Inflatable safety pack

• US 3,921,944 A
• Filed: 03/13/1972
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Barclay Morrison
• Original Assignee: Barclay Morrison
• Inventors: Morrison, Barclay
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kelmachter, Barry L.
• Application Number:
  US05/234,239
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 244/138R,140,141,148,146,149,137R,137P,143 188/1C 2/2,2.1R,2.1A,DIG.3,1 280/15AB 182/4,5
• US Class Current: 244/138.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 1/22 by making use of jumping devices, e.g. jumping-sheets, jumping-mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/14 Absorbing landing shocks
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/00 Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for parachutes B64D17/00, B64D19/00; jettisoning of fuel tanks or fuel per se B64D37/00; specially adapted for protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems B64D45/0015 ; safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape B64C

Abstract

An inflatable safety pack adapted to be worn by a person or otherwise attached to an object so that in the event of falling, upon impact the inflatable portion of the pack absorbs the resultant impact forces. The inflatable portion is housed within a frangible container and includes a plurality of sections which are preformed and coupled to one another so that upon inflation they act to encapsulate the person or object. A gaseous fluid is routed into each of the sections via check valves which maintain the desired pressure therein. An acceleration force responsive device is provided to automatically activate the device as well as additional features more fully explained herein.

Claims

1. An inflatable safety package adapted to protect an object against impact forces which comprises:

a. means for attaching said package to the object to be protected;

b. inflatable means having a preformed shape adapted to embrace and encapsulate upon inflation the object to be protected thereby acting to absorb and shield the object from impact forces;

c. means for inflating said inflatable means in response to a predetermined acceleration force encountered by the object being protected by said package; and

d. frangible container means enclosing said inflatable means in the deflated condition adapted to rupture thereby releasing said inflatable means upon exertion of a predetermined force by the latter and having a substantially cylindrical shaped frangible outer skin embracing said inflatable means when deflated and closed end panels attached to each end of said outer skin.

2. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflating means comprises means for supplying gas, and sensing means responsive to acceleration forces coupLed to said gas supplying means so that upon sensing a predetermined acceleration force said sensing means causes activation of said gas supplying means which in turn causes inflation of said inflatable means.

3. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 2 wherein said inflatable means includes a preformed upper, lower and center section which when inflated are in abutting relation with one another and fully encapsulate the object to be protected, means coupling each of said upper, lower and center sections to the section adjacent thereto while being in operative communication therewith, a plurality of one way valves at least one of which is disposed between each adjoining section to form a path in communication with each of said upper, lower and center sections respectively so as to allow the entry of gas to inflate each of said sections respectively while precluding any gaseous fluid in said sections from returning to said gas supplying means.

4. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said upper, lower and center sections are divided into at least three subsections separated from one another except for air passages which permit the flow of gas from one compartment to another.

5. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said attaching means comprises a base means and strap means adapted to extend around the object being protected and hold said package in a fixed relation thereto.

6. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflatable means is preformed so as to have a substantially greater length than that of said cylindrical shaped frangible outer skin and when packaged therein in the deflated condition is folded upon itself.

7. An impact absorbing inflatable safety package adapted to protect a person against impact forces which comprises:

a. a base means;

b. strap means coupled to said base means adapted to extend about the person and hold said base means with respect to the person;

c. inflatable means attached to said base means including a preformed upper, lower and center section which when inflated are in abutting relation with adjacent sections and fully encapsulate the person wearing the package, means coupling each of said upper, lower and center sections to the section adjacent thereto while being in operative communication therewith, a plurality of one way valves at least one of which is disposed between each adjoining section to form a path in communication with each of said upper, lower and center sections respectively so as to allow the entry of gas to inflate each of said sections respectively while precluding any gaseous fluid in said sections from returning to an adjoining section, said lower and center sections being adapted upon inflation to form a sealing surface therebetween, and at least one of said upper and center sections being provided with an abutting corrugated surface so as to permit the entry of air into the inner portion of said package;

d. means for inflating said inflatable means in response to a fall encountered by the person utilizing said package; and

e. container means enclosing said inflatable means in the deflated condition.

8. An impact absorbing inflatable safety pack adapted to be worn by a person and protect the person against impact forces associated with vertical falls from high elevations which comprises:

a. a base means;

b. strap means attached to said base means and adapted to extend about the person and hold said base means with respect to the person;

c. inflatable means attached to said base means including means for supplying a gaseous fluid, an upper, lower and center section adapted to encapsulate the head, legs and body of the person wearing said pack upon inflation respectively, means coupling each of said upper, lower and center sections to the adjacent section while in operative communication therewith so as to permit the flow of said gaseous fluid, a pluralitY of one way valves at least one of which is disposed between each adjoining section to form a path in communication with each of said upper, lower and center sections respectively so as to allow the entry of gas to inflate each of the sections while precluding any gaseous fluid in said sections from returning to said supply means;

d. sensing means responsive to increased velocities encountered by the person wearing said pack adapted to release said gaseous fluid supplying means upon a predetermined increase in vertical velocity so as to cause inflation of said inflatable means in response to a fall of the person wearing said package; and

e. frangible container means enclosing said inflatable means in the folded and deflated condition, said frangible container means being adapted to rupture and release said inflatable means upon exertion of a predetermined force caused by the inflation of the latter.

9. An impact absorbing inflatable safety package adapted to protect a person against impact forces which comprises:

a. a base means;

b. strap means coupled to said base means adapted to extend about the person and hold said base means with respect to the person;

c. inflatable means attached to said base means, adapted to encapsulate the person upon inflation and thereby aid in absorbing impact forces, said inflating means including an explosive charge adapted to relase a supply of gas, and sensing means responsive to acceleration forces coupled to said explosive charge so that upon sensing a predetermined acceleration force said sensing means causes activation of said explosive charge and releases said supply of gas to commence inflating said inflatable means;

d. means for inflating said inflatable means in response to a fall encountered by the person utilizing said package;

e. container means enclosing said inflatable means in the deflated condition; and

f. a supply of compressed gas in operative communication with said sensing means, and a mounting plate adapted to engage and hold a portion of said inflatable means in an abutting relating to said base means, said plate having said explosive charge, sensing means and supply of compressed gas mounted thereon and positioned within said inflatable means.

10. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 9 wherein said inflatable means includes a preformed upper, lower and center section which when inflated are in abutting relation with adjacent sections and fully encapsulate the person wearing the package, means coupling each of said upper, lower and center sections to the section adjacent thereto while being in operative communication therewith, a plurality of one way valves at least one of which is disposed between each adjoining section to form a path in communication with each of said upper, lower and center sections respectively so as to allow the entry of gas to inflate each of said sections respectively while precluding any gaseous fluid in said sections from returning to an adjoining section.

11. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 10 wherein said lower and center sections are adapted upon inflation to form a sealing surface therebetween, and at least one of said upper and center sections is provided with an abutting corrugated surface so as to permit the entry of air into the inner portion of said package.

12. An inflatable safety package in accordance with claim 10 wherein said one way valves are maintained in alignment with one another when said upper, lower and center sections are in the deflated condition so that upon inflation said upper and lower sections initial expansion is primarily in the vertical direction.

13. An impact absorbing inflatable safety package adapted to protect a person against impact forces which comprises:

a. a base means;

b. a mounting plate;

c. strap means coupled to said base means adapted to extend about the person and hold said base means with respect to the person;

d. inflatable meanS attached to said base means adapted to encapsulate the person upon inflation and thereby aid in absorbing impact forces, said inflatable means including an inner and outer skin attached to one another, said inner skin being of a preformed configuration adapted to snugly confine the person wearing said package upon inflation, said outer skin having substantially the same preformed configuration as said inner skin, and wherein said inflatable means is attached to said base means by said mounting plate holding said inner skin in abutting relation therewith;

e. means for inflating said inflatable means in response to a fall encountered by the person utilizing said package; and

f. container means enclosing said inflatable means in the deflated condition.

14. An impact absorbing inflatable safety package adapted to protect a person against impact forces which comprises:

a. a base means;

b. strap means coupled to said base means adapted to extend about the person and hold said base means with respect to the person;

c. inflatable means attached to said base means adapted to encapsulate the person upon inflation and thereby aid in absorbing impact forces;

d. means for inflating said inflatable means in response to a fall encountered by the person utilizing said package; and

e. container means enclosing said inflatable means in the deflated condition, said container means including a substantially cylindrical shaped frangible outer skin embracing said inflatable means when deflated and adapted to rupture thereby releasing said inflatable means upon exertion of a predetermined force caused by inflation of said inflatable means.