Protective device and protection method

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of quickly protecting a neck.SOLUTION: There is provided a protective device that protects a wearer's neck, including: an expansion strap that is flexible and can be positioned so as to follow at least a portion of a boundary region between the neck and the head of a wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an inflation source when the protective device is activated; an expansion source supply portion that supplies the expansion source to the expansion portion; and an activation portion that activates the expansion source supply portion to inflate the expansion portion, in which the expansion portion inflates to restrict movement of the wearer's neck when the protective device is activated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a neck protection device and a neck protection method. [Background technology]

[0002] Helmets have been widely known as protective equipment for protecting the head of a bicycle rider, but normal helmets do not have the function of protecting the cervical vertebrae.

[0003] In this regard, airbag devices capable of protecting the neck of a person to be protected have also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses an airbag device in which an inflatable airbag is attached to the collar of clothing worn by the wearer, and it is said that the airbag can protect the area around the neck of the wearer.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses an airbag device that protects the head and other parts of a person to be protected, and that is capable of protecting the neck area in addition to the forehead, sides, and top of the head by deploying an airbag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 10001346 [Patent Document 2] JP 2017-57540 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Incidentally, when a bicycle falls over, the impact causes the head or neck to bend at a steep angle around the boundary between the neck and the head, and there are many cases where the neck is damaged. Therefore, it is important for a protection device to protect the neck when the bicycle falls to quickly restrain the movement of the head and neck near the boundary between the neck and the head of the person to be protected. However, when an inflatable airbag is attached to the collar of clothing as in the past, the inflation of the airbag starts near the boundary between the neck and the torso of the person to be protected. Therefore, it takes time for the airbag to cover the boundary between the neck and the head, and it is considered that it may be difficult to protect the neck quickly. In addition, when the airbag is attached to the collar or sleeve of clothing, for example, there is a risk that the deployment of the airbag may be hindered by the hood of the clothing or luggage such as a backpack, and it is considered that this is not feasible.

[0008] The technology disclosed herein has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can quickly protect the neck of a person to be protected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present disclosure for solving the above problem provides a protective device for protecting the neck of a wearer, the protective device comprising an expansion strap that is flexible and can be positioned to follow at least a portion of the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an expansion source when the protective device is activated, an expansion source supply unit that supplies an expansion source to the expansion portion, and an activation unit that inflates the expansion portion by activating the expansion source supply unit, and the expansion portion is inflated when activated. The tension restricts movement of the wearer's neck.

[0010] The expansion strap may also include a subchin strap portion that is positioned along the boundary area between the wearer's anterior neck and subchin in the pre-activated state of the protection device.

[0011] The inflatable strap may also include a rear strap portion that is positioned along the interface between the rear of the neck and the rear of the head of the wearer.

[0012] The expansion strap may also include a subchin strap portion positioned along the boundary between the wearer's anterior neck and subchin, and a rear strap portion positioned along the boundary between the wearer's posterior neck and occipital region, the subchin strap portion and the rear strap portion being connected to each other.

[0013] The inflatable strap may also be formed by at least a part of a fastening strap for fastening a half-type helmet for protecting the head to a wearer.

[0014] In addition, the starting unit may further include an operating condition detection sensor for detecting that a specified operating condition has been met, and the inflation source supply unit and the starting unit may be mounted on the helmet.

[0015] The inflation source supply portion and the activation portion may be detachable from the helmet.

[0016] The activation unit may further include a wearing state detection sensor that detects whether or not the helmet is worn on the wearer's head.

[0017] The expansion strap may further have a core cord portion to which the expansion source is not supplied, and the expansion portion may be integrally provided in contact with the core cord portion.

[0018] In addition, the expansion strap may be arranged with the expansion portion wrapped in an exterior material, and the exterior material may have a first exterior main surface portion arranged in contact with the wearer's skin, a second exterior main surface portion arranged opposite the first exterior main surface portion, and a pair of exterior side portions connecting the first exterior main surface portion and the second exterior main surface portion, and may be configured such that the pair of exterior side portions are ruptured by the expansion pressure of the expansion portion during operation, or the connection portions of each exterior side portion connected to each of the first exterior main surface portion and the second exterior main surface portion are destroyed.

[0019] In addition, the expansion source supply unit may be a gas supply device that supplies expansion gas to the expansion unit when activated for inflating the expansion unit, and the gas supply device may have a conduit for introducing the expansion gas into the expansion unit, and an open valve may be provided in the conduit.

[0020] The technology disclosed herein can also be specified as a method for operating a protective device that protects the neck of a wearer. In this case, the protective device includes an expansion strap that is flexible and can be arranged to be in contact with the skin of the wearer along at least a part of the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an expansion source when the protective device is activated, an expansion source supply portion that supplies the expansion source to the expansion portion, and an activation portion that inflates the expansion portion by activating the expansion source supply portion. In the method of operating the protection device, the activation section activates the inflation source supply section to inflate the inflation section, thereby restricting movement of the neck of the wearer. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present disclosure, a technology can be provided that can quickly protect the neck of a person to be protected. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a protection device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the neck protection device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the cross-sectional structure of the expansion strap. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a gas supply device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a process flow executed by the control unit of the neck protection device. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the expansion portion of the expansion strap is inflated. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the setting of the expansion strap. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram comparing a neck protection device according to the embodiment with a conventional protection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] A protection device and an operating method thereof according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that each configuration and their combinations in the embodiments are merely examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configurations are possible as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims.

[0024] The protection device according to this embodiment includes: an expansion strap that is flexible and can be positioned so as to follow at least a portion of the boundary region between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an inflation source when the protective device is activated; an expansion source supply section for supplying an expansion source to the expansion section; An activation unit that activates the expansion source supply unit to inflate the expansion unit; Equipped with.

[0025] In the method of operating the protection device, the activation section activates the inflation source supply section to inflate the inflation section, thereby restricting movement of the wearer's neck.

[0026] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a protection device 1 according to an embodiment. The protection device 1 is a wearable type protection device that is worn by a person to be protected, and is a device for protecting the neck of the wearer (person to be protected). The protection device 1 is configured to include a helmet 200 that is worn on the head of the wearer (person to be protected) and protects the head, and a neck protection device 300 that protects the neck of the wearer (person to be protected). In this specification, the wearer who wears the protection device 1 and the person to be protected are treated as synonymous.

[0027] In the protection device 1 in this embodiment, as an example, the neck protection device 300 is provided integrally with the helmet 200. However, the neck protection device 300 may be provided separately from the helmet 200. Note that (A) in the upper part is illustrated as a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) is illustrated as a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state in which the wearer wears (puts on) the helmet 200. Also, FIG. 1 shows a state before the neck protection device 300 is activated.

[0028] The helmet 200 in this embodiment includes a half-shaped (approximately hemispherical) helmet body 210 and a fixing strap 2 for fixing the helmet body 210 to a wearer (a person to be protected). The helmet body 210 includes a helmet cover 20 and a helmet seat cover 212. The helmet body 210 is a protective gear that protects the head of the wearer. An inner cushion (not shown) for absorbing impacts during a fall or the like may be provided inside the helmet body 210. The inner cushion may be made of polystyrene foam such as expanded polystyrene beads (EPS: Expanded Poly Styrene). The helmet body 210 may be made of, for example, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin or PC (Poly Carbonate) resin.

[0029] The fixing strap 220 is a so-called chin strap. The fixing strap 220 is a string-like body for fixing the helmet main body 210 to the wearer's head by hanging it around the wearer's chin, and is attached to a left edge 210A and a right edge 210B on the left and right sides of the helmet main body 210, respectively.

[0030] 1, the fixing strap 220 includes, for example, a left strap portion 230A and a right strap portion 230B, a subchin strap portion 240, a rear strap portion 250, etc. The left strap portion 230A is a strap attached to the left edge 210A of the helmet body 210. The right strap portion 230B is a strap attached to the right edge 210B of the helmet body 210. The left strap portion 230A and the right strap portion 230B each include a first upper strap portion 260 and a second upper strap portion 270, the lower ends of which are connected at connecting portions 280A and 280B.

[0031] 1 is merely an example, but in the example shown in Fig. 1, the connecting portions 280A, 280B are arranged to be positioned under the wearer's ears, and when the wearer puts on the helmet 200, the first upper strap portion 260 and the second upper strap portion 270 of each of the left strap portions 230A are arranged in a substantially V-shape to surround the ears. Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the first upper strap portion 260 is arranged along a position in front of the wearer's ear, and the second upper strap portion 270 is arranged along a position behind the wearer's ear.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 are hung between the connecting portions 280A and 280B. The subchin strap portion 240 is a strap portion arranged along the region along the underchin of the wearer, that is, along the boundary region A1 between the front neck and the underchin, and is arranged from the underchin to the underear of the wearer. For example, the subchin strap portion 240 may be divided into two at the middle, and the divided subchin strap portions 240 may be configured to be detachable via a fastener (not shown) such as a buckle. The rear strap portion is a strap portion arranged along the boundary region A2 between the back neck and the back head of the wearer. The fixing strap 220 configured as described above can fix the helmet 200 (helmet body 210) to the head of the wearer. In this embodiment, the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 are connected via the connecting portions 280A and 280B. More specifically, the subchin strap portion 240, the rear strap portion 250, the first upper strap portion 260, and the second upper strap portion 270 constituting the fixing strap 220 are connected to each other via respective connecting portions 280A and 280B.

[0033] Each strap portion constituting the fixing strap 220 is flexible and can be fitted to the wearer's skin. In other words, each strap portion constituting the fixing strap 220 (including the inflatable strap 340 described below) can be positioned so as to come into contact with the wearer's skin. In this specification, the "neck" refers to the narrow part that connects the human head to the torso. The part of the "neck" that is located mainly at the back of the head is called the "posterior neck". The "posterior neck" is sometimes also called the "nape". The part of the "neck" that is The area located on the opposite side of the "posterior neck" is called the "anterior neck." The "anterior neck" is sometimes also called the "anterior throat."

[0034] Next, the neck protection device 300 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the neck protection device 300. The neck protection device 300 includes a gas supply device 310 as an inflation source supply unit, an activation unit 320, an inflation strap 340, and the like. The activation unit 320 includes a control unit 350, a power source 360, an operating condition detection sensor 370, a wearing state detection sensor 380, and the like. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 390 denotes a housing case that houses the gas supply device 310, the control unit 350, the power source 360, the operating condition detection sensor 370, and the like. In FIG. 1, the housing case 390 is attached to the rear side of the helmet body 210, but the position where the housing case 390 is arranged and the manner of attachment are not particularly limited.

[0035] First, the inflation strap 340 will be described. The inflation strap 340 in this embodiment is a flexible strap (string-like body) that is arranged so as to follow at least a part of the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the wearer's skin in the pre-activation state of the neck protection device 300. The inflation strap 340 may be formed by, for example, at least a part of the fixing strap 220 in the helmet 200 described above.

[0036] The expansion strap 340 is inflated by supplying an expansion source when the neck protection device 300 is activated. The expansion strap 340 inflates when the neck protection device 300 is activated, filling the gap around the neck and restraining the movement of the head and neck of the wearer. This prevents the head and neck from bending at a steep angle when the wearer falls while riding a bicycle, and reduces the impact on the wearer's head in addition to the protection provided by the helmet 200, thereby avoiding and reducing damage to the neck. The neck protection device 300 may restrain the movement of the head and neck with some movement allowance in addition to completely restraining the movement of the head and neck. In other words, the neck protection device 300 may restrain the angle of bending of the head and neck so that it is within a range that does not affect the wearer.

[0037] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the cross-sectional structure of the expansion strap 340. FIG. 3A shows a first embodiment of the expansion strap 340, FIG. 3B shows a second embodiment of the expansion strap 340, and FIG. 3C shows a third embodiment of the expansion strap 340.

[0038] First, the first embodiment shown in (A) will be described. In the first embodiment, the expansion strap 340 has a core cord portion 341 to which no expansion source is supplied, and an expansion portion 342 that is integrally provided in contact with the core cord portion 341. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the expansion portion 342 is laminated on the core cord portion 341. The core cord portion 341 is a core material that has flexibility but has a certain degree of mechanical strength in the tensile direction, and may be formed of, for example, polypropylene resin. The core cord portion 341 can be made of a material that constitutes a fixing strap of a normal bicycle helmet. In addition, the expansion portion 342 of the expansion strap 340 is, for example, a bag-shaped airbag that is deflated before the expansion source is supplied and is inflated when the expansion source is supplied. Here, reference numeral 341A denotes the outer surface of the core cord portion 341, and reference numeral 342A denotes the outer surface of the expansion portion 342. The inflation strap 340 is positioned, for example, such that the outer surface 342A of the inflation portion 342 faces the wearer's skin.

[0039] Next, the second embodiment shown in (B) will be described. In the expansion strap 340 in the second embodiment, the expansion portion 342 is arranged so as to surround the periphery of the above-mentioned core cord portion 341. Reference numerals 342B and 342C denote the first and second main surfaces of the expansion portion 342. The expansion strap 340 in the second embodiment is arranged so that, for example, either the first main surface 342B or the second main surface 342C of the expansion portion 342 faces the skin of the wearer.

[0040] Next, the third embodiment shown in (C) will be described. In the third embodiment, the inflatable strap 340 is arranged in a state in which the inflatable portion 342 is wrapped in the exterior material 343 before the operation of the neck protection device 300. The exterior material 343 has a first exterior main surface portion 344 arranged in a state in which it is in contact with the wearer's skin, a second exterior main surface portion 345 arranged opposite to the first exterior main surface portion 344, and a pair of exterior side portions 346A, 346B connecting the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345, and is arranged in a state in which the bag-shaped inflatable portion 342 is folded and sandwiched between the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345. Here, the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345 may be members corresponding to the core string portion 341 described in the first embodiment. That is, the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345 are flexible but are core materials that have a certain degree of mechanical strength in the tensile direction, and may be formed from, for example, polypropylene resin.

[0041] When an expansion source is supplied to the expansion portion 342 and the expansion portion 342 inside the exterior material 343 starts to expand, the expansion pressure acts on the exterior material 343. The expansion strap 340 in the third embodiment is configured so that the pair of exterior side portions 346A, 346B are torn by the expansion pressure of the expansion portion 342 during operation, or the connection portions of the exterior side portions 346A, 346B connected (for example, sewn) to the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345 are destroyed (for example, the stitching portion is unraveled). As a result, the first exterior main surface portion 344 and the second exterior main surface portion 345 are separated from each other compared to the initial state before the expansion of the expansion portion 342, and the expansion portion 342 continues to expand. Note that the embodiments described above in (A) to (C) are merely examples of the expansion strap 340.

[0042] In addition, an example of the inflation source supplied to the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 is inflation gas for inflating the inflation portion 342. Instead of such inflation gas, a foam capable of inflating the inflation portion 342 may be used as the inflation source. The inflation portion 342 may be inflated by supplying foam such as urethane foam from a spray-type inflation source supply unit to the inflation portion 342. In the embodiments (A) to (C), the inflation portion 342 may be configured so that the other portions are easier to inflate than the portion of the inflation portion 342 that contacts the wearer's skin when the inflation portion 342 is inflated, for example, so that the wearer's neck is not excessively compressed. For example, in the embodiment (A), the surface opposite the outer surface 342A or the portion corresponding to the side may be easier to inflate than the outer surface 342A side. In the embodiments (B) and (C), the portion corresponding to the side portion of the embodiment (A) can also be set to be easier to inflate. In such a neck protection device 300, the inflatable portion 342 is inflated widely along the width direction of the core string portion 341, and therefore the inflatable portion 342 is expanded widely along the height direction of the neck. Therefore, it is easy to generate resistance to a large bending of the head and neck of the wearer, and it is possible to more appropriately protect the neck of the wearer.

[0043] In the following, an embodiment in which the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 of the fixing strap 220 are configured as an inflatable strap 340 will be described as an example.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the gas supply device 310. The gas supply device 310 is a device for supplying inflation gas to the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 when the neck protection device 300 is activated, for inflating the inflation portion 342, and is provided with a storage container 311 for storing the inflation gas in a pressurized state, and a conduit 312 having one end connected to a gas outlet 311A ​​of the storage container 311. The conduit 312 is a tubular member for guiding (transporting) the inflation gas (pressurized gas) discharged from the gas outlet 311A ​​of the storage container 311 to the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 when the neck protection device 300 is activated. In this embodiment, since the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 of the fixing strap 220 are configured as the inflation strap 340, the distal end side of the conduit 312 is bifurcated into two branched branches 312A and 312B. 4, the inflation portion of the underchin strap portion 240 constituting the inflation strap 340 is indicated by reference numeral 3421, and the inflation portion of the rear strap portion 250 constituting the inflation strap 340 is indicated by reference numeral 3422. The inflation portions 3421 and 3422 are provided with gas inlets 3423 and 3424, respectively, and the branched branches 312A and 312B of the conduit 312 are connected to the gas inlets 3423 and 3424.

[0045] A valve body 311B for closing the gas exhaust port 311A ​​of the storage container 311 is provided at the gas exhaust port 311A, and the storage container 311 is sealed by the valve body 311B before the operation of the neck protection device 300 (gas supply device 310). When the neck protection device 300 is operated, the valve body 311B of the gas supply device 310 is opened, so that the inside of the storage container 311 communicates with the conduit 312. As a result, the inflation gas (pressurized gas) is discharged from the storage container 311 to the conduit 312, and the inflation gas (pressurized gas) is supplied to the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 through the conduit 312. As an example, the conduit 312 is arranged to extend along the inside of the left edge 210A of the helmet body 210 and the first upper strap portion 260 of the left strap portion 230A, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, in the vicinity of where the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 configured as the inflation strap 340 are connected to the connecting portion 280A, the respective branched branches 312A, 312B of the conduit 312 are connected to the inflation portion 342. Note that reference numeral 330 shown in Figs. 1 and 4 denotes a release valve provided in the conduit 312. The release valve 330 is a valve element capable of releasing inflation gas to the outside by being opened after the neck protection device 300 (gas supply device 310) is activated. In this embodiment, the release valve is configured as a manual valve element.

[0046] Next, the activation unit 320 will be described. As described above, the activation unit 320 includes the control unit 350, the power source 360, the operating condition detection sensor 370, the wearing state detection sensor 380, etc., and is a device that inflates the inflation unit 342 of the inflation strap 340 by activating the gas supply device 310 as an inflation source supply unit. The control unit 350 is a control unit that operates by receiving power from the power source 360 ​​and activates the gas supply device 310. The power source 360 ​​may be, for example, a lithium ion battery or a dry cell.

[0047] When an operating condition for operating the neck protection device 300 (gas supply device 310) is met, the control unit 350 opens the valve body 311B of the gas supply device 310. For example, the control unit 350 may control an operating mechanism (not shown) such as an actuator capable of opening the valve body 311B of the gas supply device 310 to open the valve body 311B. Of course, the operating mechanism for opening the valve body 311B of the gas supply device 310 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the valve body 311B may be formed of a thin metal plate member, and the control unit 350 may open the valve body 311B by operating a splitting mechanism that splits the valve body 311B.

[0048] 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of the control unit 350. The control unit 350 includes a processor 351, a storage unit 352, and an input / output unit 353. The processor 351 comprehensively executes various types of arithmetic processing in the control unit 350. The processor 351 may have an arithmetic processing means such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), for example.

[0049] The storage unit 352 includes, for example, a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit. The main storage unit of the storage unit 352 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), and caches information such as programs and data used in arithmetic processing by the processor 351. The main storage unit of the storage unit 352 may be formed integrally with the processor 351. The auxiliary storage unit of the storage unit 352 includes a storage medium such as a volatile memory such as a RAM, a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive), or a removable medium. The removable memory The media is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a memory card, which is an externally mountable and computer-readable recording medium. An operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, and the like for executing the operation of the neck protection device 300 can be stored in the auxiliary storage unit of the storage unit 352. The input / output unit 353 is an interface for inputting information (detection results, etc.) from various sensors such as the operating condition detection sensor 370 and the wearing state detection sensor 380, and outputting information (control signals, etc.) to various sensors and other devices. The neck protection device 300 also has a power switch (not shown), and a state signal of the power switch is also input to the input / output unit 353.

[0050] The operating condition detection sensor 370 is a sensor for detecting that a predetermined operating condition has been met. The predetermined operating condition is a condition under which the neck protection device 300 should be activated, and examples thereof include a fall of a bicycle ridden by a wearer wearing the helmet 200, and other conditions under which the wearer is exposed to danger. The operating condition detection sensor 370 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), or the like. The operating condition detection sensor 370 may also be a vital sensor that detects the brain waves of the wearer. The vital sensor may detect brain waves different from normal brain waves to detect a dangerous state of the wearer. The vital sensor may be a contact sensor that contacts the head of the wearer, or a non-contact sensor. The operating condition detection sensor 370 includes, for example, at least one of the above-mentioned acceleration sensor, gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), and vital sensor. Of course, a plurality of types of sensors may be used in combination as the operating condition detection sensor 370 among the acceleration sensor, gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), and vital sensor. Furthermore, the operating condition detection sensor 370 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the operating conditions, and it is also possible to use a detection device other than the above-mentioned exemplified sensors (for example, a camera or a millimeter wave radar). Since the neck protection device 300 includes the operating condition detection sensor 370, the activation unit 320 can activate the neck protection device 300 at an appropriate timing.

[0051] Furthermore, the wearing state detection sensor 380 is a sensor that detects a contact state with the wearer's head, and a plurality of the wearing state detection sensors 380 may be arranged inside the helmet body 210. The control unit 350 determines whether the helmet 200 is being worn based on a detection signal from the wearing state detection sensor 380. For example, the control unit 350 may determine that the helmet 200 is being worn when a plurality of wearing state detection sensors 380 detect a contact state with the wearer's head. The wearing state detection sensor 380 may be, for example, a pressure sensor.

[0052] Next, a description will be given of a method of operating the neck protection device 300. The neck protection device 300 has, for example, a power switch (not shown), and when the power switch is ON, the control unit 350 periodically repeats the process flow of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the process flow executed by the control unit 350 of the neck protection device 300.

[0053] In step S10, the control unit 350 judges whether the helmet 200 is worn by the wearer based on the detection signal of the wearing state detection sensor 380. When the control unit 350 judges that the helmet 200 is not worn by the wearer, the control unit 350 temporarily ends the processing flow of FIG. 6. On the other hand, when the control unit 350 judges that the helmet 200 is worn by the wearer, the process proceeds to step S20. Since the neck protection device 300 in this embodiment includes the wearing state detection sensor 380, it is possible to prevent the neck protection device 300 from erroneously operating when the helmet 200 is not worn. For example, it is possible to prevent the neck protection device 300 from operating unnecessarily when the helmet 200 receives an impact by itself.

[0054] In step S20, the control unit 350 determines whether the operation conditions of the neck protection device 300 are met. As described above, the activation conditions of the neck protection device 300 are determined based on the detection signal of the activation condition detection sensor 370. In this step, if it is determined that the activation conditions of the neck protection device 300 are met, the process proceeds to step S30, and if it is determined that the activation conditions are not met, the process flow in FIG. 6 is temporarily terminated.

[0055] In step S30, the control unit 350 operates the gas supply device 310. That is, the valve body 311B of the storage container 311 is opened, and the inflation gas as an inflation source stored in the storage container 311 is supplied to the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 through the conduit 312, thereby inflating the inflation portion 342. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the inflation portion 342 of the inflation strap 340 is inflated. In this case, since the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 of the helmet 200 are formed as the inflation strap 340, the inflation portions 342 provided on the subchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 are inflated.

[0056] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the state after the neck protection device 300 is activated. As shown in Fig. 7, activation of the neck protection device 300 causes the expansion parts 342 in the subchin strap part 240 and the rear strap part 250, which are configured as the expansion strap 340, to expand. This makes it possible to restrain the movement of the head and neck of the wearer of the helmet 200. In other words, for example, when the bicycle falls over, it is possible to prevent the head and neck of the wearer from bending at a steep angle due to the impact of the fall, and damage to the neck can be avoided or reduced.

[0057] In this embodiment, the inflation strap 340 may be arranged so as to follow at least a part of the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in the pre-activation state of the neck protection device 300. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a modified setting mode of the inflation strap 340. (A) shows an example in which the inflation strap 340 is arranged only in the boundary area A2 between the rear neck and the rear head of the wearer. That is, in this example, the rear strap part 250, which is a part of the fixing strap 220 in the helmet 200, is configured as the inflation strap 340. (B) shows an example in which the inflation strap 340 is configured not only for the underchin strap part 240 and the rear strap part 250, but also for the first upper strap part 260. Of course, the mode shown in FIG. 8 is also illustrative, and for example, the entire fixing strap 220 (all strap parts) may be configured by the inflation strap 340. In the above example, the restraint when the neck and head of the wearer are bent forward and backward has been described, but the neck and head may also be bent to the left and right. In this case, by widely expanding the portion of either or both of the underchin strap portion 240 and the rear strap portion 250 that corresponds to the area under the ear of the wearer, the neck and head of the wearer can be prevented from swinging significantly to the left and right when an impact is received, and the neck can be protected more appropriately.

[0058] When a bicycle falls over, the wearer's neck has a tendency to bend around the boundary area with the head. FIG. 9 is a diagram comparing a neck protection device 300 according to the embodiment with a conventional protection device. The upper part (A) shows the neck protection device 300 according to the embodiment, and the lower part (B) shows a conventional protection device (hereinafter referred to as a "conventional protection device"). The conventional protection device is a protection device in which an inflatable airbag 1000 is attached to the collar of the clothes worn by the user, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the conventional protection device, even if the user's neck can be protected by inflating the airbag 1000 attached to the collar of the clothes worn by the user, it takes time for the airbag 1000 to inflate to the boundary area between the user's neck and head. For example, unless the airbag 1000 is close to being fully inflated, it is difficult for the restraining function of restraining the bending of the user's neck to be exerted. This is because the airbag 1000 of the conventional protection device is attached to the collar of the clothes worn by the user, and the airbag 1000 is inflated to the collar of the clothes worn by the user. This is because the attachment position of the bag 1000 is far from the boundary area between the neck and head of the user. Also, in conventional protective devices, the airbag 1000 is not sufficiently fixed to the user, so that the airbag 1000 is likely to shift position when the user's neck or head tilts, and the restraint performance may become insufficient.

[0059] In contrast, according to the neck protection device 300 of this embodiment, the inflatable strap 340 is arranged in advance so as to follow the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer before the neck protection device 300 is activated. This allows the movement of the wearer's neck to be immediately restrained when the condition for activating the neck protection device 300 is met. As a result, when the wearer of the helmet 200 falls, the protection function (i.e., neck restraint function) of the neck protection device 300 can be exerted in a state where the bending angle of the wearer's neck due to the impact is smaller. Therefore, it is possible to more suitably suppress and reduce damage to the wearer's neck.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the neck protection device 300 of this embodiment, the expansion strap 340 can be placed directly at the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer to be protected, so that it is possible to reduce the amount of the expansion source supplied for inflating the expansion part 342 of the expansion strap 340. This makes it possible to ensure the expansion speed of the expansion part 342 of the expansion strap 340 while realizing a compact neck protection device 300.

[0061] In addition, due to the structure of the human body, when the wearer's face changes in the lateral direction, the neck is twisted (rotated in the lateral direction) relative to the torso accordingly. In other words, the lateral (horizontal) relative angle of the neck relative to the torso changes according to the direction of the wearer's face. In this case, as in the conventional protective device shown in the lower part of FIG. 9, if the airbag 1000 is attached to the collar of the clothes worn by the user, the relative positional relationship of the airbag 1000 to the torso is fixed, and the direction of the airbag 1000 cannot be changed in accordance with the twisting movement of the neck. In other words, in the conventional protective device, the airbag 1000 is not directly fixed to the torso of the user, so that the airbag 1000 may be displaced due to the movement of the user's neck or head, and the restraint performance may not be fully exhibited.

[0062] In contrast, the inflatable strap 340 of the neck protection device 300 in this embodiment is flexible and can be arranged so as to contact the wearer's skin. Therefore, even if the wearer twists the neck laterally (horizontally) before the neck protection device 300 is activated, the inflatable strap 340 can be maintained in a state of fitting to the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer. This allows the inflatable strap 340 to be kept fitted to the boundary area between the neck and head of the wearer without being subjected to such a force whether the wearer's face is facing forward or sideways. In other words, regardless of the direction of the wearer's face (degree of twisting of the neck in the lateral direction) at the time when the activation condition of the neck protection device 300 is established, it is possible to inflate the inflatable strap 340 in a state of always fitting to the boundary area between the wearer's neck and head, and to exhibit an appropriate neck protection function. For example, when the expansion strap 340 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3(A) is arranged so that the expansion section 342 faces the skin of the wearer, the expansion section 342 expands toward the skin surface of the neck and restrains the neck, but the reaction force acts in a direction that tries to spread the core string section 341 outward. On the other hand, the core string section 341 of the expansion strap 340 has a suitable rigidity, so that the core string section 341 can resist the reaction force, and as a result, the expansion section 342 can enhance the restraining effect on the neck.

[0063] After the wearer's neck is protected by the operation of neck protection device 300, the wearer can operate release valve 330 to release the gas in conduit 312 to the atmosphere as necessary. This can reduce the degree of inflation of inflatable portion 342, making helmet 200 easier to take off.

[0064] In this embodiment, a gas supply device 310 as an expansion source supply unit and a starter unit 32 0 may be detachable from the helmet 200. In the above embodiment, the storage case 390 may be configured to be detachable from the helmet body 210. In this way, by making the gas supply device 310 and the activation unit 320 detachable from the helmet 200, for example, when replacing the helmet 200, the inactive gas supply device 310 and the activation unit 320 can be easily transferred to the new helmet 200. For example, the control unit 350, the power source 360, various sensors, etc. may be detachably fixed to the helmet body 210 by a string with a snap-type fastener, or may be inserted into an appropriate insertion pocket formed on the inside of the helmet body 210. The insertion pocket can be detachable from the helmet body 210 by, for example, making the opening openable and closable by a fastener. In addition, the gas supply device 310 may be, for example, a cartridge type with a lock, and inserted into a predetermined storage unit in the helmet body 210 so that it does not fall off the helmet body 210 even when it is subjected to an impact.

[0065] In addition, various modifications can be adopted for the neck protection device 300 of this embodiment. For example, the neck protection device 300 described in the above embodiment has been described as an aspect in which the control unit 350 activates the gas supply device 310 based on the detection result of the operating condition detection sensor 370 in the starting unit 320, but for example, a manual operation unit (not shown) that is manually operated by the wearer may be provided in the helmet body 210, and the neck protection device 300 may be activated upon receiving the operation of the manual operation unit by the wearer. For example, in the gas supply device 310 described in FIG. 4, an appropriate mechanical mechanism (which may be a combination of mechanical elements such as a spring and a wire) may be interposed between the valve body 311B that seals the gas outlet 311A ​​of the storage container 311 that stores the inflation gas (pressurized gas) and the manual operation unit, and the neck protection device 300 may be activated by the wearer operating the manual operation unit. The specific structure of the manual operation unit is not particularly limited, and for example, a manual switch that can be operated by the wearer or a lock pin, etc. may be provided on the helmet body 210, and a structure may be adopted in which the gas exhaust port 311A ​​of the storage container 311 is opened by operating such a manual operation unit.

[0066] The gas supply device 310 (inflation source supply section) may be a pyroelectric gas generator used to inflate an airbag. This type of gas generator is well known and will not be described in detail. The gas generator includes a housing that contains a gas generating agent therein, and a pyroelectric igniter that is activated by the supply of an operating current and ignites the gas generating agent in the housing, and may supply inflation gas generated by combustion of the gas generating agent to the inflation section 342 of the inflation strap 340 through the conduit 312. In this case, the gas generating agent corresponds to the inflation source of the inflation section 342 of the inflation strap 340.

[0067] Although the embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described above, each aspect disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1...protective device 200···Helmet 210 Helmet body 220···Fixing strap 240 Chin strap 250···Rear strap section 300...Neck protection device 310 Gas supply equipment 320...Starting section 330...Release valve 340···Expansion strap 342...Expansion section 350...Control section

Claims

1. A protection device for protecting a wearer's neck, comprising: an expansion strap that is flexible and can be positioned so as to follow at least a portion of the boundary region between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an inflation source when the protective device is activated; an expansion source supply section for supplying an expansion source to the expansion section; An activation unit that activates the expansion source supply unit to inflate the expansion unit; Equipped with When activated, the expansion portion expands to restrict movement of the wearer's neck. Protective device.

2. The expansion strap includes a subchin strap portion that is disposed along a boundary area between the wearer's anterior neck and subchin in a pre-activated state of the protective device.

2. The protection device of claim 1.

3. The expansion strap includes a rear strap portion that is positioned along the boundary between the rear of the neck and the rear of the head of the wearer.

2. The protection device of claim 1.

4. The expansion strap includes a subchin strap portion disposed along a boundary region between the front of the neck and the underside of the chin of the wearer, and a rear strap portion disposed along a boundary region between the rear of the neck and the back of the head of the wearer, the subchin strap portion and the rear strap portion being connected to each other.

2. The protection device of claim 1.

5. The expansion strap is formed by at least a part of a fastening strap for fastening a half-type helmet to a wearer to protect the head. A protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The starting unit further includes an operating condition detection sensor for detecting that a predetermined operating condition is satisfied, The inflation source supply unit and the activation unit are mounted on the helmet.

6. The protection device of claim 5.

7. The inflation source supply unit and the activation unit are detachable from the helmet.

7. The protection device of claim 6.

8. The activation unit further includes a wearing state detection sensor that detects whether the helmet is worn on the wearer's head.

7. The protection device of claim 6.

9. The protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the expansion strap further has a core cord portion to which the expansion source is not supplied, and the expansion portion is integrally formed in contact with the core cord portion.

10. The expansion strap is disposed in a state in which the expansion portion is wrapped in an exterior material, The exterior material includes a first exterior main surface portion that is arranged in a manner that contacts the skin of a wearer, a second exterior main surface portion that is arranged opposite to the first exterior main surface portion, and a first exterior main surface portion and a second exterior main surface portion that are arranged opposite to the first exterior main surface portion and the second exterior main surface portion. and a pair of exterior side portions connecting the portions, The pair of exterior side portions are broken by the expansion pressure of the expansion portion during operation, or the connection portions of each exterior side portion connected to the first exterior main surface portion and the second exterior main surface portion are destroyed. A protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The expansion source supply unit includes: a gas supply device that supplies inflation gas to the inflatable portion when actuated to inflate the inflatable portion, The gas supply device has a conduit for introducing the inflation gas into the inflation section, and the conduit is provided with an open valve. A protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

12. A method for operating a protection device for protecting a wearer's neck, comprising: The protection device comprises: an expansion strap that is flexible and can be positioned so as to follow at least a portion of the boundary region between the neck and head of the wearer and to contact the skin of the wearer in a pre-activation state of the protective device, the expansion strap including an expansion portion that can be inflated by supplying an inflation source when the protective device is activated; an expansion source supply section for supplying an expansion source to the expansion section; An activation unit that activates the expansion source supply unit to inflate the expansion unit; Equipped with The activation unit activates the inflation source supply unit to inflate the inflation unit and restrict movement of the wearer's neck. How protective devices operate.

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