Protective Belt with Deployable Airbags for Fall Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aged individuals are at a higher risk of bone breakages due to increased brittleness and decreased muscular tone, leading to a higher likelihood of falls and subsequent injuries, which existing protective devices often fail to adequately address due to inconvenience, unattractiveness, and low usage rates.
Innovation Solution
A belt apparatus with deployable airbags integrated into a flexible belt element that expands in response to a falling event, triggered by sensors detecting acceleration and angular velocity, to cushion impact and potentially send emergency signals, while appearing and functioning like a conventional belt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional protective devices are designed to protect against falls, then protection effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation and attractiveness deteriorate, leading to low usage rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective function with a conventional belt by integrating airbags, sensors, and control systems into the belt structure. The belt serves dual purposes: supporting trousers during normal wear and providing impact protection during falls, eliminating the need for separate protective devices that users might reject due to inconvenience or unattractiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The belt apparatus performs multiple functions: it supports trousers like a conventional belt, detects falls through acceleration and angular velocity sensors, triggers airbag deployment, and potentially sends emergency signals. This multi-functionality allows a single device to provide both everyday utility and emergency protection, increasing user acceptance
2Reliability
If protective devices are made more visible or prominent to increase user awareness, then protection effectiveness is improved, but attractiveness and willingness to wear regularly deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The protective components (airbags, sensors, electronics) are localized within the belt structure rather than making the entire device prominent. The airbags are contained in compartments within the belt, and the control system is integrated into the belt housing, allowing the belt to maintain a conventional appearance while providing protection at specific locations
3Speed
If airbags are deployed immediately upon detecting a fall, then protection response time is improved, but false deployment during normal movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses feedback from multiple sensors (acceleration sensors and angular velocity sensors) to distinguish between normal movement and actual falls. The system processes signals from both sensor types and compares them against predetermined thresholds, allowing intelligent differentiation between benign movements and genuine fall events requiring airbag deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential deployment by continuously monitoring sensor inputs and pre-charging the airbag system, but only triggers actual deployment when the combined sensor data confirms a fall pattern. This preliminary monitoring without immediate action reduces false positives while maintaining rapid response capability when needed
4Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are added to accurately detect fall direction and trigger appropriate airbags, then protection precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The belt is divided into multiple sections with airbags positioned at different locations (front, rear, sides) to protect different body parts. Each airbag section can be independently triggered based on the direction and nature of the fall, allowing precise protection without requiring overly complex sensor systems. The segmentation of protective zones simplifies the control logic by mapping sensor inputs to specific airbag groups
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The belt apparatus effectively reduces the risk of bone breakages by deploying airbags just before impact, providing protection without the need for special effort and encouraging regular wear due to its conventional appearance and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the expansion apparatus (38) which, in response to the trigger signal, is configured to rapidly expand the protection apparatus (32) from the compressed state to the inflated state
Implementation Method 2
sensors detecting acceleration and angular velocity
Implementation Method 3
sensors detecting acceleration and angular velocity
Data Source
AI summary
A belt apparatus is configured to support the trousers worn by a person and to include a number of airbags that are deployable in a falling event to protect the person from bone breakages. The belt apparatus includes a flexible belt element and a fastener that appear and function in much the same way as an ordinary apparel trouser belt, i.e., fitting through belt loops in trousers and being fastenable to itself to support the pair of trousers at the waist of the person. Despite the ordinary appearance of the belt apparatus, it includes airbags internal thereto whose expansion is controlled by a control apparatus. Responsive to a falling event in a particular direction with respect to the person, the control apparatus triggers the rapid expansion of an airbag that is situated on the belt element in the particular direction with respect to the person and takes other actions.