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  Protective batting helmet with reinforced billUSPTO Application #: 20070250990Title: Protective batting helmet with reinforced bill Abstract: A protective batting helmet with a reinforced bill includes a rigid shell for protecting the head of a wearer, a reinforced bill extending from the rigid shell, and a lower face guard extending across the lower portion of the rigid shell. The non-deflectable, reinforced bill and lower face guard provide protection to a wearer's face without impeding their vision. (end of abstract) Agent: Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP Attn: Patent Group - Kansas City, MO, US Inventors: Robin J. Brown, Michael A. Lorenz, Kevin J. Vititoe USPTO Applicaton #: 20070250990 - Class: 002414000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Apparel, Guard Or Protector, For Wearer's Head, Including Energy-absorbing Means, By Interior Pads The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070250990. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] None. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to protective sports equipment, and more particularly to protective helmets used in baseball and softball. Specifically, the present invention relates to protective batting helmets. [0005] 2. Description of Related Art [0006] Protective helmets are commonly used in various sports to provide protection to a player's head and face. In baseball, for example, players commonly wear batting helmets to provide protection against wild pitches or foul balls. [0007] In order to provide protection to the face and head of the wearer, batting helmets often include a hard shell portion to cover the head of the wearer, with a face guard affixed to the hard shell portion to protect the face of the wearer. Typically, the face guard is configured as a wire cage, and is immovably affixed to the front and sides of the helmet. Rigid bars of the cage extend generally horizontally across the front of the helmet to protect the forehead, mouth, and nose of the wearer, with generally vertical bars extending upwardly on either side of the wearer's eyes to protect the eyes and forehead of the wearer. The vertical bars of conventional face cages typically attach to an upper cross bar that extends across the front of the helmet in the area of a wearer's forehead. In such a configuration, the vertical bars may extend into the wearer's field of vision. The face cage thus provides a rigid barrier to stray balls, with the spacing between bars on the wire face cage such that stray balls may not enter the cage and strike the player's head or face. [0008] While conventional face cage configurations provide adequate protection to the wearer, the configuration can impede the wearer's vision. Compared to a helmet without a face cage, the view through a face cage is obstructed with the horizontal and vertical protective bars being an impediment to a wearer's upward, downward, and peripheral vision. In any direction through the face cage, the line-of-sight of the wearer includes some sort of obstruction. [0009] Some protective face cage designs have reduced the obstruction to the wearer's vision by moving the vertical cross bars as far as practical to the sides of the helmet. However, even when looking straight-ahead through the defined viewing area of a face cage having that configuration, the wearer may still detect the vertical cross bars in their direct or peripheral vision. Rather than have their vision impaired, many players simply forgo the use of a face cage. [0010] Thus, it can be seen that there remains a need in the art for a protective batting helmet having a protective face cage that provides protection to a wearer's head and face without impeding their vision. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention is directed to a protective batting helmet having a reinforced bill. The non-deflectable, reinforced bill protects the forehead and upper face area of the wearer. A lower face guard extends across the lower portion of the helmet to protect the mouth, chin, and lower face area of the wearer. No vertical bars extend or connect between the lower face guard and the reinforced bill, thus there is no obstruction or impediment to a wearer's view through the viewing area between the bill and the face guard. Used in combination, the helmet and lower face guard provides complete protection to the head and face of the wearer, without impeding the wearer's field of vision. [0012] The protruding bill of the helmet includes reinforcing members attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the bill. The reinforcing members are made of a non-deflectable material and act to provide reinforcement to the bill, preventing the bill from bending or deflecting when struck by a stray ball. The lower face guard includes horizontal cross members extending generally horizontally across the lower front portion of the helmet, in the area of the wearer's mouth and nose. The face guard is likewise made from a non-deflectable, rigid material. The space defined between the reinforced bill of the helmet and the uppermost portion of the face guard provides an unobstructed viewing area through which a wearer has an unimpeded view. [0013] In use in conjunction with the lower face guard, the reinforced bill of the helmet acts as an "upper crossbar" to protect the forehead and eyes of the wearer. However, unlike conventional face guard configurations, there are no vertical members extending between the lower face guard and the reinforced bill. Thus, there are no impediments in the wearer's line-of sight or peripheral vision. [0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the helmet comprises a rigid shell for protecting the head of the wearer, with a bill extending outwardly from the shell in the area of a wearer's forehead. Reinforcing members are attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the bill to strengthen the bill such that it is not deflectable under impact from a stray ball. A lower face guard, formed as a wire cage having a plurality of horizontal members, extends across the front opening of the rigid shell to protect the chin, mouth, and nose of the wearer. The lower face guard is attached to the rigid shell at opposite sides of the shell, in the area of the wearer's ears. An unobstructed viewing area is thus defined between the reinforced bill of the rigid shell and the uppermost horizontal member of the lower face guard. With no vertical members extending between the lower face guard and the reinforced bill, the wearer's line of sight through the viewing area is completely unimpeded view. [0015] In another aspect of the invention, a suspension and adjustment mechanism affixed within the inner cavity of the rigid shell comprises a strap extending circumferentially around the inner cavity, with an adjustment knob extending though the back portion of the rigid shell to the strap. Turning the knob tightens the strap against the wearer's head, allowing the helmet to fit more securely to the head of a wearer. [0016] Additional aspects of the invention, together with the advantages and novel features appurtenant thereto, will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The present invention will be described in greater detail in the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, in which: [0018] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a protective batting helmet with a reinforced bill in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [0019] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the helmet of FIG. 1, showing separate reinforcing elements attached to the bill. Continue reading... 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