GB2305352A

GB2305352A - Inflatable protective jacket for riders.

Info

Publication number: GB2305352A
Application number: GB9519293A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Napier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-21
Filing date: 1995-09-21
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Also published as: GB9519293D0

Abstract

A jacket 1 including a gas canister 5 that may be triggered via trigger mechanism 4, once cord 2, attached to the conveyance, is pulled taut in the event of impact dislodging the rider. On triggering the mechanism 4, gas from the canister expels into communicating airpockets 6,7 contained in the jacket 1 to inflate same to cushion the rider's impact. The jacket may have a shorter, alarmed chord to prevent accidental triggering or be triggered by an electronic device in the conveyance.

Description

ITEM OF WEARING APPAREL This invention relates to an item of wearing apparel which is of a safety or protective nature, for example an inflatable jacket or vest.

In certain activities, for example sporting or racing activities, it is known for people to wear clothing including body protectors (for example substantially rigid protectors containing high density foam and/or other materials). However, it is believed that such clothing tends to be disadvantageous in that body movement may prove somewhat restricted and the level of safety provided by such body protectors may not be sufficient or as effective as might otherwise be the case. In certain activities, for example in riding a motor cycle or a horse, the rider might be in an exposed position and, although for example a rigid crash hat or helmet may be worn, the degree of safety or protection provided for the remainder of the body may be less than adequate.Part of the problem in supplying adequate protection for the body in such circumstances resides in providing wearing apparel which is not too restrictive for the rider.

It is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the aforementioned, or other, problem connected with body protection (which will usually involve a rider engaging in some sporting or racing activity).

According to the present invention there is provided an item of wearing apparel for a rider on a conveyance or moving body such as a motor cycle or a horse, the arrangement being such that, in use, the item of wearing apparel is automatically inflatable on the rider on impact of said conveyance or moving body with an obstruction, said item of wearing apparel acting to cushion the impact of the rider on dislodgement of the rider from the conveyance or moving body.

The item of wearing apparel may be clothing such as a jacket or vest or inflatable jump suit or trousers and will, preferably, include at least one gas canister that may be actuated by any suitable means (for example mechanical means consisting of a cord connected from a trigger mechanism of the gas canister to part of the conveyance or moving body). The cord may have a hook for attachment to said part of the conveyance or moving body and a (shorter) parallel cord may be provided attached to said item and to the first cord by means of "Velcro" or other surface contact fastening means. Thus, the second cord may pull taut before the first cord actuates the trigger mechanism thereby warning the rider to disconnect the first cord before alighting the conveyance or moving body.The second chord may also be attached to an (audible) alarm preferably located near to the trigger mechanism to warn of any misuse.

Any additional safeguard may be inbuilt into the item of wearing apparel or conveyance or moving body e.g. the wearing apparel may only be inflatable whilst an ignition or propulsion system of the conveyance (e.g. motorbike) is activated.

In an alternative embodiment, the trigger mechanism may be triggered by electronic means such as by electronic impact sensors located on the conveyance or moving body.

The wearing apparel may include a plurality of airbags or pockets which have openings into one another to enable gas from said at least one said gas canister to inflate the air bags or pockets on impact of the conveyance or moving body.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a combination of an item of wearing apparel for a rider and a conveyance or moving body such as a motor cycle or a horse, the arrangement being such that, in use, the item of wearing apparel is automatically inflatable on the rider on impact of said conveyance or moving body with an obstruction (or on unintentional dislodgement of the rider e.g. during a skid), said item of wearing apparel acting to cushion the impact of the rider on dislodgement of the rider from the conveyance or moving body.

Other advantageous features of the present invention will be evident from the following description and drawings.

An embodiment of an item of wearing apparel in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying much simplified, somewhat schematic drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a front view of the item of wearing apparel which is a rider's jacket, in an uninflated state; FIGURE 2 shows a rear view of the jacket shown in FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 shows the front view of the jacket as in FIGURE 1, but now in an inflated state, and FIGURE 4 shows the rear view of the jacket as in FIGURE 2 but now in an inflated state.

FIGURES 1 to 4 show a rider's jacket 1 which may be suitable for example for a motor cycle rider (not shown).

The particular configuration of the jacket 1 is not critical and it could be sleeveless and, therefore, be more in the style of a body vest rather than a jacket.

The jacket 1 has a cord 2 with a hook 3 at one end thereof for attachment to a suitable part of a conveyance or moving body (not shown) such as the seat or fuel tank cap of a motor cycle or saddle of a horse. The other end of the cord 2 is attached to a trigger mechanism 4 of a gas canister 5 incorporated into the jacket as shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 1.

Once the cord 2 has been attached to a suitable part of the conveyance or moving body, should that conveyance or moving body meet with an impact caused for example by striking an obstruction sufficient to dislodge the rider, (or should the rider be dislodged unexpectedly from conveyance) the chord will pull on the trigger mechanism 4 thereby actuating the mechanism opening the gas canister 5 and allowing gas to be expelled into communicating air pockets or air bags 6 to 11 contained in the jacket 1.

The jacket 1 has two large airbags or pockets 6,7 which extend vertically on either side of the front centre (zip) line X-X of the jacket and around the back of the jacket (see FIGURE 2) each arm 12 and 13 of the jacket has two airbags running along the arm in a manner which should be evident from the drawings. FIGURES 3 and 4 show how the jacket 1 looks in an inflated state with the airbags or pockets 6 to 11 bulging with inflated air. Thus, it should be evident that the airbags 6 to 11 or pockets are flow connected to one another to enable gas from the canister 5 to spread to all of the airbags or pockets. Of course, it is possible for any alternate design of air pocket or bags in the jacket to be adopted and the neck portion 14 may also be inflatable by the gas canister 5. The jacket 1 may be designed so that the cord 2 is pulled completely off the jacket when it is inflated.It is envisaged that the material of the jacket 1 will be tough enough to withstand considerable impacts and may be similar to material already used for airbags in car crashes. The material could be a thick rubber material.

Of course, in the embodiment as described, the rider must always remember to disconnect the cord 2 from the conveyance or moving body when alighting in order to avoid actuating the trigger mechanism 4. In a modification (not shown) a shorter, parallel safety cord may be attached to the jacket 1 and to the cord 2 by surface contact fastening means (such as Velcro). The second cord may be attached to a small, preferably audible, alarm (not shown) located near the trigger mechanism 4 to warn of any potential misuse.

In this way the rider may be reminded to disconnect the cord 2 from the conveyance or moving body when alighting therefrom since the shorter cord will pull taut before the first cord 2 actuates the trigger mechanism 4.

In a further embodiment (not shown) the gas canister 5 may be triggered by electronic means on impact of the conveyance or moving body rather than by mechanical means (the cord 2). An electronic sensing device (not shown) could be provided on the conveyance or moving body which would send an activating signal to activate the trigger mechanism of the canister on impact of the conveyance or moving body. Such electronic devices are already used in the car industry and thus it should be readily envisaged how such means could be incorporated into the jacket 1 and conveyance/moving body.

Advantageously, it is envisaged in the embodiments described that the jacket 1 may take about only 0.2 second to inflate.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by any equivalent or generic term.

Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions related to the item of wearing apparel or parts thereof, alone or in combination might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural or vice versa.

Claims

1. An item of wearing apparel for a rider on a conveyance or moving body such as a motor cycle or a horse, the arrangement being such that, in use, the item of wearing apparel is automatically inflatable on the rider on impact of said conveyance or moving body with an obstruction, said item of wearing apparel acting to cushion the impact of the rider on dislodgement of the rider from the conveyance or moving body.

2. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 1 which is clothing such as a jacket or vest or inflatable jump suit or trousers.

3. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 including at least one gas canister.

4. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 3 in which the gas canister is actuable by mechanical means consisting of a cord connected from a trigger mechanism of the gas canister to part of the conveyance or moving body.

5. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 4 in which the cord has a hook for attachment to said part of the conveyance or moving body.

6. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 including a second parallel cord attached to said item and to the first cord by means of surface contact fastening means.

7. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 6 in which the second cord is shorter than the first.

8. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the second cord is attached to an alarm.

9. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 8 in which the alarm is audible.

10. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which the alarm is located near to the trigger mechanism to warn of any misuse.

11. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the wearing apparel is only inflatable whilst an ignition or propulsion system of the conveyance or moving body is activated.

12. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 3 in which the gas canister has a trigger mechanism which can be triggered by electronic means.

13. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 12 in which the electronic means has impact sensors located, in use, on the conveyance or moving body.

14. An item of wearing apparel as claimed in Claim 3 or any claim dependent therefrom including a plurality of airbags or pockets which have openings into one another to enable gas from said at least one said gas canister to inflate the airbags or pockets on impact of the conveyance or moving body.

15. An item of wearing apparel for a rider on a conveyance or moving body substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying FIGURES of the drawings.

16. A combination of an item of wearing apparel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and a conveyance or moving body such as a motor cycle or a horse.