Protective device for the spinal column for motorcycle riders

• US 5,140,995 A
• Filed: 04/18/1991
• Issued: 08/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HEIN Gericke GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: HEIN Gericke GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Uhl, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/688,083
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 128/846, 128/78, 128/102.1, 128/103.1, 128/104.1, 128/107.1, 128/874, 2/16, 2/44, 2/92, 2/2, 606/69-71
• US Class Current: 128/846
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0531 Spine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/08 Body-protectors for players or sportsmen , i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions protective clothing or garments for sporting purposes A41D13/00

Abstract

A protective device for the spinal column, particularly as accident protection for motorcycle riders, having a plurality of plate elements positioned one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the spinal column. The plate elements are made of a deformable material and are arched to form hollow spaces between the plate elements and a basic body to which the elements are secured. The hollow spaces are filled with a shock-absorbing filler body of plastic foam.

Claims

1. In a protective device for a spinal column having a plurality of plate elements positioned one behind another in a longitudinal direction of the spinal column, said plate elements being arched away from the spinal column, made of a deformable material and supported by a deformable basic body, said plate elements laterally extending beyond the spinal column and one of at least said plates partially overlapping and disposed at a short distance from each other, the improvement comprising:

the plate elements (14 to

     19) and the basic body (9,

     12) defining hollow spaces (20) between them, and

said hollow spaces (20) filled with a shock-absorbing filler body (8,

     11) of plastic foam.

2. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the basic body (9, 12) has a basic body width which is greater than a plate element width of the plate elements (14 to 19), and the plate elements (14 to 19), and

the plate elements (14 to 19) have a concave section (24, 29, 70), which is concavely arched away from said spinal column and receives the filler body and which is laterally adjoined by a plurality of legs (26, 28;

66,

     68), each of which can be fixedly connected to the basic body (12).

3. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 2, wherein

an edge of the plate elements (14 to 19) which extends crosswise to a longitudinal extension (10) of the spinal column has a collar (30, 72), which is further from the basic body (12) than said concave section (24, 70) of the plate elements (14 to 19) and which partially receives and covers a crosswise-extending upper edge of the adjoining plate element.

4. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) are lined up without overlapping, the filler bodies (11) overlapping in an area of abutting places of the plate elements (14 to 19).

5. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 4, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) have a same shape.

6. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 5, wherein

the basic body (9, 12) is widened in a kidney area and has laterally extending legs (40, 41, 42).

7. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 6, wherein

covered basic body areas of the basic body (9, 12) covered by the plate elements (14 to 19) have a greater thickness than basic body areas extending beyond the plate elements (14 to 19).

8. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 7, wherein

the basic body (9, 12) comprises two coinciding pieces of a plastic foam fixedly connected to each other.

9. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance claim 8, wherein

said thickness of the basic body (9, 12) covered by the plate elements (14 to 19) and made of polyethylene foam is greater by approximately more than 1/3 than the thickness of the basic body (12) extending beyond the plate elements (14 to 18).

10. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 9, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) are shaped like lamellas and are riveted to the basic body (9, 12).

11. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 10, wherein

separate said filler bodies (8, 11) are secured in each said concave section (24, 29, 70) of the plate elements (14 to 19).

12. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 10, wherein

the filler bodies (8, 11) of the plate elements (14 to 19) are combined into a continuous strip forming hinges between the adjoining plate elements.

13. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 12, wherein

the filler body (11) extends over said plurality of lateral legs (26, 28;

66,

     68) of the plate elements (14 to

     18) and forms a flat connecting surface towards the basic body (12).

14. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 13, wherein

each of the concave sections (20) has a cut-out (22) and a protrusion (23) shaped complementary to the cut-out (22), whereby adjoining plate elements (17, 19) are positively connected in at least one position of the protective device for the spinal column.

15. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 14, wherein

the plate element (17) is essentially V-shaped when viewed from above.

16. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 15, wherein

the filler body (8) fills up the hollow space (20) between the basic body (9) and the plate element (17) and has a cut-out (25) tapering towards the basic body and a protrusion (27) tapering towards said plate element protrusion (23) of the plate element (17).

17. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 16, wherein

the protrusion (27) is shaped complementary to the cut-out (25).

18. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 17, wherein

an abutting surface between two adjoining filler bodies (8) falls off at an angle of approximately 45°

toward the basic body (9).

19. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 18, wherein

said protective device is inserted into a jacket.

20. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 19, wherein

said protective device is a kidney belt.

21. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

an edge of the plate elements (14 to 19) which extends crosswise to a longitudinal extension (10) of the spinal column has a collar (30, 72), which is further from the basic body (12) than a concave section (24, 70) of the plate elements (14 to 19) and which partially receives and covers a crosswise-extending upper edge of the adjoining plate element.

22. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) are lined up without overlapping, the filler bodies (11) overlapping in an area of abutting places of the plate elements (14 to 19).

23. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) have a same shape.

24. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the basic body (9, 12) is widened in a kidney area and has laterally extending legs (40, 41, 42).

25. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

covered basic body areas of the basic body (9, 12) covered by the plate elements (14 to 19) have a greater thickness than basic body areas extending beyond the plate elements (14 to 19).

26. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the basic body (9, 12) comprises two coinciding pieces of a plastic foam fixedly connected to each other.

27. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the basic body (9, 12) covered by the plate elements (14 to 19) and made of polyethylene foam is greater by approximately more than 1/3 than the thickness of the basic body (9, 12) extending beyond the plate elements (14 to 19).

28. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

a side of the plate elements (14 to 19) oriented toward the basic body (9, 12) has one of a covering and a layer of tear-resistant, but deformable, material.

29. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the plate elements (14 to 19) are shaped like lamellas and are riveted to the basic body (9, 12).

30. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

separate said filler bodies (8, 11) are secured in each concave section (24, 29, 70) of the plate elements (14 to 19).

31. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the filler bodies (8, 11) of the plate elements (14 to 19) are combined into a continuous strip forming hinges between the adjoining plate elements.

32. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the filler body (11) extends over a plurality of lateral legs (26, 28;

66,

     68) of the plate elements (14 to

     19) and forms a flat connecting surface towards the basic body (9,

     12).

33. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

each of the concave sections (20) has a cut-out (22) and a protrusion (23) shaped complementary to the cut-out (22), whereby adjoining plate elements (17, 19) are positively connected in at least one position of the protective device for the spinal column.

34. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with one of claim 1, wherein

the plate element (17) is essentially V-shaped when viewed from above.

35. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the filler body (8) fills up the hollow space (20) between the basic body (9) and the plate element (17) and has a cut-out (25) tapering towards the basic body and a protrusion (27) tapering towards a plate element protrusion (23) of the plate element (17).

36. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

the protrusion (27) is shaped complementary to a cut-out (25).

37. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

an abutting surface between two adjoining filler bodies (8) falls off at an angle of approximately 45°

toward the basic body (9).

38. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said protective device is inserted into a jacket.

39. In a protective device for the spinal column in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said protective device is a kidney belt.

40. In a protective device for a spinal column having a plurality of plate elements positioned one behind another in a longitudinal direction of the spinal column, said plate elements being arched away from the spinal column, made of a deformable material and supported by a deformable basic body, said plate elements laterally extending beyond the spinal column and one of at least said plates partially overlapping and disposed at a short distance from each other, the improvement comprising:

the plate elements (14 to

     19) lie on the basic body (8,

     12) with almost their entire surfaces and are made of shock-absorbing plastic foam.