An inflatable neck pillow is disclosed comprising a generally C-shaped inflatable pillow that approximates the shape of a human neck, wherein the pillow includes an air valve for inflating and deflating the same and means for securing the pillow within the compartment of a garment with a stowable hood. The pillow preferably has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is longer than the lower portion, with an indentation or narrower portion between such that the pillow remains securely in place when inserted into the storage compartment of a garment collar.

A support shirt is provided with round sleeve holes located on a front portion of the shirt body and a notched sleeve design which spreads the stress on the fabric during lifting along the length of the sleeves as opposed to prior art shirt designs in which stress occurs in the very narrow chest plate of the shirt and at the point where the sleeves are attached to the shirt body. The notched sleeve design also results in the sleeves tilting downwardly and curving inwardly to provide additional support during lifting. As a result of the notched sleeve design, the support shirt is more durable and aids in reducing erratic bar movement during lifting, thrusting, or pushing.

The present disclosure describes an apparel system for an upper torso of a wearer. The apparel system may comprise a first layer of a breathable fabric and a water resistant second layer. The second layer may be stowed in a pocket located on the front of the first layer. The second layer may be transitioned from within the pocket to cover at least a portion of the first layer to protect the wearer from external conditions. In some embodiments, the second layer may be affixed to the first layer at an area within the pocket.

A head and neck restraining system is disclosed herein. The system includes a helmet, a neck brace structure, and a tether system. The neck brace structure includes a neck extension that is attached to shoulder extensions. The tether system includes at least one ring structure that is configured to attach to the helmet and a single tether material that slides through the at least one ring. The single tether material is guided along the neck extension and attached to the shoulder extensions. The at least one ring structure is positioned between the neck and shoulder extensions along the single tether material and splits the load on the helmet to the neck extension and the shoulder extension along to the single tether material created by exerted forces.

A dual functioning head protection device for a fall prone user including a c-shaped neck collar that is configured to compress the jugular veins of the user during application to the user's neck and an expandable airbag helmet that is removably affixed to the collar. The airbag helmet includes an inflatable innerbag surrounded by an outer hag, such that the structure of the outer bag defines a shape of the airbag helmet when the inner bag is inflated. The inner bag includes a number of chambers which inflate to protect the user's skull during a fall. A trigger device in the collar detects if the user is falling and inflates the airbag helmet in such instances. This dual functioning device also protects the user's brain from brain slosh because of the collar's compression of the user's jugular veins. Compression of the vein sends blood into the skull with each fall impact, which reduces the brain's freedom to jostle around in the skull in a fall.

Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus and computer program products for use in manufacturing an anatomical protective item for one or more users. Embodiments of anatomical protective items may comprise a single layer of energy controlling cells. Input data associated with one or more users is obtained. The obtained input data is processed to identify one or more energy controlling criteria for the anatomical protective item. A packing process is employed to generate each energy controlling cell in the single layer. Each energy controlling cell comprises one or more walls which extend from an upper surface of the single layer to a lower surface of the single layer. The packing process is performed at least on the basis of the identified one or more energy controlling criteria. The anatomical protective item comprising the single layer of energy controlling cells is manufactured.

A skin protecting garment includes a back panel, a lower front panel coupled to the back panel, and an upper front panel coupled to the back panel. An upward facing opening is formed by the back panel and the upper front panel. The upward facing opening is dimensioned, shaped and positioned to expose a top of a user's head. A forward facing slit is between the lower front panel and the upper front panel. The forward facing slit is dimensioned, shaped and positioned to expose the user's eyes. The back panel, the lower front panel and the upper front panel are each formed of a material configured to block ultraviolet (UV) light.

A helmet body includes an outer shell having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an outer shell lower edge extending between the inner surface and the outer surface, the outer shell further comprising at least two shoulder pad recesses positioned at a lower edge of the outer shell on a respective left and right sides of the helmet; and an energy management liner adjacent to the inner surface of the outer shell and comprising at least two shoulder pads formed of a foamed energy management material, each of the at least two shoulder pads received into one of the at least two shoulder pad recesses on the respective left or right side of the helmet.

A support shirt is provided with round sleeve holes located on a front portion of the shirt body and a notched sleeve design which spreads the stress on the fabric during lifting along the length of the sleeves as opposed to prior art shirt designs in which stress occurs in the very narrow chest plate of the shirt and at the point where the sleeves are attached to the shirt body. The notched sleeve design also results in the sleeves tilting downwardly and curving inwardly to provide additional support during lifting. As a result of the notched sleeve design, the support shirt is more durable and aids in reducing erratic bar movement during lifting, thrusting, or pushing.

This disclosure provides a protective gear and system for cushioning an object against falling. The protective gear includes a housing conforming to a portion of the object, an airbag disposed in the housing, a detector configured to detect a motion of the object; and a controller configured to generate an actuating signal to deploy the airbag if the motion is over a threshold. The protection system includes a primary protective gear and at least one secondary protective gear.