Batting helmet with adjustable face guard

Abstract

A batting helmet with an adjustable face guard includes a rigid shell for protecting the head of a wearer, with an adjustable face guard movably attached to the shell. An adjustment mechanism regulates the movement of the face guard between upper and lower limits to vary a wearer's line-of-sight through the face guard. An associated method of use is also provided

1 . A batting helmet having an adjustable line-of-sight, comprising: 
 a. a rigid shell having crown, front, back, left and right portions shaped to protect the respective crown, front, back, left and right portions of a wearer's head, said shell defining a bottom opening and an inner cavity for receiving said wearer's head; and    b. a face guard having an unobstructed viewing area movably affixed to said shell, such that moving said face guard relative to said shell varies a wearer's line-of-sight through said unobstructed viewing area.    
   
   
       2 . The protective helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a. an adjustment mechanism coupled between said rigid shell and said face guard such that said adjustment mechanism regulates movement of said face guard relative to said shell.    
   
   
       3 . The protective helmet of  claim 2 , wherein said adjustment mechanism is affixed to said shell.  
   
   
       4 . The protective helmet of  claim 2 , wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a slot having first and second ends.  
   
   
       5 . The protective helmet of  claim 4 , further comprising a pin attached to said face guard and received within said slot such that said pin contacts said first and second ends of said slot to limit the travel of said face guard relative to said shell.  
   
   
       6 . The protective helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said face guard comprises a plurality of horizontal members.  
   
   
       7 . The protective helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said face guard comprises a first horizontal member and a second horizontal member, such that a wearer's view between said first and second members defines said unobstructed viewing area.  
   
   
       8 . The protective helmet of  claim 7 , wherein a distance between said first member and said second member is less than approximately 2.5 inches.  
   
   
       9 . The protective helmet of  claim 7  wherein a distance between said first member and said second member is less than approximately 3.5 inches.  
   
   
       10 . A protective helmet having an adjustable line-of-sight, comprising: 
 a. a rigid shell configured to protect a wearer's head, said shell defining a bottom opening and an inner cavity for receiving said wearer's head;    b. a bill affixed to said shell, said bill extending outwardly from said shell in an area corresponding to said wearer's forehead;    c. a face guard having a viewing area, said face guard pivotally attached to said shell;    d. an adjustment mechanism coupled between said bill and said face guard, said adjustment mechanism regulating the movement of said face guard relative to said bill such that pivoting said face guard relative to said bill varies a wearer's line-of-sight through said viewing area.    
   
   
       11 . The protective helmet of  claim 10 , wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a receptacle on said bill and a pin extending from said face guard into said receptacle, such that moving said face guard relative to said bill moves said pin within said receptacle.  
   
   
       12 . The protective helmet of  claim 11 , wherein said receptacle comprises at least one stop to limit the travel of said pin within said receptacle.  
   
   
       13 . The protective helmet of  claim 11 , further comprising a keeper affixed to said pin to retain said pin within said receptacle.  
   
   
       14 . The protective helmet of  claim 13 , wherein said keeper is adjustably engageable with said receptacle such that said keeper can be adjusted to lock said adjustment mechanism in place to prevent movement of said face guard relative to said bill.  
   
   
       15 . A protective helmet having an adjustable line-of-sight, comprising: 
 a. a rigid shell configured to protect a wearer's head;    b. a bill affixed to said shell;    c. a face guard comprising horizontal members defining a viewing area pivotally attached to said shell; and    d. an adjustment mechanism coupled between said bill and said face guard, said adjustment mechanism operable to regulate the movement of said face guard relative to said bill.    
   
   
       16 . The protective helmet of  claim 15 , wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a slotted bracket affixed to said bill.  
   
   
       17 . The protective helmet of  claim 16 , further comprising a pin affixed to said face guard and extending into said slotted bracket such that pivoting said face guard relative to said helmet moves said pin within said bracket.  
   
   
       18 . The protective helmet of  claim 17 , further comprising a clip affixed to said face guard to retain said pin.  
   
   
       19 . The protective helmet of  claim 18 , wherein said slotted bracket comprises stops for engaging said pin to limit the travel of said face guard with respect to said helmet.  
   
   
       20 . A protective helmet having an adjustable line-of-sight, comprising: 
 a. a rigid shell;    b. a face guard having a viewing area movably attached to said shell; and    c. means for regulating the movement of said face guard relative to said shell.    
   
   
       21 . The protective helmet of  claim 19 , further comprising a bill extending outwardly from said rigid shell.  
   
   
       22 . A method for adjusting the line-of-sight of a batting helmet face guard comprising: 
 a. providing a rigid shell for protecting a wearer's head    b. pivotally attaching a face guard having a viewing area to said rigid shell;    c. moving said face guard with respect to said rigid shell to achieve the desired alignment of said viewing area to a wearer.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 a. regulating the movement of said face guard with respect to said rigid shell.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 a. locking said face guard to prevent movement of said face guard with respect to said rigid shell.