Shoulder pads incorporating a cervical spine protection device

摘要

A shoulder pad having a cervical spine protection system including shoulder pads and a cervical spine protection device. The cervical spine protection device includes a lower portion engaged with a user's shoulders, an upper portion designed for engagement with a user's helmet when an axial force is applied to a portion of the helmet, the upper portion having a front section, a rear section, and side sections, where the front section, rear section, and side sections of the upper portion have a top surface. The cervical spine protection device also includes a middle portion disposed between the lower portion and the upper portion. The cervical spine protection device further includes an outside portion shaped to engage with shoulder pads, where 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, and an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck.

主权项

1. A shoulder pad having a cervical spine protection system comprising:
shoulder pads;
a cervical spine protection device comprisinga lower portion configured to be engaged with a user's shoulders;an upper portion designed for engagement with a user's helmet when an axial force is applied to a portion of the helmet, 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, the middle portion connecting the lower portion to the upper portion;an outside portion shaped to engage with the 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 adaptively away from a neck of the user's neck user when the cervical spine protection device is worn by the user,an inside portion shaped to fit adaptively around the user's neck,wherein the cervical spine protection device is contoured to fit directly into the shoulder pads such that the shoulder pads are configured to fit around the cervical spine protection device and a portion of the shoulder pads is fitted between the lower and upper portions at the middle portion along the c-shaped design of the outside portion,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 the user,wherein the axial force applied to the a top portion of the helmet is at least partially absorbed by the cervical spine protection device and at least partially directed adaptively away from a cervical spinal column of the user by the cervical spine protection device, andwherein the cervical spine protection device is configured to allow extension of the a head and the neck of the user during athletic movement.