Abstract:
A face mask having a grid that is biasly connected to an opposed head contacting side to reduce the impact to the person wearing the face mask.

Description:
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS 
       [0001]    This invention was not made with Government support. The Government does not have any rights in this invention. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Masks for sporting events are used to protect the face and/or head from impact from other people, balls, pucks, or surfaces such as the ground, walls, or other structures. 
         [0003]    For example, baseball catchers have received concussions from baseballs hitting the facemask. 
         [0004]    There is a need for a facemask that absorbs impact from a baseball or other contact. 
         [0005]    There is a need to reduce concussions in baseball catchers, and in all athletic events. 
         [0006]    There is a need to absorb the shock of a foul tipped baseball, softball, or any ball to reduce the chance of concussion. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    One aspect of the present invention is a mask with impact dampening, comprising: a head contacting side; a grid biasly disposed to said head contacting side. 
         [0008]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is another pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is another pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is another pictorial view of an embodiment of the present invention and the biasing means; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is another pictorial view of an embodiment of the present invention and the biasing means; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of an embodiment of the present invention having recessed or flush bolt heads or nuts; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a pictorial view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  being impacted with a baseball showing a direction of impact and the recessed portion being pushed outwardly upon impact. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
       REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
           10  mask with impact dampening 
           20  biasing means 
           30  head contacting side 
           40  exposed side 
           50  direction of impact 
           60  means to secure mask to human head OR head strap 
           70  grid 
           80  rigid bars 
           90  bolt 
           110  back plate 
           120  front plate 
           130  spring 
           140  bolt head 
           150  nut 
           160  lock nut 
           170  socket head cap 
       
     
         [0033]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment on the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the mask with impact dampening  10 . In one embodiment there may be a head contacting side  30 . The head contacting side  30  may be removably displaced on the head of a user via the means to secure the mask with impact dampening means  60  or head strap  60 . An exposed side  40  or front side  40  may be made of a grid  70 . The grid  70  may be made of rigid bars  80 . The rigid bars  80  may be arranged close enough together to not allow a baseball to go through the rigid bars  80 . The grid  70  may be connected to the head contacting side  30  via a biasing means  20 . The biasing means  20  may be comprised of a bolt  100  that is biasly disposed through a back plate  110  that is fixedly disposed on the head contacting side  30 . Said bolt  100  may also be biasly disposed through a front plate  120  that is fixedly disposed on a grid  70 . The grid  70  may therefore be biasly disposed relative to the head contacting side  30 . 
         [0034]    A spring  130  may be biasly disposed on the bolt  90  between the back plate  110  and the front plate  120 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the mask with impacting dampening  10 . The head contacting side  30  is illustrated, and the grid  70  disposed forwardly there from. The grid  70  may be biasly disposed to the head contacting side  30  by a biasing means  20  disposed to the head contacting side  30  and the grid  70 . The biasing means  20  may be a bolt  90  that is disposed through a back plate  110  of the head contacting side  30  and a front plate  120  of the grid  70 . There may be one or more biasing means  20 . In one embodiment there are  4  biasing means  20  disposed at substantially radially equidistant from the next adjacent biasing means  20 , is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A spring  130  may be disposed on the bolt  90  between the back plate  110  and front plate  120 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  illustrates what may happen if an object, such as a baseball, makes contact with the biasing means  20 . The object may travel in a direction of impact  50  and hit a bolt head  140 . In this case the bolt head  140  may remain in contact with the front plate  120 , and the bolt may be displaced rearwardly thereby displacing the nut  150  rearwardly away from the back plate  110 . A lock nut  160  may be secured on the bolt  90  to retain the nut  150  in position with respect to the bolt  90 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  also illustrates an embodiment where the biasing means  20  is connected and disposed within the front side  40  or exposed side  40  and the head contacting side  30  without need for the back plate  110  or front plate  120 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of what may happen when an object is travelling in a direction of impact  50  and impacts with the grid  70 . The grid  70  may displace rearwardly so that a front plate  120  moves rearwardly toward a back plate toward the back plate  110 . The front plate  120  may move rearwardly away from the bolt head  140 , and the back plate  110  may remain in contact with the back plate  110 . 
         [0039]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in another embodiment the front plate  120  may move rearwardly away from the bolt head  140 , and the nut  150  moves rearwardly away from the back plate  110  in unison. A spring  130  may be disposed between the front plate  120  and the back plate  110 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates a direction of impact  50 , and the impact may push the front plate  120  in the direction of impact  50  to absorb the impact. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of the bolt head  140  and nut  150  being flush within the front plate  120  and back plate  110  respectively. 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  illustrates how the direction of impact  50  may force the nut  150  rearwardly.