Abstract: A chin strap assembly is provided for use with a sports helmet. The chin strap assembly includes an inner pad member, a strap assembly and an outer protective member. The outer protective member is connected and released from the strap assembly by an attachment member, such as a post. A sports helmet with the chin strap assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A shoulder pad for use in a contact sport, such as football, hockey or lacrosse is provided. The shoulder pad includes a pair of curvilinear, continuous arch members joined together to define a central opening that receives the player's head. A side pad assembly, including an epaulet and a shoulder cap, is operably connected to each arch member by a flexible band that provides a common connection point on the arch member. The band provides a single pivot point for the epaulet and the shoulder cap about the common connection point. A curvilinear internal padding assembly is removably connected to each arch member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shoulder pad for use in a contact sport, such as football, hockey or lacrosse. The shoulder pad includes a pair of arch members, each having an upper portion, a front portion depending from the upper portion, and a rear portion depending from the upper portion. The shoulder pad further includes at least one side pad assembly having an epaulet and a shoulder cap, wherein the shoulder cap overlies the wearer's shoulder region and the epaulet overlies both the arch member and the shoulder cap. The side pad assembly is operably secured to the body arch member by a fastening assembly that includes a flexible single band. The single band secures both the epaulet and the shoulder cap to the upper portion of the arch member.

Abstract: A helmet having a first helmet portion and a second helmet portion disposed adjacent to said first helmet portion, with the portions being slidably connected to one another and slidable relative to each other. The second helmet portion has a restraint defining a passage. The first helmet portion has an opening exposing a portion of the restraint. A securing member is received in the opening of the first helmet portion and slidable between engaged and disengaged positions. A portion of the securing member extends through the opening toward the second helmet portion and is received in the passage when in the disengaged position. The securing member engages the restraint and prevents relative movement of the first and second helmet portions when in the engaged position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protective sports helmet comprising a helmet shell, a face guard and an internal padding assembly positioned within the helmet shell. The internal padding assembly includes a brow pad having first and second peripheral connection portions. The internal padding assembly also includes first and second jaw pads, each having an upper connection portion that mates with the first and second connection portions, respectively, of the brow pad. The internal padding assembly also includes a crown assembly with pad elements that include an internal separation layer that partitions the element into a first inflatable section and a section un-inflatable section. The connection portion of the jaw pads also mates with frontal pad elements of the crown assembly. The internal padding assembly further includes an occipital pad assembly that engages the helmet wearer's head below the occipital bone.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shoulder pad for use in a contact sport, such as football, hockey or lacrosse. The shoulder pad includes a pair of arch members, each having an upper portion, a front portion depending from the upper portion, and a rear portion depending from the upper portion. The shoulder pad further includes at least one side pad assembly having an epaulet and a shoulder cap, wherein the shoulder cap overlies the wearer's shoulder region and the epaulet overlies both the arch member and the shoulder cap. The side pad assembly is operably secured to the body arch member by a fastening assembly that includes a flexible single band. The single band secures both the epaulet and the shoulder cap to the upper portion of the arch member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shoulder pad for use in a contact sport, such as football, hockey or lacrosse, that is formed from a consolidated polymer fiber composite material, such as polypropylene tape yarn that reduces the overall weight of the shoulder pad. The shoulder pad includes a pair of arch members, each having an upper portion, a front portion depending from the upper portion, and a rear portion depending from the upper portion. The shoulder pad further includes at least one side pad assembly having an epaulet and a shoulder cap, wherein the shoulder cap overlies the wearer's shoulder region and the epaulet overlies both the arch member and the shoulder cap. The side pad assembly is operably secured to the body arch member by a fastening assembly that includes a flexible single band. Unlike conventional designs, the single band secures both the epaulet and the shoulder cap to the upper portion of the arch member.

Abstract: A helmet having a first helmet portion and a second helmet portion disposed adjacent to said first helmet portion, with the portions being slidably connected to one another and slidable relative to each other. The second helmet portion has a restraint defining a passage. The first helmet portion has an opening exposing a portion of the restraint. A securing member is received in the opening of the first helmet portion and slidable between engaged and disengaged positions. A portion of the securing member extends through the opening toward the second helmet portion and is received in the passage when in the disengaged position. The securing member engages the restraint and prevents relative movement of the first and second helmet portions when in the engaged position.

Abstract: A hockey helmet (20) comprising a front helmet portion (22) and a rear helmet portion (24) disposed to be moveable relative to each other so as to define an internal cavity of varying volume, a securing member (26) being mounted to a location on the front helmet portion (22) adjacent the temple thereof, the securing member (26) being slidable between a first or open position and a second or closed position, the rear helmet portion (24) having a restraint (28) configured and disposed to be complimentary to the securing member (26) such that when the securing member (26) cooperatively engages the restraint (28), the relative displacement of the front helmet portion (22) and the rear helmet portion (24) is inhibited. The restraint (28) comprises a number of positions in which the securing member (26) can be cooperatively engaged such that the volume of the helmet (20) may be modified.

Abstract: A chin strap assembly for a protective sports helmet features a buckle that comprises a body portion, an attachment portion, a first side rail, and a second side rail. The body portion has a first strap opening and a second strap opening formed therethrough. The body portion has a first end segment and a second end segment. The attachment portion is adapted to interact with a fastener on the helmet. The first and second side rails are opposed and extend between the first and second end segments, and have a generally arcuate shape. First and second lateral holes are positioned internal to the first and second side rails.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard mounting system, which includes at least one dynamic connector that secures the faceguard to the helmet shell without a connection point in the shell's brow region. The lack of a brow region connection point results in a gap or clearance between the faceguard and the shell that has a functional interplay with the dynamic connector upon an impact to the faceguard. In general terms, when a substantially on-center impact to the faceguard occurs, the faceguard is displaced towards the shell and the connector bracket flexes outward relative to the helmet shell to help dissipate impact energy.

Abstract: A helmet (20) comprising a mechanism (28) to increase or decrease the internal volume thereof through the displacement of one or more portions (32) of the protective material (24) lining the helmet shell (22). The adjustment mechanism (28) is mounted on or adjacent the shell (22) of the helmet (20), from which project one or more connectors (30) which are operationally connected to the movable portions (32) of the protective material (24). When the adjustment mechanism (28) is activated, for example clockwise or counterclockwise, the connectors (30) are displaced, which causes the movable portions (32) of the protective material (24) to either be displaced away from the shell (22) of the helmet (20) or towards the shell (22) of the helmet (20) and thus allowing for a fine tuning of the fit of the helmet (20) on a player's head.

Abstract: A chin strap assembly for a protective sports helmet features a buckle that comprises a body portion, an attachment portion, a first side rail, and a second side rail. The body portion has a first strap opening and a second strap opening formed therethrough. The body portion has a first end segment and a second end segment. The attachment portion is adapted to interact with a fastener on the helmet. The first and second side rails are opposed and extend between the first and second end segments, and have a generally arcuate shape. First and second lateral holes are positioned internal to the first and second side rails.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shoulder pad for use in a contact sport, such as football, hockey or lacrosse, that is formed from a consolidated polymer fiber composite material, such as polypropylene tape yarn that reduces the overall weight of the shoulder pad. The shoulder pad includes a pair of arch members, each having an upper portion, a front portion depending from the upper portion, and a rear portion depending from the upper portion. The shoulder pad further includes at least one side pad assembly having an epaulet and a shoulder cap, wherein the shoulder cap overlies the wearer's shoulder region and the epaulet overlies both the arch member and the shoulder cap. The side pad assembly is operably secured to the body arch member by a fastening assembly that includes a flexible single band. Unlike conventional designs, the single band secures both the epaulet and the shoulder cap to the upper portion of the arch member.

Abstract: The present invention is dedicated to a face mask for a sporting helmet, the face mask being an integral one-piece cast metal comprising a plurality of curved longitudinal members and a plurality of rising members joining each other thereby defining a plurality of apertures.