APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR REDUCING HEAD OR NECK TRAUMA

• US 20160309808A1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Armour Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Armour Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: McCleary, Philbin, White, Brady, Armour, Andrew W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,188,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0512 Neck or shoulders area
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/055 Cervical collars
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/004 with electrotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/20 blood composition characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/202 glucose
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 : Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 : American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/081 : fluid-filled, e.g. air-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/1291 : for the neck

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for the reduction of head or neck trauma in a living being by mitigating the acceleration experienced by the head, relative to the torso, during a change in motion; for example, creating a neck support that provides improved extension, compression, rotation, and bending properties to the neck in order to control the acceleration experienced by the head. The apparatus can be configured to create a neck support in which acceleration of the head, relative to the torso, is reduced with minimal structure, discomfort, and other potential downsides to a user of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing trauma in the head or neck of a living being caused by acceleration of the head relative to the torso of the living being within a range of motion, the apparatus comprising:

a support configured to engage at least one of the head, neck, and shoulder of the living being without limiting the range of motion of the head and neck relative to the torso; and

a damper associated with the support and configured to mitigate the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso, wherein the damper provides a lower resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is lower and a higher resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is higher.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the support having at least one head engagement portion positioned to engage the head and at least one neck engagement portion coupled to the head engagement portion and positioned to engage at least one of the neck and shoulder;

and the damper is coupled to the head engagement portion of the support and the neck engagement portion of the support.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where the support includes an adhesive configured to temporarily attach the support to a portion of at least one of the head, neck, and shoulder.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, where the support includes a high friction material configured to contact a portion of at least one of the head, neck, and shoulder.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the support is configured to wrap entirely around the neck.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the support is configured to be attached to the posterior portion of the neck along a posterior sternocleidomastoid muscle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the support is configured to be attached to the posterior portion of the neck along a posterior portion of the frontal trapezius muscle.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the damper is configured to elongate, compress, rotate, or bend so as to resist the motion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the damper generates a force adequate to resist the motion.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the damper is configured to provide a lower resistance to the motion when the position of the head relative to the torso is closer to a center of the range of motion and a higher resistance to the motion when the position of the head relative to the torso is closer to extents of the range of motion.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the head engagement portion is positioned to be placed in close proximity to the base of the skull of the living being.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the neck engagement portion is positioned to be in close proximity to spinal vertebrae C3 of the living being.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, the damper being configured to generate an opposing force proportional to a speed of elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the support.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, the damper including a physiological damper, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one electrode associated with the support and an actuator coupled to actuate the electrode in response to a sensed position, speed or acceleration of the head, wherein the electrode is positioned to stimulate a muscle of the living being to increase the resistance to the motion provided by the muscle in response to the sensed position, speed or acceleration of the head.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising at least one sensor positioned to sense at least one of position, speed, or acceleration of the head or neck.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising at least one sensor positioned to sense at least one of position, speed, or acceleration of elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the support.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, the at least one electrode being configured to stimulate a muscle in at least one of the neck and shoulder.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, the muscle being selected from a group consisting of the splenius capitis, levator scapulae, sternocleidomastoideus, scalenus, and trapezius.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, the physiological damper being configured to create opposing force proportional to a speed of elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the support.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, the damper including an electromechanical damper, wherein the damper is configured to provide the support with the lower resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is lower and to provide the support with the higher resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is higher, wherein the apparatus further comprises an electrically activated material associated with the support and an actuator coupled to actuate the electrically activated material in response to a sensed position, speed or acceleration of the head, wherein the electrically activated material is positioned to increase resistance to the motion provided by the support in response to the sensed position, speed or acceleration of the head.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of position, speed, or acceleration of the head or neck.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of position, speed, or acceleration of elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the support.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, the electromechanical damper being configured to create an opposing force proportional to a speed of elongation, compression, rotation, or bending of the support.

8-10. -10. (canceled)

16-21. -21. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

34-38. -38. (canceled)

40. An apparatus for reducing trauma in the head or neck of a living being caused by acceleration of the head relative to the torso of the living being within a range of motion, the apparatus comprising:

a support configured to engage at least one of the head, neck, and shoulder without limiting the range of motion of the head or neck relative to the torso, the support having at least one head engagement portion positioned to engage the head and at least one neck engagement portion coupled to the head engagement portion and positioned to engage at least one of the neck and shoulder; and

means coupled to the head engagement portion of the support and the neck engagement portion of the support for mitigating the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso within the range of motion.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the mitigating means comprises a damper associated with the support and configured to provide a lower resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is lower and a higher resistance to the motion when the speed or acceleration of the head relative to the torso is higher.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the mitigating means comprises a damper associated with the support and configured to provide a lower resistance to the motion when the position of the head relative to the torso is closer to a center of the range of motion and a higher resistance to the motion when the position of the head relative to the torso is closer to extents of the range of motion.

43-89. -89. (canceled)