US 9414635

US Patent 9414635, titled "Biomechanics aware helmet," was issued to Brainguard Technologies Inc. on August 16, 2016, from an application filed on July 24, 2015. The sole inventor listed is Robert T. Knight.

Abstract:
The patent describes protective gear, such as a helmet, featuring an outer shell layer connected to a middle shell layer via an outer energy and impact transformer layer. This middle layer is further connected to an inner shell layer through an inner energy and impact transformer layer. These transformer layers are designed to flexibly connect the shell layers, allowing them to move and slide relative to each other to absorb impact forces, rotational forces, and shear forces. The transformer layers can be made from materials like gels, fluids, electro-rheological elements, or magneto-rheological elements, protecting users from impact, penetrative, rotational, and shear forces.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Helmet): This claim describes a helmet with an outer shell layer and an inner shell layer. The key feature is a "shear mechanism" that connects these two layers, allowing the outer shell to slide relative to the inner shell. This shear mechanism incorporates a first energy transformer with a material that absorbs or dissipates energy. The inner shell layer is designed to conform to a human head, and a chin strap is attached to this inner layer to keep it in place during rotational impact, even as the outer shell is permitted to slide.
• Claim 9 (Protective Gear): Similar to Claim 1, this claim broadly covers "protective gear" (which could include items beyond just helmets, as mentioned in the abstract). It includes an outer shell layer and an "inner conforming layer" (equivalent to the inner shell layer in Claim 1) that connects to the outer layer via a shear mechanism. This mechanism allows relative sliding and includes a first energy transformer with an absorptive/dissipative material. The inner conforming layer is shaped to fit a human head, and a chin strap is attached to it to maintain its position during rotational force impacts while the outer layer slides.
• Claim 17 (Helmet): This claim is essentially identical to Claim 9 but specifically refers to the protective gear as a "helmet." It comprises an outer shell layer and an inner conforming layer connected by a shear mechanism that enables relative sliding of the outer shell. This shear mechanism includes a first energy transformer with an absorptive/dissipative material. The inner conforming layer conforms to a human head, and a chin strap is attached to it to secure its position on the head during rotational force impacts while the outer shell layer is allowed to slide.

Litigation:
As of April 26, 2026, Google Patents indicates that the patent family has litigation, specifically mentioning a PTAB case IPR2025-01032 which was filed but not instituted (procedural), and a U.S. case filed in the California Central District Court, case number 8:24-cv-02652. No specific dockets for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) for 2026 relating directly to US9414635 were found in the provided search results.