INFLATABLE FALL ARREST AND FALL PROTECTION SAFETY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20140047623A1
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SS Richards & Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: SS Richards & Associates LLC
• Inventors: Richards, Scott S.
• Application Number:
  US13/968,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/455
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0007 Garments with built-in harnesses safety harnesses A62B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0155 having inflatable structure, e.g. non automatic
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/00 Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion buckles A44B11/00; accessories for children's furniture A47D15/00; children's seats B60N2/24; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; harnesses for parachutes B64D17/30; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/06; releasable fastenings F16B

Abstract

An inflatable fall arrest and fall protection safety system generally having one or more inflatable apparatus attached to a belt or other suitable wearable support structure that can be worn by a user. When the user falls, one or more directional inertia activated inflation devices trigger one or more inflators to inflate the one or more inflatable apparatus such that they protect the falling user in the given situation. The inflatable fall arrest and fall protection safety system can be used for work that is performed at dangerous heights, for example pipe rack or scaffolding construction, as well as to protect people who are prone to falling, or any situation in which protection from falling could be desired.

Claims

1. A personal protection apparatus for preventing or substantially reducing injury to a wearer of said apparatus experiencing a fall or similar event, the personal protection apparatus comprising:

a wearable support structure associated with an inflatable apparatus, said inflatable apparatus comprising;

an outer containment comprising a low-elasticity flexible material, said outer containment inflatable to a substantially fixed volume,

an inner bladder inside of said outer containment, said inner bladder comprising an elastic material configured to receive a volume of pressurized gas,

an inflator connected to said inner bladder configured to inflate said inner bladder with said volume of pressurized gas, and

an activation mechanism system sensing accelerations and in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, said activation mechanism system activates said inflator to generate said volume of pressurized gas into said inner bladder, said inner bladder expanding to said substantially fixed volume of said outer containment.

2. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said activation mechanism system comprises:

an directional accelerometer sensing accelerations,

an electrical connection to said inflator configured to activate said inflator in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, and

an independent and portable power source configured to provide power to said activation mechanism system.

3. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, said inflatable apparatus comprising a plurality of inner bladders, said activation mechanism system configured to inflate said plurality of inner bladders in a specific and timed progression.

4. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outer containment expands to said substantially fixed volume, at which point increased pressure does not substantially increase said substantially fixed volume of said outer containment until a yield point of said low-elasticity flexible material is reached.

5. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said low-elasticity flexible material of said outer containment is puncture-resistant.

6. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inflatable apparatus, initially uninflated and in either a rolled or folded condition, and in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, said activation mechanism system activates said inflator to generate a volume of pressurized gas into said inner bladder, said inner bladder expanding to said substantially fixed volume of said outer containment, thereby inflating said inflatable apparatus to an inflated and either unrolled or unfolded condition.

7. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressurized gas is sealed inside said inner bladder after inflation.

8. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said activation mechanism system is associated with a transponder that communicates a position of said personal protection apparatus.

9. The personal protection apparatus of claim 5, wherein said inflatable apparatus, initially uninflated and in either a rolled or folded condition, said wearable support structure and said associated inflatable apparatus is contoured and arranged to provide the wearer with unobstructed freedom of movement, said wearable support structure further comprising an elastic portion, a plurality of back support staves providing lumbar back support to minimize back fatigue for the wearer, and shoulder straps or crotch straps to secure said wearable support structure.

10. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inflator is one or more of the following:

a compressed gas inflator;

an inflator comprising a cartridge filled with a plurality of compounds, when mixed, said plurality of compounds generates gas;

or

a solid-propellant inflator.

11. The personal protection apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inflator generates said volume of pressurized gas in under 250 milliseconds.

12. A personal protection apparatus for preventing or substantially reducing injury to a wearer of said apparatus experiencing a fall or similar event, the personal protection apparatus comprising:

a wearable support structure associated with an inflatable apparatus, said inflatable apparatus comprising;

a toroid-shaped outer containment with a discontinuous gap forming two ends of said toroid-shaped outer containment, with a midpoint defined as halfway between said two ends, which is on the opposite side of the toroid-shaped outer containment from said discontinuous gap, said toroid-shaped outer containment comprising a puncture-resistant, low-elasticity, flexible material inflatable to a substantially fixed volume;

eight inner bladders comprising an elastic material, said eight inner bladders approximately equally distributed to fill said toroid-shaped outer containment;

an inflator connected to each said inner bladder configured to inflate each said inner bladder with a volume of pressurized gas in under 250 milliseconds; and

an activation mechanism system sensing accelerations and in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, said activation mechanism system initiates an inflation sequence activating each said inflator to generate a volume of pressurized gas into said eight inner bladders, said eight inner bladders expanding to said substantially fixed volume of said toroid-shaped outer containment, wherein said inflation sequence progresses from an area surrounding said midpoint towards said two ends in a specific, timed progression, completing said inflation sequence in less than 750 milliseconds.

13. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said activation mechanism system comprises:

an directional accelerometer sensing accelerations,

an electrical connection to said inflators configured to activate said inflators in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, and

an independent and portable power source configured to provide power to said activation mechanism system.

14. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said predetermined threshold is a vertically downward component of acceleration of at least 30 ft/sec² for a predetermined period of time of at least 200 milliseconds and said initiated inflation sequence beginning at said threshold with inflation in the area centered about the midpoint, and progressing in pairs of two, symmetrically to the right and left about the midpoint, followed in less than 100 millisecond successions by the next pairs of two inner bladders progressing toward said ends, wherein said inflation sequence is designed to move the wearer'"'"'s limbs ergonomically forward as the toroid-shaped outer containment progresses to full inflation.

15. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said inflatable apparatus, initially uninflated and in either a rolled or folded condition, and in response to a vertically downward component of acceleration exceeding a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, said activation mechanism system initiates an inflation sequence activating each said inflator to generate a volume of pressurized gas into each said inner bladder, said eight inner bladders collectively expanding to fill said substantially fixed volume of said toroid-shaped outer containment, thereby inflating said inflatable apparatus to an inflated and either unrolled or unfolded condition.

16. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said inflatable apparatus substantially centers the wearer in said inflated toroid-shaped outer containment away from potentially harmful structures.

17. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said toroid-shaped outer containment expands to said substantially fixed volume, at which point increased pressure does not substantially increase said substantially fixed volume of said toroid-shaped outer containment until a yield point of said low-elasticity flexible material is reached.

18. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein said inflatable apparatus, initially uninflated and in either a rolled or folded condition, said wearable support structure and said associated inflatable apparatus is contoured and arranged to provide the wearer with unobstructed freedom of movement, said wearable support structure further comprises an elastic portion, a plurality of back support staves providing lumbar back support to minimize back fatigue for the wearer, and elastic shoulder straps or crotch straps to secure said wearable support structure.

19. The personal protection apparatus of claim 12, wherein a cosmetic, breakaway outer layer covers said toroid-shaped outer containment in its initial uninflated and either rolled or folded condition.