INJURY PROTECTION DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to personal injury protection means for protecting, for example, the neck, which can be used in sports such as football, hockey, basketball, handball, rugby, etc. The invention is directed toward increasing the level of protection against impact injuries and improving thermoregulation of the human body. This is achieved by virtue of a flexible structural element (1), and a guard (2) for protecting the back of the neck, these being made of a polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating impact energy, in the form of a strip in the form of a collar. The structural element consists of a centre portion (8) and two side portions (9).

Claims

1. An injury protection device, comprising: a flexible structural element and a guard which are made of a polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating impact energy, wherein the flexible structural element preferably has a thickness of at least 4 mm and is made of the polymeric material in a form of a strip configured as a collar, the flexible structural element comprising a central part arranged in a center of the flexible structural element and two side parts arranged symmetrically on either side of the central part and spaced apart from the central part by central holes, wherein the flexible structural element has an upper side above the central part in an area of a human chin, the upper side being made as an arc whose convex part faces the central part, wherein the flexible structural element has a lower side below the central part, the lower side being made as an arc whose convex part faces away from the central part, the central part being preferably made as a figured or geometric shape advantageously with a height of at least 4 mm, wherein the flexible structural element has a back side made advantageously smooth and a front side embossed in a form of protrusions of arbitrary shape and height, preferably with a height of at least 1 mm, the protrusions being arranged on the surface in random order, and wherein the guard is advantageously flat and made as a figured or geometric shape with a thickness of at least 4 mm, the guard having a advantageously smooth back side and a front side having at least two recesses.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The essence of the present invention is explained by the following drawings:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a flexible structural element,

[0018] FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of a guard,

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a back view of the flexible structural element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] An injury protection device comprises a flexible structural element 1 and a guard 2 for backside neck protection. The flexible structural element 1 preferably has a thickness of at least 4 mm and is made of a polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating impact energy. The flexible structure element 1 is in the form of a strip configured as a collar. If the thickness of the flexible structural member 1 is less than 4 mm, a high level of protection against impact injuries and thermoregulation of a human body are not achieved.

[0021] The flexible structural element 1 comprises a central part 8 and two side parts 9. The central part 8 is arranged in the center of the flexible structural element 1, and the side parts 9 are arranged symmetrically relative to the central part 8 and spaced apart therefrom by central holes 10.

[0022] The flexible structural element 1 has an upper side 6 above the central part 8 in the area of a human chin. The upper side 6 is made as an arc whose convex part faces the central part 8.

[0023] The flexible structural element 1 has a lower side 7 below the central part 8. The lower side 7 is made as an arc whose convex part faces away from the central part 8.

[0024] The central part 8 is preferably made as a figured or geometric shape advantageously with a height of at least 4 mm.

[0025] The flexible structural element 1 has a back side 5 which is made advantageously smooth. If the thickness of the central part 8 is less than 4 mm, the high level of protection against impact injuries and the thermoregulation of the human body are not achieved.

[0026] The flexible structural element 1 has a front side 4 which is embossed in the form of protrusions 11 of arbitrary shape. The protrusions 11 advantageously have a height of at least 1 mm and are arranged on the surface in random order, thereby stiffening the flexible structural element 1.

[0027] If the height of the protrusions 11 is less than 1 mm, the high level of protection against impact injuries and the thermoregulation of the human body are not achieved. There are at least two side holes 3 between the protrusions 11 and a lateral side 12 of each of the side parts 9 of the flexible structural element 1. The central part 8 preferably made as a figured or geometric shape and having a thickness of at least 4 mm, the protrusions 11 having a height of at least 1 mm and forming an air gap between the surface of the back side 5 of the flexible structural element 1 and a casing wall, and the central and side holes 10, 13 allow improving the thermoregulation and a condition of heat and vapor exchange in temperature-sensitive areas of the human body.

[0028] Both of the flexible structural element 1 made of the polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating the impact energy and comprising the protrusions 11 of arbitrary shape and height, and the guard 2 for backside neck protection reduce severe injuries caused by impacts and/or collisions in the front of and behind the neck.

[0029] The flexible structural element 1 can be applied to a human of different weight and size.

[0030] The guard 2 for backside neck protection is advantageously flat and made as a figured or geometric shape. The guard 2 has a thickness of at least 4 mm. The guard 2 has an advantageously smooth back side and a front side having recesses. The guard 2 is made of a polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating the impact energy. The injury protection device is used in a suitably sized casing comprising a fixing means.

[0031] The injury protection device operates as follows.

[0032] The flexible structural element 1 and the guard 2 are first arranged in the suitably sized casing comprising the fixing means. The casing has an inner layer which is, in the front, preferably made of KEVLAR material characterized by a high-tensile strength and protecting from cutting items, for example, a skate blade. Then, the casing is put around a human neck prior to holding a sports match, hazardous work associated with the risk of injury due to an impact or push, as well as during training and competitive sports events, and fixed on human neck using the fixing means. Due to its design and elastic properties, the injury protection device fits snugly around the protected human neck. In case of an impact or push occurred in the area of the human neck, elastic strains of the flexible structural element 1 and the guard 2 take place. Severe injuries caused by impacts and/or collisions in the front of and behind the neck are reduced because the impact energy is absorbed and dissipated by using the following: [0033] the flexible structural element 1 which is made of the polymeric material capable of absorbing and dissipating the impact energy and comprises the central part 8 preferably made as a figured or geometric shape advantageously with a height of at least 4 mm, the flexible structural element 1 having a front side embossed in the form of the protrusions 11 of arbitrary shape and height, advantageously with a height of at least 1 mm, and the flexible structural element 1 comprising the central and side holes 10, 3; and [0034] the guard 2 which is advantageously smooth and made as a figured or geometric shape, the guard 2 having a thickness of at least 4 mm with the smooth back side and the front side having recesses.

[0035] The central part 8 preferably made as a figured or geometric shape advantageously with a height of at least 4 mm, the protrusions 11, and the guard 2 for backside neck protection, which is advantageously smooth and made as a figured or geometric shape with a thickness of at least 4 mm, form the air gap between each other and the casing wall. The air gap provides, in concert with the central and side holes 10, 3, an input and output for an air flow, thereby protecting the human body from general heat stress in case of excessive sweating and improving the human body thermoregulation, and preventing their adverse effect on athlete performance.

[0036] By using the injury protection device, it is possible to increase the level of protection against impact injuries and improve the thermoregulation of the human body.