Baseball catcher's mask
AssigneesJames F. Rickon, Jr., Patricia L. Spencer, James B. Zdesar
InventorJames Rickon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective headgear, such as a baseball catcher's mask, is disclosed. The protective headgear includes a shell, a cage, padding, and a strap/harness device. The shell includes a flared jaw area providing protection to the player/wearer's jaw. The cage includes a throat protection portion that extends downward, past the shell, and a flared ear portion, flaring away from the wearer's face, which keeps balls in front of the player/wearer. Padding is strategically placed inside the chin and forehead areas for protection. The protective headgear is designed to be used with a separate catcher's skull helmet. The strap/harness device is used to connect the protective headgear to the separate catcher's skull helmet.
Claims20
A head and face protection apparatus comprising:
- a concave shell with a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions and two side portions;
- an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said chin portion;
- said forehead portion connected to said chin portion by means of said side portions and said jaw portions;
- said side portions terminating vertically, toward the rear, prior to, and rather than, extending over and covering an associated wearer's ears;
- said jaw portion following contour of said associated wearer's jaw until connection with said side portions;
- said jaw portion, at said connection with said side portions, and in conjunction with said side portions, flaring outward, in a direction away from said associated wearer's head, such that the jaw portion and side portions form a concave shape;
- said crown portion extending over the front half of said associated wearer's head;
- and,
- said crown portion terminating intermediate to the front half and back half of said associated wearer's head.
A head and face protection apparatus comprising:
- a concave shell with a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions and two side portions, wherein said shell is adapted to receive a cage device, said cage device is operatively connected to said shell and spaced a distance of 1 to 3 inches from associated wearer's nose, wherein said cage device substantially covers said elongated view opening of said shell;
- an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said chin portion;
- said forehead portion connected to said chin portion by means of said side portions and said jaw portions;
- said side portions terminating vertically, toward the rear, prior to, and rather than, extending over and covering an associated wearer's ears;
- said jaw portion following contour of said associated wearer's jaw until connection with said side portions;
- said jaw portion, at said connection with said side portions, and in conjunction with said side portions, flaring outward, in a direction away from said associated wearer's head;
- said crown portion extending over the front half of said associated wearer's head;
- and,
- said crown portion terminating intermediate to the front half and back half of said associated wearer's head, wherein said cage device includes a lower portion and two ear portions, said lower portion extending downward over associated wearer's throat area, and said ear portions extending outward away from said associated wearer's face.
A head and face protection apparatus comprising:
- a concave shell;
- a cage operatively connected to said shell;
- a flexible harness device operatively connected to said shell;
- and,
- said cage, said shell, and said harness device adapted for use with an associated skull helmet.
A method of manufacturing a head and face protection apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a concave shell with a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions, and two side portions;
- providing an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said jaw portion;
- connecting said forehead portion to said chin portion via said side portions and said jaw portions;
- terminating said side portions vertically, toward the rear, prior to, the position where said side portions would extend over and cover an associated wearer's ears;
- flaring said jaw portion and said side portions in an outward direction away from said associated wearer's face, such that the jaw portion and side portions form a concave shape;
- terminating said crown portion intermediate to front half and back half of said associated wearer's head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.