AU2021107350A4

AU2021107350A4 - Improved protective headgear for sporting activities

Info

Publication number: AU2021107350A4
Application number: AU2021107350A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Zackery Beaven
Original assignee: Patterson Projects Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Patterson Projects Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-25
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2021-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-25

Abstract

The protective headgear 1 has a hollow body 2 defining an interior cavity sized to receive and snuggly engage with the user's head. A nose protection member 6 is disposed on the body 2 in front of each of the ear ports 3. The nose protection member 6 has an outer surface 7 which, in use, extends in front of the user's nose and cheekbones. The nose protection member 6 also has an inner surface 8 which, in use, is in contact with, or in close proximity to the cheekbones and/or the nose. 4 1 9 3 8 6 7 5 Fig. 1

Description

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Fig. 1

IMPROVED PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR FOR SPORTING ACTIVITIES TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to protective headgear for use in some sporting contexts. Embodiments of the present invention find application, though not exclusively, in sports such as boxing, football and the like.

BACKGROUNDART

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia or elsewhere before the priority date of this application.

Prior art headgear commonly used in boxing and similar sports is shaped so as to fit around the user's head. The front side of such headgear typically has an upper portion that, in use, is in contact with the user's forehead. Below the upper portion is an eye port and below the eye port some prior art headgear also includes a nose bar that bridges across the face in front of the wearer's nose. The headgear is configured such that, when it is being worn upon a user's head, the nose bar is positioned in front of the wearer's nose and cheek bone region. This spacing of the nose bar from the face is typically approximately 1 cm to 2 cm or more. However, it has been appreciated by the inventor of the present application that a sufficiently hard impact upon the nose bar of this prior art design may cause movement of the nose bar relative to the wearer's head, which can result in the nose bar impacting against the wearer's nose and thereby potentially causing significant injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or substantially ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided protective headgear for use by a user having a head with a face defining a nose and a pair of cheekbones respectively disposed on either side of the nose, the protective headgear including: a hollow body defining an interior cavity sized to receive and snuggly engage with the user's head; and a nose protection member disposed on the body, the nose protection member being at least partially formed from a shock absorbent material having an outer surface which, in use, extends in front of the user's nose and cheekbones, the nose protection member having an inner surface which, in use, is in contact with, or in close proximity to, at least one of: the cheekbones; and/or the nose.

In one embodiment the nose protection member includes an inner layer formed from a soft material, an intermediate layer formed from a firmer material and an outer layer formed

from a rigid material. Preferably the soft material is a low-density polymer, the firmer material is a higher density polymer and the rigid material is a plastics material. More specifically, the low-density polymer may be an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam having a density within a range of 30kg/m3 to 90kg/m3 and the higher density polymer may be an ethylene vinyl acetate foam having a density of greater than 90kg/m3 .

In another embodiment the nose protection member is at least partially formed from a rate sensitive material having stress vs. strain characteristics that are dependent on a rate of impact loading.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided by way of example only, together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a right-side perspective view of a first embodiment of the protective headgear according to the invention being worn by a user;

Figure 2 is an upper-frontal perspective view of the first embodiment being worn by a user;

Figure 3 is a left-frontal perspective view of the first embodiment being worn by a user;

Figure 4 is an upper-frontal perspective view of a second embodiment; and

Figure 5 is an upper-left side perspective view of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the figures, the protective headgear 1 has a hollow body 2 defining an interior cavity sized to receive and snuggly engage with the user's head. The body 2 is formed from an impact absorbing material, for example an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam. The body is wrapped in an outer layer formed from a material, such as leather or synthetic leather, with the outer layer being secured in place with large stitching to contribute to the overall durability of the product.

A pair of ear ports 3 are respectively disposed at either side of the body 2 to provide clearance for the user's ears. This allows the internal sides of the body 2 to sit flush against the sides of the user's head. The upper portion 4 of the body 2 extends around the full circumference of the user's head, including across the user's forehead. An eye port 9 is disposed below the upper portion 4.

A mouth/chin port 5 is disposed at the lower front extremity of the body 2. Although not shown in the figures, an adjustable buckle is disposed adjacent the mouth/chin port 5. In use, the buckle bridges from one side of the mouth/chin port 5 to the other, thereby extending beneath the user's chin and helping to retain the headgear in the desired position upon the user's head. Also not shown in the figures is a flap that is securable at the rear of the headgear with the use of hook and loop fasteners to further secure the headgear in place. Although once again not shown in the figures, straps are provided at the top of the body 2 so as, in use, to extend across the top of the user's head. A lacing system is used to allow the tension in these straps to be adjusted to suit the user's fitment preference. The straps may be made from various materials, such as leather or synthetic leather, for example.

A nose protection member 6 is disposed on the body 2 in front of each of the ear ports 3. The nose protection member 6 has an outer surface 7 which, in use, extends in front of the user's nose and cheekbones. The nose protection member 6 also has an inner surface 8 which, in use, is in contact with, or in close proximity to the cheekbones and the nose. As used in this patent specification, including within the claims, phrases such as "in close proximity to", and the like, are to be construed as implying a separation distance of equal to, or less, than a couple of millimetres. That is, in some embodiments whilst in the normal usage resting position, substantially the full length of the inner surface 8 of the nose protection member 6 rests gently upon the user's cheeks and nose as best illustrated in figure 2. In other embodiments the normal resting position of the inner surface 8 of the nose protection member 6 is within a couple of millimetres of the user's cheeks and/or nose.

The lower side of the nose protection member 6 in the region of the user's nostrils provides sufficient clearance to allow unencumbered breathing through the user's mouth and nose.

The inner layer 8 (i.e., the layer closest to the user's nose and cheekbones) of the nose protection member 6 is formed from a soft material such as a low-density polymer, for example an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam having a density within a range of 30kg/m3 to kg/m 3 . This allows the inner layer of the nose protection member 6 to rest gently against the user's cheekbones and nose in a comfortable and unobtrusive manner. In some embodiments this is further enhanced by lining the inner layer 8 with a fabric that contacts upon the user's cheeks and/or nose.

An intermediate layer of the nose protection member 6 is formed from a firmer material as compared to the material used for the inner layer 8. The firmer material may be a higher density polymer, for example an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam having a density of greater than 90kg/m 3, and is intended to offer higher shock absorbency as compared to the softer material of the inner layer 8.

The outer layer 7 is formed from a rigid material such as a plastics material, for extra shock absorbency and to help spread impact loads across a greater surface area. The plastics material used in one of the embodiments is polycarbonate, which provides good impact resistance properties. In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the rigid material of the outer layer 7 curves and extends upwards between the user's eyes and ears on either side of the face so as to provide further impact protection in those regions. The rigid outer layer 7 is omitted from the second embodiment as illustrated in figures 4 and 5.

In another embodiment the nose protection member 6 is at least partially formed from a rate sensitive material having stress vs. strain characteristics that are dependent on a rate of impact loading. One commercially available example of a rate sensitive material is marketed under the trademark D30*, which is flexible in its resting state, but which increases in stiffness in response to an impact so as to exhibit good impact energy absorption properties, when needed. Once an impact event is over, the D30@, relatively quickly returns to its flexible resting state, which helps to provide comfort and compliance.

The above-described embodiments make use of various specified materials. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that alternative materials also having suitable properties, such as shock absorbency, resiliency, light weight, waterproofness, UV resistance, durability, etc, may be utilised in other embodiments.

It is believed that the provision in the preferred embodiments of impact absorbent materials either in contact with of the user's cheeks and nose, or in the region immediately in front of the user's cheeks and nose, is likely to provide improved shock absorption performance, and therefore better user safety, as compared to the prior art helmets described above.

While a number of preferred embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Protective headgear for use by a user having a head with a face defining a nose and a pair of cheekbones respectively disposed on either side of the nose, the protective headgear including: a hollow body defining an interior cavity sized to receive and snuggly engage with the user's head; and a nose protection member disposed on the body, the nose protection member being at least partially formed from a shock absorbent material and having an outer surface which, in use, extends in front of the user's nose and cheekbones, the nose protection member having an inner surface which, in use, is in contact with, or in close proximity to, at least one of: the cheekbones; and/or the nose.

2. Protective headgear according to claim 1 wherein the nose protection member includes an inner layer formed from a soft material, an intermediate layer formed from a firmer material and an outer layer formed from a rigid material.

3. Protective headgear according to claim 2 wherein the soft material is a low-density polymer, the firmer material is a higher density polymer and the rigid material is a plastics material.

4. Protective headgear according to claim 3 wherein the low-density polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam having a density within a range of 30kg/m3 to 90kg/m3 and wherein the higher density polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate foam having a density of greater than 90kg/m3 .

5. Protective headgear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the nose protection member is at least partially formed from a rate sensitive material having stress vs. strain characteristics that are dependent on a rate of impact loading.

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Fig. 1