1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety equipment, and particularly to a combination chin protector and mouth guard than can be used, for example, during sports activities, such as motocross, freestyle motocross, bicycle motocross, freestyle bicycle motocross, mountain biking, snowmobile racing, four wheel drive vehicle racing or quad racing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. Motocross tracks are often quite large and incorporate natural terrain features with varying quantities of man-made jumps and other features which test the drivers' abilities. Due to the nature of the sport, injury is not uncommon in motocross racing and numerous types of protective gear are used to protect the drivers. Sporting activities such as motocross, freestyle motocross, bicycle motocross, freestyle bicycle motocross, mountain biking, snowmobile racing, four wheel drive vehicle racing or quad racing, for example, can cause riders to be launched into the air between 50 and 200 feet above the ground. Such activities, which include racing and jumping, are well known to cause injuries to those involved, especially injuries to the unprotected teeth and chins of the riders.
Both chin protectors and mouth guards (typically used separately) are common in the field of motorcross, in particular. Chin protectors are typically formed from plastic or similarly rugged materials and cover the user's chin. The chin protector provides protection for the user's chin and lower jaw from blows and strikes, such as an accidental blow from the handlebars of the motocross bike. It should be noted that chin protectors are typically individual items, used separately from full-face protective helmets. Similarly, the mouth guard protects the user's teeth and tongue from accidental blows and strikes, such as those which may occur from accidental blows from the handlebars. These protective devices are typically provided separately from one another, thus allowing one or both to easily be lost or separated from one another. It would be desirable to provide a unitary device that offers both chin and mouth protection. Thus, a combination chin protector and mouth guard solving the aforementioned problems is desired.