GB2099687A - Inflatable protective garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective garment for use, for example, by a motorcyclist is inflatable from a gas cylinder upon the occurrence of an accident, thus rapidly forming a protective cushion over or around at least part of the wearer's body to reduce or prevent injury in an accident.

Description

SPECIFICATION Garment This invention relates to a protective garment for a motorcyclist and is intended to protect the wearer from injury, or reduce the injury sustained, when the wearer is involved in an accident.

According to the invention there is provided a protective garment, for example, for a motorcycle including or consisting of one or more inflatable compartments adapted, upon inflation, to provide protection of the wearer's body, the or each compartment being normally deflated and in gas flow communication with a source of compressed gas, actuation means being provided which, upon operation, places the compartment(s) and the source of gas in communication to effect rapid inflation of the compartment(s).

A preferred suit of the invention may have one or more of the following features:- a) there are a plurality of interconnected inflatable compartments; b) the compartments are interconnected by one-way valves; c) the compartments each overlie or embrace a particular part of the body; d) the or each compartment is of airimpermeable material and is overlaid by a wear resistant material; e) the actuation means operates upon separation of the wearer and his machine; f) the actuation means operates upon exceeding of a predetermined deceleration or acceleration; g) there is a collar compartment which, after inflation, protects the wearer's head and neck; h) the garment is a one-piece garment in the nature of an overall; i) the garment is a two piece garment comprising jacket and trousers.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention.

A preferred garment of the invention is a two part garment comprising jacket and trousers which are able to be placed into gas-flow communication upon donning the garment. Each of the jacket and trousers is made of a lining material and an outer waterproof and wear resistant material. Between the lining and the outer layer of material is disposed inflatable structure in the form of one or several compartments made from flexible gas impermeable material, normally deflated and lying flat and connected by pipes, ducting or the like to a source of compressed gas such as a cylinder connected to the suit at the waist or the like.

When a multiplicity of compartments are provided these can be ten in number as follows:- (i) a tubular compartment surrounding each major part of each limb (eight compartments); (ii) a tubular compartment surrounding the wearer's trunk; and (iii) an annular compartment normally at the wearer's collar but expandable to protect the wearers head and neck.

The compartments can be arranged to allow limb movement whilst they are inflated and not to enforce relative movement at limb joints during inflation.

The neck compartment can be adapted to form a rigid structure between the shoulders, back and chest of the wearer and his crash helmet to minimize the risk of spinal neck injury.

The compartments are, in use, in gas flow connection with a compressed gas cylinder carried by the wearer and connected to actuation means adapted to operate in the event of an accident.

Such actuation means can be a trigger cord or the like connected between the suit and the wearer's machine and causing the suit to be inflated when the wearer separates from the machine or can be adapted to operate when the wearer and/or the machine is subjected to acceleration or deceleration greater than a predetermined value.

The suit should inflate in a very short period of time, merely a fraction of a second so that the wearer is cushioned should he hit anything or be hit by anything very shortly after operation of the actuating means.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing and variations can be made within the scope of the following claims.

1. A protective garment, for example for a motorcycle, including or consisting of one or more inflatable compartments adapted, upon inflation, to provide protection for the wearer's body, the or each compartment being normally deflated and in gas flow communication with a source of compressed gas, actuation means being provided which, upon operation, places the compartment(s) and the source of gas in communication to effect rapid inflation of the compartment(s).

2. A garment as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of interconnected inflatable compartments.

3. A garment as claimed in claim 2 wherein the compartments are interconnected by one-way valves.

4. A garment as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the compartments each overlie or embrace a particular part of the body.

5. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each compartment is of airimpermeable material and is overlaid by a wear resistant material.

6. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the actuation means operates upon separation of the wearer and his machine.

7. A garment as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the actuation means operates upon exceeding of a predetermined deceleration or acceleration.

8. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a collar compartment which, after inflation, protects the wearer's head and neck.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Garment This invention relates to a protective garment for a motorcyclist and is intended to protect the wearer from injury, or reduce the injury sustained, when the wearer is involved in an accident. According to the invention there is provided a protective garment, for example, for a motorcycle including or consisting of one or more inflatable compartments adapted, upon inflation, to provide protection of the wearer's body, the or each compartment being normally deflated and in gas flow communication with a source of compressed gas, actuation means being provided which, upon operation, places the compartment(s) and the source of gas in communication to effect rapid inflation of the compartment(s). A preferred suit of the invention may have one or more of the following features:- a) there are a plurality of interconnected inflatable compartments; b) the compartments are interconnected by one-way valves; c) the compartments each overlie or embrace a particular part of the body; d) the or each compartment is of airimpermeable material and is overlaid by a wear resistant material; e) the actuation means operates upon separation of the wearer and his machine; f) the actuation means operates upon exceeding of a predetermined deceleration or acceleration; g) there is a collar compartment which, after inflation, protects the wearer's head and neck; h) the garment is a one-piece garment in the nature of an overall; i) the garment is a two piece garment comprising jacket and trousers. The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention. A preferred garment of the invention is a two part garment comprising jacket and trousers which are able to be placed into gas-flow communication upon donning the garment. Each of the jacket and trousers is made of a lining material and an outer waterproof and wear resistant material. Between the lining and the outer layer of material is disposed inflatable structure in the form of one or several compartments made from flexible gas impermeable material, normally deflated and lying flat and connected by pipes, ducting or the like to a source of compressed gas such as a cylinder connected to the suit at the waist or the like. When a multiplicity of compartments are provided these can be ten in number as follows:- (i) a tubular compartment surrounding each major part of each limb (eight compartments); (ii) a tubular compartment surrounding the wearer's trunk; and (iii) an annular compartment normally at the wearer's collar but expandable to protect the wearers head and neck. The compartments can be arranged to allow limb movement whilst they are inflated and not to enforce relative movement at limb joints during inflation. The neck compartment can be adapted to form a rigid structure between the shoulders, back and chest of the wearer and his crash helmet to minimize the risk of spinal neck injury. The compartments are, in use, in gas flow connection with a compressed gas cylinder carried by the wearer and connected to actuation means adapted to operate in the event of an accident. Such actuation means can be a trigger cord or the like connected between the suit and the wearer's machine and causing the suit to be inflated when the wearer separates from the machine or can be adapted to operate when the wearer and/or the machine is subjected to acceleration or deceleration greater than a predetermined value. The suit should inflate in a very short period of time, merely a fraction of a second so that the wearer is cushioned should he hit anything or be hit by anything very shortly after operation of the actuating means. The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing and variations can be made within the scope of the following claims. CLAIMS

1. A protective garment, for example for a motorcycle, including or consisting of one or more inflatable compartments adapted, upon inflation, to provide protection for the wearer's body, the or each compartment being normally deflated and in gas flow communication with a source of compressed gas, actuation means being provided which, upon operation, places the compartment(s) and the source of gas in communication to effect rapid inflation of the compartment(s).

2. A garment as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of interconnected inflatable compartments.

3. A garment as claimed in claim 2 wherein the compartments are interconnected by one-way valves.

4. A garment as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the compartments each overlie or embrace a particular part of the body.

5. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each compartment is of airimpermeable material and is overlaid by a wear resistant material.

6. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the actuation means operates upon separation of the wearer and his machine.

7. A garment as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the actuation means operates upon exceeding of a predetermined deceleration or acceleration.

8. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is a collar compartment which, after inflation, protects the wearer's head and neck.

9. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the garment is a one-piece garment in the nature of an overall.

10. A garment as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the garment is a two piece garment comprising jacket and trousers.

11. A protective garment substantially as hereinbefore described.