Patent ID: 9743702
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: A42B

Claim:
1. A catcher's mask comprising: a two-piece plastic shell composed of a front shell and a rear shell, the front shell being rigid and composed of plastic, the rear shell being rigid, concave, and composed of plastic, the front shell and a rear shell joined by an elastic strap harness, the two-piece plastic shell being adapted to receive and protect the head of a wearer; the front shell having an inner surface, an outer surface, a front region, a crown region, a rear region, a left side region, and a right side region; the front shell further having a face opening defined by a top front edge, a left front edge, and a right front edge; the front shell further having a rear opening partially defined by a rear edge; a front liner removably attached to the inner surface of the front shell; the front liner comprising a first shock absorbing layer, the first shock absorbing layer comprising a first base sheet of thermoplastic polyurethane formed into a first plurality of clusters, each cluster of said first plurality of clusters comprising a first plurality of hollow protrusions protruding from the first base sheet and distributed over an area of the cluster, each hollow protrusion of said plurality of hollow protrusions having a sidewall and a peak, the sidewall being collapsible for absorbing shocks, the first plurality of clusters joined by and spaced apart by regions of the first base sheet having no protrusions; the front liner further comprising a first inner plastic sheet bonded to the first base sheet and registering with the first base sheet; the front liner further comprising a first plurality of pockets formed in the first inner plastic sheet, each of the pockets of said plurality of pockets overlaying and registering with a cluster and containing a foam pad, such that the cluster, pocket, and pad together comprise a front liner cushion; the front liner further comprising a central row of front liner cushions comprising, in order, a first central cushion, a second central cushion, a third central cushion a fourth central cushion, and a fifth central cushion; the front liner further comprising a first jaw cushion connected to the first central cushion and a second jaw cushion connected to the fifth central cushion; the front liner further comprising a first crown cushion connected to the second central cushion, a second crown cushion connected to the fourth central cushion, and a third crown cushion connected to the second crown cushion; the front liner removably attached to the inner surface of the front shell such that the central row is positioned above the top front edge to register approximately with the brow of the wearer, the third central cushion positioned to register approximately with the middle brow of the wearer, the first jaw cushion and second jaw cushion positioned to register approximately with the jaws of the wearer, and the third crown cushion to register approximately with an apex of the crown region of the front shell.