Baseball catcher's mask

Abstract

A protective headgear, such as a baseball catcher's mask, is disclosed. The protective headgear includes a shell, a cage, padding, and a strap/harness device. The shell includes a flared jaw area providing protection to the player/wearer's jaw. The cage includes a throat protection portion that extends downward, past the shell, and a flared ear portion, flaring away from the wearer's face, which keeps balls in front of the player/wearer. Padding is strategically placed inside the chin and forehead areas for protection. The protective headgear is designed to be used with a separate catcher's skull helmet. The strap/harness device is used to connect the protective headgear to the separate catcher's skull helmet.

I/We claim:  
     
         1 . A head and face protection apparatus comprising: 
 a concave shell with a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions and two side portions;    an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said chin portion;    said forehead portion connected to said chin portion by means of said side portions and said jaw portions;    said side portions terminating vertically, toward the rear, prior to, and rather than, extending over and covering an associated wearer's ears;    said jaw portion following contour of said associated wearer's jaw until connection with said side portions;    said jaw portion, at said connection with said side portions, and in conjunction with said side portions, flaring outward, in a direction away from said associated wearer's head;    said crown portion extending over the front half of said associated wearer's head; and,    said crown portion terminating intermediate to the front half and back half of said associated wearer's head.    
     
     
         2 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising; 
 a forehead interior surface of said forehead portion with padding therein;  
 a chin interior surface of said chin portion with padding therein; and  
 an exterior rear surface with a harness device thereon.  
 
     
     
         3 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said harness device includes a strap.  
     
     
         4 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shell is adapted to an associated catcher's skull helmet.  
     
     
         5 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shell is adapted to cover and protect said associated wearer's forehead, jaw, throat, cheeks, mouth, and ears.  
     
     
         6 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shell is adapted to receive a cage device; said cage device is operatively connected to said shell and spaced a distance of 1 to 3 inches from associated wearer's nose.  
     
     
         7 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said cage device substantially covers said elongated view opening of said shell.  
     
     
         8 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said cage device includes a lower portion and two ear portions, said lower portion extending downward over associated wearer's throat area, and said ear portions extending outward away from said associated wearer's face.  
     
     
         9 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a forehead interior surface of said forehead portion with padding therein;  
 a chin interior surface of said chin portion with padding therein; and  
 an exterior rear surface with a harness device thereon;  
 said harness device includes a strap;  
 said shell is adapted to an associated catcher's skull helmet;  
 said shell is adapted to cover and protect said associated wearer's forehead, jaw, cheeks, mouth, and ears.  
 
     
     
         10 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said shell is made of plastic.  
     
     
         11 . A head and face protection apparatus comprising: 
 a concave shell;    a cage operatively connected to said shell;    a harness device operatively connected to said shell;    said cage, said shell, and said harness device adapted for use with an associated skull helmet.    
     
     
         12 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said concave shell further comprises: 
 a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions and two side portions;  
 an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said chin portion;  
 said forehead portion connected to said chin portion by means of said side portions and said jaw portions;  
 said side portions terminating vertically, toward the rear, prior to, and rather than, extending over and covering an associated wearer's ears;  
 said jaw portion following contour of said associated wearer's jaw until connection with said side portions;  
 said jaw portion, at said connection with said side portions, and in conjunction with said side portions, flaring outward, in a direction away from said associated wearer's head;  
 said crown portion extending over the front half of said associated wearer's head; and,  
 said crown portion terminating intermediate to the front half and back half of said associated wearer's head.  
 
     
     
         13 . The head and face protection apparatus of claim  111  wherein said cage device is operatively connected to said shell and spaced a distance of 1 to 3 inches from associated wearer's nose.  
     
     
         14 . The head and face protection apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a forehead interior surface of said forehead portion with padding therein;  
 a chin interior surface of said chin portion with padding therein; and  
 an exterior rear surface with a harness device thereon;  
 said harness device includes a strap;  
 said shell is adapted to an associated catcher's skull helmet;  
 said shell is adapted to cover and protect said associated wearer's forehead, jaw, cheeks, mouth, and ears.  
 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a head and face protection apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a concave shell with a crown portion, forehead portion, chin portion, two jaw portions, and two side portions;    providing an elongated view opening between said forehead portion and said jaw portion;    connecting said forehead portion to said chin portion via said side portions and said jaw portions;    terminating said side portions vertically, toward the rear, prior to, the position where said side portions would extend over and cover an associated wearer's ears;    flaring said jaw portion and said side portions in an outward direction away from said associated wearer's face;    terminating said crown portion intermediate to front half and back half of said associated wearer's head.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of: 
 covering interior forehead surface of said forehead portion with padding; and,  
 covering interior chin surface of said chin portion with padding.  
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a protective cage; and  
 connecting said cage to said shell.  
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a harness device and an associated catcher's skull helmet.  
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the steps of: 
 strapping said shell to said associated catcher's skull helmet with said harness device.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of: 
 covering interior forehead surface of said forehead portion with padding;  
 covering interior chin surface of said chin portion with padding;  
 providing a protective cage;  
 connecting said cage to said shell