Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to a neck protector, for
pro~ecting the neck of an athlete while playing game8 ~uch
~s ~ ey, squash and the like.
In juries to the neck, when playing games ~uch as
hockey, squash and ~he like ar~ quite common~ and are frequently
o~ a serious nature. Variou~ form~ of protective devices are
available for protecting the neck from inju~ when taking part
in such sports, but they suffer from a variety of defects.
For example, they are usually either heavily padded, rendering
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` 10 them somewhat clumsy and rigid. This type of neck protector
quite signi~ficantly restricts the freedom of movement of the
neck so that the wearer feels himself at a disadvantage. othe~
forms of neck protector are available incorporating some o~her
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form of rigid shielding device which, while perhaps being less
cumbersome, i9 equally irritating to the wearer.
Clearly, a protector for such a mobile portion of
the body as the neck, must permit free movement of the head
and neck while participating in the sport, and at the same tims
: provide adequate protection against blow~ from for example a
hockey puck, hockey sticXs, skate~, or a s~ua~h racket, or any
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other piece of sporting equipment.
Accordingly, the invention seeks to provide a neck
protector having an outer portion comprising a series of hoops
of wire, the ho~ps of wire being spaced apart from one another~
and providing generally annular protective rib~, and a resilient
interior cushion member fitting closely within such hoops of wire,
and being sufficiently resilient to hold the hoops of wire in
their aforesaid ~paced apart relation, while being compres~able
upon movement of the head and neck whereby to permit the hoops
30~ o~ wire to be ~queezed togsther in any par~ieular locality, and
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having fastening means for securing the protector in position.
More particularly, the invention preferably provide~
such a neck protector having an exterior cove:ring of for
example cloth to provide smooth non-irritatinlg surface in
con~act with the ~urface of ~he neck, and chin of the wear~r,
and having the hoops of wir2 imbedded in sheet thermo-plastic
~ matarial.
- Advanta~eously, the exterior cover may be extended
from both ends of the nec~ protector and provided with fasten~
ing means thereon so that the neck protector ca~ easily be
` ~ ~lipped around the neck, and fastened at the back.
The various features of novelty which characterize -
the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claim~
annexed to and forming a part of this di~closure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and
~pecific objects attained by it~ use, reference should be had .
to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which the~
ar0 illu~trated and described preferred embodimant~ of the
invention.
: 20 In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective ill~tration
; of the ne q protector according to the invention, and,
Figure 2 is a partia}ly cut-away perspective corre~-
ponding to Fi gure 1 .
As best shown in the drawings, the neck protector
~; will he seen to comprise a series of hoops of wire 10 which are
preferably formed of spring ~teel or the like, and in this ~m-
bodiment of the invention are im~edded in sheet thermo-plastic
matexial 12, forming a ~eries of webs between the hoops 10.
The hoop~ of wire 10 and thermo-pla~tic 12 axe
~rrarged arowld aD anrular tlhape, leaving ~ gap 14 l~t the rear
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so that the entire neck protector may be slipped around the
neck.
The ends of the wire hoops 10 are preferably en-
closed within for example adhesive plaster or tape 16.
Within the interior of th~ hoops of wire 10 there
is provided an annular pad 18 of resilient foam material. The
foam material 1~ is preferably somewhat wider than the maximum
width of the thermo-plastic 12 and may for example be shaped
with curves at its edges so as to provide a smooth feelin~ when
~10 worn.
Preferably, the resilient foam material 18 will be
adhesively bonded to the inner surface of the sheet thermo-
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plastic 12.
Preferably,a sheath 20 of any suitable soft fabric
such as stockingette will be provided enclosing the foam
padding 18 and wire hoops 10 and thermo-plastic sheet 12.
Preferably, the material will be stretchable so that as the
foam padding 18 is for example squeezed during use the sheath
; 20 will more or less confonm to the ~haping of the pad 18.
The sheath 20 may be extended at each end to provide
fastening tab 22, and any suitable fastaning means such as
for example VELCRO (trade mark) pads 24 - 24, although clearly
other forms of fastening such as buttons, hooks or the like
will be equally suitable.
- The neck protector is fitted around the neck simply
by springing the device open at the opening 14 fitting it
around the neck, and allowing the ~pring hvops 10 to recover
their normal shape, and then fastening the two tabs 24 - 24
together at the back of the neck.
Normally, the resilient pad or cushion 18 will be
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such that i-t will hold the wire hoops lO spaced apart so that
the entire neck protector is extended to its full height.
When the wearer moves his head Eor example forwardly,
his chin will compress the Eront portion of the neck protector
thereby squeezing the cushion 18 and s~ueezing the hoops lO
towards one another. As soon as he moves his~head back again
it will recover its normal shape.
In this way, the neck is ~iven a very substantial
deyree of effective protection, while at the same time being
free to move, and be compressed so as to ~eave the movement
virtually unrestricted.
The invention may of course be cons-tructed in a
variety of ways. However one wav which is particularly con-
venient, is to take a piece of flexible air hose (not shown)
of the type made up of a continuous helical wire spiral, and
thermo-~lastic material, and cutting off a suitable length of
such hose, and then slitting it lengthwise to provide the
opening 14. However, this is but one of many different ways
in which the invention may be constructed, and i5 not to be
regarded as limiting in any way.
Having described what is believed to be the best
mode by which the invention may be perfornied, it will be seen
that the invention may be particularly defined as follows:
A neck protector for use by athletes, sportsman and
the like for providing protection for the neck, while permitting
freedom of movement of the head and neck, said neck protector
comprising a plurality o resilient annular wire hoop means
arranged around a common central axis spaced vertically apart
from one another, and defining a gap, and dimensioned to fit
around the neck of a wearer while leaving the head freely
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movable , and , resilient padding means extending around the
interior of such annular arrangement of hoop means, and
fastened thereto, said resilient padding supporting and locating
said hoop means in their normally spaced apart position and
bein~ sufficiently flexible to permit squeeælng thereoE, and
squeezing of said hoop means together during u~e as the neck i~
flexed.
The invention further comprises such a neck protect~r
wherein said wire hoop means are imbedded in sheet thcrmo-plastic
material, said sheet thermo-plastic material being a-ttached
to the exterior o said padding, and being attached to the
exterior of said padding, and being flexible whereby the same
may be compressed in use.
The invention further comprises such a neck protector
including covering means attached around the ends of said wire
hoops and said sheet thermo-plastic material.
The invention further comprises such a neck protector
including sheath means, attached around said padding and said
wire hoop means, enclosing same.
; 20 The invention further comprises such a neck protector
including a faste~ing means arran~ed at each end of sai~ wire
hoop means for fastening the same in position on the neçk of
a wearer.
The foregoing is a description of a preferred
embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of
example only. The invention i9 not to be taken as limited to any
;~ of the specific features as described, but comprehends all
such ~ariations thereof as come within the ~cope of the
appended claims.
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