Mounting assembly for a face shield with an enhanced base

{
  "publication_number": "US11266197B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Mounting assembly for a face shield with an enhanced base",
  "abstract": "A face shield, such as a visor, mounts to a protective helmet using a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly has a base, a spacer assembly, and a pair of posts. The base is disposed on the interior of the helmet. The posts are connected to the base and extend outwardly into corresponding holes that are formed in the side of the helmet. The spacer assembly spaces the face shield away from the exterior surface of the helmet, and receives a mechanical fastener that releasably attaches the face shield to the helmet.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A mounting assembly for attaching a face shield to a protective helmet, the assembly comprising: a base having a planar surface; a first post connected to, and extending from, the base, and configured to be inserted into a first hole formed in the protective helmet such that a terminal end of the first post is flush with, or below, an exterior surface of the protective helmet; and a spacer assembly comprising a first through hole configured to: threadingly receive, at a first end of the spacer assembly, a first mechanical fastener that attaches the base to the spacer assembly, wherein the first mechanical fastener extends, from an interior of the helmet to the first end of the spacer assembly, through the base, an interior of the first post, the helmet, and into the first through hole at the first end of the spacer assembly; and threadingly receive, at a second end of the spacer assembly opposite the first end, a second mechanical fastener that attaches the face shield to the spacer assembly, wherein the second mechanical fastener extends from an exterior of the face shield through the face shield and into the second end of the spacer assembly.",
    "2. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer assembly comprises a unitary spacer.",
    "3. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer assembly comprises first and second spacers, each spacer comprising a corresponding one of the first and second through holes.",
    "4. The mounting assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second post connected to, and extending from, the base, and configured to be inserted into a second hole formed in the protective helmet such that a terminal end of the second post is flush with, or below, the exterior surface of the protective helmet.",
    "5. The mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein the spacer assembly further comprises a second through hole configured to: threadingly receive, at the first end, a third mechanical fastener that attaches the base to the spacer assembly; and threadingly receive, at the second end, a fourth mechanical fastener that attaches the face shield to the spacer assembly.",
    "6. The mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein the base comprises a segmented base having a first segment fixedly attached to a second segment, and wherein the first post is connected to, and extends from, the first segment of the base, and the second post is connected to, and extends from, the second segment of the base.",
    "7. The mounting assembly of claim 6 wherein the first segment of the base comprises a tab that is configured to fit into a corresponding slot formed in the second segment of the base."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to face shields for protective headgear, and particularly to mounting assemblies for removably attaching a protective face shield to a headgear.\n\nPeople wear protective headgear or helmets to help prevent head injuries. In many cases, the headgear also includes a face shield, cage, or visor that attaches to the headgear to provide additional protection for a person's face and eyes. By way of example, ice hockey players regularly wear a protective helmet with a face shield, cage, or visor to protect their heads and faces from possible injuries due to impact with objects such as the ice surface, other players, the boards, the puck, and sticks. Conventionally, multiple mechanical fasteners, such as screws, are used to attach the face shield to each side of the helmet. Each screw passes through corresponding holes formed in the face shield and helmet, and into respective threaded nuts disposed on the inside of the helmet. However, attaching a face shield to a helmet using such conventional hardware is problematic and frustrating. Specifically, face shields are usually manufactured from a high impact-resistant, clear plastic. Although they generally conform to the shape of the front of the helmet to surround the front of a player's face, the terminal ends of the shield tend to bias outwardly away from the exterior surface of the helmet. This biasing force resists a user's efforts at initially attaching the face shield to the helmet.",
  "cpc": [
    "A42B 3/221",
    "F16B 39/282",
    "F16B 5/0225"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A42B 3/22",
    "F16B 39/282",
    "F16B 5/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "TATOMIR WALLY WAYNE"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "TATOMIR WALLY WAYNE"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-08-12",
  "publication_date": "2022-03-08",
  "grant_date": "2022-03-08",
  "priority_date": "2015-08-14",
  "application_number": "US-201615235599-A",
  "family_id": "57994124",
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}