FIELD HOCKEY PLAYER HELMET

Abstract

 A field hockey player helmet (1) for swiftly putting on and putting off by defending field players so as to be protected during a penalty corner, said helmet comprising a metal lattice (2) to be worn in front of a user's face (3) and a skull protection portion (4) wherein the metal lattice (2) and the skull protection portion (4) are connected or connectable to each other, and the skull protection portion (4) is of a foam capable to absorb energy from colliding hockey balls and to conform to a user's head shape, wherein the metal lattice (2) is provided with a foam cushion (5) at the lattice's inner side facing a user's face (3), which cushion (5) is arranged to engage a user's cheeks and chin (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a field hockey player helmet comprising a metal lattice to be worn in front of a user's face and a skull protection portion protecting the user's forehead and sides of the head, and wherein the metal lattice and the skull protection portion are connected or connectable to each other. Such a field hockey player helmet is known from US2013/0232670, wherein the skull protection portion is of a foam capable to absorb energy from colliding hockey balls and to conform to a user's head shape. The presence of such a skull protection portion protecting the user's forehead and sides of the head is essential to provide the required protection in field hockey.

[0002] Hockey helmets as the one disclosed by US2013/0232670 are known to be worn by hockey keepers. An important part of field hockey is that at times a penalty corner is given against the defending team. When a penalty corner is taken the field players of the defending team assemble at the back field line, in order to quickly try to conquer the ball when it is pushed from the corner to a forward of the attacking team so as to enable the forward to push or hit the ball into the goal. This is a relatively dangerous situation and the defending field players must therefore wear protection. If however the attacking team fails to push or hit the ball into the goal, the defending team has to be ready for an immediate counterattack, at which time they must quickly do away with the protection.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a field hockey player helmet which is to be used by defending field players, which is easy and quickly to put before one's face so that it stably and reliably remains before the players face, but is also easy to remove quickly as opposed to the known hockey helmet which is worn by hockey keepers.

[0004] According to the invention a field hockey player helmet is proposed with the features of one or more of the appended claims.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention the field hockey player helmet has the characterizing feature that the metal lattice is provided with a foam cushion at the lattice's inner side facing a user's face, which cushion is arranged to engage a user's cheeks and chin. The feature that the foam conforms to the user's head shape together with the metal lattice being provided with a foam cushion at the lattice's inner side, and which cushion is arranged to engage a user's cheeks and chin makes the field hockey player helmet of the invention particularly suitable for quickly putting the helmet on or off, while at the same time any noticeable play between the user's head and the helmet is avoided so that the helmet may be quickly and reliably put in a stable and secure position in front of the players face. In other words: the cushion engaging the user's cheeks and chin supports a reliable fit that is maintained in the proper position when the helmet is temporarily worn on the user's head.

[0006] It is preferred that the foam is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate, which is a known and inexpensive component which is particularly suitable for the envisaged purpose.

[0007] Desirably the foam is a dual layer foam with different densities, wherein a first foam layer at the outside of the helmet, which in use faces away from the user's skull has a higher density than a second foam layer at the inside of the helmet facing the user's skull.

[0008] It is preferred that the density of the first layer is at least 30% higher than the density of the second layer.

[0009] Suitably the first layer has a thickness of at least 4 mm, and the second layer has a thickness of at least 10 mm. practical values may be 5 mm for the first layer and 12 mm for the second layer.

[0010] Contrary to known hockey helmets that are integral, it is according to the invention preferred that the helmet is provided with at least a first strap for removably connecting the metal lattice and the skull protection portion to each other and positioning the metal lattice and the skull protection portion with respect to each other. This enables the easy adjustment of the field hockey player helmet to different users with different head sizes.

[0011] It is further desirable that the skull protection portion is embodied with a foldable single piece provided with side flaps and a top flap, wherein each of said side flaps and top flap is provided with apertures, and wherein a further strap or straps are guided through said apertures so as to enable adjusting and maintaining the single piece into a shape tailored to a user's skull.

[0012] The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of a field hockey player helmet according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims.

[0013] In the drawing:

• figures 1 - 3 shows a field hockey player helmet of the invention from different angles;
• figures 4 and 5 show the field hockey player helmet of the invention as worn by a user;
• figure 6 shows a component and an intermediate assembled state of the field hockey player helmet of the invention; and
• figure 7 the component of figure 6 in detail.

[0014] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same or similar parts.

[0015] Figures 1 - 3 show a field hockey player helmet 1 from a front side, a right side, and from below. The helmet 1 comprises a metal lattice 2 to be worn in front of a user's face 3 as is depicted in figures 4 and 5.

[0016] The helmet 1 further comprises a skull protection portion 4. The metal lattice 2 and the skull protection portion 4 are connected or connectable to each other, and the skull protection portion 4 is of a foam capable to absorb energy from colliding hockey balls so as to protect the user's forehead and sides of the head. It is further designed to conform to a user's head shape as is most clearly shown in figure 5. The foam is preferably a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.

[0017] The figures 1 - 5 further show that the metal lattice 2 is provided with a foam cushion 5 at the lattices inner side which in use faces a user's face 3. This cushion 5 is arranged to engage a user's cheeks and chin 6. This is best shown in figures 4 and 5.

[0018] The helmet 1 is provided with at least a first strap 7 for removably connecting the metal lattice 2 and the skull protection portion 4 to each other, and positioning the metal lattice 2 and the skull protection portion 4 with respect to each other.

[0019] In the right hand side of figure 6 the field hockey player helmet 1 of the invention is shown in an intermediate assembled state, together with -on the left-hand side of figure 6- a foldable single piece 8 provided with side flaps 9 and a top flap 10. This foldable single piece 8 is of the foam used for forming the skull protection portion 4. In order to enable the formation of the skull protection portion 4 from the foldable single piece 8, each of said side flaps 9 and top flap 10 is provided with apertures 11. As may be best seen in figure 3 a further strap or straps 12 are guided through said apertures 11 so as to form and maintain the single piece 8 into a skull protection portion 4 with a shape tailored to a particular user's skull.

[0020] With particular reference to figure 7 it is depicted that the foam of the single piece 8 which is used for the formation of the skull protection portion 4 is a dual layer foam with different densities, wherein a first foam layer 13, which in use faces away from the user's skull, has a higher density than a second foam layer 14, which in use faces the user's skull. The density of the first layer 13 is at least 30% higher than the density of the second layer 14. Further the first layer 13 has a thickness of at least 4 mm, and the second layer 14 has a thickness of at least 10 mm. Practical values are 5 mm for the thickness of the first layer 13, and 12 mm for the thickness of the second layer 14.

[0021] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a field hockey player helmet according to the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

Claims

1. A field hockey player helmet (1) for swiftly putting on and putting off by defending field players so as to be protected during a penalty corner, said helmet comprising a metal lattice (2) to be worn in front of a user's face (3) and a skull protection portion (4) protecting the user's forehead and sides of the head, and wherein the metal lattice (2) and the skull protection portion (4) are connected or connectable to each other, and the skull protection portion (4) is of a foam capable to absorb energy from colliding hockey balls and to conform to a user's head shape, characterized in that the metal lattice (2) is provided with a foam cushion (5) at the lattice's inner side facing a user's face (3), which cushion (5) is arranged to engage a user's cheeks and chin (6).

2. The field hockey player helmet of claim 1, characterized in that the foam is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.

3. The field hockey player helmet of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the foam is a dual layer foam with different densities, wherein a first foam layer (13) in use facing away from the user's skull has a higher density than a second foam layer (14) facing the user's skull.

4. The field hockey player helmet of claim 3, characterized in that the density of the first layer (13) is at least 30% higher than the density of the second layer (14).

5. The field hockey player helmet of claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first layer (13) has a thickness of at least 4 mm, and the second layer (14) has a thickness of at least 10 mm.

6. The field hockey player helmet of any one of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the helmet (1) is provided with at least a first strap (7) for removably connecting the metal lattice (2) and the skull protection portion (4) to each other, and positioning the metal lattice (2) and the skull protection portion (4) with respect to each other.

7. The field hockey player helmet of any one of claims 1 - 6, characterized in that the skull protection portion (4) is embodied with a foldable single piece (8) provided with side flaps (9) and a top flap (10), wherein each of said side flaps (9) and top flap (10) is provided with apertures (11), and wherein a further strap or straps (12) are guided through said apertures (11) so as to enable adjusting and maintaining the single piece (8) into a shape tailored to a user's skull.

Drawing