Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-09-04
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S209130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282725
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chin straps used to secure athletic helmets to the head of the wearer, and more specifically to a protective, sanitary, decorative chin strap sleeve that fits over and elastically attaches to a conventional athletic helmet chin strap.
2. Description of the Related Art
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however several references, pertaining mainly to helmet chin straps and more specifically football helmet chin straps, were considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,811 issued in the name of Jones, discloses an early design for a football helmet strap in which a chin support cup is attached to a single securing strap extending from each side of the support cup and attaching to the helmet via a snap button securing device. The chin support cup is fit with absorbent padding and is washable, however the user's skin remains exposed to the edges of the support cup, making it prone to causing cuts and abrasions upon impact. Also, maintaining a sanitary condition would necessarily entail complete replacement of the chin strap. Finally, the strap provides no decorative, promotional or advertising purpose.
Several patents disclose more conventional four-point football helmet chin straps wherein a chin support cup includes a pair of straps that connect to the helmet laterally, along the side of the helmet at chin-level and a pair of straps connect to the helmet in a mostly vertical manner, approximately at eye-level:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,761 issued in the name of Strohm;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,556 issued in the name of Davenport;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,068 issued in the name of Davenport et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,368 issued in the name of Infusino et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,356 issued in the name of Zide; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,660 issued in the name of Zide et al.
The primary purposes of these devices is to secure the helmet to the head in a manner so as to minimize the movement thereof upon impact. These devices do take chin protection and comfort into consideration, although as a secondary concern, however, they do fail to protect the wearer from the cuts and abrasions commonly caused by contact between the rigid edges of the chin support cup and the wearer's chin upon impact. Furthermore, maintaining a sanitary chin condition is not an aim of these devices, therefore maintaining such a condition would necessarily entail complete replacement of the chin strap. Finally, the strap provides no decorative, promotional or advertising purpose.
While several features exhibited within these references are incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The sanitary decorative cover for athletic helmet chin straps is a tubular elastic cloth sleeve that fits over an athletic helmet chin strap, covering the cup-like chin-guard portion of the strap into which the wearer's chin rests. Designed to fit a variety of different types of helmets such as those worn by football and hockey players, the sleeves will include logos, team names and the like that serve as a decorative, promotional and advertising identifier. The chin strap serves to protect the wearer by providing additional padding as well as forming a barrier between the chin and the edges of the chin support cup that often causes cuts and abrasions upon impact. The chin strap cover also serves a sanitary purpose in the sense that, since chin injuries are quite frequent and bleeding often results, the cover isolates the chin from the strap. The cover is easily installed and removed and is completely submersible and washable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that accommodates a variety of chin strap shapes and contours, and securably attaches thereto.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that assumes the shape and contour of the chin strap so as not to compromise the helmet securing and stabilizing capabilities of the strap.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that attaches to the chin strap by means of elastic construction, hook and loop fasteners, or mechanical snap-on fasteners.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that provides additional padding, providing enhanced comfort and creating a barrier between the wearer's chin and the rigid edges of the chin support cup, thus preventing cuts and abrasions caused upon impact therewith.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that provides a sanitary barrier between the wearer's chin and the chin strap or chin support cup.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that is easily installed and removed and that is submersible and washable, allowing it to be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an athletic helmet chin strap cover that displays a team name or logo in a prominent manner when attached to the chin strap.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4706305 (1987-11-01), Cho
patent: 4884301 (1989-12-01), Aileo
patent: 5287559 (1994-02-01), Christiansen et al.
patent: 5500951 (1996-03-01), Marchello
patent: 5546605 (1996-08-01), Mallardi
patent: 5687425 (1997-11-01), Blosser
patent: 5737777 (1998-04-01), Hilleary
patent: 5794274 (1998-08-01), Kraemer
patent: 5862524 (1999-01-01), Case
patent: 5890232 (1999-04-01), Park
Calvert John J.
Gugliotta John D.
Moran Katherine
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