Patent Publication Number: US-2023135854-A1

Title: Protective device for protecting the cervical spine, and protective equipment therewith

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/DE2018/100912, filed on Nov. 10, 2018, and claims benefit to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2017 010 533.2, filed on Nov. 14, 2017. The International Application was published in German on May 23, 2019 as WO 2019/096349 under PCT Article 21(2). 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to protective equipment, and more particularly to a protective device for protecting the cervical spine. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Standard practice in the field for protecting motorcyclists, here against injuries to the cervical spine, are various types of protectors which protect against blunt impact as standard practice. Also standard practice in the field are neck-brace-type protective devices made of plastic. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,905 A, and in a fundamentally comparable manner US 2010/0204628 A1 and WO 2014/013316 A1 as well, discloses protective equipment in which a connecting element is firmly connected to a helmet and this connecting element is connected via a damping element to a bracing device fixed to the body. A disadvantage of such protective equipment is, on the one hand, that the helmet has to be at least modified compared to a design constituting standard practice in the field, or even has to be specially designed, and, on the other hand, that such protective equipment comprises the aforementioned connection permanently and thus not only in case of need, which results in massively restricted wear comfort. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a protective device for protecting the cervical spine. The protective device includes a first damping device having a sheath and a first chamber. The protective device further includes a bracing device. The bracing device is configured to brace, in a damped manner, a pulse-like force transmission, induced by contact of a protective helmet with a first contact surface of the first damping device, to the first damping device, directly or indirectly, against the upper body of a person. A gaseous or liquid or gel-like first damping medium is disposed in the first chamber of the first damping device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations in embodiments of the invention. The features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following: 
         FIG.  1    depicts a protective device; 
         FIG.  2    depicts a first embodiment of a protective device in use; 
         FIG.  3    depicts a second embodiment of a protective device in use; 
         FIG.  4    depicts a third embodiment of a protective device in use; 
         FIG.  5    depicts a first embodiment of protective equipment; and 
         FIG.  6    depicts a second embodiment of protective equipment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With knowledge of the prior art, the present disclosure describes protective equipment and a protective device therefor, wherein protection of the cervical spine from forces acting longitudinally in the direction of the curve of the spinal column is significantly improved. This type of protective equipment can be used, in particular, in motorcycling, preferably here in the “off-road” area. In principle, such protective equipment can also be used in a different setting, for example in equestrianism, or in non-sporting use. 
     The disclosure describes a protective device for protecting the cervical spine. The protective device includes a first damping device and a bracing device, wherein the bracing device is designed to brace, in a damped manner, a pulse-like force transmission, induced by contact of a protective helmet with a first contact surface of the first damping device, to said first damping device, directly or indirectly, against the upper body of a person, and wherein the first damping device is designed with a sheath and a first chamber in which a gaseous or liquid or gel-like first damping medium is disposed. This sheath is, within the scope of technical feasibility, preferably elastic or only slightly elastic. Thus, the effect of the protective device is substantially not based on the elasticity of the sheath but rather on the damping by the first damping medium. 
     In a particularly preferred manner, the first damping device has a plurality of first chambers which are not connected to one another. Alternatively or additionally, the first damping device can have a plurality of first chambers interconnected by means of a respective flow-through device, wherein the flow-through device is designed such that the first damping medium can flow from a first to a further first chamber. Here, it is particularly preferred if the flow-through device is designed as a valve, preferably a two-way valve. The flow velocity and/or the volume can hereby be embodied as a function of the flow direction. 
     The bracing device can preferably be designed as one of the three following alternatives: as an integral part of the first damping device itself, or as a bracing element connected to the first damping device, or as a force-absorbing device with a force-transmitting device which is, in turn, designed for absorbing force from a second contact surface of the first damping device. 
     In the case that the bracing device is designed as an integral component of the first damping device, it is advantageous if the first damping device has a second chamber with a second, gaseous or liquid or gel-like damping medium. In principle, the first and second damping mediums may be different. However, it is preferred if they are the same. Nevertheless, it is furthermore preferred if none of the first chambers is connected to the second chamber. Thus, for example, the pressures in the respective chambers may have different values. 
     As is basically known from the prior art, the force-absorbing device can have a force-transfer device and a second damping device, which is designed to damp a movement of the force-transmitting device relative to the force-transfer device. 
     In principle, it is also advantageous if the first damping device is connected, preferably reversibly, to the force-transmitting device. This can be accomplished, for example, by means of a hook and loop fastening. 
     In the case of the gaseous embodiment of the first damping medium, it can have an overpressure of between 50 kPa and 300 kPa, in particular between 100 kPa and 250 kPa. It is particularly preferred if this overpressure is individually adjustable, in particular by the user. 
     As an alternative to the gaseous variant of the first damping medium, it is particularly preferred if it is embodied as a thixotropic medium. 
     The disclosure furthermore describes protective equipment having an aforementioned protective device, wherein associated with the first damping device is a holding device which fixes the first damping device to a human body. 
     In an advantageous variant, the holding device is of a rucksack-like design and has a strap system which has straps over the shoulder and/or around the waist. 
     As an alternative thereto, it may be advantageous if the holding device is designed like a vest or jacket and the first damping device is reversibly connected thereto. 
     All the features mentioned here in the singular can of course be present multiple times, insofar as technically feasible and advantageous. It also goes without saying that the various embodiments, whether they are mentioned in the context of the protective device or the protective equipment, can be implemented individually or in any desired combinations in order to achieve improvements. In particular, the features which are mentioned and explained above and which are not necessarily mutually exclusive can be used not only in the indicated combinations but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG.  1    schematically shows a protective device in a sectional view. A sectional view of the cervical spine  5  or a cervical vertebra  50  is shown, together with schematically illustrated surrounding tissue  52 . Shown of the protective device is the first damping device  2 , which surrounds the neck in a U shape and is embodied with a sheath  20  and with three first chambers  220 ,  222 ,  224 . The sheath  20  is formed here by way of example from a fiber-reinforced airtight plastic. Said plastic itself in turn forms the individual first chambers  220 ,  222 ,  224 . 
     Each of the first chambers  220 ,  222 ,  224  arranged in series is connected to the respectively adjacent first chamber by means of a flow-through device  240 ,  242 . Two variants of said flow-through device  240 ,  242  are shown here. On the one hand, shown on the left is a simple variant comprising two flow channels  240 . On the other hand, shown on the right is a more complex variant in which the flow-through device is embodied as a two-way valve  242 . This two-way valve  242  is designed such that the maximum flow volume per unit of time from the rear first chamber to the lateral first chamber is greater than that of the return flow direction. 
     In this embodiment, air is provided in the first chambers  220 ,  222 ,  224  as a gaseous first damping medium. The air is introduced into the left, first chamber  224  by a non-return air inlet valve  24 , and the necessary overpressure is thus built up in all three first chambers  220 ,  222 ,  224 . This filling with air can be adjusted individually and adapted to the requirements of the respective use. Typical values of the overpressure are between 50 kPa and 300 kPa, in particular between 100 kPa and 250 kPa. 
     Furthermore, the protective device has a closure device  26  which connects the two ends of the U-shaped sheath  20  and thus fixes the protective device at the neck. 
       FIG.  2    shows a first embodiment of a protective device in use and in a lateral view. The upper body  7  of a person and a protective helmet  1  are shown. The protective device is arranged around the neck in the region of the cervical spine and is fixed at the front by means of the closure device, which is not shown. The protective device is furthermore embodied with a first damping device  2  which has a U-shaped sheath and, therein, three first chambers, which are disposed according to  FIG.  1    and are filled with a first damping medium. Here, again, this first damping medium is air. 
     The protective device furthermore has a bracing device  3  which is formed here as a single piece, that is to say an integral part  30 , with the first damping device  2 . Thus, the protective device has a common sheath in which three first and one second chamber are disposed. The rear first chamber has a first contact surface  280  facing the rear lower edge of the protective helmet  1 . The second chamber is disposed on the side of this rear, first chamber facing away from the protective helmet  1 . 
     A force transmitted to the first contact surface of the rear first chamber in a pulse-like manner and induced by a likewise pulse-like contact with the protective helmet  1  brings about a compression of the air in the rear first chamber and a flow of the air caused thereby through the two identically embodied flow-through devices into the two lateral first chambers. The damping effect is caused on the one hand by the compression of the first damping medium in the rear first chamber and, on the other hand, by the pressure equalization between the rear and the lateral first chambers. The bracing against the upper body is effected by means of the second chamber, which here forms the bracing device. 
     A contact, which is transmitted in a non-pulse-like manner, of the protective helmet  1  with the protective device, irrespective of to which section, that is to say also in the region of the lateral first chamber, likewise results in compression and pressure equalization between the chambers and, thus, the fundamental mobility of the protective helmet  1  is limited only slightly by the protective device. 
     In order to fix the position of the protective device, said device has a hook and loop fastening means in the bearing region on the shoulder of the person, which means is embodied together with a vest or jacket  8  and further improves the fixing of the protective device. 
       FIG.  3    shows a second embodiment of a protective device in use. A substantial difference of said second embodiment from the first embodiment is the design of the bracing device  3 . This bracing device  3  is embodied here as a bracing element  32  which is disposed on the side of the first damping device  2  opposite the first the first contact surface  280  and is firmly connected there. Said bracing element  32  is preferably designed as a plastic molded body having a planar region which has a bearing surface for transmitting force to the back. This planar region can be divided into two parts in order to be braced against the region of the shoulder blades but not against the region of the spine against the back  72 . 
     The bracing element  32  thus braces the first damping device  2  in a planar manner against the back when a force is transmitted to the first contact surface in a pulse-like manner. 
       FIG.  4    shows a third embodiment of a protective device in use. In contrast to those of the first and second variants, the first damping device  2  here has an indent  26  which is preferably disposed in the region of the flow-through devices. This indent  26  thus permits improved mobility of the sections with the respective first chambers of the first damping device  2  with respect to one another. 
     The bracing device  3  in this embodiment is a force-absorbing device  34 , having a force-transmitting device  340 , which is designed to absorb force from a second contact surface  282  of the first damping device  2 , wherein the first damping device  2  does not have to be, preferably is not, mechanically connected to the force-transmitting device  340 . Rather, the force-transmitting device has a sub-element  342  which is associated with the second contact surface. 
     The force-absorbing device  34  bears against the body  7  on the back  72 , at least in the region of the thoracic spine, and is fixed there. The force-absorbing device  34  here has a multi-part design and, in addition to the force-transmitting device  340 , also has a second damping device  346  and a force-transfer device  344  which is fixed in position relative to the back  72 , while the force-transmitting device  340 , which is damped relative to the force-transfer device  344 , is movable in the position relative to the back  72  by means of the second damping device  346 . 
     The force-transmitting device  340  absorbs the force already damped by the first damping device  2  and is designed to carry out a force-induced movement along the spinal column  5  in a guide means not shown. This movement of the force-transmitting device  340  is damped relative to the force-transfer device  344  by means of the second damping device  346 . A two-stage damping of the pulse-like force transmission to the first contact surface  280  thus takes place, wherein the first damping device  2  cooperates with the second damping device  346 . 
     A holding device, cf.  FIG.  6   , is associated with the force-absorbing device  34 , resulting in protective equipment. 
       FIG.  5    shows a first embodiment of protective equipment with a protective device with a view to the back of a wearer of said protective equipment. Only a part of the shoulder section  70  and also a part of a protective helmet  1  of the wearer are shown. The holding device  8  shown here simultaneously forms the bracing device  3  and is fixed here on the human body in such a way that a relative movement of the holding device  8  relative to the spinal column, in particular in the region of the thoracic vertebrae, is prevented to the extent technically and physiologically possible. It can be advantageous if the holding device  8  is reversibly connected to the first damping device  2  in order to improve the positioning of the first damping device  2  relative to the cervical spine during movement. 
     In this embodiment, the holding devices have a strap system with straps  80 ,  82  which extend at least over the shoulder  70  and around the waist of the human body. This results in a rucksack-like design of the holding devices  8 . Alternatively, but not shown, the holding device can be designed like a vest or jacket, with basically the same functionality. 
       FIG.  6    shows a second embodiment of protective equipment embodied as a combination of a holding device  8  analogous to  FIG.  5    with a force-absorbing device  34  according to  FIG.  4   . Shown here is the force-transmitting device  340 , which is braced, directly or indirectly, against the holding device  8  by means of a second damping device  346 . 
     The respective holding devices  3  mentioned above can be subdivided, not shown, into individual segments which are movably connected to one another in such a way that a bending (flexion) of the spinal column, in particular in the region of the thoracic vertebrae, is possible. For this purpose, the holding device is formed from a customary, in particular as far as is technically feasible rigid, plastic. Alternatively, in particular if there is no segmentation, the plastic may have an elasticity sufficient to allow a desired bending of the spinal column. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. 
     The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.