Protection device

Abstract

This protection device comprises: a helmet that can be worn on the head of a wearer; a fixing strap for fixing the helmet to the head; an airbag that is stored in a folded state in the helmet prior to activation of the protection device; and an inflation source supply unit that supplies an inflation source to the airbag when the protection device is activated. The airbag is configured to be inflated and deployed by the inflation source supplied from the inflation source supply unit, to cover the posterior region and both lateral regions of the neck of the wearer. The protection device further comprises a biasing portion that is integrally formed with the airbag, and that biases the airbag toward the lateral regions and / or the posterior region of the neck of the wearer by using the inflating pressure of the airbag.

Description

protection device

[0001] The present invention relates to a head and neck protection device.

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

[0003] In this regard, an airbag device capable of protecting the neck of a person to be protected has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which an inflatable airbag is housed inside the back of a helmet, and when activated, pressurized gas stored in a storage chamber is supplied to the airbag to inflate the airbag, thereby protecting the neck of the helmet wearer with the airbag.

[0005] Special Publication No. 2022-525260

[0006] When a bicycle falls, the impact can cause the head or neck to bend at a sharp angle around the boundary between the neck and head, resulting in considerable neck damage. However, with conventional protective devices, even if the wearer's neck is covered by the inflated airbag, this is not sufficient in terms of restricting neck bending, and the device has not been very effective in preventing neck damage caused by excessive bending.

[0007] The technology of the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can suppress excessive bending of the neck of a person to be protected.

[0008] The present disclosure solves the above problems in the following aspects. That is, the gist of the technology according to the present disclosure is as follows: (Aspect 1) The technology according to the present disclosure for solving the above problems is a protective device for protecting the head and neck of a wearer, comprising: a helmet that can be worn on the head of the wearer; a fastening strap for fastening the helmet to the head; an airbag that is stored in a folded state in the helmet before the protective device is activated; and an inflation source supply unit that supplies an inflation source to the airbag when the protective device is activated, wherein the airbag is configured to cover the wearer's back neck and both sides of the neck by inflating and deploying with the inflation source supplied from the inflation source supply unit, and further comprises a biasing unit that is formed integrally with the airbag and biases the airbag against at least one of the side and back neck of the wearer using the inflation pressure of the airbag.

[0009] (Aspect 2) In Aspect 1, the biasing portion may be stored in the interior space of the helmet before the protective device is activated, and may be pulled out from the interior space of the helmet together with the airbag as the protective device is activated.

[0010] (Aspect 3) In Aspect 1 or 2, the biasing portion may include a biasing strap having one end connected to a front position of the helmet and configured to bias the airbag from the back of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck when the protective device is activated.

[0011] (Aspect 4) In Aspect 3, the biasing strap may have elasticity.

[0012] (Aspect 5) In Aspect 3, the biasing strap may be fixed to an outer periphery of the airbag.

[0013] (Aspect 6) In Aspect 3, the helmet may be configured to cover at least the upper parts of the wearer's ears when worn on the wearer's head.

[0014] (Aspect 7) In Aspect 1 or 2, the biasing portion may include a shape-retaining portion that maintains the shape of the airbag deployed when the protective device is activated and suppresses deformation of the airbag in a direction away from the neck of the wearer.

[0015] (Aspect 8) In Aspect 7, the shape-retaining portion may be fixed to an outer periphery of the airbag.

[0016] (Aspect 9) In Aspect 7, the shape-retaining portion may include an elastic metal or resin.

[0017] (Aspect 10) In Aspect 7, the shape-retaining portion may be stored in the interior space of the helmet along the opening edge of the helmet before the protective device is activated, and may be pulled out from the interior space of the helmet together with the airbag when the protective device is activated.

[0018] (Aspect 11) In Aspect 7, the biasing portion may further include a biasing strap having one end connected to a front position of the helmet and configured to bias the airbag from the rear of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck when the protective device is activated, and the other end of the biasing strap may be connected to the shape-retaining portion.

[0019] (Aspect 12) In Aspect 1 or 2, the helmet may further include an activation unit attached to the helmet and activating the inflation source supply unit, and the activation unit may have an activation condition detection sensor for detecting that a predetermined activation condition has been met.

[0020] According to the present disclosure, a technology can be provided that can suppress excessive bending of the neck of a person to be protected.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a protection device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the protection device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control unit. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the protection device according to the first embodiment is activated. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the functions of the biasing strap and the shape maintaining unit. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining a first modified example of the protection device. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the protection device according to the second modified example is activated. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the protection device according to the fourth modified example is activated. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the protection device according to the fourth modified example is activated.

[0022]

[0023] Hereinafter, a protection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each configuration and combination thereof in the embodiment is merely an example, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiment, but is limited only by the claims.

[0023] The protective device for protecting the head and neck of a wearer in this embodiment comprises: a helmet that can be worn on the head of the wearer; a fixing strap for fixing the helmet to the head; an airbag that is stored in a folded state in the helmet before the protective device is activated; and an inflation source supply unit that supplies an inflation source to the airbag when the protective device is activated, wherein the airbag is configured to cover the wearer's back neck and both sides of the neck by inflating and deploying with the inflation source supplied from the inflation source supply unit, and further comprises a biasing unit that is formed integrally with the airbag and uses the inflation pressure of the airbag to bias the airbag against at least one of the wearer's sides and back neck.

[0024] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a protective device 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the protective device 1. The protective device 1 is a wearable type protective device worn by a person to be protected, and is a device for protecting the head and neck of the wearer (person to be protected). The protective device 1 includes a helmet 200, an airbag 300, a biasing unit 400, an inflation source supply unit 500, an activation unit 600, and other protective equipment worn on the head of the wearer (person to be protected) to protect the head. The protective device 1 is configured to protect the neck of the wearer (person to be protected) by activating when a predetermined activation condition is met. In this specification, the wearer who wears the protective device 1 and the person to be protected are treated as synonyms. In this specification, the "neck" refers to the narrow portion connecting the human head and torso. The part of the "neck" that is primarily located on the occipital side is referred to as the "posterior neck." The "posterior neck" may also be referred to as the "nape." Additionally, the part of the "neck" that is located on the front side opposite the "posterior neck" is called the "anterior neck." The "anterior neck" is sometimes also called the "anterior throat."

[0025] In Fig. 1, (A) in the upper part is a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) is a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. Fig. 1 also shows a state in which a wearer is wearing (attaching) the helmet 200. Fig. 1 also shows a state before the protective device 1 is activated.

[0026] The helmet 200 in this embodiment is a half-type (approximately hemispherical) helmet. The helmet 200 includes a fastening strap 220 for fastening the helmet 200 to a wearer (a person to be protected). A known helmet 200 may be used, and an inner cushion (not shown) for absorbing impact in the event of a fall may be provided inside the helmet 200. The inner cushion may be made of polystyrene foam such as expanded polystyrene beads (EPS: Expanded Poly Styrene). The helmet 200 may be made of, for example, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin or PC (Poly Carbonate) resin.

[0027] The fixing strap 220 is a so-called chin strap. The fixing strap 220 is a string-like body that is hung around the wearer's chin to fix the helmet 200 to the wearer's head. In this embodiment, the form of the fixing strap 220 is not particularly limited, and any known fixing strap can be used.

[0028] The airbag 300 is a bag configured to inflate and deploy when gas, as an example of an inflation source, is supplied from the inflation source supply unit 500 when the protective device 1 is activated. Before the protective device 1 is activated, the airbag 300 is stored in a folded state (i.e., in a deflated state) inside the helmet 200.

[0029] The inflation source supply unit 500 is activated by an activation unit 600. When the activation unit 600 activates the inflation source supply unit 500, the inflation source supply unit 500 starts to supply gas to the airbag 300, causing the airbag 300 to inflate and deploy. For example, the inflation source supply unit 500 includes a storage container 510 that stores pressurized gas to be supplied to the airbag 300, and a valve body 520 that closes a gas outlet formed in the storage container 510.

[0030] Before the protection device 1 is activated (before the inflation source supply unit 500 is activated), the storage container 510 is sealed by the valve element 520. The activation unit 600 opens the valve element 520, releasing the sealed state of the storage container 510 and discharging the pressurized gas stored in the storage container 510 through the gas outlet. The valve element 520 may be provided with an actuator (not shown), and the valve element 520 may be opened by activation of the actuator. Of course, the actuation mechanism for opening the valve element 520 of the storage container 510 is not particularly limited. For example, the valve element 520 may be formed of a thin-walled metal plate member, and the activation unit 600 may open the valve element 520 by activating a splitting mechanism that splits the metal plate member constituting the valve element 520. When the valve element 520 of the storage container 510 is opened, the gas outlet of the storage container 510 and the gas inlet of the airbag 300 are connected to each other, thereby supplying gas to the airbag 300. The gas outlet of the storage container 510 and the gas inlet of the airbag 300 are connected, for example, by a conduit (not shown), and the gas discharged from the gas outlet of the storage container 510 may be supplied to the airbag 300 through this conduit.

[0031] The activation unit 600 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of activating the inflation source supply unit 500, and may include, for example, a control unit 610, a power source 620, an activation condition detection sensor 630, a wearing state detection sensor 640, etc. The control unit 610 is, for example, a controller (control unit) that controls the actuator of the valve body 520. The power source 620 is a power supply source that supplies power to the control unit 610, the activation condition detection sensor 630, the wearing state detection sensor 640, etc., and may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery or a dry cell. When the actuator of the valve body 520 is activated by an activation command signal output from the control unit 610, the valve body 520 is opened, and as a result, the inflation source supply unit 500 is activated and gas is supplied from the inflation source supply unit 500 to the airbag 300.

[0032] 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 610. The control unit 610 includes a processor 611, a storage unit 612, an input / output unit 613, etc. The processor 611 comprehensively executes various types of arithmetic processing in the control unit 610. The processor 611 may include arithmetic processing means such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), for example.

[0033] The storage unit 612 includes, for example, a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit. The main storage unit of the storage unit 612 includes, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM), and caches information such as programs and data used for arithmetic processing by the processor 611. The main storage unit of the storage unit 612 may be integrated with the processor 611. The auxiliary storage unit of the storage unit 612 may be composed of a storage medium such as a volatile memory such as a RAM, a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, or an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM). The auxiliary storage unit of the storage unit 612 stores, for example, an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, and the like for executing the operation of the protection device 1. The input / output unit 613 is an interface that inputs information (detection results, etc.) from various sensors such as the activation condition detection sensor 630 and the wearing state detection sensor 640, and outputs information (control signals, etc.) to various sensors and other devices. The protection device 1 also has a power switch (not shown), and a status signal of the power switch is also input to the input / output unit 613 .

[0034] The activation condition detection sensor 630 is a sensor for detecting the establishment of a predetermined activation condition. The predetermined activation condition is a condition under which the protection device 1 should be activated (which can also be considered a condition under which the inflation source supply unit 500 should be activated). Examples of the predetermined activation condition include a fall of a bicycle ridden by a wearer of the helmet 200 or other conditions under which the wearer is exposed to danger. The activation condition detection sensor 630 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), or the like. The activation condition detection sensor 630 may also be a vital sensor that detects the wearer's brain waves. The vital sensor may detect brain waves that are different from normal brain waves and detect a dangerous state of the wearer. The vital sensor may be a contact sensor that contacts the wearer's head or a non-contact sensor. The activation condition detection sensor 630 may include, for example, at least one of the acceleration sensor, gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), and vital sensor described above. Of course, multiple types of sensors, such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), and a vital sign sensor, may be used in combination as the operating condition detection sensor 630. Furthermore, the operating condition detection sensor 630 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the operating condition, and may be replaced by a detection device other than the above-exemplified sensors (for example, a camera or millimeter-wave radar). Since the protection device 1 includes the operating condition detection sensor 630, the activation unit 600 can activate the protection device 1 (activate the inflation source supply unit 500) at an appropriate timing.

[0035] The wearing state detection sensor 640 is a sensor that detects the state of contact between the wearer's head and the helmet 200. The wearing state detection sensor 640 may be, for example, a pressure-sensitive sensor. The control unit 610 can determine whether the helmet 200 is being worn on the head based on the detection signal of the wearing state detection sensor 640. A plurality of wearing state detection sensors 640 may be arranged, for example, inside the helmet 200. In this case, the control unit 610 may determine that the helmet 200 is being worn when the detection signals from the plurality of wearing state detection sensors 640 are signals that indicate a state of contact with the head.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the protective device 1 according to the first embodiment in an activated state. (A) in the upper part of the figure shows a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) shows a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. When the protective device 1 is activated, the airbag 300, to which gas is supplied from the inflation source supply unit 500, is drawn from the interior of the helmet 200 to the exterior during inflation and deployment, and is deployed to protect the wearer's back of the head and neck as shown in FIG. 4. In the deployed state, the airbag 300 has a generally U-shaped cross section and is configured to cover the wearer's back of the neck and both sides of the neck. The airbag 300, deployed by activation of the protective device 1, covers the wearer's neck, thereby protecting the wearer's neck. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the airbag 300 is configured to also cover the back of the wearer's head when deployed.

[0037] The protective device 1 according to this embodiment includes a biasing unit 400 formed integrally with the airbag 300, which inflates and deploys the inflation source supply unit 500 when activated. The biasing unit 400 is a member that uses the inflation pressure of the airbag 300 to bias the airbag 300 against at least one of the side and rear of the neck of the wearer. In this embodiment, the biasing unit 400 is stored inside the interior space of the helmet 200 before the protective device 1 is activated, and is drawn out together with the airbag 300 from the interior space of the helmet 200 to the outside when the protective device 1 is activated.

[0038] In this embodiment, the biasing portion 400 has a biasing strap 700 and a shape-retaining portion 800. As shown in FIG. 4 , the biasing strap 700 is a string-like member having one end connected to front positions P1 and P2 of the helmet 200 and the other end connected to the airbag 300. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the biasing straps 700 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the helmet 200 in response to activation of the protection device 1. The one arranged on the left side of the helmet 200 is called a left-side biasing strap 710, and the one arranged on the right side of the helmet 200 is called a right-side biasing strap 720. The biasing straps 700 are configured to include a left-side biasing strap 710 and a right-side biasing strap 720. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , two left-side biasing straps 710 and two right-side biasing straps 720 are arranged on each side of the helmet 200, but the number of these is not particularly limited.

[0039] Reference numeral 330 in FIG. 4A denotes a left front edge of the airbag 300. Reference numeral 340 in FIG. 4B denotes a right front edge of the airbag 300. Here, the terms "left front" and "right front" refer to directions of the deployed airbag 300 based on the front-to-back and left-to-right directions of the helmet 200. In the example shown in FIG. 4A, one end of the left biasing strap 710 is connected to a front position P1 of the helmet 200, and the other end is connected to a left front edge 330 of the airbag 300. The left biasing strap 710 is configured to fit, for example, on the left side of the wearer's face when the protection device 1 is activated. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, one end of the right biasing strap 720 is connected to a front position P2 of the helmet 200, and the other end is connected to a right front edge 340 of the airbag 300. The right side biasing strap 720 is configured to fit, for example, to the right side of the wearer's face when the protection device 1 is activated.

[0040] Here, the material for forming the biasing straps 700 (left side biasing strap 710, right side biasing strap 720) is not particularly limited, and for example, cloth, rubber, wire, etc. can be used. The biasing straps 700 (left side biasing strap 710, right side biasing strap 720) are configured to bias the airbag 300 from the back of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck as the protective device 1 is activated. Before the protective device 1 is activated, the biasing straps 700 may be stored inside the helmet 200 so as to be positioned along the inside of the edge of the side opening of the helmet 200, and are pulled out of the helmet 200 together with the airbag 300 as the protective device 1 is activated.

[0041] Next, the shape-retaining portion 800 will be described. The shape-retaining portion 800 is configured, for example, as a frame member fixed integrally to the airbag 300. The shape-retaining portion 800 maintains the shape of the deployed airbag 300 when the protective device 1 is activated and suppresses deformation of the airbag 300 in a direction away from the wearer's neck. The shape-retaining portion 800 is configured, for example, to include an elastic metal or resin. In the example shown in FIG. 4 , two shape-retaining portions 800 formed into a roughly U-shape in cross section are fixed along the lateral direction of the airbag 300. However, the number, position, shape, etc. of the shape-retaining portions 800 provided on the airbag 300 are not particularly limited. Note that the shape-retaining portions 800 fixed integrally to the airbag 300 are stored inside the helmet 200 along the opening edge of the helmet 200 (e.g., the rear opening edge) before activation of the protective device 1. Then, they are pulled out of the helmet 200 together with the airbag 300 when the protective device 1 is activated. The shape-retaining portion 800 may form a part of the outer shell of the helmet 200 .

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the function of the biasing straps 700 (left biasing strap 710, right biasing strap 720) and the shape-retaining portion 800 as the biasing portion 400. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates how the biasing straps 700 (left biasing strap 710, right biasing strap 720) and the shape-retaining portion 800 bias the airbag 300, which has been deployed when the protection device 1 is activated, toward the wearer's neck. More specifically, the diagram schematically illustrates a cross section of the airbag 300 and the biasing portion 400 after deployment at the wearer's neck position. In FIG. 5, the wearer's neck is indicated by the symbol NE.

[0043] First, the function of the biasing straps 700 (left side biasing strap 710, right side biasing strap 720) will be described. As described in Figure 4, one end of the left side biasing strap 710 and the right side biasing strap 720 is connected to the front positions P1, P2 of the helmet 200, respectively, and the other end is connected to the left side front edge 330 and the right side front edge 340 of the airbag 300, respectively. In this embodiment, the length dimensions of the left side biasing strap 710 and the right side biasing strap 720 and the positions at which their one ends are attached to the helmet 200 (front positions P1, P2) are adjusted so that the inflation pressure of the airbag 300 acts on the left side biasing strap 710 and the right side biasing strap 720 during the inflation (deployment) process of the airbag 300.

[0044] When the inflation pressure of the airbag 300 acts on the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720, tension is generated that stretches the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720 along the axial direction. When the inflation pressure of the inflated airbag 300 acts with one end of the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720 fixed to the front positions P1 and P2 of the helmet 200, the tension generated in the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720 is transmitted to the airbag 300, thereby biasing the airbag 300 forward. In other words, the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720 bias the airbag 300 from the rear of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck. This allows the inflated airbag 300 to be maintained in close contact with the wearer's neck (particularly the rear of the neck). As a result, the restraint effect on the wearer's neck is enhanced, and neck bending can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, a protection device 1 can be provided that is highly effective in preventing damage to the neck caused by excessive bending.

[0045] Furthermore, it is preferable that the biasing straps 700 (left biasing strap 710, right biasing strap 720) have elasticity. By configuring the biasing straps 700 in this manner, the airbag 300 can be biased with a greater biasing force from the rear of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck. As a result, the restraining effect of the wearer's neck can be further improved when the protection device 1 is activated.

[0046] The dashed arrows indicated by the symbol F1 in FIG. 5 illustrate the direction of the biasing force exerted by the left biasing strap 710 and the right biasing strap 720 on the airbag 300 when the protection device 1 is activated. The symbol CL in FIG. 5 indicates a front-to-rear central axis that passes through the center of the helmet 200 in the left-to-right direction and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The front positions P1 and P2 at which one ends of the left biasing strap 710 and the right biasing strap 720 are fixed to the helmet 200 may be set closer to the front-to-rear central axis CL of the helmet 200 than the left front edge 330 and the right front edge 340 at which the other ends of the left biasing strap 710 and the right front edge 720 are fixed to the airbag 300. This allows the biasing force indicated by the symbol F1 in FIG. 5 to be directed toward the front and inside of the helmet 200. Here, "inside" refers to the inside in the left-to-right direction of the helmet 200, and can also be said to be toward the front-to-rear central axis CL. This not only biases the inflated airbag 300 to fit closely against the back of the neck of the wearer, but also makes it easier to bias the airbag 300 to fit closely against the left and right sides of the neck of the wearer. In other words, the airbag 300 can be made to fit in a U-shape from the back of the neck to the left and right sides of the neck of the wearer, further enhancing the restraining effect of restraining the neck of the wearer.

[0047] Next, the function of the shape-retaining part 800 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . As described above, the shape-retaining part 800 is formed as a U-shaped frame. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the shape-retaining part 800 is fixed integrally along the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300. The outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300 refers to the portion facing the side opposite to the side that faces and contacts the wearer's neck after the airbag 300 has been deployed into a generally U-shape. The portion of the airbag 300 that faces the wearer's neck and covers the neck after the airbag 300 has been deployed into a generally U-shape is also referred to as the "inner periphery." When fixing the shape-retaining part 800 to the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300, the shape-retaining part 800 may be disposed on the outer surface (the surface exposed to the outside) of the airbag 300 or on the inner surface (the surface into which gas is introduced) of the airbag 300. However, the shape-retaining part 800 may also be fixed along the inner periphery of the airbag 300.

[0048] The inflation pressure of the airbag 300 acts on the shape-retaining portion 800, which is integrally disposed with the airbag 300, during inflation (deployment). Because the shape-retaining portion 800 is formed as a U-shaped frame body as described above, the shape-retaining portion 800 resists the inflation pressure of the airbag 300, maintains the shape of the deployed airbag 300, and functions to suppress deformation of the airbag 300 in a direction away from the wearer's neck. That is, while the inflation pressure of the airbag 300 acts in a direction that tries to expand the U-shape of the shape-retaining portion 800, the shape-retaining portion 800 resists the inflation pressure by its rigidity and biases the airbag 300 toward the neck (posterior neck region, lateral neck region) as a reaction force to the inflation pressure. The solid arrow indicated by symbol F2 in FIG. 5 illustrates the direction of the biasing force of the shape-retaining portion 800 biasing the airbag 300 when the protection device 1 is activated.

[0049] The above-described shape-retaining portion 800 functions to maintain the airbag 300 in close contact with the wearer's neck (posterior and lateral neck regions) after inflation. As a result, the effect of restraining the wearer's neck is enhanced, and bending of the neck can be effectively suppressed. In particular, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the shape-retaining portion 800 is integrally fixed along the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300. This allows the airbag 300 to be biased toward the wearer's neck with a greater biasing force when the protection device 1 is activated, further enhancing the neck restraining effect of the airbag 300. In other words, excessive bending of the wearer's neck can be suitably suppressed. Furthermore, the shape-retaining portion 800 may be made of an elastic metal or resin. In this way, when the shape-retaining portion 800 is subjected to the inflation pressure of the airbag 300, a greater repulsive force is generated, and the airbag 300 can be biased toward the wearer's neck with a greater biasing force.

[0050] As described above, the protective device 1 according to this embodiment includes not only the airbag 300 that protects the wearer's neck, but also the biasing portion 400 (biasing strap 700, shape-retaining portion 800) that biases the airbag 300 toward the neck. This prevents a gap from forming between the airbag 300 and the neck after inflation, allowing for optimal restraint of the neck. As a result, even when the wearer falls while riding a bicycle, excessive bending of the wearer's neck due to the impact can be effectively prevented, thereby effectively preventing and mitigating damage to the wearer's neck. Note that the protective device 1 does not need to completely restrain the movement of the wearer's head and neck when activated; it may restrain the neck with some room for movement. In other words, the protective device 1 may allow some movement of the neck so that the wearer's neck does not sustain damage during a fall, etc. Furthermore, in the protective device 1 according to this embodiment, the deployed airbag 300 does not cover the entire circumference of the wearer's neck, but rather protects the back and both sides of the neck in a U-shape, so the wearer's throat is not excessively constricted when the protective device 1 is activated. Furthermore, in the protective device 1 according to this embodiment, one end of the biasing strap 700 that biases the airbag 300 forward is fixed to the helmet 200, and the fixing strap 220 and the airbag 300 are not particularly connected, so the wearer's throat is not excessively constricted when the protective device 1 is activated.

[0051] Furthermore, various modifications can be adopted to the above-described protection device 1. Modifications of the protection device 1 will be described below.

[0052] <First Modification> Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a first modification of the protective device 1. The helmet 200 according to the first modification is configured to cover at least the upper portions of the wearer's ears when worn on the head of a wearer. That is, the helmet 200 according to the first modification has ear covering portions 210 that cover at least the upper portions of the wearer's ears when worn on the head. The other structures are the same as those of the protective device 1 described above. Note that the biasing straps 700 (left biasing strap 710, right biasing strap 720) are stored inside the helmet 200 along the edge of the side opening indicated by the reference numeral 230 before the protective device 1 is activated. According to the helmet 200 of the first modified example, when the airbag 300 inflates and deploys when the protective device 1 is activated, the biasing straps 700 (left side biasing strap 710, right side biasing strap 720) are pulled out to the outside of the helmet 200, making it less likely that the biasing straps 700 will get caught on the wearer's ears.

[0053] <Second Modification> Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a protective device 1 according to a second modification in an activated state. (A) in the upper part shows a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) shows a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. In the second modification shown in Fig. 7, the biasing straps 700 are fixed (connected) to the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300. That is, one end of the biasing straps 700 is connected to front positions P1 and P2 of the helmet 200, and the other end of the biasing straps 700 (left side biasing strap 710, right side biasing strap 720) is connected to the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7 , by fixing the ends of the biasing straps 700 to the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300, the biasing force F1 described in FIG. 5 can be directed more inward of the helmet 200 (toward the longitudinal center axis CL). As a result, the inflated airbag 300 can be more easily fitted to the left and right sides of the wearer's neck. In other words, the airbag 300 can be more effectively fitted in a U-shape from the rear of the wearer's neck to the left and right sides of the neck, further enhancing the restraining effect of restraining the wearer's neck. In the modified example shown in FIG. 7 , the ends of the left biasing strap 710 and the right biasing strap 720 on the airbag 300 side may be connected to surround the entire circumferential direction of the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300 with the biasing straps 700. Even in this embodiment, the shape-retaining portion 800 can be used in combination with the biasing straps 700.

[0055] <Third Modification> Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a protective device 1 according to a third modification in an activated state. (A) in the upper row illustrates a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) illustrates a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. In the third modification shown in Fig. 8, the other ends of the biasing straps 700 (left-side biasing strap 710, right-side biasing strap 720) are connected to a shape-retaining portion 800. Note that, similar to the above-described embodiments, one end of the biasing strap 700 is connected to front positions P1 and P2 of the helmet 200. In the example shown in Fig. 8, an end of the biasing strap 700 is connected to an end 810 of the shape-retaining portion 800, which is formed into a generally U-shape.

[0056] According to the third modification, an end of the biasing strap 700 is connected to an end 810 of the shape-retaining part 800 that is integral with the airbag 300, and they are integrally connected. This allows the shape-retaining part 800 that is integral with the airbag 300 to be directly pulled forward by the biasing strap 700 when the protection device 1 is activated. In other words, according to the third modification, the tension acting on the biasing strap 700 can be directly transmitted to the shape-retaining part 800, so that the airbag 300 can be biased more efficiently against the back and neck of the wearer. This further enhances the restraining effect that restrains the neck of the wearer, and further improves the neck protection effect.

[0057] In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the urging portion 400 has been described as including both the urging straps 700 (left-side urging strap 710, right-side urging strap 720) and the shape-retaining portion 800. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the urging straps 700 and the shape-retaining portion 800 can be used independently. That is, the urging portion 400 of the protection device 1 may include only either the urging straps 700 or the shape-retaining portion 800. In either case, when the urging straps 700 or the shape-retaining portion 800 are used independently, the inflation pressure of the airbag 300 is used to urge the airbag 300 against the neck of the wearer when the protection device 1 is activated, thereby achieving a neck restraint effect. It should be noted that when the protection device 1 is activated (after activation), the directions in which the biasing straps 700 (left-side biasing strap 710, right-side biasing strap 720) extend (the direction in which the biasing straps 700 extend, the direction in which the shape-retaining portion 800 extends, and the relative directions thereof are not particularly limited, and the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is merely one example.

[0058] <Fourth Modification> Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a protective device 1 according to a fourth modification in an activated state. (A) in the upper part of the figure is a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the left side, and (B) is a perspective view of the helmet 200 viewed from the right side. The protective device 1 according to the fourth modification is provided with only biasing straps 700 (left-side biasing strap 710 and right-side biasing strap 720) as the biasing portion 400, and the airbag 300 is not provided with a shape-retaining portion 800. In the fourth modification, an auxiliary strap 730 is integrally attached to the outer surface of the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300 and wraps around the outer periphery 310. Each end of the auxiliary strap 730 is continuously connected to the left-side biasing strap 710 and the right-side biasing strap 720. That is, the biasing strap 700 can be regarded as a single strap formed by connecting the left-side biasing strap 710, the auxiliary strap 730, and the right-side biasing strap 720. Note that in the example shown in Fig. 9, the protector 1 is shown to have one biasing strap 700 formed by connecting the left-side biasing strap 710, the auxiliary strap 730, and the right-side biasing strap 720, but the number of biasing straps 700 is not particularly limited, and may be two, or of course, three or more biasing straps 700.

[0059] The biasing strap 700 configured in this manner has each end connected to the front positions P1, P2 of the helmet 200, and the auxiliary strap 730 located in the middle is joined to the outer periphery 310 of the airbag 300 and is configured to wrap around the outer periphery 310. This can enhance the biasing effect of the biasing strap 700 on the airbag 300. In other words, the airbag 300 can be biased with a greater biasing force from the rear of the wearer's neck toward the front of the neck, and the restraining effect of restraining the wearer's neck when the protective device 1 is activated can be further enhanced.

[0060] Of course, the protective device 1 may adopt configurations different from those of the above-described embodiments and modified examples. For example, in the protective device 1 described in the above embodiment, the activation unit 600 (control unit 610) activates the inflation source supply unit 500 based on a detection signal from the activation condition detection sensor 630. However, for example, the helmet 200 may be provided with a manual operation unit (not shown) that is manually operated by the wearer, and the protective device 1 may be configured to be activated when the wearer operates the manual operation unit. For example, an appropriate mechanical mechanism (e.g., a combination of mechanical elements such as a spring or wire) may be interposed between the valve body 520 that seals the gas outlet of the storage container 510 that stores pressurized gas and the manual operation unit, and the protective device 1 may be activated by the wearer operating the manual operation unit. The specific structure of the manual operation unit is not particularly limited. For example, a manual switch or lock pin that can be operated by the wearer may be provided on the helmet 200. A configuration may be adopted in which the gas outlet of the storage container 510 is opened by operating such a manual operation unit.

[0061] The inflation source supply unit 500 may also be a pyrotechnic gas generator used to inflate the airbag 300. This type of gas generator is well known and will not be described in detail here. However, the gas generator may include a housing that accommodates a gas generating agent therein and a pyrotechnic igniter that is activated by a supply of an operating current and ignites the gas generating agent in the housing, and the inflation gas generated by combustion of the gas generating agent may be supplied to the airbag 300 through an appropriate conduit. Furthermore, although the protective device 1 described above has been described with reference to an example in which the airbag 300 is stored in a folded state inside the helmet 200 before activation, the airbag 300 may also be stored in a location other than the interior space of the helmet 200. For example, the airbag 300 may be attached to the outer shell of the helmet 200 while covered with a cover.

[0062] 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.

[0063] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Protective device 200... Helmet 220... Fixing strap 300... Airbag 400... Pressing section 500... Inflation source supply section 700... Pressing strap 800... Shape retention section

Claims

1. A protective device for protecting the head and neck of a wearer, comprising: a helmet that can be attached to a wearer's head; a fixing strap for fixing the helmet to the head; an airbag housed in a folded state in the helmet before the protective device is activated; an inflation source supply unit that supplies an inflation source to the airbag when the protection device is activated; Equipped with the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy by the inflation source supplied from the inflation source supply section, thereby covering the back and both sides of the neck of the wearer, The seat belt further includes a biasing portion that is formed integrally with the airbag and biases the airbag against at least one of the side and back of the neck of the wearer by utilizing the inflation pressure of the airbag. Protective device.

2. The biasing portion is stored in the interior space of the helmet before the protection device is activated, and is pulled out from the interior space of the helmet together with the airbag when the protection device is activated. The protection device of claim 1 .

3. the biasing portion includes a biasing strap having one end connected to a front position of the helmet and configured to bias the airbag from the rear neck side of the wearer toward the front of the neck when the protection device is activated.

3. A protection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 4. The protective device of claim 3, wherein the biasing strap is elastic.

5. The biasing strap is fixed to the outer periphery of the airbag.

4. The protection device of claim 3.

6. The helmet is configured to cover at least the upper parts of the wearer's ears when worn on the wearer's head.

4. The protection device of claim 3.

7. the biasing portion includes a shape-retaining portion that maintains the shape of the airbag deployed when the protection device is activated and suppresses deformation of the airbag in a direction away from the neck of the wearer.

3. A protection device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The shape-retaining portion is fixed to an outer periphery of the airbag.

8. The protection device of claim 7.

9. The protection device according to claim 7 , wherein the shape-retaining portion includes an elastic metal or resin.

10. The shape-retaining portion is stored in the interior space of the helmet along the opening edge portion of the helmet before the protective device is activated, and is pulled out from the interior space of the helmet together with the airbag when the protective device is activated.

8. The protection device of claim 7.

11. the biasing portion further includes a biasing strap, one end of which is connected to a front position of the helmet and which is configured to bias the airbag from the rear of the neck of the wearer toward the front of the neck when the protection device is activated, The other end of the biasing strap is connected to the shape-retaining portion.

8. The protection device of claim 7.

12. The helmet further includes an activation unit that is attached to the helmet and activates the inflation source supply unit. The activation unit has an operating condition detection sensor for detecting that a predetermined operating condition is met.

3. A protection device according to claim 1 or 2.