Airbag type safety device

• US 20050279559A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Helite Sarl
• Original Assignee: Helite Sarl
• Inventors: Thevenot, Gerard
• Application Number:
  US10/524,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279559A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 33/00 Devices for allowing seemingly-dead persons to escape or draw attention; Breathing apparatus for accidentally buried persons
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2201/00 Airbags mounted in aircraft for any use

Abstract

A safety device associated with a transport, or with its pilot'"'"'s body or the body of any other person practising a sport or a hazardous activity to protect the body, includes an inflatable airbag connected to inflating elements automatically or manually activated upon an impact. The airbag has a frame including at least one tubular element for forming a geometrical frame, when the tubular element is inflated, the latter being initially folded in a container integral, for instance, with the transport and/or the human body and connected to the inflating elements and an outer wall made of a flexible material integral with the frame so as to form a closed chamber filled with air at atmospheric pressure, the outer wall including at least one valve.

Claims

1. Safety device disassociated or integral with a means of transport, with its pilot'"'"'s body or with the body of any other person practising a hazardous sport or activity to protect said body, comprising an airbag (1, 111, 112a, 112b) or similar connected to inflating means (13) automatically or manually activated so as to inflate said airbag upon impact, characterised in that the airbag (1) is, on one hand, constituted of a frame (2) comprising at least a tubular element so as to form a cylindrical, spherical, parallelepiped or like frame (2), when the tubular element (3, 4) is inflated, said tubular element (3, 4) being initially folded in a container integral, for example, with the means of transport and/or the human body and connected to the inflating means (13) and, on the other hand, of an outer wall (5) made of a flexible material integral with the frame (2) so as to form a closed chamber filled with air at atmospheric pressure, said outer wall (5) comprising at least a valve (6) which opens when the frame (2) is being inflated and which closes at the time of impact.

2. Safety device set forth in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises, on the inside of the volume delimited by the outer wall (5) integral with the frame (2), at least an intermediary inner wall (18) integral with the inside face of the outer wall (5) and/or the frame (2), said outer wall (5) being equipped with at least a valve (6) projecting into the volume delimited by the intermediary inner wall (18) and which opens when the frame (2) is inflated and which closes at the time of impact.

3. Safety device set forth in claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least a main stack (10) made in cloth or like which extends from two faces opposite the outer wall (5), said stack (10) being open at its two ends which are integral with said outer wall (5).

4. Safety device set forth in claim 3, characterised in that it comprises at least a secondary stack (11) made in cloth or like which extends from the main stack (10) to the outer wall (5), said secondary stack (11) being open at its two ends which are respectively integral with the main stack (10) and the outer wall (5).

5. Safety device set forth in claim 1, characterised in that the valve (6) consists, on one hand, of an orifice (7) made in the outer wall (5) and, on the other hand, of a check valve (8) integral with the inside face of the outer wall (5) and which is very slightly bigger than the orifice (7), said check valve (8) being capable of opening when the tubular elements (3, 4) inflate and closing at the time of impact.

6. Safety device set forth in claim 5, characterised in that it comprises a grill (9) partially obstructing the orifice (7) of the valve (6).

7. Safety device set forth in claim 1, characterised in that the inflating means (13) consists of a bottle of compressed gas (114).

8. Safety device set forth in claim 1, characterised in that the inflating means (13) consist of pyrotechnic means (14).

9. Implementing of the safety device set forth in claim 1, to a ULM type flying apparatus comprising a front airbag (111) and two side airbags (112a and 112b).

10. Safety device set forth in claim 2, characterised in that it comprises at least a main stack (10) made in cloth or like which extends from two faces opposite the outer wall (5), said stack (10) being open at its two ends which are integral with said outer wall (5).

11. Safety device set forth in claim 10, characterised in that it comprises at least a secondary stack (11) made in cloth or like which extends from the main stack (10) to the outer wall (5), said secondary stack (11) being open at its two ends which are respectively integral with the main stack (10) and the outer wall (5).