Chin guard and system and method for using same

Abstract

Disclosed herein are chin guard devices and systems for use with a helmet. The chin guard device may include a cupped portion comprising a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face is opposed to the rear face, wherein the rear face is configured to receive the chin of a wearer; at least one strap attached to the cupped portion; and at least one securement device attached to the at least one strap. The securement device may be configured to releasably secure the strap to the helmet, the securement device including a female component comprising a hollow body with a bottom wall, two side walls, a cavity defined by the bottom and back walls, a substantially open top communicating with the cavity, and a plurality of locking slots at one or more top portions of the side walls; and a male component having first and second opposed ends, and first and second opposed sides, the male component configured to connect to at least one strap end and comprising a raised portion at one or more ends. Also disclosed herein are methods of using the disclosed chin guard devices and systems.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A chin guard device comprising:
 a cupped portion comprising a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face is opposed to the rear face, wherein the rear face is configured to receive the chin of a wearer;   at least one strap attached to the cupped portion; and   at least one securement device attached to the at least one strap;   wherein the securement device is configured to releasably secure the strap to the helmet, the securement device comprising:
 a. a female component comprising a hollow body with a bottom wall, two side walls, a cavity defined by the bottom and back walls, a substantially open top communicating with the cavity, and a plurality of locking slots at one or more top portions of the side walls; and 
 b. a male component having first and second opposed ends, and first and second opposed sides, the male component configured to connect to at least one strap end and comprising a raised portion at one or more ends;
 wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple in a plurality of locked states; and 
 wherein the female component is configured to connect to a portion of the helmet using a connecting means. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The chin guard device of  claim 1 , wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple by inserting an end of the male component having a raised portion into the cavity through an opening at a first end of the female component to cause the raised portion to engage at least one locking slot in order to lock the male component to the female component in the locked state. 
     
     
         3 . The chin guard device of  claim 2 , wherein the female component comprises a first locking slot at a first position configured to lock the male component to the female portion in a first locked state, and a second locking slot at a second position configured to lock the male component to the female portion in a second locked state. 
     
     
         4 . The chin guard device of  claim 3 , wherein the locking slot comprises at least one of: a cross member extending from a top portion of one side wall to a top portion of the other side wall and at least one projection extending from a top portion of a side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The chin guard device of  claim 4 , wherein the male component comprises a slot or recess disposed at one end configured to connect with a strap end; and wherein the strap end is connected to the male component using a plurality of connecting means. 
     
     
         6 . The chin guard device of  claim 5 , wherein the raised portion of the male component comprises an engagement element selected from a protrusion, projection, rib, tab, foot, lip, and a raised surface. 
     
     
         7 . The chin guard device of  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the female component has a top opening sized and dimensioned to allow for a strap connected to the male component to pass through the top opening; and wherein the top opening has a smaller width than the cavity width. 
     
     
         8 . The chin guard device of  claim 7 , wherein an abutment end of the top opening corresponds to a point of engagement for the raised portion in order to lock the male component to the female portion in the first locked state. 
     
     
         9 . The chin guard device of  claim 8 , wherein the male and female components couple using a tongue and groove engagement configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The chin guard device of  claim 9 , wherein first and second sides of the male component are configured as tongues to matingly couple with the grooves of the female component; and wherein at least a portion of the first and second side are configured as rails. 
     
     
         11 . The chin guard device of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the bottom wall of the female component tapers down in size towards the second end of the female component; and wherein the tapered portion of the bottom wall is configured to allow movement of the raised portion down into the tapered portion. 
     
     
         12 . The chin guard device of  claim 11 , wherein an interior surface of the bottom wall of the female component has a recessed portion at the first end of the female component sized and dimensioned to allow for a portion of the male component to be depress into the recessed portion when inserting the male component into the cavity of the female component. 
     
     
         13 . The chin guard device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 at least one reel configured to wind the at least one strap; and   at least one housing configured to encase the at least one reel.   
     
     
         14 . The chin guard device of  claim 13 , further comprising a helmet configured to connect to the female component of the securement device. 
     
     
         15 . A system, the system comprising:
 a helmet; and   a chin guard configured to protect the chin of a wearer, the chin guard comprising:
 a cupped portion comprising a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face is opposed to the rear face, wherein the rear face is configured to receive the chin of a wearer; 
 a plurality of straps having first and second opposed ends, one end being attached to the cupped portion; 
 at least one securement device attached to one end of each strap, the securement device comprising: 
 a female component comprising a hollow body with a bottom wall, two side walls, a cavity defined by the bottom and back walls, a substantially open top communicating with the cavity, and a plurality of locking slots at one or more top portions of the side walls; and 
 a male component having first and second opposed ends, and first and second opposed sides, the male component being connect a strap end and comprising a raised portion at the opposed end; 
 wherein the locking slot comprises at least one of: a cross member extending from a top portion of one side wall to a top portion of the other side wall and at least one projection extending from a top portion of a side wall; 
 wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple in a plurality of locked states; 
 wherein the female component is connected to a portion of the helmet using a connecting means; and 
 wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple by inserting an end of the male component having a raised portion into the cavity through an opening at a first end of the female component to cause the raised portion to engage at least one locking slot in order to lock the male component to the female component in the locked state. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the female component comprises a first locking slot at a first position configured to lock the male component to the female portion in a first locked state, and a second locking slot at a second position configured to lock the male component to the female portion in a second locked state. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first end of the female component has a top opening sized and dimensioned to allow for the strap connected to the male component to pass through the top opening; and wherein the top opening has a smaller width than the cavity width. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein an abutment end of the top opening corresponds to a position of engagement for the raised portion in order to lock the male component to the female portion in the first locked state. 
     
     
         19 . A method for securing a helmet to a user, the method comprising:
 a. providing a helmet system comprising:
 a helmet; and 
 a chin guard configured to protect the chin of a wearer, the chin guard comprising:
 a cupped portion comprising a front face and a rear face, wherein the front face is opposed to the rear face, wherein the rear face is configured to receive the chin of a wearer; 
 first and second straps having first and second opposed ends, one end being attached to the cupped portion; 
 at least one securement device attached to one end of each strap, the securement device comprising: 
 a female component comprising a hollow body with a bottom wall, two side walls, a cavity defined by the bottom and back walls, a substantially open top communicating with the cavity, and first and second locking slots at one or more top portions of the side walls; and 
 a male component having first and second opposed ends, and first and second opposed sides, the male component being connect a strap end and comprising a raised portion at the opposed end; 
 wherein the locking slot comprises at least one of: a cross member extending from a top portion of one side wall to a top portion of the other side wall and at least one projection extending from a top portion of a side wall; 
 wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple in a first locked state and second locked state; 
 wherein the female component is connected to a portion of the helmet using a connecting means; and 
 wherein the female and male components are configured to detachably couple by inserting an end of the male component having a raised portion into the cavity through an opening at a first end of the female component to cause the raised portion to engage at least one locking slot in order to lock the male component to the female component in the locked state 
 
   b. positioning the helmet on the user's head; and   c. securing the straps to the helmet by inserting the ends of the male component having the raised portions into the cavity through the opening at the first end of the female component to cause the raised portion to engage at the second locking slot in order to lock the male component to the female component in the second locked state.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first end of the female component has a top opening sized and dimensioned to allow for the strap connected to the male component to pass through the top opening; wherein the top opening has a smaller width than the cavity width; and wherein an abutment end of the top opening corresponds to a position of engagement for the raised portion in order to lock the male component to the female portion in the first locked state.