Sports facemask

Abstract

Representative embodiments of the present technology include a facemask having a first anterior-lateral cage portion, a second anterior-lateral cage portion, and one or more laterally extending bridge elements connecting the first cage portion to the second cage portion. Each of the cage portions may include an upper elongated element, a lower elongated element, and an upright elongated element spanning between the upper and lower elongated elements. In some embodiments, each upper elongated element includes a downwardly extending dip portion forming a void region in the facemask. In some embodiments, the bridge elements are positioned below the upper elongated elements to form a void region in the facemask. In some embodiments, the facemask includes only one single bridge element, which may be the only portion of the facemask connecting the cage portions to one another. In some embodiments, the facemask does not have a bridge element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A facemask for protecting a human user's face from impact, the facemask comprising:
 a first anterior-lateral cage portion forming a first side of the facemask; and   a second anterior-lateral cage portion forming a second side of the facemask opposite the first side;   wherein the facemask does not include a connection between the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion.   
     
     
         2 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each anterior-lateral cage portion comprises a mounting portion for connecting the facemask to a helmet; and   for each anterior-lateral cage portion, the mounting portion is positioned on an opposite side of the anterior-lateral cage portion from an anterior void region between the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion.   
     
     
         3 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein the first anterior-lateral cage portion comprises:
 a first laterally extending upper elongated element;   a first laterally extending lower elongated element; and   a first longitudinally extending elongated upright element spanning between and intersecting the first laterally extending upper elongated element and the first laterally extending lower elongated element.   
     
     
         4 . The facemask of  claim 3 , wherein the first laterally extending upper elongated element extends in its entirety from a first lateral terminal end of the facemask to the first longitudinally extending elongated upright element, and wherein the first laterally extending upper elongated element extends no farther than a full distance between the first lateral terminal end of the facemask and the intersection of the first laterally extending upper elongated element with the first longitudinally extending elongated upright element. 
     
     
         5 . The facemask of  claim 3 , wherein an entirety of the first laterally extending lower elongated element is longitudinally below the first laterally extending upper elongated element. 
     
     
         6 . The facemask of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first longitudinally extending elongated upright element comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;   the upper portion extends downwardly from the first laterally extending upper elongated element to the lower portion; and   the lower portion extends downwardly from the upper portion and away from the second anterior-lateral cage portion.   
     
     
         7 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein the second anterior-lateral cage portion comprises:
 a second laterally extending upper elongated element;   a second laterally extending lower elongated element; and   a second longitudinally extending elongated upright element spanning between and intersecting the second laterally extending upper elongated element and the second laterally extending lower elongated element.   
     
     
         8 . The facemask of  claim 7 , wherein:
 (a) the second laterally extending upper elongated element comprises a downwardly extending dip portion positioned between (i) the intersection of the second laterally extending upper elongated element with the second longitudinally extending elongated upright element, and (ii) a mounting portion configured to mount the second anterior-lateral cage portion to a side of a helmet; and   (b) the downwardly extending dip portion comprises a laterally extending dip element positioned between, and at least partially below, (i) a first portion of the second laterally extending upper elongated element and (ii) a second portion of the second laterally extending upper elongated element opposite the first portion of the second laterally extending upper elongated element.   
     
     
         9 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion is a single integral cage portion without any welded joints. 
     
     
         10 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the first anterior-lateral cage portion or the second anterior-lateral cage portion:
 the anterior-lateral cage portion comprises a plurality of elongated elements; and   at least one of the elongated elements of the plurality of elongated elements has a different cross-sectional area than another one of the elongated elements of the plurality of elongated elements.   
     
     
         11 . The facemask of  claim 1 , wherein the facemask is configured to be mounted to a helmet, and wherein when the facemask is mounted to the helmet, the facemask is positioned and oriented to be symmetrical relative to a sagittal plane of a user wearing the helmet and the facemask. 
     
     
         12 . A sports helmet comprising:
 a forehead area positionable to cover at least part of a user's forehead when the user dons the helmet;   a first lateral area positionable to cover at least part of a first side of a user's head when the user dons the helmet;   a second lateral area positioned opposite the first lateral area, wherein the second lateral area is positionable to cover at least part of a second side of the user's head opposite the first side of the user's head when the user dons the helmet;   a first anterior-lateral cage portion attached to the first lateral area and positionable to cover at least part of a user's first cheek when the user dons the helmet; and   a second anterior-lateral cage portion attached to the second lateral area and positionable to cover at least part of a user's second cheek opposite the user's first cheek when the user dons the helmet;   wherein:   the first anterior-lateral cage portion is spaced apart from the second anterior-lateral cage portion to form at least part of a void region in which there is no portion of the helmet between the user's face and an area in front of the helmet when the user dons the helmet;   the void region spans between, and is bounded by, the first anterior-lateral cage portion, the second anterior-lateral cage portion, the forehead area, the first lateral area, and the second lateral area;   each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion comprises a laterally extending upper elongated element, a laterally extending lower elongated element, and a longitudinally extending elongated upright element spanning between and intersecting the laterally extending upper elongated element and the laterally extending lower elongated element; and   for each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion, the laterally extending upper elongated element extends only from a terminal end of the cage portion to the longitudinally extending elongated upright element.   
     
     
         13 . The sports helmet of  claim 12  wherein, for each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion, an entirety of the laterally extending lower elongated element is longitudinally below the laterally extending upper elongated element. 
     
     
         14 . The sports helmet of  claim 12 , wherein, for each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion:
 the longitudinally extending elongated upright element comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;   the upper portion extends downwardly from the laterally extending upper elongated element to the lower portion;   from the upper portion, the lower portion extends downwardly away; and   from the upper portion, the lower portion extends away from the other anterior-lateral cage portion of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion.   
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 12 , wherein the helmet is configured to be symmetrical relative to a sagittal plane of a user wearing the helmet. 
     
     
         16 . A sports helmet comprising:
 a forehead area located at a front of the helmet and positionable to cover at least part of a user's forehead when the user dons the helmet;   a first lateral area positionable to cover at least part of a first side of a user's head when the user dons the helmet;   a second lateral area positioned opposite the first lateral area, wherein the second lateral area is positionable to cover at least part of a second side of the user's head opposite the first side of the user's head when the user dons the helmet;   a first anterior-lateral cage portion attached to the first lateral area and positionable to cover at least part of a user's first cheek when the user dons the helmet; and   a second anterior-lateral cage portion attached to the second lateral area and positionable to cover at least part of a user's second cheek opposite the user's first cheek when the user dons the helmet;   wherein the first anterior-lateral cage portion is not connected to the second anterior-lateral cage portion forward of the forehead area to form at least part of a void region in front of a user's face when the user dons the helmet.   
     
     
         17 . The helmet of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion comprises a laterally extending upper elongated element, a laterally extending lower elongated element, and a longitudinally extending elongated upright element spanning between and intersecting the laterally extending upper elongated element and the laterally extending lower elongated element. 
     
     
         18 . The helmet of  claim 17 , wherein, for each of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion:
 the longitudinally extending elongated upright element comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;   the upper portion extends downwardly from the laterally extending upper elongated element to the lower portion;   from the upper portion, the lower portion extends downwardly away; and   from the upper portion, the lower portion extends away from the other anterior-lateral cage portion of the first anterior-lateral cage portion and the second anterior-lateral cage portion.   
     
     
         19 . The helmet of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the helmet is configured for use as a baseball helmet;   the void region extends to the forehead area; and   the void region is bounded in part by a plurality of points on the helmet at the front of the helmet and spaced apart from each other by distances selected to prevent a baseball from hitting a user's face when the user dons the helmet.   
     
     
         20 . The helmet of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the void region extends to the forehead area;   the void region is bounded in part by a plurality of points on the helmet at the front of the helmet and spaced apart from each other; and   two of the points are spaced apart from each other by a distance between 50 millimeters and 60 millimeters.