Cervical spine protection device

Claim 2

A cervical spine protection device comprising: a lower portion engaged with a user's shoulders, the lower portion having an opening at a forward facing side of a user's body; an upper portion designed for engagement with a user's head protection device when an axial force is applied to a top portion of the user's head protection device, the upper portion having an opening at the forward facing side of the user's body and a rearward facing side of a user's body; and a plurality of compression elements within the cervical spine protection device, wherein the axial force applied to the top portion of the user's head protection device is directed away from a cervical spine of the user in an oblique direction and wherein the compression elements comprise a first horizontal portion within and adjacent to the upper portion of the cervical spine protection device and a tapered lower portion designed to follow the contours of a user's neck wherein a force applied to the first horizontal portion is directed along the tapered lower portion away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction.

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the upper portion comprises a width that between 2 and 2.5 inches in length.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 1 , wherein an equal number of compression elements are distributed along each side of the cervical spine protection device.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cervical spine protection device is made of plastic, polyurethane, or foam.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the compression elements are made of a stiff polyurethane material.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the opening in the upper portion at the rearward facing side of the user's body is of a width substantially equal to the width of a user's neck.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the compression elements include a plurality of apertures.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 1 , wherein the openings at the forward and rearward facing sides of the user's body are sufficient in size to allow substantially unrestricted movement of a user's head and neck.

Claim 10

A cervical spine protection device comprising: an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck; an outside portion comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a middle portion, wherein the middle portion is located between the upper portion and the lower portion; a front portion; and a back portion, wherein the lower portion is shaped to engage with a user's shoulders, wherein the back portion includes an opening that is sized and shaped to allow a user to move their head and neck backwards without substantial restriction, 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 away from the user's neck, a plurality of compression elements embedded within the cervical spine protection device, wherein the compression elements comprise a first horizontal portion within and adjacent to the upper portion and a tapered lower portion designed to follow the contours of the user's neck, and wherein, when a force is applied to a top surface of the upper portion, the device directs the force away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction.

Claim 11

A cervical spine protection device comprising: an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck; an outside portion comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a middle portion, wherein the middle portion is located between the upper portion and the lower portion; a front portion; and a back portion, wherein the lower portion is shaped to engage with a user's shoulders, wherein the back portion includes an opening that is sized and shaped to allow a user to move their head and neck backwards without substantial restriction, 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 away from the user's neck, a plurality of compression elements embedded within the cervical spine protection device, wherein the compression elements comprise a first horizontal portion within and adjacent to the upper portion and a tapered lower portion designed to follow the contours of the user's neck, and wherein, when a force is applied to a top surface of the upper portion, the device directs the force away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction.

Claim 12

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the device is made of plastic, polyurethane, or foam.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the opening in the back portion includes a valley that is at a lower point elevationally than the top surface of the upper portion.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 9 , wherein a width of the upper portion is approximately between 2 and 2.5 inches.

Claim 15

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the inside portion includes a tapered lower portion designed to follow contours of the user's neck, and wherein the force applied to the top surface of the upper portion is directed along the tapered lower portion away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the back portion includes a substantially v-shaped design.

Claim 17

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the lower portion extends further than the upper portion.

Claim 18

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the top surface of the upper portion is designed to engage a lower edge of a helmet when a force is applied to a top of the helmet.

Claim 19

The device according to claim 9 , wherein the front portion includes an opening that creates a separation in the device.

Claim 20

A cervical spine protection device comprising: an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck; an outside portion comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a middle portion, wherein the middle portion is located between the upper portion and the lower portion; a front portion including an opening through the entire device; and a back portion including an opening that is sized and shaped to allow a user to move their head and neck backwards without substantial restriction, wherein the opening in the back portion includes a valley that is at a lower point elevationally than a top surface of the upper portion, 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 away from the user's neck, wherein the upper portion does not extend as far as the lower portion, a plurality of compression elements embedded within the cervical spine protection device, wherein the compression elements comprise a first horizontal portion within and adjacent to the upper portion and a tapered lower portion designed to follow the contours of the user's neck, wherein, when a force is applied to the top surface of the upper portion, the device directs the force away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction, and wherein the top surface of the upper portion is designed to engage a lower edge of a helmet when a force is applied to a top of the helmet.

Claim 21

A cervical spine protection device comprising: an inside portion shaped to fit around a user's neck; an outside portion comprising an upper portion, a lower portion, and a middle portion, wherein the middle portion is located between the upper portion and the lower portion; a front portion including an opening through the entire device; and a back portion including an opening that is sized and shaped to allow a user to move their head and neck backwards without substantial restriction, wherein the opening in the back portion includes a valley that is at a lower point elevationally than a top surface of the upper portion, 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 away from the user's neck, wherein the upper portion does not extend as far as the lower portion, a plurality of compression elements embedded within the cervical spine protection device, wherein the compression elements comprise a first horizontal portion within and adjacent to the upper portion and a tapered lower portion designed to follow the contours of the user's neck, wherein, when a force is applied to the top surface of the upper portion, the device directs the force away from the user's cervical spine in an oblique direction, and wherein the top surface of the upper portion is designed to engage a lower edge of a helmet when a force is applied to a top of the helmet.