Patent Publication Number: US-7895680-B2

Title: Protective mask having removable lens and detachable head strap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a protective mask having particular application for covering the eyes, ears, nose and chin of one playing the game of paintball, and including a removable lens and a detachable head strap that can be quickly and easily separated from the mask. 
     2. Background Art 
     The game of paintball is spreading in popularity among players of all ages. During the game, paintballs are projected at high speed from a paintball marker (i.e., gun) towards an opponent with the object of striking the opponent and leaving a tell-tale paint mark when the paintball ruptures on impact. So as to prevent injury to the face, it is common for players to wear protective masks during play. However, such conventional masks are characterized by several shortcomings. 
     In particular, the vision available to a player through the lens of a conventional protective mask is generally limited to a straight-ahead (i.e., horizontal) field of view. Thus, the player must bend his head and look down to watch his step or spot his opponent. Having to bend one&#39;s head may expose the player to an unseen attack from an opponent without the player having sufficient response time to avoid being “shot.” 
     Nevertheless, the eye covering lens of a protective mask may take a direct hit from an exploding paintball. As a consequence of the foregoing, paint splatter is known to travel under the lens to the interior of the mask where the player&#39;s vision may be impaired. In other situations the lens may become cracked by the impact force generated by a paintball traveling at high speed and/or covered with paint, such that the player&#39;s vision will be blocked. In this case, it would be desirable to remove the lens for purposes of cleaning or replacement. However, it is essential that the player be able to quickly and easily remove the lens from his protective mask so as to avoid wasting time and be ready for the start of a new game. In this same regard, the manner in which the removable lens is attached to the protective mask must be relatively simple to manipulate to facilitate a quick and easy removal thereof. On the other hand, it is equally essential that when the protective mask is in use, the lens is reliably held in place so as to prevent an inadvertent displacement or removal during play. 
     In this regard, what is desirable is a protective mask having particular application for use during the game of paintball and including a removable lens that is reliably held in place during play but is quickly and easily removable from the mask so as to address the problems listed above and overcome the shortcomings of conventional masks. 
     Examples of such conventional masks are available by referring to one or more of the following U.S. patents: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Pat. No. 
                 Issue Date 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 5,148,550 
                 22 Sep. 1992 
               
               
                 6,276,795 
                 21 Aug. 2001 
               
               
                 6,363,528 
                 2 Apr. 2002 
               
               
                 6,789,273 
                 14 Sep. 2004 
               
               
                 6,948,813 
                 27 Sep. 2005 
               
               
                 7,003,802 
                 28 Feb. 2006 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms, a protective mask is disclosed of the kind to be worn by one playing the game of paintball, or the like. The protective mask herein disclosed covers the eyes, nose, chin and ears of a wearer. The mask includes a detachable head strap and a removable lens, should the lens become cracked or covered with paint and be in need of cleaning or replacement. To this end, the removable lens is of the wrap-around type having a pair of ear covering sections at opposite sides thereof, an upturned notch that is sized to fit over a nose covering portion of the mask, and a pair of eye covering sections at opposite sides of the upturned notch. 
     The lens is removably attached to the protective mask when the ear covering sections of the lens are slidably received through gaps between outer and inner lens guides at each side of the mask. In the assembled configuration, a head strap connection hole formed in each ear covering section of the lens is axially aligned with an ear hole formed in an ear covering section at each side of the mask. The mask has an open front in which the removable lens is located with the eye covering sections thereof seated in respective deep lens receiving pockets that extend to the cheeks of the wearer. The mask is sculpted with downwardly sloping walls running along the lens receiving pockets. Thus, the wearer&#39;s vision will be maximized to include a substantially vertical field of view without the wearer having to bend his head. A rib is molded into the mask around the bottom of each lens receiving pocket to establish a ridge or barrier to prevent paint splatter and solid debris from a ruptured paintball from traveling under the lens and obscuring the vision of the wearer. 
     Each end of the detachable head strap is tied to a first connector from a pair of connectors that are mated to one another to detachably connect the head strap and the removable lens to the mask. The first connector includes a locking catch that projects inwardly of the mask by way of the axially-aligned ear hole through an ear covering section at one side of the mask and a head strap connection hole through the ear covering section at one side of the lens. The second of the pair of connectors is manipulated against the first connector and includes a rotatable latch having a force-receiving pad at one end and a force-responsive tail at the opposite end. A manual pushing force applied by the wearer to the force-receiving pad of the latch of the second connector causes the force-responsive tail to rotate around a pin and into interlocking mating engagement with the locking catch of the first connector, whereby the first and second connectors are coupled together to prevent a detachment of the head strap and a separation of the removable lens from the protective mask. 
     A locking screw is received through a hole in the force-receiving pad of the latch of the second connector. The locking screw is rotated by the wearer from an unlocked position to a locked position at which to prevent the force-responsive tail of the latch from moving out of its interlocking mating engagement with the locking catch of the first connector so that the first and second connectors will be held together. When it is desirable to separate the lens and the head strap from the mask, the locking screw is rotated to the unlocked position to enable the force-responsive tail of the latch to move out of its interlocking mating engagement with the locking catch, whereby the first and second connectors may now be disengaged from one another. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a protective mask according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention having a removable lens for slidable receipt at opposite sides of the mask; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged detail showing one side of the protective mask of  FIG. 1  with the removable lens slidably received thereby; 
         FIG. 3A  shows the protective mask having first and second connectors disconnected from one another; 
         FIG. 3B  shows the protective mask in the fully assembled configuration having the removable lens, a detachable head strap, and a visor projecting outwardly from the mask and suspended above the lens; 
         FIG. 4  shows the detachable head strap of the protective mask detachably connected to the removable lens thereof with the first and second connectors of  FIG. 3A  moved into mating engagement with one another; 
         FIG. 5  shows details of the second connector to be mated to the first connector by which the detachable head strap and the removable lens are connected to one another; and 
         FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C illustrate the steps by which the second connector of  FIG. 5  is manipulated inside the mask so as to be mated to the first connector. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 A and  3 B of the drawings, there is shown a protective mask  1  having a removable lens  3 , an adjustable and detachable head strap  5 , and a visor  6  according to the preferred embodiment of this invention. Although it is contemplated that the protective mask  1  will have particular application to be worn by those who play the game of paintball, the mask  1  herein disclosed can be used to protect the face of others who are engaged in different recreational activities. 
     The protective mask  1  and the visor  6  (best shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) are preferably manufactured (e.g., molded) from a lightweight (e.g. polyethylene) material. A number of air holes  7  are formed throughout the mask  1  to provide ventilation around the face and improve the wearer&#39;s ability to speak and hear. To provide maximum protection while being worn during the game of paintball, the mask  1  is sized to surround the nose, chin, eyes and ears of the wearer. 
     The removable lens  3  which covers the eyes of the wearer is shown in  FIG. 1  removed from the front of the mask  1 . In the present example, the lens  3  is manufactured from an impact-resistant (e.g., polycarbonate) material. The lens  3  is of the wrap-around type so as to have a pair of extended length ear covering sections  8  at opposite sides thereof that project rearwardly from a pair of eye covering sections  10  located at the front of lens  3 . An upturned notch  12  is formed in the front of the lens  3  between the pair of eye covering sections  10  within which to receive the nose covering portion  13  of the mask  1 . A head strap connection hole  14  is formed through each of the ear covering sections  8  of the lens  3  for a purpose that will soon be explained. Although they are shown as being square, connection holes  14  may have any suitable shape depending upon the means by which the lens  3  and the head strap  5  are connected to the mask  1 . 
     The lens  3  is removably connected to the front of the protective mask  1  when the ear covering sections  8  thereof are slidably received through respective gaps  16  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) that are established at opposite sides of the mask between an outer lens guide  18  and an inner lens guide  20 . In the fully assembled relationship shown in  FIG. 3B , the lens  3  fills the open front  22  of the mask  1  so as to cover the eyes of the wearer. At the same time, the head strap connection holes  14  are accessible so that the detachable head strap  5  can be coupled to the lens  3  in a manner that will soon be described. In this same regard, and provided that the head strap  5  has first been detached from the mask  1 , the removable lens  3  can be quickly and easily separated from the mask in response to a pulling force applied thereto such that the ear covering sections  8  are slidably withdrawn from the gaps  16  between the outer and inner lens retaining guides  18  and  20  at each side of the mask. This quick release, slide-out feature advantageously allows one lens which has been cracked or covered with vision-blocking paint splatter during the paintball game to be removed and replaced in a few seconds with a new lens to avoid wasting time between games. 
     When the removable lens  3  is attached to the protective mask  1 , the upturned notch  12  between the eye covering sections  10  will be seated upon the outwardly protruding portion  13  of the mask that covers the wearer&#39;s nose. As another important advantage of the removable lens  3  herein disclosed, the eye covering sections  10  depend downwardly from the upturned notch  12  (e.g., by approximately 6 cm) so as to terminate adjacent the wearer&#39;s cheeks. To this end, the front of the mask  1  is provided with a pair of deep lens receiving pockets  24  (best shown in  FIG. 1 ) lying opposite the nose covering portion  13  that extend below the cheeks of the wearer to accommodate respective ones of the eye covering sections  10  of lens  3 . What is more, the front of the mask  1  is sculpted with a downwardly and outwardly sloping wall  26  that runs between the nose covering portion  13  and the end of each deep lens receiving pocket  24  to provide the wearer with a substantially vertical line of sight through the lens  3 . Such a vertical line of sight along the sloping walls  26  enables the wearer to better view the ground and/or the feet of an opponent who is engaged in the game of paintball without first having to bend his head. On the other hand, the lens of a conventional mask is typically sized and fitted to the mask body such that the wearer&#39;s vision is undesirably limited to a substantially horizontal line of sight. 
     A rib  27  is molded into the front of the protective mask  1  to follow the contour of the lens receiving pockets  24  at each side of the nose covering portion  13 . In the assembled configuration, when the ear covering sections  8  of lens  3  are slidably received through the lens receiving gaps  16  at the opposite sides of the mask  1 , each eye covering section  10  at the bottom of the lens  3  is seated upon a rib  27 . The rib  27  provides the advantage of introducing a guard or barrier to prevent a spurt of paint and solid debris from an exploding paintball from traveling under the lens  3  and possibly blocking the vision of the wearer. The rib  27  also blocks any gap that might be created below the lens should the mask flex under pressure during play. 
     A (e.g., round) ear hole  30  is formed through each one of a pair of ear covering sections  28  located at opposite sides of the protective mask  1 . With the removable lens  3  attached to the protective mask  1 , the ear covering sections  8  and  28  lie face-to-face one another such that each head strap connection hole  14  through an ear covering section  8  of lens  3  will be axially aligned with an ear hole  30  through an ear covering section  28  of mask  1 . As will soon be explained, and as is best shown in  FIG. 4 , opposite ends of the head strap  5  are detachably connected to the lens  3  by pairs of connectors  40  and  42  that are mated to one another through the axially aligned head strap connection holes  14  and ear holes  30  at opposite sides of mask  1 , whereby to prevent an inadvertent removal of lens  3  from the mask. 
     The visor  6  (of  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) is attached to the top of the protective mask  1  to shade the eyes of the wearer. The visor  6  also serves as a shield to intercept paintballs that are directed downwardly toward the mask  1  and the lens  3  carried thereby. As is best shown in  FIG. 1 , a locking slot  32  is formed in the top of the mask  1  at each of the ear covering sections  28 . Additional locking slots  34  are formed in the top of the mask above the open front  22  thereof in which the removable lens  3  is located. In the assembled configuration, detents  36  projecting from the visor  6  are snapped into locking engagement with respective ones of the locking slots  32  and  34  around the mask  1  so that the visor  6  will be reliably connected to the top of mask and suspended outwardly therefrom above the lens  3 . 
     In the assembled ready-to-wear configuration, each of the opposite ends of the detachable head strap  5  is shown coupled to the removable lens  3  via an axially aligned ear hole  30  (of  FIG. 1 ) through an ear covering section  28  at one side of mask  1  and a head strap connection hole  14  (also of  FIG. 1 ) through an ear covering section  8  of lens  3 . More particularly, and as will be disclosed in greater detail while referring hereinafter to  FIGS. 6A-6C , a first connector  40  of one of the aforementioned pairs of connectors to which one end of the head strap  5  is tied is pushed by the wearer through an axially aligned ear hole  30  and head strap connection hole  14 . A quick-release second connector  42  is detachably connected by the wearer inside mask  1  to the first connector  40 , whereby to lock the head strap  5  to the lens  3  (best shown in  FIG. 4 ) through the mask. 
     Details of the first connector  40  to be connected to an opposing quick-release second connector  42  through the protective mask  1  are provided while referring to  FIG. 3A  of the drawings. As previously described, each end of the detachable head strap  5  is tied to a connector  40 . In particular, the first connector  40  includes a (e.g., round) backing  75  that is sized and shaped to be seated within a correspondingly shaped ear hole  30  (of  FIG. 1 ) through the ear covering section  28  at one side of the mask  1 . The head strap  5  is fed through a slot  76  in the backing  75  to be turned back upon itself and stitched together to establish a wide loop end  77 . 
     A pair of spaced neck support fingers  78  stand upwardly from one end of the backing  75  of connector  40 , and a hook-shaped locking catch  80  stands upwardly from the opposite end of backing  75 . With the backing  75  of connector  40  seated within ear hole  30 , the pair of neck support fingers  78  and the locking catch  80  project inwardly of the protective mask  1  via the axially aligned ear hole  30  through ear covering section  28  of the mask  1  and the head strap connection hole  14  through the ear covering section  8  of removable lens  3 . The quick-release second connector  42  can now be moved by the wearer into mating engagement with the first connector  40  at the inwardly projecting neck support fingers  78  and locking catch  80  thereof in the manner shown at  FIG. 3B . 
     Details of the quick-release second connector  42  which is to be coupled to an opposing first connector  40  to prevent the lens  3  and the head strap  5  from becoming disconnected from one another and separated from the protective mask  1  are provided while referring concurrently to  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the drawings. The quick-release second connector  42  is complementary to but independent of the first connector  40  to which one of the ends of the head strap  5  is tied. That is, the quick-release connector  42  can be disconnected from the first connector  40  and separated from mask  1 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the quick-release connector  42 . A rectangular base  44  of connector  42  surrounds an open window  46 . A pin  48  extends transversely and downwardly through the open window  46  to be supported at opposite ends thereof by the base  44 . A latch  50  is pivotally coupled to the pin  48 , whereby the latch  50  is rotatable relative to the base  44 . In particular, the latch  50  is adapted to rotate around the pin  48  so as to move through the window  46  between latched and unlatched positions. 
     The latch  50  of quick-release connector  42  includes a force receiving pad  52  at one end thereof, a force responsive tail  54  at the opposite end, and a neck  56  extending therebetween. A cylindrical hole  58  runs longitudinally through the tail  54  of latch  50 . When the latch  50  is coupled to the base  44  of connector  42 , the pin  48  is received through the hole  58  in tail  54  to enable the latch  50  to rotate through the window  46  of base  44 . 
     A generally oval-shaped hole  60  is formed in the force receiving pad  52  of latch  50 . The oval-shaped hole  60  has a recessed lip  62  formed at each of its relatively narrow sides along the minor axis thereof. A generally oval-shaped hole  63 , which conforms to the size and shape of the hole  60  in latch  50  is formed through the base  44 . However, the major axes of the oval-shaped hole  60  formed in the force receiving pad  52  and the oval-shaped hole  63  formed in the base  44  of connector  42  are aligned perpendicular to one another. 
     A locking screw  64  has a first head  66  at one end thereof, a second head  68  at the opposite end, and a relatively narrow shank  70  extending between the first and second heads  66  and  68 . The second head  68  of locking screw  64  has an oval shape to conform to the shape of the holes  60  and  63  that are formed in latch  50  and base  44 . In the coupled connector configuration of  FIG. 4 , the shank  70  of locking screw  64  is rotatably received through the hole  63  in base  44 , such that the first head  66  of the locking screw  64  is located above the base  44 , and the second (oval-shaped) head  68  is located below the base  44 . 
     A pair of guide tabs  72  project outwardly from opposite sides of the first head  66  of locking screw  64 . A force transmitting slot  74  is formed in the second head  68  of locking screw  64 . In the coupled connector configuration (of  FIG. 4 ) and as will be explained when referring to  FIG. 6 , a coin or a tool is located within the force-transmitting slot  74  of head  68 . A rotational force applied to slot  74  is transferred from the second head  68  to the first head  66  by way of the shank  70  of locking screw  64 . Accordingly, the locking screw  64  will rotate within the oval-shaped hole  63  that is formed in the base  44  of the quick-release connector  42 . At the same time, the oval-shaped second head  68  of locking screw  64  can be rotated (relative to the oval-shaped hole  60  that is formed in the latch  50 ) between a locked position (when the removable lens  3  and the detachable head strap  5  are to be attached to the protective mask  1 ) and an unlocked position (when it is desirable to separate the lens  3  and head strap  5  from the mask  1 ). 
       FIGS. 6A-6C  of the drawings illustrate the steps by which a first connector (designated  40  in  FIGS. 3A and 4 ) to which one end of the head strap  5  is tied is moved inwardly through an axially aligned ear hole  30  in the ear covering section  28  of the protective mask  1  and a head strap connection hole  14  in the ear covering section  8  of lens  3  so as to be coupled to a quick-release second connector  42  (of  FIG. 5 ) inside the mask in order to hold the removable lens  3  and detachable head strap  5  in place during play. More particularly,  FIG. 6A  shows the latch  50  of quick-release connector  42  in its unlatched position with the force-receiving pad  52  thereof rotated around pin  48  and lifted off the locking screw  64  carried by the base  44  prior to the first and second connectors  40  and  42  being coupled to one another. In this case, the force-responsive tail  54  which lies opposite the force receiving pad  52  projects downwardly through the window  46  in base  44  so as to be disengaged from the first connector  40 . 
     In  FIG. 6B , the first connector  40  is now coupled to the second quick-release connector  42 , such that the upstanding neck support fingers  78  and the locking catch  80  of the first connector  40  are moved into the window  46  that is surrounded by the base  44  of the second connector  42 . At this point, the force receiving pad  52  of latch  50  is rotated downwardly (in response to a manual pushing force applied thereto) around pin  48  to the latched position so as to lie against the base  44  such that the oval-shaped head  68  of the locking screw  64  that is received by the base  44  is also received through the oval-shaped hole  60  in the force-receiving pad  52 . In this case, the force-responsive tail  54  of latch  50  is correspondingly rotated upwardly within the window  46  of base  44  so as to move into interlocking engagement below the hook shaped locking catch  80  that projects from the first connector  40  into the window  46  of the second connector  42  (best shown in  FIG. 4 ). At the same time, the neck  56  between the force-receiving pad  52  and force-responsive tail  54  of latch  50  is received in the space between the neck support fingers  78  of the first connector  40 . 
     In  FIG. 6B , the oval-shaped head  68  of locking screw  64  is disposed in the unlocked position with respect to the oval-shaped hole  60  formed in the force receiving pad  52 . That is, the oval-shaped head  68  is aligned along the major axis of the oval-shaped hole  60  so as to lie out of receipt by the recessed lips  62  of hole  60 . 
       FIG. 6C  shows the oval-shaped head  68  of locking screw  64  moved to the locked position with respect to the oval-shaped hole  60  formed in the force-receiving pad  52  of latch  50 . In this case, a suitable flat-edged tool or even a coin (not shown) is inserted into the force-transmitting slot  74  in the head  68  of locking screw  64 . A rotational force generated by the tool within slot  74  imparts a rotational force to the head  68 , whereby to cause head  68  to rotate within the oval-shaped hole  60  from the unlocked position of  FIG. 6B  to the locked position of  FIG. 6C . That is, the oval-shaped head  68  is now aligned along the minor axis of the oval-shaped hole  60  so as to be received within the recessed lips  62  at opposite sides of the hole  60 . With the head  68  of locking screw  64  rotated to the locked position as shown in  FIG. 6C  and captured by the recessed lips  62  of hole  60 , the force-receiving pad  52  of latch  50  will be held down against the base  44  in its latched position, and the force-responsive tail  54  of latch  50  will be retained in interlocking mating engagement underneath the locking catch  80  of connector  40 . 
     Accordingly, the first and second connectors  40  and  42  from one pair of connectors are mated to each other within the window  46  of connector  42  via an axially aligned ear hole  30  through an ear covering section  28  of protective mask  1  and a head strap connection hole  14  through an ear covering section  8  of lens  3  to reliably prevent the removable lens  3  from sliding out and the detachable head strap  5  from being separated from the mask. However, when it is otherwise desirable to quickly and easily remove the lens  3  and/or detach the head strap  5 , the quick-release connector  42  is manipulated by the wearer within a few seconds in a reverse series of steps represented by  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C. In this manner, a cracked or paint splattered lens can be removed from the mask for replacement without a prolonged stoppage of play. 
     That is to say, the head  68  of locking screw  64  is first rotated from the locked position (of  FIG. 6C ) to the unlocked position (of  FIG. 6B ). The force-receiving pad  52  of latch  50  can then be pushed upwardly and off the base  44  of connector  42  (as shown in  FIG. 6A ). Hence, the force-responsive pad  54  of latch  50  will be correspondingly rotated downwardly through window  46  and out of its former engagement with the locking catch  80  of connector  40 . With the latch  50  now in its unlatched position, the quick-release connector  42  can be lifted off and uncoupled from the first connector  40  to which one end of the head strap  5  is tied. Finally, the first connector  40  is pulled outwardly from the head strap connection hole  14  in the ear covering section  8  of lens  3  and the ear hole  30  in the ear covering section  28  of protective mask  1  to enable the lens  3  and head strap  5  to be separated from the mask.