個人安全氣囊

看到一個感人的新聞，有個滑雪人滑雪時遇到雪崩，倖存的原因在於在身上配戴有個安全氣囊，安全氣囊系統感測到撞擊後，打開安全氣囊，因此在雪中滾動或是被壓住時可以保護避免受傷

可能的對應專利也頗為有趣，如US 7,574,755，此個人式的安全氣囊可以用在機車乘客上，有前方部、後方部、護肩部、腰部，其中具有氣體產生機連接到各部上，用於充氣。當偵測到撞擊，如車禍，就會被啟動而充氣！

專利範圍獨立項著重於此安全氣囊的結構，並非很基礎的專利：
1. An air bag apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a front portion, wherein said front portion is substantially rectangular;

a back portion, wherein said back portion is substantially rectangular shaped having a top end and a bottom end and sized to cover at least the spine of the operator;

a collar portion, wherein said collar portion is in inflatable communication with and between said front portion and said back portion;

a lumbar attachment portion having a first end, second end and a mid portion between said first end and said second end, wherein said lumbar attachment portion is in inflatable communication with a bottom end of said back portion at said mid portion of said lumbar attachment portion and said first end removably attaches to said front portion at the bottom right of said front portion and said second end removably attaches to said front portion at the bottom left of said front portion;

an air generator in communication with at least one of said front portion, back portion and lumbar attachment portion for expanding said air bag apparatus; and

an actuator in communication with said air generator, wherein said actuator directs said air generator to supply air into the inside of said air bag apparatus to cause said air bag to expand.

另一可能專利為US 6,433,691，這個專利揭露身上配有一感測器，用於感測人與一個阻礙物間的距離與相對速度，當判斷出這個距離與速度到達一個危險門檻後，將會啟動當中的安全氣囊，並充氣




專利範圍獨立項：

1. A personal collision warning and protection system comprising:

sensing means for transmitting a pulsed signal in a direction of travel of a person using said collision warning and protection system, said sensing means being mounted on a front portion of a jacket worn by said person;

said sensing means, receiving reflections of said pulsed signal the reflections of said pulsed signal representing an obstacle in the direction of travel of said person;

said sensing means processing the reflections of said pulsed signal to provide a first electrical signal indicating a relative distance of said person from said obstacle and a second electrical signal indicating a Doppler velocity for said person;

processing means connected to said sensing means to receive said first and said second electrical signals, said processing means processing said first and second electrical signals to generate first and second activation signals;

warning means connected to said processing means to receive said first activation signal, said warning means being activated by said first activation signal to warn said person of said obstacle;

protection means connected to said processing means to receive said second activation signal;

said protection means including an air bag positioned on the front portion of said jacket, said protection means being activated by said second activation signal, said protection means when activated inflating said air bag to protect and prevent injury to said person when said person collides with said obstacle.

上述兩個專利有點相關，但是卻又不同，有趣的是，兩個專利有不同的揭露方向，但是產生的效果都為在遇到事件時啟動安全氣囊，有不同的啟動手段。對於安全氣囊如何啟動或是膨脹原理，應該是在汽車領域上吧！

Ron
資料參考：Engadget