FACEMASK AFFIXED TO A BASEBALL CAP
A decorative facemask is disclosed to decorate the face of a wearer of a ball cap including a bill. The facemask includes a one piece plastic decorative facemask including a slot formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of the cap, wherein the slot is an only attachment feature holding the facemask in place. According to one embodiment, the facemask includes a plurality of plastic wires, wherein the slot is defined by two wires along a top of the facemask. A topmost of the wires can deform upward to create a frictional force between the facemask and the bill of the cap.
This disclosure is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/948,973 filed on Jul. 23, 2013 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/674,839 filed on Jul. 23, 2012, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure is related to decorative apparel related to sporting events. In particular, the disclosure is related to a decorative facemask that can be quickly and easily installed to a bill of a baseball cap.
BACKGROUNDThe statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Facemasks are used in sports to protect the face from impact. For example, football helmets and catcher's masks in baseball are known to include a wire mesh in a crisscross pattern located to the face of the wearer. The wire mesh can be constructed from a metal wire and can be coated with a rubberized or polymer coating. A number of configurations and mesh densities are known for different applications depending upon objects that are expected to come into contact with the facemask and the resulting weight of the facemask.
Facemasks can also include a polymer visor or fitted mask. Hockey goalies may use a hard-shell polymer with holes through which to see and to breathe. Alternatively, modern hockey masks include a hard-shell polymer perimeter with a wire mesh covering an area around the eyes and nose of the goalie. Other hockey players use a clear visor that covers the eyes or the face of the player attached to the helmet of the player. Basketball players can use a nose guard including a polymer fitted to cover at least the nose of the player. Nose guards can include elastic bands connected to the nose guard and configured to wrap around the head of the player to hold the nose guard in place.
Baseball caps include a soft dome or crown configured to fit to and around the top of a person's head. The crown can be made of a plurality of generally triangular shaped panels sown together. Baseball caps also include a bill projecting outward from the front of the crown, the bill extending generally parallel to a direction of forward view of the person wearing the cap. The crown can include an adjustable band in the rear of the crown to make the cap adjustable based upon the head size of the wearer. In another embodiment, the crown can be sized or fitted to a particular head size.
SUMMARYA decorative facemask is disclosed to decorate the face of a wearer of a ball cap including a bill. The facemask includes a one piece plastic decorative facemask including a slot formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of the cap, wherein the slot is an only attachment feature holding the facemask in place. According to one embodiment, the facemask includes a plurality of plastic wires, wherein the slot is defined by two wires along a top of the facemask. A topmost of the wires can deform upward to create a frictional force between the facemask and the bill of the cap.
One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, ball caps are comfortable and widely used. A sports fan can enjoy imitating favorite sports figures. A facemask can be configured to be attached to a ball cap to allow the wearer to imitate the facemask work by the team or player he or she admires.
A facemask including a wire grid pattern crisscrossing the face of the wearer is used in numerous sports, including football and baseball. The wire grid is sized to permit vision through the wire grid while preventing objects used in the sport or activity from directly contacting the face of the wearer. A catcher's mask used in baseball includes a dense pattern of wire grid, such that a baseball cannot pass through the grid. Catcher's masks can also include an auxiliary neck guard constructed of a polymer material and configured to hang from the bottom of the facemask to also protect the neck of the wearer. A catcher's mask can be attached to an elastic or fabric retention device configured to hold the mask to the face of the wearer. In another embodiment, a catcher's mask can be attached to a helmet configured to protect the head of the wearer. Football masks are also used. Football masks are connected with brackets or other attachment devices to a football helmet. Instead of a wire mesh, a hockey goalie mask or a basketball nose guard can be fitted to the cap similarly with an attached bracket gripping the bill. An imitation or decorative facemask imitating the facemasks worn by athletes can be worn on the baseball cap of sports fans, enabling them to show team spirit or feel more involved in the game.
A decorative facemask can be colored to fit the team colors of a particular team. Team logos can be added. In imitating a catcher's mask, a decorative neck protector known in the art can be hung from the mask.
A decorative facemask can be constructed to fit to the face of a sports fan. While functional facemasks are constructed of rigid material configured to receive impact and protect the face of the user, the primary functions of a decorative facemask are to be in place over the face of the wearer without falling off. A mask with significant weight includes increased force from gravity trying to pull the mask off of the face of the user. Additionally, a mask with significant weight has more mass, and when the user moves his or her head, a header mass will have greater inertia and be more likely to dislodge from the face of the wearer. A light mask without much weight can be used to decorate the face of the wearer and will be easier to retain effectively to the face of the user. Lightweight plastic or polymer materials known in the art can be used to make the mask. According to one embodiment, a polypropylene plastic can be utilized to make the facemask, for example, through an injection molding process. In one exemplary construction, polypropylene/plastic mixture with a hardness of 88 can be utilized.
A number of wire grid/grill patterns are known in sports. Many different decorative grid patterns could be utilized on embodiments of the present disclosure. According to the illustrated embodiment of a bill attachment feature, two wires of the facemask form a slot that are used to affix the facemask to the bill of a ball cap.
A slot such as is illustrated in the exemplary embodiments of
The facemasks disclosed herein can come in a wide variety of colors. A color can be selected based upon the team local to the region in which the product is being sold. Plastics are known in the art to include a wide variety of dyes and resulting colors. In one embodiment, a swirl pattern can be created in the resulting plastic pieces, such that a team represented by the colors blue and white can be imitated by a facemask using a swirl of blue and white plastics. Decorative tags or stickers could be applied upon a decorative grid pattern, for example, showing a college's mascot. The plastic can be infused with sparkles, or sparkles can be applied to a surface of the plastic to provide a decorative flair to the facemask.
A facemask could include a tab, loop, or other feature permitting the facemask to be stored, for example, on a belt, when the user wants to take a break from wearing the facemask.
As illustrated in
Additionally, the wires of facemask 10 are made entirely of plastic (e.g. polypropelene, ABS, or similar polymers.) These polymers are very light as compared to functional facemasks made of metal wire coated with a plastic outer sheathe. Such heavy functional facemasks are commonly held to the face of the user with straps. Facemask 10 can be supported solely by fitting the bill of the hat within the slot of the facemask.
According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a facemask is disclosed including a one piece, entirely plastic decorative facemask including a slot formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of a ball cap, wherein the slot is the only or sole attachment feature holding the facemask in place or proximate to the face of the wearer. In saying that the facemask is entirely plastic, one can say that all of the wires of the grid pattern are formed entirely of plastic. Superficial paint, printing, or other decoration could be added to the surface of the disclosed facemask with the facemask still essentially being made entirely of plastic in accordance with the disclosure.
The disclosure has described certain preferred embodiments and modifications of those embodiments. Further modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the specification. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. Apparatus to decorate the face of a wearer of a ball cap comprising a bill, the apparatus comprising:
- a one piece plastic decorative facemask comprising a slot formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of the cap, wherein the slot is an only attachment feature holding the facemask in place.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot comprises two slot end geometries configured to narrow the slot at each end of the slot.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the facemask further comprises a grid pattern constructed of entirely plastic wires;
- wherein the slot is defined by two of the plastic wires located along an upper edge of the facemask.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the two wires comprise an upper wire configured to bend when the bill is inserted within the slot.
5. Apparatus to decorate the face of a wearer of a ball cap comprising a bill, the apparatus comprising:
- a one piece decorative facemask comprising: a grid pattern constructed of entirely plastic wires; a slot between two of the plastic wires formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of the cap, wherein the slot is an only attachment feature holding the facemask in place.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, a top wire configured displace upwards when the bill is inserted within the slot and apply force to the bill, wherein the applied force creates a frictional force between the bill and the facemask.
7. Apparatus to decorate the face of a wearer of a ball cap comprising a bill, the apparatus comprising:
- a one piece entirely plastic decorative facemask comprising a slot formed along a top edge of the facemask configured to receive the bill of the cap, wherein the slot is an only attachment feature holding the facemask to the bill of the cap.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 16, 2016
Publication Date: Jun 9, 2016
Inventors: Douglas Romanski (Milford, MI), Mark Barrett (Byron, MI), Kirk Schultz (Walled Lake, MI)
Application Number: 15/044,724