Protective sports face mask

Abstract

A face mask comprising a U-shaped headband for securing to a player's head and a wire cage attached to the headband to provide resistant to impact by balls having a spaced-apart upper bar, intermediate bar and lower bar, interconnected by a pair of opposing side bars and a front bar, which upper bar, intermediate bar, and front bar each comprising flattened wire members having in cross-section opposing curved surfaces and opposing flat surfaces and having one of the curved surfaces facing a first outward direction and the flat faces facing in opposing lateral directions.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A wire cage face mask, comprising:
 a headband defining a U-shape forehead portion and opposing side portions that extend to free distal ends and having a harness for securing the headband to a player's head; and   a wire cage attached to the headband, said wire cage extending forwardly to provide resistant to impact by balls, comprising:
 an intermediate bar spaced from the headband and having opposing distal ends fixedly mounted to said opposing side portions; 
 a lower bar spaced from the intermediate bar and having opposing distal ends fixedly mounted to said opposing side portions; 
 a pair of lateral side bars mounted at one end to the lower bar and coupled at another end to said headband and coupled at an intermediate portion to the intermediate bar; and 
 a front bar centrally positioned and mounted at opposing ends to the lower bar and the intermediate bar; 
 said at least one of the intermediate bar and front bar comprising a flattened wire member having opposing curved surfaces and opposing flat surfaces, said at least one of the intermediate and front bars oriented to have a respective one of the curved surfaces facing a first outward direction relative to the U-shaped forehead portion of the headband and the respective flat faces facing in opposing lateral directions. 
   
     
     
         19 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising an upper bar coupled to the headband on an outward face. 
     
     
         20 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the upper bar comprises a flattened wire member having opposing curved surfaces and opposing flat surfaces, said upper bar oriented to have a respective one of the curved surfaces facing the first outward direction and the respective flat faces facing in opposing lateral directions. 
     
     
         21 . A wire cage face mask, comprising:
 a headband defining a U-shape forehead portion and opposing diverging side portions that extend to respective downwardly extending distal ends; and   a wire cage attached to said headband, said wire cage extending forwardly for providing resistant to impact by balls, comprising:
 a lower bar spaced from said headband and attached at opposing ends to respective distal ends of said side portions of said headband; 
 opposing lateral side bars coupled to said lower bar and to respective distal ends of said side portions of said headband; 
 said lateral side bars each comprising a flattened wire member having cross-sectional opposing arcuate portions and opposing flat portions, the respective one of said arcuate portions facing outwardly relative to said U-shaped forehead portion of said headband and the respective flat portions facing laterally. 
   
     
     
         22 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said lower bar comprises a non-flattened wire; and
 said flattened wire has a first unit mass exceeding a unit mass of said non-flattened wire.   
     
     
         23 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 22 , wherein said non-flattened wire is circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         24 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length between about 5 mm and 7 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3 mm to 4 mm between said opposing flat surfaces. 
     
     
         25 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length of about 5.5 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3.7 mm between said opposing flat surfaces. 
     
     
         26 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said harness further comprising adjustable length straps for selectively adjusting the attachment of said face mask to a player's head. 
     
     
         27 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising a cushion pad attached to an inner face of said headband. 
     
     
         28 . A wire cage face mask, comprising:
 a headband defining a U-shape forehead portion and opposing diverging side portions that extend to respective downwardly extending distal ends; and   a wire cage attached to said headband, said wire cage extending forwardly for providing resistant to impact by balls, comprising:
 a lower bar spaced from said headband and mounted directly to opposing distal ends of said side portions of said headband; 
 opposing lateral side bars, each said lateral side bar extending from said lower bar and coupled to said headband, and 
 said lateral side bars each comprising a flattened wire member having cross-sectional opposing arcuate portions and opposing flat portions, the respective one of said arcuate portions facing outwardly relative to said U-shaped forehead portion of said headband and the respective flat portions facing laterally. 
   
     
     
         29 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said lower bar comprises a non-flattened wire; and
 said flattened wire has a first unit mass exceeding a unit mass of said non-flattened wire.   
     
     
         30 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 29 , wherein said non-flattened wire is circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         31 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length between about 5 mm and 7 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3 mm to 4 mm between said opposing flat surfaces. 
     
     
         32 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length of about 5.5 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3.7 mm between said opposing flat surfaces. 
     
     
         33 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 28  further comprising a harness coupled to said headband, wherein said harness further comprising adjustable length straps for selectively adjusting the attachment of said face mask to a player's head. 
     
     
         34 . A wire cage face mask, comprising:
 a headband defining a U-shape forehead portion, a first side plate extending downwardly from said U-shaped forehead portion, and a second side plate extending downwardly from said U-shaped forehead portion; and   a wire cage attached to said headband, said wire cage extending forwardly for providing resistant to impact by balls, comprising:
 a first lower bar portion mounted to said first side plate; 
 a second lower bar portion mounted to said second side plate; 
 a first intermediate bar portion having a first end mounted to said first side plate; 
 a second intermediate bar portion having a first end mounted to said second side plate; 
 a first lateral side bar portion coupled to and extending between said first lower bar portion and said first intermediate bar portion; 
 a second lateral side bar portion coupled to and extending between said second lower bar portion and said second intermediate bar portion; 
 said first lateral side bar portion comprising a flattened wire member having opposing flat portions facing laterally, and 
 said second lateral side bar portion comprising a flattened wire member having opposing flat portions facing laterally. 
   
     
     
         35 . The wire cage face mask of  claim 34  wherein said first lower bar portion extends from said second lower bar portion. 
     
     
         36 . The wire cage face mask of  claim 35  wherein said first intermediate bar portion extends from said second intermediate bar portion. 
     
     
         37 . The wire cage face mask of  claim 34  wherein said first intermediate bar portion extends from said second intermediate bar portion. 
     
     
         38 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 34 , wherein said lower bar comprises a non-flattened wire; and
 said flattened wire has a first unit mass exceeding a unit mass of said non-flattened wire.   
     
     
         39 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said non-flattened wire is circular in cross-section. 
     
     
         40 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 34 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length between about 5 mm and 7 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3 mm to 4 mm between said opposing flat surfaces. 
     
     
         41 . The wire cage face mask as recited in  claim 34 , wherein said flattened wire has a cross-sectional length of about 5.5 mm between said opposing curved surfaces and a cross-sectional width of about 3.7 mm between said opposing flat surfaces.