Head and neck support for racing
DCFirst Claim
1. A head and neck support device for an occupant of a vehicle with a shoulder harness over shoulders of the occupant and a helmet on a head of the occupant and with a horizontal level center of gravity of the head and helmet combined at about eye level of the occupant, which comprises:
- (a) a stiff restraining means including front portions and a rear portion relative to the occupant, the front portions contoured to fit a torso and shoulders of the occupant and the rear portion contoured to fit behind a neck and the shoulders of the occupant, the front and rear portions having load bearing surfaces on a side opposite the occupant wherein shoulder belts of the shoulder harness are in contact with the load bearing surfaces of the front and rear portions of the stiff restraining means when the occupant is secured in the vehicle;
(b) a stiff high collar mounted on the restraining means which extends upward from the rear portion of the restraining means to at least adjacent the horizontal level center of gravity of the head and helmet combined and adjacent the neck of the occupant which allows movement of the head to provide forward and lateral fields of view for the occupant; and
(c) tethering means attached between the collar and the helmet wherein the tethering means provides a restraint between the helmet and the collar which is in a substantially horizontal plane and wherein during normal vehicle operation or in a crash, the collar transmits forces to the restraining means from the tethering means and the load bearing surfaces of the restraining means transmit forces from the restraining means to the shoulder belts of the shoulder harness to allow the shoulder harness to provide resistance to the tethering means through the restraining means and collar thereby reducing the motions of the head relative to the torso and forces being transmitted to the neck of the occupant which may cause fatigue and injury in vehicle operation or in a crash.
10 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved head and neck support device (10) for occupants (100) of high performance vehicles, is described. The device includes a restraining yoke (12) and a collar (11). The restraining yoke has two front portions (12A and 12B) which extend down from the shoulders (102) of the occupant along the torso (104) of the occupant. The restraining yoke also includes a rear portion (12C) which extends behind the neck (106) and the shoulders of the occupant. The collar of the device extends upward from the rear portion of the restraining yoke behind the head (112) of the occupant. The collar of the device is connected by tethers (15 or 215) to the helmet (108) of the occupant. The shoulder belts (110A) of the shoulder harness (110) of the vehicle extend over the front portions and rear portion of the restraining yoke when the device is mounted on the occupant such that the device is between the shoulder belts and the occupant. The collar acts to transfer the forces from the helmet through the tethers to the collar of the restraining yoke which transfers the forces to the shoulder harness thereby reducing the forces being transmitted to the neck of the occupant.
98 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A head and neck support device for an occupant of a vehicle with a shoulder harness over shoulders of the occupant and a helmet on a head of the occupant and with a horizontal level center of gravity of the head and helmet combined at about eye level of the occupant, which comprises:
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(a) a stiff restraining means including front portions and a rear portion relative to the occupant, the front portions contoured to fit a torso and shoulders of the occupant and the rear portion contoured to fit behind a neck and the shoulders of the occupant, the front and rear portions having load bearing surfaces on a side opposite the occupant wherein shoulder belts of the shoulder harness are in contact with the load bearing surfaces of the front and rear portions of the stiff restraining means when the occupant is secured in the vehicle; (b) a stiff high collar mounted on the restraining means which extends upward from the rear portion of the restraining means to at least adjacent the horizontal level center of gravity of the head and helmet combined and adjacent the neck of the occupant which allows movement of the head to provide forward and lateral fields of view for the occupant; and (c) tethering means attached between the collar and the helmet wherein the tethering means provides a restraint between the helmet and the collar which is in a substantially horizontal plane and wherein during normal vehicle operation or in a crash, the collar transmits forces to the restraining means from the tethering means and the load bearing surfaces of the restraining means transmit forces from the restraining means to the shoulder belts of the shoulder harness to allow the shoulder harness to provide resistance to the tethering means through the restraining means and collar thereby reducing the motions of the head relative to the torso and forces being transmitted to the neck of the occupant which may cause fatigue and injury in vehicle operation or in a crash. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for providing neck protection for an occupant of a vehicle, the vehicle having a shoulder harness with shoulder belts for securing the occupant into the vehicle, which comprises:
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(a) providing a helmet for a head of the occupant; (b) providing a head and neck support device having a stiff restraining means including front portions and a rear portion relative to the occupant, the front portions contoured to fit a torso and shoulders of the occupant and the rear portion contoured to fit behind a neck and shoulders of the occupant, the front and rear portions having load bearing surfaces on a side opposite the torso of the occupant;
a stiff high collar mounted on the restraining means which extends upward from the rear portion of the restraining means to at least adjacent a horizontal level center of gravity of the head and helmet combined and adjacent the neck of the occupant; and
tethering means attached between the collar and the helmet;(c) positioning the neck support device on the shoulders of the occupant such that the front portions of the restraining means are adjacent the torso of the occupant and the rear portion of the restraining means is adjacent the neck and shoulders of the occupant; (d) positioning the helmet on the head of the occupant; (e) attaching the tethering means between the collar of the neck support device and the helmet, wherein the tethering means provides a restraint between the helmet and the collar which is in a substantially horizontal plane; and (f) securing the shoulder harness around the occupant such that the shoulder belts of the shoulder harness are adjacent and in contact with the load bearing surfaces of the front and rear portions of the restraining means of the neck support device, wherein during normal vehicle operation or in a crash, the collar transmits forces to the restraining means from the tethering means and the load bearing surfaces of the restraining means transmit forces from the restraining means to the shoulder belts of the shoulder harness to allow the shoulder harness to provide resistance to the tethering means through the restraining means and collar thereby reducing the motions of the head relative to the torso and forces being transmitted to the neck of the occupant which may cause fatigue and injury in vehicle operation or in a crash.
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Specification