Helmet Safety

[Summo]

The latest hot button topic is helmet safety and development and as you know some of the world’s best inventions were originally radical or abstract ideas that were eventually refined to the product we use today. In that vein I think it would make a good discussion to see what radical helmet designs or ideas you guys have that might seem farfetched now but maybe an actual feasible concept in essence. With that said here is mine.
As you have seen a lot of concussion occurs when the head is whipped violently in one direction. The neck acts as the fulcrum of the head and there probably isn’t much you can do about it other than softening the blow to the head. You can look at what NASCAR has done with the HANS device which limits the movement of the head which wouldn’t work for most of the players on the field, maybe just the lineman and linebackers but certanliey not the WR’s or backs.
There are scientist researching ways to make football helmets more effective in preventing concussions and one idea is to make the shell less rigid with more give in order to cushion the blow as seen in this article: Dean Sicking turns attention to football - NFL Racing NASCAR - ESPN
My concept is to go a step further by making the helmet in two layers, an inner layer that is closely fit to the players head and an outer shell that moves independently with a sort of suspension in between the two, see sketch below.



It’s kind of like the Nike Shox system, where you have the lower sole of the shoe then those big rubber “Shox” then the sole of the shoe where your foot is. If the outer shell moves first which I believe would lessen the blow directly to the head and lessen the blow of the brain slamming against the player’s skull. Unfortunately concussions are inevitable and you can only hope to lower the number so here is my concept let’s see yours.

[htownskinfan]

Something needs to be done.I dont remember so many concussions taking place in a season.Seems like the skins have had somebody get a concussion every week

[Summo]

Originally Posted by htownskinfan

Something needs to be done.I dont remember so many concussions taking place in a season.Seems like the skins have had somebody get a concussion every week

I think it is a product of the media coverage around the sport now. Players have been getting concussions as long as Football has been played we just didn't hear about them back in the day.

[Lotus]

Summo, great job on the Halloween banner.

To the point of this thread, I like your idea of multi-layered helmets. IMO They could reduce head trauma.

[Summo]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Summo, great job on the Halloween banner.

To the point of this thread, I like your idea of multi-layered helmets. IMO They could reduce head trauma.

Thanks!

[htownskinfan]

Originally Posted by Summo

I think it is a product of the media coverage around the sport now. Players have been getting concussions as long as Football has been played we just didn't hear about them back in the day.

I agree with you about the back in the day part,but I dont remember this many concussions last yr,especially on our team.Could be its just because we had a 3 game stretch of a skin player getting a concussion and so it seemed like more than usual.I dont think we had one this week?

[firstdown]

Didn't VT (they still might do this) have sensors in the players helmet to record the impact of hits.

[Summo]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Didn't VT (they still might do this) have sensors in the players helmet to record the impact of hits.

Yea I remember hearing that some College was using those impact sensors to measure the force of the hits so they can collect the data to help with future helmet designs if I remember correctly.

[mlmpetert]

I dotn have a sweet sketch of my design, but maybe you could put some shock absorbing flubber in place of the springs?

Could Shock Absorbing Flubber Save The NFL? | ASTOUNDE.com

[Summo]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

I dotn have a sweet sketch of my design, but maybe you could put some shock absorbing flubber in place of the springs?

Could Shock Absorbing Flubber Save The NFL? | ASTOUNDE.com

That's awesome. I should be gettn' the copy right process going right now! lol

[FRPLG]

The helmet can only do so much. A fair amount of concussions are a result of jaw blows. Protecting the jawline seems almost impossible to me.

[Monkeydad]

Just cut the bottom off and screw a facemask onto a Simpson racing helmet.

Boom - protected.



This helmets save race car drivers from injury when slamming into concrete at 200 MPH, they should be able to protect a football player, right?

[Summo]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

Just cut the bottom off and screw a facemask onto a Simpson racing helmet.

Boom - protected.



This helmets save race car drivers from injury when slamming into concrete at 200 MPH, they should be able to protect a football player, right?

I don't know about that, coupled with the hans device they help prevent concussions. Dale Earnhardt JR missed a couple of races last season with a concussion from a wreck and has pushed for baseline concussion tests starting next year because NASCAR like the NFL doesn't or hasn't kept stats on the risks.

[SmootSmack]

Well something should be done, or players are going to look like the guys in the helmets in Summo's banner

On another note, I had no idea this forum name changed to Fringes of Football

[Summo]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Well something should be done, or players are going to look like the guys in the helmets in Summo's banner

On another note, I had no idea this forum name changed to Fringes of Football

Matty and I had a discussion last week and I suggested that we start a new forum under this name and that I would moderate and he liked it and merged some other ones that fit the criteria under it. Perhaps I should have brought it to the whole Jedi Counsel?