HELMET MOISTURE REMOVAL SYSTEM

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/914,400, filed Apr. 27, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] The invention relates to a moisture removal system for protective helmets. More specifically, the invention relates to helmets with a moisture removal system that includes an absorbent region is positioned on the inside of the helmet and an evaporative region positioned outside of the helmet.

[0003] Traditional helmet liner, harness, and padding systems used in military and sporting applications often contain moisture-absorption components, such as fabrics, that absorb a user's perspiration or other moisture released within a helmet. For example, protective padding located on the inside surface of a helmet usually employs a moisture-wicking fabric that covers the side of a pad in contact with the head of the user in order to help remove perspiration from the head and adjacent areas surrounding the pad. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,099, which describes a cushioning structure used within military helmets that includes a moisture-removing outer layer.

[0004] However, when the user perspires for a long period of time, the moisture-removing layer can become saturated and no longer absorb perspiration generated by the user. This may occur as a result of the rate of evaporation of the perspiration or other moisture contained within the helmet being insufficient to prevent saturation of the fabric, and is particularly likely to occur when the helmet is worn in a hot and/or humid environment. When the fabric or other moisture-absorption components of the helmet become saturated, the user may become uncomfortable and/or overheated due to the accumulation of moisture and the helmet's diminished capacity to dissipate heat. This discomfort can negatively affect the performance of the user and may cause the user to remove the helmet, which eliminates the protection conferred by the helmet and may result in injury.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for an improved method or device for preventing perspiration and other moisture from accumulating within a helmet, particularly within the moisture absorbing materials such as fabrics that may be provided within a helmet.

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a protective helmet that includes a concave shell of protective material including an inside surface and an outside surface, configured to cover at least an upper portion of a user's head, and a moisture removal system that includes an absorbent region and an evaporative region, wherein the absorbent region is positioned on the inside surface and the evaporative region is positioned outside of the helmet.

[0007] The protective helmet encompasses a wide variety of embodiments. For instance, in one embodiment, the absorbent region is attached to a helmet liner, harness, or padding system within the helmet. In another embodiment, the evaporative region is positioned on the outside surface of the helmet. In yet another embodiment, the moisture removal system includes a plurality of sheets. In further embodiments, the plurality of sheets comprise a moisture wicking material, and each of the sheets includes an absorbent region and an evaporative region. In yet another embodiment, the moisture wicking material includes a polyester or polypropylene fabric.

[0008] Alternately, the moisture removal system includes a single sheet. For embodiments that use a single sheet, the moisture removal system can further include a strap for holding a pad in the absorbent region and the evaporative region can include a plurality of straps that can be attached at the ends of the straps when they are wrapped over the outside surface of the helmet.

[0009] In another embodiment, the protective helmet includes a connective region is provided between the absorbent region and the evaporative region. In a further embodiment, the evaporative region is configured as camouflage. In yet another embodiment, the moisture removal system includes one or more sheets of moisture wicking material, each of which includes an absorbent region and an evaporative region. In further embodiments, the absorbent region is attached to a helmet liner, suspension, or padding system within the helmet. In another embodiment, the padding system includes a plurality of pads that include moisture wicking material connected by piping material to absorbent region. In a further embodiment, the evaporative region includes one or more folds in order to increase the evaporative surface area of the evaporative region. The protective helmet can be a combat helmet in some embodiments of the invention.

[0010] In another aspect, the present invention provides a moisture removal kit for a helmet that includes one or more sheets of moisture wicking material, each of which includes an absorbent region and an evaporative region, and means for attaching the absorbent region to the inside of the helmet and the evaporative region to the outside of the helmet. In one embodiment of the moisture removal kit, the moisture wicking material comprises a polyester or polypropylene fabric. In another embodiment, the one or more sheets of moisture wicking material are connected by piping material that includes means for attachment to one or more pads inside a helmet. In a further embodiment, the evaporative region includes one or more folds in order to increase the evaporative surface area of the evaporative region. In additional embodiments, the absorbent regions include one or more attachment devices to attach the absorbent regions to a harness, pad, or the inside surface of the helmet.

[0011] Unless otherwise specified, “a,” “an,” “the,” and “at least one” are used interchangeably and mean one or more than one. Also herein, the recitations of numerical ranges by endpoints include all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.). It is also understood that all spatial references, such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “top,” “upper,” “lower,” “bottom,” “left,” and “right,” are for illustrative purposes only and can be varied within the scope of the disclosure.

[0022] The present invention provides a device for use with a protective helmet that helps dissipate moisture accumulating in the helmet. The device can be included with a protective helmet, or added through use of a kit. Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a protective helmet 10 including an inside surface 12 and an outside surface 14 is provided. The protective helmet 10 forms a generally concave shell, and is configured to cover at least an upper portion of a user's head. The helmet 10 includes a front portion 16 that is positioned over the forehead of a user and a rear portion 18 that is positioned at the back of a user's head. Between the front portion 16 and the rear portion 18 are side portions 20 that pass near and may or may not cover the ears of the user. The helmet 10 may be configured to fit over the head of user's having a variety of head shapes and sizes.

[0023] The protective helmet 10 will typically be formed from a hard, impact absorbing material that provides the user with resistance to head injury due to impact, puncture, and/or abrasion when properly utilized. The particular material and exact configuration of the helmet will vary depending on its intended use. For example, helmets designed for sport use (e.g, skiing, bicycling, rock climbing, or football) are typically formed from a hard, lightweight plastic (e.g., polystyrene) to protect the user from falls or impacts, and may have an aerodynamic shape for high speed sports. Combat helmets, also known as ballistic helmets, represent another type of helmet, designed to provide protection against more severe threats such as bullets and shrapnel, and may be formed from steel or, more preferably, lightweight ballistic materials such as phenolic resin-treated fabrics (e.g., Kevlar or Aramid). Other examples of protective helmets 10 are those used by construction workers and security personnel such as riot police. Regardless of their intended use, all types of protective helmets are susceptible to moisture accumulation as a result of extended use, strenuous activity, or warm external temperature (e.g, 25° C. or higher).

[0024] The protective helmet 10 also includes a moisture removal system 22. The moisture removal system includes one or more sections of moisture-wicking materials to create a moisture attracting capillary effect that can transport water away from the inside the helmet. The moisture removal system 22 includes one or more absorbent regions 24 and one or more evaporative regions 26. The absorbent region 24, or regions, is positioned on the inside surface 12 of the protective helmet 10 where it is positioned to absorb moisture from the user. The evaporative region 26, or regions, on the other hand, is positioned on the outside surface 14 of the protective helmet 10 where it can release collected moisture into the air. The moisture removal system 22 can be attached to the inner surface 12 and/or the outer surface 14 of the protective helmet 10 using adhesives, clips, hook and loop fasteners, or other attachment devices known to those skilled in the art.

[0025] The moisture removal system 22 forms a moisture wicking path that draws the moisture from one or more moisture-absorbing or saturation-prone regions within the protective helmet 10 to keep the user comfortable and the helmet 10 dry. The absorbent region 24 and evaporative region 26 can be composed of the same moisture wicking material, or more than one type of moisture wicking material can be used. Wicking fabrics, as known by those skilled in the art, are typically formed of water-repellent fibers or microfibers formed into long parallel strands. Examples of moisture wicking materials include polyester or polypropylene fabrics such as Polartec® Series 100, Coolmax® Mesh, and PowderDry® Mesh.

[0026] As a result of the water-repellent nature of the moisture wicking material, water is not absorbed by the fabric but rather is carried along the fabric by capillary action to a region of lower water density. Accordingly, in the context of the present invention, water collected inside the helmet 10 by the absorbent region 24 will move by capillary action to the evaporative region 26, where the water density remains low due to evaporation of moisture into the air. Generally, the greater the difference between the moisture level of the air within the helmet and the moisture level of the air outside the helmet, the more rapidly the moisture removal system 22 will remove moisture from within the helmet 10 by capillary action.

[0027] The moisture removal system 22 can have a variety of different configurations. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the moisture removal system 22 can include one or more sheets 28 of moisture wicking material, each of which includes an absorbent region 24 and an evaporative region 26. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the moisture removal system 22 is shown as a plurality of rectangular sheets 28 of moisture wicking material positioned so that the absorbent region 24 is inside the helmet and the evaporative region 26 is positioned on the outside surface 14 of the helmet 10. The sheets 28 of moisture wicking material may be positioned so that they wrap around the rim 30 of the helmet 10. Alternately, rather than placing the evaporative region(s) 26 on the outer surface 14 of the helmet 10, they may be allowed to hang down freely from the helmet 10 to increase the surface area of the evaporative region 26.

[0028] The absorbent region 24 can be connected to the evaporative region 26 by a connective region 32. The connective region 32 may be provided at the point where the sheet 28 passes from the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 to the outside surface 14 of the helmet 10. The sheets 28 of moisture wicking material can be formed from a single piece of material, in which the absorbent region 24, the evaporative region 26, and the connective region 32 are simply all different functional regions within the sheet 28. Alternately, as shown in FIG. 3, the regions can be formed from different materials. For example, the connective region 32 can include thin strips or piping placed between the absorptive region 24 and the evaporative region 26. The use of thin strips or piping may provide greater flexibility and decreased encumbrance where the moisture removal system 22 is bends or fits between narrow holes in the helmet 10.

[0029] In a further embodiment, rather than wrapping the moisture wicking material around the rim 30, the connective region 32 of the sheets 28 can run directly through transfer holes 34 in the helmet 10, as shown in FIG. 4. Generally, it is preferable to reduce the path that moisture must travel through the moisture wicking material to reach the evaporative region 26 from the absorbent 24 region, since a shortened route allows the moisture inside the helmet 10 to be quickly transported or drawn outside of the helmet 10 where it will evaporate, and decreases the amount of moisture-laden fabric present within the helmet 10.

[0030] Various other configurations of the moisture removal system 22 are also contemplated within the scope of the invention. For example, all or part of both the inner surface 12 and outer surface 14 of the helmet 10 may be wrapped within moisture wicking material, in which case all or a part of the inner surface 12 of the helmet 10 would be covered by absorbent region 24 and all or part of the outer surface 14 of the helmet 10 would be covered by evaporative region 26. The connective region 32 in this embodiment can be positioned along the rim 30 or adjacent to one or more transfer holes 34.

[0031] The evaporative region 26 may also be shaped and textured in a variety of ways. For example, the evaporative region 26 may include one or more folds 36 to increase the evaporative surface area of the evaporative region 26. The evaporative surface area is the surface area over a given region from which evaporation can readily occur. For example, FIG. 5 shows an accordion pleated evaporative region “radiator” with a higher evaporative surface area than a flat, unfolded sheet of material. Not only does the folding provide for a greater evaporative surface area on the external face of the evaporative region 26, but it may also allow evaporation to occur from the internal face of the evaporative region 26 that faces the helmet 10. Evaporation leaving the evaporative region 26 is indicated by dotted arrows in the figure.

[0032] Alternately, or in addition, the evaporative region 26 can be configured to provide camouflage for the helmet 10, as shown in FIG. 6. An evaporative region 26 configured to provide camouflage will have a natural and/or irregular shape that helps hide or disrupt the profile of the helmet 10. For example, the evaporative region 26 may be formed to resemble leaves, twigs, or grass. While the shape of the evaporative region 26 is altered in this embodiment to provide camouflage, it still functions as an evaporative region 26, as described herein. Alternately, rather than being configured to provide camouflage itself, the moisture removal system 22 can be incorporated into an existing camouflage covers used on a combat helmet.

[0033] The moisture removal system 22 may be used as a stand-alone item within a protective helmet 10, or it may be integrated with a helmet liner, pads 38 and/or a harness 40 within the helmet 10. The moisture removal system 22 can be integrated with the pads and/or harness by attaching one or more absorbent regions 24 to the pads 38 and/or harness 40 with moisture wicking material. The attachment can be temporary using an attachment device 42 such as a clip or fabric hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®), or the moisture removal system 22 can be permanently attached to the pads 38 and/or harness by sewing or adhesives.

[0034] Pads 38 are sections of impact-resistant material that may be placed within the helmet 10 to decrease contact between the user's head and the helmet 10, which is typically made of a hard material. The pads 38 can also include a layer of moisture wicking material, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,099, the disclosure of which incorporated herein by reference. As a result of their positioning on the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 where they are in contact with the user's head, the pads 38 will often absorb perspiration from the user when the helmet 10 is being worn. The moisture removal system 22 can be positioned in contact with the pads 38 so that the absorbent regions 24 will absorb moisture from the pads 38 and wick it to the evaporative region 26, thereby drying the pads 38. An example of a moisture removal system 22 in which the pads 38 are contacted is shown in FIG. 2. The pads 38 may be positioned anywhere on the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 where they serve to increase the comfort and/or protection provided by the helmet 10.

[0035] The moisture removal system 22 can also be integrated with a harness 40. As shown in FIG. 2, a harness 40 used in a helmet 10 is typically composed of cloth straps 44 that are attached to the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 using rivets 46 and are connected to one another using a loop 48. In the configuration shown in the figure, the cloth straps 44 are long rectangular strips that are riveted at each end to the helmet 10 and wrap through the loop 48. The harness often also includes a headband 50 portion that runs along the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 and is attached to the cloth straps 44. By using several cloth straps 44, the harness 40 forms an elastic structure that can support the helmet 10 on a user's head while decreasing contact between the user's head and the hard shell of the helmet 10. However, as with the pads 38, the harness 40 has a tendency to absorb moisture from the head of the user which can accumulate if not removed. For example, the cloth straps 44 and headband 50 may accumulate moisture. The moisture removal system 22 can be positioned in contact with the cloth straps 44 and/or the headband 50 of the harness 40 so that the absorbent regions 24 will absorb moisture from the harness 40 and wick it to the evaporative region 26, thereby drying the harness 40.

[0036] The moisture removal system 22 can be provided as part of a helmet 10, or it can be provided as a moisture removal kit 52 that can be used to upgrade an existing helmet 10. An embodiment of the moisture removal kit 52 is shown in FIG. 7. The moisture removal kit 52 include one or more sheets 28 of moisture wicking material each of which include an absorbent region 24, a connective region 32, and an evaporative region 26. The absorbent regions 24 may include an attachment device 42 to attach the absorbent regions 24 of the moisture removal kit 52 to the inside surface 12 of the helmet 10 or to harnesses 40 or pads 38 provided within the helmet 10. A hanging line 54 may optionally be provided that connects all of the sheets 28 into a single moisture removal system 22 to help position the sheets 28, avoid loss of sheets, and ensure that an appropriate number of sheets 28 are provided for a given helmet 10. The hanging line 54 may be any suitable material, such as a wire, string, or thin strip of wicking material.

[0037] An additional embodiment of the moisture removal system 22 and a method for attaching the moisture removal system 22 to a protective helmet 10 is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A-9B. This embodiment of the moisture removal system 22 was specifically designed to provide a moisture removal system for the advanced combat helmet or the marine light-weight helmet. However, it can readily be used with a variety of other types of protective helmets 10. The absorbent region 24 is provided in the center region of this embodiment of the moisture removal system 22, whereas the flaps 56 provide the evaporative region 26.

[0038] This embodiment of the moisture removal system 22 can be used in protective helmets 10 that include multiple pads 38 that are secured to the inner surface 12 of the protective helmet 10 with hook and loop fasteners, as can be more readily seen in FIGS. 9A through 9C. While this embodiment of the moisture removal system 22 can be easily attached using pads attached by hook and loop fasteners, it can also be used in protective helmets which do include pads or attach the pads using other techniques.

[0039] The design consists of a wicking fabric capable of absorbing moisture and wicking it through as well as across the fabric in all directions. The fabric is constructed with multiple flaps 56 that can be extended over the outer surface 14 of a protective helmet 10. A strap 58 can be included, typically near the center of the moisture removal system 22, to secure a pad 38 to the moisture removal system 22. This pad 38 can be a “crown pad” that will be positioned in the center of the inside surface 12 of the protective helmet 10. The strap 58 attaches the pad 38 to the moisture removal system 22 while keeping a portion of the hook and loop fastener site 60 of the pad 38 exposed. The moisture removal system 22 is shown just before attachment in FIG. 9A. The hook and loop fastener site 60 of the pad 38 is then attached to one or more complementary hook and loop fastener sites 62 provided on the inner surface 12 of the protective helmet 10, effectively attaching the moisture removal system 22 to the inside surface 12 of the protective helmet 10.

[0040] The multiple flaps 56 can then be brought across the rim 30 of the protective helmet 10 to the outer surface 14, as shown in FIG. 9B. The flaps 56 are then attached to one another using attachment devices 42 (e.g., hook and loop fasteners) positioned at the ends of the flaps 56, as shown in FIG. 9C. In some embodiments, the fasteners 42 can be provided in such a manner that each flap 56 is attached to at least two of the other flaps 56 in order to better secure the moisture removal system 22 to the helmet 10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-9, a moisture removal system 22 that includes four flaps 56 is shown. The use of four flaps 56 readily allows the flaps 56 to extend over the outer surface 14 without interfering with the chinstrap or other devices such as a front night vision goggle mount that may be attached to the protective helmet 10.

[0041] The complete disclosure of all documents such as patents, patent applications, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference. While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood the invention is not limited thereto, and is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein, and includes all such changes and modifications as encompassed by the scope of the appended claim.