Releasable unconstrained inflatable body protector

• US 5,362,098 A
• Filed: 08/11/1993
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Guill, Frederick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US08/104,682
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733, 280/734, 280/735, 280/730, 280/728 R, 244/122 AG, 340/945, 340/961, 340/532, 340/665-669
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• 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

A device for providing crash protection to people aboard a land, air, sea space vehicle. A crash sensor mounted on the vehicle is used to sense a crash, impact or jarring motion. Data from the crash sensor is then transmitted via wireless communication by a signal transmitter to a signal receiver mounted on a harness worn by a crew member or passenger. When a crash signal is received, inflation mechanisms inflate inflatable bladders mounted on the harness, thereby protecting the person wearing the harness.

Claims

1. An inflatable protective device comprising:

releasable inflatable means for providing protection from impacts for randomly located occupants of a vehicle;

said occupants having unconstrained movement about the interior of said vehicle;

said inflatable means releasing from said protective device upon the application of moderate tearing force;

inflation means, coupled to said inflatable means, for inflating said inflatable means;

crash sensing means, capable of being mounted to said vehicle, for detecting an onset of a crash;

wireless communication means for sending information from said crash sensing means to said inflation means, said wireless communication means linking said crash sensing means and said inflation means;

whereby, upon sensing the onset of a crash by said crash sensing means, a wireless communication signal is transmitted by said wireless communication means which causes said inflation means to inflate said inflatable means, said inflatable means, rapidly deflating after said crash allowing said occupants rapid egress from said vehicle thus providing protection from injury.

2. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said wireless communication means comprises:

transmitter means, interfaced to said crash sensing means, for transmitting a wireless signal containing information from said crash sensing means; and

receiving means, interfaced to said inflation means, for receiving wireless signals transmitted from said transmitter means.

3. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said inflatable means is an inflatable body protection outfit.

4. An inflatable protective device as in claim 3, wherein said inflatable body protection outfit comprises a jacket capable of being inflated.

5. An inflatable protective device as in claim 3, wherein said inflatable body protection outfit comprises:

a harness;

at least one inflatable bladder releasably mounted on said harness; and

said at least one inflatable bladder releasing from said harness upon application of moderate tearing force.

6. An inflatable protective device as in claim 5, wherein said harness comprises:

a waist belt which wraps around the waist of a wearer;

at least one shoulder strap which has one end connected to the front portion of said waist belt and one end connected to the back portion of said waist belt.

7. An inflatable protective device as in claim 6, wherein said harness further comprises at least one hold-down crotch strap which has one end connected to the front portion of said waist belt and one end connected to the back portion of said waist belt.

8. An inflatable protective device as in claim 7, wherein said harness further comprises:

at least two shoulder straps; and

at least one anti-spreading strap having one end connected to one of said at least two shoulder straps and the other end connected to a second of said at least two shoulder straps.

9. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said inflation means comprises at least one cool gas generator.

10. An inflatable protective device as in claim 2, wherein said transmitter means transmits radio signals and said receiver means receives radio signals.

11. An inflatable protective device as in claim 2, wherein said transmitter means transmits infrared signals and said receiver means receives infrared signals.

12. An inflatable protective device as in claim 2, wherein said transmitter means transmits laser signals and said receiver means receives laser signals.

13. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said crash sensing means is mounted on an air vehicle.

14. An inflatable protective device as in claim 13, wherein said air vehicle is a helicopter.

15. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said crash sensing means is mounted on a sea vehicle.

16. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said crash sensing means is mounted on a space vehicle.

17. An inflatable protective device as in claim 1, wherein said crash sensing means is mounted on a land vehicle.

18. A method of protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprising:

providing a releasable inflatable means for protecting the occupant from impact while performing routine tasks requiring unconstrained movement within the interior of said vehicle;

said releasable inflatable means separating from said occupant upon moderate tearing force thereby allowing said occupants a rapid post-crash egress from the vehicle;

providing an inflation means to inflate said inflatable means;

providing crash sensing means, capable of being mounted to said vehicle, for detecting an onset of a crash producing impact;

providing a wireless communications means for sending information from said crash sensing means to said inflation means, said communications means linking said crash sensing means and said inflation means;

whereby, upon sensing the onset of a crash by said crash sensing means, a wireless communication signal is transmitted by said communication means which causes said inflation means to inflate said inflatable means thereby providing protection from injury.

19. The method of claim 18 where the releasable inflatable means includes a body protection suit.

20. The method of claim 19 where the body protection suit includes a harness.