Segmented spine protector

Details Segmented spine protector Segmented spine protector

1996-01-22

1998-06-23

Crowder, C. D.

Apparel

Guard or protector

Back protector

2455, A41D 1300

Patent

active

057687170

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to body protectors for use in sport and medicine, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to protection of the spinal column from trauma and excessive movement.
In many sports, particularly equestrian sports and other sports which place the participant in possibly perilous situations, such as motor cycle racing, there is a need to provide some form of protection in order to reduce the likelihood of serious injury to the participants in the event of an accident. In recent years, the wearing of protective headgear has become commonplace in a wide variety of hazardous sports and activities, and it is well-known that the incidence of cranial injuries resulting from accidents in such situations has consequently been much reduced. The acceptance of protective headgear by potential wearers has been greatly improved by advances in helmet design and construction, modern helmets being fabricated from lightweight yet resilient plastics materials which provide excellent protection while remaining comfortable and unobtrusive to wear.
Unfortunately, with regard to body protection, there is still a great reluctance on the part of sports participants to make use of existing body protection equipment. One of the reasons for this is that the presently available body protectors are unwieldy and cumbersome, and can restrict movement to such an extent that wearers may actually increase their risk of injury as a result of not being able to take evasive action in the event of an accident. One type of body protector currently available consists essentially of two rigid structures: one across the back, and the other protecting the front of the wearer. Two similarly rigid pieces protect each arm. These pieces are stitched into pockets in a zipped jacket, which is then additionally secured with a waist band. Since it has been customary hitherto to use protective panels which are rigid, little flexibility is allowed, and this can have very dangerous consequences in situations where a degree of flexibility is essential in order to prevent accidents and injury. This is particularly relevant in equestrian activities, where a wide range of movement is vital in order for the rider to stay safely mounted in a variety of situations. Furthermore, since some currently available body protectors are not fitted with a gusset, they have a tendency to ride up the body of a wearer, causing discomfort and reducing the protection afforded.
A body protector designed for motorcyclists is known from EP-A-0 436 788. This body protector comprises a number of identical segments mounted on a flexible base. Although the segments do allow a limited degree of flexibility, their primary purpose is to protect the spine of a wearer from impact damage by providing a foam-filled space between the spine and the exterior surface of each segment.
A similar type of body protector is disclosed in GB-A-2 249 942. This comprises a number of plate elements hinged to one another and attached to a flexible base. The plates are adapted so as to allow a wearer to bend forwards only. It is not possible for a wearer to bend backwards or sideways or to twist the body.
The human spine is remarkably flexible. The approximate maximal segmental contributions for a particularly supple person are shown below:


______________________________________ i) Lumbar level Flexion 60.degree. Extension 35.degree. Lateral flexion 20.degree. Axial rotation 5.degree. ii) Thoracic level Flexion 105.degree. Extension 60.degree. Lateral flexion 20.degree. Axial rotation 35.degree. iii) Cervical level Flexion 40.degree. Extension 75.degree. Lateral flexion 35.degree. Axial rotational 90.degree. ______________________________________
This flexibility must be considered in order to provide a body protector which is comfortable to wear.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a segmented member comprising a generally linear array of segmen

REFERENCES:
patent: 4820221 (1989-04-01), Aubrey
patent: 5140995 (1992-08-01), Uhl
patent: 5328447 (1994-07-01), Kapounek et al.
patent: 5400801 (1995-03-01), Archer, III

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