Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A42—HEADWEAR
  • A42B—HATS; HEAD COVERINGS
  • A42B3/00—Helmets; Helmet covers ; Other protective head coverings
  • A42B3/04—Parts, details or accessories of helmets
  • A42B3/0406—Accessories for helmets
  • A42B3/0473—Neck restraints
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
  • A41D13/0512—Neck or shoulders area

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for protecting the cervical vertebrae for uses mainly in the field of sport car racing and motorcycling, and in all those situations in which the use of a helmet is required and in which the neck can be subjected to considerable stresses, said device being provided with means to discharge the forces applied to the helmet onto a structure applied to the person's torso, virtually eliminating stresses that could act on the cervical vertebrae.
• accelerations which in normal conditions may be even greater than 6 g, while in the case of impacts caused by accidents, said accelerations can reach much higher values, often in excess of 30 to 40 g.
• the helmet which is a structure for protecting the head from impacts that may occur in the event of an accident, becomes a further risk factor for the cervical vertebrae as, due to its mass, when the driver's body is subjected to strong accelerations, it imparts further stresses to the vertebrae that add to those caused by the mass of the head itself.
• the patent applications MI2011A001563 and MI2011A001564 in the name of the same applicant, describe a device for protecting the cervical vertebrae, for uses mainly in the field of sport car racing and motorcycling, of the type comprising a support structure, made substantially integral with the driver's torso, a helmet and means for connecting said helmet to said support structure, so as to limit the mobility of said helmet with respect to said support.
• Said device prevents injuries to the spinal column by connecting the helmet to the support structure through means that limit oscillations of the head, said means enabling rotation of the head around an axis which, in the cervical area, substantially coincides with the physiological axis of rotation of the cervical vertebra.
• the present invention overcomes the aforesaid problem by proposing a device, in accordance with claim 1, of the type comprising a support structure, made substantially integral with the driver's torso, a helmet and first means for connecting said helmet to said support structure, limiting the oscillations and movements of said helmet with respect to said support structure, so that the physiological limits tolerated by the bone structure of the spinal column in the cervical vertebrae area are not exceeded, said support structure being suitable to discharge the thrusts coming from the helmet onto the driver's shoulders.
• Said device is characterized in that said first means, for connecting the helmet to said support structure, so as to limit the mobility of said helmet with respect to said support, comprise a plurality of elements connected to one another, so as to form a link chain, arranged parallel to and at the back of the driver's neck, said link chain being connected in the lower part with said support structure and in the upper part with said helmet, second means being provided for limiting the deformability of the link chain.
• the device according to the invention can also be applied to the field of sport car racing, although, in this case, its principal feature, i.e. increased oscillation of the head in the longitudinal plane of symmetry, is not fully used.
• the device in accordance with the invention does not permit movements that could cause injury to the neck in any circumstances. This means that pure translations between pairs of vertebrae are prevented, as are deformations of the neck with non uniform variations of the intervertebral angles, such as an S-shaped position typical of whiplash or concentration of the rotation between head and body into a single intervertebral articulation.
• the aim of the device is to enable the oscillations and rotations required to drive the vehicle and that are safe for the neck, without causing an increase of rigidity, at most moderately damping said oscillations and rotations.
• Fig. 1 shows three views of a safety device for protecting the cervical vertebrae according to the invention
• ⁇ Fig. 2 shows the oscillation of the helmet in the longitudinal plane of symmetry
• Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the means for connecting the helmet to the support structure
• Figs. 6 and 7 show the possible deformations of the means for connecting the helmet to the support structure.
• Figs. 8 to 15 show in detail the 10 elements that form said means for connecting the helmet to the support structure.
• the number (1) indicates a safety device according to the invention, for protecting the cervical vertebrae.
• Said device (1) substantially comprises a support structure (2), which is fixed to the driver's torso, un helmet (3) and means (4) for connecting the helmet (3) to the support structure (2), said means (4) limiting the oscillations and movements of the helmet (3) with respect to the support structure (2), so that the physiological limits tolerated by the bone structure of the spinal column in the cervical area are not exceeded.
• the support structure (2) has a form suitable to be worn on the driver's back and is shaped so that the upper part (2a) of said structure (2) is designed to discharge the thrusts from the helmet (3) onto the driver's shoulders.
• slots (2b) and (2c) are preferably provided, through which the seat belts pass, to ensure better adherence of the structure (2) to the driver's body.
• the support structure (2) can be integrated in the protective suit (not illustrated).
• the support structure (2) must be light and as thin as possible, to minimize the overall dimensions. Moreover, to improve wearing comfort, the support structure (2) preferably has a certain degree of elasticity, so as to rest as much as possible against the driver's back, while maintaining adequate structural strength. For these reasons, the support structure (2) is preferably made of composite material, for example kevlar, carbon or glass fibre, or a combination thereof, impregnated with thermosetting resins (for example epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester) or thermoplastic resins (for example PEEK, PES, PA).
• thermosetting resins for example epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester
• thermoplastic resins for example PEEK, PES, PA
• Fig. 2 shows how the helmet (3) can oscillate in the longitudinal plane of symmetry, allowing the driver's head to lean forwards or backwards, as required. Said oscillation in the longitudinal plane of symmetry is enabled by the deformation of said means (4) and by the sliding of said means (4) with respect to the support structure (2).
• Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show said means (4) for connecting the helmet (3) to the support structure (2).
• said means (4) essentially comprise a plurality of elements, connected to one another, so as to form a link chain (5), positioned at the back of the driver's neck, which in the lower part connects, by means of a first sliding joint (6), with the support structure (2) and in the upper part, by means of a second sliding joint (7), with the helmet (3).
• the first sliding joint (6) allows vertical sliding of said link chain (5) with respect to the support structure (2), to enable oscillation of the head in the longitudinal plane of symmetry, as is clearly visible in Fig. 2.
• the first sliding joint (6) is essentially formed by a sleeve element (8), fixed to the support structure (2), sliding inside which is a flat bar (9).
• Said flat bar (9) which must be as thin as possible, while being sufficiently sturdy to withstand stresses, is preferably made of composite material, for example kevlar, carbon or glass fibre, or a combination thereof, impregnated with thermosetting resins (for example epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester) or thermoplastic resins (for example PEEK, PES, PA).
• the flat bar (9) has a slightly curved shape to adapt better to the curvature of the back; moreover, limit stops (not illustrated) are provided to limit sliding thereof.
• Said second sliding joint (7) which enables rotation of the head around the axis of the spinal column, comprises a circular guide (10), sliding inside which is a slide (11), integral with the upper part of said link chain (5).
• Said circular guide (10) lies on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cervical vertebrae and is provided, at its ends, with limit stops (10a) to prevent said slide (1 1) from exiting from said guide (10).
• Said circular guide (10) has, in plan view, the form of a circular sector, preferably with an amplitude between 110 and 120°, and has its centre of curvature coinciding with the physiological axis of rotation of the cervical vertebrae.
• Physiological axis of rotation of the cervical vertebrae is intended as the axis of rotation according to which said rotation occurs, in the absence of any constraint.
• Said slide (11) can be of sliding or rolling type.
• the slide (1 1) can be made of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) or UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene).
• the slide (11) is of rolling type, it can integrate ball or roller bearings that minimize friction with the guide (10). Said bearings may also not support all the loads during impact, but break and leave the slide to perform the structural function, with the advantage that breakage of the bearings would contribute to absorbing the impact energy.
• the slide (11) is fixed to an element (12) provided with quick coupling/release means (20), described below, which enable connection of said element (12) with the upper part of the link chain (5).
• said link chain (5) which is positioned at the back of the driver's neck, essentially comprises a first and a second universal joint (14) that connect, at the bottom, with said flat bar (9), which slides inside said sleeve (8) and, at the top, with said element (12), on which the slide (11) is fixed.
• the joints (13) and (14) are kinematically similar to universal joints, in the sense that the axes around which the rotations take place, although perpendicular to one another, are not coplanar.
• said axes can be made coplanar and said joints (13) and (14) can be defined as proper universal joints.
• said universal joints (13) and (14) are not used to transmit a rotational motion; for this reason, when reference is made below to rotation of said universal joints (13) and (14), this is intended as the mutual rotations of the elements forming said joints, which enable deformation of the link chain (5).
• Said link chain (5) comprises, in sequence:
• Figs. 7 (a, b, c) show the deformation sustained by the link chain (5) when the head is simply rotated to the left or to the right (Fig. 7b) or tilted laterally (Fig. 7c), with respect to the original non-deformed configuration (Fig. 7a).
• the link chain (5) follows the rotation of the head with a lateral movement "s" of the element (13), while the lateral inclination of the head leads to a lateral rotation " ⁇ " of the upper element (13) with respect to the lower element (B) and, therefore, of the helmet (3) with respect to the support structure (2).
• the rotations of the elements forming the universal joints (13) and (14), which determine the rotations and movement above, are a function of said inclinations of the edges (15b) of the fork (15a) of the lower element (15), of the edges (17c) of the forks (17a) and (17b) of the intermediate element (17) and of the edges (19b) of the fork (19a) of the upper element (19), as they determine the limit stop of the mutual rotations between said elements (15), (17) and (19) of the link chain (5).
• Figs. 8 to 15 show in detail all the components of the link chain (5).
• Fig. 8 shows, according to three orthogonal views and one perspective view, the sleeve element (8), fixed to the support structure (2), inside which the flat bar (3) slides to allow the head to lean forwards and backwards.
• Fig. 9 shows, according to three orthogonal views and one perspective view, the element (15), which in the lower part connects with said flat bar (9) and in the upper part is shaped so as to form the lower fork (15a) of the first universal joint (13).
• edges (15b) of said fork (15a) are shaped according to a double inclination, whose function will be explained below.
• Fig. 10 shows, according to three orthogonal views and one perspective view, the element (16, 18), which forms the crosspiece of the two universal joints (13) and (14).
• Fig. 11 shows, according to three orthogonal views and one perspective view, the intermediate element (17), which forms both the upper fork (17a) of the first universal joint (13) and the lower fork (17b) of the second universal joint (14).
• the intermediate element (17) also comprises four inclined surfaces (17c), the function of which will be explained below.
• Fig. 12 shows, according to three orthogonal views and one perspective view, the element (19), which in the lower part forms the upper fork (19a) of the second universal joint (14) and in the upper part is shaped to connect with said element (12) on which the slide (11) is fixed, quick coupling/release means (20) being provided.
• the edges (19b) of said fork (19a) are shaped according to a double inclination, the function of which will be explained below.
• Fig. 13 shows, according to four orthogonal views, the element (12), which is shaped in the lower part to be able to couple with the element (19).
• said elements (19) and (12) are shaped so as to form a dovetail joint, said element (19) being provided with quick coupling/release means (20), illustrated in the subsequent Fig. 14, said means comprising a sphere (21) that, operated by a shaped pin (22), subjected to elastic reaction means (23), projects from the upper surface of the element (19) and engages a cavity (25) produced on the corresponding surface of the element (12), means being provided to oblige said element (12) to slide on said element (19), maintaining the corresponding surfaces in contact.
• the driver presses on the end of the pin (22) to release the sphere (21), and then inserts the upper part of the element (19), in the shape of a dovetail, into the corresponding seat (12a) of the element (12), until the back edge (24) of the element (19) is abutting against the element (12), before releasing the pin (22), which due the elastic means (23), causes partial projection of the sphere (21), which is inserted into the corresponding cavity (25) of the element (12), blocking it.
• Fig. 15 shows, in four orthogonal views, the slide (11).
• the inclined surfaces of the edges (15b, 19b) of the forks (15a, 19a) of the elements (15, 19) and/or the surfaces (17c) of the intermediate element (17) can be coated with elastomeric material, so as to dampen end of travel impacts between the elements of the universal joints (13) e (14), making operation thereof smoother.
• the link chain (5) is inserted in an elastic sheath and the inside of said sheath is filled with gel.
• viscous damping of the deformations of the link chain (5) is obtained.
• the voluntary movement of the neck will be moderately damped, while an impulse thrust due to an accident will cause a more intense viscous reaction, which will effectively assist the neck muscles.
• This embodiment of the invention is particularly effective, as there is the instinctive tendency to tense the muscles. If the reaction of the protective device only occurs at the end of travel, the initial reaction is due only to the muscles, which can thus sustain damages, although the skeletal system is effectively protected.
• the link chain (5) can also have only one universal joint, or three or more universal joints. With only one universal joint operation is more abrupt, while with more than two universal joints the complexity of the device increases, without obtained particularly appreciable results.
• the protective device according to the invention enables practically free rotation of the head and limited oscillation of the head on the longitudinal planes of symmetry and on the transverse plane. Said oscillation, albeit limited, and thus suitable to protect the cervical vertebrae from excessive deformations that could compromise their integrity, is nonetheless sufficient to ensure the mobility required for effective and comfortable use of the protective device.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=46939781

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Cited By (5)

Citations (4)

• 2012
  • 2012-07-16 IT IT001235A patent/ITMI20121235A1/it unknown
• 2013
  • 2013-07-16 WO PCT/IB2013/001552 patent/WO2014013316A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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