US 11,672,921 B2
Expandable and automatically retractable collar and method of use thereof
Terry McElroy, Bray (IE); Colin Dowling, Dublin (IE); Patrick Dowling, Dublin (IE); and Martin McGarry, Dublin (IE)
Assigned to West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., Exton, PA (US)
Appl. No. 16/637,624
Filed by West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., Exton, PA (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 13, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/046508
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 7, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/033103, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/544,202, filed on Aug. 11, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0268983 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. A61M 5/32 (2006.01); F16B 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/3271 (2013.01) [A61M 5/3202 (2013.01); A61M 5/326 (2013.01); A61M 5/3213 (2013.01); A61M 5/3272 (2013.01); A61M 5/3293 (2013.01); F16B 21/186 (2013.01); A61M 2005/3267 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flexible collar comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
a cylindrical outer surface between the first surface and the second surface;
a cylindrical inner surface opposite the cylindrical outer surface and concentrically aligned with respect to a longitudinal axis common to the cylindrical inner surface and cylindrical outer surface, the cylindrical inner surface defining a bore from the first surface to the second surface;
at least one accordion region that is radially expandable and automatically compressible, the at least one accordion region comprising a plurality of pivots, at least two of the pivots being radially spaced apart from the longitudinal axis at different distances; and
at least one guide pin extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface,
wherein each of the first surface and the second surface is continuous around an entirety of a circumference of the flexible collar.
 
13. A flexible collar comprising:
a body comprising a cylindrical outer surface and a cylindrical inner surface concentrically aligned with respect to a longitudinal axis common to the cylindrical inner surface and cylindrical outer surface, a top surface that is annular and continuous, and a bottom surface that is annular and continuous, the cylindrical inner surface defining a bore from the top surface to the bottom surface;
at least one accordion region that is radially expandable and automatically compressible, the at least one accordion region comprising a plurality of inner pivot lines in parallel alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis and located at a first radial distance away from the longitudinal axis and a plurality of outer pivot lines in parallel alignment to the longitudinal axis and located at a second radial distance away from the longitudinal axis greater than the first radial distance; and
at least one guide pin extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface.