Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A modular helmet (100) comprising
a top member (101);
a retention member (103), said retention member being configured to have one or more openings (201) for channelizing air and 5
a cooling system (104);
wherein said cooling system (104) being disposed of adjacent to said retention member (103) such that said cooling system (104) being superimposed by said retention member (103), when viewed from front side of said helmet.
2. A cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said 10 cooling system (104) comprising:
one or more thermoelectric device (206),
an air duct member (204),
a heat sink (211), and
a phase change material holder (209), 15
wherein said phase change material holder (209) being configured to accommodate phase change material.
3. The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said air duct member (204) includes an opening (205) to receive a housing (301) in said cooling system (104). 20
4. The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said air duct member (204) includes a side wall (304), wherein said side wall (304) splits to form a gap (G) to channelize air to face of rider.
5. The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing (301) comprises one or more air circulating member (202), and an air filter (203) 25 to draw fresh air.
6. The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said phase change material holder (209) being configured to have one or more depressions (210, 208), said one or more depression (210) being configured to receive a portion (302b) of said one or more thermoelectric device (206). 30
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7.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidone or more depression (208) being configured to receive a controller (207).
8.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein oneor more said thermoelectric device (210) includes a cool side (302a) and hot side (302b),wherein said hot side (302b) being thermally connected to said phase change material5 holder (209).
9.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in 8 wherein said coolside (302a) being in contact with filtered air through said air duct (204).
10.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidcooling assembly includes a heat sink (211), said heat sink (211) being attached to said10 phase change material holder (209).
11.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2 or 7, whereinsaid one or more thermoelectric device (206) being electrically connected to saidcontroller (207).
12.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 2 or 10,15 wherein said phase change material holder (209) being sandwiched between said air duct(204)and said heat sink (211), when viewed from side of said modular helmet.
13.The cooling system (104) for a modular helmet (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2,wherein said cooling assembly (104) being detachably attached to a retention member(103)of said modular helmet. , Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter relates to a modular helmet (referred as helmet). More particularly, the present subject matter relates to a cooling system in the helmet.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Road traffic injuries are a major public health problem and a leading cause of 5 death and injury around the world. Each year nearly 1.2 million people die as a result of road crashes, and millions more are injured or disabled. In many low-income and middle-income countries, where motorcycles and bicycles are an increasingly common means of transport, users of two-wheelers make up a large proportion of those injured or killed on the roads. Two-wheeler riders are at an increased risk of being involved in a 10 crash. This is because they often share the traffic space with fast-moving cars, buses and trucks. In addition, their lack of physical protection makes them particularly vulnerable to being injured if they are involved in a collision
[0003] A helmet is a device worm on head for protection against head injury. Usually, while driving a vehicle, the helmet is a safety gear which is advised to be worn by a 15 driver and a pillion rider or fellow passenger. During an accident, the helmet is the only safety gear which takes of most of the impact and still remains intact. That makes a helmet a competent component which can be used during crisis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 20
[0004] The detailed description is described with reference to a layout of a helmet along with the accompanying figures. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[0005] Fig.1 is an assembled view of helmet as per one embodiment of the present invention. 25
[0006] Fig.2 is an exploded view of helmet with cooling system as per one embodiment of the present invention.
[0007] Fig.3 is a left side view of the helmet with cooling system as per one embodiment of the present invention.
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[0008] Fig.3a is a zoomed in view of cooling system as per one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Helmets are known for use in various activities. These activities include combat and industrial purposes, such as protective helmets for soldiers and hard-hats or helmets 5 used by builders, mine-workers, or operators of industrial machinery for example. Helmets are also common in sporting activities. For example, protective helmets are used in ice hockey, cycling, motorcycling, motor-car racing, skiing, snow-boarding, skating, skateboarding, equestrian activities, American football, baseball, rugby, cricket, lacrosse, climbing, airsoft and paintballing. 10
[00010] The Helmets can be of fixed size or adjustable, to fit different sizes and shapes of head. In some types of helmet, e.g. commonly in ice-hockey helmets, the adjustability can be provided by moving parts of the helmet to change the outer and inner dimensions of the helmet. This can be achieved by having a helmet with two or more parts which can move with respect to each other. In other cases, e.g. commonly in cycling helmets, the 15 helmet is provided with an attachment device for fixing the helmet to the user's head, and it is the attachment device that can vary in dimension to fit the user's head whilst the main body or shell of the helmet remains the same size. Such attachment devices for seating the helmet on a user's head may be used together with additional strapping (such as a chin strap) to further secure the helmet in place. Combinations of these adjustment 20 mechanisms are also possible.
[00011] Helmets are often made of an outer shell, that is usually hard and made of a plastic or a composite material, and an energy absorbing layer called a liner. Nowadays, a protective helmet has to be designed so as to satisfy certain legal requirements which relate to, inter alia, the maximum acceleration that may occur in the centre of gravity of 25 the brain at a specified load. Typically, tests are performed, in which what is known as a dummy skull equipped with a helmet is subjected to a radial blow towards the head. This has resulted in modern helmets having good energy- absorption capacity in the case of blows radially against the skull.
[00012] Helmets are worn to protect heads of humans. Helmets are often seen worn by 30 riders of vehicles and people working in industries such as construction, manufacturing,
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etc. In general, when worn, helmets protect persons wearing a helmet from injuries to the head or surrounding body parts like face.
[00013] The adoption of protective helmets is significantly inhibited by the discomfort experienced in using them. Factor such as excessive sweat due to excessive heat inside the helmet and pollution tend to override the safety benefit achieved by wearing a 5 protective helmet. However, one proposed solution is to provide ventilation, where the ventilation is effective when the air temperature is lower than the body temperature. At higher ambient temperatures, ventilation has a detrimental effect on comfort. Hence, there is a need of modular helmet which overcome the discomfort caused due to excessive sweat and pollution to the rider while maintaining the overall layout of the 10 helmet.
[00014] Typically, in known art, an air-conditioned thermoelectric helmet includes a thermoelectric cooling element located in the helmet interior in communication with an intake passage downstream of a blower fan, mounted in an external volute. The external volute is configured on exterior member of the helmet. The main disadvantage of the 15 configuration is that in case of accident, there are chances that the components of the air-conditioned thermoelectric helmet might damage the head of the rider. Hence, this configuration raises safety concern for the riders.
[0001] Hence, there exists a contradictory challenge of designing a helmet having cooling system to overcome problems faced by the rider while riding vehicle after 20 wearing the helmet without any major change in layout design of the helmet.
[0002] Therefore, there is a need to have an improved a helmet, which protects the riders from excessive sweat generated due to heat and also protecting the rider from the polluted air while maintaining the conventional layout of the helmet and also, overcoming all of the above problems and other problems of known art. 25
[0003] The present invention discloses a solution to the above problems while meeting the requirements of minimum modifications in the utility box of the vehicle.
[0004] With the above objectives in view, the present invention discloses a helmet and more particularly to the improved helmet having cooling system which securely protects the rider from excessive heat and polluted air. 30
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[0005] As per one aspect of the present invention, a helmet includes a top member, a chin member/retention member. The top member includes an outer member and an inner member. The outer member is made up of material, for example, high impact polycarbonate, thermoplastic etc. The inner member is made up of expanded polystyrene. This provides cushioning and absorbing shock when a vehicle comes to a sudden stop or 5 faces collision impact. Further, as per one aspect of the present invention, the retention member ensures keeping of helmet on the head of the rider in a crash scenario. The retention member is attached to the top member of the helmet. As per one aspect of the present invention, a cooling system is integrally attached to the retention member of the helmet. As per another aspect of the present invention a cooling system is attached to the 10 retention member of the helmet with various attachment means like snap fit mechanism. The cooling system includes an air duct member with air circulating member having semicircular profile, a heat sink having multiple ribs, phase change module holder, a thermoelectric module and a controller.
[0006] As per one aspect of the present invention, the air duct member with air 15 circulating member is disposed in the retention member. The thermoelectric module includes a cold side and a hot side where the cold side is attached to the air duct with air circulating member and the hot side is attached to the controller and the phase change holder. The phase change holder is attached to the heat sink of the cooling system. When the rider rides the vehicle, atmospheric air is channelized inside the helmet through small 20 cutout portion in the helmet. The controller is activated and activates the thermoelectric module and analyzes the air temperature, humidity inside the helmet. The thermoelectric module cools down the temperature of the air by a Peltier effect. Thus, the air having ambient temperature is channelized to the air duct member having air circulating member. The air circulating member further circulates the air on face of the rider, thus 25 providing ambient temperature inside the helmet. The heat as generated in the thermoelectric module is transferred to the phase change member and then to the heat sink, where the heat is dissipated from the cooling system.
[0007] Further "front" and "rear", and "left" and "right" referred to in the ensuing description of the illustrated embodiment refer to front and rear, and left and right 30 directions as seen in a state of being seated on a seat of the vehicle and looking forward.
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[0008] The present invention is now described briefly in connection with the rendered drawings. It should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the description.
[0009] In the ensuing exemplary aspects, the helmet is a Boolean helmet. However, it is contemplated that the concepts of the present invention may be applied to any of the 5 helmet.
[00010] Fig. 1 is an assembled view of a modular helmet as per one embodiment of the present invention. As per one embodiment of the present invention, the modular helmet (100) includes a top member (101) and a retention member (103). The top member (101) includes an outer portion (102) and an inner portion (not shown). The outer portion (102) 10 is a hard-outer shell which protects head of a rider riding the vehicle. The inner portion includes cushion to provide support to the head of the rider. The retention member (103) is connected to the top member of the modular helmet. In another implementation, the retention member is integrally attached to the top member of the modular helmet. As per one embodiment of the present invention, a cooling system (104) is disposed adjacent to 15 the retention member of the modular helmet such that the cooling system (104) is superimposed by the retention member (103), when viewed from front side of said helmet.
[00011] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the modular helmet with cooling system as per one aspect of the present invention. As per one aspect of the present invention, the cooling 20 system (104) includes an air duct member (204), an air circulating member (202), a filter (203), a controller (207), one or more thermoelectric module (206), a phase change member holder (209) (PCM holder) with phase change member, and a heat sink (211). As per one embodiment of the present invention, the air duct member (204) includes an opening (205), where the air circulating member (202) with the filter (203) is detachably 25 attached to the air duct member (204) with various attachment means like fasteners. As per one embodiment of the present invention, one or more thermoelectric module (206) having two sides, hot side and cold side, where the cold side is attached to the air duct (204) and hot side is thermally connected to the PCM holder (209). The PCM holder includes one or more depression (210) to accommodate hot side of the thermoelectric 30 module. The controller (207) is housed in the PCM holder (209) through a depression
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(208) in the PCM holder. The PCM holder is integrally attached with the heat sink (211) of the cooling system. The heat sink (211) includes multiple ribs (212) to for heat dissipation from the modular helmet.
[00012] Fig. 3 and Fig 3a are an assembled left side view of helmet and a sectional view of cooling system of the helmet as per one embodiment of the present invention. Fig.3 5 and Fig. 3a are explained together for clarity. As per one embodiment of the present invention, the air circulating member (202) and the filter (203) are housed inside a housing (301) (as shown in fig. 3a) which is further attached to the air duct member (204) of the cooling system. The housing is disposed in a vertical axis in the opening (205) provided in the air duct member (204) of the cooling assembly. The retention member 10 (103) includes one or more openings (201) which channelizes atmospheric air inside the helmet. The controller (207) and the one or more thermoelectric module (206) is activated by an energy storage device (not shown) disposed on the helmet. The controller senses factors like air temperature, humidity etc. and thus, provides output to the thermoelectric module (206). The thermoelectric module, after receiving output from the 15 controller (207), cools down the air by Peltier effect. The Peltier effect is defined as the effect which creates a temperature difference by transferring heat between electrical junctions of conductors. A voltage is applied across joined conductors to create an electric current. When the current flows through the junctions of the conductors, heat is removed at junction and cooling occurs. Thus, by this effect, the cold air is channelized to 20 the rider face through cold side (302a) of the one or more thermoelectric module (206). Further, the cold air from cold side (302a) of the one or more thermoelectric module (206) is channelized to the air duct member (204) where the air circulating member circulates the cold air to the face of the rider through a gap G in the cooling system. The air duct member includes side walls (304, 305) opposite to each other, a top wall (not 25 shown) and a bottom wall (not shown). The one or more side wall splits to form the gap G to channelize air on the face of the rider in the helmet. Thus, the rider is provided by cold and fresh air on his/her face. As per one embodiment of the present invention, the hot side (302b) of the one or more thermoelectric module (206) extracts heat from the received air and transfers the heat to the phase change holder (209) having phase change 30 material. The phase change member holder (209) is sandwiched between the air duct
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member (204) and the heat sink (211), when viewed from side of the helmet. The PCM provided in the PCM holder (209) changes its state from solid to liquid while absorbing the heat from the hot side (302b) of the one or more thermoelectric module (206). In another implementation, a cooling pipe can be implemented to cool down the hot side of the thermoelectric module. The heat is further channelized to the heat sink (211) having 5 multiple fins (212), which dissipates the heat from the modular helmet, thus providing cold and fresh air to the rider without any major modification in the outer shell of the helmet. This also eliminates the problem of excessive sweating by the rider inside the helmet and also receiving of polluted air, causing dizziness to the rider. Thus, this configuration of cooling system ensures safety of the rider without compromising 10 comfort of the rider while riding the vehicle and further encourages prolonged use of s safety gear that is the modular helmet without undesirable fatigue.
[00013] The invention helps in overcoming the problem of impact of heat generated inside the helmet on the rider of the vehicle. It also ensures safety of the rider while ensuring optimum temperature of air inside the helmet. 15
[00014] Advantageously, the embodiments of the present invention, describes the potential modifications in the configuration of the cooling system with the retention member.
[00015] Many other improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein without deviating from the scope of the invention. 20
List of reference symbol:
Fig. 1:
100: Helmet
101: Top Member
103: Retention Member 25
102: Outer Portion
104: Cooling System
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Fig. 2:
204: Air Duct
202: Air Circulating Member
203: Filter
207: Controller 5
206: One or more thermoelectric module
209: Phase change member holder
211: Heat sink
205: opening
210: One or more depression 10
208: Depression
212: Ribs
Fig. 3a:
301: Housing
201: openings 15
302a: Cold Side
G: Gap
304,305: Side Walls
302b: Hot Side