Protective headgear for sports participants, especially baseball fielders

A protective headgear for a baseball or softball player, the protective headgear comprising:

• a rigid outer protective shell that is generally U-shaped and defined by a brim, a first side wing that extends rearwardly and terminates in a first rear edge and includes a first top edge that is separately distinct from the first rear edge and intersects a top of the first rear edge, and an opposing second side wing that extends rearwardly and terminates in a second rear edge and includes a second top edge that is separately distinct from the second rear edge and intersects a top of the second rear edge,
• wherein the brim, the first side wing and second side wing are formed as a single unitary structure,
• wherein the rigid outer protective shell has a variable wall thickness and is open along a top portion and a rear portion of the outer protective shell between the first and second side wings, the rigid outer protective shell including a curved front portion that is formed above the brim and defines at least in part a top edge of the rigid outer protective shell,
• wherein a front edge of the brim defines a front end of the outer protective shell, the top edge of the outer protective shell lying in at least two different planes with the top edge of the curved front portion lying in a first plane above a second plane that contains at least a first portion of the first top edge of the first side wing and at least a second portion of the second top edge of the second side wing,
• wherein the second plane intersects the first plane and passes through the curved front portion at a location above the brim,
• wherein each of the first top edge of the first side wing, and the second top edge of the second side wing, extends in a direction from the respective first and second rear edges towards the brim which lies in a third plane that intersects the first and second rear edges of the first and second side wings,
• wherein the first side wing has an ear portion formed along a bottom edge of the first side wing for covering an ear of the player, the first top edge extending above the ear portion and further extending forward of the ear portion towards the brim and rearward of the ear portion towards the first rear edge;
• an impact absorption material disposed along an inner surface of the rigid outer protective shell including along the curved front portion;
• and
• a mechanism for adjusting a size of the rigid outer protective shell;
• wherein the impact absorption material comprises:
• a copolymer honeycomb matrix impact absorption layer that is formed of two different polymers including a co-extruded polycarbonate material, wherein the copolymer honeycomb matrix impact absorption layer is coupled along a first surface to the inner surface of the outer protective shell, and
• a non-Newtonian foam layer that is coupled to, and has a first surface in direct contact with, a second surface of the copolymer honeycomb matrix impact absorption layer.