Helmet with rotatable faceguard

Abstract

A sports helmet having a faceguard is attached to a shell such that the faceguard is rotatable about the circumference of the shell so as to reduce the possibility of head and neck injury caused by blunt and torsion forces being transferred to the shell from impacts on the faceguard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sports helmet comprising:
 a shell that is wearable over a user's head; and   a faceguard that is rotatable horizontally around the shell.   
     
     
         2 . The sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said faceguard encircles said shell. 
     
     
         3 . The sports helmet of  claim 2 , wherein said faceguard has a circular profile. 
     
     
         4 . The sports helmet of  claim 2 , wherein at least one guide channel is formed along said shell, and wherein said faceguard is travelable within the guide channel(s). 
     
     
         5 . The sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said shell shields the top, rear and sides of its wearer's head, but substantially not its wearer's face, and wherein said faceguard at least partially shields its wearer's face. 
     
     
         6 . The sports helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said shell comprises:
 a crown region that shields the top of its wearer's head;   a first side region that shields one non-facial side of its wearer's head;   a second side region that shields the other non-facial side of its wearer's head; and   wherein said faceguard at least partially shields its wearer's face and is disposed substantially over both shell side regions.   
     
     
         7 . The sports helmet of  claim 6 , wherein a first guide channel is formed along said first side region and a second guide channel is formed along said second side region, wherein said faceguard travels within the channels when rotating relative to said shell. 
     
     
         8 . The sports helmet of  claim 6 , wherein said faceguard is spring biased to a centered position in which the circumferential front of said faceguard is laterally centered between said shell side regions, but is rotatable, against that bias, between a leftward position and a rightward position. 
     
     
         9 . A sports helmet comprising:
 a shell that is wearable over a user's head; and   a faceguard that is rotatable circumferentially around the shell.