Method and Apparatus for Body Impact Protection

• US 20090254003A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Active Protective Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Active Protective Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Buckman, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,107,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/04 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/02 by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic massesG01P15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/14 by making use of gyroscopes gyroscopes per se G01C19/00

Abstract

This invention relates to active protective garments which are inconspicuously worn by an individual and which activate upon certain conditions being met. Activation causes inflation of regions of the active protective garment to provide padding and impact cushioning for the wearer.

The invention is an active protective garment such as pair of shorts or pants, a jacket, a vest, underwear, and the like. The garments comprise multiple layers of material that constrain pockets or regions that are inflatable by a source of compressed gas or foam. The garments also comprise sensors to detect ballistic parameters such as acceleration, distance, relative acceleration, and rotation. The sensor information is used to determine whether activation is required. Detection and activation are accomplished in a very short time period in order to offer maximal protection for the individual wearing the garment. The system comprises a computer or logic controller that monitors the sensor data in real time and coordinates the information from all sensors. The system calculates velocity, distance, and rotational velocity. A rule-based system is used to detect a complex fall in progress and discriminate said fall in progress from the events of every day life. The pockets or inflatable regions of the garment protect the individual against falls and other impacts that may cause bone fracture or organ damage.

Claims

1. A system for determining when a patient is falling, said system comprising:

at least one sensor positioned on the patient for measuring acceleration of the sensor at predetermined intervals;

a data storage media for recording acceleration measurement readings of the sensors; and

a control system that is operable to receive and interpret signals from the sensor, wherein the control system is programmed to determine when a patient is falling by first determining a body state of the patient and then determining a transition state of the patient and wherein the control system is programmed to recognize the body state and transition state of the patient and determine whether the acceleration corresponds to an allowable motion during the passage from one body state to another.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the body state is selected from the group consisting of a) standing;

b) seated; and

c) recumbent.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the transition state is selected from the group consisting of a) from the standing to the seated state;

b) from the seated to the standing state;

c) from the seated to the recumbent state; and

d) from the recumbent to the seated state.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the standing state where:

there is posterior, posterolateral, or lateral tilting of the torso of the patient more that 30 to 45 degrees on either side of a direct anteroposterior line that is accompanied by any pelvic or torso descent; and

a posterior descent of greater than 10 inches prior to a transition state for standing state to sitting state has been activated.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the standing state where:

there is anterior torso tilting of more than 90 degrees that is accompanied by axial acceleration beyond a predetermined limit.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the standing state where:

cephalad, axial acceleration of the torso beyond a predetermined limit or is accompanied by a downward motion.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the program for the standing state is recognized by the logic controller where the sensors are in a vertical orientation, a walking signature motion is observed and there is no transition or fall.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein the program for the standing state is recognized by the logic controller where a seated to standing state transition is observed by the logic controller and no fall has occurred during this transition.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the seated state where:

anterior torso tilting is greater than 90 degrees, the pelvis descends and the vertical orientation of the patient'"'"'s torso is reversed.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the seated state where:

there is a reversal of the vertical orientation of the sensors and excessive axial acceleration in the cephalad direction.

11. The system of claim 3 wherein the program for the seated state is recognized by the logic controller where the patient'"'"'s torso is within 45 degrees of vertical and an standing to seated transition has been observed by the logic controller without a fall or a further transition to recumbency.

12. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the recumbent state where:

the sensors detect a descent of greater than 6 inches within 5 seconds of a torso rotation.

13. The system of claim 3 wherein the program for the recumbent state is recognized by the logic controller where the patient'"'"'s torso orientation is within about 20 degrees of horizontal, if no transition from seating to recumbency has been observed by the logic controller and there has not been a fall.

14. The system of claim 3 wherein the program for the transition from standing to seated states is determined by the logic controller by an anterior tilting motion of the patient'"'"'s torso greater 15 to 45 degrees.

15. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition program for standing to seated is initiated when the patient'"'"'s torso tilts beyond a predetermined limit.

16. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the standing to seated transition where:

there is posterior descent without an anterior or slightly anterolateral patient torso tilt.

17. The system of claim 3 where the transition program from standing to seated is complete where:

the pelvis has reached an end of its descent and there is a signature recoil; and

the anterior tilt of the patient'"'"'s torso is reversed.

18. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition program for seated to standing is initiated when the patient'"'"'s torso is forward tilted and there is an upward and forward acceleration.

19. The system of claim 3 wherein the logic controller performs a calculation and determines the patient is falling from the seated to recumbency transition where:

there is an abrupt forward pitching with cephalad acceleration along the axis of the patient'"'"'s torso or lateral acceleration outside predetermined limit.

20. The system of claim 3 where the transition program from seated to standing is complete where:

the patient ascent stops after a normal trajectory without any intervening fall; and

when the patient torso is reversed and the normal vertical state of the torso is restored or walking motion is observed.

21. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition program for seated to recumbency is initiated when the patient'"'"'s torso is forward tilted and there is an upward and forward acceleration.

22. The system of claim 3 wherein the transitional program for seated to recumbency is initiated when the patient'"'"'s torso is tilted more than about 60 degrees laterally or posteriorly from the vertical of the seated state.

23. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition program from seated to recumbency is complete where:

the upper portion of the patient'"'"'s torso stops descending and the orientation of the axis of the torso is horizontal.

24. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition program from recumbent to seated is complete where:

upward motion stops and the patient'"'"'s torso has reached an almost vertical orientation.

25. The system of claim 3 wherein the transition programs have a predetermined time limit to be complete before the logic controller returns to the stage in which the patient was prior to the torso tilt.

26. The system of claim 3 wherein the control system determines a fall where the patient walks backward more than two steps with or without patient torso rotation.

27. The system of claim 3 wherein the control system determines a fall where there is unsteady anterior-posterior or side-to-side instability of the patient in the standing state.

28. The system of claim 3 wherein the control system determines a fall where there is sudden impact acceleration or deceleration.

29. The system of claim 3 wherein the control system determines a fall where there is rapid walking with a patient forward tilted torso.

30. The system of claim 3 wherein the control system determines a fall and activates a protective device.

31. A system for determining when a patient is falling wherein the determines first and second body states of the patient and then determines a transition state of the patient and wherein the system is programmed to recognize the body states and transition states of the patient and determine whether the body states and transition state correspond to an allowable motion during the passage from one body state to the other.