Helmet and shoulder pads having inflatable protective means to protect cervical spine
First Claim
1. A helmet for 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 for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area;
extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the 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 less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including(i) means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and(ii) sensor means for operating said gas-generating means, said sensor means having at least a portion thereof disposed externally to said helmet as defined by said exterior surface, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on an external impact with a predetermined force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able 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 sensor means being carried in a patch attached to the crown area of the exterior surface of said helmet.
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Accused Products
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 on the crown area of the exterior surface 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, shoulder pads are provided in which there is an attachment in the form of an inflatable bag on the inner rim encircling the neck of the wearer. The inflatable bag inflates upon the impact upon the crown area of the exterior surface of the helmet to extend inwards, just enough to instantaneously broaden the foundation on which the helmet attachment can rest when deployed upon impact without harming the wearer'"'"'s neck.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A helmet for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the 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 less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including (i) means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and (ii) sensor means for operating said gas-generating means, said sensor means having at least a portion thereof disposed externally to said helmet as defined by said exterior surface, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on an external impact with a predetermined force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able 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 sensor means being carried in a patch attached to the crown area of the exterior surface of said helmet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. The combination of a shoulder pad and helmet assembly adapted for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet having a crown area; shoulder pads having an inner rim for encircling the neck of the wearer; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and being extendable therebelow to engage said shoulder pads of the wearer and substantially transfer to the shoulder pads the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; inflatable base means for broadening the foundation on which the extensible means can engage the shoulder-pads when worn by a user, said inflatable base means being attached to the inner rim of said shoulder pads and being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means extending inwardly towards the wearer'"'"'s neck when inflated; and gas-generating means for rapidly generating gas to inflate said inflatable base means to broaden the foundation on which the extensible means can engage the shoulder-pads upon impact and for extending said extensible means to engage the shoulder pads of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area of said helmet; and sensor means disposed adjacent the crown area of said helmet for detecting the external impact on said crown area with a predetermined force, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on said external impact on the crown area with said predetermined force to almost instantaneously extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of the 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.
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12. A shoulder pad and helmet assembly adapted for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury comprising:
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a helmet having a lower outwardly flared rim partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet having a crown area; shoulder pads having an inner inflatable shoulder bag means for raising the shoulder pads to engage the flared rim of said helmet to transfer to the shoulder pads the force of an external impact on the crown area of said helmet; gas-generating means for almost instantaneously generating gas for inflating said inflatable shoulder bag to raise the shoulder pads upon an impact of predetermined force on said crown area of said helmet so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area of said helmet; and sensor means disposed adjacent the crown area of said helmet for detecting the external impact on said crown area with said predetermined force and operating said gas-generating means in response thereto to almost instantaneously generate said gas to inflate said inflatable shoulder bag to raise the shoulder pads so that said shoulder pads engage the flared rim of said helmet of the wearer within about 25 milliseconds of the external impact on said crown area 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.
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13. A helmet and shoulder pads for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the 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 less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including (i) means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and (ii) sensor means for operating said gas-generating means, said sensor means having at least a portion thereof disposed externally to said helmet as defined by said exterior surface, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on an external impact with a predetermined force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able 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, shoulder pads cooperating with said helmet and operatively connected to said sensor means, said shoulder pads including inflatable base means for broadening the foundation on which the extensible means can engage when worn by a user, said inflatable base means being normally deflated and restrictedly folded so as to allow normal movements of the head and neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means being in the shape of a ring attached to the inner rim encircling the neck of the wearer, said inflatable base means extending inwardly towards the wearer'"'"'s neck when inflated to instantaneously broaden the foundation on which the extensible means can engage upon impact. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A helmet for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the 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 less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including (i) means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and (ii) sensor means for operating said gas-generating means, said sensor means having at least a portion thereof disposed externally to said helmet as defined by said exterior surface, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on an external impact with a predetermined force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able 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 extensible means comprising a polycarbonate plastic ring of small cross section padded with foam rubber.
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16. A helmet for protection of the cervical spine of a wearer against axial compressive force sufficient to cause serious injury, comprising:
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a rigid helmet having a lower rim for at least partially encircling the head of the wearer, said helmet being defined by an exterior surface including a crown area; extensible means generally disposed along said lower rim and normally not projecting substantially below said lower rim but being extendable therebelow to engage the shoulders of the 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 less than 25 milliseconds of an external impact on said crown area of said helmet, said gas-operable means including (i) means carried by said helmet for almost instantaneously generating gas for operating said gas-operable means, and (ii) sensor means for operating said gas-generating means, said sensor means having at least a portion thereof disposed externally to said helmet as defined by said exterior surface, said sensor means operating said gas-generating means on an external impact with a predetermined force to rapidly extend said extensible means to engage the shoulders of a wearer so as to be able 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 operable means comprising a cylinder having a piston disposed in an interior portion thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification