BASEBALL HELMET ACCESSORY

Abstract

A baseball helmet accessory is provided that is engageable to a baseball helmet having an outer surface defining a front surface, a top surface and side surfaces and a front brim, for protecting a hitter from head injuries in response to baseball or other object impacting upon the helmet. The accessory comprises an accessory body disposed adjacent the helmet front surface intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface, the accessory body defining an accessory body front surface extending intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface at a first acute angle relative to the brim, to deflect the baseball impacting upon the accessory body front surface at a second acute angle relative to the brim, wherein the second acute angle is greater than the first acute angle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This present application claims priority of U.S. Patent Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/364,803, filed on Jul. 20, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an accessory for baseball helmets and, more particularly, to an accessory that is engageable to a conventional baseball helmet and augments the ability of the baseball helmet to deflect horizontal impacts, such as baseballs impacting on the helmet.

Baseball is widely considered to be one of the most popular sports in the world. By its nature, the sport involves balls thrown or hit at high speeds, which can strike a player causing injury.

Unlike football and some other sports, baseball has evolved largely without the use of bulky equipment intended to protect players from injury. However, due to the nature of the game, injuries, such as concussions, from batters being hit by pitches, continue to occur. The extent of such injuries may be not be immediately apparent or discernable, but may manifest themselves at later times. Some injuries, such as concussions may be cumulative to the point that the manifestation of the injury may not occur until well after the damage is done. Indeed, in many cases injuries may become more apparent long after a player stops playing a game and his/her body begin to show signs of wear and aging.

One area that baseball players commonly use protective equipment is in relation to helmets. Helmets are now conventionally used by most organized baseball leagues, including major leagues, minor leagues, school leagues, and little leagues. In general, such helmets include a hard plastic shell with foam or some other resilient material disposed on a portion of the helmet inner surface, to fit against the head of the user.

Such conventional helmets suffer from a number of limitations. Light weight helmets provide meager protection and may fall off when it by a ball or otherwise during the course of use. While thicker, sturdier helmets may provide a more secure fit and have harder surfaces, the surface may do little to mitigate the transmission of force through the helmet, presumably with the expectation that virtually all of impact force will be absorbed by the layer of foam or other resilient material formed on the inside of the helmet.

However, while the foam liner used in many such helmets may have compressive qualities that are engineered to mitigate certain types of shock transmission, the liner may be less effective to dampen the transmission of other types of shocks to the user's head.

While some other contemporary helmets provide greater protection in response to baseballs or other items impacting upon the user's head, such helmets may be considerably more expensive, or cumbersome to wear, and may be more specific to use by a baseball hitter, rather than a player in the field. Consequently, in order to allow each player to have a helmet suitable for batting, running, and the playing field, may require that each player purchase two or more helmets, rather than one.

Accordingly, in order to provide an a baseball helmet accessory, or adapter, engageable to a conventional baseball helmet, and useful improved safety helmet, usable for baseball and other sporting and non-sporting activities, it is desirable that the helmet be designed, or adapted, to provide additional protection to a player in relation to impacts, particularly impacts from the front, to protect the head of a hitter from baseballs thrown by a pitcher.

Clearly, there is a need for an improved baseball helmet that provides greater protection to a hitter in relation to impact forces upon the helmet, such as fast traveling baseballs or other objects.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are set forth below in connection with the illustrated embodiments described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A baseball helmet accessory is provided that is engageable to a baseball helmet having an outer surface defining a front surface, a top surface and side surfaces and a front brim, for protecting a hitter from head injuries in response to baseball or other object impacting upon the helmet. The accessory comprises an accessory body disposed adjacent the helmet front surface intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface, the accessory body defining an accessory body front surface extending intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface at a first acute angle relative to the brim, to deflect the baseball impacting upon the accessory body front surface at a second acute angle relative to the brim, wherein the second acute angle is greater than the first acute angle.

The first acute angle is selected to deflect the baseball, or other forces impacting the helmet in a direction upwardly and rearwardly of the accessory body, away from the hitters head.

The accessory body is preferably configured to blend into the helmet outer surface, including at least the side surfaces and top surface. The accessory body preferably comprises a rigid composite material, which may be provided with a layer or core of resilient material on the outer surface thereof.

The accessory body may be formed to define an upper surface configured to abuttingly extending along the helmet front surface, an accessory body lower surface configured to extend along the brim, and an accessory body front surface extending intermediate the accessory body upper and lower surfaces.

The accessory body may also define an accessory body lower surface contoured to conform to contours of the brim upper surface.

In one embodiment the accessory body may comprise at least one brim receiving channel or recess extending through at least a portion of the accessory body, wherein the recess is configured to receive and engage the accessory body to the brim.

In another embodiment the brim receiving channel or recess may extend substantially about the brim, with the helmet being insertable into the brim receiving channel for attachable engagement therewith.

In yet another embodiment the accessory body may define at least one brim receiving slot extending completely through the accessory body, wherein the slot is configured to receive and engage the accessory body to the brim.

The helmet accessory may alternately or additionally be engaged to the accessory body by a band of elastomeric material extending about the helmet. The band may define first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are provided with mating strips of hook and loop material.

In another embodiment the accessory body may comprise at least one brim receiving clip, configured to extend about a portion of the helmet brim and configured to engage the accessory body to the helmet.

The accessory body may alternately define accessory body lower surface, defining at least one or more downwardly extending flanges, wherein the flanges configured to engage the accessory body to corresponding slots formed in the brim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a helmet accessory made in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, as secured to a helmet;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the helmet accessory of FIG. 1 separated from the associated helmet;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the helmet accessory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of an exemplary helmet and helmet accessory, as worn by a hitter;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the helmet accessory, including hook and loop material for engaging the accessory body to the helmet;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of another alternate embodiment of the helmet accessory, including a flange for engaging the accessory to the helmet;

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention wherein the accessory is secured to the helmet by engagement to flanges formed on the helmet;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the helmet accessory wherein the helmet brim extends into a recess formed in the helmet accessory;

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the helmet accessory shown at FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the helmet accessory wherein the helmet accessory includes a groove through which the helmet brim extends;

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of the helmet accessory shown at FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the helmet accessory, wherein the accessory is connected to the brim by a plurality of flanges, extending into mating apertures formed in the brim;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view showing the helmet accessory of FIG. 12 separated from the associated helmet; and

FIG. 14 illustrates the deflection of a horizontally traveling baseball impacting upon the front surface of the accessory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.

As shown in the drawings, the accessory of the present invention is an accessory that is connectable to baseball helmets, which changes at least the front profile of the helmet to define a sloped, ball deflecting front surface extending from the brim to the helmet top surface area, intermediate the helmet side portions, i.e., intermediate the temple areas of the hitter's head.

The present invention modifies the exterior of a conventional baseball helmet to deflect a substantial portion of such horizontal impacts so that a baseball, or other impacting object continues in a horizontal direction, but is deflected upwardly and rearwardly from the helmet. As such, only the remaining portion of the horizontal force, rather than the entire horizontal force impacting the helmet, is absorbed by the helmet body, the helmet inner padding and/or communicated to the hitter's head. As such, the use of the present helmet accessory, in combination with a helmet, results in a lower impact force being ultimately communicated to the head of the hitter, thereby mitigating the potential for traumatic head injuries.

It is to be understood that the accessory may be mounted on or connected to the helmet in a variety of different ways, some of which are shown in the drawings. It is anticipated that those skilled in the art may devise yet additional ways of connecting the accessory to the helmet, some of which may require modification of the helmet, and others may not. As such, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments described and illustrated herein.

As shown in the illustrated embodiments, the accessory includes sloped front surface disposed along a front surface of the helmet. The sloped front surface modifies the contour of the helmet, from a generally arcuate shape to a more liner shape adjacent the hitter's forehead area, intermediate the hitter's temple areas. This configuration is intended to provide further protection to the hitter in relation to forces, such as horizontal forces, or other forces impacting a helmet, as would commonly occur in relation to a baseball hitter facing a pitcher. However, it is to be understood that the present invention may be extended such that the ball deflecting surface extends about more or all of the helmet, to provide additional protection in relation to impacts from other directions, such as where the person wearing the helmet has turned away from the incoming horizontal force.

In one embodiment of the invention, the helmet accessory is formed of a single piece of ABS plastic, or similar materials, approximately ⅛ inch to 3/16 inches thick. Alternatively, the helmet accessory may be formed as a solid body of ABS plastic or a hollow body having a core of resilient material. Padding may be provided on the helmet inner surface and/or on the inner surface of the accessory, i.e. intermediate the accessory inner surface in the helmet outer surface.

As shown in the drawings, the helmet accessory may be utilized in connection with helmets that have brims of different sizes or shapes, or no brim at all, where the accessory body defines a brim. Moreover, the accessory may include various clips, straps and/or flanges to secure the accessory to helmet, to ensure that the helmet accessory remains in place on the helmet when it is impacted by a ball or other forces.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a helmet assembly 10 is shown which includes a helmet 11, defining an outer surface 12, and an accessory body 13, secured to the helmet 11 by band 23.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the helmet assembly 10 showing the accessory body 13 separated from the helmet 11. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the accessory body 13 defines a front surface 31, a top edge 33, side surfaces 35 and a bottom surface 37. The band 23 defines may be formed of elastomeric material and may define band engaging portions 25 and 27. As will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the band 23 may be implemented by the use of various materials and may be a can continuous band, such as a continuous elastic band, and/or may have engaging portions that engage in different ways. As also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the band engaging portions 25, 27 may be provided with strips of hook and loop material 26, 28, to facilitate engagement of the band engaging portions.

Helmet 11 defines a top surface 15, a front surface 17 and side surfaces 19. Brim 21 extends forward of the helmet front surface 17, and defines brim top surface 14 and brim bottom surface 29.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the helmet assembly 10 worn a player, such as hitter 22. As further shown at FIGS. 1-4, the exterior surface of accessory body 13 defines upper surface 41, which abuts against and extends along the helmet front surface 17; lower surface 43, which abuts against and extends along brim top surface 14; and front surface 45, which extends between upper surface 41 and lower surface 43.

The accessory body 13 may be formed by a solid body of material 47, such as rigid ABS plastic material. Alternatively/Additionally, the accessory body 13 may be formed of resilient material, or a combination of rigid ABS material and resilient material, e.g., with a core of resilient material and/or with layer of resilient material disposed along the front or rear surface of a rigid accessory body.

As also shown at FIGS. 1-4, helmet accessory body 13 may be engaged to helmet 11 by means of band 23, which engages two accessory body 13 and extends about helmet 11. The band 23 may be formed after elastic material, to resiliently engage the accessory body 13 to the helmet 11. As shown at FIGS. 2 and 3, the band 23 may define first and second mating ends, 25, 27, respectively. The ends 25, 27 may be provided with strips of mating hook and loop material, 26 and 28, respectively. As it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill, various alternate ways of engaging ends 25, 27 of band 23 may be implemented within the broader spirit scope of the present invention.

As further shown in FIGS. 1-4, the accessory body 13 may be configured to blend to join into the helmet outer surface 12. More specifically, the accessory body side surfaces 35 may be configured to blend into the helmet side surfaces 19, and the accessory body front surface 31 may be configured to blend to join into the helmet top surface 15. Similarly, the accessory body bottom surface 37 may be contoured to conform to the three dimensional contour of brim surface 14, or may itself define a brim, where the helmet does not include a brim.

The accessory body 13 extends vertically between the brim 21 and the helmet top surface 15, and extends horizontally intermediate the temple areas 24 of hitter 22, to provide substantially full protection for the hitter's forehead area 18. However, as previously indicated, the accessory body 13 may extend further about helmet 11 to provide additional protection to hitter 22 in response to impacts from other directions.

As further shown at FIG. 14, the sloped front surface 21 of helmet accessory body 13 may be formed as a non-arcuate, substantially liner surface abutting helmet front surface 17, between the brim 21 and the helmet top surface 15. The accessory body 13 extends horizontally adjacent the hitter's forehead area 44, intermediate the hitter's temples 24, (see FIG. 5). The front surface 21 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the brim, forward of the users' forehead area 18, at an acute angle α₁, relative to the lower edge 9 of brim 21, which as shown at FIG. 14, is typically oriented horizontally, substantially parallel to a horizontal direction of travel 7 of baseball 8, i.e., the horizontal impact force. Angle α₁ is selected as to deflect or divert a horizontally travelling baseball 8, and other forces that impact the accessory front surface 21, upwardly and rearwardly over the head of the hitter at an acute angel α₂, which is greater than α₁. In this manner, the force of the impact of the object on the helmet assembly 10 may be mitigated, thereby mitigating the potential injury to the hitter.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate manner of engaging the accessory body 13 to the helmet 11. As shown therein, strips of the mating hook and loop material 55, 57 are provided to engage the accessory body 13 to the helmet 11. Strip 55 is adherable to the helmet outer surface 12, along helmet front surface 17 and brim top surface 14. Strip 57 is adhered to the mating surfaces of accessory body 13, i.e., accessory body upper surface 41 and lower surface 43.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate alternate arrangements for engaging the accessory body 13 to helmet 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the accessory body 20 may include a flange 61 which extends about the brim 21, along brim bottom surface 29. Engagement to flange 61 to the brim 21 secures the accessory body 20 to the helmet 11.

FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration wherein the helmet body 11 is provided with flanges 63 and 65, which are engageable to opposing end portions of the accessory body front surface 45.

FIGS. 8-12 illustrate alternative configurations of the accessory body 13 and helmet 11 to facilitate manually detachable engagement of the accessory body 13 to the helmet 11. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the accessory body 13 may be provided with a brim receiving channel or recess 67, for receivable engagement to brim 69. In this embodiment the brim is shorter, and the accessory body surface 36 extends beyond the engaging brim 69.

Also shown at FIGS. 8 and 9, the accessory body front surface 36 blends into helmet outer surface 12. More particularly, the assembly body front surface 36 blends into helmet top surface 15 and accessory body side surfaces 39 blend into helmet side surfaces 19. The particular contour of the accessory body 20 at the joiner of the accessory body front surface 36 and accessory body side surfaces 39 may be varied to best suit the contours of helmet outer surface 12 and brim 69. In the illustrated embodiment the front surface 36 defines a substantially linear surface, with accessory body side surfaces 39 also preferably also define linear surfaces, radially arrayed to blend into the helmet top surface 15 and side surfaces 19.

In another alternate configuration shown at FIGS. 10 and 11, accessory body 30 may be provided with a brim receiving slot 71, extending completely through the brim receiving body 30. In this embodiment the longer brim 73 may extend completely through the accessory body 13, with accessory body front surface 38 continuing below the brim receiving slot 71.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a further embodiment wherein accessory body 40 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending flanges 75 engageable to corresponding apertures or slots 79, formed in brim 77. In this embodiment the accessory body front surface 42 terminates at the brim 77, and the bottom surface 44 of the accessory body 40 is substantially coextensive with brim upper surface 78.

As it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill, the present invention may be implemented in various alternate forms, for use in relation to different types of baseball helmets, or in relation to helmets used in other sports. As such, the present invention may be adapted for mating engagement to different types of helmets, formed of different materials or having different shapes or structures. Similarly, the materials used in the present invention may be selected based upon the requirements for a particular sport or the characteristics of the helmet to which it is being adapted. In each case, however, the present invention enhances the protection of the player, by mitigating the potential for head injuries incurred in the course of engaging in that sport.

The claims in the instant application are different than those of the parent application or other related applications. The Applicant therefore rescinds any disclaimer of claim scope made in the parent application or any predecessor application in relation to the instant application. The Examiner is therefore advised that any such previous disclaimer and the cited references that it was made to avoid, may need to be revisited. Further, the Examiner is also reminded that any disclaimer made in the instant application should be read into or against the parent application.

Claims

1. A baseball helmet accessory, engageable to a baseball helmet having an outer surface defining a front surface, a top surface, side surfaces and a front brim, for protecting a hitter from head injuries in response to a baseball or other object impacting upon the helmet, the accessory comprising:

an accessory body engageable to the helmet, the accessory body disposed adjacent the helmet front surface intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface, the accessory body defining an accessory body front surface extending intermediate the brim and the helmet top surface at a first acute angle relative to the brim, to deflect the baseball impacting on the accessory body front surface at a second acute angle relative to the brim, wherein the second acute angle is greater than the first acute angle.

2. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein upon a horizontal force impacting the accessory body front surface, a portion of the horizontal impact force is deflected in a direction above and rearward of the accessory body.

3. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the first acute angle is selected to deflect the baseball in the direction above and rearward of the accessory body front surface.

4. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein accessory body is configured to blend into the helmet outer surface.

5. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein accessory body is configured to blend into the helmet side surfaces.

6. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein accessory body front surface is configured to blend into the helmet top surface.

7. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body comprises a rigid composite material.

8. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body comprises a resilient material.

9. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body defines a brim receiving channel extending substantially thereabout, the helmet brim being insertable into the brim receiving channel for manually detachable engagement therewith.

10. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 further comprising a band engaged to the accessory body and extendable about the helmet, to secure the accessory body in place on the helmet.

11. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 10 wherein the band is formed of elastic material.

12. The helmet accessory body as recited in claim 10 wherein the band defines first and second ends, and wherein the first and second ends are provided with mating strips of hook and loop material.

13. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body further comprises at least one brim receiving clip, configured to extend about the helmet brim, the clip being configured to engage the accessory body to the helmet.

14. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body further comprises at least one brim receiving recess extending through at least a portion of the accessory body, the recess being configured to receive and engage the accessory body to the brim.

15. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body further defines at least one brim receiving slot extending completely through the accessory body, the slot being configured to receive and engage the accessory body to the brim.

16. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body further defines an accessory body lower surface, the lower surface defining at least one downwardly extending connecting flange, the flange being configured to engage the accessory body to the brim.

17. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body further defines an accessory body lower surface, the lower surface defining a plurality of downwardly extending connecting flanges, arrayed along the accessory body lower surface, for engaging the accessory body to the brim.

18. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessory body defines an upper surface configured to extend along the helmet front surface, a lower surface configured to extend along the brim, and wherein the accessory body front surface extends intermediate the upper surface and the lower surface.

19. The helmet accessory as recited in claim 18 wherein the brim defines and upper surface and the accessory body lower surface is configured to conform to a contour of the brim upper surface.