Expandable and automatically retractable collar and method of use thereof
A flexible collar including a rigid body having a cylindrical outer surface and a cylindrical inner surface concentrically aligned with respect to a common longitudinal axis, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the inner surface defining a bore from the top surface to the bottom surface, and each of the top and bottom surfaces having an endless pathway confined to a respective plane and circumscribing a respective edge of the inner surface. The flexible collar further includes at least one accordion region having a plurality of pivots, at least two of the pivots being radially spaced apart from the longitudinal axis at different distances, and the accordion region being configured to radially deform.
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.
2. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pivots includes a plurality of pivot lines in parallel alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis.
3. The flexible collar according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pivots includes a plurality of inner pivots cylindrically aligned with each other and a plurality of outer pivots cylindrically aligned with each other.
4. The flexible collar according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of pivot lines is configured to maintain a parallel alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis while the accordion region deforms.
5. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible collar comprises a plastic material.
6. The flexible collar according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible collar has a modulus of resilience between 0 and 2.5 MPa.
7. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one slot extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical outer surface or radially outwardly from the cylindrical inner surface.
8. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface defines a half-toroidal recess.
9. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , further comprising a half-toroidal projection extending from at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
10. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , further comprising a radial shelf defining a surface transverse to the longitudinal axis.
11. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide pin is configured to engage with a corresponding slot of a sleeve.
12. The flexible collar according to claim 1 , each of the first surface and the second surface defines an endless pathway confined to a respective plane.
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.
14. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of inner pivot lines and each of the plurality of outer pivot lines are configured to maintain a parallel alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis while the accordion region deforms.
15. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein the body is composed of a plastic material.
16. The flexible collar according to claim 15 , wherein the body has a modulus of resilience less than 2.5 MPa.
17. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , further comprising at least one slot extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical outer surface or radially outwardly from the cylindrical inner surface.
18. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface defines a half-toroidal recess.
19. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein the body further includes a half-toroidal projection extending from at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface.
20. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein the body further includes a radial shelf defining a surface transverse to the longitudinal axis.
21. The flexible collar according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one guide pin is configured to engage with a corresponding slot of a sleeve.