PROTECTIVE SPORTS HELMET

摘要

A protective sports helmet that includes an energy attenuating faceguard connection system, which includes at least one 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 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.

主权项

1. A football helmet comprising:
a one-piece shell configured to receive a head of a wearer of the helmet, the shell having a front region, a rear region, and two side regions wherein each side region has an ear flap; an energy attenuating faceguard connection system including:
a faceguard comprising a plurality of bar members including an upper horizontal bar member extending across the front region of the shell without contacting said front region;a connector bracket that secures a peripheral bar member of the faceguard to the shell, the connector bracket having a clamshell configuration with a movable rear segment oriented towards the rear region of the shell and a stable front segment oriented towards the front region of the shell, wherein said front segment includes an opening that receives an elongated coupler to dynamically couple the bracket and the faceguard to the ear flap; wherein a continuous gap is formed between the upper horizontal bar member of the faceguard and the front region of the shell prior to an impact force being applied to the faceguard, wherein the continuous gap extends along the length of the upper horizontal bar member and the front shell region.