Device for reducing head and neck injury for helmet wearer

Abstract

A motion restrictor device is wearable with a helmet to reduce the risk of head or spine injury caused by injurious movement of the helmet. The device includes a harness wearable by a user of the helmet and a helmet-engaging component supported on the harness. The helmet-engaging component presents laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engagement surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the device is worn.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motion restrictor system for reducing the risk of head or spine injury, said system comprising:
 a protective helmet presenting a helmet lower margin that defines a lower helmet opening, with the opening receiving a neck of the user when the helmet is worn,   said helmet swinging between forward and rearward helmet positions spaced angularly relative to one another along a fore-and-aft bisecting plane to define therebetween a helmet range of swinging movement, wherein the forward and rearward helmet positions are associated with corresponding flexion and extension spine positions of the user and the helmet range of swinging movement is at least about forty-five degrees; and   a motion restrictor device wearable with the helmet to reduce the risk of head or spine injury caused by injurious movement of the helmet,   said motion restrictor device including—
 a harness wearable by the user of the helmet, and 
 a helmet-engaging component supported on the harness, 
 said helmet-engaging component presenting laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engagement surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the device is worn, 
 each of said helmet-engagement surfaces being configured to shift while in contact with the helmet lower margin as the helmet moves along the helmet range of swinging movement, 
 said helmet-engaging component being operable to yieldably bias the helmet-engagement surfaces toward the lower margin when the device and helmet are worn, such that contact with the helmet is maintained with at least one of the helmet-engagement surfaces through at least substantially the entire helmet range of swinging movement. 
   
     
     
         2 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said harness presenting laterally spaced apart shoulder-engagement sections that extend fore-and-aft along opposite sides of the helmet opening, with each shoulder-engagement section being configured for placement on top of a respective shoulder of the user when the harness is worn,   said helmet-engagement surfaces being positioned over the shoulder-engagement sections when the harness is worn.   
     
     
         3 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 2 ,
 said helmet-engagement surfaces being upwardly convex to maintain contact with the helmet as the helmet moves fore-and-aft.   
     
     
         4 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said harness presenting laterally spaced apart shoulder-engagement sections that extend in a fore-and-aft direction along opposite sides of the helmet opening, with each shoulder-engagement section being configured for placement on top of a respective shoulder of the user when the harness is worn,   said helmet-engaging component including a pair of swingable helmet-engaging levers pivotally mounted relative to the harness at a pivot,   each of said levers extending along the fore-and-aft direction from the pivot to present a corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces.   
     
     
         5 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 said helmet-engagement surfaces being upwardly convex to maintain contact with the helmet as the helmet moves fore-and-aft and the levers swing about the pivot.   
     
     
         6 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 said harness presenting a central neck opening which receives the neck of the user when the harness is worn,   said neck opening extending in the fore-and-aft direction to present opposite fore and aft neck opening ends;   said pivot located closer to a first one of the neck opening ends than a second one of the neck opening ends,   said levers extending in the fore-and-aft direction from the pivot toward the second one of the neck opening ends, such that the helmet-engagement surfaces are positioned over the shoulder-engagement sections on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the harness is worn.   
     
     
         7 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 6 ,
 said pivot being located adjacent the aft neck opening end, with the helmet-engaging levers extending forwardly to position the helmet-engagement surfaces over the shoulder-engagement sections.   
     
     
         8 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 7 ,
 said levers extending forwardly beyond the shoulder-engagement sections.   
     
     
         9 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 7 ,
 each of said helmet-engaging levers being detached from each other so that the helmet-engagement surfaces are shiftable independently of one another.   
     
     
         10 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 9 ,
 said helmet-engaging component including a pair of pivots coupled to the harness, with the pair of pivots including the first-mentioned pivot.   
     
     
         11 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 each of said levers presenting a main body portion extending forwardly from a respective one of the pivots to define the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces,   each of said levers including a stop-arm portion extending rearwardly from the respective one of the pivots,   each of said stop-arm portions being configured to contact the harness and thereby limit swinging of the lever.   
     
     
         12 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 11 ,
 said main body portion swinging generally up and down to define a range of motion of the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces, with contact between the stop-arm portion and the harness serving to limit upward swinging of the main body portion.   
     
     
         13 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 each of said levers swinging at least in part generally up and down to define the range of motion of the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces,   said helmet-engaging component including a biasing member coupled to the levers to yieldably bias the helmet-engagement surfaces upwardly.   
     
     
         14 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 13 ,
 said biasing member including a pair of resilient bands, each of which is coupled between the harness and a corresponding one of the stop arm portions to resiliently stretch as the helmet-engagement surface shifts downwardly along the range of motion.   
     
     
         15 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a brake assembly operable to restrict shifting of at least one of the helmet-engagement surfaces in response to injurious movement of the helmet.   
     
     
         16 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said helmet opening extending in a fore-and-aft direction to present opposite fore and aft helmet opening ends,   said helmet lower margin presenting a primary contact region spaced between the helmet opening ends,   said helmet-engaging component including a pair of laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engaging levers positioned on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the device is worn,   each of said levers presenting a corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces,   said helmet-engaging component being operable to yieldably bias each of the helmet-engaging levers toward the lower margin such that contact with the helmet within the primary contact region is maintained with at least one of the helmet-engaging levers as the helmet moves fore-and-aft.   
     
     
         17 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 said harness including a back panel dimensioned and configured to be placed against the back of the user,   said harness further including a breastplate dimensioned and configured to be placed against the chest of the user,   said harness including a pair of flexible shoulder straps, each of which is attached relative to the back panel and the breastplate and extends therebetween for placement on top of a corresponding one of the shoulders of the user.   
     
     
         18 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a pair of flexible below-arm straps interconnecting the back panel and the breastplate and located below the shoulder straps to extend below the shoulders of the user.   
     
     
         19 . A motion restrictor system wearable by a user, said system comprising:
 a protective helmet presenting a helmet lower margin that defines a lower helmet opening, with the opening receiving a neck of the user when the helmet is worn, said helmet opening extending in a fore-and-aft direction to present opposite fore and aft helmet opening ends,   said helmet lower margin presenting a primary contact region spaced between the helmet opening ends; and   a motion restrictor device wearable with the helmet to reduce the risk of head or spine injury caused by injurious movement of the helmet,   said motion restrictor device including—
 a harness wearable by the user of the helmet, 
 a helmet-engaging component supported on the harness, 
 said helmet-engaging component including a pair of laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engaging levers positioned on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the device is worn, 
 each of said helmet-engaging levers being swingable while in contact with the helmet lower margin as the helmet moves fore-and-aft, 
 said helmet-engaging component being operable to yieldably bias each of the helmet-engaging levers toward the lower margin when the device and helmet are worn, such that contact with the helmet within the primary contact region is maintained with at least one of the helmet-engaging levers as the helmet moves fore-and-aft. 
   
     
     
         20 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 19 ,
 said harness presenting laterally spaced apart shoulder-engagement sections that extend in a fore-and-aft direction along opposite sides of the helmet opening, with each shoulder-engagement section being configured for placement on top of a respective shoulder of the user when the harness is worn,   said helmet-engaging levers pivotally mounted relative to the harness at a pivot and presenting corresponding laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engagement surfaces,   said levers extending along the fore-and-aft direction from the pivot to present the helmet-engagement surfaces and to maintain contact with the helmet as the helmet moves fore-and-aft.   
     
     
         21 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 20 ,
 said helmet-engagement surfaces being upwardly convex to maintain contact with the helmet as the helmet moves fore-and-aft and the levers swing about the pivot.   
     
     
         22 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 20 ,
 said harness presenting a central neck opening which receives the neck of the user when the harness is worn,   said neck opening extending in the fore-and-aft direction to present opposite fore and aft neck opening ends;   said pivot located closer to a first one of the neck opening ends than a second one of the neck opening ends,   said levers extending in the fore-and-aft direction from the pivot toward the second one of the neck opening ends, such that the helmet-engagement surfaces are positioned over the shoulder-engagement sections on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the harness is worn.   
     
     
         23 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said pivot being located adjacent the aft neck opening end, with the helmet-engaging levers extending forwardly to position the helmet-engagement surfaces over the shoulder-engagement sections.   
     
     
         24 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 23 ,
 said levers extending forwardly beyond the shoulder-engagement sections.   
     
     
         25 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 23 ,
 each of said helmet-engaging levers being detached from each other so that the helmet-engagement surfaces are shiftable independently of one another.   
     
     
         26 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 25 ,
 said helmet-engaging component including a pair of pivots coupled to the harness, with the pair of pivots including the first-mentioned pivot.   
     
     
         27 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 26 ,
 each of said levers presenting a main body portion extending forwardly from a respective one of the pivots to define the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces,   each of said levers including a stop-arm portion extending rearwardly from the respective one of the pivots,   each of said stop-arm portions being configured to contact the harness and thereby limit swinging of the lever.   
     
     
         28 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 27 ,
 said main body portion swinging generally up and down to define a range of motion of the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces, with contact between the stop-arm portion and the harness serving to limit upward swinging of the main body portion.   
     
     
         29 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 28 ,
 each of said levers swinging at least in part generally up and down to define the range of motion of the corresponding one of the helmet-engagement surfaces,   said helmet-engaging component including a biasing member coupled to the levers to yieldably bias the helmet-engagement surfaces upwardly.   
     
     
         30 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 29 ,
 said biasing member including a pair of resilient bands, each of which is coupled between the harness and a corresponding one of the stop arm portions to resiliently stretch as the helmet-engagement surface shifts downwardly along the range of motion.   
     
     
         31 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 22 ,
 said helmet being positioned relative to the harness so that the primary contact region at least partly overlaps the neck opening along the fore-and-aft direction.   
     
     
         32 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a brake assembly operable to restrict shifting of at least one of the helmet-engaging levers in response to injurious movement of the helmet.   
     
     
         33 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 32 ,
 said brake assembly being activated to stop substantially all shifting of said at least one of the helmet-engaging levers; and   a controller operable to selectively activate the brake assembly.   
     
     
         34 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 33 ,
 said controller including a sensor operable to generate a signal representative of an operational parameter, with the signal exceeding a threshold value when the operational parameter corresponds to injurious movement of the helmet,   said controller including a processor operably coupled with the sensor and configured to determine when the signal exceeds the threshold value.   
     
     
         35 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 34 ,
 said brake assembly including a shiftable brake element that shifts into a braking position when the brake assembly is activated,   said brake element being coupled to said at least one of the helmet-engaging levers so that activation of the brake assembly shifts the brake element into the braking position and thereby stops substantially all shifting of said at least one of the helmet-engaging levers,   said controller including an actuator operably coupled to the processor and selectively powered to shift the brake element into the braking position when the processor determines the signal exceeds the threshold value,   said actuator including a electromagnet that is energized when the actuator is powered, with shifting of the brake element being magnetically induced.   
     
     
         36 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 19 ,
 said harness including a back panel dimensioned and configured to be placed against the back of the user,   said harness further including a breastplate dimensioned and configured to be placed against the chest of the user,   said harness including a pair of flexible shoulder straps, each of which is attached relative to the back panel and the breastplate and extends therebetween for placement on top of a corresponding one of the shoulders of the user.   
     
     
         37 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 36 , further comprising:
 a pair of flexible below-arm straps interconnecting the back panel and the breastplate and located below the shoulder straps to extend below the shoulders of the user.   
     
     
         38 . The motion restrictor system as claimed in  claim 19 ,
 said helmet being positioned relative to the harness so that the primary contact region at least partly overlaps the harness along the fore-and-aft direction.   
     
     
         39 . A motion restrictor device to be worn with a protective helmet so as to reduce the risk of head or spine injury caused by injurious movement of the helmet, said motion restrictor device comprising:
 a harness wearable by a user of the helmet; and   a helmet-engaging component supported on the harness,   said helmet-engaging component presenting laterally spaced apart, fore-and-aft extending helmet-engagement surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the neck of the user when the device is worn,   said helmet-engaging component being operable to yieldably bias each of the helmet-engagement surfaces toward the helmet when the device is worn, such that contact with the helmet is maintained as the helmet-engagement surface shifts through the range of motion,   said harness including a back panel dimensioned and configured to be placed against the back of the user,   said harness further including a breastplate dimensioned and configured to be placed against the chest of the user,   said harness including a pair of flexible shoulder straps, each of which is attached relative to the back panel and the breastplate and extends therebetween for placement on top of a corresponding one of the shoulders of the user.   
     
     
         40 . The motion restrictor device as claimed in  claim 39 , further comprising:
 a pair of flexible below-arm straps interconnecting the back panel and the breastplate and located below the shoulder straps to extend below the shoulders of the user.