Low-Profile Batting Helmet

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a low-profile batting helmet. The low-profile helmet includes a gradually-sloped front portion for covering and protecting the front portion of a user's head. The gradual slope of the front portion permits the helmet to conform closely to the users' head, providing more contact between the helmet and the wearer's head than occurs with a conventional helmet. The close conformity of the helmet to the user's head provide a snug fit to secure the helmet to the head and increased comfort to the wearer. In addition, the gradual slope of the front portion presents a decreased vertical surface component (compared to conventional helmets) such that a strike from a stray ball is more easily deflected compared to a strike to a conventional helmet.

1 . A low-profile batting helmet, comprising:
 a rigid shell comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a left portion and a right portion shaped to cover the respective front, rear, left and right portions of a wearer's head, said shell defining a bottom opening and an inner cavity for receiving said wearer's head,   wherein said front, back, left, and right portions converge at a top point corresponding to a centerline of the helmet, said centerline corresponding to an intersection of lengthwise and widthwise planes extending through a lengthwise center point and widthwise center point, respectively, of the helmet; and   wherein a slope of said rear portion of said helmet is steeper than a slope of said front portion of said helmet.   
   
   
       2 . The low-profile batting helmet of  claim 1 , wherein a first distance, measured along an outer surface of said rigid shell between said top point and a front center point defined by the intersection of a reference line extending through said centerline in said lengthwise plane and said front portion of said rigid shell, is less than a second distance, measured along an outer surface of said rigid shell between said top point and a rear center point defined by the intersection of said reference line and said rear portion of said rigid shell. 
   
   
       3 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 2 , wherein said first distance ranges from about seventy percent to about ninety-five percent of said second distance. 
   
   
       4 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 2 , further comprising a bill extending outwardly from said front portion and wherein said front center point corresponds to an intersection of said front portion and said bill. 
   
   
       5 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 2 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is not parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       6 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 5 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is within the range of from about five degrees to about thirty-five degrees from parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       7 . The low profile helmet of  claim 5 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is within the range of from about ten degrees to about thirty degrees from parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       8 . The low profile helmet of  claim 5 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is approximately twenty degrees from parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       9 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 1 , wherein an area of said front portion, measured as the area of the front portion extending outside of a first reference line between said top point and a front center point defined by the intersection of a second reference line extending through said centerline in said lengthwise plane and said front portion of said rigid shell, is less than an area of said rear portion, measured as the area of the rear portion extending outside of a third reference line between said top point and a rear center point defined by the intersection of said second reference line and said rear portion of said rigid shell. 
   
   
       10 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 9 , wherein said areas are cross sectional areas, and wherein said area of said front portion ranges from about seventy-five percent to about ninety percent of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       11 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 9 , wherein said areas are cross sectional areas, and wherein said area of said front portion is about eighty percent or less of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       12 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 9 , wherein said areas are surface areas, and wherein said area of said front portion ranges from about seventy-five percent to about ninety percent of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       13 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 9 , wherein said areas are surface areas, and wherein said area of said front portion is about eighty percent or less of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       14 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 1 , further comprising padding affixed to said rigid shell within said inner cavity, said padding having an inner surface configured to conform closely to said wearer's head. 
   
   
       15 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 14 , wherein a portion of said inner surface contacting said wearer's head ranges from about fifty percent to about ninety percent of a total area of said inner surface. 
   
   
       16 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 14 , wherein a portion of said inner surface contacting said wearer's head is greater than about seventy-five percent of a total area of said inner surface. 
   
   
       17 . The low profile helmet of  claim 1 , wherein said top point corresponds to an apex of said helmet. 
   
   
       18 . A low-profile batting helmet, comprising:
 a rigid shell comprising a front portion and a rear portion shaped to cover and protect the front and rear portions, respectively, of a wearer's head;   wherein said front and rear portions meet at a top point corresponding to a centerline of the helmet and wherein a slope of said rear portion of said helmet is steeper than a slope of said front portion of said helmet.   
   
   
       19 . The low-profile batting helmet of  claim 18 , wherein a first length of said front portion as measured along an outer surface of said rigid shell between said top point and a front center point is less than a second length of said rear portion as measured along an outer surface of said rigid shell between said top point and a rear center point corresponding to said front center point. 
   
   
       20 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , wherein said first length ranges from about seventy percent to about ninety-five percent of said second length. 
   
   
       21 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , further comprising a bill extending outwardly from said front portion and wherein said front center point corresponds to an intersection of said front portion and said bill. 
   
   
       22 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is not parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       23 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , wherein said slope of said front portion measured at said front center point is within the range of from about five degrees to about thirty-five degrees from parallel to said centerline. 
   
   
       24 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , wherein an area of said front portion, measured as the area of the front portion extending outside of a first reference line between said top point and a front center point defined by the intersection of a second reference line extending through said centerline in said lengthwise plane and said front portion of said rigid shell, is less than an area of said rear portion, measured as the area of the rear portion extending outside of a third reference line between said top point and a rear center point defined by the intersection of said second reference line and said rear portion of said rigid shell. 
   
   
       25 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 24 , wherein said areas are cross sectional areas, and wherein said area of said front portion ranges from about seventy-five percent to about ninety percent of said area of said rear portion tion. 
   
   
       26 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 24 , wherein said areas are cross sectional areas, and wherein said area of said front portion is about eighty percent or less of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       27 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 24 , wherein said areas are surface areas, and wherein said area of said front portion ranges from about seventy-five percent to about ninety percent of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       28 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 24 , wherein said areas are surface areas, and wherein said area of said front portion is about eighty percent or less of said area of said rear portion. 
   
   
       29 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 19 , further comprising padding affixed to said rigid shell within said inner cavity, wherein a front portion of said padding conforms to said front portion of said rigid shell. 
   
   
       30 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 29 , wherein an inner surface of said front portion of said padding is configured to conform closely to said wearer's head. 
   
   
       31 . The low-profile helmet of  claim 30 , wherein at least seventy-five percent of said inner surface of said padding contacts said wearer's head.