Shock-absorbing face guard connector for athletic helmet
AssigneeHobart-Mayfield LLC
InventorJustin H. Summerville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shock-absorbing face guard connector for an athletic helmet such as a helmet worn in American football, ice hockey, cricket, or baseball and softball. The shock-absorbing face guard connector couples a face guard to the athletic helmet, and can absorb some or all of the forces resulting from a strike to the face guard amid play. The shock-absorbing face guard connector includes a compressible piece that can compressible yield when the face guard is struck.
Claims13
A shock-absorbing face guard connector for an athletic helmet, the shock-absorbing face guard connector comprising:
- a base having a first bore spanning therethrough for receiving a section of a face guard, said base having a cavity;
- a compressible piece received in said cavity of said base, said compressible piece having a second bore spanning therethrough;
- a plate situated at said base, said plate having a third bore spanning therethrough;
- and
- a fastener extending through said cavity of said base, extending through said second bore of said compressible piece, and extending through said third bore of said plate, said fastener for attaching the shock-absorbing face guard connector to the athletic helmet;
- wherein, in assembly and installation on the athletic helmet, when the face guard is struck, said base is displaced relative to said plate and relative to said fastener, said base compressing said compressible piece upon displacement, and hence shock associated with the strike to the face guard is absorbed at least in part via said compressible piece.
A shock-absorbing face guard connector for an athletic helmet, the shock-absorbing face guard connector comprising:
- a base having a first bore spanning therethrough for receiving a section of the face guard, and said base having a cavity;
- a compressible piece received in said cavity of said base, and said compressible piece having a second bore spanning therethrough;
- a plate;
- and
- a fastener assembly;
- wherein, when assembled and installed on the athletic helmet, and when a face guard is struck in a first direction, said compressible piece is compressed and absorbs at least a portion of shock associated with the strike to the face guard;
- and
- wherein, when assembled and installed on the athletic helmet, and when the face guard is struck in a second direction, abutment between said base and said plate precludes compressing of said compressible piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.