Supporting collar

Abstract

A neck supporting collar comprises at least two strips of board material disposed side by side and covered by an envelope of flexible sheet material which provides a fold line between the two strips, so that the strips can be disposed face to face to reduce the width of the collar. Preferably the collar comprises three strips of board material of unequal width, the envelope providing a fold line between the centre and each of the outer strips.

Description

This invention relates to a neck supporting collar.

The object of the invention is to provide a low cost neck supporting collar which can be easily fitted to any patient, who has suffered an injury by impact, to ensure that further injury of the neck is avoided when moving the patient from the scene of the accident.

According to the invention a neck supporting collar is formed by at least two strips of board material disposed side by side and covered by an envelope of flexible sheet material which provides a fold line between the two strips, so that the strips can be disposed face-to-face to reduce the width of the collar.

Preferably the collar has three strips of board material of unequal width, the envelope providing a fold line between the centre and each of the outer strips.

The collar is thus readily adjustable in width and its fastening arrangement can be such that the collar is readily adjustable in length. This allows emergency services to meet a maximum demand say in the case of an aircraft accident, without having to carry numerous collars of different sizes.

The collar has the necessary flexibility for it to be bent into position around the neck and the necessary transverse stiffness to provide adequate support of the head. If the strips are provided with transverse score lines the longitudinal bending of the collar can be controlled; thus for example score lines can be provided so that the collar takes up the shape of the neck at the back but is, relatively speaking, pointed at the front to ensure that the windpipe of the patient is not restricted and to give added support to the jaw. The board material may be chipboard, hardboard, cardboard or grained wood cut so that the grain extends width-wise of the strips.

The flexible material used for the envelope is preferably plastics material such as P.V.C.; longitudinal weld lines may be provided between facing surfaces of the envelope material to seal each strip within its own compartment in an airtight manner and simultaneously to provide a fold line between the strips.

One construction of neck supporting collar in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the collar in the openedout position.

FIGS. 2(a) to 2(d) show different ways in which the collar can be adjusted to vary its width,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the collar showing its internal construction, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the collar as it would be folded around the neck of a patient.

Referring to the drawings, the collar is constructed so that it lies flat for storage as shown in FIG. 1. In use the collar is bent around the neck of a patient and fastened together at its ends as shown in FIG. 4, the fastening in this example coming at the back of the neck of the patient. The fastening can take any suitable form provided that it is adjustable to vary the effective length of the collar. In the example shown in the drawing the fastening is a "touch-and-close" fastening having one fastening strip 1 extending along the collar and a second fastening strip 2 on a tab 3. Such fastening strips are sold under the Registered Trade Mark "VELCRO," one of the strips being formed with a plurality of loop elements of plastic material and the other with a plurality of hook elements which engage with the loops when the strips are pressed together. Adjustment of the length of the collar is brought about by adjustment of amount by which the strip 2 overlaps the strip 1.

The collar is formed using three side-by-side strips of board material, a central strip 4 and two wing strips 5 and 6 all of unequal width, the central strip 4 having a width slightly greater than the sum of the widths of the strips 5 and 6. The strips 4, 5 and 6 have an envelope 7 of plastics sheet material such as P.V.C. Line welds 8 and 9 extend between the central strip 4 and the wing strips 5 and 6, to seal each strip in airtight manner in its own compartment and simultaneously provide a fold line by means of which the two wing strips 5 and 6 can be folded on to the central strip 4 so that the wing strips 5 and 6 are disposed face to face with the central strip 4. In FIGS. 2(a)-2(d) are shown the various positional combinations of the wing strips 5 and 6 in order to vary the width of the collar. Thus FIG. 2(a) shows the widest collar and FIG. 2(d) the narrowest collar.

Transverse score lines 10 and 11 (FIG. 1) are provided at the ends and at mid-length of the collar respectively to control the bending of the collar so that it takes up the shape shown in FIG. 4 when fitted to a patient, the relatively pointed front ensuring that the windpipe is not restricted and providing added support for the jaw.

Polyester foam 12 (FIG. 3) covers the surfaces of the wing strips 5 and 6 and provides a cushioning effect against the jaw and shoulder of the patient.

Claims

I claim:

1. A neck supporting collar comprising at least two elongated strips of board material disposed side by side and covered by an envelope of flexible sheet material which provides a longitudinal fold line between the two strips so that the strips can be disposed face to face to reduce the width of the collar, the opposing ends of the collar being provided respectively with cooperating fastening means, at least one of said strips being provided with transverse score lines to control the bending of said collar when said strips are bent about the neck of a wearer to permit the opposing ends of said collar to be fastened to one another by said cooperating fastening means.

2. A neck supporting collar according to claim 1, wherein the collar comprises three strips of board material of unequal width, the envelope providing a fold line between the centre and each of the outer strips.

3. A neck supporting collar according to claim 2, wherein the outer strips are covered by cushioning material.

4. A neck supporting collar according to claim 2, wherein the sum of the widths of the two outer strips is less than the width of the centre strip.

5. A neck supporting collar according to claim 2, wherein the envelope is of plastics material and each fold line is provided by a weld line joining facing surfaces of the envelope to seal each strip in its own compartment of the envelope.

6. A neck supporting collar according to claim 1, wherein one of the strips is provided with transverse score lines adjacent an end to control the bending of the collar.

7. A neck supporting collar according to claim 1, wherein at least one transverse score line is provided at the mid-length of said strip to provide a pointed bend in the strip at the midlength.