Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-1-
NECK GUARD DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
S The present invention relates to a protective device which may be worn in
situations posing a risk of injury to the neck or throat, such as blunt or
sharp blows,
slashes, stabs, or cuts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that certain activities, in particular sports such as hockey,
football, lacrosse or fencing, pose risk of injury to the participant's throat
or neck. This
risk arises from blunt or sharp impacts, for example, from a hockey puck or
stick; or from
slashes or cuts, for example, from a hockey skate blade.
There have been many devices developed for protecting the vulnerable neck.
Canadian Patent No. 1,053,402 issued to Crouch, for instance, teaches the use
of a collar
provided with a bib, said collar comprising a resilient cushion fitted against
the front
portion of the wearer's neck and fastened at the back of the neck. U.S.
Patents No.
4,686,710 and 4,449,251, issued to Marston et al. and Gauthier respectively
teach similar
protective devices, comprising a band wrapped and fastened around the neck
with a bib or
flap suspended from the front of the band. The apparatus taught by Marston is
made from
slash resistant material; the device taught by Gauthier is provided with
padding.
A variant of the collar and bib device is the use of a turtleneck, as taught
by
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,054,639 (Schweda et al.) or Canadian Patent
Application No. 2,236,055 (Snook). The protector taught by Schweda et al. is a
dickey
comprising a turtleneck and a bib; the turtleneck is composed of a fabric
containing slash-
resistant fibers. The turtleneck may be pulled over the head, or may be opened
and
fastened at the back with known fastening means. The protector in Snook is a
complete
turtleneck pullover garment which may be customized aesthetically with logos
or colour;
the collar of the turtleneck comprises a perforated mesh liner to provide
slash resistance.
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-2-
Some of the above devices are intended to provide slash protection; others
absorb
the shock of impact. All the above devices, however, have a common support
means for
the protective element in that the device must be supported on or around the
wearer's
neck. With respect to the first group of prior art protective devices by
Crouch, Marston et
al. and Gauthier discussed above, the device is fastened closely about the
neck. Two
undesirable consequences of this close-fitting configuration are restriction
of head and
neck movements, and discomfort due to overheating and poor ventilation.
Other protective means for the neck are mounted on a helmet, since helmets or
other head protection are often worn in conjunction with neck protection. One
such
device is taught in U.S. Patent No. 5,129,108 issued to Copeland et al., a
goaltender's
throat guard which is pivotably mounted to the lower portion of the plastic
face frame
attached to a helmet. This throat guard is a single piece of molded plastic
which does not
ride on or abut the wearer's neck, but is rather supported around the neck.
Another is
taught by Canadian Patent Application No. 2,012,375 (Carveth), a neck guard
that is
preferably constructed of mesh, and mounted on the helmet with curved supports
attached
to the faceguard of the helmet. This neck guard flares outwards from the
curved supports
and latches to the helmet via cooperating recesses in the helmet. A third
device is taught
in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,286,588 (Viitalahti), a neck guard
comprised of
slash-resistant woven fabric, which hangs from the lower periphery of the
helmet and
around the neck.
These protective devices which are mounted to the helmet provide the advantage
that the protective neck piece is no longer abutting the wearer's neck, thus
providing less
restriction of movement and reducing discomfort; however, a significant
drawback is that
accidental loss of the helmet, for example due to collision, will also result
in a loss of
neck protection. These devices also require retrofitting of the helmet, or
redesign of the
helmet, to accommodate the protective device. Furthermore, the use of a single
molded
piece such as in Copeland or rigid pieces such as Carveth may pose limitations
with
respect to the size or shape of the wearer; one size may not be adequate for
all.
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-3-
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a neck protection device that may
be
worn with or without a helmet, which provides slash or impact protection for
the wearer's
throat while minimizing discomfort or restriction of movement. The present
invention
further provides a device which is adaptable to different body shapes at a
minimal cost of
production.
The invention provides a protective device, comprising support means and a
gorget comprising a neck shield assembly suspended from the support means.
The invention further provides a protective device with support means
comprising
a hood, which furthermore may be comprised of a knit fabric. In an alternative
embodiment, the support means of the protective device comprises a plurality
of straps
fitted to the wearer's head, with at least a first strap which encircles the
wearer's head,
and at least a second strap which is fixed at one end to the first strap, and
at the other end
to a chin guard. The invention further provides a protective device with a
gorget
comprising ventilation means which is preferably composed of a knit fabric.
The invention further provides a protective advice with support means and a
gorget with a neck shield assembly, where the neck shield assembly is
comprised of at
least one shield component disposed in at least one enclosure in the gorget.
The invention
further provides that the shield component enclosure is sealed using a
reusable closure,
such as hook-and-loop fastening (e.g. VELCRO~ fastening).
The invention further provides that the shield components are comprised of
foam,
graphite mesh, or another slash-resistant or impact-resistant material.
The invention further comprises a support means and a gorget suspended from
the
support means, where the gorget comprises a neck shield assembly. The support
means
may be in the form of a hood; preferably, it is comprised of a system of
straps which fit
the wearer's head, in particular a headband and front and rear straps which
are joined to
the headband at one end and are joined to a chin cup at the other end. The
gorget is
preferably constructed from a knit fabric, and may be provided with
ventilation apertures,
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-4-
and is suspended from the rear strap and chin guard. The neck shield assembly
is
comprised of at least one of shield component disposed within at least one
pocket within
the gorget, formed of two layers of gorget material, and the pocket is
provided with
resealable fastening means such as hook-and-loop tape so that the shield
component may
be removed. The shield component is a rigid piece which provides slash
resistance and
optionally impact resistance, and comprises foam padding.
The invention further comprises a protective device, comprising support means
and a gorget comprising a neck shield assembly suspended from the support
means,
wherein the neck shield assembly is provided with creases or perforations
through the
neck shield assembly to improve the flexibility of the assembly. The neck
shield
assembly is fixed to the gorget by sewing means through the creases or
perforations.
There is at least one series of perforations disposed along a longitudinal or
crosswise
direction of the neck shield assembly, and preferably several longitudinal or
crosswise
series of perforations. The neck shield assembly is preferably constructed of
perforated,
compressed foam, which may be embedded with a layer of graphite mesh.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of
the invention,
Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the invention, partially
cutaway;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the neck shield component of the first
embodiment;
Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 is a side view of the third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 6 is a front view of the third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of Figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown generally at 10 one embodiment of the
neck
guard device. This embodiment comprises a support means 12 which fits closely
to the
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-$-
wearer's head 11. Chin strap 16 secures support means 12 onto head 11. In this
embodiment, support means 12 comprises a hood, provided with facial aperture
24
through which the wearer's face and chin protrude. There is provided an
optional
aperture for the ear 14 to facilitate aural communication.
Support means 12 extends downward to gorget 18, which covers the wearer's
neck and extends in front and in back to front drape 22 and rear drape 20.
Front drape 22
and rear drape 20 may optionally be provided with ventilation means,
preferably
apertures (not shown) in drapes 20 and 22, to facilitate passage of air and
increase
wearer's comfort. Interposed between gorget 18 and chin strap 16 is neck
shield
assembly 30, shown as a partial cutaway in Figure 1 so that it can be seen
that neck shield
assembly 30 generally does not abut the wearer's neck.
Hood 12 may be constructed from a known flexible material that permits
1 S conformance to the shape of the wearer's head 11. Suggested material for
this
embodiment is a cotton-polyester blend or other cotton-synthetic blend, or
another
synthetic component fabric which is capable of wicking moisture away from the
skin.
Hood 12, chin strap 16 and gorget 18 may be constructed as a unitary piece, or
as several
pieces joined together using known sewing or fusing techniques.
Referring to Figure 2, neck shield assembly 30 in this embodiment is a unitary
piece having an outer face 31 and an inner face 33 and arcuate edges, the
upper edge 35
being slightly concave and the lower edge 37 more acutely convex. Each end 32
of neck
shield assembly 30 is provided with a hook shape with arch 36 and extremity
34. Neck
shield assembly 30 is comprised of a layer of flexible slash-resistant or
impact resistant
material, preferably graphite mesh, chain mail, or foam. In a preferred
embodiment the
neck shield assembly 30 is comprised of a flexible slash-resistant material,
such as
graphite mesh, adhered to a layer of compressed molded foam. The graphite mesh
may
be bonded to the compressed molded foam using a known adhesive, or
alternatively by
molding the foam around the mesh.
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-6-
Refernng to Figure 7, in a preferred embodiment, the flexibility of neck
shield
assembly 30 is increased by providing at least one perforation or crease
through the neck
shield assembly 30. Preferably there is at least one generally longitudinal
perforation or
crease 40 and at least one generally crosswise perforation or crease 41.
Neck shield assembly 30 as a whole may be constructed in a bowed shape to
correspond with the curvature of the gorget 18 when worn.
To secure neck shield assembly 30 to gorget 18, in a first embodiment the
perimeter of the neck shield assembly outer face 31 is provided with reuseable
fastening
means (not shown) which coact with reusable fastening means provided on the
gorget 18
and chin strap 16 (not shown). These coacting fastening means may consist of a
hook-
and-loop fastening, such as a VELCRO~ fastening, for easy removal. In a second
embodiment, the neck shield assembly 30 does not have any fastening means upon
its
1 S surfaces, and instead is fitted into a pocket (not shown) of at least the
same size on gorget
18 which is sealed using reusable fastening means such as coacting hook and
loop
fastenings or press snaps.
In a third, preferred embodiment, neck shield assembly 30 is fixed to gorget
18 by
sewing through all layers of neck shield assembly 30 and gorget 18, through
the
perforations or creases 40 and 41. When attached to outside of gorget 18 in
this manner,
the outer surface 31 of neck shield assembly 30 may be covered with a layer of
protective
fabric, which may be comprised of gorget fabric, or a slash-resistant or
impact-resistant
fabric. If neck shield assembly 30 is attached to the inside of gorget 18, the
inner surface
33 of neck shield assembly 30 may be covered with a layer of fabric such as
gorget fabric
or padding to provide comfort or additional protection to the neck.
In use, this embodiment of the invention 10 is fitted onto the wearer's head
11 and
chin strap 16 put in place; front and rear drapes 22 and 20 rest on the upper
chest and
back without fastening and optional aperture 14 corresponds to the ear. The
neck guard
10 may be fitted onto the wearer with the neck shield assembly 30 in place on
the gorget
18 or in the gorget pocket (not shown) first. If the neck guard 10 is fitted
onto the wearer
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
_7_
without the neck shield assembly 30 in place first, the neck shield assembly
30 may be
installed after hood 12, chin strap 16 and gorget 18 are arranged in place on
the wearer.
A helmet, not shown, may then be worn over top of hood 12. Removal of the
helmet will
not displace the neck guard device 10 unless the hood 12 and chin strap 16 are
likewise
S displaced.
A further embodiment is shown in Figures 4 through 6 and generally indicated
as
60. In this embodiment, the support means comprises headband 50, forward
straps 54
and rear straps 52. The use of straps rather than a hood provides improved air
circulation
and reduces heat retention. Headband 50 is a circular strap or narrow band
joined at the
ends to form a loop which stretches to fit comfortably around the forehead.
Forward strap
54 is a band joined to headband SO near the wearer's temples. Rear straps 52
(one on
each side of the head) are attached at one end to headband 50 at a location
between the
centre back of the head, indicated by line 51 and a point corresponding to the
back of the
wearer's ear, indicated by line 53. In this embodiment, forward strap 54 and
rear strap 52
are attached at their distal ends to a chin cup 59, a known device in the
prior art which
abuts the wearer's chin and provides some measure of protection of the chin
from impact.
Gorget 62 in this embodiment comprises a lower front drape 64, upper rear
drape
65, rear drape 66, with both lower front drape 64 and rear drape 66 provided
with
ventilation means 67 as in the prior embodiment, and neck shield assembly 70.
Gorget 62
is attached to a portion of rear straps 52. Gorget 62 may also be attached to
chin cup 59.
In Figure 3, the upper edge 62a of the gorget 62 terminates below the headband
50 and is
fixed only to a portion of rear straps 52, but the upper edge 62a of gorget 62
may extend
higher to meet headband 50.
Neck shield assembly 70 is fixed at its lower edge to lower front drape 64 of
gorget 62, and at its upper edge to upper front drape 65. Upper front drape 65
is in turn
suspended from rear straps 52 and chin cup 59. In this embodiment, neck shield
assembly 70 is comprised of a plurality of shield component pockets a through
g. Each
component pocket a through g comprises an opening at the top edge for
retaining
individual shield inserts, not shown but comprised preferably of similar
materials as neck
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
_g_
shield assembly 30 shown in Figures 2 and 7. Each individual shield insert has
dimensions less than each shield component pocket a through g, such that each
shield
insert may fit into a corresponding shield component pocket a through g.
Retaining
means (not shown) are provided in neck shield assembly 70 to prevent
accidental removal
of the individual shield inserts. These retaining means may comprise coacting
fastening
means attached to the top edges of the pocket, such as hook-and-loop
fastenings or press
snap fastenings, or a releasable flap which covers the opening at the top edge
of the
pocket.
While Figure 3 indicates a total of thirteen component pockets (a through f on
each side, and g disposed in the centre), it is readily understood that this
invention
includes any number of component pockets. Furthermore, while Figure 3
indicates that
these component pockets have vertical edges, the pockets may be provided on
the neck
shield assembly in generally trapezoidal shapes, having a longer or shorter
top edge than
bottom edge, or curved edges, which cooperate so as to shape the neck shield
assembly
70 in its entirety in a bowed arrangement which follows the curves of the
gorget 62 when
worn.
Headband 50 and straps 52 and 54 may be composed of an elastic material or of
a
flexible, non-elastic material. An elastic material may have sufficient
stretch that the
support means and gorget may be put on by the wearer by pulling the gorget and
support
means over the head. If a non-elastic material is used, fastening means may
have to be
provided on the headband 50 or straps 52 and 54, as wells as on gorget 62,
preferably at
the centre back. Gorget 62 is preferably made of the type of fabrics suggested
in the
previous embodiment for hood 12. The component pockets a through g in this
embodiment are formed from a double layer of gorget fabric, optionally
reinforced on the
outer layer with an interfacing, padding, or additional slash-resistant
fabric, and stitched
through all layers where each pocket abuts the next pocket. The individual
shield inserts
are comprised of materials similar to the neck shield assembly 30 of the
previous
embodiment.
CA 02299542 2000-02-25
-9-
Alternatively, this embodiment may incorporate the neck shield assembly 30
described with reference to Figure 7, wherein the neck shield assembly is sewn
to the
gorget 62 through the perforations or creases 40 and 41, thus eliminating the
need for
shield component pockets a through g.
S
When attached to outside of gorget 62 in this manner, the outer surface 31 of
neck
shield assembly 30 may be covered with a layer of fabric, which may be
comprised of
gorget fabric, or a slash-resistant or impact-resistant fabric. If neck shield
assembly 30 is
attached to the inside of gorget 62, the inner surface 33 of neck shield
assembly 30 may
be covered with a layer of fabric such as gorget fabric or padding to provide
comfort or
additional protection to the neck.
In use, the front and rear drapes 64 and 66 rest on the upper chest and back,
headband 50 is placed around the forehead, and chin cup 59 is placed under the
chin and
held in place by straps 52 and 54, which are under tension. Individual shield
inserts are
placed in the pockets a through g and held in place by the reusable fastening
means on the
pockets a through g either before or after the protective device 60 is put on.
A helmet 90
may be worn over neck guard device 60 as shown in Figure 4. Removal of the
helmet 90
will not affect the disposition of neck guard device 60 unless the head band
50 and straps
52, 54 are likewise displaced. Where the embodiment incorporating individual
shield
inserts is used, the shield inserts may be removed and the remainder of neck
guard device
60 may be laundered without damage to the individual shield inserts.
Preferred embodiments of the invention having been thus described by way of
example, modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art. The
invention includes all such modifications and adaptations as fall within the
scope of the
appended claims.
