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Infographic: Head protection

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A helmet is the first line of defense in crashes, but experts say it lacks flexibility to protect against angular acceleration, a leading cause of rotational head and brain injuries.

Conventional rigid protection for

high-impact collision

General helmets provide a range of protection

against head injury from high-impact collisions,

but are considered too rigid to protect against

angular acceleraton. Their standard design

consists of a hard poly-carbonate or fiblerglass

exterior and a polysterene (EPS) or expanded

Styrofoam inner layer.

During a high-impact crash

Hard exterior

withstands

blunt force

Thick

inner liner

absorbs

energy from

impact

Types of standard helmet protection

Half shell

Three-quarter shell

Full shell

Protection

Maximum

Minimum

How the 6D “suspension”

technology works

6D Helmets’ technology aims to reduce angular

acceleration with flexible isolation “dampers” that

reduce head rotation at impact.

Flexible

rubber

joint

Damper

Isolation cup

The dampers also provide omni-directional shearing

in different directions, thereby reducing angular

acceleration of the head and brain.

Load

distribution

cup

Layers of protection

High-impact energy

is dispersed

Hard composite exterior

withstands blunt force

and disperses the

impact energy.

Transfered energy

is absorbed

Inner EPS layers

absorb the high-impact

energy transferred from

the hard outer layer.

6D ATR-1

Off-road helmet

Damper technology

slows head rotation

Dampers connect two

EPS liners, allowing the

inner liner to move in

any direction during

impact. This helps

prevent the head from

rotating.

Chin, jaw

and nose

protector

Straps

Retention

system

secures

helmet.

Conventional rigid protection for high-impact collision

General helmets provide a range of protection against head injury from

high-impact collisions, but are considered too rigid to protect against

angular acceleraton. Their standard design consists of a hard

poly-carbonate or fiblerglass exterior and a polysterene (EPS) or expanded

Styrofoam inner layer.

During a high-impact crash

Hard exterior

withstands blunt force

Thick inner liner

absorbs energy from

impact

Types of standard helmet protection

Half shell

Full shell

Three-quarter

shell

Protection

Maximum

Minimum

How the 6D “suspension” technology works

6D Helmets’ technology aims to reduce angular acceleration with flexible

isolation “dampers” that reduce head rotation at impact.

Flexible

rubber

joint

Damper

Isolation cup

The dampers also provide omni-directional shearing in different directions,

thereby reducing angular acceleration of the head and brain.

Load

distribution

cup

Layers of protection

High-impact energy

is dispersed

Hard composite exterior

withstands blunt force and

disperses the impact energy.

Transfered energy

is absorbed

Inner EPS layers absorb the

high-impact energy transferred

from the hard outer layer.

6D ATR-1

Off-road helmet

Chin, jaw

and nose

protector

Straps

Retention system

secures helmet.

Damper technology slows

head rotation

Dampers connect two EPS

liners, allowing the inner liner to

move in any direction during

impact. This helps prevent the

head from rotating.

Conventional rigid protection for high-impact collision

General helmets provide a

range of protection against

head injury from high-impact

collisions, but are considered

too rigid to protect against

angular acceleraton. Their

standard design consists of a

hard poly-carbonate or

fiblerglass exterior and a

polysterene (EPS) or expanded

Styrofoam inner layer.

During a high-impact crash

Hard exterior

withstands blunt

force

Thick inner liner

absorbs energy

from impact

Types of standard helmet protection

Full shell

Half shell

Three-quarter

shell

Protection

Maximum

Minimum

How the 6D “suspension” technology works

6D Helmet’s technology aims to reduce angular acceleration with flexible isolation

“dampers” that reduce head rotation at impact.

Flexible

rubber

joint

Damper

Isolation cup

The dampers also provide omni-directional shearing in different directions, thereby reducing

angular acceleration of the head and brain.

Load

distribution

cup

Layers of protection

High-impact energy

is dispersed

Hard composite exterior

withstands blunt force and

disperses the impact energy.

Transfered energy

is absorbed

Inner EPS layers absorb

the high-impact energy

transferred from the hard

outer layer.

Damper technology slows

head rotation

Dampers connect two EPS

liners, allowing the inner liner to

move in any direction during

impact. This helps prevent the

head from rotating.

Chin, jaw

and nose

protector

6D ATR-1

Off-road helmet

Straps

Retention system

secures helmet.

Conventional rigid protection for high-impact collision

General helmets provide a range

of protection against head injury

from high-impact collisions, but

are considered too rigid to

protect against angular acceleraton.

Their standard design consists of a

hard poly-carbonate or fiblerglass

exterior and a polysterene (EPS)

or expanded Styrofoam inner layer.

During a high-impact crash

Hard exterior

withstands

blunt force

Thick inner liner

absorbs energy

from impact

Types of standard helmet protection

Three-quarter

shell

Half shell

Full shell

Protection

Maximum

Minimum

How the 6D “suspension” technology works

6D Helmets’ technology aims to reduce angular

acceleration with flexible isolation “dampers”

that reduce head rotation at impact.

The dampers also provide omni-directional

shearing in different directions, thereby reducing

angular acceleration of the head and brain.

Flexible

rubber

joint

Damper

Load

distribution

cup

Isolation cup

Layers of protection

Damper technology slows

head rotation

Dampers connect two EPS

liners, allowing the inner liner

to move in any direction during

impact. This helps prevent

the head from rotating.

High-impact energy

is dispersed

Hard composite exterior

withstands blunt force and

disperses the impact energy.

Transfered energy

is absorbed

Inner EPS layers

absorb the high-impact

energy transferred from

the hard outer layer.

Chin, jaw

and nose

protector

6D ATR-1

Off-road helmet

Straps

Retention system

secures helmet.

Conventional rigid protection for high-impact collision

General helmets provide a range of

protection against head injury from

high-impact collisions, but are considered

too rigid to protect against angular

acceleraton. Their standard design consists

of a hard poly-carbonate or fiblerglass

exterior and a polysterene (EPS) or

expanded Styrofoam inner layer.

During a high-impact crash

Hard exterior

withstands blunt force

Thick inner liner

absorbs energy

from impact

Types of standard helmet protection

Three-quarter

shell

Half shell

Full shell

Protection

Minimum

Maximum

How the 6D “suspension” technology works

6D Helmets’ technology aims to reduce angular acceleration

with flexible isolation “dampers” that reduce head rotation

at impact.

The dampers also provide omni-directional shearing in

different directions, thereby reducing angular acceleration

of the head and brain.

Flexible

rubber

joint

Damper

Load

distribution

cup

Isolation cup

Layers of protection

High-impact energy

is dispersed

Hard composite exterior

withstands blunt force and

disperses the impact energy.

Transfered energy is

absorbed

Inner EPS layers absorb

the high-impact energy

transferred from the hard

outer layer.

Chin, jaw

and nose

protector

Damper technology

slows head rotation

Dampers connect two

EPS liners, allowing the

inner liner to move in any

direction during impact.

This helps prevent the

head from rotating.

6D ATR-1

Off-road helmet

Straps

Retention system

secures helmet.

Source: 6D Helmets LLC. Graphics reporting by Lorena Iñiguez Elebee

Lorena Elebee @latimesgraphics


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