Patent ID: 8615819

Claim:
A cervical spine protection device comprising: a lower portion engaged with a user's shoulders; an upper portion designed for engagement with a user's head protection device when an axial force is applied to a portion of the user's head protection device, the upper portion having a front section, a rear section, and side sections, wherein the front section, rear section, and side sections of the upper portion have a top surface; a middle portion disposed between the lower portion and the upper portion; an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck, an outside portion shaped to engage with shoulder pads, wherein the outside portion comprises a substantially c-shaped design, with the lower portion and the upper portion extending laterally further than the middle portion away from the user's neck, wherein the top surface of the side sections of the upper portion has an apex that is higher than the top surface of the front section and the rear section when the cervical spine protection device is worn by a user, wherein the axial force applied to the portion of the user's head protection device is at least partially absorbed by the cervical spine protection device and at least partially directed away from a cervical spinal column of the user by the cervical spine protection device, and wherein the cervical spine protection device allows extension of the head and neck during athletic movement.