A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.

A face shield for a hockey helmet, comprising a transparent visor portion, a bottom portion, right and left side portions, and a top portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge of the visor portion. The top portion comprises a top central transversal bar, right and left bars extending upwardly and rearwardly on the right and left sides from the top edge of the visor portion and a central projection between the right and left bars projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the top edge of the visor portion. The central bar and central projection define a transversal gap therebetween and the central bar, right and left bars and central projection define right and left hollow spaces therebetween. The transversal gap and 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.

Provided is a protective headgear that includes a first shell section, second shell section, third shell section, and fourth shell section. The first shell section is configured to extend about a head of the user, and include a first central portion, a first strap and a second strap that extend from the first shell section. The first central portion includes a first protective layer and a second protective layer disposed atop the first protective layer. The second shell section is configured to extend about a jaw of the user, and include a second central portion, a third strap and a fourth strap that extend from the second shell section. The third shell section is connected to the first shell section by the first strap and the third strap, and the fourth shell section is connected to the second shell section by the second strap and the fourth strap.

A protective sports helmet that includes a chin strap system that allows for rapid, one-handed adjustment of a chin strap assembly by the player while he/she is wearing the helmet is provided. The chin strap assembly includes a protective chin cup and a pair of straps extending from opposed sides of the chin cup and having a plurality of securing elements. The assembly also includes a pair of adjustable connectors affixed to the helmet and that include a central opening that receives an extent of the strap and a lever that engages a portion of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in a first direction, and prevents movement of the strap in a second direction when the lever is engaged with at least one of the securing elements. The adjustable connector allows movement of the strap in both the first and second directions when the lever is not engaged with the securing elements.

A protective football helmet is provided having a face guard mounting system with at least one pair of opposed recessed mounting regions that ensure a low-profile mounting arrangement for a face guard to the helmet. The recessed mounting regions are formed in both the inner and outer surfaces of the helmet shell along a frontal opening in the shell. As a result of the streamlined frontal appearance provided by the face guard mounting system, the width of the face guard closely corresponds to the width of the helmet at the recessed mounting regions.

A sports helmet has: a shell; a face protector; and a face mask disposed on an inner side of the face protector, the face mask having a body overlapping a nose and a mouth and defining a volume between the face and the body, the body defining a top edge for engaging the face and a bottom edge opposed to the top edge and disposed proximate a chin, the bottom edge secured to a lower portion of the face protector at a location spaced apart from the face to define a gap therebetween, and lateral straps secured to one or both of the face protector and the shell for biasing the top edge against the face of the wearer, the body made of a material offering a flow resistance such that an exhalation flow from the wearer is deviated towards the gap and away from the face protector.

A helmet may include a shell defining a cavity to receive a user's head. The shell may include a shell outer surface and a receiving area recessed into the shell outer surface. A liner may be within the cavity and coupled to the shell. A facemask may be coupled to the shell. A front bumper may be coupled to the shell and the liner. The front bumper may extend from within the cavity to an exterior of the shell. The front bumper may be positioned at least partially within the receiving area of the shell.

The present disclosure relates to a chin guard pivoting mechanism, and the chin guard pivoting mechanism (100) according to the present disclosure is provided in a helmet which comprises a helmet body (10), a chin guard (20) pivotally coupled to the helmet body (10), and a shield (30) pivotally coupled to the helmet body (10). When the chin guard (20) is pivoted from the front of a user's chin up to a first predetermined angle (A) with respect to the helmet body (10), the shield (30) is pivoted upward, and when the chin guard (20) is pivoted up to a second predetermined angle (B) greater than the first predetermined angle (A) with respect to the helmet body (10), the shield (30) is pivoted downward. Alternatively, when the chin guard (20) is pivoted from the front of a user's chin up to the first predetermined angle (A) with respect to the helmet body (10), the shield 30) is pivoted upward, and when the shield (30) is pivoted downward, the chin guard (20) is pivoted up to the second predetermined angle (B) with respect to the helmet body (10).

The present disclosure relates to a chin-guard gap adjustment means for a helmet. The chin-guard gap adjustment means (100) for a helmet according to the present disclosure is mounted to a helmet that comprises: a helmet body (10); and a chin guard (20) which is rotatably coupled to the helmet body (10) and can rotate from a position in front of the chin of a wearer to a position behind or above the helmet body (10). The chin-guard gap adjustment means is coupled to the chin guard (20) and adjusts the space between the chin guard (20) and the helmet body (10).

A protective football helmet is provided having a one-piece molded shell with an impact attenuation system. This system includes an impact attenuation member formed in an extent of the front shell portion by removing material from the front portion. The impact attenuation member is purposely engineered to change how the front portion responds to an impact force applied substantially normal to the front portion as compared to how other portions of the shell respond to that impact force. In one version, the impact attenuation member is a cantilevered segment formed in the front portion of the shell.