Lightweight face shield with microphone and speaker

Abstract

A light weight face shield is disclosed that attaches to a user's head and extends below a user's face, covering the user's mouth and nose. The shield includes a transparent, thin, plastic panel that is concave in shape and attaches to a head band via a support member. On the concave surface adjacent the user's mount is a small microphone and power supply adapted to receive audio signals from the user's voice. On the outside of the shield is a speaker that receives a signal and emits the user's voice outside the shield so that it can be easily heard and understood by a listener. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply is rechargeable battery and the microphone and speaker are separable to easily remove the electronics from the shield.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A lightweight protective face shield, comprising:
 a head band adapted to secure to a wearer's head;   a transparent, concave plastic face covering connected to the head band, the concave plastic face covering defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the concave plastic face covering configured for pivoting motion relative to the head band, the concave plastic face covering further comprising an aperture substantially centered about a midline of the concave plastic face covering; and   a voice transmission unit incorporated into the transparent, concave plastic face shield and mounted in the aperture, the voice transmission unit comprising a microphone, an amplifier, and speaker, a power supply, and a processor;   whereby the microphone is disposed adjacent the inner surface of the transparent concave plastic face covering and the speaker extends through the aperture to the outer surface of the transparent concave plastic face covering.   
     
     
         2 . The lightweight protective face shield of  claim 1 , wherein a weight of the protective face shield is not greater than seventy five grams. 
     
     
         3 . The lightweight protective face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the voice transmission unit comprises a single solid state device. 
     
     
         4 . The lightweight protective face shield of  claim 3 , wherein the voice transmission unit is mounted to the concave plastic face covering by a locking disk that traps a peripheral edge of the aperture between the locking disk and the voice transmission unit. 
     
     
         5 . The lightweight protective face shield of  claim 1 , further comprising a volume adjustment element for adjusting a volume of the speaker. 
     
     
         6 . The lightweight protective face shield of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is rechargeable and the microprocessor is connected to a jack adapted to receive a recharging power supply.