ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MASK-LAME CONNECTOR FOR SPORT FENCING

Abstract

Electrically conductive apparatus obviates the need for a traditional fencing “Mask Cord” while still permitting a satisfactorily resilient connection between a conventional electric fencing Mask and a target vest/jacket (“Lame”), and offers many advantages including “effortless” connectivity and positioning—in a preferred embodiment, situated between a conventional fencing Mask Bib and Lame—whereby enhanced safety is achieved during play by making the Mask even harder to tip upwards, thereby reducing the chances for injury due to neck exposure.

Claims

1. Apparatus for electrically connecting a fencing mask to an electrical fencing jacket (“lame”) in the sport of fencing comprising: material; means for said material to permit the consistent passage of electrical current; means for securing said material between a fencing mask and a lame so that during play, the material does not accidentally or deliberately lose contact with either said fencing mask or said lame which would thereby disrupt said electrical current.

2. Apparatus for electrically connecting a fencing mask to an electrical fencing jacket (“lame”) in the sport of fencing comprising: material; means for said material to permit the consistent passage of electrical current; means for securing said material between a fencing mask and a lame so that during play, the material does not accidentally or deliberately lose contact with either said fencing mask or said lame which would thereby disrupt said electrical current; the substantial concealment of said material by said mask so that an opponent's weapon-strike cannot disengage it from either said fencing mask or said lame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said material is a pliant, compressible material which returns to its original condition post-compression; said means for said material to permit the consistent passage of electrical current is metallic thread. said means for securing said material between a fencing mask and a lame so that said material does not accidentally or deliberately lose contact with either said fencing mask or said lame during play is magnetic.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: said substantial concealment of said material by said mask is achieved by positioning said material behind the mask-bib.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said material is a pliant, bendable material which returns to its original position subsequent to its bending; said means for said material to permit the consistent passage of electrical current is metallic coating; said means for securing said material between a fencing mask and a lame so that said material does not accidentally or deliberately lose contact with either said fencing mask or said lame during play is conventional hook-and-loop fastening; said material is removably connectable to said lame and said mask.

6. Apparatus for electrically connecting a fencing mask to an electrical fencing jacket (“lame”) in the sport of fencing comprising: material; means for said material to permit the consistent passage of electrical current; means for securing said material between a fencing mask and a lame so that during play, the material does not accidentally or deliberately lose contact with either said fencing mask or said lame which would thereby disrupt said electrical current; said material is removably connectable to said lame and said mask.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1—Discloses an illustration of a side view of a female fencer wearing a conventional Sabre Mask and a conventional Sabre Lame having a visible Lame “Tab” extended at the back of the neck area of the Lame, suitable for receiving one “alligator clip” end of a conventional Mask Cord. Also visible is a portion of a clip that contacts a metal portion of the mask from a version of the innovation of this disclosure that permits the innovation of this disclosure to pass an electrical current to a conventional fencing mask.

[0042] FIG. 2—Discloses an illustration of a side view of a conventional Mask Cord having one “alligator clip” end attached to a conventional Sabre Mask, and the other attached to a Lame Tab.

[0043] FIG. 3—Illustrates a fencer tilting her head upwards towards the ceiling or sky; nevertheless, despite such an upwards-tilting chin action, the Mask is shown to remain in constant, electrically conductive contact with the Lame because fabric which is either integrally attached to the Mask or Mask-Bib, or which has been attached onto the Mask or Mask-Bib preserves the electrical connection between the Mask and Lame irrespective of how the fencer tilts or twists her head. Said fabric may possess magnetic or other fastening means in order to function, but such magnetic or other fastening means is not required.

[0044] FIG. 4—Discloses a fencer tilting her head upwards towards the ceiling or sky; despite such an upwards-tilting chin action, the Mask is shown to remain in constant, electrically conductive contact with the Lame, nevertheless, because the configuration of the plastic (or metal and plastic combined) conduction rod is such that it flexes to preserve contact with the Lame at all times that the Mask is worn by the fencer. The conduction rod could be coated, if it is, among the possible coatings is a conductive liquid sprayed or a copper wire wrapped around it.

[0045] FIG. 5—Discloses an illustration of a fencer tilting her head upwards towards the ceiling or sky and in doing so, she reveals that the Mask-Lame Link (in the form of a Lame-Envelope containing a Spongy Ball) expands to fill the gap-space that is created between her chin and neck. Such a gap-space filling action precludes the fencer's somehow disrupting the electrical connectivity between Mask and Lame, a circumstance which could otherwise occur if there were no connection-preservation means (such as this expansion) to ensure that the Mask-Lame affords an uninterruptible constancy of the electrical connectivity between Mask and Lame;

[0046] FIG. 6—Discloses the same fencer as in FIG. 5, but with the fencer's head facing forward and the chin, therefore in a “normal” position making eye-contact with her opponent, neither looking upwards, nor downwards. Accordingly, the “airy”, sponge-like Mask-Lame Link situated beneath her chin and her throat is compressed by the Mask-Bib's pressing it against the upper-chest area. Although compressed, the sponge-like characteristic of the Mask-Lame Link whereby the sponge strives to counter-oppose its compression, results in the effect that the electrical contact between Mask and Lame is at all times maintained so that the electrical current in the Lame continually passes to Mask which, thus, becomes electrically conductive to permit the registration of any contact by an opponent's weapon.

[0047] FIG. 7—Discloses an “anterior view” of the inside of a Mask as seen by a fencer about to don the Mask, and discloses the Mask-Bib containing a pliable embodiment of the apparatus of this disclosure in the fully extended position. This embodiment may be of metal with a spring hinge or may be of injection molded plastic having an electric-conductive coating and a living hinge. This embodiment expands to maintain contact with chest area upon the Mask's being put-on by the fencer and requires no magnetic aspect. It could, in fact, be built into the Mask Bib.

[0048] FIG. 8—Discloses a sponge-like ball having on its exterior a metallic coating capable of conducting electricity.

[0049] FIG. 9—Discloses the same sponge-like ball having on its exterior a metallic coating capable of conducting electricity, but also disclosing a sealable/re-sealable aperture suitable for receiving and holding a magnet.

[0050] FIG. 10—Discloses an electrically conductive fabric sheet having magnets glued onto it (or two sheets sewn or glued together—or otherwise sealed—with a magnet(s) in-between) so that when the Mask is worn by the fencer, the electrically conductive fabric with the magnets gets attracted to corresponding magnets on the interior of the Lame, and therefore physical contact between said electrically conductive fabric sheet and the Lame results in electrical current passing from Lame to Mask.

[0051] FIG. 11—Discloses how the embodiment represented in FIG. 10 can be affixed to a conventional Mask without requiring amendments to the current manufacturing process of Masks, since the affixing clips are of an electricity-conducting material such as metal.

[0052] FIG. 12—Discloses an embodiment with similar principles to that of FIG. 10, except that instead of using electrically conductive fabric sheeting, an electrically conductive wire having a having a metal endpoint that is magnetic at its “free” end is used which can interact in an attractive way with magnets on the interior of the Lame or the Lip of the Fencing Jacket.

[0053] FIG. 13—Discloses how the disclosure in FIG. 12 would look when attached to a conventional Mask and prior to connection when so desired for play.

[0054] FIG. 14—Discloses the prospective placement of the corresponding magnets that get placed inside the Lame for attracting the electrically conductive fabric sheet or wire of FIGS. 10-13. Such a “neck pocket” in the lame could be re-sealable to permit any magnetic sheet or magnet to be removed when washing of the Lame is desired. Such a Lame “neck pocket” would not be necessary if the placement of the magnetic item were in the Fencing Jacket Lip.

[0055] FIG. 15—Discloses a magnetic envelope into which magnets may be placed.

[0056] FIG. 16—Discloses a “spongey ball” that can be inserted along with a magnet inside an “envelope” of electrically conductive fabric having its edges sealed along the periphery to maintain the contents within. The function of the magnets is to further ensure that electrical conductivity between Mask and Lame is preserved since the magnet located within the envelope interacts with the corresponding partner magnet that is situated on a fencer's stand-alone necklace worn by the fencer, on or within the fencing Jacket or on or within the Lame. The foam or sponge-like ball need not necessarily be round, and a magnet may not necessarily be required. Alternatively, a hook-and-loop fastening system as disclosed in upcoming FIG. 18 may be used to ensure that an electrical connection between Mask and Lame is preserved despite even the most jarring of fencer head movements.

[0057] FIG. 17—Discloses a spongey ball about to be encased within an “envelope” of electrically conductive fabric. The second image illustrates the envelope of conventional Lame fabric after magnet and spongy ball have been “sealed” within;

[0058] FIG. 18—Discloses an alternate embodiment of that disclosed in FIG. 16, which is more oval and triangular than round, as the shape made by the conventional Mask-Bib is an “ovally triangular” shape. Instead of magnets, hook-and-loop fastening is disclosed, and this fastening means may be situated on the exterior of the Lame or the interior of the Mask Bib;

[0059] FIG. 19—Discloses the interior of a Mask Bib adapted to receive the embodiment of this innovation as described in FIG. 18.

[0060] FIG. 20—Discloses magnets “built” into the interior of a Mask Bib.

[0061] FIG. 21—Discloses a mask containing a “safety strap” on the back, designed to snap shut and lie across the back of a fencer's neck in order to inhibit or preclude a fencer's ability to dangerously reveal the neck area when a fencer tilts his or her head backwards which, during play, could potentially subject a fencer's throat to the danger of being hit by an opponent's weapon;

[0062] FIG. 22—Discloses a magnet removeably affixed to, integrally attached to or fabricated within the safety strap referenced in FIG. 21 and having safety strap configured with means to permit it to conduct electricity between Mask and Lame.

[0063] FIG. 23—Discloses an interior “x-ray”-view of the safety strap of FIG. 21 formed of a strong strap covered by an circular envelope of conventional lame material with a magnet contained within that can correspond to a partner magnet located within the back collar of a conventional Lame.

[0064] FIG. 24—Discloses an exterior view of conventional Lame material forming part of a Mask Safety Strap.

[0065] FIG. 25—Discloses the operation of the Mask Safety Strap of FIG. 24 containing a magnet and the corresponding magnet within the neck area of the Lame.

[0066] FIG. 26—Discloses a rubber or plastic “balloon” inflated with air or gas or a mixture thereof which can replace, or be used in conjunction with a spongy ball that strive s to expand despite compression, in order to ensure constant contact while functioning as a Mask-Lame Link.

[0067] FIG. 27—Discloses yet another embodiment of metal or pliable plastic strips joint at either end at a hub and having an electrically conductive coating) that can be used on its own or as a replacement within an electrically conductive envelope for said spongy ball.

[0068] FIG. 28—Discloses the embodiment of FIG. 27 when compressed.

[0069] FIG. 29—Discloses yet another, further embodiment of a compressible “ball”-like element which can function to maintain an electrically conductive Mask-Lame Link.

[0070] FIG. 30—Discloses a spongy ball having a hub and spoke configuration displaying electrically conductive metal tubes or metal-coated plastic tubes having an electrically conductive elastomeric material threaded within, thereby uniting the tubes into electrically conductive unitary manner.

[0071] FIG. 31—Discloses magnets in the collar area of the Lame.

[0072] FIG. 32—Discloses a steel plate(s) in the collar area of the Lame suitable for attracting a magnet within the Mask-Lame Link.

[0073] FIG. 33—Discloses a foldable piece of electrically conductive fabric that forms an envelope having hook and loop attaching means inside flanking magnets so that when the electrically conductive fabric is folded over the Masks securing strap in the back of the mask, magnets are contained within that interact with Partner Magnets contained within the fencing Jacket Lip, thereby maintaining constant electrical connection between mask and Lame; the envelope can include a wire that can attach to the Bib of a Mask or the back of a Mask.

[0074]

TABLE-US-00001 Magnet 22 Partner Magnet 23 Envelope 24 Spongy Ball 26 Lame 28 Mask 30 Rod-Clip 32 Electrically Conductive Fabric 34 Conductive Rod 36 Fencing Jacket Lip 38 Mask Bib 40 Mask Bib Flap 42 Mask Bib Exterior Panel 44 Mask Bib Interior Panel 48 Strap 50 Strong Strap 52 Lame Tab 54 Hook-Eye Fastener 56 Lame Collar 60 Alligator Clip 62 Hook & Loop Fastener 82 Mask Head Holder 90 Steel Sheet 92 Hook and Loop 94

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] In a preferred embodiment, the electrical connection established between Mask and Lame is achieved by the Mask Lame Link which obviates the need for aELEC conventional Mask Cord (which conventional Mask Cord consists of a wire having two traditional alligator clips—one on either end) through the use of the innovation of this disclosure which not only ensures a constant electrical connection between Mask and Lame, but which also affords superior safety to fencers by reducing the danger of a fencer's neck and head being subjected to peril during play by limiting—if not precluding entirely—the chances for a fencing mask to tip-upwards and thereby reveal the vulnerable neck.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment, the electrically conductive Mask-Lame Link relies on a conventional sponge (“Spongy Ball 26”) having a horizontal slit cut into the side of it emanating 25% away from the center of both sides of the center point, to the depth of about the center of Spongy Ball 26. Then Spongy Ball 26 is dipped into conventional water-conductive ink in a solution that is approximately 50% conventional electrically conductive ink and 50% water in order to facilitate absorption of the ink. (If this dipping is being done by humans, gloves can be worn as water-conductive ink can be messy.) After the entire exterior of Spongy Ball 26 is coated and the excess liquid has been squeezed-out, it should be allowed to dry. The drying time depends on the temperature of the room and type of material of Spongy Ball 26. After the drying process is complete, the exterior coating will conduct a sufficient electrical current to permit current from Lame 28 to pass to Mask 30, which, conventionally, is made of electrically conductive steel. (Alternatively, Spongy Ball 26 may be thermal spray-coated using a conventional an electric-conducting solution such as copper, a method well-known in the art. The goal is to create a fully electrically conductive exterior coat so that irrespective of the positioning of the Mask-Lame Link, the exterior of Spongy Ball 26 is able simultaneously to interact at any point with Mask Bib Interior Panel 48 and Lame 28.)

[0077] Into the slit in Spongy Ball 26 is inserted Magnet 22, after which the slit is sealed with conventional glue. Spongy Ball 26 will, further, retain its compressive, deformable properties such that when it is positioned in use during fencing play, it will be easily compressed and not even noticeable by the fencer—and this will be even more true when a lighter and/or thinner sponge material is used. Yet, if the fencer tilts his or her head so that the chin is moved away from the chest area, Spongy Ball 26 will re-expand from its compressed state to fill the widened space so that the electrical current between Mask 30 and Lame 28 will not be disrupted. Because Magnet 22 located inside Spongy Ball 26 is attracted to Partner Magnet 23, this relationship preserves and ensures a constant electrical contact while Mask 30 is donned up until Mask 30 is removed. Magnets 22 and 23 may be “extra powerful” neodymium magnets. Moreover, magnet technology today permits the “programming” of magnetics such that it is possible for magnets to achieve a “bond” by magnetic field, even without their touching. Thus, even if there are fabric barriers in-between Magnets 22 and 23, the magnets can still adequately achieve their goal of causing the passing of a stable electrical current from Lame 28 to Mask 30. Partner Magnet 23 or Steel Sheet 92 can be located in between Lame 28 and Fencing Jacket Lip 38 or, indeed, within Fencing Jacket Lip 38. Spongy Ball 26 can be large enough that in position, it can come in contact at all times with some portion of Mask 30, or a piece of Electrically Conductive Fabric 34 can wrap-around from Mask Bib Exterior Panel 44 to Mask Bib Interior Panel 48 and can thereby be available to directly interact with Spongy Ball 26.

[0078] In another embodiment, a conventional, deformable a triangular wedge of foam or sponge can be wrapped inside an envelope of two sheets of Electrically Conductive Fabric 34, which can be conventional metallic Lame 28 fabric well-known in the art. The two sheets can be cut into the shape of two triangles having rounded corners and sides measuring Approximately 4 inches per side. These substantially triangular sheets form the front and back panels that can be conventionally sewn or glued around their peripheral edges into an Envelope 24 thereby defining a cavity for containing a combination of 1) a very pliable, sponge-like element, Spongey Ball 26, which is readily and easily compressible and also Magnet 22. This serves as an extremely inexpensive means to entirely fill the space in-between the back of the fencer's Mask Bib 40 and the chest area that is typically covered by Mask Bib 40. Envelope 24 gets situated in-between the exterior of Lame Collar 60 and Mask Bib 40, resting against Mask Bib Interior Panel 48. As result of the expansive characteristics of Spongey Ball 26, the Electrically Conductive Fabric 34 of Envelope 24 remains in constant contact with both Lame Collar 60 and Mask Bib 40, by virtue of its contact with Mask Bib Interior Panel 48. Thus, even if a fencer were to jut-out or raise his or her chin by looking towards the ceiling, for instance, no break in contact would ensue.

[0079] In yet another alternate embodiment, Envelope 24 contains Magnet 23 capable of attracting Magnet 22. Envelope 24 containing Magnet 23 is positioned within Fencing Jacket Lip 38 which, in turn, gets covered by Lame Collar 60. Envelope 24 strives to maintain contact with fencing Mask 30 by virtue of Magnet 22 contained within Spongey Ball 26 which is pierced through its center by Rod-Clip 32 that pierces the center of. Rod-Clip 32 that attaches to Mask 30. Rod-Clip 32 is made of steel, having a curved element suitable for permitting its attachment to Mask Bib 40. When Rod-Clip 32 is attached to Mask Bib 40, an electric contact is established between Mask Bib 40, Rod-Clip 32 and its surrounding Spongy Ball 26 that stays is in contact with Lame 28 by virtue of the magnetic bond between Magnet 22 in Spongy Ball 26 and Magnet 23 inside Envelope 24.

[0080] In still another alternate embodiment, Mask Bib 40 is manufactured having its Bib Interior Panel 48 (that being the side facing the collar of Lame 28) made substantially of Electrically Conductive Fabric 34, and within the envelope formed from its being joined to a Bib Exterior Panel 46, Magnet 22 is sewn inside. By conventionally encasing a magnet inside Mask Bib 40 using sewing or glue known in the art, Interior Back Panel 46 can bond with Lame 28 through a magnetic bond with Magnet 23 or Steel Sheet 92 contained within Fencing Jacket Lip 38.

[0081] In yet another alternate embodiment, Electrically Conductive Fabric 34 covers Strong Strap 50. Within Envelope 24 that is subsequently formed, Magnet 22 is situated. Magnet 22 comes in contact with the collar of Lame 28, and its contact with Lame 28 is maintained either by use of Magnet 23 or Steel Sheet 92 within Fencing Jacket Lip 38, or hook-eye fastening. Envelope 24 may be formed in a multitude of shapes including but not limited to cylindrical, essentially 2-D circular. Optimally, it should be cigar-shaped, having both ends glued or sewn, or it can be made to be removeably attachable/detachable, using hook and loop fastening means. The magnetic attraction in this embodiment causes Strap 50 to maintain contact with the fencer's Lame 28 back collar area so long as the fencing mask is being worn by a fencer.