Helmet to protect cervical spine against axial impact forces

• US 5,287,562 A
• Filed: 10/22/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gus A. Rush III
• Original Assignee: Gus A. Rush III
• Inventors: Rush, Gus A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US07/964,875
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 2/411, 2/413, 2/415, 2/424, 2/425, 2/2, 2/DIG. 3, 2/DIG. 10, 2/9, 2/421, 280/730 R
• US Class Current: 2/413
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0473 Neck restraints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/081 fluid-filled, e.g. air-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/135 by making use of contacts which are actuated by a movable inertial mass
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/10 Inflatable hat

Abstract

A helmet has attached to its lower rim an inflatable bag which normally is folded so as not to restrict normal head and neck movements of the wearer but on inflation will fill the gap between the helmet rim and shoulders of a wearer. Carried by the helmet and preferably packed with the bag is a package including a conventional gas generator, igniter and battery. A switch to operate the igniter is located in the crown area of the helmet and is closable on an impact with a predetermined force on the crown of the helmet. When closed the bag is almost instantaneously inflated and fills the gap to transfer most if not all of the impact force to the shoulders and relieve the cervical spine of a damaging axial compressive force. In another version, the attachment is a rigid padded ring conforming to the contour of the lower rim or base of the helmet and the lower part of the face guard, if any. It is detachable from the helmet and can be driven downward into engagement with the shoulders of the wearer by a gas-operated piston and cylinder arrangement carried by the helmet.

Claims

1. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face;

extensible means attached to both sides of said helmet and normally not projecting substantially below said rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of a wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet, said extensible means comprising inflatable bag means attached to said lower rim, said bag means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to not impede normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, but constructed and arranged to fill the gap between said lower rim and the shoulders of a wearer when inflated;

gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within approximately 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said gas-operable means, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means and sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas-generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer, said gas generating means being operable to almost instnataneously generate inflating gas and communicate it to said bag means; and

a channel-like downward facing shell which opens in a direction opposite a crown region of said helmet so as to allow said bag means to expand toward a wearer'"'"'s shoulders when inflated wherein the bag means is folded and packed and wrapped with a rupturable membrane which has perforations arranged in a pattern to direct selected portions of the bag means in desired directions on exit from the shell during inflation.

2. The helmet defined in claim 1 including means for rapidly deflating the bag means a short time after inflation.

3. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein the bag means, gas generating means and sensor means comprise a module attachable to the helmet.

4. The helmet defined in claim 1 including a channel-like downward facing shell which opens in a direction opposite a crown region of said helmet so as to allow said bag to expand toward a wearer'"'"'s shoulders when inflated wherein the bag means is folded and packed and wrapped with a rupturable membrane.

5. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor means comprises an adjustable accelerometer.

6. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein said inflatable bag means has a substantially oval cross-sectional profile.

7. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein the extensible means, gas generating means and sensor means comprise a module attachable to the helmet.

8. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor means comprises an adjustable accelerometer.

9. The helmet defined in claim 1 wherein the extensible means comprises a polycarbonate plastic ring of small cross section padded with foam rubber.

10. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face;

extensible means attached to both sides of said helmet and normally not projecting substantially below said rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of a wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet, said extensible means comprising inflatable bag means attached to said lower rim, said bag means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to not impede normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, but constructed and arranged to fill the gap between said lower rim and the shoulders of a wearer when inflated;

gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within approximately 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said gas-operable means, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means and sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas-generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer, said gas generating means being operable to almost instantaneously generate inflating gas and communicate it to said bag means; and

a protective face guard attached to the helmet and extending over at least the eyes and nose of the wearer and wherein the bag means is also attached to the lower portion of said face guard and completely encircles a wearer, and a generally oval, channel-like shell which opens in a direction opposite a crown region of said helmet so as to allow said bag means to expand toward a wearer'"'"'s shoulders when inflated wherein the bag means is folded and packed and wrapped with a rupturable membrane.

11. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising;

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face;

extensible means attached to both sides of said helmet and normally not projecting substantially below said rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of a wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet;

gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within approximately 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said gas-operable means, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means and sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas-generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer; and

a protective face guard attached to the helmet and extending over at least the eyes and nose of the wearer and wherein the extensible means is proximate to the lower portion of said face guard and completely encircle a wearer.

12. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face;

extensible means attached to both sides of said helmet and normally not projecting substantially below said rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of a wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulders the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; and

gas-operable means carried by said helmet for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer within approximately 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said gas-operable means, said gas-operable means including means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas-generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to transfer the impact force to the shoulders instead of directly through said helmet and head of the wearer generally axially to the cervical spine of the wearer, and a cylinder having a piston disposed in an interior portion thereof.

13. The helmet as defined in claim 12, wherein:

said piston comprises a piston head and a piston rod;

said gas generating means is operable to provide gas to a chamber within said cylinder formed by said cylinder and said piston head; and

an end of said piston rod opposite said piston head is connected to said extensible means so as to extend said extensible means when said generating means provides gas to said gas operable means.

14. The helmet as defined in claim 13, wherein said cylinder is formed integrally with said rigid helmet so that an interior surface of said rigid helmet is substantially smooth.

15. The helmet as defined in claim 13, further comprising detents for maintaining said extensible means in position when not extended by said gas operable means.

16. The helmet as defined in claim 13, further comprising ratchet means for engaging said piston when extended to prevent said cylinder from becoming compressed.

17. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face,

inflatable bag means of generally oval configuration attached to said lower rim, said bag means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, but constructed and arranged to fill the gap between said lower rim and the shoulders of a wearer when inflated;

a channel-like shell which opens in a direction opposite a crown region of said helmet so as to allow said bag means to expand toward a wearer'"'"'s shoulders when inflated wherein the bag means is folded and packed and wrapped with a rupturable membrane which has perforations arranged in a pattern to direct selected portions of the bag means in desired directions on exit from the shell during inflation;

means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating inflating gas and communicating the gas to said bag means; and

sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously inflate said bag means sufficiently to fill the gap and transfer the impact force substantially to the shoulders of a wearer instead of generally axially to the cervical spine.

18. The helmet defined in claim 17 including means for rapidly deflating the bag means a short time after inflation.

19. The helmet defined in claim 18 wherein the bag means, gas generating means and sensor means comprise a module attachable to the helmet.

22. The helmet defined in claim 18 wherein the sensor means comprises an adjustable accelerometer.

23. The helmet defined in claim 18 wherein the extensible means, gas generating means and sensor means comprise a module attachable to the helmet.

24. The helmet defined in claim 18 including a helmet retaining strap having the opposite ends thereof rigidly fastened to opposite inner sides of said helmet and having a padded support intermediate said strap ends adapted to engage the chin of a wearer, said strap being divided between one of said ends and said support and having a readily releasable two-part connecting buckle, one part being connected to one divided end and the other part to the other divided end.

25. The helmet defined in claim 24 wherein one buckle part has a notched tongue that slides into and snap locks in the other buckle part, said parts being releasable by an application of a pinching force to said other part.

26. The helmet defined in claim 24 wherein a portion of said helmet retaining strap is made from an elastic material to permit displacement of said helmet from a player'"'"'s head while preventing removal of said helmet.

27. The helmet defined in claim 18 wherein said gas generating means and said gas operable means are operable to extend said extensible means within approximately 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said sensor means.

28. The helmet defined in claim 18 wherein said inflatable bag means has a substantially oval cross-sectional profile.

20. A helmet for specific protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:

a rigid helmet having a lower rim partially encircling the head of a wearer behind the face,

inflatable bag means of generally oval configuration attached to said lower rim, said bag means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, but constructed and arranged to fill the gap between said lower rim and the shoulders of a wearer when inflated;

a channel-like shell which opens in a direction opposite a crown region of said helmet so as to allow said bag means to expand toward a wearer'"'"'s shoulders when inflated wherein the bag means is folded and packed and wrapped with a rupturable membrane;

means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating inflating gas and communicating the gas to said bag means;

sensor means located in the crown area of said helmet for operating said gas generating means on an external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force to substantially instantaneously inflate said bag means sufficiently to fill the gap and transfer the impact force substantially to the shoulders of a wearer instead of generally axially to the cervical spine; and

a protective face guard attached to the helmet and extending over at least the eyes and nose of the wearer and wherein the bag means is also attached to the lower portion of said face guard and completely encircles a wearer.

21. The helmet defined in claim 20 wherein the extensible means is proximate to the lower portion of said face guard and completely encircles a wearer.