EP1519659A1

EP1519659A1 - Upper body protector for protecting people from compression trauma

Info

Publication number: EP1519659A1
Application number: EP03762350A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter PANZENBÖCK; Kurt Hilgarth
Original assignee: Panzenbock Peter
Current assignee: Panzenbock Peter
Priority date: 2002-07-08
Filing date: 2003-07-08
Publication date: 2005-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-08
Also published as: AT5957U3; WO2004004499A8; AT5957U2; EP1519659B1; US7100217B2; DE50312594D1; ATE463171T1; WO2004004499A1; US20050210569A1; AU2003243801A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an upper body protector for protecting people from compression trauma. Said protector comprises rigid protection elements (1) and shoulder straps (2) which are arranged on said protection elements. In order to create one such upper body protector which offers not only especially high protection against compression of the upper body, but is also as comfortable to wear as possible and does not limit the freedom of movement of the carrier, the shoulder straps (2) and the protection elements (1) together form at least one one-piece cage element (3, 4) consisting of a fibre-reinforced plastic material. The at least one cage element (3, 4) is formed by at least one tubular body (5) consisting of a fibre-reinforced plastic material, especially a carbon fibre reinforced plastic material.

Description

Upper body protector to protect people from compression trauma

The invention relates to an upper body protector for protecting people from compression trauma with rigid protective elements and shoulder support parts arranged thereon.

In numerous professional as well as sports activities, people are at increased risk of accidents, in which particularly high compression forces act on the upper body. For example, rock falls in tunnels or trenches can result in the worker being buried, causing large amounts of rock to land on his upper body and destroy the organs of the chest and abdomen or make breathing impossible due to the particularly high pressure. But also in sports, for example, in the event of accidents involving motorcyclists or the like. repeatedly come to enormous compression forces in the area of the upper body. An in-depth analysis of fatal riding accidents has shown that a fall with the horse repeatedly leads to the horse falling on the rider. The enormous compression trauma causes injuries to the organs of the chest and important organs of the abdomen, which lead to the rider bleeding to death.

While a helmet to protect the head is already mandatory for many activities and sports, protective devices for the upper body are only very rarely used. In addition, currently used protective vests are usually not able to protect the upper body from particularly high compression forces and thus prevent or reduce injuries to the organs of the chest and abdomen.

For example, US Pat. No. 5,978,961 A describes a protective vest for workers in trench and tunnel construction, which has rigid protective elements in the form of two shell-shaped elements which are connected to shoulder support parts in the form of belts. However, such a protective vest is relatively heavy and offers the person wearing it very limited freedom of movement. In addition, the shoulder region and the upper area of the upper body are only slightly protected against high compression forces, so that injuries can also occur here.

Another protector for the upper body, especially from Motorcyclists or rodeo riders are known from US 4,425,667 A, with rigid protective elements protecting the upper body and abdominal area from knocks. Rigid plastic protective elements are arranged at a distance from each other on a soft inner vest. However, this does not result in a stable shell around the upper body that would withstand high compression forces.

Finally, US 3,878,561 A shows a protective vest for motorcyclists, which can consist of interconnected protective elements made of fiber-reinforced plastic. In addition, side tubes are connected to the protective vest, which serve to protect the head and neck. However, the freedom of movement of the wearer of this protective vest is particularly restricted, which is why this protector is only suitable for certain applications.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an above-mentioned upper body protector which protects the upper body from particularly high compression forces and is as little compressible as possible. Finally, the upper body protector should be as light as possible and restrict the wearer's freedom of movement as little as possible. Finally, a simple and inexpensive production should be given, so that a wide application in different areas is ensured.

The object of the invention is achieved in that the shoulder support parts together with the protective elements form at least one one-part cage part made of fiber-reinforced plastic. A particularly high level of protection is achieved in the upper area of the upper body due to the interconnected shoulder support parts and protective elements. Instead of very uncomfortable protective vests with full-surface protectors, at least one one-piece cage part is formed in the subject upper body protector, which includes both a shoulder support part and protective elements. The use of fiber-reinforced plastic combines the properties of low weight with those of particularly high strength. The subject upper body protector is particularly resistant and also withstands particularly high compression forces and can thus save the life of the wearer of the upper body protector. By using a fiber-reinforced plastic on the one hand and the cage-like structure, on the other hand, the upper body protector is also light and comfortable to wear and limits the freedom of movement only a little. In contrast to known protectors, which only offer impact protection in the event of a fall, the upper body protector also prevents the chest from being compressed and injuring the organs of the chest and abdomen.

The cage part advantageously consists of at least one tubular body made of fiber-reinforced plastic. A tubular body correspondingly arranged around the upper body, which forms the cage part of the protector, creates a very resistant structure. If the upper body protector can only be compressed to a very small extent, it can also be adapted very closely to the upper body, which on the one hand increases comfort and on the other hand minimizes the risk of injury since the upper body cannot strike the cage part within the protector.

According to a further feature of the invention, the tubular body which forms the cage part has a flat cross section, preferably an oval cross section. A tubular body with an oval cross section can easily be arranged around the upper body and offers a relatively high stability.

The tubular body can comprise a core around which the fiber-reinforced plastic is arranged.

The core can be formed, for example, by a foam, around which the fiber fabric embedded in synthetic resin, for example glass fiber fabric or carbon fiber fabric, is wound during the manufacture of the protector and is then arranged in a corresponding shape. The assembly is then subjected to a temperature and pressure treatment, which causes the resin to harden.

Alternatively, the core can also be formed from a plastically deformable material with a light weight, for example aluminum or titanium, around which the fabric impregnated with resin is in turn wound. Finally, the arrangement can be cured without the use of the expensive and complex molds. In addition, a core, for example made of aluminum, offers greater security against the arrangement splintering against excessive compression forces. th.

Theoretically, the upper body protector can be made from just one part of the cage, which is put over the head in a similar way to a sweater. To make this possible, the openings for the head and arms in the cage part must be made correspondingly large, and the circumference of the protector must be significantly larger than the upper body of the person to be protected. If, according to a further feature of the invention, two cage parts are provided which are connected to one another in the position of use of the protector, a much higher accuracy of fit and thus a higher protection can be achieved, and moreover an easier putting on and taking off of the upper body protector can be achieved.

The cage parts are advantageously arranged on both sides of a vertical plane of symmetry of the person to be protected and essentially mirror-inverted to this plane of symmetry. The cage parts thus form a part of the protector which protects the left side of the upper body and a part which protects the right side of the upper body. In terms of manufacture, this also has advantages in terms of stability.

The cage parts are detachably connected to one another at at least one connection point, preferably at the front, by means of closure elements. In this way, the upper body protector can be easily removed and put on. The closure elements can be formed by straps, buckles or the like. Of course, it is possible that all connection points are releasably connected to one another by such closure elements. However, this increases the effort when putting on and taking off the upper body protector, since all closure elements have to be closed or opened.

The two cage parts can be connected to one another at a connection point, preferably on the rear side, by means of a hinge. Tightening of the upper body protector is thus achieved in that the closure elements are opened or closed at a connection point, preferably on the front, and the cage parts are opened or closed like a hinge. The hinge can be designed in various ways, for example by a belt arranged in the form of a figure-eight loop or by corresponding elements connected to the cage parts. To avoid mutual displacements of the cage parts, these can be toothed or the like at the connection points. exhibit. It is important to avoid such displacements, as otherwise compression of the upper body and thus damage to the organs of the upper body and abdomen can occur. The teeth or the like can be designed in a wide variety of ways.

According to one embodiment variant, two symmetrical cage parts are provided for the left and right side of the upper body, each cage part being formed by a half-tire which, in the position of use, extends in the lower rib region from the rear to the front of the upper body and the front end of which is adjacent to the The sternum arranged connecting web is connected to the shoulder support part, which shoulder support part is connected to the other end of the half-tire via a connecting web running on the back side next to the spine. Such a construction of the upper body protector offers a particularly high level of protection against compression trauma while at the same time being particularly comfortable to wear, since the opening under the arms is particularly large. This construction is particularly suitable for use by military riders, as this type of sport requires particularly great mobility. The upper body protector when used for riders should protect the rider from high compression forces caused by the horse falling on him, which is why the large opening under the arms does not increase the risk. At most, injuries can occur in this area due to hoofs or the like, which in turn can be avoided by appropriate additional protective elements.

The cage part is provided, at least on the side facing the upper body in the position of use, with a damping layer, for example made of foam material. This increases comfort and also serves to reduce and distribute the forces acting on the body. The foam materials can be selected according to the requirements.

The cage part together with the possible damping layer can be surrounded by a covering, for example made of a fabric or the like.

Optimal properties in terms of strength and low Weight is achieved through the use of carbon fibers for the plastic forming the cage part. Such carbon fiber reinforced plastics, as they are also used in motorsport or aircraft technology, are particularly stable.

As already mentioned above, plastic parts can also be connected to the at least one cage part, which can serve, for example, to protect the shoulders, the spine or unprotected areas of the upper body. These plastic parts can consist of thermoplastic materials, which are preferably processed by injection molding. Of course, it is also possible to use fiber-reinforced plastics for these parts.

The tubular body, which forms the cage part, can have, at least in places, strength-increasing structures on the surface, such as e.g. Ribs or the like. Such strength-increasing structures are relatively easy to manufacture when using fiber-reinforced plastics and can be designed according to the respective requirements.

According to a further feature of the invention, it is provided that the tubular body is incorporated in a plastic frame and that the side of the plastic frame facing the upper body in the position of use is provided with a damping layer, for example made of foam material. This ensures that the particularly stable tubular bodies are incorporated in a plastic armor that is put on like a vest.

A fabric layer can be arranged on the side of the plastic frame facing away from the upper body in the position of use. Thus, the upper body protector has the appearance of a garment on the outside.

The present invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show embodiments of the invention. In it show:

Fig.la and lb a front view and rear view of an embodiment of the upper body protector according to the invention;

2a and 2b partial views of the protector according to Fig.la and lb with cut tubular body in two variants;

3 shows a section through the protector in the region of a connection point; A view of a further embodiment of an upper body protector from behind;

5 shows a further embodiment variant of an upper body protector;

6 shows a perspective view of a one-piece upper body protector and

7 shows a sectional view of a tubular body with strength-increasing surface structures.

Fig.la and lb show a view from the front and rear of an embodiment of an upper body protector such as can be used for riders, for example. According to the invention, the upper body protector for protecting people from compression trauma consists of rigid protective elements 1 and shoulder support parts 2, which together form a cage part 3 protecting the left side of the upper body protector and a cage part 4 protecting the right side of the upper body. The cage parts 3 and 4 are formed from at least one tubular body 5, which is made of fiber-reinforced plastic. Even if the fiber-reinforced plastics are very stiff, they have a certain elasticity, through which impulsive forces can be absorbed and distributed in the structure. Due to the coherent structure of the protective elements 1 and shoulder support parts 2 and the use of fiber-reinforced plastic and the special design of the upper body protector, particularly high compression protection is achieved. The left and right cage parts 3, 4 are detachably connected to one another at the connection points on the front by means of closure elements 6. These closure elements 6 can be formed by straps, buckles or the like. At the connection point of the cage parts 3, 4 on the back of the upper body protector, closure elements for releasable connection or one or more hinges 7 can also be arranged. Such a hinge 7 can be formed, for example, by a belt arranged in the form of a figure-eight loop. The cage parts 3, 4 constructed from the tubular body 5 can be embedded in a plastic frame 8, a damping layer 9 made of foam material or the like being arranged on the side facing the body in the position of use. This can be seen better from the detail according to FIG. 2a. In addition, the tubular body 5 shows an oval cross-section that provides high stability and comfort. Such an upper body protector can protect a rider from a horse falling on him and can withstand a weight of over a ton. This is achieved through the cage-like structure of the protector, which realizes a particularly stable structure. It is important that there is no lateral displacement of the cage parts 3, 4 against one another under load. This must be ensured by appropriate closure elements 6 or hinges 7. 2b shows a variant in which a damping layer 9 is arranged on the side facing the upper body in the position of use and below which a fabric layer 20 is arranged.

It is also possible to manufacture the protector in one piece, see Fig. 6, but a close contact with the body is not feasible, since it must be possible to put the protector on and off through appropriately sized openings for the arms and head. On the other hand, with a two-part or multi-part embodiment of the upper body protector, a higher fit can be achieved. The tubular body 5 can comprise a core 10, which can be formed, for example, by a foam or the like, around which the fiber-impregnated fiber fabric, for example glass fiber or carbon fiber fabric, is wrapped during manufacture and then subjected to a hard process under heat and pressure , It is also possible to form the core 10 from a plastically deformable material, for example aluminum, and thus to build up the shape of the upper body protector and then to give the structure a corresponding strength by wrapping the core 10 with the resin-impregnated fabric and hardening the structure ,

In the upper body protector according to FIG. 1, each cage part 3, 4 consists of a half-tire 11 which, in the position of use, extends in the lower rib region from the rear to the front of the upper body and whose front end 12 is connected to the shoulder support part 14 via a connecting web 13 arranged next to the breastbone is connected, which shoulder support part 14 is connected to the other end 16 of the semi-tire 11 via a connecting web 15 running on the back side next to the spine. The areas are marked with dashed lines right cage part 4 indicated. Of course, various modifications of such a construction are possible. Fig.lb also shows plastic parts 19 which can be connected to the tubular body 5 and serve for protection, for example the spine.

3 schematically shows a section through the cage parts 3, 4 in the region of a connection point on the front, the two tubular bodies 5 forming the cage parts 3 and 4 being surrounded by a belt 17 which is fastened via a corresponding buckle 18 or the like becomes. The belt 17 can be fixed, for example, by a Velcro fastener 22. In this way, both a hinge 7 and a releasable closure element 6 can be constructed and a secure connection of the tubular bodies 5 of the left and right cage parts 3, 4 can be achieved. Through appropriate training, such as Toothings at the connection point (not shown) can be avoided displacements normal to the surface of the upper body in order to reliably avoid compression of the upper body. This represents only one variant of a closure element 6 or hinge 7, other constructions are also possible.

Finally, FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a further variant of an upper body protector with a view of the back side, additional plastic parts 19 for protecting the spine being connected to the tubular bodies 5, which form the right and left cage parts 3, 4. The plastic parts 19 can be injection molded from thermoplastics. In this way, the shoulder regions or other areas of the upper body can also be protected.

5 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of an upper body protector, in which many tubular bodies 5 are used to form the cage-like structure of the protector. The tubular bodies 5 are advantageously incorporated or embedded in a plastic frame 8, which has a damping layer 9, for example made of foam material, on the side facing the upper body in the position of use. A fabric layer (not shown) can be arranged on the side of the plastic frame 8 facing away from the upper body in the position of use. FIG. 6 shows a perspective schematic view of an upper body protector which consists of one piece which is formed from one or more tubular bodies 5.

Finally, Fig. 7 shows a sectional view of a tubular body 5, the strength-increasing structures, such as Ribs 21 has on its surface. Structures that increase strength in this way can improve stability, at least in the area of certain points. Below the strength-increasing structures, e.g. Ribs 21, strength-increasing elements 23 can be installed.

As already mentioned, the construction of the upper body protector can be modified in many different ways. Likewise, the use is not limited to the mentioned riders or motorcyclists or construction workers, but the upper body protector can be used in all areas where people are exposed to an increased risk of compression of the upper body.

Claims

claims:

1. Upper body protector to protect people from compression trauma, with rigid protective elements (1) and shoulder support parts (2) arranged thereon, characterized in that the shoulder support parts (2) with the protective elements (1) together comprise at least one one-part cage part (3, 4) form fiber-reinforced plastic.

2. Upper body protector according to claim 1, characterized in that the cage part (3, 4) consists of at least one tubular body (5).

3. Upper body protector according to claim 2, characterized in that the tubular body (5) has a flat cross section, preferably an oval cross section.

4. Upper body protector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the tubular body (5) comprises a core (10) around which the fiber-reinforced plastic is arranged.

5. Upper body protector according to claim 4, characterized in that the core (10) is formed by foam.

6. Upper body protector according to claim 4, characterized in that the core (10) is formed from a plastically deformable material with a light weight, for example aluminum.

7. Upper body protector according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that two cage parts (3, 4) are provided which are connected to one another in the position of use.

8. Upper body protector according to claim 7, characterized in that the cage parts (3, 4) are arranged on both sides of a vertical plane of symmetry of the person to be protected and essentially in mirror image to this plane of symmetry.

9. Upper body protector according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the two cage parts (3, 4) at at least one connection point, preferably at the front, by means of Closing elements (6) are releasably connected to one another.

10. Upper body protector according to claim 9, characterized in that the two cage parts (3, 4) are connected to one another at a connection point, preferably on the back, by means of a hinge (7).

11. Upper body protector according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the cage parts (3, 4) at the connection points toothing or the like. to avoid mutual displacements of the cage parts (3, 4).

12. Upper body protector according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that two symmetrical cage parts (3, 4) are provided for the left and right side of the upper body, each cage part (3, 4) being formed by a half tire (11) , which extends in the use position in the lower rib area from the back to the front of the upper body and whose front end (12) is connected to the shoulder support part (14) via a connecting web (13) arranged next to the breastbone, which shoulder support part (14) has a is connected to the other end (16) of the half-tire (11) on the rear side next to the spine connecting web (15).

13. Upper body protector according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the cage part (3,4) is provided at least on the side facing the upper body in the position of use with a damping layer (9), for example made of foam material.

14. Upper body protector according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cage part (3, 4) is surrounded by a covering together with the possible damping layer (9).

15. Upper body protector according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the plastic forming the cage part (3, 4) is reinforced by carbon fibers.

16. Upper body protector according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that additional plastic parts (19), for example to protect the shoulders or the spine, are connected to the at least one cage part (3, 4).

17. Upper body protector according to one of claims 2 to 16, characterized in that the tubular body (5) at least in places has strength-increasing structures on the surface, such as ribs (21) or the like.

18. Upper body protector according to one of claims 2 to 17, characterized in that the tubular body (5) is incorporated into a plastic frame (8), and that the side of the plastic frame (8) facing the upper body in the position of use with a damping layer ( 9), for example made of foam material.

19. Upper body protector according to claim 18, characterized in that the side of the plastic frame (8) facing away from the upper body in the position of use is surrounded by a fabric layer.