Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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NECK PROTECTION APPARATUS WITH PIVOTAL BRACE ARM AND
FLEXIBLE HELMET CONNECTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for neck
protection, and more particularly to a neck protection apparatus for limiting
extreme
neck movement for athletes wearing shoulder pads and a helmet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Safety is an ongoing concern for those who participate in potentially
dangerous sporting activities, the friends and families of such participants
and to
others, including coaches, sport fans and those involved in sports
associations,
regulatory agencies and the healthcare and insurance industries. Recently,
incidences of violence and injury in the professional hockey world have
particularly
been garnering significant media attention, bringing the ever present safety
issue
even further to forefront of attention, particularly for parents and who have
children
involved in hockey, ringette, lacrosse, or other sports where the physicality
of the
game resents the potential for injury.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for improvement in sporting
safety equipment, particularly concerning head and neck injuries that can have
especially disastrous results, including paralysis or death.
Applicant has developed a unique apparatus for preventing significant
injury to the head or neck by preventing extreme movements of the head and
neck
while retaining a substantial level freedom within normal ranges of movement
so as
to maximize discomfort and performance restraints for the user.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a neck
protection apparatus for limiting extreme neck movements of a person wearing a
helmet and shoulder pads, the apparatus comprising:
a support member arranged to couple to the shoulder pads;
a brace arm connected to the support member by a pivotal coupling
adjacent a first end of said brace arm to allow pivoting of the brace arm
about a pivot
axis in directions toward and away from a plane containing at least two
connection
points at which the support member is arranged to couple to the shoulder pads;
a flexible elongate member comprising an arm connecting feature for
coupling to the brace arm adjacent a second end of the brace arm opposite the
first
end, and comprising a helmet connecting feature arranged to couple to the
helmet at
a distance spaced along the flexible elongate member from the arm connecting
feature; and
stop features associated with the pivotal coupling between the support
member and the brace arm to limit a pivotal motion of the brace arm relative
to the
support member to a predetermined continuous angular range preventing the
brace
arm from reaching horizontal in either direction when the plane containing the
connection points of the support member is vertically oriented;
whereby, when the support member is coupled to the shoulder pads,
maximum extent of the angular brace arm in one. direction defines a blocking
position at which rearward movement of the helmet is stopped by the brace arm
to
limit posterior extension of the neck, maximum extent of the angular brace arm
in the
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other direction defines a restraining position past which forward movement of
the
helmet is subsequently stopped by tension of the flexible elongate member
between
the brace arm and the helmet to limit anterior flexion of the neck, and
flexibility of the
flexible elongate member accommodates freedom of head movement between
these extents.
Preferably the pivotal joint comprises a pin defining the pivot axis about
which the brace arm pivots relative to the support member.
Preferably the pin is removable for selective disconnection of the brace
arm from the support member.
Preferably there is provided only one of said flexible elongate member.
Preferably the connection feature of the flexible elongate member
comprises a snap fastener.
Preferably an effective length of the flexible elongate member between
the arm and helmet connecting features thereof is adjustable.
Preferably the helmet connection feature is relocatable to different
positions along the flexible elongate member to adjust the effective length
thereof.
Preferably the helmet connection feature is carried on a buckle that is
slidable to different positions along the flexible elongate member and
lockable
thereto in any of said different positions.
Preferably the helmet connection feature comprises a first snap
fastener element engagable with a corresponding second snap fastener element
on
the helmet.
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Preferably the arm connection feature comprises a closed loop formed
by the flexible elongate member and passing through an opening in the brace
arm
proximate the second end thereof.
Preferably the brace arm comprises a longitudinal portion carrying a
transverse portion that extends laterally outward on both sides of the
longitudinal
portion at proximate the second end of the brace arm.
Preferably the flexible elongate member comprises a strap.
Preferably the stop features are defined by pairs of surfaces on
opposing ones of the brace arm and the support member, each pair of surfaces
being shaped to seat against one another in a respective one of the blocking
and
restraining positions.
Preferably a pair of blocking surfaces arranged to seat against one
another in the blocking position comprise an end surface at the first end of
the brace
arm and a surface of the support member facing toward the pivot axis from a
same
side thereof as the plane containing the connection points of the support
member.
Preferably the same surface of the support member against which the
end surface of the brace arm sits in the blocking position contacts a
lengthwise
surface of the brace arm in the restraining position.
Preferably the brace arm has a U-shaped cross-section at the pivotal
joint, opposite sides of the U-shaped cross section embrace around a
protruding
feature of the support member and a central portion of the U-shaped cross
section
joining the opposite sides thereof contacts the protruding feature at one or
more of
the blocking and restraining positions.
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According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a neck
protection apparatus for limiting extreme head and neck movements of a person,
the
apparatus comprising:
shoulder pads arranged for wearing over both shoulders of the person
5 for protection thereof;
a helmet arranged for wearing on the head of the person for protection
thereof;
a pivotal coupling secured to a rear portion of the shoulder pads at a
central position thereacross so as to position the pivotal coupling below the
head of
the person when the shoulder pads are worn;
a brace arm coupled to the shoulder pads through the pivotal coupling
adjacent a first end of said brace arm to allow pivoting of the brace arm
forwardly
toward and rearwardly away from the shoulder pads;
a flexible elongate member comprising an arm connecting feature for
coupling to the brace arm adjacent a second end thereof opposite the first
end, and
a helmet connecting feature arranged to couple to the helmet at a distance
spaced
along the flexible elongate member from the arm connecting feature; and
stop features associated with the pivotal coupling between the support
member and the brace arm to limit pivotal motion of the brace arm relative to
the
support member to a predetermined continuous angular range limiting the brace
arm
to orientations extending upwardly from the pivotal joint when the shoulder
pads are
worn;
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whereby, when the helmet and shoulder pads are worn with the flexible
elongate member coupled between the brace arm and the helmet, maximum angular
extent of the brace arm in one direction defines a blocking position at which
rearward movement of the helmet is stopped by the brace arm to limit posterior
extension of the neck, maximum extent of the angular brace arm in the other
direction defines a restraining position past which forward movement of the
helmet is
subsequently stopped by tension of the flexible elongate member between the
brace
arm and the helmet to limit anterior flexion of the neck, and flexibility of
the flexible
elongate member accommodates freedom of head movement between these
extents.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a neck
protection apparatus for limiting extreme head and neck movements of a person,
the
apparatus comprising:
shoulder pads worn over both shoulders of the person for protection
thereof;
a helmet worn on the head of the person for protection thereof;
a pivotal coupling secured to a rear portion of the shoulder pads at a
central position thereacross below the head of the person;
a brace arm coupled to the shoulder pads through the pivotal coupling
adjacent a first end of said brace arm to allow pivoting of the brace arm
forwardly
toward and rearwardly away from the shoulder pads;
a flexible elongate member coupled between the brace arm and the
helmet; and
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stop features associated with the pivotal coupling between the support
member and the brace arm to limit pivotal motion of the brace arm relative to
the
support member to a predetermined continuous angular range limiting the brace
arm
to orientations extending upwardly from the pivotal joint;
whereby maximum angular extent of the brace arm in one direction
defines a blocking position at which rearward movement of the helmet is
stopped by
the brace arm to limit posterior extension of the neck, maximum extent of the
angular brace arm in the other direction defines a restraining position past
which
forward movement of the helmet is subsequently stopped by tension of the
flexible
elongate member between the brace arm and the helmet to limit anterior flexion
of
the neck, and flexibility of the flexible elongate member accommodates freedom
of
head movement between these extents.
Preferably the helmet connecting feature of the flexible elongate
member is arranged to couple to the helmet at a central position across a rear
of the
helmet.
Preferably the helmet comprises a fastener element fixed thereto at a
central location across a rear of the helmet for engagement with a
corresponding
fastener element of the helmet connecting feature of the flexible elongate
member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a neck protection apparatus of the
present invention.
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Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the neck protection apparatus.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the neck protection apparatus.
Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a support member of the neck
protection apparatus.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the support member of the neck
protection apparatus.
Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the support member of the neck
protection apparatus.
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the support member of the neck
protection apparatus.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a brace arm of the neck protection
apparatus.
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the brace arm member of the
neck protection apparatus.
Figure 10 is a front elevational view of the brace arm member of the
neck protection apparatus.
Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of the neck protection apparatus
as worn on the shoulder pads of a hockey player, but prior to attachment to
the
player's helmet.
Figure 12 is a rear perspective view of the neck protection apparatus
as worn on the shoulder pads of the hockey player, ready for use after
attachment to
the player's helmet.
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Figures 13 is a side elevational view of the neck protection apparatus
of Figure 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a neck protection apparatus 10, which may also be
referred to herein as neck brace or neck protector. The apparatus 10 features
three
primary components: a support member 12, a brace arm 14 and a flexible strap
16.
The support member 12 basically provides a mounting plate structure
18 suitable for anchoring the support member 12 to a pair of shoulder pads,
such as
those design for hockey or other contact sports, at a central location across
the back
of the pad wearing athlete, and also provides a protruding structure 20
extending
outward to a side of the mounting plate structure 18 opposite the shoulder
pads at a
central location between its connection points 22 to the shoulder pads to
provide a
suitable location for pivotal mounting of the brace arm 14 on the support
member 12.
A pivot pin 23 passes transversely through the brace arm 14 and the protruding
portion 20 of the support member 12 to establish the pivot axis for relative
movement between the support member 12 and the brace arm 14.
Surfaces on the support member 12 and the brace arm 14 define stops
or limits that prevent the brace arm 14 from passing predetermined angular
positions
relative to the support member. The brace arm is limited to upward extending
orientations when the mounting plate 18 structure of the support member is
vertically
oriented so that the brace arm will extending upwardly behind the user's head
when
the support member is worn on the shoulder pads in general alignment with the
wearer's back. Maximum pivotal movement of the brace arm in a direction away
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from the support member 12 is limited to an oblique upward and rearward angle,
which can be seen in Figures 1 and 3.
The flexible strap 16 is folded over itself through a slot in the brace arm
14 near the distal end thereof opposite the support member 12 and sewn back to
5 itself to form a permanently closed loop 24 anchoring this effective end of
the strap
to the brace arm at a distance from its pivotal joint with the support member
12. A
buckle 26 is slidable along the unlooped remainder of the strap's length, and
in a
conventional manner self-tightens on the strap 16 when the strap is pulled
taught
cross its weaving passage through the buckle so as to allow locking of the
buckle in
10 any user-selected position along the strap 16 between the loop-defined
effective end
thereof at the brace arm 14 and the opposing free end 28 of the strap 16. With
reference to Figure 3, the buckle 26 has a mate or female snap fastener
component
30 fixed thereto on a respective side of the buckle corresponding to the upper
or
lower face of the strap. The mating female or male snap fastener 30a is fixed
to the
athlete's helmet H at a central position across the rear of the helmet's outer
shell,
near the bottom thereof, as shown in Figure 11. The buckle carried fastener
component 30 is movable along the strap to different selectable positions
therealong, and effectively lockable at any such position through secure
engagement of the buckle to the strap. The effective length of the strap 16
between
its permanent connection to the brace arm 14 at the loop 24 and its releasable
connection to the helmet at the fastener 30 can thus be adjusted.
To use the apparatus, the support member 12 is first mounted to the
shoulder pads, preferably in a permanent manner to fixed it in a stationary
position
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on the shoulder pads an minimize the chances of it inadvertently coming loose
or
breaking free therefrom. The illustrated embodiment features two identical
mounting
portions 32 symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the central protruding
portion in a common plane to define the overall mounting plate structure 18
and
define the opposing lateral ends of the support member 12. The connection
points
22 at which the support member 12 is adapted for connection to the shoulder
pads
are provided in the form of through-holes extending perpendicularly through
the
coplanar mounting portions 32 in pairs that are each located at a respective
one of
upper and lower corners of the mounting portions 32. These through-holes 22
allow
mounting of the support member 12 to the shoulder pads by passage of suitable
fasteners through them. For example, a prototype of the present invention has
been
fixed to a conventional shoulder pad unit by riveting. However, it will be
appreciated
that other embodiments may alternatively employ manufacture of shoulder pads
and
the neck protection apparatus together for sale together as a package, in
which case
the shoulder pads and support member may be preassembled so as to require no
assembly of these components by the purchaser or end-user, or possibly even be
manufactured as a single integral, unitary piece using plastic molding
techniques.
If not previously done, next the brace arm 14 is pivotally connected to
the support member 12 by inserting the pivot pin 23 through a transverse
passage
through the protruding portion 20 of the support member 12, and through
aligned
holes in opposing side walls of the brace arm 14, by manually holding the
brace arm
in a positioning aligning these holes with the bore on opposite sides of the
protruding
portion 20 and passing the pin through these aligned features. The pin 23 is
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preferably a quick release self locking type, such as a dedent or ball lock
pin
employing a cam or spring biased ball near the distal end opposite the pin
head to
automatically project outward from the pin shaft circumference to block
pulling of the
distal end of the pin back through the holes. However, other pin types may be
used,
for example passing a split pin or hairpin cotter through a transverse bore
near the
distal end of the pivot pin to lock the pivot pin in place.
With reference to Figures 11 through 13, the final process in preparing
the apparatus for use is the connection of the flexible strap 16 to the helmet
H. With
the helmet H and shoulder pads in place, the user shrugs their shoulders
upward to
a raised position near their ears and maintains this position while the
effective length
of the flexible strap 16 is adjusted to a suitable amount, most likely with
the aid of
another person standing behind the user to face the rear of the user's helmet.
In a
normal posture of the wearer, with the neck in a natural straight position
(not in
arterial or lateral flexion, or in posterior extension) the length of the
brace arm 14 is
15- such that the distal end thereof at which the strap is attached resides at
a greater
elevation than the snap fastener component on the rear of the helmet, as shown
in
Figure 13, for example at an elevation about two-thirds of the way up the back
of the
user's head. This way, when the user adopts the shoulder-shrugged position in
preparation for attachment of the strap to the helmet, this upward movement of
the
shoulders lifts the support member, and thus the pivotally attached brace arm,
upward, thereby increasing the distance from the helmet fastener component to
the
strap's connection to the brace arm near the distal end thereof. This distance
is
used as a guide for adjusting the effective length of the strap 16 to a
suitable
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amount, which is preferably set to be approximately equal to this distance
minus 1.5
cm, and the strap's fastener component is then engaged to that of the helmet.
Since the shrugging action increases the distance between the
helmet's and arm's strap-attachment points, and subsequent release of this
shrugging position after fastening of the strap to the helmet H reduces this
distance
back to its original lesser amount in a more natural position of the shoulders
relative
to the head, the effective length of the attached strap 16 in a natural
position
includes enough slack to accommodate anterior flexion, lateral flexion,
posterior
extension, axial rotation and axial displacement of the neck within normal
ranges.
However, extreme movements beyond such natural ranges are prevented, thereby
avoiding injury of the neck.
When excessive force is exerted on the head or helmet in a forward
direction from behind, the slack in the strap allows a safe amount of anterior
flexion
of the neck until all this slack is taken up, at which point tension is
created in the
strap, thereby preventing further anterior flexion of the neck into unsafe
ranges
known to cause injury. When an excessive downward force is exerted on the top
of
the head, creating compressive axial loading of the neck, sufficient axial
movement
of the neck will likewise bring the strap into tension, thereby preventing
further
movement in this direction to avoid injury to the neck. This is the reason for
having
the brace arm extend upwardly past the point of connection between the helmet
and
the strap. Positioning the strap connection point of the helmet near the
bottom
thereof enables this with minimal arm length, and also reduces the required
strap
length compared to a higher attachment point to the helmet, as the top of the
head
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(and thus upper portions of the helmet) are displaced greater distances under
flexion
and extension of the neck. Excessive axial rotation of the neck in either
direction is
likewise limited or prevented by eventual tensioning of the strap, but only as
the
neck moves through such motion beyond normal limits, so a not to interfere
naturally
achievable rotational positions of the user's neck. Similarly, normal lateral
flexion
motion, where the ear or side of the head approaches the respective shoulder,
is
allowed, but if the player is placed in a position of excessive force, the
strap will
come into tension to thereby reduce injury. The length of the brace arm acts
as a
secondary injury reduction element as it prevents critical impact from a
force, for
example, in hockey terms, from impact with the boards or another player, by
stopping the force from coming into contact with the neck or head. The force
hits the
brace arm and the energy is displaced down the brace armand through the
shoulder
pads.
When excessive force is exerted on the head or helmet in a rearward
direction from in front, tipping of the head back against the brace arm 14
occurs
under posterior extension of the neck, which is allowed to continue under
rearward
pivoting of the brace arm until its angular limit is reached. At this point
where further
pivoting of the brace arm is blocked, the arm thus blocks further rearward
motion of
the head to avoid further posterior extension of the neck into an unsafe range
at
which significant injury may occur. The rearward force of the head is
transfers into
the brace arm, and thus is borne through the engaged stop features between the
arm and the support member, and onward through the shoulder pads to the
shoulders of the user. The brace arm and straps thus cooperate to provide
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protection for the neck against extreme loading in various directions, while
maintaining substantial freedom of motion within normal limits due to the free
flexibility in the straps and low-resistance pivoting of the brace arm within
its
predefined angular limits.
5 The brace arm 14 comprises a longitudinal portion 34 whose longest
dimension extends from where the pivotal connection to the support member 12
is
made and toward the opposing distal end of the arm 14, which is defined by a
transverse portion 36 whose longest dimension extends perpendicularly cross-
wise
to that of the longitudinal portion. The longitudinal portion 34 has a U-
shaped cross-
10 section comprising two side wall portions 38 facing one another and
interconnected
by a central span 40 between them. As best shown in Figure 10, the cross-
section
is not uniform over the length of the arm's longitudinal portion, instead
having a
widest portion 42 of uniform width (as measured between the outside surfaces
of the
side wall portions of the arm 14) extending from the end of the arm nearest
the
15 pivotal connection to the support member 12 for a part of the longitudinal
portion's
length, and then gradually narrowing from this widest portion 42 to the
transverse
portion 36 of the arm 14. The transverse portion 36 of the illustrated curves
slightly
in the same direction as the U-shaped section of the longitudinal portion, but
by a
much shallower amount, thereby creating a slightly cradled shape for better
conforming against the rear of the helmet when blocking rearward motion
thereof in
the arm's most rearwardly pivoted extent. The slot 44 for connecting the strap
16 to
the brace arm lies in the transverse portion 36 thereof, with the longer
dimension of
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the slot oriented parallel to that of the transverse portion 36 a short
distance inward
from the end of the arm.
The mounting portions 32 of the support member 12 each feature a
planar plate-like portion 32a through which the fastener holes 22
perpendicularly
pass. These plate-like portions 32a are coplanar with one another, and from
the
inner edge of each plate-like portion nearest the other plate-like portion,
the support
member's outer face defined partly by these plate-like portions 32a curves
convexly
outward from this plane to the side thereof on which the arm 14 is to be
supported.
At an outer end of this first convexly protruding portion 46 of the outer face
jutting
from the two mounting plate portions 32, the outer face of the support member
12
breaks from that first curvature to present a further protuberance 48 jutting
further
outward from the first convex portion 46. This outermost protuberance 48 has
an
inverted nose-like shape that increases in overall width for a part of its
height starting
from its lower end, while gradually increasing in its projecting distance from
the first
convex portion 48 from the lower end of the protuberance to a height further
upward
from where the overall width stops increasing. The protuberance 48 has flat
sides
50 extending from its top end down to where the transition in overall width
begins,
the protuberance having an arcuate curve 52 between these flat sides to define
its
outermost tip or apex at the top end of the protuberance. In the drawings, the
curved edges and surfaces are shown as approximated by series of linear lines
and
planar surfaces.
Each plate-like portion 32a of the mounting member is bound at top,
bottom and outer edges by shorter edge walls that are connected to one another
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end-to-end and extend perpendicularly from the plate-like portion 32a a short
distance to the side thereof opposite the brace arm 14. The top edge walls 54
are
integral with one another, being joined by a top wall 56 covering the first
convex
portion 46 and further protuberance 48 to improve the rigidity of these hollow
portions (see cutaway of top wall 56 in Figure 5) of the support member. A
bottom
wall 58 of the first convex portion 46 and further protuberance 48 is
similarly
provided, to join between respective edge walls of the larger walls 32a of the
mounting plate portions 18, but slopes slightly upward moving outwardly from
the
large walls 32a. The edge walls all connect end-to-end around the full
perimeter of
the support member to improve its rigidity and strength.
The side wall portions 38 of the arm 14 at the widest part 42 of its
longitudinal portion 34 are spaced apart by the central span 40 by an amount
sufficient to accommodate the full width of the protuberance 48 of the support
member. To install the arm 14, the open side of its U-shaped cross-section at
this
portion is thus fitted over the protuberance 48 from the side thereof opposite
the
mounting plate portions 18 to situate aligned holes 60 (Figs. 8 & 9) in these
side
walls 38 in alignment with corresponding aligned holes 62 (Figure 7) in the
flat sides
50 of the protuberance 48, which define the pin-receiving transverse passage
in the
support member. The pivot pin 23 thus extends through aligned holes in the
support
arm and the protuberance to establish the pivotal joint between the arm and
the
support member 12.
The transition between the first convex portion 46 and the further
protuberance 48 of the support member 12 features flat, narrow surfaces 64
that are
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parallel to the plane of the plate-like portion 32a of the mounting portions
32 of the
support member 12, and that extend over the full height of this transition on
opposite
sides of the protuberance 48. These strip-like surfaces 64 cooperate with edge
surfaces on the arm 14 to define the stops that limit the angular movement of
the
arm to the predetermined range preventing neck injury. A first such pair of
edge
surfaces 66 of the arm is defined by the end of the side wall portions 38
opposite the
central span 40, and spans from a point 66a generally aligning the side wall
holes 60
along the length of the arm 14 to a point 66b marking an end of the uniform-
width
widest portion 42 of the arm. These surfaces 66 are coplanar and flat and
extend
generally along a lengthwise dimension of the arm. The other stop-defining
edge
surface is a flat surface 68 following an arcuate path between the first stop-
defining
edge surfaces 66 to define the proximate end of the arm nearest the pivotal
connection to the support member. As best shown in Figure 9, this surface 68
lies in
a plane obliquely oriented relative to that of the first stop-defining edge
surfaces 66
of the arm, giving the arm an obliquely-sloped end relative to its
longitudinal
dimension so that the side wall 38 height of the arm's U-shaped cross-section
linearly diminishes to zero from point 66a to the end of the central span 40
opposite
the arm's distal end at the transverse portion 36.
The perpendicular distance from the axis of the side wall holes 60 to
the plane of the first stop-defining edge surfaces 66 is approximately equal
to the
perpendicular distance from the pivot pin axis (which is generally coincident
with the
side wall hole axis) to the plane of the strip-like surfaces 64 on the support
member,
so that under sufficient pivoting of the brace arm toward the mounting member,
the
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first stop-defining edge surfaces 66 of the arm will come into substantially
flush
contact with the strip-like surfaces 64 of the stop member when the lengthwise
dimension of the arm is substantially parallel to these strip-like surfaces,
thereby
stopping the arm's forward pivoting in its most upright or vertical position
when the
support member is in a vertical plane.
In the illustrated embodiment, the other stop-defining edge surface 68
of the arm is in a plane angled at approximately 140-degrees to the plane of
the first
stop-defining surfaces 66, and the perpendicular or radial distance to this
surface
from the side wall pivot-pin hole axis again equals the perpendicular or
radial
distance between the pin axis and the plane of the strip-like surfaces on the
support
member. Accordingly, this edge surface 68 at the proximal end of the arm will
come
into flush contact with the strip-like stop surfaces on the support member
under
pivoting of the arm 40 degrees rearward out of its most upright position (see
Figure
3, from which it will be appreciated that 180-degrees of the planar strip-like
stop
surfaces on the support minus the 140-degrees between the arm's stop surfaces
equals an available 40 degree range of motion). The detailed embodiment thus
allows a limited range of motion of 40-degrees between a position parallel to
the
plane in which the support member attaches to the shoulder pads, in which the
arm
cooperates with the strap to restrain head and neck motion, and a position 40
degrees rearwardly out that restraining position to a blocking position past
where
rearward movement of the helmet is blocked.
In addition, further stop-defining cooperation between surfaces on the
support member and the brace arm is provided by contact between the inner
surface
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of the central span 40 of the arm's U-shaped cross-section and the outermost
extent
of the protuberance 48 at a point or area along its lower portions (see broken
line
illustration of protuberance shape in Figures 1 and 3) when the brace arm
reaches
its blocking position at the rearmost extent of it's pivotal range, thereby
providing
5 another point of contact for exertion of force between the brace arm 14 and
the
support member 12.
The described apparatus has several advantages over prior art neck
protection designs known to the applicant. There is no impeded range of motion
for
normal flexion, medial and lateral rotation of the neck within safe limits.
The
10 restriction occurs at point of extension and axial loading just prior to
injury. The back
plate or support member transfers the forces across the shoulder blades,
avoiding
transmission of the force into the base of the neck and into the spine. The
angle
limits created at the pin can be set such that they stop the extending and
axial
movement of the neck prior to critical injury. The brace arm acts as
protection from
15 a stick that may be used to cross-check from behind in sports such as
hockey and
lacrosse. There are no mechanical systems such as springs, cylinders, etc.,
providing a low cost, simple design with minimal reliability or maintenance
issues.
There is no pinching hazard due to the releasable nature of the connection
between
the brace arm and the helmet. The snap would release in loading at unusual
angles.
20 For example, if a stick, hand, arm or skate gets wedged between the strap
and the
wearer's body, upward force will pull the snap apart. However, the snap will
not
come apart when the force of the head hit pulls forwardly on it, as such
loading is the
axial direction of the snap fastener, in which it provides the most resistance
to
CA 02739859 2011-05-11
21
separate. The materials used can be selected so as not to differ substantially
from
existing materials used in sports equipment, i.e. to be lightweight, non-
flexible, etc.
to give a dynamic design that is unnoticeable, or minimally noticeable, to the
player
while providing maximum protection by transferring energy during critical
impact
situations, i.e. absorbing energy away from the head and neck, making the
impact/collision less forceful. The illustrated embodiment, as an add-on piece
of
equipment, requires no modification to existing designs of sports equipment,
and is.
also sleek in appearance.
It will be appreciated the angular value of the blocking position or the
restraining position relative to the plane of the shoulder pads, or the
angular range
between these two positions, may be varied from the above numerical examples
while still preventing potentially injurious movement of the neck. For
example, in the
restraint position, the brace arm may actually angle somewhat forwardly
relative to
the plane of the shoulder pad back panel, for example by approximately ten
degrees. With the same example angle of 140-degrees between the stop surfaces
on the brace arm, the blocking position would thus be 30-degrees rearward from
the
plane of attachment. The illustrated embodiment is intended for manufacture as
plastic molded pieces, but it will be appreciated that other materials and
manufacturing techniques may be employed. Likewise, different shapes and
configurations for achieving pivotal attachment of the two pieces and defining
stops
at the desired maximum pivotal extent in either direction may be employed.
Adjustability of the strap length may be obtained by methods other than
slidable
mounting of the helmet connection fastener on the strap, for example by
mounting
CA 02739859 2011-05-11
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22
multiple fastener elements on the strap at respective predetermined positions,
but
the increments between selectable fastening sites would be larger, thereby
reducing
adjustability and removing the ability to fine tune a particularly desirable
fastener
position for different users. Attachment of the strap to the arm may be by
means
other than that described and illustrated, but the closed loop attachment
provides a
secure, effectively permanent attachment that is unlikely to fail and avoids
potential
loss of the strap. The apparatus may be produced and sold in different sizes
in
order fit athletes of various ages, sizes and weights.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made
within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit
and
scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying
specification shall
be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
