Patent Application
20240423314
The present disclosure relates generally to helmets for protecting the head and face from injury during sporting events. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to batting helmets used for to protect a wearer's face during baseball games.
Batting helmets are worn by batters while participating in baseball games to protect a wearer's head and face from errant pitches during a game. Batting helmets generally include a head covering that includes a rigid outer shell to protect a wearer's head against impact from a thrown baseball. In some instances, the batting helmet also includes an earflap extension, an ear/tongue extension, or a jaw guard that partially covers one side of the wearer's face, particularly the side of the wearer's face that is directed toward the pitcher when the wearer is up to bat. However, existing helmet designs may not always provide adequate protection in various states of play
One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a faceguard for batting helmets. The faceguard includes an elongated body and a first attachment member. The elongated guard body includes a first planar portion and an intermediate portion extending away from the first planar portion along an extension direction. The intermediate portion curves away from the first planar portion to define a concave side of the elongated guard body and an opposing convex side of the elongated guard body. The first attachment member is coupled to the first planar portion adjacent to a first lateral edge of the first planar portion. The first lateral edge extends parallel to the extension direction. The first attachment member is disposed on the concave side of the elongated guard body and extends away from a surface of the first planar portion and toward a second lateral edge of the first planar portion opposite from the first lateral edge.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a helmet assembly including a helmet, a tongue extension, and a faceguard. The helmet defines an interior cavity and a face opening. The tongue extension extends forward of the face opening. The faceguard includes an elongated guard body and a first attachment member. The elongated guard body is curved along an extension direction. The first attachment member is configured to detachably couple the elongated guard body to the tongue extension and so that, when the elongated guard body is attached to the tongue extension, (i) a concave side of the elongated body faces toward the interior cavity, and (ii) the elongated guard body extends across the face opening from a first side of the face opening adjacent to the tongue extension to a second side of the face opening opposite the first side.
Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a faceguard for a baseball helmet. The method includes forming an elongated guard body including a first planar portion along an extension direction so that the intermediate portion curves away from the first planar portion to define a concave side of the elongated guard body and an opposing convex side of the elongated guard body. The method also includes forming a first attachment member integral with the elongated guard body adjacent to a first lateral edge of the first planar portion that extends parallel to the extension direction so that the first attachment member is disposed on the concave side of the elongated guard body and extends away from a surface of the first planar portion and toward a second lateral edge of the first planar portion opposite from the first lateral edge.
This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several implementations in accordance with the disclosure and are therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings throughout the following detailed description. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative implementations described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other implementations may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and made part of this disclosure.
Embodiments described herein relate generally to faceguard or face protectors for use with batting helmets. The various concepts introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the described concepts are not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.
Referring to the figures generally, various embodiments of a faceguard for a batting helmet are shown. The faceguards are configured to augment the coverage provided by conventional batting helmets to improve protection across a wearer's face during gameplay, for example, when a player is on the base path away from home plate or when a ball is thrown from the catcher on a side of the batter's face that is not protected by the helmet or earflap extension. This faceguard device described herein is interchangeable and has the ability to be shared while a player is on the field giving a broader number of players protection from injury and lessening the cost of equipment, an issue for some with access due to financial restrictions. In at least one embodiment, the faceguard includes an elongated guard body that extends across the wearer's face to form a rigid covering that protects both the left and right sides of the wearer's face from errant throws from players both before and after a pitch. In some embodiments, the faceguard includes an attachment member that is configured to quickly connect and/or disconnect the faceguard to/from a conventional earflap extension, ear/tongue extension, or jaw guard that is used as part of a batting helmet assembly. The elongated guard body extends away from the tongue extension to cover an opposing side of the wearer's face (so that both the left and right sides of a wearer's faces are covered), which is otherwise left vulnerable to impact from balls thrown from the opposing side of the wearer's face. Such protection increases wearer safety both during and after a pitch.
By providing nearly 100% coverage from the left to right sides of a wearer's face, the faceguard designs described herein can protect batters at plate, when turning their head toward base just before or during a pitch (e.g., a right handed batter at plate turning their head toward third base, a left handed batter at plate turning their head toward first base, etc.), or from return balls thrown by the catcher back to the pitcher after a pitch or back to home plate on a wild pitch. The faceguard designs described herein can also increase wearer safety away from the plate, after a pitch, such as when a ball in the outfield is thrown back to the infield, when a pitcher throws to first base to prevent a steal attempt or during the arrival of the batter, or from the outfield to any base and toward an otherwise exposed portion of the wearer's face.
In some embodiments, the attachment member includes at least one extension, hook, or tab that is configured to detachably couple the elongated guard body to one or both sides of the helmet assembly, and/or to a tongue extension on either side of the batting helmet. For example, the attachment member may be configured to slide or clip onto the tongue extension that only provides limited protection to a single side of a wearer's face. In some embodiments, the attachment member includes a flexible or compressible material to increase the strength of the connection between the faceguard and the batting helmet (e.g., to increase a force acting between the faceguard and the batting helmet to prevent the faceguard from inadvertently disengaging the batting helmet, and/or to reduce movement of the faceguard relative to the batting helmet when worn). In some embodiments, the attachment member includes an adjustment mechanism to enable a user to adjust fitment of the faceguard to the batting helmet on the fly, such as during the approach to home plate. These and other advantageous features of the faceguard designs described herein will become apparent to those reviewing the present disclosure and figures.
Referring to
The head covering 102 is configured to cover and protect the top and back of the wearer's head. The head covering 102 includes at least one rigid shell 107 that surrounds the top and back of the wearer's head. In some embodiments, the head covering 102 includes a double outer shell to protect against higher energy impacts. The rigid shell 107 also extends across earflaps of the batting helmet to protect the wearer's ears. In some embodiments, the rigid shell 107 also includes a visor to shield the wearer from the sun when batting or running between bases. In at least one embodiment, the rigid shell 107 is made of at least one of carbon fiber, polystyrene, or another hard plastic or polymer material.
The harness 104 is configured to secure the rigid shell 107 onto a wearer's head and to absorb impacts taken by the rigid shell 107. The harness 104 may include multiple pieces of foam that are glued or otherwise coupled to interior surfaces of the rigid shell 107 so that the foam is disposed between the rigid shell 107 and the wearer's head during use. The foam may include an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam material, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, or another foam liner. Together, the rigid shell 107 and the harness 104 define an interior cavity 108 configured to nestably engage and couple the batting helmet 100 to a user's head.
The visor and earflaps of the rigid shell 107 together define a face opening 110 of the interior cavity 108 through which a wearer can observe their surroundings.
The tongue extension 106 (e.g., an earflap extension, an ear/tongue extension, or a jaw guard) is coupled to the rigid shell 107 and provides protection against impacts taken from a single side of the batting helmet 100. The tongue extension 106 extends from a proximal end along an edge of the face opening 110 forward of the face opening 110. In some embodiments, the tongue extension 106 is angled toward the face opening 110, which can improve coverage in some applications without decreasing visibility through the face opening 110.
The faceguard 200 (e.g., a face plate, a face protector, etc.) is configured to expand coverage and protection provided by the batting helmet 100 to an exposed portion of the face opening 110 on an opposite side of the face opening 110 as the tongue extension 106. The faceguard 200 is configured to press onto, hook, snap, clip, or otherwise engage the batting helmet 100. The faceguard 200 includes an elongated guard body 202 and at least one attachment member 204 that is configured to couple the elongated guard body 202 to the tongue extension 106 and/or rigid shell 107. In various embodiments, the at least one attachment member 204 is configured to interface with the batting helmet 100 to form a friction fit connection between the faceguard 200 and the batting helmet 100. The attachment member 204 may be configured to grip onto the batting helmet 100 to prevent the faceguard from inadvertently separating from the batting helmet 100 during use and to reduce relative movement between the faceguard 200 and the batting helmet 100 during use. After use, the faceguard 200 may be removed from the batting helmet 100 and may be reused on other batting helmets of various shapes and sizes. In other embodiments, the faceguard 200 includes additional, fewer, and/or different components.
The elongated guard body 202 is curved along an extension direction 206 that extends between the earflaps of the batting helmet 100 and forward of the face opening 110 along a curve extending outwardly from the face opening 110. As shown in
In some embodiments, the first portion 208 extends substantially parallel to the tongue extension 106 (see
The intermediate portion 210 curves away from the first portion 208 to define a concave side 212 of the elongated guard body 202 and an opposing convex side 214 of the elongated guard body 202. When installed on the batting helmet, the concave side 212 faces toward the face opening 110 and the convex side 214 faces away from the face opening 110 (see
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Referring to
In at least one embodiment, the attachment member 204 is made from a flexible material that is configured to allow movement of the attachment member 204 relative to the first portion 208 to facilitate engagement between the tongue extension of the batting helmet and the faceguard 200. In some embodiments, the attachment member 204 is configured to allow movement of the attachment member 204 relative to the elongated guard body 202 (e.g., the first portion 208, etc.) along an angle of rotation 221 of at least 30° without damaging the attachment member 204, the elongated guard body 202, and/or a connection between the attachment member 204 and the elongated guard body 202. Once released, the attachment member 204 is configured to spring back toward and press against the tongue extension to pinch the tongue extension between the elongated guard body 202 and the attachment member 204, which can increase the holding force between the faceguard 200 and the tongue extension.
In the embodiment of
In at least one embodiment, the attachment members have the same design as one another and are arranged in diametrically opposed pairs at the first lateral end 217 and the second lateral end 226. In some embodiments, the attachment members are mirrored across a central axis of the elongated guard body 202. In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
It should be appreciated that the geometry, number, and size of the attachment members may be different in other embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the faceguard includes only two attachment members, with each attachment disposed on the first lateral end of the elongated guard body. The elongated body may be symmetric across a central axis of the elongated guard body. Such an arrangement can be used with both left-handed and right-handed batting helmets by rotating the faceguard 180° using the same pair of attachment members to couple the faceguard to a tongue extension on either a left side or a right side of the batting helmet.
Referring to
The elongated guard body 302 includes a first portion, shown as first planar portion 308, that defines a substantially planar section of the elongated guard body 302. The elongated guard body 302 also includes an intermediate portion 310, and a second planar portion 334. The intermediate portion 310 is directly coupled to the first planar portion 308 and curves away from the first planar portion 308 along an extension direction 306 to define a concave side 312 of the elongated guard body 302 and an opposing convex side 314 of the elongated guard body 302. In the embodiment of
The second planar portion 334 defines a second substantially planar section of the elongated guard body 202. The second planar portion 334 is disposed on an opposite end (e.g., an opposite lateral end, a second lateral end, etc.) of the intermediate portion 310 as the first planar portion 308. In some embodiments, the first planar portion 308 is symmetric with the second planar portion 334. In other embodiments, the design of the first planar portion 308 may be different from the second planar portion 334. Among other benefits, the combined shape of the first planar portion 308, the intermediate portion 310, and the second planar portion 334 can improve coverage across a wider variety of different batting helmet shapes, while providing adequate space for visibility and airflow therethrough.
It should be appreciated that the shape and size of the faceguard 300 may be different in various embodiments. For example, as shown in
In at least one embodiment, the elongated guard body 302 includes a telescoping portion (e.g., a telescoping mechanism, etc.) that is configured to adjust a length of the elongated guard body 302 along the extension direction 306. For example, the first planar portion 308 and/or the second planar portion 334 (as shown in
As shown in
The first extension 340 extends away from the surface of the first planar portion 308 in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the first planar portion 308. The attachment member 304 also includes a second extension 342 that is engaged with and extends away from a distal end 344 of the first extension 340 and toward a second lateral edge 318 of the first planar portion 308. In some embodiments, the second extension 342 extends away from the first extension 340 in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the first extension 340. In other embodiments, the first extension 340 may be oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first extension 340.
Together, the first extension 340 and the second extension 342 define an L-shaped ridge, shown as ridge 346 that is configured to secure the elongated guard body 302 to a tongue extension of a batting helmet. In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the first attachment member 304 may be used independently from the second attachment member 322. For example, the first attachment member 304 may have sufficient length and width to snap over the tongue extension to robustly secure the faceguard 300 to the tongue extension. It should be appreciated that the width of the attachment member(s) along the extension direction 306 may be different in other embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, a width of the attachment member(s) along the extension direction 306 is greater than or equal to a length of the tongue extension to increase contact area between the attachment member(s) and the tongue extension, which can increase the strength of the connection between the faceguard 300 and the batting helmet and reduce movement of the faceguard 300 relative to the batting helmet when worn.
Referring to
The ridge 446 includes a first extension 340 and a second extension 342 having the same shape as described with respect to the embodiment of
In one embodiment, the attachment member(s) are configured to connect the faceguard 400 to the batting helmet by friction fit engagement between the attachment member(s) and the batting helmet. In such implementations, the faceguard 400 may be pressed onto the helmet (onto a tongue extension of the helmet) and may grip the helmet to prevent the faceguard 400 from becoming inadvertently separated from the helmet during use. In some embodiments, the attachment member(s) include a compliant or compressible material having an increased coefficient of friction and/or lower durometer relative to the material used for the elongated guard body. Referring to
In at least one embodiment, the material coating 550 covers all exposed surfaces of the elongated guard body 502 and/or the attachment member 504. In one embodiment, the material coating 550 is a rubber material such as silicone rubber, neoprene, nitrile, or another rubber material that can be applied in a liquid form, overmolded onto, embedded into, or otherwise coupled to surfaces of the faceguard 500. In other embodiments, the attachment member 504 is made from a material with a higher coefficient of friction than the elongated guard body 502 and/or with a material having a lower durometer than the elongated guard body 502, which can enable the attachment member 504 to conform to the outer surfaces of the tongue extension. In yet other embodiments, both the elongated guard body 502 and the attachment member 504 are made from a compliant material coating that is configured to provide a friction fit between the faceguard 500 and the batting helmet. Among other benefits, using a compliant or flexible material along the interfaces between the faceguard 500 and the tongue extension can increase the holding force and reduce movement of the faceguard 500 relative to the batting helmet when worn.
In some embodiments, the faceguard 500 includes an adjustment mechanism to improve fitment between the faceguard 500 and the batting helmet. In one embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is an inflatable air bladder that is configured to increase the applied pressure and/or grip between the attachment member and the batting helmet, as will be further described. The air bladder may be made at least partially from a compliant and/or compressible material to increase the holding force between the attachment member and the batting helmet.
Referring to
The shape of the attachment member 604 is the same as the shape described with reference to
In the embodiment of
In at least one embodiment, the attachment member 204 is formed separately from the elongated guard body 202 and is movably coupled to the elongated guard body 202 by the adjustment mechanism 656 (e.g., a bolt or another type of fastener or clip). In such embodiments, the adjustment mechanism 656 may be used to reposition the attachment member 204 relative to the elongated guard body 602, which can facilitate use of the faceguard 600 with tongue extensions of various shapes and sizes.
In the embodiment of
Referring to
Referring to
In the embodiment of
As shown in
The faceguard 800 is insertable into the recessed area 870 via a press-fit connection along a single axis direction (e.g., toward an outwardly facing surface of the tongue extension 868) to secure the faceguard 800 in place with respect to the tongue extension 868. It should be appreciated that the shape of the perimeter edge, the number of studs, and/or the position of the studs may be different in various embodiments. Among other benefits, the structure of the press-fit fastener 866 can simplify installation of the faceguard 800 and can prevent the use of non-genuine faceguard designs that might not provide a sufficient level of protection to a wearer.
Referring to
The support wall 950 is disposed on a concave side 312 of the elongated guard body 902 (e.g., a first planar portion 908 of the elongated guard body 902) and extends between opposing lateral edges of the elongated guard body 902. The support wall 950 and the elongated guard body 902 together define the sleeve 952, which is insertable over the tongue extension to couple the faceguard 900 to the tongue extension (e.g., via a sleeve opening of the sleeve 952 that faces toward the first lateral end 917 of the elongated guard body 902). The sleeve 952 circumscribes the tongue extension. In at least one embodiment, the support wall 950 is made from a flexible, non-rigid material, such as rubber or another material having a lower durometer and/or a higher coefficient of friction than the elongated guard body 902. In such embodiments, during installation, the support wall 950 flexes, stretches, or otherwise deforms to accommodate the tongue extension and to press against the tongue extension to secure the faceguard 900 to the tongue extension.
In at least one embodiment, the sleeve 952 is shaped complementary with the shape of the tongue extension, which can improve fitment and facilitate alignment between the tongue extension and the faceguard 900. In other embodiments, the shape of the sleeve 952 (and the sleeve opening) is different from the shape of the tongue extension.
Referring to
The first attachment member 1004 is configured to detachably couple to the second attachment member 1022 so that the first attachment member 1004 can be disconnected from the second attachment member 1022 without damaging the faceguard 1000. In the embodiment of
In at least one embodiment, the first attachment member 1004 and/or the second attachment member 1022 include a flexible flap and/or covering that is configured to wrap over the tongue extension to couple the faceguard 1000 to the tongue extension. The flexible flap may be formed from a piece of fabric (e.g., a woven material, canvas, etc.) or another non-rigid material.
In at least one embodiment, the faceguard 1000 includes an adjustment mechanism 1056 that is configured to adjust a holding force acting between the elongated guard body 1002 and the tongue extension. In one embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 1056 includes an air bladder 1058 disposed within or otherwise coupled to the first attachment member 1004 and/or the second attachment member 1022. The adjustment mechanism 1056 also includes a fluid driver 1060, which may include a pump, a syringe, or another air delivery device to adjust a size of the air bladder 1058 (e.g., to inflate or deflate the air bladder 1058). The adjustment mechanism 1056 may also include an adjustable air valve (e.g., a check valve, etc.) to prevent the air bladder 1058 from deflating during use.
Referring to
At operation 1102, an elongated guard body is formed. In one embodiment, operation 1102 includes forming a first planar portion and an intermediate portion of the elongated guard body that extends away from the first planar portion along an extension direction, so that the intermediate portion curves away from the first planar portion to define a concave side of the elongated guard body and an opposing convex side of the elongated guard body.
At operation 1104, a first attachment member is formed onto the elongated guard body. In one embodiment, operation 1104 includes forming the first attachment member integrally with the elongated guard body as a single unitary body. Operation 1104 may include forming the first attachment member adjacent to a first lateral edge of the first planar portion that extends parallel to the extension direction so that the first attachment member is disposed on the concave side of the elongated guard body and extends away from a surface of the first planar portion and toward a second lateral edge of the first planar portion that is located opposite from the first lateral edge. In some embodiments, operation 1104 includes injection molding, 3D printing, or otherwise forming the first attachment member integrally with the elongated body from a single piece of material.
At operation 1106, a second attachment member is formed onto the elongated guard body. In one embodiment, operation 1106 includes forming the second attachment member integrally with the elongated guard body adjacent to a second lateral edge of the first planar portion. In some embodiments, operation 1106 includes forming the second attachment member with the elongated body so that the first attachment member and the second attachment member together define a rail that is configured to receive a tongue extension of a helmet therein. In some embodiments, operation 1106 includes injection molding, 3D printing, or otherwise forming the second attachment member integrally with the elongated body from a single piece of material.
Operations 1104 and 1106 may further include coating, embedding, or otherwise coupling a coating material to the attachment members and/or elongated guard body.
At operation 1108, an adjustment mechanism is coupled to one of the elongated guard body or the first attachment member to allow for adjustment of fitment or to accommodate batting helmets of different sizes and shapes. In some embodiments, operation 1108 includes threadably engaging an adjustment screw to the elongated guard body and/or the first attachment member. In some embodiments, operation 1108 includes coupling an air bladder to the first attachment member and/or elongated guard body, or otherwise movably coupling an adjustment member of the adjustment mechanism to the elongated guard body and/or the first attachment member.
It should be noted that the term “example” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
The term “coupled,” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
The term “or,” as used herein, is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all the elements in the list. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood to convey that an element may be either X, Y, Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z). Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present, unless otherwise indicated
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the various embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the various embodiments without departing from the scope of the embodiments described herein.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular implementations of particular embodiments. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
