HEAD-AND-NECK IMMOBILIZATION DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20170042719A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cornerstone Research Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Monat, Jacob A., Althaus, Joseph H., Sunday, Matthew B., Hermiller, Jason M., Ridout, Kelly H., Cable, Kristin M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,292,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/055 Cervical collars
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05883 for the neck or head A61F5/05816, A61F5/05833 take precedence; cervical supports A61F5/055

Abstract

Head-and-neck immobilization devices may include a yoke sized and shaped to contact a person'"'"'s back and shoulders. Straps may extend from the yoke, the straps configured to secure the yoke to the person'"'"'s torso. Two head immobilization pads may be sized and shaped to respectively contact opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head, each of the two head immobilization pads connected to the yoke by a respective selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection. A majority of the person'"'"'s head may remain unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads contact the two opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

Claims

1. A head-and-neck immobilization device, comprising:

a yoke sized and shaped to contact back and shoulders of a person;

straps extending from the yoke, the straps located and configured to secure the yoke to the person'"'"'s torso; and

two head immobilization pads sized and shaped to respectively contact opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head, each of the two head immobilization pads connected to the yoke by a respective selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection;

wherein a majority of the person'"'"'s head remains unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads contact the two opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the two head immobilization pads are not directly secured to one another when the two head immobilization pads respectively contact the opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the two head immobilization pads are directly secured to one another when the two head immobilization pads respectively contact the opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein each of the two head immobilization pads comprises at least one selectable strap attachment structure located at a respective periphery of each of the two head immobilization pads.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of at least one of the selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connections extends at least substantially parallel to a coronal plane of the person'"'"'s body.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein an axis of rotation of at least one of the selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connections extends at least substantially parallel to a transverse plane of the person'"'"'s body.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein an entirety of the person'"'"'s neck remains unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads contact the two opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein a majority of a posterior of the person'"'"'s head remains unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads respectively contact the opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the head-and-neck immobilization device is configured to support a 95th percentile adult male head mass subjected to up to 8 g of acceleration in any direction.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection is configured to support a torsional load of at least 240 inch-pounds.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection is configured to support a torsional load of at least 400 inch-pounds.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection extends from a respective shoulder portion of the yoke to a respective head immobilization pad of the two head immobilization pads.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection is selectively rotatable about at least two axes of rotation.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection is extensible.

15. A method of making a head-and-neck immobilization device, comprising:

sizing and shaping a yoke sized to contact an back and shoulders of a person;

securing straps to the yoke such that the straps extend from the yoke, the straps located and configured to secure the yoke to the person'"'"'s torso;

connecting each of two head immobilization pads to the yoke by a selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection, the two head immobilization pads being sized and shaped to respectively contact opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head; and

configuring each of the two head immobilization pads and each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection such that a majority of the person'"'"'s head remains unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads respectively contact the opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising orienting an axis of rotation of at least one of the selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connections at least substantially parallel to a coronal plane of the person'"'"'s body.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising orienting an axis of rotation of at least one of the selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connections at least substantially parallel to a transverse plane of the person'"'"'s body.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the head-and-neck immobilization device is configured to support a 95th percentile adult male head mass subjected to 8 g of acceleration in any direction.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein each selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection is configured to support a torsional load of at least 240 inch-pounds.

20. A method of using a head-and-neck immobilization device, comprising:

contacting a yoke to a person'"'"'s back and shoulders;

securing straps extending from the yoke around the person'"'"'s torso to secure the yoke to the person'"'"'s torso;

respectively contacting two head immobilization pads to opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head, each of the two head immobilization pads connected to the yoke by a selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection, and rendering the selectively rotatable, selectively rigid connection rigid to immobilize the person'"'"'s head and neck; and

leaving a majority of the person'"'"'s head unobstructed by the head-and-neck immobilization device when the two head immobilization pads contact the two opposing sides of the person'"'"'s head and are rigidly secured in place to immobilize the person'"'"'s neck and head.