Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.

Mitch Hinrichsen

Marc Schmidt

Zach Runzo

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.

Sports facemask

A helmet with an adjustable helmet shell is provided for use in sports including baseball and softball. The helmet shell is expandable and contractable to fit a variety of head shapes and sizes, and hairstyles. The helmet shell may be a single, molded piece or it may include a base member and a flap member. Gaps or slots may be located between flexible side portions and a flexible rear portion of the helmet shell. The slots facilitate outward deflection of the side portions and the rear portion when the helmet is donned. The helmet shell may be biased toward a smaller size such that once the helmet shell is expanded by the force of a wearer's head, it contracts to fit snugly and securely.

Adjustable helmet shell

A fielder's mask includes a headband configured for positioning along the front and side regions of a wearer's head. A faceguard projects downwardly from a front region of the headband to protect the wearer's face from a batted or thrown ball. A rear region of the headband includes downwardly projecting, flexible arms, that secure the fielder's mask to the wearer, while also facilitating efficient, one-handed donning and removal of the fielder's mask. In some embodiments, the flexible arms engage the back of the wearer's head behind the wearer's ears. Elastic straps may be attached to the headband to further secure the fielder's mask to the wearer's head.

Fielder's mask with flexible retention system

An adjustable jaw flap is provided that may be selectively attachable with the ear flap of a batter's helmet used in batted ball sports such as baseball or softball. The jaw flap may include each of an adaptor member and a flap member. The adaptor member may be attached to the batter's helmet at or near the helmet's ear flap. The flap member may be attached to the adaptor member at its lower end by a pin. An interior portion of the flap member preferably includes male attachment points that may be selectively attachable with female attachment points found at the upper portion of the adaptor member's exterior. When the flap member is rotated, more or fewer attachment points may be selectively engaged with one another, thus allowing a user to adjust the relative position of the jaw flap.

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

Mitch Hinrichsen