US 11,910,859 B2
Football helmet with impact attenuation system
Vittorio Bologna, Des Plaines, IL (US); Nelson Kraemer, Des Plaines, IL (US); and Thad M. Ide, Des Plaines, IL (US)
Assigned to Riddell, Inc., Des Plaines, IL (US)
Filed by Riddell, Inc., Des Plaines, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/813,294.
Application 16/813,294 is a continuation of application No. 15/131,730, filed on Apr. 18, 2016, granted, now 10,582,737.
Application 15/131,730 is a continuation of application No. 14/179,484, filed on Feb. 12, 2014, granted, now 9,314,063, issued on Apr. 19, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/763,803, filed on Feb. 12, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2020/0205506 A1, Jul. 2, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A42B 3/12 (2006.01); A42B 3/20 (2006.01); A42B 3/06 (2006.01); A42B 3/16 (2006.01); A42B 3/28 (2006.01); A63B 71/10 (2006.01); A42B 3/08 (2006.01); A42B 3/32 (2006.01)
CPC A42B 3/20 (2013.01) [A42B 3/062 (2013.01); A42B 3/068 (2013.01); A42B 3/08 (2013.01); A42B 3/125 (2013.01); A42B 3/128 (2013.01); A42B 3/16 (2013.01); A42B 3/205 (2013.01); A42B 3/283 (2013.01); A42B 3/326 (2013.01); A63B 71/10 (2013.01)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A football helmet to be worn by a player while playing football, the helmet comprising:
a one-piece shell including:
a crown portion defining an upper region of the shell;
a front portion extending generally forwardly and downwardly from the crown portion, the front portion including a lower frontal region that extends continuously along the front portion;
left and right side portions extending generally downwardly and laterally from the crown portion, each of the left and right side portions having an ear flap configured to overlie an ear of the player wearing the helmet;
a rear portion extending generally rearwardly and downwardly from the crown portion; and,
means for dynamically varying impact response of the shell when an impact is applied to the shell, wherein said means includes an entire continuous gap formed completely through the shell and above the lower frontal region, said continuous gap having both a substantially vertical gap segment and a substantially horizontal gap segment extending laterally from the vertical gap segment towards one of the left and right side portions of the shell.