Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
FACE SHIELD FOR A HOCKEY HELMET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a face shield for a hockey helmet.
BACKGROUND
A protective helmet is often used to protect a wearer's head during practice
of a sport
such as hockey, lacrosse, ringette, football and baseball. A protective helmet
such as
a hockey helmet sometimes comprises a visor, a face guard or face shield for
protecting the wearer's face against impact with an object such as a sports
implement
(e.g. a stick, a stick blade, etc.), a puck, or any other object involved in
hockey.
One type of face guard is a full face shield that is adapted to cover the
entire face of
the wearer. The face shield has a transparent visor portion to be in front of
the
forehead, eyes and nose of the wearer, a bottom portion for covering and
encircling
the mouth and chin of the wearer, and a top portion with a top transversal
bar. The
bottom portion normally comprises a plurality of aeration apertures for
allowing the
wearer to breath properly. The bottom portion also normally comprises a
plurality of
slots on each side for allowing passage of an adjustable strap. The face
shield is
attached or pivotally mounted to the helmet at its top portion and the face
shield is
also coupled or mounted to the helmet via the adjustable strap.
In order to mount the face shield to the helmet, right and left connectors can
be used
for mounting the face shield to the helmet. For instance, each of the right
and left
connectors comprises a base portion defining a cylindrical aperture and first
and
second legs extending from the base portion. The first and second legs have
first and
second holes for allowing passage of a screw therethrough. The connector may
be a
clip.
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As it is well known in the art, the front of the helmet has two mounting
apertures for
receiving two fasteners, each of the fastener having a base portion embedded
into
the pad assembly of the helmet and a post. The post has an outer surface and
an
inner surface defining a threaded aperture. The threaded aperture has a
diameter
and helical threads which are adapted to accept a threaded screw.
The posts of the fasteners are located into the mounting apertures of the
helmet outer
shell. In use, the wearer may mount the right and left clips on the top
transversal bar
of the face shield top portion. Afterwards, the wearer will align the holes of
the legs of
one clip with one mounting aperture and will then engage a screw in the
threaded
aperture of the fastener for affixing the clip to the outer shell and for
momentarily
mounting the face shield to the helmet. The wearer will afterwards align the
holes of
the legs of the other clip with the other mounting aperture and will then
engage
another screw in the threaded aperture of the other fastener for affixing the
other clip
to the outer shell. Once both clips are in place, the wearer can finalize
mounting of
the face shield to the helmet.
In a first variant of the prior art, the face shield top portion comprises a
top longitudinal
bar extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge of the visor portion
and
connecting a top transversal bar for defining two apertures on each side of
the face
shield. Each of the apertures is sized to prevent a hockey stick blade or a
puck from
impacting the wearer's face. Naturally, in this first variant, one clip cannot
move or
slide along the entire top transversal bar because of the presence of the top
longitudinal bar. In a second variant of the prior art, the top portion may
have an
aperture between a top transversal bar and the top edge of the visor portion
where
the aperture has an oblong shape such that it occupies a transversal region as
long
as possible and a longitudinal region that is large enough for mounting the
clip on the
top transversal bar while also preventing a hockey stick blade or a puck from
impacting the wearer's face. However, in this second variant, the wearer has
less
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flexibility since he cannot turn the clip when the clip is mounted on the top
transversal
bar and the aperture of the second variant offers very limited access to the
thumb
and fingers.
There is therefore a need for a face shield providing improvements in terms of
facility
of mounting the face shield to the helmet while still providing sufficient
strength,
impact resistance, and impact protection for the wearer. For instance, there
is a need
for an aperture offering more flexibility to the wearer by providing larger
hollow spaces
where the wearer can turn the clips, by allowing the wearer to insert at least
partially
his thumb and fingers in the aperture, while the aperture is nevertheless
sized to
prevent a hockey stick blade or a puck from impacting the wearer's face (to
conform
with certifications such as Certification CSA Z262.2-15).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As embodied and broadly described herein, according to a broad aspect, the
invention provides a face shield for a hockey helmet adapted to protect a head
of a
wearer, the helmet having an outer shell with a front for at least partially
covering a
forehead of the wearer's head, the face shield having a longitudinal axis, a
transversal
axis and a height axis, the face shield comprising: a transparent visor
portion for at
least partially covering the wearer's forehead, a nose and eyes of the wearer
and
right and left sides of a face of the wearer, wherein the visor portion has
top and
bottom edges, an inner surface that is concave and an outer surface that is
convex;
a bottom portion for at least partially covering and encircling a mouth and a
chin of
the wearer; right and left side portions .for at least partially covering the
right and left
sides of the wearer's face; and a top portion extending upwardly and
rearwardly from
the top edge of the visor portion, wherein the top portion comprises: a top
edge
portion having a curvature for generally following a curvature of the front of
the outer
shell, the top edge portion comprising a central bar extending along the
transversal
axis and being located on right and left sides with respect to the height
axis; right and
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left bars extending upwardly and rearwardly on the right and left sides from
the top
edge of the visor portion and being each connected to the top edge portion;
and a
central projection between the right and left bars projecting upwardly and
rearwardly
from the top edge of the visor portion; wherein the central bar and the
central
projection define a transversal gap therebetween; wherein the central bar, the
right
and left bars and the central projection define right and left hollow spaces
therebetween; and wherein the transversal gap and the right and left hollow
spaces
together define a central aeration aperture being sized to prevent a hockey
stick blade
or puck from impacting the wearer's face.
As embodied and broadly described herein, according to another broad aspect,
the
invention provides a face shield for a hockey helmet adapted to protect a head
of a
wearer, the helmet having an outer shell with a front for at least partially
covering a
forehead of the wearer's head, the face shield having a longitudinal axis, a
transversal
axis and a height axis, the face shield comprising: a transparent visor
portion for at
least partially covering the wearer's forehead, a nose and eyes of the wearer
and
right and left sides of a face of the wearer, wherein the visor portion has
top and
bottom edges, an inner surface that is concave and an outer surface that is
convex;
a bottom portion for at least partially covering and encircling a mouth and a
chin of
the wearer; right and left side portions for at least partially covering the
right and left
sides of the wearer's face; and a top portion extending upwardly and
rearwardly from
the top edge of the visor portion, wherein the top portion comprises: a top
edge
portion having a curvature for generally following a curvature of the front of
the outer
shell, the top edge portion comprising a central bar extending along the
transversal
axis and being located on right and left sides with respect to the height
axis; right and
left bars extending upwardly and rearwardly on the right and left sides from
the top
edge of the visor portion and being each connected to the top edge portion;
and a
central projection between the right and left bars projecting upwardly and
rearwardly
from the top edge of the visor portion; wherein the central bar and the
central
projection define a transversal gap therebetween; wherein the central bar, the
right
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and left bars and the central projection define right and left hollow spaces
therebetween; and wherein the transversal gap and the right and left hollow
spaces
together define a central aeration aperture being sized to prevent a hockey
stick blade
or puck from impacting the wearer's face and wherein one of the right and left
hollow
spaces allows a connector mounted on the central bar to pivot within the
hollow
space.
As embodied and broadly described herein, according to further broad aspect,
the
invention provides a face shield for a hockey helmet adapted to protect a head
of a
wearer, the helmet having an outer shell with a front for at least partially
covering a
forehead of the wearer's head, the face shield having a longitudinal axis, a
transversal
axis and a height axis, the face shield comprising: a transparent visor
portion for at
least partially covering the wearer's forehead, a nose and eyes of the wearer
and
right and left sides of a face of the wearer, wherein the visor portion has
top and
bottom edges, an inner surface that is concave and an outer surface that is
convex;
a bottom portion for at least partially covering and encircling a mouth and a
chin of
the wearer, the bottom portion comprising a bottom edge portion extending
downwardly and rearwardly for facing a bottom surface of the wearer's chin and
wherein the bottom edge portion comprises top and bottom edges; right and left
side
portions for at least partially covering the right and left sides of the
wearer's face; and
a top portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge of the visor
portion, wherein the top portion comprises: a top edge portion having a
curvature for
generally following a curvature of the front of the outer shell, the top edge
portion
comprising a central bar extending along the transversal axis and being
located on
right and left sides with respect to the height axis; right and left bars
extending
upwardly and rearwardly on the right and left sides from the top edge of the
visor
portion and being each connected to the top edge portion; and a central
projection
between the right and left bars projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the
top edge
of the visor portion; wherein the central bar and the central projection
define a
transversal gap therebetween; wherein the central bar, the right and left bars
and the
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central projection define right and left hollow spaces therebetween; wherein
the
transversal gap and the right and left hollow spaces together define a central
aeration
aperture being sized to prevent a hockey stick blade or puck from impacting
the
wearer's face; and wherein the bottom portion comprises a right bottom bar
located
on the right side and a left bottom bar located on the left side, and wherein
the right
bottom bar, the bottom edge of the visor portion, the left bottom bar and the
top edge
of the bottom edge portion define therebetween a central bottom aeration
aperture
for facing the wearer's mouth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided
herein
below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 is a front side perspective view of a head of a wearer;
Figure 2 is a side view of the wearer's head;
Figure 3 is a front side perspective view of a face shield for a hockey helmet
according
to an embodiment;
Figure 4 is a front view of the face shield of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a side view of the face shield of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a top inner view of the face shield of Figure 3;
Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of a top portion of the face
shield of
Figure 3;
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Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of a top portion of the face
shield with
right and left connectors mounted on the central bar; and
Figure 9 is a front side perspective view of the face shield of Figure 3 with
right and
left connectors, right and left fasteners, and a hockey helmet.
In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of
examples. It
is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for
the
purpose of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not
intended to be
a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
Before any variants, examples and preferred embodiments of the invention are
explained in details, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its
application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components
set forth
in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is
capable of
other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various
ways.
Moreover, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used
herein is
for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use
of
"including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant
to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as
additional
items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted,"
"connected,"
"supported," and "coupled" and variations thereof are used broadly and
encompass
both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings and
are thus
intended to include direct connections between two members without any other
members interposed therebetween and indirect connections between members in
which one or more other members are interposed therebetween. Further,
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"connected" and "coupled" are not restricted to physical or mechanical
connections
or couplings. Additionally, the words "lower", "upper", "upward", "down" and
"downward" designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made.
The
terminology includes the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives
thereof, and
words or similar import.
Figures 1 and 2 show a wearer's head comprising a front region FR, right and
left
side regions RS, LS, a back region BR, and a top region TR. The front region
FR
includes a face F of the wearer, eyes E, a nose N and a mouth M of the wearer'
face
F, a chin C, a forehead FH. The right and left side regions RS, LS are located
between
the front region FR and the back region BR of the head and respectively
include right
and left temples and ears and right and left lateral parts of the head in
right and left
temporal bone areas of the head. The back region BR has a rear upper part and
an
occipital protuberance in a parietal bone area and occipital bone area.
Figure 9 shows a hockey helmet 200 wearable on the wearer's head to protect
the
wearer's head when the helmet 200 is impacted (e.g., when the helmet 200 hits
a
board or an ice or other skating surface of a hockey rink or is struck by a
puck or a
hockey stick). The helmet 200 protects various regions of the wearer's head.
The hockey helmet 200 comprises an outer shell with a front for facing at
least
partially of the forehead FH, a back for facing the back region BR of the
wearer's
head, right and left sides for respectively facing the right and left side
regions RS, LS
of the wearer's head, and a top for facing the top region TR of the wearer's
head. The
helmet 200 has an external surface and an internal surface that defines a
cavity for
receiving the wearer's head and contacts the wearer's head when the helmet 200
is
worn.
Figures 3 to 6 show a face shield 10 for the hockey helmet 200. The face
shield 10
has a front-back axis, a left-right axis, and a top-bottom axis that are
respectively
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generally parallel to a dorsoventral axis, a dextrosinistral axis, and a
cephalocaudal
axis of the wearer when the helmet 200, with the face shield 10, is on the
wearer's
head. Since they are generally oriented longitudinally and transversally of
the face
shield 10, the front-back axis and the left-right axis can also be referred to
as a
longitudinal axis and a transversal axis, respectively. As it is generally
oriented along
a height of the face shield 10, the top-bottom axis can also be referred to as
a height
axis. Hence, the face shield has a longitudinal axis LA, a transversal axis TA
and a
height axis HA as shown in Figure 3.
The face shield 10 may comprise any suitable polymer or glass material. For
example, in one embodiment, the face shield comprises polymeric material
having
suitable impact-resistance. More particularly, in this embodiment, the
polymeric
material of the face shield 10 is polycarbonate. The face shield 10 may
comprise any
other suitable polymeric material and/or any other type of material in other
examples
of implementation (e.g., clear nylon, urethane-based material, polymethyl
methacrylate, etc.).
The face shield 10 has a transparent visor portion 12 for covering at least
partially the
wearer's forehead FH, the nose N and the eyes E of the wearer and the right
and left
sides the face F of the wearer. It is understood that the terms "transparent
visor
portion" covers a portion that is at least partially transparent, clear,
translucid or light-
transmitting to allow the wearer to properly see through the visor portion 12.
The face shield 10 also comprises a bottom portion 14 for at least partially
covering
and encircling the mouth M and the chin C of the wearer, right and left side
portions
16, 18 for covering the right and left sides of the wearer's face F and a top
portion 20
for at least partially covering the forehead FH.
The visor portion 12 has top and bottom edges 22, 24, an inner surface 26 that
is
concave and an outer surface 28 that is convex.
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The top portion 20 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge 22 of the
visor
portion 12. The top portion 20 comprises a top edge portion 30 having a
curvature for
generally following a curvature of the front of the hockey helmet 200. The top
edge
portion 30 comprises a central bar 32 extending along the transversal axis TA
and
being located on right and left sides of the height axis HA. The top portion
20 also
comprises first right and left bars 34, 36 extending upwardly and rearwardly
on the
right and left sides from the top edge 22 of the visor portion 12 and being
each
connected to the top edge portion 30. Moreover, the top portion 20 comprises a
central projection 38 between the right and left bars 34, 36 projecting
upwardly and
rearwardly from the top edge 22 of the visor portion 12.
As best seen in Figure 7 and 8, the central bar 32 and the central projection
38 define
a transversal gap 40 therebetween. Also, the central bar 32, the first right
and left
bars 34, 36 and the central projection 38 define right and left hollow spaces
42, 44
therebetween. The transversal gap 40 and the right and left hollow spaces 42,
44
together define a central aeration aperture 46 for facilitating air
circulation and being
sized to prevent a hockey stick blade or a puck from impacting the wearer's
face. For
instance, the central aeration aperture 46 is sized to prevent an object
having a width
of 150 mm (5.9 inches), a height of 50 mm (1.96 inches) and a thickness of 6
mm
(0.24 inch) to enter in the central aeration aperture. The central aeration
aperture 46
is sized to conform with certifications such as Certification CSA Z262.2-15.
While the figures show a specific shape of the central aeration aperture 46,
is it
understood that the central aeration aperture may have any other shape in
other
examples of implementation as long as the top portion has a central projection
with a
transversal gap that allows movement of a connector (clip) along the central
bar and
as long as the central aeration aperture prevents a hockey stick blade or a
puck from
impacting the wearers face to conform with certifications such as
Certification CSA
Z262.2-15.
CA 3015646 2018-08-28
In addition to facilitating ventilation or air circulation, the central
aeration aperture 46
may also be beneficial for the wearer's vision. For example, the central
aeration
aperture may make the face shield 10 less obstructive to the wearer's vision
(e.g.,
when the wearer's head is down and his eyes are looking up). The central
aeration
aperture 46 renders the face shield 10 more airy, which may help in terms of
wearer's
fit, vision and ventilation.
The top portion 20 also comprises right and left side ends 48, 50 joining
together the
top edge portion 30 and the visor portion 12 and second right and left bars
52, 54
extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge 22 of the visor portion 12
and
being each connected to the top edge portion 30.
The first right bar 34, the top edge portion 30, the top edge 22 of the visor
portion 12
and the second right bar 52 define a first right aeration aperture 56
therebetween and
the right side end 48, the top edge portion 30, the top edge 22 of the visor
portion 12
and the second right bar 52 define a second right aeration aperture 58
therebetween.
Similarly, the first left bar 36, the top edge portion 30, the top edge 22 of
the visor
portion 12 and the second left bar 54 define a first left aeration aperture 60
therebetween and the left side end 50, the top edge portion 30, the top edge
22 of
the visor portion 12 and the second left bar 54 define a second left aeration
aperture
62 therebetween.
The bottom portion 14 comprises a bottom edge portion 64 extending downwardly
and rearwardly for facing a bottom surface of the wearer's chin C, the bottom
edge
portion 64 comprising top and bottom edges 66, 68.
The bottom portion 14 comprises a plurality of bottom bars extending
downwardly
and rearwardly from the bottom edge 24 of the visor portion 12 towards the top
edge
66 of the bottom edge portion 64 and being connected to the bottom edge
portion 64.
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In one embodiment, the plurality of bottom bars comprises a first right bottom
bar 70
located on the right side of the height axis HA and a first left bottom bar 72
located
on the left side of the height axis HA. The first right bottom bar 70, the
bottom edge
24 of the visor portion 12, the first left bottom bar 72 and the top edge 66
of the bottom
edge portion 64 define therebetween a central bottom aeration aperture for
facing the
wearer's mouth.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the bottom portion 14 comprises a
plurality
of slots 74 on each side for allowing passage of an adjustable strap. The
bottom
portion 14 also comprises a bottom transversal bar 76 extending from the right
side
portion 16 to the left side portion 18 along a curvature and being located
between the
bottom edge 24 of the visor portion 12 and the top edge 66 of the bottom edge
portion
64. The first right and left bottom bars 70, 72 are each connected to the
bottom
transversal bar 76.
The first right bottom bar 70, the bottom edge 24 of the visor portion 12, the
first left
bottom bar 72 and the bottom transversal bar 76 define therebetween a first
central
bottom aeration aperture 78 for facing the wearer's mouth and the first right
bottom
bar 70, the bottom transversal bar 76, the first left bottom bar 72 and the
top edge 66
of the bottom edge portion 64 define therebetween a second central bottom
aeration
aperture 80 for facing the wearer's mouth. The first and second central bottom
apertures 78, 80 have first and second sizes and the first size may be larger
or similar
than the second size.
The plurality of bottom bars may comprise second and third right bars 82, 84
extending between the bottom edge 24 of the visor portion 12 and the top edge
66 of
the bottom edge portion 64 and being each connected to the transversal bottom
bar
76 and second and third left bars 86, 88 extending between the bottom edge 24
of
the visor portion 12 and the top edge 66 of the bottom edge portion 64 and
being
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each connected to the transversal bottom bar 76 for defining four additional
aeration
apertures 90, 92, 94, 96 on the right side and for additional aeration
apertures 98,
100, 102, 104 on the left side.
As seen in Figures 8 and 9, the face shield 10 also comprises right and left
connectors
106, 108 for mounting the face shield 10 to the front of the hockey helmet
200. Each
of the right and left connectors 106, 108 comprises a base portion 110
defining a
substantially cylindrical aperture for receiving the central bar 32 and first
and second
legs 112, 114 extending from the base portion 110, the first and second legs
112, 114
having first and second holes 116, 118 for allowing passage of a screw 120
thereth rough .
The transversal gap 40 has a width that is sized to allow movement of the
right and
left connectors 106, 108 along the central bar 32 of the top portion 20.
Moreover, the transversal gap 40 and the right and left hollow spaces 42, 44
allow
movement of the right connector 106 towards the right bar 34 along a right
distance
of between 0.4 inch and 1.4 inches and movement of the left connector 108
towards
the left bar 36 along a left distance of between 0.8 inch and 1.2 inches. The
transversal gap 40 and right and left hollow spaces 42, 44 may allow movement
of
the right connector 106 towards the right bar 34 and movement of the left
connector
108 towards the left bar 36 such that the holes of the right and left
connectors 106,
108 are spaced apart of a distance between 0.8 inch and 2.5 inches.
The front of the hockey helmet 200 has two mounting apertures for receiving
two
fasteners, each of the fastener having a base portion embedded into the pad
assembly of the helmet and a post with a threaded aperture. The posts of the
fasteners are located into the mounting apertures of the hockey helmet 200.
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In use, the wearer may mount the right and left connectors 106, 108 on the
central
bar 32 of the top portion 20. Because of the transversal gap 40 between the
central
bar 32 and the central projection 38, the wearer may slide the connectors 106,
108
along the central bar 32 to adjust their position with respect to the mounting
apertures.
Moreover, because of the presence of the right and left hollow spaces 42, 44,
the
wearer may also turn the right connector 106 in the hollow space 42 and the
left
connector 108 in the hollow space 44. The transversal gap 40 and the right and
left
hollow spaces 42, 44 allow the wearer to insert at least partially his thumb
or fingers
in the central aeration aperture 46 to offer further mounting flexibilities or
facilities.
Afterwards, the wearer aligns the holes 116, 118 of the legs 112, 114 of one
connector with one mounting aperture of the hockey helmet 200 and will then
engage
the screw 120 in the threaded aperture of the fastener for affixing the
connector to
the outer shell and for momentarily mounting the face shield to the hockey
helmet
200. The wearer will afterwards align the holes 116, 118 of the legs 112, 114
of the
other connector with the other mounting aperture and will then engage another
screw
120 in the threaded aperture of the other fastener for affixing the other
connector to
the outer shell. Once both connectors are in place, the wearer can finalize
mounting
of the face shield 10 to the hockey helmet 200 by turning the screws 120 up to
a point
where the face shield 10 is solidly affixed to the hockey helmet 200. The face
shield
10 may also comprise a chin pad 122 for engaging the chin C of the wearer.
Any feature of any embodiment discussed herein may be combined with any
feature
of any other embodiment discussed herein in some examples of implementation.
The
above description of the embodiments should not be interpreted in a limiting
manner
since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible within the
scope of
the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various
features and
aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for
one
another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed invention. The scope
of the
invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
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