SAFETY COLLARS

Abstract: A safety collar has two air bags (13) and (15) for fitting at the sides of the neck to prevent over-tilting. The bags are somewhat separated from the neck and arranged to rest on the shoulder of the wearer. In use, the safety collar prevents nerve root damage in the cervical region which can occur in accidents due to excessive sideways tilting of the head.

Description: Safety Col lars The invention relates to safety collars. The invention relates more particularly to safety collars for use during sports activities or with crash helmets either as a separate item or incorporated in or attached to the crash helmet. Presently in the latter case especially, the helmet is designed to protect the skull of a wearer against blows and other impacts likely to be experienced in accidents. Serious damage can also be experienced if the neck over-flexes in an accident so that the nerve roots especially at the sides of the neck are damaged due to over tilting of the head. Tears of these delicate nerve roots cannot be repaired by present day surgical techniques and so can leave the arm at the side of the any tears permanently paralysed. It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least reduce this problem. According to the invention there is provided a safety collar which includes two cushions arranged to be worn opposite respective ears of the wearer and so that the cushions are normally separated from the surface of the neck and sit on the shoulder of the wearer to restrain excessive lateral tilt of the head to either side and so prevent nerve root severance respectively in opposite cervical regions of the neck. A third cushion may be positioned centrally at the back of neck and separated from the surface of the neck. Each cushion may comprise an inflatable compartment formed in the collar. The compartments are preferably connected together by air passages and have a common inflation nozzle . The cushions are preferably positioned in use about 5 cms from the surface of the neck and are about 12 cms in height . A safety helmet may be provided incorporating the safety co11ar . Safety collars according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front open view of the collar; Figure 2 is a front view of the collar in a configuration for use; Figure 3 is a front view of a safety helmet showing where air bags of the collar fit around a wearer; and Figure 4 is a side veiw of Figure 3. Referring to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 the safety collar 10 comprises lengths of material with overlaying flaps 11 and 12, provided with a Velcro (trade mark) closures (not shown), which fits in use around the neck of a wearer. Three air bags 13, 14 and 15 are formed inside the material of the collar and connected by pipes (not shown) to a common inflation nozzle 16. The air bags are formed of durable plastics material and inflated during use of the co 1 lar . In Figures 3 and 4, the collar is shown together with a safety or crash helmet 17 to which the collar 10 may be releasably or permanently attached, or with which the collar is preferably or likely to be used. The collar 10 may of course be used on its own. The collar is designed so that all the air bags, or at least the bags 13 and 15, are positioned a few centimeters away from the neck and prevent excessive side tilting of the head of a user, the bags rest on the shoulder of the user. Some separation is necessary firstly to allow reasonably unimpeded or natural tilting of the head and secondly so as not to make the neck stretch further at an opposite side when it tilts. The collar is provided to restrain neck tilting beyond a certain point so that excessive stretching cannot occur which may cause tearing at the nerve roots in the cervical region at the opposite side to the bags. Thus, and contrary to quite common present practice, the bags 13 and 15 at least are separated from the surface of the neck, so that when the head has any tendency to over- tilt sideways, the bags act to prevent the head tilting further by fitting between the tilted head and the shoulder of the wearer. The bag 14 likewise prevents over tilted of the head backwards. The air bags are preferably separated from the surface of the neck by about 5 cms and each have an effective overall height of about 12 cms. These dimensions are commonly suitable and represent a compromise between what might be ideal for medical safety, for example a larger height bag placed further from the neck, and what is comfortable and convenient to wear. In other words or generally stated, the wearer will normally prefer smaller air bags whereas the medical ideal is larger or higher air bags. The bags 13, 14 and 15 may also comprise permanently inflated bags or bags made of resilient material, such as foam cushion material.

Claims: C l a i ms 1. A safety collar includes two cushions arranged to be worn opposite respective ears of the wearer and so that the cushions are normally separated from the surface of the neck and sit on the shoulder of the wearer to restrain excessive lateral tilt of the head to either side and so prevent nerve root severance respectively in opposite cervical regions of the neck. 2. A safety collar according to claim 1, including a third cushion positioned centrally at the back of neck and separated from the surface of the neck. 3. A safety collar according to claim 1 or 2, in which each cushion comprises an inflatable compartment formed in the coliar . 4. A safety collar according to claim 3, in which the compartments are connected together by air passages and have a common inflation nozzle. 5. A safety collar according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the cushions are positioned in use about 5 cms from the surface of the neck. 6. A safety collar according to claim 5. in which the cushions are about 12 cms in height. 7. A safety helmet incorporating a safety collar according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Inventors: ASVAKIAT PHANUPONG ROY, ASVAKIAT, PHANUPONG, ROY
Applicants: ASVAKIAT PHANUPONG ROY, LUCKHURST ANTHONY HENRY WILLIA, ASVAKIAT, PHANUPONG, ROY, LUCKHURST, ANTHONY, HENRY, WILLIAM
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A63B71
IPC codes: A41D13, A42B3