US-20260123699-A1 - PROTECTIVE HEADBAND

Abstract

A protective headband includes at least one padding layer having at least one length of material and at least one elastic connector configured to hold the shape of the at least one padding layer in a loop. The protective headband may further include at least one reinforcement layer at least partially attached to at least one surface of the at least one padding layer. The protective headband may further include at least one patch comprising at least one layer of material positioned on the cover layer.

Inventors

• Robert A. Vito

Assignees

• MATSCITECHNO LICENSING COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251031

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A protective headband, comprising: at least one padding layer comprising at least one length of material; and at least one elastic connector configured to hold the shape of the at least one padding layer in a loop.
2. 2 . The protective headband of claim 1 , further comprising at least one reinforcement layer at least partially attached to at least one surface of the at least one padding layer.
3. 3 . The protective headband of claim 2 , wherein the at least one padding layer comprises at least one break or gap in the layer.
4. 4 . The protective headband of claim 3 , wherein the at least one elastic connector at least partially spans or covers the break or gap in the layer.
5. 5 . The protective headband of claim 4 , wherein the at least one padding layer comprises at least one expansion joint positioned at the break or gap.
6. 6 . The protective headband of claim 5 , wherein the at least one expansion joint comprises dovetailing portions formed in the at least one padding layer.
7. 7 . The protective headband of claim 6 , wherein the at least one elastic connector comprises first and second elastic connectors, each at least partially spanning or covering the at least one break or gap in the layer.
8. 8 . The protective headband of claim 7 , further comprising a cover layer at least partially surrounding the at least one padding layer, the at least one elastic connector, and the at least one reinforcement layer.
9. 9 . The protective headband of claim 8 , further comprising at least one patch comprising at least one layer of material positioned on the cover layer.
10. 10 . The protective headband of claim 9 , wherein the at least one patch comprises at least one of friction features, a pattern of friction features, raised portions, directional portions, ridges, bumps, indents, and detents.
11. 11 . The protective headband of claim 10 , wherein the at least one patch comprises a first patch and a second patch, wherein the second patch is offset on the cover layer from the first patch.
12. 12 . The protective headband of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the at least one padding layer, the at least one elastic connector, and the at least one reinforcement layer are configured to form one or more regions of varying elasticity around the loop.
13. 13 . The protective headband of claim 8 , further comprising adjustment means for adjusting the size of the loop comprising at least one selected from hook and loop, strap adjuster, and buckle.
14. 14 . The protective headband of claim 8 , wherein the cover layer is removable from the other layers.
15. 15 . The protective headband of claim 14 , wherein the cover layer comprises an opening for removing the other layers from the cover layer.
16. 16 . The protective headband of claim 15 , wherein the cover layer comprises fastening means for the closing the opening comprising at least one of hook and loop, button, snap, and zipper.
17. 17 . The protective headband of claim 8 , wherein the at least one padding layer comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: impact resistant material, elastomeric material, urethane rubbers, silicone rubbers, nitrile rubbers, butyl rubbers, acrylic rubbers, natural rubbers, styrene-butadiene rubbers, plastic, foam, open-cell foam, multi-durometer foam, memory foam, gel, and hydrogel.
18. 18 . The protective headband of claim 17 , wherein the at least one reinforcement layer comprises at least one of woven material, fibrous material, high tensile strength fibrous material, natural fiber, synthetic fiber, cotton fiber, elastic fiber, elastic material, inelastic material, aramid fibers, fiberglass, and Kevlar®.
19. 19 . The protective headband of claim 18 , wherein the cover layer comprises at least one of soft material, biocompatible material, woven material, synthetic material, natural material, cotton material, breathable material, sweat-resistant material and washable material.
20. 20 . The protective headband of claim 19 , wherein the at least one layer of material of the at least one patch comprises at least one of polymeric material, composite material, soft material, hard material, elastic material, inelastic material, silicone, gel, foam, and plastic.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/715,088 filed on Nov. 1, 2024, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure relates generally to the field of protective headgear, and more particularly, to impact-resistant padding for protective headbands. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Conventionally, participants in “contact” sports (e.g., wrestling, football, rugby) wear protective headgear or headbands to cushion the force of impacts that are regularly received during those events. In recent years, the negative health effects of the impacts to the head experienced during such contact sports, as well as “non-contact” sports such as soccer have been a matter of focus. These negative health effects can be diminished or minimized by effectively cushioning participants from the forces of impacts. Accordingly, improved structures, such as impact-resistant headbands, are desired to lessen the impact forces experienced by those participants. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a protective headband including at least one padding layer having at least one length of material and at least one elastic connector configured to hold the shape of the at least one padding layer in a loop. In some embodiments, the protective headband further includes at least one reinforcement layer at least partially attached to at least one surface of the at least one padding layer. In some embodiments, the at least one padding layer comprises at least one break or gap in the layer. In some embodiments, the at least one elastic connector at least partially spans or covers the break or gap in the layer. In some embodiments, the at least one padding layer comprises at least one expansion joint positioned at the break or gap. In some embodiments, the at least one expansion joint comprises dovetailing portions formed in the at least one padding layer. In some embodiments, the at least one elastic connector comprises first and second elastic connectors, each at least partially spanning or covering the at least one break or gap in the layer. In some embodiments, the protective headband further includes a cover layer at least partially surrounding the at least one padding layer, the at least one elastic connector, and the at least one reinforcement layer. In some embodiments, the protective headband further includes at least one patch comprising at least one layer of material positioned on the cover layer. In some embodiments, the at least one patch comprises at least one of friction features, a pattern of friction features, raised portions, directional portions, ridges, bumps, indents, and detents. In some embodiments, the at least one patch comprises a first patch and a second patch, wherein the second patch is offset on the cover layer from the first patch. In some embodiments, at least one of the at least one padding layer, the at least one elastic connector, and the at least one reinforcement layer are configured to form one or more regions of varying elasticity around the loop. In some embodiments, the protective headband further includes adjustment means for adjusting the size of the loop comprising at least one selected from hook and loop, strap adjuster, and buckle. In some embodiments, the cover layer is removable from the other layers. In some embodiments, the cover layer comprises an opening for removing the other layers from the cover layer. In some embodiments, the cover layer comprises fastening means for the closing the opening comprising at least one of hook and loop, button, snap, and zipper. In some embodiments, the at least one padding layer comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: impact resistant material, elastomeric material, urethane rubbers, silicone rubbers, nitrile rubbers, butyl rubbers, acrylic rubbers, natural rubbers, styrene-butadiene rubbers, plastic, foam, open-cell foam, multi-durometer foam, memory foam, gel, and hydrogel. In some embodiments, the at least one reinforcement layer comprises at least one of woven material, fibrous material, high tensile strength fibrous material, natural fiber, synthetic fiber, cotton fiber, elastic fiber, elastic material, inelastic material, aramid fibers, fiberglass, and Kevlar®. In some embodiments, the cover layer comprises at least one of soft material, biocompatible material, woven material, synthetic material, natural material, cotton material, breathable material, sweat-resistant material and washable material. In some embodiments, the material of the at least one patch comprises at least one of polymeric material, composite material, soft material, hard material, elastic material, inelastic material, silicone, gel, foam, and plastic. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate sim