Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a headgear for protecting the ears of athletes, especially in the sport of wrestling and more particularly to a headgear of relatively few parts that permits simple assembly, easy adjustment and provides a comfortable fit with enhanced release of perspiration at the ear protection area, and good sound reception. 
         [0003]    2. Prior Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,818 to Roberts shows earguards with an inner rubber portion riveted to a rigid convex shell. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,898,596 to Keen shows a headgear with earguards that include a rigid inner shell covered by a soft foam-like material. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,921 to Helm shows wrestling headgear with a rigid shell having central ventilation openings and a peripheral pad riveted to the periphery of the shell. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,316 to Pukish, Jr. shows a wrestling headgear with head and chin straps that are stitched to the right and left ear covers. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,482 to Holden shows a wrestling headgear with straps that pass through loops that are riveted to each ear cover. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,611 to Beguin shows ear cups attached to a head harness by straps that pass through a pivotal mounting ring within the ear cup. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,596,288 to Marchello; 3,628,191 to Douglas; 4,551,861 to Marchello; 4,710,985 to Dubner et al; 4,706,305 to Cho; and 5,500,951 to Marchello show head straps formed as a continuation of the earguard. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,037 to Morgan shows a headgear that includes a cover portion for the forehead. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,345 to Marchello and 5,504,945 to Purnell show a headgear with strap ends disposed between a soft outer layer and a rigid inner shell. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,815 to Anduiar shows a headgear formed of resilient foam and pad members to protect the wearer from forceful blows to the head. 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,143 to Marchello shows an earguard assembly with a peel off inside pad to facilitate cleaning of the earguard. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,420 to Dobbs et al shows a headgear for wrestlers that covers the entire head and ears. 
         [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,393 to Marchello shows a headgear with adjustment straps and ear cover members that include a relatively hard plastic outer layer and an inner soft foam liner that are integrally joined together. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,516 to Purnell shows a wrestling headgear with earpieces that have integrally joined Velcro adjustment straps. 
         [0018]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,565 to Tsujino and U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,186 to Purnell show a wrestling headgear with adjustment straps that pass through openings in one member of a multi-member earguard. 
         [0019]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,395 to Keen shows a headgear with straps that pass through D-rings on the right and left ear covers, the D-rings being attached to each ear cover. 
         [0020]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,156 to Purnell shows a headgear with strap portions that are integral with left and right side ear protectors. 
         [0021]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,558 to Keen shows a wrestler&#39;s headgear wherein right and left ear cover assemblies include a soft inner cushion and a plastic outer shell that are held in place by headstraps. 
         [0022]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,167 to Coutant shows a headgear with component portions of the earguards integrally joined together. 
         [0023]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,197,773 to Purnell shows a wrestling headgear with ear covers that include two relatively rigid members that snap together and receive a foam inner pad. 
         [0024]    U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D 469,928; D 476,450; and D 553,803 to Keen et al. show various designs for a wrestler headgear or components thereof. 
         [0025]    U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D 548,404 and D 551,393 to Purnell show designs for a wrestler headgear. 
         [0026]    Some common problems with known headgear of the type previously discussed is that they may be difficult to adjust or assemble, or if assembly is simplified the component parts may shift with respect to each other after adjustment. A further problem with known headgear is that they can muffle outside sound, which is discomforting to the wearer. Also, in many known headgear, perspiration accumulates around the ears within the earguard, which can cause slippage of the earguards on the head during wrestling activity. 
         [0027]    Earguard slippage is distracting to the wrestler and can compromise ear protection, obstruct the wearer&#39;s vision and lead to temporary stoppage of a wrestling match while the headgear is repositioned on the wearer&#39;s head. 
         [0028]    It is thus desirable to provide a headgear that is comfortable to wear, has good sound transmission, permits enhanced release of perspiration from around the ears and is thus relatively slip resistant on the head. It is also desirable to provide a headgear of simplified construction that is easy to assemble and disassemble, and adjust into a comfortable position on the head that is positionally stable. It is further desirable to provide a headgear with few parts that does not require permanent or complex assembly of the components by bonding, riveting, gluing, and the like to form a stable integral unit. 
         [0029]    In accordance with the present invention, each earguard of the headgear includes a separate inner earguard pad and a separate outer protective shell with mating recesses and projections. The pads and shells are easily assembled together with detachable head straps, provided at the head and neck area, and a chin strap to form a positionally stable earguard assembly. It will be noted that head straps provided at the neck area are occasionally referred to as neck straps in this description. The headgear can also be easily disassembled into its component parts when desired. 
         [0030]    The headgear includes a right earguard assembly and a left earguard assembly that are symmetrical. Each earguard assembly includes an inner earguard pad and an outer protective shell detachable from each other, a plurality of elongated head straps extending from one of the earguard assemblies to the other earguard assembly detachably joined to the right and left earguard assemblies to prevent detachment of the inner earguard pad and the outer protective shell of each earguard assembly. Each protective shell has a predetermined peripheral shape including a first corresponding plurality of peripheral lobes, and each earguard pad is formed with a second corresponding plurality of lobe-like peripheral wall portions that surround and embrace the peripheral lobes of the protective shell to align the respective outer protective shells on the respective earguard pads in respective predetermined alignment positions. 
         [0031]    Each protective shell has an irregular asymmetric peripheral shape, and each earguard pad is formed with an irregular asymmetric peripheral wall of complementary shape and size with respect to the irregular asymmetric peripheral shape of the protective shell such that the irregular asymmetric peripheral wall of the earguard pad surrounds and embraces the irregular asymmetric periphery of the protective shell to align the earguard pad and protective shell in the earguard assembly. 
         [0032]    Each protective shell includes peripheral sections that extend between selected pairs of peripheral lobes and each earguard pad includes supplemental wall portions that engage the peripheral sections of the respective protective shells when the respective protective shells and the respective earguard pads are in their respective predetermined aligned positions, to enhance the positional stability of the protective shells on the earguard pads in the respective aligned positions. 
         [0033]    Each protective shell has an outer surface and the peripheral lobes have a radially outer peripheral edge. The outer surface is formed with channels that extend from the slot-like openings in the peripheral lobes to the radially outer peripheral edge to accommodate the straps. 
         [0034]    Each protective shell and each earguard pad are provided with a corresponding plurality of slot-like openings that respectively align when the protective shell and the earguard pad are in their aligned positions in the earguard assembly. The slot-like openings are provided in the peripheral lobes of the protective shell, and each earguard pad is formed with corresponding slot-like openings that align with the slot-like openings in the respective protective shells when the protective shells and the earguard pads are in their respective predetermined alignment positions. 
         [0035]    At least one of the earguard pads include supplemental wall portions that engage the periphery of at least one of the protective shells between selected pairs of peripheral lobes on the at least one protective shell. 
         [0036]    Each earguard pad has an inner surface and an inner surface outer periphery. The inner surface of the earguard pad is formed with channels extending from the slot-like openings in the earguard pads to the inner surface outer periphery of the earguard pads, to accommodate the straps. 
         [0037]    Each earguard pad has a channel formed in the lobe-like peripheral wall portions in alignment with the channels in the outer surface of the protective shells. 
         [0038]    Each earguard pad has an outer surface formed with a select number of spaced alignment bosses that protrude outwardly from the outer surface and each protective shell includes a corresponding number of openings aligned with the respective alignment bosses to receive the alignment bosses when the respective outer protective shells and the respective earguard pads are in their respective alignment positions to enhance the positional stability of the protective shell on the earguard pad in the aligned position 
         [0039]    The head straps include means for adjusting and maintaining selected individual lengths of the respective straps between the right and left earguard assemblies. 
         [0040]    The head straps have opposite ends and an upper surface and an under surface that includes a first set of hook and loop fastening means at the under surface of the strap such that entry of one end of one head strap initially through the shell slot and then into the earguard slot of one of the earguard assemblies permit hook and loop attachment at the under surface of the one head strap. The head strap further includes a second set of hook and loop fastening means at the upper surface of the strap such that entry of the opposite end of the head strap initially through the earpad slot and then into the shell slot of the other earguard assembly permit hook and loop attachment at the upper surface of the head strap. 
         [0041]    The plurality of peripheral lobes in each protective shell corresponds to the plurality of head straps, and the corresponding plurality of lobe-like peripheral wall portions in the earguard pad surround and embrace the peripheral lobes to align the outer protective shell on the earguard pad in a predetermined alignment position. 
         [0042]    The outer protective shell can be made of any suitable material that is sufficiently rigid to protect the ear of the wearer of the headgear, and is preferably a plastic material such as low density polyethylene. The inner earguard pad and the outer plastic protective shell are constructed such that the outer plastic shell mates with minimal slippage with respect to the inner earguard pad to form the earguard assembly. 
         [0043]    Each of the earguards have slots or openings near the periphery of the earguard to releasably accommodate the head straps, neck straps and chin strap. All straps are individually adjustable to enable the headgear to be easily custom fitted onto the head and over the ears of the wearer. 
         [0044]    Adjustability and assembly of the earguard components is preferably accomplished with hook and loop connections (such as sold under the trademark Velcro) at opposite end positions of the head, neck and chin straps. The head and neck straps pass through aligned openings near the periphery of the earguard pad and the earguard shell, to secure the pads and shells together and thus form the headgear. 
         [0045]    The outer plastic protective shell can be manufactured by processes well known in the art, such as, for example, by injection molding, casting and other equivalent procedures, from suitable materials such as low density polyethylene and other equivalent materials. 
         [0046]    The inner earguard pads can be manufactured by processes well known in the art, such as, for example, injection molding, casting, and other equivalent procedures well known in the art, from such suitable materials as compressed energy absorbing foam and other equivalent materials well known in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0047]    In the accompanying drawings, 
           [0048]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a headgear incorporating one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0049]      FIG. 2  is an outside side view of the left earguard thereof with some straps removed for purposes of clarity; 
           [0050]      FIG. 3  is an outside perspective view of the left earguard of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 4  is an inside plan view of the left earguard of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 5  is an inside plan view of the left earguard pad of  FIG. 4  with the outside shell removed; 
           [0053]      FIG. 6  is an inside plan view of the left earguard shell of  FIG. 4  with the inside pad removed; 
           [0054]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the left earguard of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0055]      FIG. 8  is an outside plan view of the left earguard pad of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0056]      FIG. 9  is an outside plan view of the left earguard shell of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0057]      FIG. 10  is an inside perspective view of the right earguard of  FIG. 1 , with the straps removed for purposes of clarity; 
           [0058]      FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of the right earguard of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0059]      FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of the opposite side of the right earguard of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0060]      FIG. 13  is an outside plan view of the right earguard shell of  FIG. 12  including the chin strap; 
           [0061]      FIG. 14  is a sectional view taken on the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0062]    Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0063]    Referring to the drawings, a headgear incorporating one embodiment of this invention is generally indicated by the reference number  10  in  FIG. 1 . The headgear  10  includes a right earguard  12  and a left earguard  14  which are substantially mirror images of each other. The right earguard  12  and the left earguard  14  each include a top portion  16 , a rear portion  18  and a bottom portion  30  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0064]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the right and left earguards  12  and  14 , are symmetrical, with right and left plastic ear protection shells  22  and  24  that are generally concave at the inside and generally convex at the outside. The earguards  12  and  14  also include symmetrical right and left resilient ear protection pads  26  and  34 . 
         [0065]    Since the right and left ear protection shells are symmetrical, a detailed description of one of the shells, such as the left shell  24 , is also applicable to the right shell  22 . The left ear protection shell  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 , has an exterior surface  28  and an interior surface  40 . The shell  24  is formed with a generally inner concave and outer convex central portion  38  having a plurality of polygonal-shaped openings  36 . The openings  36  are generally rectangular in shape with beveled edges  46  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ). The openings  36  vary in size with the larger openings located near a front portion  48  of the left shell  24 , and gradually decrease in size toward a rear portion  50  of the left shell  24 . The openings  36  provide ventilation and a sound transmission path to the ears of the wearer. 
         [0066]    The left ear protection shell  24  also includes a plurality of elongated alignment openings  58  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) located along the periphery  60  of the dome-shaped central portion  38 . The alignment openings  58  include elongated parallel sides  96  and  98  ( FIG. 7 ) and opposite rounded ends  108  and  112  ( FIG. 7 ). Larger elongated openings  58  are generally located toward the front portion  48  of the shell  24  and smaller elongated openings  58 ′ are located toward the back portion  50  of shell  24 . The alignment openings enable the ear protection shell  24  to easily mate and align in a fixed stable position with the earguard pad  34 . 
         [0067]    The shell  24  also includes two generally rectangular alignment lobes  62  and  70  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) with curved corners at a top portion  82  of the shell  24  and two generally rectangular alignment lobes  72  and  74  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) at a rear portion  84  of the shell  24 . 
         [0068]    Each of the alignment lobes  62 ,  70 ,  72  and  74  at the exterior surface  28  of the shell  24  include a rectangular shaped depression  86 . Each rectangular depression  86  includes a slot-shaped strap opening  106  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) located at a base  94  ( FIG. 7 ) of the depression  86 . The width of the rectangular depression  86  is approximately the same as the width of the slot opening  106 . 
         [0069]    The shell  24  also includes a curved notch  120  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) located in the upper rear portion  52  between the projecting lobes  70  and  72 , a U-shaped recess  122  located between the lobes  62  and  70 , and a U-shaped recess  124  located between the lobes  72  and  74 . 
         [0070]    The notch  120  and U-shaped recesses  122  and  124  help the right and left ear protection pads  26  and  34  to mate and align in a fixed stable position with the corresponding shells  22  and  24 . 
         [0071]    A curved bottom portion  132  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) of the shell  24  is located between the front portion  48  of the shell  24  and a lower portion  134  of the shell  24 . A U-shaped depression  136  in the bottom portion  132  includes a fastening means, such as a snap attachment  144  ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ). The snap attachment  144  connects to a releasable snap fastener  146  ( FIGS. 7  and  9 ) provided at a top end of a chinstrap portion  148  ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ). The chinstrap portion  148  includes a looped end  156  that loops around a connecting ring  158  such that the chinstrap portion  148  can rotate 360° when the snap fastener  146  engages the snap attachment  144 . 
         [0072]    Each of the lobes  62 ,  70 ,  72  and  74  at the interior surface  40  of the shell  24  ( FIGS. 6 and 11 ) include a rectangular-shaped bulge  76  extending from the top of the lobes to the slot opening  106 . The bulge  76  is approximately the same width as the slot opening  106 . The bottom  132  ( FIG. 6 ) at the interior surface of the shell  24  contains a U-shaped bulge  138  that corresponds to the U-shaped depression  136  ( FIG. 7 ) on the exterior surface  28  of the shell  24 . The back of the snap attachment  144  ( FIG. 6 ) projects through a central portion of the U-shaped bulge  138 . 
         [0073]    The left earguard pad  34  has an outside surface  160  ( FIG. 7 ) and an inside surface  168  ( FIG. 5 ). The earguard pad  34  has a generally circular or slightly elliptical central opening  170  that communicates with the central portion  38  of the shell  24  and the openings  36  contained therein. 
         [0074]    The material forming the earguard pad  34  provides a generally soft cushion-like protection to the ears of the wearer of the headgear  10  while the inner concave, outer convex shell  24  that mates with the earguard pad  34  functions as a protective shield for the ear. The opening  170  in the earguard pad and the openings  36  in the ear protection shell  24  provide comfortable ventilation and permit sound transmission to the wearer of the headgear  10 . The openings  170  and  36  also provide an escape path into the ambient air for perspiration that can develop around the ears during sports activity. 
         [0075]    The earguard pad  34  further includes spaced alignment bosses  172  ( FIG. 7 ) that project outwardly from the exterior side  160  of the pad  34  along a generally circular path close to the periphery  180  of the central circular opening  170  of the earguard pad  34 . The alignment bosses  172  align with and project through the corresponding alignment openings  58  ( FIG. 7 ) in the ear protection shell  24  when it is mated with the earguard pad  34  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and help provide a fixed and positionally stable assembly of the earguard pad  34  and the ear protection shell  24  in a predetermined alignment position as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0076]    The earguard pad  34  also includes a front edge projection ridge  182  ( FIG. 7 ) projecting from the outside surface  160  at a front portion  194  of the pad  34 . The earguard pad  34  also includes a rear edge projection ridge  184  projecting from the outside surface  160  at an upper rear portion  196  of the pad  34 , and a lower edge projection ridge  186  projecting from the outside surface  160  at a lower portion  198  of the earguard pad  34 . 
         [0077]    The rear edge projection ridge  184  also includes a relatively small semi-circular protuberance  206  ( FIG. 7 ) that projects from an inside surface portion  208  of the projection  184 . 
         [0078]    The projection ridges  182 ,  184  and  186  ( FIG. 7 ) further enable the shell  24  to mate and align in a fixed stable position with the pad  34  by engaging against the complementary shaped front portion  48 , rear portion  52 , and lower portion  134  of the shell  24 , to help maintain the predetermined alignment position of  FIGS. 1-3 . The protuberance  206  ( FIG. 7 ) on the projection ridge  184  of the pad  34  provides additional alignment stabilization by engaging the curved notch  120  on the shell  24 . 
         [0079]    The left earguard pad  34  ( FIG. 7 ) also include&#39;s lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  with projecting wall portions  216   a ,  218   a ,  220   a , and  222   a  that project from the periphery of the lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  at the outside surface  160  of the earguard pad  34 . The projecting wall portions  216   a ,  218   a ,  220   a  and  222   a  surround and engage and confine the complementary periphery of the lobes  62 ,  70 ,  72  and  74  of the ear protection shell  24  to align the earguard pad  34  and the ear protection shell  24  in the predetermined alignment position and assembly as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0080]    It will be noted that the wall portions  216   a  and  218   a  are continuous at  256  ( FIG. 7 ) and the wall portions  220   a    222   a  are continuous at  264 . 
         [0081]    Under this arrangement the confinement of the ear protection shell lobes  62 ,  70 ,  72  and  74  within the projecting wall portions  216   a ,  218   a ,  220   a  and  222   a  help provide the fixed and positionally stable alignment position and assembly of the ear guard pad  34  and the ear protection shell  24  as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0082]    Each of the lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  include a rectangular shaped depression  230  ( FIG. 7 ) with a slot opening  232  at the base  234  of the depression. Each depression  230  is approximately the same width as the slot openings  232 . The slot openings  232  align with the corresponding slot openings  106  on the shell  24 . The depressions  230  receive the bulges  76  ( FIG. 6 ) when the shell  24  is mated and aligned with the pad  34 . Under this arrangement the engagement between the bulges  76  of the ear protection shell  24  and the depressions  230  of the earguard pad  34  help maintain the fixed and positionally stable alignment position and assembly of the pad  34  and the shell  24 . 
         [0083]    Each of the lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  ( FIG. 7 ) have a cutout  244  in the projecting wall portions that aligns with and is approximately the same width as the slots  232  ( FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  7 ) 
         [0084]    A bottom portion  252  ( FIG. 7 ) of the pad  34  includes a projecting wall portion  252   a  and an oval shaped depression  254 . The projecting wall portion  252   a  surrounds, engages and contains the complementary periphery of bottom portion  132  of the ear protection shell  24 . Such engagement between the bottom portion  132  of the shell  24  and the projecting wall portion  252   a  also help maintain the fixed and positionally stable assembly and alignment position of the pad  34  and shell  24 . 
         [0085]    The depression  254  at bottom portion  252  receives the rear portion of the snap attachment  144  ( FIG. 6 ). 
         [0086]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the inner surfaces  168  of the earguard pads  26  and  34  are formed with a network of interconnected channels or conduits  266  that extend to the central opening  170  from the lobes  216  and  222 , the U-shaped portion  256 , the front portion  194 , the bottom portion  252 , and the lower portion  198 , for communication with the central opening  170 . 
         [0087]    The network of conduits  266  ( FIGS. 1 and 7 ) provide a drainage path for perspiration that can develop around the ears of the wearer of the headgear  10 . 
         [0088]    The lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  ( FIG. 5 ) at the inner surface  168  of the earguard pad  34  also include central rectangular-shaped depressions  268  extending from the top of the lobes to the slot openings  232 . Each depression  268  is approximately the same width as the slot openings  232 . 
         [0089]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the headgear  10  includes top lateral head straps  276  and  278  and rear lateral head straps  280  and  282 . The straps  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  are used to join the right and left earguard shells  22  and  24  to the right and left earguard pads  26  and  34 , to form the right and left earguards  12  and  14 , and to connect the right and left earguards  12  and  14  together to form the headgear  10 . 
         [0090]    Each lateral head strap  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  has an upper surface  290  ( FIG. 1 ), a lower surface  292 , a right end portion  286  and a left end portion  288 . The straps  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  permit selective adjustable connection of the right earguard  12  and the left earguard  14  to enable the headgear  10  to fit comfortably on the wearer&#39;s head. 
         [0091]    It has been found that a head strap length of about 14 to 16 inches is suitable for most requirements. Each lateral head strap  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  is of substantially the same construction and therefore only the head strap  276  will be described in detail. 
         [0092]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 14 , the upper surface  290  of the head strap  296  at the right end portion  286  is a relatively smooth surface  298  extending for a length of about 3½ to 4 inches. The relatively smooth upper surface portion  298  is contiguous with an upper surface portion  294  that has a loop type engagement fabric  322  such as the type sold under the trademark Velcro. The looped fabric portion  294  extends approximately 8 to 8½ inches where it is contiguous with a left end portion  288  of the strap  276  having its upper surface  290  covered with hook type fasteners  312  of the type sold under the trademark Velcro. The left end portion  288  with hook type fasteners extends approximately 3 to 3½ inches. 
         [0093]    The lower surface  292  of the head strap  276  at the right end portion  286  is covered with the previously described hook type fasteners (not shown) that extend for a length of about 2 to 2½ inches. The hooked portion is contiguous with a strap portion  318  at the lower surface  292  covered with the loop type engagement fabric that extends for a length of about 3 to 3½ inches. The strap portion  318  at the lower surface  292  is contiguous with a strap portion  320  at the lower surface  292  that has a relatively smooth surface  300 . The relatively smooth lower surface portion  300  extends approximately 10 to 10½ inches to the left end portion  288  of the strap  276 . 
         [0094]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 13 , an adjustable chinstrap assembly  340  is provided at the bottom portion  30  of the right earguard  12  and the left earguard  14 . The adjustable chinstrap assembly  340  includes a chinstrap portion  342  and a chinpad  378  and a chinstrap mate  148  ( FIG. 1 ). The chinstrap  342  has an upper smooth textured surface (not shown) with a snap  372  ( FIG. 13 ) at the right end  354 . The snap  372  is a rotatable releasable fastener, that can rotate 360° when the snap fastener  372  engages the snap attachment  144  ( FIGS. 12 and 13 ). The chinstrap portion  342  includes a lower surface  344  with hook engagement means  352  extending from a right end  356  ( FIG. 13 ) of the chinstrap portion  342  to a border  358  of a left end portion  368  ( FIG. 13 ) covered with hook engagement means  370 . 
         [0095]    The chinpad  378 , ( FIGS. 1 and 13 ) with semicircular end portions  380  and  382 , has an upper padded layer  390  ( FIG. 1 ) joined to a lower layer  392 . The lower layer  392  has slotted openings  404  and  406  slightly inward of the end portions  380  and  382 , and a middle portion  394  between the slotted openings  404  and  406  covered with loop-type engagement means  402 . 
         [0096]    The chinpad  378  ( FIGS. 1 and 13 ) is thus enabled to adjustably slide along the chinstrap  342  through the slotted openings  404  and  406  on the chinpad  378  such that the upper padded layer  390  can be aligned with the chin of the wearer. 
         [0097]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 13  the right end portion  354  of the adjustable chinstrap  340  is attached to the right earguard  12  by engaging the pivoting snap fastener  372  ( FIG. 13 ) with the snap attachment means  144  ( FIG. 12 ). 
         [0098]    The left end portion  368  ( FIG. 13 ) of the chinstrap  340  is adjustably attached to the left earguard  14  via the chinstrap mate  148  by looping the end portion  368  through the connecting ring  158  ( FIG. 1 ) so that the hook engagement means  370  adjustably engages with the loop-type engagement means  352  and/or  402  ( FIG. 13 ). 
         [0099]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the connecting ring  158  of the chinstrap mate  148  is attached to the chinstrap mate  148  by means of the looped end  156 . The snap fastener  146  contained in the chinstrap mate  148  engages the snap attachment (not shown) to thereby connect the chinstrap assembly  340  to the bottom portion  30  of the right earguard  12  and the left earguard  14 . 
         [0100]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  11  and  12 , the headgear  10  is assembled by mating the right plastic ear protector  22  with the right earguard pad  26  to form the right earguard  12 . In similar fashion, the left earguard  14  is formed by mating the left plastic ear protector  24  with left earguard pad  34  to form the left earguard  14  ( FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  7 ). The slot openings  106  ( FIG. 7 ) in lobes  62 ,  70 ,  72  and  74  of the ear protectors  22  and  24  ( FIG. 1 ) align and overlap with the slot openings  232  in lobes  216 ,  218 ,  220  and  222  of the earguard pads  26  and  34 . 
         [0101]    The headgear  10  is then assembled as shown in  FIG. 1  by inserting the lateral straps  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  through the aligned slot openings  106  in the shells  24  and  22  ( FIG. 2) and 232  in the pads  26  and  34  of the earguards  12  and  14 , and adjustably fastening the opposite end portions  296  and  298  ( FIG. 1 ) of the lateral straps to fit the individual wearer. 
         [0102]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  7 ,  8  and  14 , the left end portion  288  of lateral head strap  278  is initially passed through the slotted opening  232  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) of left earguard pad  34  and then into the aligned slot opening  106  of left earguard shell  24  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The head strap  278  is then looped over the top of the aligned projecting lobes  70  (on shell  24 ) and  218  (on pad  34 ) to adjustably engage the loop fasteners  312  with the woven fabric  322  on the strap portion  294  of the lateral strap  278  ( FIG. 14 ). 
         [0103]    The right end portion  286  of the lateral head strap  278  is initially passed through the slotted openings  76  of the right earguard shell  22  and then into the aligned slot openings  232  of the right earguard pad  26 . The end portion  286  of head strap  278  is then pressed upwardly against the under surface  292  of the strap  278  to complete the assembly of the strap  278  to the right and left earguard assemblies  12  and  14 . 
         [0104]    A similar procedure is used to adjustably attach the remaining head straps  276 ,  280  and  282  to the right earguard  12  and left earguard  14  to assemble the headgear  10 . 
         [0105]    Assembly of the straps  276 ,  278 ,  280  and  282  to the earguards  12  and  14  helps maintain the alignment position of the mated pad  26  and shell  22  of each earguard  12  and  14 . 
         [0106]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the plurality of alignment openings  58  and  58 ′ on the earguard shell  24  align with and overlap the alignment bosses  172  on the earguard pad  34 , such that the alignment bosses  172  are received in the alignment openings  58  to facilitate and enhance the positioning of the earguard pad and the earguard shell in the positionally stable alignment position of the earguard shell  24  with the earguard pad  34 , to form the left earguard  14 . An identical structural arrangement exists on the right earguard shell  22  and the right earguard pad  26  to facilitate the positionally stable mating of the shell  22  with the pad  26  to form the right earguard  12 . 
         [0107]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 , the wall  240  that projects upwardly around the periphery  242  of the earguard pad  34  outlines the periphery  244  of the earguard shell  24  to enhance the positionally stable confinement of the left earguard shell  24  in the left earguard pad  34 . An identical structural arrangement exists on the right earguard shell  22  and the right earguard pad  26  to facilitate the postionally stable mating of the shell  22  with the pad  26  to form the right earguard  12 . 
         [0108]    Also, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the border projections  182 ,  184  and  186  on the earguard pad  24  provide easily accessible locations for the front  48 , the back  50 , the upper rear  52  and the lower portion  134  of the shell  24  to engage with and mate with the earguard pad  34  to form the positionally stable assembly of the left earguard  14 . An identical structural arrangement exists on the right earguard pad  26  and the right earguard shell  22  to facilitate the positionally stable mating of the right shell  22  with the pad  26  to form the right earguard  12 . 
         [0109]    As various changes can be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

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