US2863151A - Protective pad - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1958 e. E. MORGAN, JR 2,863,151

PROTECTIVE PAD Filed April :50, 1956 v INVENTOR. 42 43 dz/mfiai/wmm/v JA.

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United States Patent PROTECTIVE PAD Gerard E. Morgan, Jr., Glenview, 111., assignor to John T. Riddell, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 30, 1956, Serial No. 581,531

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to a protective pad, particularly to a jaw pad for head-protective helmets which is formed and shaped to provide a maximum of comfort and pro tection to a wearer of the helmet.

It is common practice for persons engaged in certain kinds of hazardous occupations and in certain kinds of sports to wear helmets to protect the head from injury. Certain types of helmets, such as crash helmets worn by aviators and helmets worn by football players, are made with a semi-rigid shell which is usually molded of synthetic resins and which encircles the head almost completely except for the face. The shells of such helmets extend downward around the back and along the sides to form dependent neck and jaw sections to protect the wearers neck and jaws.

Various means have been proposed for securing the shell of such helmets to the wearers head. Some helmets, for example, have been provided with padding on the inside, the inner surface of which conforms more or less roughly to the shape of the human head. Other helmets have been provided with suspensions, such as is described in U. S. Patent No. 2,250,275, consisting of a series of bands or straps located in horizontal and in vertical planes within the crown of the helmet which are adapted to conform to the wearers head and which are secured in spaced relationship to the shell in such a way. that the shell can at no time be forced into contact with the wearers head -by a blow from the outside. Additional bands are generally provided inside the neckprotecting section of the helmet which prevent this part of the shell from coming into contact with the wearers neck. The dependent jaw sections of the shell are provided with internal pads which contact the wearers cheeks or jaws and with a chin strap which extends from one of the jaw sections around the wearers chin to the other jaw section. By means of these various devices, the helmet shell is positioned on and secured firmly to, but out of contact with, the wearers head in such a way that external blows on the shell are transmitted to the head only through the various pads or suspensions and their impact decreased greatly.

In concurrently filed co-pending application Serial No. 581,658 there is described and claimed a helmet having a semi-rigid shell with dependent jaw sections on the inner surface of which there are separably secured suitable jaw pads which, by reason of the fact that they can be removedand exchanged for pads of different thickness, contribute importantly to the ready fitting of a given helmet to individuals having differing widths through the jaw. In the concurrently filed co-pending application there is also described an improved jaw pad which can be separably secured to the jaw section of a head-protecting helmet and which has superior advantages over previously described pads. The present invention is concerned with the improved jaw pad disclosed in the co-pending application, including modifications thereof which can be permanently secured to helmet shells, and with a method for making it.

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The jaw pad of the present invention differs markedly and advantageously from pads hitherto described. It has heretofore been conventional practice to construct a jaw pad for helmets by enclosing a sufficient quantity of padding material as a shock-absorbing element between sheets of leather or flexible fabric, usually by sewing the sheets together around the edges with the body of padding material between them. Various kinds of padding material have been used, including sponge rubber and masses of unoriented fibers of various sorts. Such pads are effective in absorbing the shock of an impact on the helmet shell, especially when new. However, many of them become badly misshapen after being worn for a time and are characterized even when new by fitting the jaws of a wearer of the helmet only approximately. Because of the method in which they are constructed and because the inner surface of the helmet shell against which they bear is relatively flat, the padding is normally compressed around the edges of the pads and they invariably bulge in the center of the side contacting the wearers jaws. Because of this feature, they contact the wearers jaws only over a relatively small area under normal Wear. When they are pressed vigorously against the wearers jaws, e. g. when the helmet shell receives a blow on the outside, the pressure of the pad on the wearers jaws is distributed unevenly, being greater in the central region of the pad and diminishing toward its edges. This causes severe discomfort to the wearer and, in addition, produces a localized region at the center of the pad over which the pressure exerted on the wearers jaws may often be so great as to cause actual injury.

Using the methods heretofore disclosed for making jaw pads, it has been impossible to produce a pad overcoming these defects. The use of padding with a high degree of compressibility may alleviate the difliculty somewhat, but only at the expense of a lesser overall absorption of impact by the pad due to its easier complete compression by the force of a blow. Many pads have scams or other ridges or irregularities which are forced into contact with the face easily so as to cause irritation or actual cutting of the skin. For best protection and for the most comfort, it is essential that the shock-absorbing element have a certain degree of rigidity and resistance to compression, that it be unitary and return to its original size and configuration when the pres sure on it is relieved and that it exert as even pressure as possible on the wearers face over its entire area of contact with the face throughout its entire range of compression. The surface of the pad contacting the face should be soft and pliable and free of seams and other irregularities.

These effects are realized with the jaw pad of the present invention, which comprises an accurately contoured shock-absorbing element of a form-sustaining, highly resilient material, such as an accurately cut block of sponge rubber, having a desired and uniform degree of rigidity and resistance to compression. The shock-absorbing element is shaped to the precise configuration desired for the finished pad and is then covered with incasing elements of suitable flexibility which inclose it securely but which are contoured carefully to conform to its shape and size and thus normally cause little or no change in its configuration. Using such a pad mounted on the inner surface of the dependent jaw section of a semirigid helmet shell, the configuration of the pad can be such that it contacts the wearers face evenly and with uniform pressure over its entire area to produce a feeling of maximum comfort. Furthermore, because of the uniform contacting of the pad with the face and because of its uniform compressibility, any compression of the pad by reason of a blow on the helmet results in an in creased, but still uniform, pressure of the pad on the face over the entire contacting area. As a result, the pressure on the face is distributed evenly over as large an area as possible and maximum protection of the wearer of the helmet is afforded. Using such a pad it is entirely feasible, and preferred, to contour the surface ofthe pad which bears on the wearers face so that it conforms as nearly as possible to the contour of the face and the comfort and protection of the wearer is thus increased accordingly. Because of the highly resilient nature of the shock-absorbing element, the pad resumes its precise original shape immediately the pressure on it is relieved even after long periods of use.

The incasingelements can be formed of any suitable material having the desired properties. In a preferred modification, one of the incasing elements which, when the pad is secured on the helmet shell, is adjacent the surfac'e of the shell is essentially fiat and is generally provided with means for securing the pad either separably or permanently to a jaw section of the shell. The flat incasing element is preferably somewhat flexible, although its actual degree of flexibility can vary over a wide range. In the preferred modification, the incasing element which contacts the wearers face is the contoured element and is formed with an indentation or pocket into which the shock-absorbing element fits snugly, the depth of the pocket being essentially the same as the thickness of the'shock-absorbing element. The contoured incasing element is made of a soft flexible material of low elasticity, which is not uncomfortable when in contact with the face and which flexes readily when the shock-absorbing element is compressed. The incasing elements are then joined securely together, e. g. by sewing, by heat-sealing in the case of certain synthetic resins or in any other suitable fashion, closely adjacent the edge of the shock-absorbing element and any excess of theincasing element projecting beyond the seam is then trimmed off. An adhesive can be employed, if desired, to adhere the edges of the incasing elements together before joining to prevent shifting during the joining operation and to improve the joint and it may sometimes be advantageous to adhere the faces of the shock-absorbing element to the incasing elements.

It is' advantageous for one of the incasing elements to be essentially fiat since in this way the seam joining the two elements together is removed as far as possible from the wearers face and comes in contact therewith only under exceptional conditions of shock, if at all. Although the shock-absorbing element usually has parallel faces so that it is of the same thickness throughout, it can, with advantage, be contoured so that its thickness varies somewhat and its surface conforms more closely tothe contour of the wearers face. In such an instance it is advantageous and preferred to contour the incasingelements accordingly to avoid any air spaces between the three elements. The preferred contoured incasing element is made of soft, flexible leather which is performed in a heated mold, as will be explained, to

form in it a pocket having essentially the same configura- F tion and size as the shock-absorbing element.

The invention can be understood readily by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein, in the interest of clarity, certain features are shown on a somewhat exaggerated scale and wherein Figure 1 is an oblique elevation of a football type helmet showing the helmet tilted somewhat to illustrate clearly the type and location of jaw pads with which the present invention is concerned;

Figure 2' is a partial tilted oblique elevation of a helmet corresponding to Figure 1, but with the jaw pads removed;

. Figure 3 is an elevation of the jaw pad of Figure 1 after removal from the helmet, showing certain features of its construction} Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an exploded sectional elevation of a ja pad of the invention showing the inter-relationship of the parts thereof;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sectional sketch of apparatus useful in making one modification of the jaw pad of the invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken along the line VIIVII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic sectional sketch of the apparatus of Figure 6 but showing the relative positions of the parts at a different stage in the operation of the apparatus; and

Figure 9 is a seetional elevation similar to Figure 4 but showing a different modification of the jaw pad of the invention and one means of securing it permanently to the helmet shell.

The helmet illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing comprises' a helmet shell 11 of molded resinous construction having dependent jaw sections 12. The helmet is' fitted with a conventional head suspension consisting of bands 24 and 25 secured to the shell by rivets 14 and with a crown suspension consisting of bands 27 also seemed to the shell by the rivets 14 and extendingbover the crown of the wearers head. The bands 27 are generally adjustable at the top to permit the crown suspension to conform to the crown of the wearers head. The helmet is also provided with a neck suspension comprising'bands' 26 secured to the shell with rivets 16. Ear ports are located opposite the wearers'ears to facilitate hearing.

A jaw pad 22, formed as will hereinafter be described,

is secured to the inner surface of each dependent jaw section of the helmetin a position such that when the helmet is wornthe'pad will press'lightly on the jaws and rearward parts of the checks of the wearer. In the modification shown, the pads 22 are separably secured to the jaw sections of the shell by means of snap fasteners, one part 36 of each fastener being secured permanently at an appropriate location to the jaw section of the shell and the other part 37 of each fastener being secured to one side of the jaw pad 22, as illustrated in Figure 3. Therelationship of the parts when the pad 22 is secured on the surface of the jaw section of the helmet is illustrated clearly in Figure 4. In Figures 1 and 2 there is also shown one element 29 of an additional snap fastener by means of which the ends of a conventional chin strap, not shown in the drawing, can be secured to the jaw sections of the shell. v

The component elements of one species of the jaw pad of the invention are shown in Figure 5 prior to their assembly to form the pad. In the modification illus-' trated, the component parts comprise a shock-absorbing element 32 and a'pairof incasing elements 33 and 34. The shock-absorbing element 32 consists of a suitably shaped and accurately dimensioned block of a highly resilient compressible material which is chosen for the uniformity and effectiveness of its shock-absorbing qualities. Although any suitable material meeting these requirements can be employed, such as a foamed synthetic resin of suitable properties, the shock-absorbing element 32' is generally and preferably cut accurately from a mass of sponge rubber having the desired degree of resilience and uniform shock-absorbing qualities throughout. The exact shape of the shock-absorbing element 32 can, of course, be varied somewhat but it should be sufficiently large to furnish an adequate area of contact with the face. The shock-absorbing element 32 is often of uniform thickness although it can, if desired, be contoured so that it is of varying-thickness to conform more closely to the contour of the portion of the wearers. face which the pad contacts.

The incasing element 33 comprises, in the modification shown", an essentially flat sheet of suitable material to which there can be attached means, such as one element 37 of a snap fastener, by which the pad can be secured to the jaw section of the shell. The flat incasing element 33 is often formed of moderately heavy pliable leather although, since it does not generally come in contact with the wearers face and is not required to flex appreciably, it can be made from a sheet of any suitable material having any suitable degree of flexibility. certain instances it may be of considerable rigidity although it is generally preferred that it be relatively flexible.

The other incasing element 34, in the modification shown, is formed of a thin sheet of material which, because it contacts the wearers face, is chosen for its flexibility and comfortable feel When in contact with the skin. The incasing element 34 is usually made of soft pliable leather, although it can be made of other suitable substances, such as a molded pliable synthetic resin, if desired. The incasing element 34 is formed and contoured so that it comprises a depression or pocket 31, surrounded by a flat edge section 30 of the element, of the precise size and configuration of the shock-absorbing element 32 so that the latter can be slipped into the pocket and fit snugly therein. The depth of the pocket 31 is preferably equal to the thickness of the shockabsorbing element 32 so that when the element is inserted in the pocket its outer side and the section 30 of the incasing element 34 surrounding the pocket present an essentially continuous planar surface. The section of the incasing element 34 forming the bottom of the pocket is contoured to essentially the same configuration as the side of the shock-absorbing element 32 which it contacts. A suitable contoured incasing element 34 can be formed by molding a soft, pliable leather sheet in a mold underheat and pressure as will be described later.

Following the formation of the shock-absorbing element 32, the flat incasing element 33 and the contoured incasing element 34, the shock-absorbing element 32 is inserted in the pocket of the incasing element 34 and the flat incasing element 33 positioned so that it covers the element 32 and the edge section 30 of the contoured element 34. To provide for accurate positioning of the incasing elements with respect to one another, it is often desirable to coat the contacting surface of one or both of the elements with a suitable adhesive and to then press them together in a positioning mold. The two incasing elements are then joined together, e. g by sewing, as at 35 of Figures 3 and 4, closely adjacent the shockabsorbing element 32 and the excess of the two elements trimmed off, the final result being a pad such as that illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

It is to be noted that in the finished pad of the invention the shock absorbing element 32 is inclosed completely by the closely fitting incasing elements 33 and 34 but that, because of the contouring of the incasing elements, the shock-absorbing element is essentially uncompressed in the formed pad and retains its uniform shock-absorbing properties over its entire area. The result is that the entire area of the pad which contacts the face of a-wearer of the helmet presses thereon with a high degree of uniformity both under conditions of normal wear and also when the pressure of the pad on the face is increased sharply by a sudden external blow on the helmet shell. Because of this feature, maximum protection and comfort are afforded the wearer. Because of the highly resilient nature of the shock-absorbing element 32 and the flexible and contoured nature of the incasing element 34, the pad resumes its precise original shape as soon as external pressure on the shell is relieved.

The modification of the new jaw pad illustrated in Figure 9 is adapted to be secured permanently to the jaw section of a helmet. In the particular instance illustrated, the pad is fabricated so that one edge 53 of the flat incasing element 33 projects beyond the seam 35. The projecting edge 53 can be secured permanently, e. g. with rivets 52, to the helmet shell. The pad itself can thus be lifted from the surface of the jaw section of the shell without being detached therefrom to facilitate attachment of fittings, such as a chin strap or a face guard, to the jaw section. Other modifications of jaw pads which can be either separably or permanently secured to helmet shells are contemplated by the invention provided they comprise the essential features herein pointed out.

In the particular pads shown in the drawing, one of the incasing elements 33 is a fiat element and the necessary contouring of the elements is effected entirely with the other incasing element 34. This is of advantage in the case of jaw pads which contact the skin directly because it insures that the seam 35 is as far removed as possible from the surface of the face. Because of this feature, it is virtually impossible for the seam 35 to be driven into contact with the wearers face regardless of the force of an external blow on the helmet. There is thus no likelihood of the rough seam cutting the wearers face. Even when a severe blow is received and the shock-absorbing element 32 is compressed to essentially the maximum amount, the side wall of the pocket 31 folds outward over the seam, thus furnishing an added degree of protection against the wearer being cut by the seam. However, it is to be understood that in instances where such protection of the wearer from contact with the seam is not a particular factor, both of the incasing elements 33 and 34 can, if desired, be contoured and a pocket formed in each such that the combined depth of both pockets is essentially equal to the thickness of the shock-absorbing pad 32.

It has been mentioned that the incasing element 34 is formed by contouring a sheet of soft, pliable leather. Such contouring of a suitable leather sheet can be of fected in one suitable apparatus shown diagramatically in Figures 6, 7 and 8. The apparatus shown comprises a mold block 42, e. g. of metal, which can be positioned horizontally and which has a vertical cavity 44 in it having a cross section of the precise size and configuration of the outside of the pocket which is to be formed in the leather sheet. A traveling block 45 is provided which fits snugly in the cavity 44 and which is free to travel vertically therein. The block is normally maintained with its upper surface essentially co-planar with the upper surface of the mold block 42 by a helical spring 46 positioned beneath it in the cavity and resting on a plate 47 which is secured to the bottom of the mold block 42 by suitable bolts 54. The traveling block 45 can thus be depressed in the cavity 44 by pressure upon its upper surface but returns to its uppermost position immediately upon relief of the pressure. Suitable means, not shown, can be provided to limit the upward travel of the traveling block 45.

A reciprocable male block 48 having the precise configuration of the inside surface of the pocket to be formed in the leather sheet is positioned above the traveling block 45 and is driven, by means not shown, through a rod so that it reciprocates vertically and in its downward position enters into the cavity 44, pushing the traveling block 45 ahead of it. The male block 48 is preferably formed with a horizontal flange 56 around its upper edge which projects outward past the edge of the cavity 44. The mold block 42 and usually the traveling block 45 and the male block 48 are heated in a suitable manner, e. g. by electric heaters 43, to a suitable degree.

In operating the apparatus, the parts are heated to the required temperature and the male block 48 is retracted upwardly. A suitable sheet of leather 57 is then spread across the surface of the traveling block 45 and mold block 42 so that it projects for a suitable distance past the edge of the cavity 44. The male block 48 is then forced downward in response to power exerted on the shaft 55 ing the'trave'lingblock45 ahead ef'it. ,At the llmlt of the travel of the' male'bloch 48 downward theedges' of the leathersheet arepress'ed firmly between the flange 56 and the top of the mold block 42, the sides of the pocket formed in the leather sheet are pressed securely between the side of the male block 48 and the side Wall of the cavity 44 and the bottom of the pocket is pressed securely between the male block 48 and the traveling block 45, as shown in'Figure 8. The heated mold is left closed'for a suitable length of timeto cause the leather to assume its molded shape and the male block then retracted upwardly Becausetof the actionof the spring 46, the traveling block 45 follows closely behind and pushes the contoured incas ing element'put of the cavity.

Although the invention has been described With particular reference to a jaw pad for a helmet, it should be mentioned that the invention is not limited to jaw pads alone but also contemplates'other body-protecting pads which must be worn in contact with the body or clothing a and which are intended to absorb the shock of blows imparted either to the pad itself or to arigid member to which the pad is secured. Such other body-protecting pad's'in'clude ch'in guards, shoulder and hip protectors and other-items of protective apparel.

I claim: y

In a body-protecting pad, the'combination including: a shaped, compressible, resilient shock absorbin'g element of substantially uniform thickness throughout and having substantially parallel upperand lower surfaces and edge wall's substantially normal thereto; incasing elements secured to one another and incasing the shock-absorbing element between them, one of said incasing elements being "of flexible material and having a substantially flat surface abutting the inner surface of said shock-absorbing elementaiidthe other of said incasing elements being of sQft fleXibIe material and having preformed therein a pocket of substantially the same configuration as that of the shock-absorbing element, said pocket snugly receiving said compressible shock-absorbing element without compressing it;' and means securing the adjacent edge portions of the incasing elements together in the plane of the lower surface of the pad; the arrangement being such that the shock-absorbing element has an essentially constant resistance to compression over its entire area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,953 Turner Jan. 26, 1932 2 ,250,275 Riddell -Q July 22, 1941 2,505,272 Blalock et al. Apr. 25, 1950 2,758,304 McGowan Aug. 14, 1956 2,785,404 Strohm Mar. 19, 1957

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