Helmet integrated with modulated dissipation for enhanced impact protection, method of making and method of using the same

Abstract

Protective headwear such as a helmet, a method of making and a method of using the same are provided. The protective headwear includes a shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface and configured to accept the head of a subject, and at least one cushioning member disposed on and at least partially covering the interior surface. The cushioning member includes a cell pack structure, which comprises a plurality of flexible cells defining a plurality of internal cavities, a plurality of channels fluidly connected with the plurality of cells to provide a network of cells, and a fluid disposed within the plurality of internal cavities and the plurality of channels. The plurality of cells comprise a first type of cells and a second type of smaller cells. The cells and the channels are made of the same or different materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective headwear, comprising:
 a shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface and configured to circumferentially accept the head of a subject in need thereof and cover a skull of the head from the interior surface; and   at least one cushioning member disposed on and at least partially covering the interior surface, wherein:   the at least one cushioning member comprises a cell pack structure, the cell pack structure comprises a plurality of cells defining a plurality of internal cavities, a plurality of channels fluidly connected with the plurality of cells to provide a network of cells, and a fluid disposed within the plurality of internal cavities and the plurality of channels,   the plurality of cells comprises a first type of cells having a first dimension and a second type of cells having a second dimension, the first dimension is greater than the second dimension,   the plurality of cells are flexible and made of a first material, and the plurality of channels are made of a second material.   
     
     
         2 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is the same as or different from the second material. 
     
     
         3 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first material and the second material comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first material and the second material is selected from the group consisting of a rubber, a latex, a plastic, a thermoplastic elastomer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first material and the second material is a silicone elastomer or polychloroprene. 
     
     
         6 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material have different hardness. 
     
     
         7 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cushioning member comprises two or more pieces of cushioning members. 
     
     
         8 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the second type of cells are disposed around each of the first type of cells. 
     
     
         9 . The protective headwear of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of cells has a circular or oval sectional shape, and more than one cell of the second type are disposed concentrically around each of the first type of cells. 
     
     
         10 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first type of cells and the second type of cells are connected in series in a string pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The protective headwear of  claim 10 , wherein the first type of cells and the second type of cells are in an alternating pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first type of cells and the second type of cells are disposed and connected with each other in an array, and each cell has a circular or oval sectional shape. 
     
     
         13 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first dimension and the second dimension is a diameter in a range of from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm. 
     
     
         14 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of channels has a length in a range of from 0.2 cm to 5 cm and a diameter in a range of from 0.2 mm to 8 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a Newtonian fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a non-Newtonian fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The protective headwear of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid is a shear-thickening fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein in the at least one cushioning member has a first side and a second side, the first side is disposed on the interior surface of the shell, the second side is configured to contact a head of a subject, and the second side has a hardness lower than that of the first side. 
     
     
         19 . The protective headwear of  claim 1 , wherein the protective headwear is a helmet. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making the protective headwear of  claim 1 , comprising steps:
 forming upper and lower halves of the plurality of cells;   forming upper and lower halves of the plurality of channels;   bonding the upper and lower halves of the plurality of cells;   bonding the upper and lower halves of the plurality of channels; and   attaching the plurality of the cells and the plurality of channels to provide the at least one cushioning member.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of cells and the plurality of channels are made of the same materials and have a unitary structure, and the steps of forming upper and lower halves of the plurality of cells, forming upper and lower halves of the plurality of channels, and attaching the plurality of the cells and the plurality of channels to provide the at least one cushioning member are preformed concurrently. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing the shell; and   attaching the at least one cushioning member onto the interior surface of the shell.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the upper halves and the lower halves are made of the first material having different hardness. 
     
     
         24 . A method of using the protective headwear of  claim 1 , comprising:
 applying the protective headwear onto the head of a subject, wherein the subject is a human subject.