Abstract:
A pneumatic device for personal protection has at least one sac-like gas-tight element connectable through an inlet box to automatically release inflating means and attaching means co-operating, in working position, with the body of a user so that the sac-like element is kept in a position which corresponds to a portion of the body to be protected. The sac-like element encloses a variable volume chamber which is intended to be filled with a gas introduced therein via an inlet box. The chamber includes inside flexible partition members extending lengthwise a greater side of the chamber and connected along their edges extending lengthwise to two opposite walls of the chamber. The flexible partition members divide the chamber into a plurality of compartments arranged one next to another and in fluid communication with each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is the national stage of International Application No. PCT/IT2004/000438, filed on Aug. 5, 2004. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a pneumatic device for personal protection, particularly for motorcycle riders, horse riders and the like, and to an article of clothing including such a device. 
   The present invention is included in the technical field of personal protecting devices and garments for protecting human beings in the case of an accidental fall off of a two-wheeled vehicle and, more generally, from any motor-driven and motorless vehicle, horses and the like or equipment for leisure/work activities, wherein the body of a human being is exposed to the risk of severe injuries upon an impact against the ground or an obstacle. 
   Devices of this kind are already known in the art and are made according to various embodiments. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Document EP 0 043 990 B1 offers an example of an embodiment similar to that of the present invention, although in a limited extent with regard to some common features. 
   In the document mentioned above, a protecting device for motorcyclists is disclosed which comprises at least a gas-tight chamber and inflating means with automatic releasing. 
   The gas-tight chamber comprises a spine protecting element, a neck protecting element, as well as an element for protecting the pelvic area of the motorcyclist. 
   The protecting device further comprises attaching means intended to cooperate, in a working position, with the body of the user so as to maintain the gas-tight chamber in a position corresponding to the respective portion of the body to protect. 
   The protecting device is removably attached to a garment or removably incorporated in its internal lining. 
   A drawback which is to be found in a protecting device of the kind described above is depending on the fact that the gas-tight chamber, when inflated, is subject to a change in its geometric shape under the action of the pressure exerted by the gas introduced thereinto. 
   For instance, considering the case of a gas-tight chamber formed of a tubular element which, in the deflated condition, is substantially flat and exhibits a width L, when the tubular element, upon inflation, takes the shape of substantially circular cylinder, the width of the tubular element becomes equal to L′=2×L/π. Therefore, it becomes reduced in relative terms to a quantity equal to ΔL/L=(L−L′)/L=1−2/π, corresponding to about 36% of the original width L. 
   As a result of the inflation of the tubular element, it follows that there is a diminishing of the region of the body which is protected and, therefore, a general decreasing in the effectiveness of the protecting device. 
   It should be noticed, also, that the thickness of the tubular element is not constant, having a minimum at the side portions and a maximum at the central portion. This fact also is detrimental to the effectiveness of the protecting device. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is, therefore, to improve the effectiveness of protecting devices known in the art of the kind described above by using a device aimed at limiting the drawbacks connected with the unavoidable change in the geometric shape of the gas-tight chamber upon its inflation. 
   According to the present invention, this object is achieved in that the chamber internally comprises flexible partition members which extend lengthwise a greater side of the chamber and are connected along their edges to opposite walls of the chamber, wherein the flexible partition members divide the chamber into a plurality of compartments arranged one next to another and in fluid communication with each other. 
   The present invention is based on the idea that, in order to achieve an effective protection of the portions of a motorcyclist&#39;s body protected by the protecting device, a change which is too great in the geometric shape of the gas-tight chamber upon its inflation should be avoided. Such a change would expose a portion of the body to protect to the impact against the ground or an obstacle following to a fall off from a motorcycle and would cause the degree of protection to be not uniform. 
   The solution to this technical problem is given in that the flexible partition members arranged inside the gas-tight chamber contribute to greatly limit the changes in the width of gas-tight chamber in passing from a deflated condition to an inflated condition. The flexible partition members also cause the thickness of the gas-tight chamber in the inflated condition to be the most uniform as possible, so that the protecting features are substantially the same in all points of the region of the body of a motorcycle rider for which protection is sought. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear elevation view of the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention in a deflated condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention in a deflated condition; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention in a deflated condition and with an upper and lower portion folded upon a central portion; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of the device for personal protection in a deflated condition; 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are a rear elevation view of an article of clothing suitable to include the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention, shown in two different operative conditions corresponding to the situation wherein the pneumatic device for personal protection is in a deflated and inflated condition, respectively; 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are a side elevation view respectively of an article of clothing including the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention in a deflated condition and a motorcycle rider wearing the same article of clothing; 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  are a side elevation view respectively of an article of clothing including the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention during inflation and a motorcycle rider wearing the same article of clothing; and 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  are a side elevation view respectively of an article of clothing including the pneumatic device for personal protection of the present invention in an inflated condition and a motorcycle rider wearing the same article of clothing. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following description, Part 1 describes a pneumatic device for personal protection. Part 2 describes an article of clothing including the device. Part 3 describes the mode of use of the article of clothing and the operation of the pneumatic device for personal protection. Part 4 highlights the main features of the pneumatic device for personal protection and the relevant article of clothing containing such a device, in connection with the achievement of the object aimed at of the present invention. At last, Part 5 provides results of tests carried out on a model of the present invention. 
   1. The Pneumatic Device for Personal Protection 
     FIGS. 1 to 4  illustrate the pneumatic device for personal protection according to the present invention, generally designated by  10 . The device consists of a sac-like gas-tight element  11  formed of a pair of impervious or adequately gas-tight (controlled permeability) sheets  12  sealed to each other at their respective edges. The so joined sheets  12  enclose a variable volume chamber  13  into which a suitable amount of gas is introduced for inflating the sac-like element  11 . 
   The sac-like element  11  is provided on the outside with attaching means formed of a pair of abdominal belts  14  and a pair of shoulder straps  15  permitting the pneumatic device for personal protection to be supported by and to be kept adhered to the back of a user, f.i. a motorcycle rider. 
   The abdominal belts  14  exhibit resilient elements  16  at one end thereof by which they are connected to the sac-like element  11  at points A and B, respectively, whereas the abdominal belts  14  exhibit coupling elements at an opposite end thereof which are formed, e.g. by a snap-acting buckle  17 . 
   Also, the shoulder straps  15  have resilient elements  18  in one end thereof by which they are connected to the sac-like element  11  at points C and D, respectively, whereas the shoulder straps  15  are connected at an opposite end to the abdominal belts  14  at points E and F. 
   Suitably, both the abdominal belts  14  and the shoulder straps  15  are adjustable in a manner known in the art by means of loops  19  in order to be capable of fitting to the size of the user. 
   As mentioned above, the sac-like element  11  includes therein a variable volume chamber  13 . This chamber is partitioned into a plurality of compartments, preferably three, indicated with numerals  20 ,  21  and  22 . These compartments are in fluid communication one with the other and extend inside the chamber  13  lengthwise. The compartments are separated by flexible internal partitions P formed by strips which are connected to sheets  12  of the sac-like element and extend inside the chamber  13  lengthwise. 
   Finally, the sac-like element  11  exhibits two transverse folding lines  23  and  24  which define three portions of the sac-like element, viz. an upper portion, a central portion and a lower portion, indicated with  11 A,  11 B and  11 C, respectively. By means of these folding lines  23  and  24  the upper end lower portions  11 A,  11 C of the sac-like element can be folded upon the central portion  11 B to permit a suitable wearability of the article of clothing inside which the sac-like element is intended to be contained. 
   The sac-like element  11  is intended to be inflated by means of an amount of gas which is introduced therein through an inlet box  25  to which a suitable gas supply not shown is connected. An example of gas supply that can be used is a device known in the art, of the kind exhibiting a rapid activation. 
   2. The Article of Clothing Containing the Pneumatic Device for Personal Protection 
     FIGS. 5 to 8  of the drawings illustrate the article of clothing containing the pneumatic device for personal protection according to the present invention. 
   The article of clothing, generally designated by  26 , is preferably formed of a garment of the kind with or without sleeves. For exemplification purpose only and not intended to be limited thereto, there is shown a garment without sleeves, so called “waistcoat”. The garment exhibits two pivotable attachments or flaps  27  and  28  which are joined to the upper and lower portion, respectively, of the waistcoat and intended to be releasably fastened to a back side  29  of the waistcoat in normal use condition by means of releasable touch-and-close fastening elements  30 , e.g. of the kind so called “hook and loop” available in the trade with the trading name Velcro®. Further, the waistcoat  26  has a front portion  31  which is closable by means of a zipper or like. 
   As mentioned above, the garment  26  is intended to contain therein the sac-like element  11  of the pneumatic device for personal protection and to this purpose it has an internal lining and a opening in the lower portion to permit the sac-like element  11  to be inserted therein. 
   The attachments or flaps  27 ,  28  of the garment are each in the form of a pocket. The upper pocket  27  serves as container for the upper portion  11 A of the sac-like element, whereas the lower pocket  28  serves as container for the lower portion  11 C of the sac-like element. To this purpose the upper  27  and lower  28  pockets can be opened towards the inside of the garment for receiving corresponding portions  11 A and  11 C of the sac-like element  11 . 
   In normal use, the pockets  27  and  28 , containing therein the relevant portions  11 A and  11 C of the sac-like element, are folded upon the back portion  29  of the garment and releasably fastened thereto by means of the fastening elements  30 . 
   To permit expansion of the inflatable sac-like element, the garment  26  is provided with resilient inserts  32  placed between the back portion  29  and the front portion  31  of the garment  26  and located on the shoulders and sides, as can be seen in particular in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
   The garment  26  is provided furthermore with eyelets made in the lining of the back portion  29  to permit the abdominal belts  14  and shoulder straps  15  of the pneumatic device for personal protection to pass therethrough for the purpose of making these parts operable by the user. 
   3. Mode of Use of the Article of Clothing and Operation of the Device for Personal Protection 
   The mode of use of the article of clothing, together with the operation of the device for personal protection contained therein, will be described now with reference to  FIGS. 7 to 12  of the drawings. 
   The article of clothing  26  is worn by the user, in the example shown a motorcycle rider, as a garment of conventional kind. 
   The pneumatic device for personal protection contained inside the article of clothing is kept attached to the back of user, by suitably adjusting the abdominal belts  14  and the shoulder straps  15  and by closing the snap-acting buckle  17 , so as to cover the spinal column. In so doing, the sac-like element  11  is always positioned correctly upon the spinal column, even when it is in the inflated condition, and the possibility that it becomes displaced from its original correct position, thereby uncovering the region of the spinal column to be protected, is prevented. 
   The sac-like element  11  is inflated by means of a determined amount of gas introduced therein through a suitable gas supply connected to the inlet box  25 . 
   The flow of gas introduced in the sac-like element  11  is suitably conveyed by one of the internal partitions P located near to the area where the gas is introduced, along a preferred path inside the chamber  13 . In particular, the lengthwise arrangement of the partitions P is such that the flow of gas is conveyed at first inside one of the compartments  20 ,  21 ,  22  of the chamber  13  towards the upper portion  11 A and the lower portion  11 C of the sac-like element, in order to inflate these portions in the first moments following the activation of the inflating device. 
   Inflation of portions  11 A and  11 C of the sac-like element thus causes the releasing of the fastening elements  30  which fasten pockets  27  and  28  to the back  29  of the article of clothing. Therefore, in the first moments following the activation of the inflating device, portions  11 A and  11 C of the sac-like element  11  become inflated and the pockets  27 ,  28  containing these portions of the sac-like element  11  unfasten from back  29  and unfold towards the top and the bottom, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  of the drawings. 
   Afterwards, the gas diffuses inside all compartments  20 ,  21 ,  22  into which chamber  13  is partitioned to completely inflate also the portion  11 B of the sac-like element, as shown in  FIGS. 11 ,  12  of the drawings. 
   4. Features of the Pneumatic Device for Personal Protection and the Article of Clothing 
   It is important to highlight herein some important features of the pneumatic device according to the present invention and the article of clothing containing it, features which result from the configuration of the same disclosed in Part 1 of the description. 
   Referring to the pneumatic device for personal protection, a first feature results from the existence and particular arrangement of the partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11 . When the sac-like element  11  is in the inflated condition, the three compartments  20 ,  21 ,  22  inside the chamber  13  in the example illustrated form three pneumatic elements of tubular shape protecting the spinal column of the motorcycle rider. The protection offered by these tubular pneumatic elements is substantially uniform because the existence and arrangement of the internal partitions P defining the compartments  20 ,  21 ,  22  inside the chamber  13  provide a substantially regular thickness of the sac-like element in the inflated condition. This permits the sac-like element to absorb and dissipate the energy involved in an impact in a substantially uniform way, not depending from the direction of the impact with respect to the sac-like element and to its location on the sac-like element itself. In fact, the regularity in thickness of the sac-like element provides a uniform collision absorbing feature, i.e. each area of the sac-like element exhibits substantially the same conditions for reducing the kinetic energy of a collision. Of course, the degree of reduction of the amount of force transmitted to the spinal column is dependent on the design of partitions P inside the chamber  13  and the chosen value of the operating pressure. 
   A second feature of the device for personal protection, which also results from the existence and arrangement of the partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11 , consists in that the change in the width of the sac-like element  11  following its inflation is reduced to a minimum. This prevents advantageously an excessive reduction of the region of the spinal column protected by the sac-like element and therefore, generally, a reduction of the effectiveness of the pneumatic protective device. This feature is particularly important in that the sac-like element in the deflated condition is positioned upon the region of the spinal column of the motorcycle rider and it is necessary that its width in the deflated condition is not greater than the width of the back for the purpose of avoiding the sac-like element to be folded also on the sides in order to introduce it into the article of clothing. In the present invention, since the change in width of the sac-like element is reduced, folding the sac-like element on the sides is not necessary, whereas it suffices to fold it only at the upper and lower portions. Therefore, since the number of foldings is reduced, the time required for inflation of the sac-like element is very short compared to other pneumatic devices for personal protection known in the art, as will be apparent in the following from the result of the tests described in Part 5 of the description. Furthermore, because of the reduced number of foldings required, a greater wearability is achieved of the article of clothing containing the sac-like element. 
   A third feature of the pneumatic device for personal protection, resulting again from the existence and arrangement of the partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11 , is that these partitions P have the task to convey the gas introduced inside the chamber  13  along defined paths towards the upper portion  11 A and the lower portion  11 C, respectively of the sac-like element  11 , thus avoiding that the pressure energy of the gas is disorderly dissipated inside the sac-like element  11 . The flow gas is, instead, guided towards portions  11 A and  11 C in order to cause immediately the inflation thereof and thus their unfolding to protect the cervix and sacrum regions of the motorcyclist. 
   Referring instead to the article of clothing, a fourth feature is that the arrangement of the fastening elements  30  which fasten pockets  27 , 28  to back  29  of the article of clothing is chosen depending on the location of the point where the gas is introduced inside the sac-like element  11  in order to achieve simultaneous unfolding of portions  11 A and  11 B of the sac-like element which are contained in pockets  27  and  28 , respectively, and folded upon the back  29 . In the example shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, it can be clearly seen that the point where the gas is introduced is located at the bottom, near the lower portion  11 C of the sac-like element, whereby this portion  11 C would inflate and, therefore, unfold before the upper portion  11 A. In this situation, it is necessary to devise a means to hold the lower portion  11 C of the sac-like element in a greater degree than the upper portion  11 A, so that the moment in which the lower portion starts to unfold is slightly lagging and is made synchronous with the moment in which the upper portion  11 A of the sac-like element starts to unfold. The means devised in the present invention consists in increasing the extension or the number of the fastening elements  30  which hold pocket  28  fastened to back  29  so that the fastening force acting thereby is slightly greater than the force fastening pocket  27  to same back  29 . 
   A fifth feature relating again to the article of clothing is that the existence of resilient inserts  32  between the back  29  and the front  31  of the article of clothing  26  on the shoulders and the sides. These resilient inserts serve to permit expansion of the sac-like element without constriction to the user. In fact, when the sac-like element  11  is inflated, the resilient inserts  32  expand to adapt to the increasing volume of the sac-like element  11 . Thus, the article of clothing  26  with the sac-like element  11  in the inflated condition does not hinder the user leaving him freedom of movement, i.e., for reacting in situations of danger. 
   5. Tests on a Model of the Device for Personal Protection and the Article of Clothing 
   The following tests were carried out on a model of the pneumatic device for personal protection according to the present invention. 
   Inflation Test 
   A gas supply having a very rapid activation was used with a sac-like element  11  as described above. The inflation was shot with a high speed camera having a shooting rate of 1000 frames per second. The results obtained have shown that the sac-like element inflates in 45-50 ms. 
   The frames have shown that the existence of the partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11  improves inflation of the sac-like element  11  and reduces the change in width of the sac-like element following its inflation. 
   In particular, in the case of the example showing a sac-like element  11  which is provided with two partitions P inside the chamber  13  and has in the deflated condition a width L equal to 300 mm, it was found that the sac-like element  11  upon inflation exhibits a width L′ equal to 231 mm, instead of 300×2/π=191 mm. The relative reduction ΔL/L=(L−L′)/L in the width of the sac-like element  11  resulted in a percent value equal to only 23%, against a theoretical 36% without the partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11 . The percentage of reduction in the width decreases even more with the increasing of the number of partitions P. 
   Also the thickness of the sac-like element  11  in the inflated condition results to be more uniform because of the existence of partitions P inside the chamber  13  of the sac-like element  11 . 
   It follows that with the existence of partitions P inside the chamber  13 , the sac-like element  11  is subjected to a lower reduction in the width caused by the inflation and its thickness is more regular. This assures a more extended and uniform protection of the spinal column of the user. 
   The same inflation test was repeated putting the sac-like element  11  inside an article of clothing  26  as that described above. The measured inflation time was comprised between 75 and 85 ms. This time delay with respect to the inflation of the sac-like element alone is irrelevant to the operation of the pneumatic device for personal protection and is caused by the fastening elements  30  of the pockets  27 , 28  on the back  29  of the article of clothing  26 . The time delay can be reduced possibly by modifying in a suitable manner the number and position of the fastening elements  30 . 
   Impact Test 
   The sac-like element  11  in the inflated condition was tested under the specification contained in standard EN 1621-2/2033 “Motorcyclists&#39; protective clothing against mechanical impact—Part 2: Motocyclists&#39; back protectors” and it was found that the force transmitted is equal to only 0.9 kN. This value is very small compared to level 1 (18 kN) and level 2 (9 kN) contained in the above mentioned standard and the result achieved with the model of the present invention highlights its protective ability. 
   From the foregoing it can be understood that the present invention achieves the aimed object and solves the technical problems inherent in the known art. 
   It should also be noticed that although the pneumatic device for personal protection and the relevant article of clothing have been disclosed with reference to the use by a motorcycle rider, it is apparent that the present invention is applicable to other users which expose their body to the risk of collisions against obstacles and the ground when carrying out specific activities.