Patent ID: 6189156
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A42B

Abstract:
A catcher's helmet comprising, in combination:a rigid unitary front portion including a top extent defined by a quarter of an ellipsoid and having a pair of parallel rows of linearly aligned breathing apertures formed therein between a front end and a rear end thereof, the unitary front portion further including a pair of generally planar and square side extents integrally coupled to opposite sides of a rear half of a lower peripheral edge of the top extent and depending downwardly therefrom with each side extent including a pair of vertically oriented apertures formed therein, the side extents each having an outwardly extending lip formed along a rear edge thereof, the unitary front portion further including a front extent having a pair of ends integrally coupled to lower front corners of the side extents and extending forwardly therefrom, the front extent defined by a top peripheral edge which resides in a plane extending forwardly and downwardly from the side extents and a lower peripheral edge forming a smooth arcuate transition with that of the side extents, the rear edges of the side extents residing in a vertical plane common to that which contains a rear edge of the top extent, wherein the front extent has a forwardly extending lip and a plurality of breathing apertures formed therein, with a face opening located between the top extent, side extents and front extent;a face plate including a pair of horizontally oriented upper U-shaped bars each having ends mounted to tops of front edges of the side extents of the unitary front portion in parallel relationship with each other, a plurality of additional lower U-shaped bars each having ends coupled to bottoms of the front edges of the side extents of the front portion at a common position such that the additional lower U-shaped bars extend therefrom at various angles between a horizontal plane and that associated with the top peripheral edge of the front extent of the unitary front portion, a pair of generally vertical side bars coupled along opposite sides of the upper and lower U-shaped bars, and an inverted vertically oriented U-shaped bar mounted to the lower U-shaped bars;a rear portion including an arcuate rear face and a peripheral side wall coupled to the rear face and extended forwardly therefrom for defining an open bottom and a front peripheral edge which resides in a vertical plane;a strap assembly including a plurality of horizontally oriented adjustable straps mounted between slots formed in a top extent of the unitary front portion and the rear portion and a pair of angled adjustable straps including a first angled strap having ends coupled within angle slots in the front lower corners of the side extents of the front portion such that the first angled strap may be wrapped about a rear neck area of a user and a second angled strap having a pair of ends coupled within angled slots formed in the peripheral side wall of the rear portion and having a midpoint slidably situated within angled slots formed in the front lower corners of the side extents such that a chin holster is coupled to the second angled strap and situated within the helmet adjacent the front extent of the unitary front portion; anda pad lining an interior surface of the front and rear portions; anda shield positioned over the upper extent of the face opening of the mask to cover the majority of the area thereof between the side extents and from the top extent to a location adjacent to but above the front extent, the shield being fabricated of a rigid transparent plastic material with vertical slots adjacent to its lateral ends for the receipt of coupling straps and with an upward, inwardly angled joining region, the joining region being formed with a plurality of small openings to define a plurality of reception rods along the upper extent and with straps encompassing the rods for joining the rods and the shield to the mask through fasteners.