Abstract:
A head and neck protector for use by a race car or other driver includes a yoke which is mounted on the shoulders of the driver, and a helmet which is mounted on a portion of the yoke extending around the sides and back of the driver&#39;s neck. The helmet is securely latched to the yoke to prevent rotation of the helmet relative to the yoke. The interior volume of the helmet is sufficiently large that the driver can freely move his or her head without corresponding movement of the helmet.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/935,504 filed Aug. 16, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a head and neck protector for use by a vehicle driver and in particular a race car driver. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    The most common head and neck protection for a race car driver is provided by a helmet and a so-called HANS® device. The helmet, usually similar to a motorcycle helmet, fits snugly on the head of the driver and is retained on the wearer&#39;s head by a chin strap. A HANS device is a yoke or collar having two sides for resting on the shoulders of a driver, and a rear portion extending behind the neck and head of the driver. The two arcuate sides of the device rest on the shoulders of the driver and extend downwardly to the driver&#39;s chest. The device is held in position by a conventional race vehicle shoulder harness. The rear portion of the device is connected to the helmet by tethers which, in a crash, safely limit movement of the head and neck of the driver. 
         [0006]    Under normal driving circumstances, a race car driver makes two lateral head motions, namely turning and tilting. Turning the head left and right, used in conjunction with peripheral vision and a side mounted rearview mirror is required to see another race car approaching from behind. Tilting the head happens when cornering, i.e. tilting the head in the direction of the corner. 
         [0007]    The usual crashes involving race vehicles are front, rear and lateral or oblique crashes. When using existing head and neck protection, especially during a front or lateral crash, head and neck motion is defined by the rapid deceleration due to tightening of the tethers between the helmet and the yoke. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a head and neck protector for a vehicle driver which permits a range of driver head motion comparable to that provided by a helmet and HANS device while providing a higher level of protection. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, the invention relates to ahead and neck protector for use by a vehicle driver comprising:
       (a) a yoke for mounting on the shoulders of the driver including:
           (i) a pair of arcuate sides for extending over the shoulders on either side of the neck and   (ii) a collar extending upwardly from and between the sides of the yoke;   
           (b) a helmet removably mounted on the yoke having an interior volume larger than the driver&#39;s head permitting free movement of the head in the helmet without corresponding movement of the helmet; and   (c) a latch for securely latching the helmet to the yoke collar, whereby movement of the helmet relative to the yoke is prevented.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    A suitable protector for achieving the above-identified object is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the protector, and wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view from in front and one side of a head and neck protector in accordance with the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the protector of  FIG. 1  in the assembled or use condition; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an exploded side view of the assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an isometric, exploded view of a latch device used on the rear of the assembly of  FIGS. 1 to 3  in the released positions; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the latch device of  FIG. 4  in the engaged or latched position; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the front end of a yoke and a front latch of the protector of  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the head and neck protector as viewed from the front and one side; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the head and neck protector of  FIG. 7  as viewed from the rear and one side; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a yoke used in the protector of  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a head and neck protector in accordance with the invention includes a helmet and a yoke indicated generally at  1  and  2 , respectively. An important feature of the helmet  1  is that it is larger than the head of a driver which permits lateral or side to side turning of the driver&#39;s head without turning the helmet. As mentioned above, existing helmets fit snugly against a driver&#39;s head. Consequently turning of the head is accompanied by turning of the helmet which is limited by the tethers attaching the helmet to the yoke. 
         [0026]    The helmet  1  includes a streamlined shell  3  with a large eye port  4  covered by a visor  5 , which can be rotated around pins  6  (one shown) from the closed position shown in solid lines in  FIGS. 1 and 2  to an open position shown in phantom outline in  FIG. 2 . A liner  8  formed of foam or another suitable material is provided in the shell  3 . There is sufficient clearance between the inner surface of the liner  8  and the head of a driver to permit unobstructed turning of the driver&#39;s head. It is also possible to tilt the head to one side or the other within the helmet. As mentioned above, drivers often tilt their heads when cornering to the extent possible within the structure of their vehicles. In some cases, when this occurs, rattling of the helmet while it rests against a roll bar (for example) is extremely distracting. The ability to be able to tilt the head freely in the helmet is a desirable feature of the helmet of the present invention, particularly because the weight of the helmet is not being borne by the head and neck. Neck muscle fatigue is a significant problem in auto racing. Removing the helmet weight from the wearer&#39;s head substantially reduces loads on neck muscles and hence reduces tiredness and soreness. 
         [0027]    The yoke  2  includes a pair of arcuate sides  10  for resting on the shoulders of a driver. Pads  11  are provided on the bottom of each side  10 . In use, the straps (not shown) of a conventional race car harness extend over the sides  10  to hold the yoke  2  tight against the shoulders, effectively connecting the driver to the vehicle. A collar  12 , which is generally U-shaped when viewed from above or below, interconnects the inner edges of the sides  10 , extending upwardly from proximate the front ends  14  to the rear ends  15  of the sides. The rear end  16  of the collar  12  is substantially higher than the front end thereof. The collar  12  extends around a driver&#39;s neck to protect the latter. The flaring to top of the collar  12  defines a support for the bottom end of the helmet  1 . 
         [0028]    The rear end of the helmet  1  is connected to a thick flat section  18  of the top, rear end of the yoke  2  by a generally C-shaped hook  19  extending outwardly and downwardly from the inclined bottom end  20  of the helmet  1 , and a slot  21  in the top end of the section  18  of the collar  12 . The slot  21  is formed by a rectangular notch  23  in the top of the section  18  and a bar  24  extending between the sides of the notch. 
         [0029]    The front end of the helmet  1  is connected to the front end of the yoke  2  by latches (one shown) indicated generally at  26  on each side of the assembly. Each latch  26  is defined by a retractable spring loaded pin  27  extending outwardly from the bottom side of the helmet  1  through a hole  28  in the front end of the collar  12 . It will be appreciated that other forms of latches can be used to secure the front end of the helmet  1  to the yoke  2 . 
         [0030]    If the driver&#39;s head is permitted to move violently forward, with respect to the body, injuries can and often do occur. With the protector of the present invention, the head and neck of the driver cannot move a substantial distance relative to the body, and the risk of injury is reduced. During a collision, the driver&#39;s head will contact the front, rear and/or sides of the foam liner  8 . 
         [0031]    The protector of  FIGS. 7 to 9  is essentially the same as that of  FIGS. 1 to 6 , and accordingly wherever possible the same reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar elements. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 to 9 , the second embodiment of the head and neck protector includes a helmet and a yoke indicated generally at  30  and  31 , respectively. The helmet  30  is similar in shape to a conventional off-the-shelf racing car driver&#39;s helmet, except that it is larger than the head of a driver, i.e. when in use, there is space between the driver&#39;s head and the liner. Thus, the helmet  30  includes a shell  3  with an eye port  4  covered by a visor  5  which can be rotated around pins  6  (one shown) between open and closed positions. A liner  8  formed of foam or another suitable resilient material is provided in the shell  3 . 
         [0033]    The yoke  31  includes a pair of arcuate, generally horizontal sides  10  for resting on the shoulders of a driver. Pads  11  are provided on the bottom of each of the sides  10 . A generally U-shaped, neck protecting collar  33  extends upwardly from and interconnects the rear ends  34  of the sides  10 . The inner surface  35  of the collar  33  can be padded for comfort. There also can be a slight clearance between the collar  33  and the neck of a wearer to permit free movement of the neck and head in the protector. 
         [0034]    The top end of the collar  33  is defined by a helmet support  37  of generally L-shaped cross section. The helmet support  37  extends outwardly and upwardly from the upper end of the collar  33 . A recess  38  in a horizontal ledge portion  39  of the support  37  receives the bottom rear end of the helmet  30 . For such purpose, the helmet support  37  includes an arcuate skirt  41  having the same shape as the rear bottom end of the helmet  30 . Holes  42  ( FIG. 9 ) near the front ends of the skirt  41  receive off-the-shelf quarter turn clamps  44  (one shown) for releasably locking the helmet  30  to the yoke  31 . The stems or shafts of the clamps  44  extending through the holes (not shown) in the helmet  30  align with the holes  42  in the skirt  41  when the helmet is placed on the yoke  31 . Of course, additional latch means can be provided at the rear of the helmet as is the case with the helmet and yoke of  FIGS. 1 to 6 . Moreover, the quarter turn clamps  44  can replace the spring pins  27  in the protector of  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
         [0035]    Important attributes of the protector described above are that: 
         [0036]    (a) it is relatively safe in a collision because:
       head and neck motion is more programmable than with existing systems, i.e., the impact response of the head/neck can be tailored to specific crash environments and not be dependent solely on the energy absorption characteristics of a motorcycle helmet and two attached straps or tethers,   it provides improved protection against rotational acceleration loading,   it eliminates compressive loading of cervical vertebrae because no component of an impact is transferred to the neck,   it allows for the provision of greater penetration resistance,   it provides easy emergency access to a driver&#39;s airway,   it can be removed in an emergency without imposing tensile or bending loads on the neck, and       
 
         [0043]    (b) it is good for driver operations because:
       the weight of the helmet is moved to the shoulders, reducing G force induced neck fatigue,   volitional head motion is quicker and easier when the helmet mass is not supported by the head and neck,   ventilation is better, since there is no direct contact between the head and helmet,   the peripheral field of view can be improved by using a larger visor, and   there are no aerodynamic (lifting, buffeting) effects on the head with better streamlining       
 
         [0049]    Other advantages of the protector include the fact that it makes it easier to wear eyeglasses, a balaclava and communication gear, a single model can fit a range of head sizes and seating positions, and the helmet is easy to put on and remove by the driver or crew.