IES72949B2 - Safety crash helmet with automatic inflatable air bag - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety crash helmet which incorporates an inflatable device for automatic inflation of an air bag with high pressure gas or air and ejects from the helmet the air bag to envelop the neck and shoulders of the body for protection upon occurrence of a crash accident of a mechanically propelled vehicle to prevent a vehicle user from serious head and/or neck injuries.

Description

The present invention relates to a safety erash helmet with an inflatable air bag for automatic inflation with high pressure gas or air which is incorporated in the safety crash helmet and which is activated upon sudden external pressure to the body of the helmet upon the occurrence of a crash accident of a mechanically propelled motor vehicle such as a motor cycle. The air bag when inflated rapidly extends from the helmet to envelope and protect the neck and shoulders of the user, thus reducing the element of risk of serious and / or fatal neck injuries. Safety crash helmets in their present design are of simple construction comprising of an outer plastic hard shell and inner toughened plastic head liner which is padded for both comfort and safety. A chin guard or strap is also incorporated to secure the helmet In the present safety crash helmet no protection is provided to the neck area of the body upon the occurrence of a crash accident when the ‘helmet* is subjected to severe impact pressure or force. In certainly most circumstances serious and/or fatal neck irguries result in crash accidents when head collisions or crash impact arises. This invention provides a safer and more protective product /means to reduce the high risks in such incidences.

Description of the Prior Art : Inflatable air bags are commonly used in automobiles and particularly in the steering wheel mechanism to prevent the driver from colliding against the foot windscreen upon owmrrence of a crash accident Generally the pressure inflation is activated mechanically when occurrence of change in pressure results from a crash accident Inflatable life jackets are also used in marine vessels and on aircraft and again are activated by water absorbent pressure pads or by a pull cord which releases a mechanism to activate the gases and inflate the article. Furthermore, safety crash helmets are generally basic in design and consist of an outer hard shell with an inner flexible and padded head shield.

Swoaiaary of the invention : The present invention relates to a safety crash helmet which incorporates new and novel features in its design and structure to provide greater protection to the head and neck areas of the body upon the occurrence of a crash accident. This invention provides for an air bag and pressure impact sensor mechanism to be incorporated into the structure of the safety crash helmet, whereby upon the occurrence of a crash accident involving crash 572949 1 impact to the helmet the sensor mechanism will rapidly activate a high pressure gas or air and automatically inflate the air bag to a specific conflguratien extending from the base of the safety crash helmet to ewelop the seek and shoulders areas of the body. The object of this invention is to provide a crash helmet which will give greater protection on point of crash impact whereby the force or pressure to the head and neck parts of the body can be shock absorbed by an inflated air 'bag. Primarily this fcvenaon provides for the inner part of the «hard shell’ of the helmet to be lined with a mesh which forms part of an electrical or electronic (low voltage D.C.) ±oat on the one part with the inner plastic head shield /guard and liner with a secondaiy mesh which forms the other or second pert of the electrical or electronic circuit which is electrically connected to a low voltage (1.35 volts D.C.) supply and which is wired in circuit to a low voltage relay which in turn is in electrical series with with a low voltage micro motorised two way valve which controls a high pressure gas or air cartridge attached to an air bag of specific configuration contained within the body of the safety crash helmet. {Note a pressure sensitive switch is also incorporated in the electrical wiring to provide greater reliability and protection.} In the event of a crash accident any serious pressure impact which causes to effect the ‘hard outer sheST of the safety crash helmet will result in the head shell* mesh lining to make contact with the head shield’ mesh lining thereby dosing the electrical circuit and activating the low voltage relay which in turn supplies a constant low voltage electrical charge to the micro motorised two way valve causing it to «open* and effecting & rapid release of high pressure gas or air from a gas cartridge which in turn indates the air bag to extend from the helmet and to envelop the neck and shoulders part of the body. A pressure sensor switch is also provided to activate the high pressure gas alternatively. Fiuthermore the outer hard shed* of the safety crash helmet has «been redesigned* to incorporate a number of «tapered rifes’ across the helmet which provides greater «shock absorbency* through the helmet thereby reducing the effects oZ the force of impact to the head and neck areas of the body.

This invention achieves greater safety and protection to the head and neck pads of the body whereby upon the occurrence of a crash accident pressure or force is impacted on the safety crash helmet air bag which is rapidly inflated and released to absorb the maximum ©mount of shock force and pressure and thereby protects the head and neck areas of the body from involuntary or sudden movement which frequently causes serious or fetal head or neck iryuries. This invention enhances and provides novelty to the prior art Description of the Preferred Embodiment of the invention : Safety crash helmets are commonly used by motor cyclists and by other users of mechanically propelled vehicles, in general the crash or safety helmet consists of & rounded or oval outer hard shell usually fabricated in a plastic material which is designed to withstand impact force or pressure upon the occurrence of a crash accident, thus providing support protection to the head of the body, incorporated into the inner part of the hard shell is a head guard of plastic flexible material which is usually padded with a soft rubber or sponge material to offer farther support and comfort to the user. Furthermore, a strap or base piece is added to the helmet to secure the helmet to the head of the body.

The present invention is to provide a safer Safety Crash Helmet* which provides greater protection to the head and neck areas of the body upon the occurrence of a crash accident and takes the «prior art? as described above to a toext step5 both in terms of the design» structure and composition of the helmet The following is & description by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of fire presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

Befeming to the drawings Pig. 1 » ®1g 4 and initially to Pig. 1 thereof a standard or common type ‘safety crash helmet’ is illustrated. The ‘outer hard shelf of the helmet (shown No. 1) is generally of rounded or semi oval shape, fabricated in plastic with a consistent smooth configuration. Contained or incorporated therein (shown No. 2) is an inner flexible section section moulded to cover the upper part of the head and which is generally padded (shown No. 3) with & soft rubber/sponge fabric to provide further protection and comfort to the user. Attached to the base and front of the helmet is a support Wap5 or plastic hand (shown No. 6) to secure the helmet to the head and around the chin of the body.

Referring again to Pig. 1 thereof is shown by contrast to the smooth and consistent shape of the ‘outer hard shell’ (shown No. 1) is the new *ribhed’ configuration (shown No. 4) to the surface of the body of the helmet hard shell which is tapered to improve the ‘shock absorbency5 factor of the helmet which is designed to provide increased head protection against crash impact A moulded compartment to house the Air Bag gas / compressed air container and electrical components is shown No. 5.

Referring to the drawings Pig 1 » Pig. 4 and Pig. 2 thereof is shown an elevated section of the Safety Crash Helmet incorporating the new features of the helmet with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Pig. 2 illustrates an ‘outer ribbed hard shell’ (shown No. 5) which permits for the shock waves impact force or pressure to he absorbed through the helmet upon the occurrence of a crash accident Shown at No. 3 is the mesh lining which provides a conductor or circuit and which is attached to the inside of the hard shell of the helmet shown No. 1 and which is electrically wired and connected at one end or terminal of a 1.35 volt direct current battery supply source shown No. 6. Shown at No. 4 is the mesh lining conductor or circuit attached to the inner plastic flexible head shield shown No. 2 which is wised or connected to a low voltage relay switch shown No. 7 and which in torn is wired and connected to a low voltage motorised two way valve shown No. 8 which is attached or mounted on the head of a high pressure gas cartridge shown No. 9 which is connected and mounted to the inflatable air bag shown No. 10 which is ribbed and of specific oonflgurataon to envelop the seek and upper p[arfc of the body when inflated. The air bag shown No. 10 remains attached to the base of the helmet when inflated. In conjunction with and / or alternatively is a pressure sensor switch which may also be incorporated in the air hag to activate the high pressure gas or air.

* Referring further to the drawings Fig. 1 » Fig 4 and specifically to Fig. 2 thereof a “mesh lining (shown No. 3) constructed of aluminium or copper material which acts as an electrical conductor or circuit is fixed or moulded to • the inside of the plastic “hard shell* (shown No. 1) of the helmet and is connected to one of the terminals of a low voltage D.C. battery (1.35 volts) supply shown No. S.. A second mesh lining (shown No. 4) constructed of aluminium or copper material which acts as an electrical conductor or circuit is feed or moulded to the plastic ‘flexible5 head guard or shield (shown No. 2). is connected to a low voltage relay switch (shown No. 7) which is activated when the mesh linings (shown No. 3 And No. 4) are connected or make contact with each other upon occurrence of force or pressure resulting from impact of a crash accident and/or alternatively the low voltage relay switch (shown No. 7) will be activated by a “pressure switch’ which is set to a predetermined pressure sensitivity and reacts upon the occurrence of impact from a crash accident When the low voltage relay switch (shown No. 7) is ‘energised’ or activated an electrical charge is supplied to the low voltage motorised two way valve (shown 8) resulting in the motorised valve (shown No. 8) to open instantly, which is assembled or fixed to the head or control of a high pressure gas cartridge (shown No. 9) and which autmnatically releases rapidly high pressure gas (such as carbon dioxide or compressed air) for automatically actuating inflation of an ‘air bag* (shows No. 10) which is stored at the base of the helmet and permits for the Air Bag (shown No. 10) to extend from the base of the helmet to the neck and shoulders part of the body with a predetermined configuration or shape which is provided with a ribbing feature (shown No. 12) and bubble mouldings and/or dimples (shown No. 11) fabricated into the Air Bag material to permit instant protection of the head and neck parts of the body upon impact from a crash accident. Consequently, this invention permits two parts of a circuit (shown No. 3 and No. 4) to dose or make contact to complete the electrical circuit connection with the low voltage relay switch (shown No. 7) which is supplied with a low voltage (1.35 volts) Direct Current battery supply (shown No. 6) and which in turn electrically charges, a low voltage motorised two way valve shown No. 8 instantly, to automatically permit for the rapid release of a high pressure gas or air from a gas cartridge (shown No. 9) to infrate an air bag (shown No. 10) from the helmet to envelope the neck and shoulders of the body upon occurrence of a crash accident.

Referring further to Kg. 2 a cross section of which is shown with the Air Bag Ribbing (shown No. 12) and the bubble moulding or dimples (shown No. 11).

Referring to drawings Fig. 1 » Fig. 4 and Fig. 3 thereof is the Air Bag (shown No. 10), gas cartridge (shown No. 1) and cartridge head (shown No. 2), motorised two-way valve (shown No. 3), low voltage switch (shown No. 4), Low voltage battery supply D.C. (shown No. 5). Furthermore No. 7 shows the air duct between the gas / air cartridge and the Air Bag inlet Range (shown No. 6). The Air Bag ribbing feature is shown No. 11, with the bubble mouldings / or dimples shown No. 9.

Referring to Kg. 4 the electrical circuitry is shown with the helmet mesh lining circuit for the ‘hard shell’ (shown No. 2) and for the ‘fretoible’ head guard mesh lining circuit (shown No. 3) connected from the low voltage battery (1.35 volts) Direct Current (shown No. 1) to a Sow voltage relay switch (shown No. ) and in circuit with a pressure sensor switch (shown No. 4) which is connected to a low voltage motorised two way valve (shown No. 6) connected to the Air Bag high pressure gas cartridge.

Claims (4)

1. CLAIMS (1) A safety crash helmet which is fitted and/or assembled with an Air Bag for automatic isflawa of high pressure gas or air fraa a gas or air cartridge which is incorgMrated and /or fitted in the body of the helmet, to rapidly extend from the helmet to envelop the neck and shoulders parts of the body to provide greater safety and protection against crash impact to the body W occurrence of a crash accident.

2. (2) An ariide as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there is provided an electrical circuitry which includes a low voltage relay switch, pressure sensor switch, a low voltage motorised two-way valve which is charged from a low voltage (1.35 -volts) battery direct current supply, to fedlitate the activation and release of a high pressure gas or air to inflate the helmet air bag which is incorporated in the structure of the safety crash helmet and/or fitted or attached to the safety crash helmet to permit infiation. of an Air Bag from the body of the helteaet (S) An article as claimed an Claim 1 and/or Claim 2 wherein the %iard shell* as defined in the ‘preferred embodiment of the invention’ may incorporate or include a ‘ribbed or grooved’ section to enhance the ‘shook wave’ impact absorbing factor on the helmet to provide greater protection and safety to the user.

3. (4) An article as claimed in claim 1 and/or daim 2 and/or claim 3 where in the ‘Air Bag* as defined may contain a ribbed feature and/or bubble mouldings or dimples which are incorporated into and extend above the Air Beg surface to protect against snSfecatio© and to increase tide safety factor upon the occrarance of a crash accident.

4. (5) An article as claimed in any of the preceding claims which may be adaptable to a variety of safety crash helmets and/or other such like articles for use in conjunction with motor cycle vehicles, push pedal bicycles, mechanically propelled vehicles, speed boats, the mining industry, the oil industry, the aviation industry, the marine industry, the construction industzy safety protection headware, commercial and industrial safety protection headware and childrens play protection headw&re and in sport eqtdpssent,