Fall-protection system and method

Abstract

A fall-protection system and method are described. The system has at least one sensor for sensing if the person is falling and for outputting a status signal. The system also has a processor configured for receiving the status signal from the at least one sensor, and for outputting a corresponding command signal. The system also has a support for the at least one sensor and the processor, the support being portable by the person. The system also has a fall-protection device mountable to the support and configured for receiving the command signal from the processor. The fall-protection device has inflatable membranes, at least some of which are deployable as elongated extensions so to protect a part of the person by forming a substantially flower-like enclosure before said part contacts the ground surface. The fall-protection device is deployable upon the processor outputting a command signal indicative that the person is falling.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 796,277 filed on Nov. 7, 2012 and entitled “Personal Falls Protection Device”, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]There is a need to reduce the annual societal burden caused by falls in the geriatric and disabled population, to name but one example of an affected demographic. This burden will increase in the immediate term in proportion to the impending expansion of the geriatric population as the baby-boom generation exits middle age.[0003]In 2010, more than 600,000 falls resulted in hospitalization in the United States alone. The medical care associated with these falls can be costly, and can range from about $5,000 to about $13,000 per incident, resulting in expenses in excess of $1 billion. These numbers are likely to increase in the medium and long term, and do not even include those falls which, tragicall...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]In accordance with a general aspect, there is provided a fall-protection system for reducing risk of possible injury to a person in a sitting or standing position resulting from a fall against a ground surface, the system comprising:

[0013]a fall-protection device mountable to the support and configured for receiving the command signal from the processor, the fall-protection device comprising a plurality of deployable inflatable membranes, at least some of the inflatable membranes being deployable as elongated extensions so as to form a substantially flower-like enclosure about a part of the person so as to protect said part of the person before said part contacts the ground surface, the inflatable membranes being deployable upon the processor outputting a command signal indicative that the person is falling, thereby reducing risk of possible injury to the person resulting from the fall.

[0020]According to another general aspect, there is provided a method for reducing risk of possible injury to a person in a sitting or standing position resulting from a fall against a ground surface, the method comprising the steps of:

[0023]c) deploying a plurality of inflatable membranes, at least some of the inflatable membranes being deployable about a part of the person so as to form a substantially flower-like enclosure when the command signal is indicative of the person falling, so as to protect said part of the person before said part contacts the ground surface, thereby reducing risk of possible injury to the person resulting from the fall.

Problems solved by technology

The medical care associated with these falls can be costly, and can range from about $5,000 to about $13,000 per incident, resulting in expenses in excess of $1 billion.

Some of the following disadvantages may be associated with known systems and devices for protecting against falls: a) they may not be single, integrated systems and thus may be too cumbersome to be kept in proximity to a person; b) they may not be able to protect the person before they impact the ground; c) they may require manual activation, which renders them less useful for people with low levels of dexterity; d) etc.

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