Protective head guard

Abstract

A protective insert adapted to convert a standard baseball cap into a protective head guard, while maintaining the cap's desired attributes, such as comfort and stability. The protective insert of the present invention in combination with a baseball cap, not only protects a wearer from head injuries caused by impact force, but also has the attributes of stability, light weight and comfort so that it may be worn for extended periods during more intense activity than conventional baseball helmets.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A protective baseball cap insert, comprising:
 an elongate shock-absorbing form ( 10 ) conformable from a flat configuration into an operable conical configuration, said form sized and configured for insertion into a conventional baseball cap ( 30 ) having a body with a base, a top, a back, a front and a bill at the front, wherein the baseball cap comprises an inner portion of the body of the cap ( 40 ) and an internal circumferentially disposed sweatband ( 35 ) having a base edge coinciding with and connected to the base of the cap and a top edge, the inner portion ( 40 ) and the sweatband ( 35 ) defining a space closed at the base of the cap and open at the top edge of the sweatband, the form comprising:
 a base portion having an arcuate curvature when the form is in the flat configuration and a concave side and a convex side with respect to the arcuate curvature, said base portion comprising on its convex side one or more insertable sections ( 20 ) sized and configured for insertion into the space, and 
 a plurality of flaps ( 26 ) extending from the concave side of the base portion, said plurality of flaps sized and configured to conform to the inner portion of the body of the cap ( 40 ) above the top edge of the sweatband when the one or more insertable sections ( 20 ) are inserted into the space. 
   
     
     
         11 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein the arcuate curvature has the curvature of a section of the circumference of a circle. 
     
     
         12 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein the shock-absorbing form comprises, foam rubber, gel foam or rubberized gel foam. 
     
     
         13 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein each of the flaps comprises one or more protrusions. 
     
     
         15 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of notches ( 25 ) are disposed along the base portion of the form whereby multiple insertable sections of the base portion are defined. 
     
     
         16 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of flaps ( 26 ) comprise a single centrally disposed, middle flap. 
     
     
         17 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 16 , wherein the middle flap extends farther from the base portion than the other flaps. 
     
     
         18 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein notches ( 50 A,  50 A) are formed between each flap and the base portion. 
     
     
         19 . The protective baseball cap insert of  claim 10 , wherein a notch ( 50 C) is formed in the convex side of the base portion between adjacent pairs of flaps.