Motorcyclist's air strips

• US 5,091,992 A
• Filed: 12/15/1989
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pavo Pusic
• Original Assignee: Pavo Pusic
• Inventors: Pusic, Pavo
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLEKSA, DIANA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US07/451,140
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 2/2, 2/69, 2/DIG. 3, 280/733
• US Class Current: 2/456
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/102 Motorcycling
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0486 Airbags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/03 Inflatable garment

Abstract

Inflatable air strips for protection of a motorcyclist body in case of a traffic accident are disclosed. The air strips comprise plurality of horizontal and vertical air strips worn all around the motorcyclist body which are inflated with gas produced in a gas generator. An inflation process is initiated by an activating cord which is extended from the gas generator and attached to a motorcycle.

Claims

1. An easily stowable protective device which can be worn over a cyclist'"'"'s clothing while riding a cycle, the device being activated in the event of an accident to protect the body of the cyclist, the protective device comprising:

a gas generating source of pressurized gas including at least one fluid outlet;

an activator cord having first and second cord ends, the first cord end being attachable to the source of pressurized gas and the second cord end being attachable to the cycle whereby if the cyclist is thrown from the cycle, the source of pressurized gas is activated so as to release pressurized gas into the fluid outlet;

a first longitudinal torso protecting inflatable air strip adapted to extend longitudinally along the cyclist'"'"'s torso;

at least three lateral torso protecting air strips spaced from one another and extending from the first longitudinal torso protecting air strip;

said lateral torso protecting strips adapted to encircle the cyclist'"'"'s torso;

two longitudinal leg protecting air strips extending downward from one of the lateral torso protecting strips, each of the longitudinal leg protecting air strips adapted to extend along one of the cyclist'"'"'s legs;

at least two lateral leg protecting strips spaced from one another and extending from the longitudinal leg protecting strips, each of the lateral leg protecting strips adapted to encircle one of the cyclist'"'"'s legs;

at least two longitudinal arm protecting air strips in fluid communication with the torso protecting strips, each of the longitudinal arm protecting air strips adapted to extend along one of the cyclist'"'"'s arms;

at least two lateral arm protecting strips extending from each of the longitudinal arm protecting strips, the lateral arm protecting strips being spaced from one another and each of the lateral arm protecting strips adapted to encircle a portion of the cyclist'"'"'s arm;

all of the air strips being in unrestricted fluid communication with one another and said fluid outlet of source of pressurized gas being in fluid communication with the air strips so as to provide pressurized gas to said air strips for inflating said air strips into air tubes for protecting the cyclist;

the air strips being connected to one another so that they can be worn over the cyclist'"'"'s clothing and each air strip defining a substantially fluid tight air passage, each air strip being substantially flattened in its uninflated state and inflatable into said air tube shape when pressurized gas is introduced into the substantially fluid tight air passage and wherein a plurality of open spaces are provided between the air strips so that the air strips have a compact easily stowable design.

2. The protective device of claim 1, further comprising a lateral neck protecting air strip extending from a first longitudinal torso protecting air strip, the neck protecting air strip adapted to encircle the cyclist'"'"'s neck.

3. The protective device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shoulder protecting strips spaced from one another and extending from one of the lateral torso protecting strips and wherein the longitudinal arm protecting strips are connected to the lateral torso protecting strips through the shoulder protecting strips.

4. The protective device of claim 1, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated strips which are joined together so as to allow the flow of gas through their entire length.

5. The protective device of claim 1, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated inner parts, outer edges and self adhesive means holding the outer edges together.

6. The protective device of claim 1, wherein the source of pressurized gas is an inflator type gas generating unit secured to one of the longitudinal torso protecting strips.

7. The protective device of claim 1, wherein the protective device has a compact construction so that it can be stored in a small compartment such as the inside of a motorcycle helmet.

8. The protective device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least two manually operated clasps for providing a connection between adjacent strips.

9. The protective device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinal torso protecting strips includes means for secure attachment of said gas generating source of pressurized gas to said air strips.

10. An easily stowable compact protective device which can be worn over the clothing of a cyclist while riding a cycle so as to protect the cyclist in the event of an accident, the protective device comprising:

a skeletal network of distinct interconnected air strips comprising a plurality of distinct air strips spaced so as to define empty spaces between the air strips so as to reduce the volume of the device such that the network of air strips can be worn over the cyclist'"'"'s clothing and stowed in a small area such as a cyclist'"'"'s helmet when not n use, the air strips including a plurality of air strips adapted to encircle the cyclist'"'"'s torso, a plurality of distinct air strips adapted to encircle the cyclist'"'"'s legs and a plurality of distinct air strips adapted to encircle the cyclist'"'"'s arms;

the torso protecting air strips, the leg protecting air strips and the arm protecting air strips being in unrestricted fluid communication with one another;

a gas generating source of pressurized gas having a fluid passage in fluid communication with one of the air strips, an activator means for initiating generation of pressurized gas by the source of pressurized gas for release into the network of air strips in response to a sensed condition so as to inflate the network of air strips into air tubes so as to protect the cyclist.

11. The protective device of claim 10, wherein each of the air strips has at least two edges spaced from the other air strips such that the air strips are spaced from one another so as to provide a skeletal network of interconnected air strips.

12. The protective device of claim 10, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated strips which are joined together so as to allow the flow of gas through their entire length.

13. The protective device of claim 10, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated inner part, outer edges and self adhesive means holding the outer edges together.

14. The protective device of claim 10, wherein the source of pressurized gas is an inflator type gas generating unit secured to one of the longitudinal torso protecting strips.

15. The protective device of claim 10, wherein the protective device has a compact construction so that it can be stored in a small compartment such as the inside of a motorcycle helmet.

16. An easily stowable protective device for protecting the body of a cyclist in the event of an accident, the protective device comprising:

a gas generator source of pressurized gas including at least one fluid outlet;

an activation mechanism for initiating generation of pressurized gas by the source of pressurized gas in response to a sensed condition;

an interconnected network of air strips in fluid communication with one another which air strips can be worn over a cyclist'"'"'s clothing, the network of air strips including a plurality of air strips adapted to encircle each of the cyclist'"'"'s arms and legs, a plurality of air strips adapted to encircle the user'"'"'s torso, at least one air strip extending along each of the user'"'"'s arms and legs and at least two air strips extending along the user'"'"'s torso;

the fluid outlet of the source of pressurized gas being in fluid communication with the network of air strips such that when the source of pressurized gas is activated by the activating means, pressurized gas is released into the network of air strips such that the air strips are inflated into air tubes so as to protect the cyclist; and

wherein the network of air strips are spaced apart such that the air strips can be compacted so that the air strips, the source of pressurized gas and the activating means are compact enough to be stored inside a small compartment such as a helmet.

17. The protective device of claim 16, wherein each of the air strips has at least two edges spaced from the other air strips such that the air strips are spaced from one another so as to provide a skeletal network of interconnected air strips.

18. The protective device of claim 16, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated strips which are joined together so as to allow the flow of gas through their entire length.

19. The protective device of claim 16, wherein each of the air strips comprise pleated inner parts, outer edges and self adhesive means holding the outer edges together.

20. The protective device of claim 16, wherein the source of pressurized gas is an inflator type gas generating unit secured to one of the longitudinal torso protecting strips.