The present invention relates generally to the field of protective helmets, and in particular to a new and useful football helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,498 to Maddux et al. discloses a helmet with a rigid shell containing impact absorbing pads that are removably attached to the inner surface of the shell. The pads are made of spaced inner and outer sheets of TPU (thermoplastic urethane) each have a plurality of spaced apart and projecting hollow protrusions extending to the other sheet with the protrusions of one sheet alternating with the protrusions of the other sheet to form an impact absorbing pattern of alternating protrusions in the space between the sheets. From this reference it is known to use hook-and-loop fastening tape for connect the pads to the inner surface of the helmet shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,146,178 to Maddux et al. discloses a quick release, twist-off faceguard retainer for use with a protective headgear and faceguard. The headgear has a face opening and the faceguard has at least one substantially horizontal top bar. The retainer includes two complementary retention arms that form two complementary retention channels with one channel having a downward opening and the other having an upward opening. Each have an inner surface which together surround the top horizontal bar of the faceguard. A space between the two retention arms receives the top bar so that the faceguard can be twisted into place.
Published U.S. patent application US 2009/0106882 to Nimmons et al. discloses a helmet with unique shell configuration and faceguard assembly with unique attachments at the sides of the helmet shell for connecting the faceguard to the shell. As with conventional faceguards, the faceguard of this patent application has upper cross-bars that extend generally horizontally across the front of the helmet shell, just above the lower edge of the face opening of the shell.
Published U.S. patent application US 2011/0131695 to Maddux et al. discloses a protective jaw pad for a helmet shell that includes first and second resilient shock absorbing members. The first shock absorbing member includes a sheet with a plurality of hollow protrusions, tapering side walls of the protrusions being compressible for absorbing shocks applied to the shell and the second resilient shock absorbing member is either a monolithic block of foam or is made of a second sheet with a plurality of hollow protrusions that are interleaved with the first protrusion.
Published U.S. patent application US 2011/0214224 to Maddux et al. discloses a helmet with partial turn faceguard mounting for faceguard connecting loopstraps that engage around wire or bar segments of the faceguard to fasten the faceguard to the helmet shell.
A need remains for further advancements in the field of football helmet design.