US 10098402

Here is a concise summary of US patent 10098402, based on the provided authoritative patent text (fetched 2026-05-31):

US Patent 10,098,402 Summary

• Title: Energy absorbing football helmet
• Assignee: Individual
• Inventors: Benjamin V. Booher, Sr.; Benjamin V. BOOHER, JR.
• Filing Date: 2016-07-20
• Issue Date (Publication Date): 2018-10-16
• Abstract: A football helmet including a one-piece outer shell defining an exterior and an interior. The shell includes a plurality of slots penetrating at least partially through the shell from the exterior to the interior of the shell. Each slot may be disposed adjacent to at least one other slot and each pair of adjacent slots defines an energy absorbing beam portion between the adjacent slots. Each beam portion is configured to deform and absorb energy when the exterior of the shell is impacted from a normal direction.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

This patent includes three independent claims: Claims 1, 9, 10, 11, and 15. The system identified 5 independent claims.

• Claim 1: This claim describes a football helmet with a single-layer outer shell. This shell has a crown, front, left and right side, and rear portions. Crucially, the shell features multiple slots that extend along the shell without reaching its edge, and penetrate at least partially through the shell. These slots are arranged such that each slot is next to at least one other, forming "energy absorbing beam portions" between them. These beam portions are designed to flex and absorb more energy upon impact than if they weren't present. Specifically, this claim requires at least two slots in the crown, two in the front, and two in the rear portions of the shell.

• Claim 9: Similar to Claim 1, this independent claim also describes a football helmet with a one-piece, single-layer outer shell having various defined portions and a plurality of slots. The key distinction in Claim 9 is that it specifically requires these slots to extend partially through the shell, rather than entirely or partially as in Claim 1.

• Claim 10: This claim is structurally similar to Claim 1, detailing a football helmet with a one-piece, single-layer outer shell and a plurality of slots. The defining feature of Claim 10 is that these slots are filled with an elastopolymer material.

• Claim 11: This claim describes a helmet for a football player, focusing on the arrangement of its shell, crown, front, left/right side, and rear portions. It specifies a plurality of slots formed in a single-layer shell that extend along the helmet without reaching an edge and penetrate at least partially through the shell. Each slot is adjacent to and generally parallel with another, forming energy-absorbing beam portions designed to flex and absorb energy upon impact. This claim specifically requires a first plurality of slots in the crown portion and a second plurality in the front portion.

• Claim 15: This claim describes a football helmet with a crown, front, left/right side, and rear portions. It includes multiple pairs of adjacent and generally parallel slots that penetrate at least partially through a single-layer shell. Each pair of slots defines a beam portion that absorbs energy upon impact. A key limitation of this claim is that each slot extends along the helmet without extending to an edge portion of the helmet.

Litigation Information:

The patent records indicate that this family has litigation filed. A US case was filed in the Indiana Southern District Court. The specific link provided in the patent for litigation information is from Darts-ip (https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=[58689702](/patent/58689702)&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=[US10098402](/patent/US10098402)(B2)) and Unified Patents Litigation Data (https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/litigation/Indiana%20Southern%20District%20Court/case/1%3A26-cv-00793).

I could not search the CAFC 2026 dockets directly. The provided patent information indicates that a US case was filed in the Indiana Southern District Court, not necessarily the CAFC. I have prioritized the authoritative patent text.