Adjustable neck protective collar in particular for motorcycle riders

• US 8,291,521 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpinestars Research Srl
• Original Assignee: Alpinestars Research Srl
• Inventors: Mazzarolo, Giovanni, Ballantyne, Colin
• Primary Examiner(s): Muromoto, Jr., Bobby
• Application Number:
  US12/743,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 245/5, 2459-463, 241/0, 2411-415, 242/1, 246/8, 2 4/4, 2 4/5, 212/9, 226/5, 226/6, 226/7, 226/8
• US Class Current: 2/425
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0512 Neck or shoulders area
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0473 Neck restraints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/055 Cervical collars

Abstract

A collar for protecting the neck of a user, useful in particular for motorcycle riders, is envisaged, said collar comprising two half-collars which are pivotably hinged together at one end so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and which can be connected together by means of a fastening and release lever, a plate which at the rear extends downwards from the bottom edge of the collar so as to be centred with respect to the spinal column of the user, and a protective shield which extends downwards at the front. The collar is provided with removable padding means where the collar rests on the user'"'"'s shoulders.

Claims

1. Collar for protecting a neck of a user, useful for motorcycle riders, of the type comprising:

two half-collars which are pivotably hinged together at one end so as to be rotatable in a substantial horizontal plane and which can be connected together by means of a fastening and release lever;

a plate which at a rear of the collar extends downwards from a bottom edge of the collar such as to be centered with respect to a spinal column of the user;

a protective shield which extends downwards at a front of the collar; and

padding means intended to engage with shoulders of the user comprising a first pad wherein the padding means is intended to, engage with the user'"'"'s shoulders while preventing any empty space from being introduced between the padding means and the user'"'"'s shoulders permanently connected to bottom surfaces of said two half-collars in lateral zones thereof, said padding means comprising a second pad, the second pad being removable from said first pad and provided with means for fixing to said first pad, wherein said fixing means comprise projections formed on said second pad and able to cooperate with cavities formed in an opposite surface of said first pad.

2. The collar according to claim 1, wherein said padding means comprise a third pad, stacked with said first and second pad, wherein said second pad has, in a position opposite to that of its projections, cavities similar to those which are provided on said first pad and able to cooperate with the projections formed in an opposite surface of said third pad.

3. The collar of claim 1, wherein said pads can have different thicknesses.

4. The collar according to claim 1, wherein the first and second pads are shaped with a curvature corresponding to a profile of an underlying shoulder of the user.

5. The collar according to claim 1, wherein the first and second pads are made of foamed plastic.

6. The collar according to claim 5, wherein the projections have a diameter slightly larger than of the corresponding cavities, wherein the foamed plastic permits a small deformation which allows the projections to pass through the cavities.

7. The collar according to claim 1, wherein said projections have an inverted taper shape.

8. The collar according to claim 5, wherein said foamed plastic is selected among foamed polypropylene with a density of between 65 and 75 g/l and foamed polystyrene with a density of between 65 and 75 g/l.

9. The collar of claim 1, wherein the second pad is selectively removable and attachable from the first pad, wherein such removing and attaching operations require use of the first and second pads solely.