Protective collar assembly for helmets

A protective collar assembly for distributing impact forces on an individual's head and neck, comprising:

• a cowl configured to provide a connection point for a bottom of the protective collar assembly, the cowl attachable to shoulder pads or positionable over an individual's shoulders, the cowl having a shape configured to distribute impact loads by reducing compression forces on the individual's head and neck, a base support within the cowl defined by a thickened circular peripheral sidewall with a central opening and having notches spaced apart around the peripheral sidewall, each notch contiguous with an undercut;
• a spring-loaded collar latch assembly comprising a locking pin, a collar latch lever secured to the locking pin via a plunger pin, and a collar latch spring positioned concentrically around the locking pin to bias it into a locked position;
• an outer bearing ring containing a ball bearing assembly that provides frictionless rotation of the individual's head within a predetermined range, the ball bearing assembly formed from a race with sealed ball bearings to provide rotation, and safety tabs positioned on the outer bearing ring to prevent over-rotation of the individual's head and neck, wherein the safety tabs can engage with the notches of the thickened circular peripheral sidewall and be locked in place by rotation into the undercuts of the cowl, and wherein the outer bearing ring further includes a ramp and a slot, the ramp configured to guide a plunger component of the spring-loaded collar latch assembly into a corresponding locking position;
• an inner ball bearing ring for retaining the ball bearings, the inner ball bearing ring having spaced-apart tabs that interact with the safety tabs on the outer bearing ring to define rotational limits;
• a fabric cover attached to the inner and outer bearing rings, the fabric cover comprising a flexible and tear-resistant material configured to limit movement of the individual's head and neck, wherein a tongue-and-groove attachment mechanism secures the fabric cover, the tongue-and-groove attachment mechanism including a groove formed in a fabric cover member and a flexible cylindrical component receivable within the groove, the fabric cover being retained by positioning the fabric cover around the flexible cylindrical component and sliding the flexible cylindrical component along the groove, and the fabric cover further including fasteners configured to secure the fabric cover to the inner ball bearing ring to prevent disconnection under impact;
• a top ring positioned above the fabric cover, attachable to a helmet to allow controlled movement of the helmet in conjunction with the protective collar assembly, the top ring configured to connect to a receiver on the helmet through a tongue and groove interface, with locking pins for quick release and secure attachment.