangement including:
 a plurality of padding substructures disposed at selected locations in the inner cavity, at least one of the padding substructures having a shear resistance along a shear direction lower than a compressive resistance along a compressive direction, the compressive direction extending transversally to the shear direction; and 
   an attachment device for securing the helmet on the wearer's head.   
     
     
         13 . The helmet defined in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a plurality of separate substructure segments. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet defined in  claim 13 , wherein the separate substructure segments are interconnected to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet defined in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a frontal substructure located in a foremost portion of the helmet within the inner cavity, the frontal substructure extends in a front-to-back direction of the helmet from adjacent to a front peripheral edge of the helmet towards a top of the helmet, the frontal substructure is configured to face a frontal zone of the wearer's head such as to cover at least part of a forehead of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet defined in  claim 15 , wherein the shear direction extends in a front-to-back direction, from a front peripheral edge of the outer shell, along a sagittal plane of the helmet. 
     
     
         17 . The helmet defined in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes an elevated lateral substructure located in a lateral portion of the helmet within the inner cavity to face a side of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet defined in  claim 17 , wherein the shear direction extends upwardly towards a top of the helmet. 
     
     
         19 . The helmet defined in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes a posterior lateral substructure located in a lateral portion of the helmet within the inner cavity to face a side of the wearer's head within the inner cavity that is closer to an occipital portion of the helmet than a frontal portion of the helmet. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The helmet defined in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the padding substructures includes an occipital substructure located in an occipital portion of the helmet within the inner cavity, the occipital substructure is configured to face an occipital zone of the wearer's head. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)