Patent ID: 6920647

Claim:
A hip protecting device for inflating a pocket over a hip joint of a wearer of the device upon a fall comprising: a belt; a substantially gas impermeable first pocket fixedly suspended substantially over a first hip joint of said wearer from said belt; a substantially gas impermeable second pocket fixedly suspended substantially over a second hip joint of said wearer from said belt; a first inflation means, connected to said first pocket, for inflating said first pocket with a gas; a second inflation means, connected to said second pocket, for inflating said second pocket with a gas; sensor means, for detecting the rate and degree of attitudinal changes of said wearer and for generating electrical output indicative of said rate and degree attitudinal changes; microprocessor means electrically connected to said sensor means and to said first and second inflation means and having preset ranges for rate and degree of attitudinal changes, to compare and perform an analysis of said electrical output and for activating said inflation means to inflate said first and second pockets when said analysis indicates a rate and degree of attitudinal change outside said preset ranges; said first inflation means comprises at least one chamber containing a pyrotechnic composition, and means for activating said pyrotechnic composition, said means for activating said pyrotechnic composition electrically connected to said microprocessor means and said second inflation means comprises at least one chamber containing a pyrotechnic composition, and means for activating said pyrotechnic composition, said means for activating said pyrotechnic composition electrically connected to said microprocessor means; and a battery electrically connected to said sensor means and to said microprocessor means.