CA-3157186-C - HELMET WITH LATTICE LINER

CA3157186CCA 3157186 CCA3157186 CCA 3157186CCA-3157186-C

Abstract

A helmet is disclosed. The helmet comprises an outer shell defining a cavity to receive a head when worn. The outer shell includes a domed inner surface facing towards the cavity and an opposite outer surface. A liner is disposed in the cavity, the liner having a head facing surface and an outer surface opposite the head facing surface, the outer surface facing towards the domed inner surface of the outer shell. The liner comprises a three-dimensional lattice formed of a plurality of cells and at least one liner skin integrally formed with the three-dimensional lattice, the liner skin forming part of the head facing surface of the liner, the liner skin covering less than an entirety of the three-dimensional lattice so as to define a skinless surface area on the head facing surface of the liner.

Inventors

Philippe Martin
Pierre-Luc BEAUCHAMP
Brian William STEENBRINK
Nicole Jacqueline WIART
Simon-Pierre Germain
PHILIPPE BROWNRIDGE

Assignees

SPORT MASKA INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210914
Priority Date: 20200914

Claims (1)

42 CLAIMS: 1. A helmet adapted to be worn on a head of a wearer, comprising: an outer shell including a first shell portion and a second shell portion displaceable relative to one another to adjust a size of the helmet; and an energy-attenuating inner liner disposed within the outer shell, the energyattenuating inner liner including a first liner portion disposed within the first shell portion and a second liner portion disposed within the second shell portion, the first and second liner portions being displaceable relative to each other when the first and second shell portions are displaced; wherein the first liner portion and the second liner portion each comprise a threedimensional lattice formed of a plurality of cells and at least one liner skin integrally formed with the three-dimensional lattice, the liner skin defining part of a head facing surface of the energy-attenuating inner liner, the liner skin adapted to contact the head of the wearer, the liner skin covering less than an entirety of three-dimensional lattice of each of the first and second liner portions along the head facing surface to define exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin; and wherein the liner includes at least a front padding adapted to cover at least a forehead and/or a frontal portion of the head of the wearer, the frontal padding defining a sweat gutter configured to channel sweat from between the liner and the forehead of the head of the wearer when the helmet is donned to a region of the liner adapted to be located on a side of a face of the wearer laterally rearward of an eye of the wearer when the helmet is donned, the sweat gutter having: a sweat inlet defined by a segment of the exposed regions of the threedimensional lattice free of the liner skin in the head facing surface, the sweat inlet positioned at a location of the liner adapted to extend along a superciliary arch of the head of the wearer, and a sweat outlet defined by in a segment of a peripheral surface of the liner free of liner skin, the segment of the peripheral surface closer from a side of the helmet than from a sagittal plane of the helmet. 43 2. The helmet of claim 1, wherein the first liner portion and the second liner portion each define a separate padding forming parts of the energy-attenuating inner liner. 3. The helmet of claim 1 or 2, wherein the liner skin extends along a periphery of the first liner portion and the second liner portion. 4. The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liner skin protrudes from an adjacent one of the exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin. 5. The helmet of claim 4, wherein the liner skin has a radial dimension taken in a direction normal to the head facing surface, at least part of the radial dimension defined radially inward from the adjacent one of the exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin. 6. The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liner skin defines an innermost surface of the energy-attenuating inner liner radially offset from the exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin. 7. The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the energy-attenuating inner liner has an outer shell facing surface and peripheral surfaces extending between the head facing surface and the outer shell facing surface, the head facing surface and the peripheral surfaces defining a peripheral edge of the energy-attenuating inner liner at a junction thereof, the liner skin forming the peripheral edge. 8. The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a majority of a surface area of the head facing surface of the liner is occupied by the liner skin. 9. The helmet of claim 8, wherein 58% ± 5% of the surface area of the head facing surface is occupied by the liner skin. 10. The helmet of claim 8, wherein 40% ± 5% of the surface area of the head facing surface is defined by the exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin. 11. The helmet of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the liner skin has a textured surface defining an array of valleys and peaks. 44 12. The helmet of claim 11, wherein the textured surface has a maximum thickness differential (MTD) measured from a deepest pit to a highest peak, the MTD times a surface area of the head facing surface of the liner occupied by the skin defines a total texture volume (TTV) including a percentage of volume of material and a complementary percentage of volume of air, the percentage of volume of material being of about at least 60%. 13. The helmet of claim 12, wherein the percentage of volume of material is between 60% and 80%.

Description

HELMET WITH LATTICE LINER CROSS-REFERENCE [0001] The present application claims priority on United States Patent Application No. 63/078,090 filed September 14, 2020 and on United States Patent Application No. 63/111, 171 filed November 9, 2020. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates generally to impact protection equipment and, more particularly, to sports helmets and liners for such helmets. BACKGROUND [0003] Protective helmets are worn during certain sports, such as ice hockey, to minimize the effects of impacts to the head of athletes. Impact protection typically entails absorption of energy resulting from linear and/or rotational accelerations and/or deflection of impacts, amongst others. Internal liners in these helmets help with the absorption of energy caused by such forces. Performance in terms of impact energy absorption may limit the level of comfort of such helmets and/or their liners, and in some instances can result in a bulkier or heavier helmet, or in a helmet that is less breathable that would otherwise be desired. There is an ongoing need for improved protective sports helmets, and more specifically for helmet liners. SUMMARY [0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sports helmet, comprising: an outer shell including a first shell portion and at least a second shell portion dis placeable relative to one another to adjust a size of the helmet; and an energy-attenuating inner liner disposed within the outer shell, the energyattenuating inner liner including a first liner portion disposed within the first shell portion and at least a second liner portion disposed within the second shell portion, the first and second liner portions being displaceable relative to each other when the first and second 1 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-09-18 WO 2022/051873 PCT /CA2021/051282 shell portions are displaced; wherein the first liner portion and the second liner portion each comprise a three-dimensional lattice formed of a plurality of cells and at least one liner skin integrally formed with the three-dimensional lattice, the liner skin forming an innermost surface of the energy-attenuating inner liner adapted to contact the head of a wearer, the liner skin covering less than an entirety of three-dimensional lattice of each of the first and second liner portions to define exposed regions of the three-dimensional lattice free of the liner skin. [0005] The helmet as defined above and herein may further include, in whole or in part, and in any combination, one or more of the following additional features. [0006] In one particular embodiment, the first liner portion and the second liner portion each define a separate padding forming parts of the energy-attenuating inner liner. [0007] In one particular embodiment, the liner skin extends along a periphery of the first liner portion and the second liner portion. [0008] In one particular embodiment, the energy-attenuating inner liner has a head facing surface, an opposite outer surface and peripheral surfaces extending between the head facing surface and the outer shell facing surface, the head facing surface and the peripheral surfaces defining a peripheral edge of the energy-attenuating inner liner at a junction thereof, the liner skin forming the peripheral edge. [0009] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective sports helmet for a wearer's head, comprising: an outer shell defining an outermost impact protection structure of the helmet, the outer shell defining a cavity to receive the wearer's head when the helmet is worn, the outer shell having a domed inner surface facing towards the cavity and an opposite outer surface; and a liner disposed in the cavity, the liner having a head facing surface and an outer surface opposite the head facing surface, the outer surface facing towards the domed inner surface of the outer shell, the liner comprising a three-dimensional lattice formed of a plurality of cells and at least one liner skin integrally formed with the three-dimensional lattice, the liner skin forming part of the head facing surface of the liner, the liner skin covering less than an 2 WO 2022/051873 PCT /CA2021/051282 entirety of three-dimensional lattice such as to define a skinless surface area on the head facing surface of the liner, the liner adapted to at least attenuate an impact energy transferred to the wearer's head from a force received by the helmet. [0010] The helmet as defined above and herein may further include, in whole or in part, and in any combination, one or more of the following additional features. [0011] In one particular embodiment, the skinless surface area is a first skinless surface area, the head facing surface having at least a second skinless surface area surrounded by the liner skin such that the three-dimensional lattice is visible in the first skinless surface area and the second skinless surface area from an interior o