New Jersey Patent of the Month – August 2021
Your parents always told you to wear a helmet when riding a bike – and they were right. It’s easy to sustain serious head injuries from falling off or crashing into objects, and you have to trust that those surrounding you will drive or ride safely as well. A traditional helmet offers good protection, but takes up significant space, making them less than ideal for bicycle commuters. Airnoggin, Inc. designed an inflatable helmet that offers the same level of protection, but in a more commuter friendly way.
The helmet is both inflatable and collapsible. An air inflatable chamber is shaped exactly like a traditional bicycle helmet with both inflow and release airflow valves. It has an impact resistance layer shaped like a skull cap and can be positioned either right next to the user’s head or on the outside of the helmet. The compound that makes this layer is gel based and foldable. Testing shows that it absorbs and distributes the impact of a collision, effectively protecting the user’s head. The design of this gel-based compound functions similarly to a kevlar bullet proof vest in distributing the impact. The exterior material is a minimally elastic outer covering which allows for inflation without bursting on impact. Airnoggin’s design offers protection while improving the chances of bicyclists actually bringing and wearing their helmets.
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