US 12,011,056 B2
Protective helmet with integrated rotational limiter
Samuel J. Shaffer, Santa Cruz, CA (US); Mark A. Busse, Santa Cruz, CA (US); Rafael T. Ramirez, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Eamon Briggs, Santa Cruz, CA (US)
Assigned to Bell Sports, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US)
Filed by Bell Sports, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/131,712.
Application 18/131,712 is a continuation of application No. 17/064,159, filed on Oct. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,647,804.
Application 17/064,159 is a continuation of application No. 15/990,567, filed on May 25, 2018, granted, now 10,834,988.
Application 15/990,567 is a continuation of application No. 15/638,257, filed on Jun. 29, 2017, granted, now 10,010,126, issued on Jul. 3, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0255296 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A42B 3/06 (2006.01); A42B 3/12 (2006.01); A42B 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC A42B 3/064 (2013.01) [A42B 3/12 (2013.01); A42B 3/283 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A helmet comprising:
an outer liner comprising a rotational limiter comprising an arresting surface on an interior surface of the outer liner proximate a majority of the perimeter of the outer liner;
an inner liner comprising an edge connecting an exterior surface of the inner liner to an interior surface of the inner liner wherein the edge faces the arresting surface of the rotational limiter and the inner liner is coupled to the interior surface of the outer liner through at least one return spring, wherein the exterior surface of the inner liner is slidably coupled to the interior surface of the outer liner; and
wherein the at least one return spring is configured to bias the inner liner toward a first position and return the inner liner to the first position in response to movement of the outer liner relative to the inner liner caused by an impact to the helmet.