Protective device

Abstract

This protective device, which is fitted to a human body and is for protecting at least the head of the human body, includes: a base part that can be fitted to the human body; a protective part held on the base part and having a honeycomb structure or a bellows structure that can reversibly switch between a folded orientation that is folded and a deployed orientation that is deployed from the folded orientation so as to cover the head of the human body; and in the protective part, a fixed end fixed to the base part, and a free end not fixed to the base part. In the folded orientation, the free end is folded in an orientation approaching the fixed end, and when switching from the folded orientation to the deployed orientation, the free end separates from the fixed end while the protective part is deployed around the head. The foregoing provides a protective device that protects the head of the human body by using a protective part that can reversibly switch between the folded orientation and the deployed orientation.

Description

protection device

[0001] The present invention relates to a body protection device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a human body protection device that is worn on the human body and that, when a fire is detected around the human body, inflates and deploys an airbag to surround and protect a specific part of the human body. Patent Document 2 discloses a device that is worn around a soldier's neck and, when a sensor detects air pressure above a threshold, inflates a chamber to prevent brain damage caused by a blast.

[0003] JP 2014-79440 A U.S. Pat. No. 10,001,346

[0004] In the case of a system in which an airbag or chamber is inflated by supplying air when activated, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is a problem in that the device cannot be used repeatedly because it is difficult to return the airbag or chamber to its pre-activation state after activation.

[0005] In order to instantly deploy an airbag or chamber by supplying air to it, it is possible to supply air generated by instantaneous combustion of explosives or to instantaneously release pressurized gas, but these methods have the problem of increasing the bulk and weight of the device itself.

[0006] The technology disclosed herein has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a protective device that protects the human head using a protective section that can be reversibly switched between a folded position and an unfolded position.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the protective device of the present disclosure is a protective device that is worn on a human body and protects at least the head of the human body, and includes: a base portion that can be worn on the human body; a protective portion that is held on the base portion and has a honeycomb structure or a bellows structure and is reversibly switchable between a folded position in which it is folded and an expanded position in which it is expanded to cover the head of the human body from the folded position; and the protective portion has a fixed end that is fixed to the base portion and a free end that is not fixed to the base portion, and in the folded position, the free end is folded in a position close to the fixed end, and when switching from the folded position to the expanded position, the protective portion is expanded around the head while the free end moves away from the fixed end.

[0008] The protective part is set to the unfolded position by the elastic force of an elastic member, and can be changed from the unfolded position to the folded position by folding against the elastic force, and the protective device may further include a locking part that locks the protective part in the folded position against the elastic force, and a trigger part that unfolds the protective part by releasing the lock on the protective part by the locking part.

[0009] The protection device may have a detection unit that detects the state of the human body or the state of the surroundings of the human body, and a control unit that acquires the detection result by the detection unit and controls the trigger unit to release the lock by the lock unit when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0010] The protection device may further include a drive unit that deploys the protection unit by driving the free end of the protection unit in the folded position so as to move away from the fixed end.

[0011] The protection device may have a detection unit that detects the state of the human body or the state of the surroundings of the human body, and a control unit that acquires the detection result by the detection unit and controls the drive unit to operate when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0012] The protection section may be configured such that at least the free end rotates around a straight line at a predetermined position as a rotation center, thereby reversibly changing between a folded posture before activation and an unfolded posture after activation.

[0013] When the protective device is worn on the human body, the base portion is positioned below the head, and the protective portion may take on an expanded position after activation from a folded position before activation by moving the free end upward when activated.

[0014] The protection device may further include a restricting portion having one end connected to the free end side of the protection portion and the other end connected to the base portion, for restricting the movement distance of the free end.

[0015] The protective portion may be formed from a cushioning material having a cushioning function, the cushioning material being bellows-shaped with ribs attached to its peaks, the ribs being stretched between guide rails having grooves provided on the left and right side surfaces of the base portion, and the left and right ends of the ribs being attached so as to be slidable relative to the grooves.

[0016] The detection unit may include at least one sensing means selected from an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a positioning device, a camera, a radar, a LIDAR, and a three-dimensional scanner.

[0017] The base portion may be used with its lower surface in contact with the shoulder of the human body and placed around the neck of the human body.

[0018] The protection section may be formed from a shock-absorbing material having a shock-absorbing function, and when activated and in the deployed position, the shock-absorbing material may also cover the face of the human body.

[0019] The protection part may include a fixing part that fixes the base part to the human body.

[0020] The protection section may further include a cover section that covers a surface of the protection section that is located on the head side when the protection section is in the deployed position.

[0021] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a protection device that protects the head of a human body by using a protection section that can be reversibly switched between a folded position and an unfolded position.

[0022] 1 is a side view of a protective device according to an embodiment; a front view of a protective device according to an embodiment; a bottom view of a protective device according to an embodiment; a side view of a protective device in a state after the protective section has been deployed (deployed position); a longitudinal sectional view of a protective device in the deployed position; a perspective view of a protective device in the deployed position; a diagram showing the configuration of a control unit; a diagram showing a processing procedure executed by the control unit of a protective device; a side view of a protective device according to a first modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a front view of a protective device according to a first modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a side view of a protective device according to a first modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in an deployed position; a side view of a protective device according to a second modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a front view of a protective device according to a second modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a plan view of a protective device according to a second modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a side view of a protective device according to a second modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; a side view of a protective device according to a second modified example, showing a state in which the protective section is in a folded position; 1 is a plan view of a protective device according to Modification 3, showing a state in which the protective portion is in an unfolded position; FIG. 2 is a side view of a protective device according to Modification 3, showing a state in which a user wears the protective device and the protective portion is unfolded; FIG. 3 is a side view of a protective device according to Modification 4, showing a state in which the protective portion is in a folded position; FIG. 4 is a side view of a protective device according to Modification 4, showing a state in which a user wears the protective device and the protective portion is unfolded; FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a honeycomb structure in an unfolded state and a folded state; FIG. 6 is a side view of a protective device according to Modification 5, showing a state in which the protective portion is in a folded position; FIG. 7 is a front view of a protective device according to Modification 5, showing a state in which the protective portion is in a folded position; FIG. 8 is a side view of a protective device according to Modification 5, showing a state in which the protective portion is unfolded; FIG. 9 is a side view of a protective device according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a protective device according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view of a protective device according to the second embodiment; FIG. 12 is a side view of a protective device according to the second embodiment, showing a state in which a user wears the protective device and the protective portion is unfolded; FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a protective device according to the second embodiment; FIG. 14 is a rear view of a protective device according to the second embodiment; FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram of a protective device according to a third embodiment.10A and 10B are side views of a protective device according to a third embodiment, showing a state in which the protective device is worn by a user and the protective part is deployed; FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view of a protective device according to a third embodiment; and FIG. 10C is a schematic view showing a configuration for deploying the protective part according to the third embodiment.

[0023] First Embodiment A protection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configurations are possible as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims. Furthermore, each aspect disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a side view of the protective device 1, FIG. 2 is a front view of the protective device 1, and FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the protective device 1. The protective device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is worn on a user's body (human body) and protects at least the user's head. The protective device 1 includes a base unit 10, a protective unit 20, a drive unit 30, a lock unit 40, a trigger unit 50, a detection unit 60, a control unit 70, and a rear housing 80. The protective device 1 protects the head by deploying the protective unit 20 around the head when, for example, the detection unit 60 detects that the user has fallen or that a collision has become unavoidable, and that an impact to the user's body is occurring, or that an impact to the user's body can be predicted (hereinafter also referred to as an emergency). 1 to 3 are views showing the state before the protection unit 20 is deployed (folded posture), FIG. 4 is a side view of the protection device 1 in the state after the protection unit 20 is deployed (deployed posture), FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the protection device 1 in the deployed posture, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the protection device 1 in the deployed posture. In this specification, the up-down direction is also referred to as the Y-axis direction, the left-right direction is also referred to as the X-axis direction, and the depth direction is also referred to as the Z-direction. However, in this specification, the up-down direction and the X, Y, and Z-axis directions of the protection device 1 merely indicate the relative positional relationships of each element in the protection device 1 for the convenience of explaining the embodiment. For example, the posture when using the protection device 1 is not limited to the directions shown in the figures. Furthermore, the size of the protection device 1 relative to the human body is not limited to that shown in the figures. This embodiment also includes a power supply unit for driving the control unit, detection unit, trigger unit, etc., but this is omitted from the description.

[0025] The base unit 10 is attached to the user's body and serves as a base for holding the protection unit 20, drive unit 30, lock unit 40, trigger unit 50, detection unit 60, control unit 70, and rear housing 80 in predetermined positions relative to the user's body. In this embodiment, the base unit 10 is an annular member, and the inner space 11 of the ring is larger than the user's head and smaller than the width of the user's shoulders. Therefore, when the user's head passes through the inner space 11, the underside 12 of the base unit 10 abuts against the user's shoulder, and the base unit 10 is attached in a position around the user's neck. In other words, the protection device 1 is positioned on the user's shoulder and generally below the head.

[0026] The protective part 20 has one end connected to the base part 10 and is reversibly switchable between a folded position and an unfolded position in which it unfolds to cover the user's head, i.e., its position can be changed. The protective part 20 has guide rails 21, ribs 22, buffer material 23 with a buffering function, and a pressure plate 24.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2 , the guide rails 21 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the base unit 10, respectively, and are formed in an arc shape centered on a virtual rotation axis 2X as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 . This rotation axis 2X can be set arbitrarily depending on the shape of the protector 20, the part of the user to be protected, and the like. For example, the rotation axis 2X may be a straight line at a predetermined position connecting the left and right side surfaces of the base unit 10. In this embodiment, the rotation axis 2X is a straight line in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) perpendicular to the depth direction (Z-axis direction) of the base unit 10. Furthermore, grooves 211 are provided on the outer surface of the arc along the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 21, and left and right end portions 221 of the rib 22 are slidably attached to the grooves 211.

[0028] The rib 22 is a generally linear member that spans between the guide rails 21 provided on the left and right sides of the base portion 10 and is provided so as to curve convexly from one guide rail 21 to the other. When the cushioning material 23 is deployed as described below, the rib 22 slides along the grooves 211 of the guide rails 21, thereby deploying the cushioning material 23 into a bowl shape. The rib 22 is made of, for example, a hard synthetic resin. However, the rib 22 may be made of other materials, such as metal, as long as it can ensure a predetermined rigidity.

[0029] The cushioning material 23 has a shape that forms at least a portion of a bowl so as to cover the user's head, and is configured to be reversibly switchable between a folded position and an unfolded position using an expandable structure. The expandable structure is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a honeycomb structure and a bellows structure. In this example, the cushioning material 23 has a bellows structure. As shown in FIG. 5 , this bellows structure has, in a longitudinal cross section (YZ cross section), a plurality of peaks 231 protruding toward the outside of the protective section 20 and valleys 232 formed between each peak 231, which are alternately arranged. These peaks 231 and valleys 232 are formed in a continuous shape, i.e., a corrugated shape, extending from the front side to the back side of the paper surface of FIG. 5 . Ribs 22 are attached to the cushioning material 23 along the ridges of each peak 231, and the cushioning material 23 is connected to the guide rail 21 via the ribs 22.

[0030] One end of the cushioning material 23 is a fixed end 233 fixed to the base unit 10, and the other end is a free end 234 that is not fixed to the base unit 10. When the free end 234 of the cushioning material 23 is moved from the unfolded posture shown in Fig. 5 so that it approaches the fixed end 233, the cushioning material 23 is folded so that the peaks 231 are brought closer to each other and the valleys 232 are brought closer to each other, and the bellows structure is contracted as shown in Fig. 1. Conversely, when the free end 234 of the cushioning material 23 in the folded posture shown in Fig. 1 is moved away from the fixed end 233, the cushioning material 23 is unfolded so that the peaks 231 are separated from each other and the valleys 232 are separated from each other, and the bellows structure is stretched and assumes the unfolded posture as shown in Fig. 5.

[0031] The cushioning material 23 is made of a material or structure that absorbs shock. For example, the cushioning material 23 may be made of an elastic material such as silicone resin, natural rubber, or soft plastic. The cushioning material 23 may also be a foam material such as polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam, a resin sponge, a bubble cushioning material in which gas is sealed within a sheet, or a gel sheet in which gel is sealed within a sheet, which is structurally designed to absorb shock.

[0032] The pressure plate 24 is a flat plate attached to the free end 234 of the cushioning material 23. The pressure plate 24 is attached so as to be located at the upper end of the cushioning material 23 when the protection section 20 is in the folded position, and engages with the locking section 40 to hold down the cushioning material 23 so as not to unfold. The pressure plate 24 is formed, for example, from a hard synthetic resin or metal, and has high rigidity. The placement location and size of the pressure plate 24 are not specified as long as it is in contact with the locking section 40. However, if the pressure plate 24 is attached over a wide area along the periphery of the free end 234, even if the area in contact with the locking section 40 is narrow, the pressure applied by the locking section 40 can be transmitted to a wide area of ​​the cushioning material 23, preventing the cushioning material 23 from unfolding.

[0033] The drive unit 30 is a drive mechanism that deploys the protective unit 20 in the folded position by driving the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 so as to move it away from the fixed end 233. In this embodiment, the drive unit 30 is an elastic member (e.g., a spring) having one end connected to the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 and the other end connected to the fixed end 233. One end of the elastic member may be attached near the free end 234 of the protective unit 20. The drive unit 30 is attached so as to bias the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 in a direction that deploys it with its elastic force. When the user changes the protective unit 20 from the unfolded position to the folded position, the drive unit 30 is compressed against the elastic force and locked by the lock unit 40 in this state. When the lock is released, the drive unit 30 drives the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 with its elastic force, deploying the protective unit 20. The drive unit 30 may be an elastic member other than a spring, or may be one that drives the protective unit 20 by a force other than elastic force, such as an electric actuator or magnetic force. The drive unit 30 is not an essential component, and may be omitted, for example, if the cushioning material 23 of the protective unit 20 has elastic force and the protective unit 20 can be deployed by the elastic force of the cushioning material 23. In other words, the cushioning material 23 of the protective unit 20 may also function as the drive unit, and the protective unit 20 may be deployed by the elastic force of the cushioning material 23.

[0034] The locking portion 40 is a member that locks the protective portion 20 in the folded position. The locking portion 40 has a first locking portion 41 that engages with the retaining plate 24 of the protective portion 20 to prevent the protective portion 20 from unfolding, and a second locking portion 42 that engages with the ribs 22 of the protective portion 20 on the left and right side surfaces of the protector 1 to prevent the protective portion 20 from unfolding. In this manner, in the present embodiment, the protective portion 20 is locked at one location by the first locking portion 41 and at two locations on the left and right by the second locking portion 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration may be such that the protective portion 20 is locked at only one location by the first locking portion 41, or that the protective portion 20 is locked by providing locking portions 40 at four or more locations.

[0035] The trigger unit 50 deploys the protection unit 20 by releasing the locking of the protection unit 20 by the locking unit 40. For example, the trigger unit 50 is an electric actuator that moves the locking unit 40 forward and backward to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0036] The detection unit 60 is a means for detecting the state of the user or the state of the user's surroundings, and includes, for example, sensing means such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), a positioning device, a camera, radar, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), a three-dimensional scanner, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a contact sensor, and an infrared sensor. The detection unit 60 may detect changes in the user's state, such as when the user falls or collides with another object, or may predict that the user will be impacted. The detection unit 60 may also detect changes in the state of objects around the user, such as an object approaching the user and likely to collide with the user, or an object that has collided with the user. Examples of positioning devices include satellite positioning systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). The radar and LIDAR determine the distance to objects around the protection device 1 (user) and the moving speed of the objects.

[0037] In this embodiment, the first detection unit 60 includes an acceleration sensor 61 that detects the acceleration of the protective device 1, i.e., the acceleration of the user wearing the protective device 1. The acceleration sensor 61 detects the rate of change of velocity along a predetermined axis (e.g., three axes, X, Y, and Z) and the direction of the velocity as the acceleration of each axis. The acceleration sensor 61 may be a so-called six-axis sensor that also detects angular velocity along these axes. A camera 62 is provided in the front portion of the base unit 10 as the second detection unit 60, capturing images of the area in front of the user and inputting the captured images to the control unit 70 as information indicating the user's surroundings. The camera 62 may also be a stereo camera that captures images of the same subject (object) using a pair of imaging units arranged at a predetermined distance (baseline length) and can detect the distance to the subject from the parallax. Furthermore, a camera 63 is provided in the rear portion of the rear housing 80 as the third detection unit 60, capturing images of the area behind the user and outputting the captured images to the control unit 70 as information indicating the user's surroundings. The camera 63 may be a stereo camera, similar to the camera 62. The cameras 62 and 63 arranged in front and behind each other in this manner capture images with an angle of view of 190 degrees or more, thereby capturing the entire surroundings around the user. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the detection unit 60 may include other components in addition to the acceleration sensor 61 and the cameras 62 and 63.

[0038] The rear housing 80 is connected to the rear of the base unit 10 and houses the lock unit 40, trigger unit 50, detection unit 61, and control unit 70. The rear housing 80 extends vertically from the base unit 10 and holds the lock unit 40 and trigger unit 50 at a predetermined position relative to the protective unit 20, specifically at a height that allows the lock unit 40 to advance above the protective unit 20 in the folded position to inhibit (lock) the deployment of the protective unit 20, and is provided with the trigger unit 50 so that the lock unit 40 can be retracted from above the protective unit 20 to release the lock when the protection device 1 is activated.

[0039] The control unit 70 acquires the detection result from the detection unit 60, and when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition, controls the trigger unit 50 to release the lock by the lock unit 40. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 70. The control unit 70 includes a processor 71, a storage unit 72, and an input / output unit 73. The processor 71 comprehensively executes various types of arithmetic processing in the control unit 70. The processor 71 is an arithmetic processing means such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0040] The storage unit 72 includes, for example, a main storage unit 721 and an auxiliary storage unit 722. The main storage unit 721 includes a main storage unit such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), and stores information to be processed by the processor 71. The main storage unit 721 may be formed integrally with the processor 71.

[0041] The auxiliary storage unit 722 is configured from storage media such as volatile memory such as RAM, non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), hard disk drive (HDD), removable media, etc. Note that removable media is an externally attachable and computer-readable recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or a memory card.

[0042] The auxiliary storage unit 722 can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, user data, and the like, which are used to execute the operations of the protection device 1 .

[0043] The input / output unit 73 is, for example, an interface that inputs information (detection results, etc.) from the detection unit 60 and outputs information (control signals, etc.) to the detection unit 60 or other devices. The input / output unit 73 may also be a communication module that inputs (receives) information from other devices and outputs (transmits) information to other devices. Furthermore, the input / output unit 73 may be a user interface that inputs operation information by a user using an operation button, a touch panel, etc., and outputs (displays, outputs sounds, etc.) to the user using a display, a speaker, etc.

[0044] <Protection Operation> Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a processing procedure executed by the control unit 70 of the protection device 1. The protection device 1 repeatedly executes the processing of Fig. 8 while the power is on or when a startup instruction is received.

[0045] In step S10, the control unit 70 acquires the user's state and the surrounding state from the detection unit 60. For example, the control unit 70 acquires the user's acceleration from the acceleration sensor 61 and detects captured images of the surroundings from the cameras 62 and 63.

[0046] In step S20, the control unit 70 analyzes the user's state and the state of the user's surroundings based on the detection results of the detection unit 60 acquired in step S10. For example, the control unit 70 determines information indicating the user's state, such as the user's movement direction, movement speed, rate of change of acceleration per unit time (jerk), and inclination relative to the direction of gravity, based on the acceleration of each axis detected by the acceleration sensor 61. The control unit 70 also processes the images captured by the cameras 62 and 63 to extract objects present around the user and determine the object's position, movement direction, movement speed, and other surrounding information. Furthermore, the control unit 70 may detect the user's behavior, such as whether the user is walking, sitting, running, riding a bicycle, or standing still, based on the images captured by the cameras 62 and 63. Since known techniques can be used to determine the position, speed, movement direction, and other information of objects from the captured images, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, the position, speed, and movement direction of an object may be obtained not only by the cameras 62 and 63 but also by radar, LIDAR, a three-dimensional scanner, or a combination of these.

[0047] In step S30, the control unit 70 determines whether to activate the protection device 1 based on whether the information indicating the user's condition and the surrounding conditions obtained in step S20 satisfies predetermined conditions. For example, if the user experiences an impact due to bumping into something or being hit by a vehicle, the impact is detected as a sudden change in acceleration. Therefore, if the jerk obtained in step S20 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit 70 determines that the user has experienced an impact and that the protection device 1 should be activated (a positive determination). Furthermore, if the user falls, the user's head (protection device 1) falls at an acceleration close to free fall. Therefore, if the control unit 70 determines in step S20 that the user's head has moved downward at an acceleration exceeding the predetermined threshold, the control unit 70 determines that the user has fallen, i.e., that the head may be impacted. Furthermore, if the control unit 70 determines that the user's position and the surrounding object's position after a predetermined time coincide, i.e., that the object will collide with the user, based on the object's position, movement direction, movement speed, etc. obtained in step S20, the control unit 70 makes a positive determination. Note that these conditions and thresholds may be set by the user. Alternatively, when a vehicle or the like is moving toward a user, a positive determination may be made if it is predicted that a collision is unavoidable, taking into account the vehicle's speed, acceleration, traveling direction, etc. Here, the control unit 70 may determine whether the protection device 1 is being worn by the user based on the detection result of the detection unit 60, such as a contact sensor or an infrared sensor, and if the protection device 1 is not being worn, may not activate the protection device 1 regardless of whether an impact has occurred. Also, based on the detection result of the detection unit 60, such as a positioning device or an acceleration sensor, may determine whether the protection device 1 (user) is moving, and if the user is not moving, may not activate the protection device 1.

[0048] If the determination in step S30 is affirmative, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S40 and controls the trigger unit 50 to retract the lock unit 40 and release the lock. As a result, the drive unit 30 moves the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 away from the fixed end 233, and each rib of the protective unit 20 moves along the guide rail 21, causing at least the free end 234 to rotate around the rotation axis 2X as the center of rotation, thereby deploying the protective unit 20, i.e., activating the protective device 1. When the activation is completed and the protective device 1 is to be reset, the user operates the free end 234 of the protective unit 20 to approach the fixed end 233, causing the protective unit 20 to rotate and fold in the opposite direction to that during activation. That is, through this drive control and user operation, the protective unit 20 is reversibly changed between the folded position before activation and the deployed position after activation.

[0049] If the information indicating the user's state and the surrounding state does not satisfy the predetermined condition and a negative determination is made in step S30, the processing of FIG. 8 ends.

[0050] <<Function and Effect>> As described above, when the user falls, is about to be hit by a vehicle, or is predicted to receive an impact on the user, the protective device 1 deploys the protective part 20 to cover the user's head, thereby absorbing the impact on the head with the protective part 20 and protecting the user's head.

[0051] Furthermore, in the protective device 1 of this embodiment, the protective part 20 has a bellows structure, and therefore, it can be reversibly switched between the folded position and the deployed position, and therefore, unlike conventional airbag-type devices, the protective part 20 can be returned to the folded position and used repeatedly even after activation of the protective device 1. Note that, in Fig. 4, the cushioning material 23 may be deployed to an extent that it covers the user's face.

[0052] <Modification 1> Fig. 9 is a side view of the protective device 1A according to Modification 1, showing the protective part 20A in a folded position, Fig. 10 is a front view of the protective device 1A according to Modification 1, showing the protective part 20A in a folded position, and Fig. 11 is a side view of the protective device 1A according to Modification 1, showing the protective part 20A in an unfolded position.

[0053] The protection device 1A of this modification is different from the first embodiment in that it deploys using the elastic force of the protection part 20A as a driving source and omits the guide rail 21, rib 22, and drive part 30, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

[0054] The protector 20A has a buffer material 23A and a retainer plate 24A. The retainer plate 24A is provided across the entire width of the buffer material 23A in the left-right direction. The locking portion 40 has a first locking portion 41 that engages with a central portion of the retainer plate 24 of the protector 20 to prevent the protector 20 from unfolding, and a second locking portion 42A that engages with left and right ends of the retainer plate 24 to prevent the protector 20 from unfolding. The second locking portion 42A is held by a second trigger portion 50 on the left and right sides of the base portion 10 so as to be able to move forward and backward.

[0055] The bellows-structured cushioning material 23A is compressed against its elastic force, and the protection unit 20A is folded and locked by the locking unit 40, resulting in the state shown in Figures 9 and 10. Note that the configuration in which the control unit 70 controls the trigger unit 50 in accordance with the user's state and the surrounding conditions and releases the locking unit 40 is the same as in the first embodiment described above. When the lock is released, the protection unit 20A unfolds due to the elastic force of the cushioning material 23A, resulting in the state shown in Figure 11.

[0056] In this way, the protective device 1A of this modified example uses the elastic force of the cushioning material 23A as a driving source, and when activated, the protective part 20A deploys to cover the user's head, thereby absorbing impact with the protective part 20A and preventing injury to the head.

[0057] Furthermore, the protection device 1A of this modified example uses the elastic force of the buffer material 23A as a driving source, so that the drive unit 30, guide rails, and ribs can be omitted, resulting in a simple configuration.

[0058] <Modification 2> Fig. 12 is a side view of protective device 1B according to Modification 2, showing the protective part 20 in a folded position, Fig. 13 is a front view of protective device 1B according to Modification 2, showing the protective part 20 in a folded position, Fig. 14 is a plan view of protective device 1B according to Modification 2, showing the protective part 20 in a folded position, and Fig. 15 is a side view of protective device 1B according to Modification 2, showing the protective device 1B worn by a user and the protective part 20 unfolded.

[0059] The protection device 1B of this modification is different from the above-described modification 1 in that the base portion 10B is configured as a jacket, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those of modification 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

[0060] 14 , the base unit 10B has an oval-shaped neck housing 13 that is worn around the user's neck, similar to the base unit 10 in the above-described embodiment, and a jacket unit 14 connected to the lower part of the neck housing. The jacket unit 14 is formed in a generally bag-like shape from a flexible sheet such as cloth or synthetic resin, and has a first hole 141 at the top and second holes 142 on the left and right sides. The user places their head through the first hole 141 of the jacket unit 14 and their left and right arms through the second holes 142, thereby attaching the jacket unit 14 to the user's chest. The jacket unit 14 is one form of a fixing unit that fixes the base unit 10B to the human body.

[0061] A rear housing 80 is connected to the rear of the neck housing 13, and second trigger units 50 are provided on the left and right sides of the neck housing 13. Note that the configuration in which the lock unit 40 advances onto the protector unit 20 and locks it using the trigger unit (first trigger unit) 50 in the rear housing 80 and the second trigger units 50 on the left and right sides, and the configuration in which the control unit 70 controls the trigger unit 50 in accordance with the user's condition and the surrounding conditions and releases the lock unit 40 are the same as those in the modified example described above.

[0062] In this way, the protective device 1B of this modification is worn by the user's arm through the jacket portion 14 of the base portion 10B, so that the protective device 1B is prevented from coming off the user even if the user receives a strong impact, improving reliability. Note that the neck housing 13 and the jacket portion 14 may be detachable, and the neck housing 13 and the jacket portion 14 may be connected when the user wears the protective device 1B. Alternatively, the control unit 70, power supply unit, detection unit 60, etc. may be moved to the jacket portion 14, and the device may not operate unless the neck housing 13 and the jacket portion 14 are connected (including a means for warning the user of this state).

[0063] <Variation 3> Figure 16 is a side view of protective device 1C according to Variation 3, showing protective part 20C in a folded position, Figure 17 is a plan view of protective device 1C according to Variation 3, showing protective part 20C in an unfolded position, and Figure 18 is a side view of protective device 1C according to Variation 3, showing a state in which a user is wearing protective device 1B and protective part 20A is unfolded.

[0064] The protection device 1C of this modification is different from the above-described modification 3 in that the cushioning material 23C of the protection part 20C is configured to expand upward instead of bending forward, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those of modification 3 are designated by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 17, the neck housing 13 is provided so as to surround the user's head in a U-shape in plan view. The protection part 20C has a buffer material 23C and a pressing plate 24C. The buffer material 23C is provided in a U-shape in plan view, similar to the neck housing 13. The pressing plate 24C is provided in a U-shape not only near the center of the free end 234 of the buffer material 23C, but also across the entire width in the left-right direction.

[0066] The accordion-structured cushioning material 23C is compressed against its elastic force, and the protector 20C is folded and locked by the locking unit 40 (41, 42), resulting in the state shown in FIG. 16. The configuration in which the control unit 70 controls the trigger unit 50 in accordance with the user's state and the surrounding conditions and releases the locking unit 40 is the same as in the above-described modified example 2. When the trigger unit 50 releases the locking by the locking unit 40, the protector 20C is deployed upward by the elastic force of the cushioning material 23C, and becomes gutter-shaped as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18.

[0067] In this way, the protective device 1C of this modified example uses the elastic force of the cushioning material 23C as a driving source, and when activated, the protective part 20C deploys to cover the user's head, thereby absorbing impact with the protective part 20C and preventing injury to the head.

[0068] Furthermore, the protection device 1C of this modification can have a simple configuration by using the elastic force of the buffer material 23C as a driving source. The buffer material 23C may be cylindrical so as to cover the user's face as well.

[0069] <Variation 4> Figure 19 is a side view of protective device 1D according to Variation 4, showing the protective portion 20D in a folded position; Figure 20 is a side view of protective device 1D according to Variation 4, showing the protective device 1D worn by a user and the protective portion 20D in an unfolded position; and Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing the honeycomb structure in an unfolded state and a folded state.

[0070] This modification is different from the above-described modification 2 in that the cushioning material 23D of the protective portion 20D has a honeycomb structure, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those in modification 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

[0071] The cushioning material 23D is shaped like a bowl to cover the user's head and is foldable using a honeycomb structure. This honeycomb structure, as shown in FIG. 21(A), is a planar hexagonal structure when viewed from the outer or inner peripheral surface, with the boundaries of the hexagons formed by elastic members 235, and the hexagonal portions being hollow (cells). Note that FIG. 21 shows the honeycomb structure in a simplified manner for ease of explanation, and the dimensions of each cell, such as the size of each cell and the thickness of the elastic members 235, do not necessarily correspond to the actual structure. The cushioning material 23D of this modification is generally bowl-shaped, and the openings of each cell on the outer peripheral surface are larger than the openings of each cell on the inner peripheral surface, but this is omitted from FIG. 21.

[0072] In a released state, i.e., before being deformed by application of an external force, the cushioning material 23D is in an unfolded position as shown in Figures 20 and 21A. When the free end 234 of the protective part 20D is brought closer to the fixed end 233 against the elastic force of the cushioning material 23D from this state, each cell of the cushioning material 23D is crushed linearly as shown in Figure 21(B), and the honeycomb structure is compressed, causing the protective part 20D to assume the folded position as shown in Figure 19. In this way, the cushioning material 23D of this modified example is capable of reversibly switching between the unfolded position and the folded position due to the honeycomb structure.

[0073] The configuration in which the protective unit 20D is locked in a folded position by the lock unit 40, and the configuration in which the control unit 70 controls the trigger unit 50 according to the user's condition and the surrounding conditions to release the lock unit 40, are the same as those in the above-mentioned variant example 2.

[0074] In this way, in the protection device 1D of this modified example, the cushioning material 23D has a honeycomb structure and is reversibly switchable between the unfolded position and the folded position, so that the protection part 20D can be returned to the folded position and used repeatedly even after the protection device 1D is activated. Note that the cushioning material 23D is not limited to the bowl shape shown in Fig. 20, but may be configured to be unfolded into a trough shape (with a U-shaped cross section) or a cylindrical shape as shown in Fig. 18.

[0075] <Modification 5> Figure 22 is a side view of protective device 1E according to modification 5, showing protective part 20D in a folded position, Figure 23 is a front view of protective device 1E according to modification 5, showing protective part 20 in a folded position, and Figure 24 is a side view of protective device 1E according to modification 5, showing protective part 20 in an unfolded position.

[0076] This modified example is different from the above-described embodiment in that the drive unit 30E is an electric actuator and the lock unit 40 and the trigger unit 50 are omitted, but the other configurations are the same. Therefore, the same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a repeated description will be omitted.

[0077] The drive unit 30E is an electric actuator embedded in the left and right side portions of the protection device 1E, specifically the left and right side portions of the base unit 10. The drive unit 30E includes a rotation shaft 301 that can be rotated. The protection unit 20 has a rib 222 provided closest to the free end 234 that extends through the guide rail 21 toward the drive unit 30E, and this rib 222 is connected to the rotation shaft. The drive unit 30E drives the rotation shaft 301 to drive the rib 222 in a direction away from the fixed end 233, thereby unfolding the protection unit 20, and drives the rib 222 toward the fixed end 233, thereby folding the protection unit 20.

[0078] The drive unit 30E is electrically connected to the control unit 70, and controls the unfolding and folding of the protection unit 20. The control unit 70 performs the processes of steps S10 to S30 in the same manner as in Fig. 8, and if the answer is Yes in step S30, the process proceeds to step S40, where the drive unit 30E is driven to unfold the protection unit 20. Then, when a reset command is input by the user, the control unit 70 controls the drive unit 30E to place the protection unit 20 in the folded position.

[0079] In this way, the protection device 1E of this modified example uses an electric actuator as a drive source, and can protect the user's head by deploying the protection part 20 to cover the user's head when activated.

[0080] Furthermore, in the protection device 1E of this modified example, an electric actuator is used as the drive unit 30E, so that the lock unit 40 and the trigger unit 50 can be omitted, resulting in a simple configuration.

[0081] Second Embodiment Fig. 25 is a side view of a protective device 1F according to a second embodiment, Fig. 26 is a schematic configuration diagram of the protective device 1F according to the second embodiment, Fig. 27 is a plan view of the protective device 1F according to the second embodiment, Fig. 28 is a side view of the protective device 1F according to the second embodiment, showing the protective device 1F worn by a user and the protective portion 20F deployed. Fig. 29 is an exploded perspective view of the protective device 1F according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 30 is a rear view of the protective device 1F according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, elements that are the same as those in the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0082] 25 is attached to a user's body (human body) to protect at least the user's head. The protection device 1F includes a base unit 10F, a protection unit 20F, a drive unit 30F, a detection unit 60, and a control unit 70.

[0083] The base unit 10F is a housing that surrounds the user's head in a U-shape in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 27 . The base unit 10F includes a main body 15 that houses a protective unit 20F, a driving unit 30F, a detecting unit 60, a control unit 70, and a blower 91, and a top plate 16 that is detachable from the main body. The protective unit 20F has a bellows structure that is expandable and contractible in the vertical direction, and includes a first protective unit 201 disposed at the rear of the base unit 10F and second protective units 202 disposed at two locations, one on the left and one on the right, in front of the first protective unit 201. One end (fixed end) of the first protective unit 201 and the second protective unit 202 is connected to the bottom plate 151 of the main body 15, and the other end (free end) is connected to the underside of the top plate 16.

[0084] The driving unit 30F includes an airbag 311, a gas generator 312, and an air supply pipe 313. The airbag 311 is formed to be columnar when deployed, and is disposed between the first protection part 201 and the second protection part 202. One end (fixed end) of the airbag 311 is connected to the bottom plate 151 of the main body part 15, and the other end (free end) is connected to the underside of the top plate part 16. Before activation, the driving unit 30F is folded and housed within the base part 10F.

[0085] The gas generator 312 is connected to the airbag 311 via an air supply pipe 313, and supplies gas to the airbag 311 when activated under the control of the control unit 70. The gas generator 312 generates combustion gas by, for example, burning gunpowder when activated. However, the gas generator 312 is not limited to this, and may be any device that generates gas to deploy the airbag 311, such as a device that stores compressed gas and releases the compressed gas when activated.

[0086] A cover portion 153 ( FIG. 29 ) is provided on the inner peripheral wall side of the protective portion 20F and the airbag 311, which covers the protective portion 20F and the airbag 311 when the protective portion 20F and the airbag 311 are in the deployed position. One end (fixed end) of the cover portion 153 is connected to the bottom plate 151 of the main body 15, and the other end (free end) is connected to the underside of the top plate 16. In the initial state, i.e., before the protective device 1F is activated, the cover portion 153 is stored in the base portion 10F in a folded or contracted state, and is deployed together with the protective portion 20F and the airbag 311 when the protective device 1F is activated.

[0087] An acceleration sensor 61 is provided within the base portion 10F as a first detection unit 60, a camera 62 is provided in the front portion of the base portion 10F as a second detection unit 60, and a camera 63 is provided in the rear portion of the base portion 10F as a third detection unit 60.

[0088] The air blower 91 takes in outside air from the bottom plate side of the base unit 10F and sends it to the rear of the base unit 10F, where it is released through ventilation holes (not shown) on the inner peripheral wall of the main unit 15 (the peripheral wall on the side where the head is located) to cool the user's neck. The air blower 91 is turned on / off by user operation. The control unit 70 may detect the outside air temperature using a temperature sensor (detection unit 60) and activate the air blower 91 if it determines that the temperature is above a predetermined value. A heater 92 ( FIG. 29 ) is provided along the inner peripheral wall of the main unit 15. The heater 92 is turned on / off by user operation. The control unit 70 may detect the outside air temperature using the temperature sensor (detection unit 60) and activate the heater 92 if it determines that the temperature is below a predetermined value, controlling the heater 92 to reach a target temperature set by the user. Reflectors 93 are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the base unit 10F, such as the side and back surfaces. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 30, a plurality of reflectors 93 are provided on the rear surface of the base portion 10F.

[0089] A belt (fixing portion) 97 is provided at the bottom of the base unit 10F to secure the base unit 10F to the human body. The belt 97 is connected at two locations, left and right, of the base unit 10F, with both ends connected to a front portion 101 of the base unit 10F and a rear portion 102 spaced apart from the front portion 101. That is, the bottom plate 151 of the base unit 10F and the belt 97 form a loop. The user's arms are passed through the loops formed by the left and right belts 97, and the belt 97 is passed under the user's armpits to secure the base unit 10F to the user. The fixing portion is not limited to the belt 97, and may be the jacket unit 14, as in the second modification. The fixing portion may also be a zipper or buttons, and may be fixed to a jacket worn by the user with the zipper or buttons. For example, in a jacket with a detachable hood, the hood may be removed from the jacket and the protection device 1F may be attached instead.

[0090] As in the first embodiment, the control unit 70 determines whether to activate the protection device 1F based on whether information indicating the user's condition and the surrounding conditions satisfies predetermined conditions. If the predetermined conditions are satisfied, the control unit 70 activates the gas generator 312. The activated gas generator 312 supplies gas to the airbag 311 via the air supply pipe 313. The airbag 311, upon receiving the gas supply, deploys by extending its free end upward relative to its fixed end, pushing up the top plate 16 of the base unit 10F. Accordingly, the free end of the protection unit 20F connected to the top plate 16 moves upward, deploying the protection unit 20F. At this time, the cover unit 153 prevents direct contact between the user's head and the protection unit 20F and further reduces impact to the head. The cover unit 153 may be positioned not only between the user's head and the protection unit 20F but also to cover the entire protection unit 20F. After deployment, the airbag 311 and the protective part 20F may be folded by the user and stored in the protective part 20F for reuse. Alternatively, the airbag 311 and the gas generator 312 may be cartridge-type, and may be replaced with unused airbag 311 and gas generator 312 after deployment, making them reusable.

[0091] According to this embodiment, when the user falls, is about to be hit by a vehicle, or is predicted to receive an impact, the protective device 1F deploys the protective part 20F to cover the user's head, thereby absorbing the impact on the head with the protective part 20F and protecting the user's head.

[0092] Furthermore, since the protective device 1F of this embodiment is attached to the user by a belt 97, the protective device 1F is prevented from coming off in the event of a collision, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, the protective device 1F of this embodiment is equipped with a blower 91 and a heater 92, which allows temperature regulation and improves user comfort. Furthermore, the protective device 1F of this embodiment is equipped with a reflector on the peripheral wall of the base portion 10F, which reflects vehicle lights, making it easier for surrounding drivers to notice, thereby improving safety. Note that the blower 91, heater 92, and reflector 93 may be provided in the protective device of the first embodiment or the modified example described above.

[0093] <Third Embodiment> Fig. 31 is a schematic diagram of a protection device 1G according to a third embodiment, and Fig. 32 is a side view of the protection device 1G according to the third embodiment, showing the protection device 1G worn by a user and the protective portion 20G deployed. Fig. 33 is an exploded perspective view of the protection device 1G according to the third embodiment, and Fig. 34 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration for deploying the protective portion 20G according to the third embodiment. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment described above in the configuration for deploying the protective portion 20G, but the other configurations are substantially the same. For this reason, the same elements as those in the second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0094] The base unit 10G is a housing that surrounds the user's head in a U-shape in plan view, similar to the base unit 10F in FIG. 27 . The base unit 10G includes a main body unit 15 that houses a protection unit 20G, a drive unit 30G, a lock unit 40G, a trigger unit 50G, and a control unit 70, and a top plate unit 16 that is detachable from the main body unit. The protection unit 20G is U-shaped in plan view and has a bellows structure that can expand and contract in the vertical direction. One end (fixed end) of the protection unit 20G is connected to a bottom plate 151 of the main body unit 15, and the other end (free end) is connected to the underside of the top plate unit 16.

[0095] A cover portion 153 is provided on the inner peripheral wall side of the protective portion 20G, which covers the protective portion 20G when the protective portion 20G is in the deployed position. One end (fixed end) of the cover portion 153 is connected to the bottom plate 151 of the main body portion 15, and the other end (free end) is connected to the underside of the top plate portion 16. In the initial state, i.e., before the protective device 1G is activated, the cover portion 153 is folded or contracted and stored within the base portion 10G, and is deployed together with the protective portion 20G when the protective device 1G is activated.

[0096] Furthermore, restricting portions 154 are provided on the front and rear sides of the protective portion 20G to restrict the extension length of the protective portion 20G, in other words, the movement distance of the free end. The restricting portions 154 are sheets formed to a predetermined length from an inextensible material, with one end connected to the free end of the protective portion 20G via the top plate 16 and the other end connected to the bottom plate of the base portion 10G. This restricts the distance that the top plate 16 is separated from the bottom plate of the base portion 10G, and also restricts the movement distance of the free end of the protective portion 20G. Note that the cover portion 153 may be configured to also function as the restricting portion 154 (when a non-elastic material is used for the cover portion 153).

[0097] The drive unit 30G of this embodiment is a so-called torsion spring and includes an arm 32 extending from one end of the coil 31, an arm 33 extending from the other end of the coil 31, and connecting portions 34, 35 extending from the tip of each arm 32, 33 in a direction along the central axis of the coil 31. The connecting portion 34 of the drive unit 30G is connected to the bottom plate-side connecting portion of the base 10G, and the connecting portion 35 of the drive unit 30G is connected to the top plate-side connecting portion 112 ( FIG. 34 ) provided on the top plate 16. The drive unit 30G is not limited to a torsion spring, and may be any elastic member having an elastic force capable of deploying the protection unit 20G, such as a spring of another shape.

[0098] The locking unit 40G is provided adjacent to the front side of the top plate 16 inside the main body 15, and engages with the top plate 16 when the top plate 16 is attached to the main body 15 (closed state), thereby locking the top plate 16. The trigger 50 is connected to the locking unit 40G and is a driving means that drives the locking unit 40G. For example, the trigger 50G is an electric actuator. The trigger 50G moves the locking unit 40 forward or backward in accordance with the control of the control unit 70, thereby locking or unlocking the top plate 16.

[0099] Figure 34 (A) shows the initial state of the protection device 1G, i.e., a state in which the protection unit 20G is stored in the base unit 10G in a folded position and the top panel 16 is closed, while Figure 34 (B) shows the state during activation, i.e., a state in which the top panel 16 is opened and the protection unit 20G begins to unfold. In the initial state, the locking unit 40G engages with the front engagement portion (concave portion) 161 of the top panel 16 and presses the top panel 16 rearward, thereby engaging the rear engagement portion (convex portion) 162 provided at the rear of the top panel 16 with the main body engagement portion 152 provided on the main body 15. At this time, the drive unit 30G is stored in a compressed state between the bottom plate of the base unit 10G and the top panel 16.

[0100] As in the second embodiment, the control unit 70 determines whether to activate the protection device 1G based on whether information indicating the user's condition and the surrounding conditions satisfies predetermined conditions, and activates the trigger unit 50G when the predetermined conditions are satisfied. In the example of FIG. 34 , the trigger unit 50G retracts the locking unit 40G, thereby disengaging the locking unit 40G from the front engaging unit 161 of the tabletop 16 and the rear engaging unit 162 of the tabletop 16 from the main body engaging unit 152. This allows the tabletop 16 to move, and the elastic force of the drive unit 30G pushes the tabletop 16 upward. Accordingly, the free end of the protection unit 20G connected to the tabletop 16 moves upward, and the protection unit 20G is deployed.

[0101] According to this embodiment, when the user falls, is about to be hit by a vehicle, or is predicted to receive an impact, the protective device 1G deploys the protective part 20G to cover the user's head, thereby absorbing the impact on the head with the protective part 20G and protecting the user's head.

[0102] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the restricting portion 154 restricts the length of the protective portion 20G when it extends to a predetermined length, thereby preventing the protective portion 20G from extending too far and reducing its protective performance, thereby improving reliability.

[0103] <Others> The protection device of the present application is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments and modifications. For example, appropriate modifications are possible, such as combining the above-described elements or omitting some elements. For example, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, the control unit 70 determines an emergency and controls the trigger unit 50 to deploy the protection units 20-20D. However, this is not limited to this configuration; the user may manually release the lock unit 40 to activate the protection device. In this case, the trigger unit 50, detection unit 60, and control unit 70 can be omitted, allowing for a simplified configuration of the protection device. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, the protection units are deployed by the elastic force of the drive unit or buffer material. However, this is not limited to this configuration; the user may manually deploy the protection units and activate the protection device. In this case, the drive unit 30 and lock unit 40 can be omitted, further simplifying the protection device. Alternatively, such a configuration may be combined with the devices shown in Figures 1 to 23.

[0104] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G Protective device 2X Rotating shaft 10, 10B, 10F, 10G Base portion 11 Inner space 12 Underside 13 Neck housing 14 Jacket portion 17 Control portion 20, 20A, 20C, 20D, 20F, 20G Protective portion 21 Guide rail 22 Rib 23, 23A, 23C, 23D Cushioning material 24, 24A, 24C Pressing plate 30, 30E, 30F, 30G Driving portion 40, 40G Lock portion 50, 50G Trigger portion 60 Detection portion 70 Control portion 71 Processor 72 Memory portion 73 Input / output portion 80 Rear housing 141 First hole portion 142 Second hole portion 211 Groove 221 Left and right end portions 231 Peak portion 232 Valley portion 233 Fixed end 234 Free end 235 Elastic member 721 Main memory unit 722 Auxiliary memory unit

Claims

1. A protection device that is worn on a human body and protects at least a head of the human body, A base part that can be attached to the human body; a protective part having a honeycomb structure or a bellows structure, the protective part being held by the base part and capable of reversibly switching between a folded position in which the protective part is folded and an unfolded position in which the protective part is unfolded so as to cover the head of the human body from the folded position; The protective portion has a fixed end fixed to the base portion and a fixed end fixed to the base portion. and a free end that is not joined, In the folded position, the free end is folded in a position adjacent to the fixed end, When switching from the folded posture to the deployed posture, the protection part is deployed around the head while the free end is separated from the fixed end. Protective device.

2. the protection part is brought into the deployed posture by an elastic force of an elastic member, and is capable of changing its posture from the deployed posture to the folded posture by being folded against the elastic force, The protection device comprises: a locking portion that locks the protection portion in the folded position against the elastic force; a trigger portion that deploys the protective portion by releasing the lock of the protective portion by the lock portion; The protection device of claim 1 further comprising:

3. A detection unit that detects a state of the human body or a state around the human body; a control unit that acquires a detection result by the detection unit, and controls the trigger unit to release the lock by the lock unit when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition; 3. The protection device of claim 2, further comprising:

4. The protection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive unit configured to deploy the protection unit by driving the free end of the protection unit in the folded position so as to move away from the fixed end.

5. A detection unit that detects a state of the human body or a state around the human body; a control unit that acquires a detection result by the detection unit and controls the drive unit to operate when the detection result satisfies a predetermined condition; 5. The protection device of claim 4, further comprising:

6. The protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least the free end of the protective portion is rotated around a straight line at a predetermined position as a rotation center, thereby reversibly changing between a folded posture before activation and an unfolded posture after activation.

7. When the protective device is worn on the human body, the base portion is disposed below the head, The protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the protection portion is adapted to assume an unfolded posture after activation from a folded posture before activation by the free end moving upward upon activation.

8. A protective device as described in claim 7, further comprising a regulating portion having one end connected to the side of the free end of the protective portion and the other end connected to the base portion, regulating the movement distance of the free end.

9. The protective portion is formed of a cushioning material having a cushioning function, and the cushioning material has a bellows shape with ribs attached to its peaks, 7. The protection device according to claim 6, wherein the rib is stretched between guide rails having grooves provided on the left and right side surfaces of the base portion, and the left and right ends of the rib are attached so as to be slidable relative to the grooves.

10. The protection device according to claim 3 or 5, wherein the detection unit includes at least one sensing means selected from an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a positioning device, a camera, a radar, a LIDAR, and a three-dimensional scanner.

11. The protection device according to claim 1 , wherein the base portion is used with its lower surface in contact with the shoulder of the human body and placed around the neck of the human body.

12. 6. The protection device according to claim 1, wherein the protection portion is formed from a cushioning material having a cushioning function, and when activated and placed in the deployed position, the cushioning material also covers the face of the human body.

13. A protective device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a fixing portion for fixing the base portion to the human body.

14. A protective device described in any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a cover portion that covers at least the surface of the protective portion located on the head side when the protective portion is in the deployed posture.

Images