Respiratory Vapor Shield Insert for Sports Masks or Headgear

Abstract

A device for inserting into a sporting equipment (such as a helmet or headgear) of a sport participant (such as a player, coach, or official) and for attaching to the face-guard of the sporting equipment, where the device has a body made of durable and pliable material that is suitable for inhibiting droplets emitted from the participant from escaping the sporting equipment to reduce the spread of airborne illnesses, and where the body of the device has recessed portions intended to maintain the unobstructed sightline of the participant during gameplay.

1 . A respiratory shield insert for removably attaching inside a sporting equipment and useful for reducing emission of respiratory droplets of a participant from the sporting equipment, the insert comprising a body made of a durable and pliable material capable of being conformed to a face-guard portion of the sport equipment such that the body is operable to shield the mouth of the participant and such that one or more recesses in the body correspond to a sightline of the participant, thereby allowing the insert to capture at least a portion of the respiratory droplets emitted by the participant while maintaining visibility for the participant. 
     
     
         2 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the sporting equipment is headgear. 
     
     
         3 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the sporting equipment comprises a football helmet. 
     
     
         4 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the sporting equipment comprises an umpire mask. 
     
     
         5 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a heat-pliable material. 
     
     
         6 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride material. 
     
     
         7 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the body is formed using a 3-D printer. 
     
     
         8 . The insert of  claim 1 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a transparent material. 
     
     
         9 . The insert of  claim 1 , further comprising an absorbent material removably attached to an inner surface of the body of the insert, wherein the absorbent material is operable to capture at least a portion of the emitted respiratory droplets. 
     
     
         10 . A device for attaching to the face-guard of a sporting equipment, the device comprising:
 a. a body made of durable and pliable material capable of being conformed to the face-guard of the sporting equipment;   b. one or more slits in the body operable to receive a strap, wherein the strap is operable to removably attach the device to the face-guard of the sporting equipment;   c. one or more recesses positioned along a perimeter of the body, wherein the one or more recesses correspond to a sightline offered by the face-guard of the sporting equipment;   
       wherein the body of the device is operable to inhibit the release of respiratory droplets from the sporting equipment when the device is attached to the face-guard of the sporting equipment and wherein the one or more recesses are operable to maintain visibility from the sporting equipment when the device is attached to the face-guard of the sporting equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the sporting equipment is headgear. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the sporting equipment comprises a football helmet. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the sporting equipment comprises an umpire mask. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a heat-pliable material. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride material. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the body is formed using a 3-D printer. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the durable and pliable material comprises a transparent material. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising an absorbent material removably attached to an inner surface of the body of the device, wherein the absorbent material is operable to capture at least a portion of the emitted respiratory droplets.