초록 ▼

A liner adapted to be interposed between the interior surface of a protective headgear and a wearer's head includes a plurality of networked fluid cells adapted to distribute and dissipate an impact force to the liner, and/or headgear with which the liner is used, across a larger area of the wearer'

A liner adapted to be interposed between the interior surface of a protective headgear and a wearer's head includes a plurality of networked fluid cells adapted to distribute and dissipate an impact force to the liner, and/or headgear with which the liner is used, across a larger area of the wearer's head as compared with the impact location, and also to dampen the tendency of the wearer's head from rebounding back from the impact location by transferring fluid through the network from fluid cells at the impact location to those in an opposed region. Discrete fluid cells interspersed among the networked fluid cells maintain the liner and/or the headgear in a predetermined orientation on the wearer's head. Fluid flow within the liner may be restricted or directed by configuring the fluid passageways. A liner may further include means for moving fluid into or out of the fluid cells.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A liner for protective headgear adapted to be interposed between the interior surface thereof and a wearer's head received therein, the liner comprising: a plurality of fluid cells formed from a flexible, fluid-impermeable material, each fluid cell adapted to receive and store fluid therein, the

1. A liner for protective headgear adapted to be interposed between the interior surface thereof and a wearer's head received therein, the liner comprising: a plurality of fluid cells formed from a flexible, fluid-impermeable material, each fluid cell adapted to receive and store fluid therein, the plurality of fluid cells further including: a group of networked fluid cells extending in a hub-and-spoke arrangement across the liner, where: the networked fluid cells define the hubs in the hub-and-spoke arrangement, the networked fluid cells being spaced from one another;elongate fluid passageways define the spokes in the hub-and-spoke arrangement, the elongate fluid passageways interconnecting two networked fluid cells; andthe networked fluid cells and the elongate fluid passageways cooperate to equalize fluid pressure across the networked fluid cells responsive to a force delivered to a networked fluid cell by communicating fluid through the elongate fluid passageways between the group of networked fluid cells; anda group of discrete, non-networked fluid cells encompassed by at least two networked fluid cells and the fluid passageways interconnecting them, wherein the discrete fluid cells are completely separate from the networked fluid cells;wherein at least some of the discrete fluid cells position the headgear on a wearer's head and maintain an initial spaced relationship between the user's head and the interior surface of the headgear when the fluid pressure in the networked fluid cells is at least a predetermined minimum value. 2. The liner of claim 1, wherein the fluid cells are arranged in a single layer. 3. The liner of claim 2, wherein each of the group of discrete fluid cells are laterally encompassed either by at least one networked cell or a combination of at least two networked cells and a fluid passageway extending therebetween. 4. The liner of claim 2, wherein the material is formed such that the layer in which the fluid cells are arranged has an exterior side that faces the interior surface of the headgear, and an interior side forming a concavity adapted to receive a user's head; wherein the interior side defines a surface from which the fluid cells project; andwherein, when the fluid pressure in the fluid cells is at least a predetermined minimum value, the discrete fluid cells project into the concavity from the surface to a greater extent than the networked fluid cells. 5. The liner of claim 1, wherein at least some of the fluid cells are configured to release fluid responsive to a predetermined threshold fluid pressure. 6. The liner of claim 5, wherein such fluid cells are configured to rupture responsive to the predetermined threshold fluid pressure. 7. The liner of claim 5, further including at least one reserve fluid cell communicating with at least one such fluid cell, the reserve fluid cell configured to accept fluid released from the fluid cell responsive to the predetermined threshold fluid pressure. 8. The liner of claim 1, wherein the material is formed such that the liner includes crown, opposed front and back, and opposed left and right regions shaped to protect the respective crown, front, back, left, and right portions of the user's head; and wherein the plurality of fluid cells includes at least one group of networked cells adapted to dampen the tendency of the wearer's head from rebounding from a location on the liner in response to a force delivered thereto by distributing fluid from one or more of the front, back, left, and right regions toward the respective one or more opposed regions. 9. The liner of claim 1, wherein the fluid pressure in the plurality of fluid cells is at least the predetermined minimum value. 10. The liner of claim 9, wherein the fluid in at least some of the fluid cells is air. 11. The liner of claim 1, wherein at least some of the fluid passageways include fluid restricting means configured to limit the rate at which fluid is transferred therethrough; wherein the fluid restricting means defines a circuitous pathway along at least a portion of the length of the associated fluid passageway. 12. The liner of claim 1, further including pressurizing means disposed on said liner for selectively moving fluid into and out of the plurality of fluid cells. 13. The liner of claim 1, wherein the adjacent surfaces of two superimposed sheets of said material are sealed at regions internally of their peripheries to form the plurality of fluid cells and fluid passageways. 14. The liner of claim 1, wherein: a first set of fluid passageways include a fluid restricting means configured to limit the rate at which fluid is transferred through the first set of fluid passageways; anda second set of fluid passageways do not include fluid restricting means to preferentially transfer fluid through the second set of fluid passageways. 15. The liner for protective headgear of claim 1, wherein the fluid passageways: describe substantially straight extending pathways between spaced networked fluid cells; anddefine a cross-sectional size selected to restrict fluid flow among the networked fluid cells. 16. The liner for protective headgear of claim 1, wherein: each cell in the group of networked fluid cells define a first height; andeach cell in the group of discrete, non-networked cells defines a second height that differs from the first height to define a substantially constant vertical spacing between the networked cells and the wearer's head. 17. A liner for protective headgear adapted to be interposed between the interior surface thereof and a wearer's head received therein, the liner comprising: a plurality of spaced fluid cells formed from a flexible, fluid-impermeable material, each fluid cell adapted to receive and store fluid therein, the plurality of fluid cells further including: a group of networked fluid cells which each communicate with at least one other spaced networked fluid cell via an elongate fluid passageway extending therebetween, each networked fluid cell defining a distinct, fluid-restrictive wall substantially enclosing the interior of the fluid cell, each wall being initially spaced from the walls of other networked fluid cells; anda group of discrete, non-networked fluid cells interspersed among the networked fluid cells;wherein: the networked cells are ring-shaped and the discrete, non-networked cells are encompassed thereby; andwhen the fluid pressure in the fluid cells is at least a predetermined minimum value, at least some of the discrete fluid cells are configured to extend from the interior surface toward the wearer's head a distance sufficient to abut the wearer's head to position the headgear on a wearer's head and to maintain an initial spaced relationship between the user's head and the interior surface of the headgear, and the fluid passageways are configured to equalize fluid pressure across the networked fluid cells of the group responsive to a force delivered thereto by communicating fluid through the elongate fluid passageways extending between the group of networked fluid cells.