The present invention relates generally to inflatable safety devices and, more particularly, to an airbag landing device for absorbing the impact of a falling object.
Impact cushions, such as airbags and foam landing cushions, are widely used to provide a safe and effective means of decelerating a falling object to a rest position. In particular, impact cushions have become popular in recreational sports and other activities where falls and impacts are common. For example, airbags are commonly used in conjunction with recreational activities, such as snowboarding, skiing, BMX riding, mountain biking, climbing, and other similar activities. Airbags are also used in conjunction with recreational slides and other similar applications.
Conventional impact cushions typically include a foam landing cushion or a foam pit that consists of a large pit filled with foam blocks. In that regard, participants can jump or fall onto the foam landing cushion or into the foam pit, which provides a soft and forgiving landing surface. Other conventional impact cushions include an inflatable airbag that is placed at a landing zone for recreational activities. Inflatable airbags may be more suitable for high-impact falls or landings compared to foam landing cushions. To this end, the inflatable airbag provides a soft landing surface that reduces the impact of a fall and helps to prevent injuries.
The current impact cushions available in the market, and in particular inflatable airbags, have their advantages, but they also come with limitations that affect their effectiveness and safety. For instance, inflatable airbags may not be capable of providing adequate protection for high-impact falls or landings, and they may not have sufficient backup safety measures. For example, if an inflatable airbag loses air intentionally or unintentionally, there is no safety feature that prevents an unsuspecting individual from being injured should they land on the deflated or partially deflated airbag. Lastly, foam-based impact cushions tend to be bulky, hard to transport, time-consuming and labor-intensive to set up, and therefore, costly to install and maintain.
To address these issues, there is a need for an inflatable airbag landing device that is portable, easy to set up, and provides effective deceleration of a falling object to a rest position. Furthermore, there is a need for an inflatable airbag landing device that includes backup safety measures to provide a safe and effective method of deceleration for a falling object, particularly for when the airbag landing device is not fully inflated.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an airbag landing device for absorbing high-impact falls of a falling object is disclosed. The airbag landing device includes an inflatable top structure disposed vertically on top of an inflatable base structure that provides a base or foundation of the airbag landing device. The inflatable base structure includes at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber that holds a first fill volume of gas and sustains the first fill volume of gas during use of the airbag landing device. The inflatable top structure is disposed vertically on top of the inflatable base structure to provide a landing surface for the falling object at impact. Thus, the inflatable top structure absorbs a majority of the impact of the falling object to bring the falling object to a rest position. The inflatable top structure includes at least one inflatable open-cell chamber that is fluidly isolated from the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber of the inflatable base structure. The at least one inflatable open-cell chamber is configured to hold a fill volume of gas that is sustained at a desired air pressure. In that regard, the inflatable top structure includes an air inlet configured to receive airflow into the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber and at least one vent port configured to exhaust air out from the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber. The airbag landing device further includes a blower in fluid communication with the air inlet of the inflatable top structure, allowing air to be pumped through the air inlet and into the open-cell chamber. Specifically, the blower is configured to inflate the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber to the second air pressure during use of the airbag landing device. To this end, when impacted by the falling object, the inflatable top structure exhausts a volume of air from the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber through the at least one vent port to vary the fill volume and the air pressure of the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber while the fill volume and the first air pressure of the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber is generally sustained.
According to one aspect, the airbag landing device may further include a top cover disposed over the inflatable top structure. The top cover provides the landing surface for the falling object at impact. According to another aspect, the inflatable top structure may include an inflatable upstanding wall portion that extends about a periphery of the inflatable top structure to define a central chamber. The upstanding wall portion includes at least one air passageway in fluid communication with the central chamber. In that regard, the top cover may be disposed over the inflatable top structure to cover the central chamber to form an air pocket therebetween. When impacted by the falling object, the inflatable top structure exhausts a volume of gas from the air pocket through the at least one air passageway. According to one aspect, the top cover may include at least one breather vent to facilitate the exhausting of gas.
According to another aspect, the inflatable top structure may include a plurality of inflatable columns. A cavity of each of the plurality of inflatable columns may form part of the open-cell chamber of the inflatable top structure. According to one aspect, the plurality of inflatable columns may be positioned within the central chamber.
According to yet another aspect, the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber of the inflatable base structure may sustain a first air pressure and the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber of the inflatable top structure may sustain a second air pressure that is lower than the first air pressure. Furthermore, the second fill volume of the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber may be greater than the first fill volume of the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber. According to yet another aspect, the blower may reinflate the open-cell chamber to the second fill volume after the airbag landing device absorbs the impact of the falling object.
According to one aspect, the inflatable base structure may extend a distance beyond a periphery of the inflatable top structure to expose a section of the inflatable base structure.
According to another aspect, the inflatable base structure may include an air inlet. The air inlet may include an inlet valve for sealing closed the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber.
According to an aspect, the at least one vent port of the inflatable top structure may be disposed in an exterior sidewall of the inflatable top structure. Furthermore, the at least one vent port may include a valve flap for adjusting airflow through the least one vent port.
The airbag landing device according to any one of the aspects described above may be located in a recreational sports area for absorbing the impact of a falling object landing in the recreational sports landing area.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an airbag landing device for absorbing the impact of a falling object is disclosed. The airbag landing device includes an inflatable base structure that provides a base of the airbag landing device. The inflatable base structure includes at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber configured to sustain a first fill volume of gas during use of the airbag landing device. The airbag landing device includes an inflatable top structure disposed vertically on top of the inflatable base structure. The inflatable top structure includes an inflatable upstanding wall portion that extends about a periphery of the inflatable top structure to define a central chamber and further includes at least one air passageway in fluid communication with the central chamber. The inflatable top structure includes at least one inflatable open-cell chamber that is fluidly isolated from the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber of the inflatable base structure to sustain a second fill volume of gas. The inflatable top structure includes an air inlet that receives airflow into the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber and at least one vent port that exhausts air out from the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber. The airbag landing device further includes a top cover disposed over the inflatable top structure to provide a landing surface for the falling object at impact. The top cover covers the central chamber to form an air pocket therebetween. A blower is in fluid communication with the air inlet of the inflatable top structure to inflate the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber and to maintain the second fill volume of gas during use of the airbag landing device. At impact by the falling object, the inflatable top structure exhausts a volume of gas from the air pocket through the at least one air passageway and from the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber through the at least one vent port to vary the second fill volume of the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber while the first fill volume of the at least one inflatable closed-cell chamber is sustained.
According to one aspect, the inflatable top structure may include a plurality of inflatable columns. A cavity of each of the plurality of inflatable columns may form part of the open-cell chamber of the inflatable top structure. According to another aspect, the plurality of inflatable columns may be positioned within the central chamber.
According to another aspect, the top cover may include at least one breather vent. In yet another aspect, the at least one vent port of the inflatable top structure may be disposed in an exterior sidewall of the inflatable top structure and may include a valve flap for adjusting airflow through the least one vent port.
The airbag landing device according to any one of the aspects described above may be located in a recreational sports area for absorbing the impact of a falling object landing in the recreational sports landing area.
Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the technical field of inflatable safety devices, and in particular inflatable airbag landing devices. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description, the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary and intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to describe the one or more embodiments of the invention. Features and attributes associated with any of the embodiments shown or described may be applied to other embodiments shown, described, or appreciated based on this disclosure.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an airbag landing device having an inflatable open-cell top structure disposed vertically on top of an inflatable closed-cell base structure that provides a base or foundation of the airbag landing device. The inflatable open-cell top structure and the inflatable closed-cell base structure of the airbag landing device are capable of withstanding the forces associated with high-impact falls of a falling object, such as an individual, for example. In that regard, the airbag landing device may be located in a recreational sports area, such as at the bottom exit of a large recreational slide. For example, a rider may be launched from the bottom exit of the recreational slide and into the air for aerial play before landing on the airbag landing device. The airbag landing device is positioned in the landing area to receive the impact of a falling rider. The airbag landing device cushions the rider's fall and prevents injury. The airbag landing device is portable and easy to set up or tear down due to the inflatability of both the top and base inflatable structures.
With respect to embodiments of the airbag landing device, closed-cell means that the inflatable base structure is not configured to vent or exhaust air during use of the airbag landing device in response to an impact from a falling object, such as one or more persons. To this end, the inflatable closed-cell base structure is inflated with a volume of air to a predetermined operating air pressure that is generally maintained during use of the airbag landing device. By open-cell, it is meant that the inflatable open-cell top structure is configured to vent and exhaust air during use of the airbag landing device. In that regard, the inflatable open-cell top structure may continuously exhaust air while an attached blower is operating to maintain an inflated state of the inflatable open-cell top structure. However, the inflatable open-cell top structure may exhaust significantly more air when impacted by a falling object. To that end, the inflatable open-cell top structure is configured to vent or exhaust a volume of air at impact by a falling object to cushion the fall of the falling object. The inflatable closed-cell base structure provides a backup or failsafe landing cushion should the inflatable open-cell top structure become inadvertently deflated, either partially or fully, before or during use of the airbag landing device. The airbag landing device may also include a top cover placed over the inflatable open-cell top structure to provide a landing surface for the falling object In that regard, the inflatable open-cell top structure may include a large external chamber, or indent, that results in an air pocket being formed between the top cover and the inflatable open-cell top structure. A volume of air in the air pocket operates as an additional air cushion to further dampen the impact of the falling object. That is, the air in the air pocket is configured to escape at a controlled rate from the inflatable open-cell top structure at impact, further absorbing and dissipating the force of the impact. These and other benefits of the present invention will be described in further detail below.
Referring now to the figures,
Referring now to
The inflatable base structure 16 is configured to contact, or be placed adjacent, the floor or surface on which the airbag landing device 10 is arranged for use. To that end, the inflatable base structure 16 may include a plurality of tie-downs 22 for securing the airbag landing device 10 to the floor or surface on which the airbag landing device 10 is arranged for use. In the embodiment shown, the tie-downs 22 are in the form of D-shaped metal rings, otherwise referred to as D-rings. In other embodiments, the tie-downs 22 may include hooks, ratchet straps, or other means for securing the inflatable base structure 16 to the floor or surface on which the airbag landing device 10 is arranged for use.
As briefly described above, the inflatable top structure 14 is an open-cell structure configured to continuously exhaust or vent air during use. In that regard, the inflatable top structure 14 is configured to be connected to an air source, such as a blower 24, that provides a continuous supply of air to the inflatable top structure 14 to maintain an inflated shape of the inflatable top structure 14 when the blower 24 is activated. As shown in
The top cover 18 is configured to be disposed over the inflatable top structure 14 during use, as shown in
To facilitate the release of air from parts of the inflatable top structure 14 at impact, the top cover 18 includes a plurality of vents 36. In that regard, the vents 36 allow airflow through the top cover 18 to prevent its ballooning at impact. As shown, the vents 36 are spaced apart about the side sheet 32 of the top cover 18. Each vent 36 may be considered a breather vent and is defined by an opening 38 formed in the side sheet 32 and a mesh insert or cover 40 positioned over the opening 38. The mesh insert or cover 40 may enhance the durability of the vent opening 38, for example. Alternatively, the vents 36 may comprise a plurality of small perforations in the side sheet 32 rather than a single opening 38 including a mesh insert or cover 40. In either case, while the vents 36 are each shown as being circular in shape, it will be understood that the vents 36 may be other shapes, such as square or rectangular, for example. As shown in
With reference to
Each of the first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50 may be aligned side-by-side in an abutting relationship or spaced apart. The first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50 may be attached to the top surface 44 of the inflatable base structure 16 and the base surface 52 of the inflatable top structure 14, respectively, by sewing or stitching. However, other suitable joining methods, such as welding, radio frequency (RF) welding, hot air welding, or gluing, are also possible. The inflatable top structure 14 is placed on top of the inflatable base structure 16 to connect the first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50. The first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50 may be surrounded or encircled by an amount of adhesive 54 to enclose the attachment strips 42, 50 between the inflatable top structure 14 and the inflatable base structure 16. The first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50 may each be surrounded by an amount of adhesive 54. Alternatively, only one of the first and second plurality of attachment strips 42, 50 may be surrounded by an amount of adhesive 54. The spaces between adjacent attachment strips 42, 50, if present, may also include adhesive 54. In either case, the adhesive 54 enhances the attachment of the inflatable top structure 14 and the inflatable base structure 16. The combination of the attachment strips 42, 50 and the adhesive prevents 54 movement of the inflatable top structure 14 relative to the inflatable base structure 16.
In an alternative embodiment, the inflatable top structure 14 may be attached to the inflatable base structure 16 by one or more of sewing, stitching, welding, radio-frequency (RF) welding, hot-air welding, gluing, or other suitable joining methods used to join two or more materials together, as will be understood by a person of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the inflatable base structure 16 and the inflatable top structure 14 may share a common wall. The shared wall may separate, or fluidly isolate, the interior of the inflatable top structure 14 from the interior of the inflatable base structure 16, for example.
With continued reference to
As best shown in
Turning now with reference to
The inflatable base structure 16 includes at least one air inlet opening 66 to allow air to enter the closed-cell chamber 64 and to prevent air from escaping from the closed-cell chamber 64. As shown, the inflatable base structure 16 may include a single air inlet opening 66. The opening 66 is formed in the sidewall 62 of the inflatable base structure 16, and a cover, cap, plug, or valve is disposed in the opening 66. In the embodiment shown, the opening includes a valve 68. The valve 68 may be configured to receive an air pump, such as a high compression air pump, configured to inflate and deflate the inflatable base structure 16, for example. To this end, the valve 68 is used to seal closed the air inlet 66 to hold the volume of air and sustain the air pressure within the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16, particularly during use of the airbag landing device 10. The valve 68 may include a pressure sensor configured to detect air leaks. In this regard, it is important that the air pressure within the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16 be maintained during use as the inflatable base structure 16 provides a backup or failsafe landing cushion should the inflatable top structure 14 become inadvertently deflated before or during use of the airbag landing device 10. As will be described in further detail below, the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16 is configured to sustain a high operating air pressure. In the embodiment shown, the inflatable base structure 16 is generally cuboid in shape and the top wall 58, base wall 60, and sidewall 62 are generally flat. However other suitable polygonal or circular shapes of the inflatable base structure 16 are possible.
As shown in e.g.,
The inflatable base structure 16 may include thousands of web strands 70 arranged within the closed-cell chamber 64. The internal webbing 70 provides for a relatively stable connection between the top wall 58 and the base wall 60 of the inflatable base structure 16. As a result, the inflatable base structure 16, and in particular the inflatable closed-cell chamber 64, can sustain a high fill or air pressure without deforming. Furthermore, the web strands 70 are capable of being tensioned without sustaining damage. In that regard, when the interior of the inflatable base 16 structure is pressurized, pressure will build up against the top wall 58, base wall 60, and sidewall 62. The web strands 70 limit the top wall 58 and the base wall 60 of the inflatable structure from expanding too far apart. This ensures that the top wall 58 and the base wall 60 maintain a relatively flat profile and surface.
With reference to
With reference to
The interior volume 74 defines the at least one inflatable open-cell chamber that is capable of both being inflated with a volume of air and sustaining a certain level of air pressure without deflating or losing its shape. The interior volume 74 of the inflatable top structure 14 will be referred hereinafter as open-cell chamber 74. In particular, the inflatable open-cell chamber 74 is a single hollow chamber. That is, there are no partitions, baffles, or other dividers that separate the open-cell chamber 74 into sub-chambers, channels, or sections. In an alternative embodiment, the interior volume of the inflatable top structure 14 may include partitions, baffles, or other dividers that separate the open-cell chamber 74 into sub-chambers, channels, or sections. In the embodiment shown, the inflatable top structure 14 is generally cuboid in shape, with the top wall 84, base wall 82, and outer sidewall 86 being generally flat. However, other suitable polygonal or circular shapes of the inflatable top structure 14 are possible.
As best shown in
As best shown in
To facilitate the release of air from the air pocket 104 at impact, the inflatable top structure 14 includes the plurality of air passageways 28, as mentioned above. As shown in
As described above, the inflatable top structure 14 is configured to be connected to an air source, such as a blower 24, that provides a continuous supply of air to the open-cell chamber 74 to maintain an inflated shape of the inflatable top structure 14. In that regard, the inflatable top structure 14 may include a flexible conduit 110 that extends from a first end 112 connected to an opening 114 in the sidewall 86 (e.g.,
The inflatable top structure 14 further includes at least one vent port 26 configured to exhaust air from the inflatable open-cell chamber 74 during use, as briefly described above. The at least one vent port 26 results in the inflatable top structure 14 having the open-cell configuration. In particular, the at least one vent port 26 regulates the amount of airflow from the open-cell chamber 74 to ensure a controlled partial deflation of the of the inflatable top structure 14 to absorb the impact of a falling object. In the embodiment shown, the inflatable top structure 14 may include a plurality of vent ports 26 formed in the exterior sidewall 86 of the body 72 of the inflatable top structure 14. In that regard, the vent ports 26 are spaced apart about the exterior sidewall 86 of the body 72 of the inflatable top structure 14 at locations generally between the base wall 82 and the recessed wall 90. In particular, the vent ports 26 are located at a lower position (i.e., closer to the base wall 82) along the exterior sidewall 86 compared to the air passageways 28, as can be seen in
With reference to
Each valve flap 120 provides the ability to adjust and regulate the amount of air that is expelled from the open-cell chamber 74 through the vent port 26 during use. As shown in
As a result of the vented configuration of the inflatable top structure 14, air may flow continuously through the open-cell chamber 74 of the inflatable top structure 14 during use. Thus, the blower 24 connected to the inflatable top structure 14 may run continuously or intermittently to maintain the fill volume and operating air pressure of the inflatable top structure 14 to thereby maintain its inflated shape during use. The operating air pressure of the open-cell chamber 74 of the inflatable top structure 14 is generally lower compared to the operating pressure of the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16. For example, the operating pressure of the open-cell chamber 74 of the inflatable top structure 14 may be within a range of between about 3 psi to about 10 psi while the operating pressure of the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16 may be within a range of between about 8 psi to 15 psi. However, when impacted by a falling object during use, the inflatable top structure 14 is configured to exhaust a volume of air from the open-cell chamber 74 through the at least one vent port 26 to temporarily vary the fill volume and the operating air pressure of the open-cell chamber 74 to cushion the fall of the falling object, as will be described in further detail below. To this end, the blower 24 is configured to reinflate the open-cell chamber 74 to the correct fill volume and operating air pressure between impacts.
As best shown in
Having now described certain details of the airbag landing device 10, a method of using the airbag landing device 10 will now be described. In that regard, the airbag landing device 10 is configured to be located in a recreational sports area 12 where an individual may purposefully fall from an elevated height to land, such as a landing area at the bottom exit of a large recreational slide. In particular, the airbag landing device 10 is arranged in the landing area and the inflatable base structure 16 and the inflatable top structure 14 inflated. The inflatable base structure 16 may be inflated by filling its closed-cell chamber 64 with a specific amount, or fill volume, of air at a specific operating pressure. The inflatable base structure 16 may be inflated or filled using a high compression pump, for example. The valve 68 is used to seal closed the air inlet 66 to sustain the fill volume and air pressure within the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16, particularly during use of the airbag landing device 10. To this end, the inflatable base structure 16 is configured to sustain the fill volume and air pressure within the closed-cell chamber 64 for long periods of time. For example, once the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16 is inflated, the closed-cell chamber 64 may only need to be filled with air occasionally, such as once a month, for example, to maintain the desired fill volume and air pressure.
The inflatable top structure 14 is connected to the blower 24 which is used to inflate the open-cell chamber 74 of the inflatable top structure 14 to provide the inflatable top structure 14 with its inflated shape. The top cover 18 may be disposed over the inflatable top structure 14 either before or after the inflatable top structure 14 is inflated.
Once the inflatable base structure 16 and the inflatable top structure 14 are inflated, as described above, the airbag landing device 10 is ready to absorb an impact of a falling object.
As shown by directional arrows A4 in
The blower 24 is configured to reinflate the open-cell chamber 74 to its designated fill volume and restore the air pressure to the required operating pressure after the airbag landing device 10 has absorbed the impact A3 of a falling object. In that regard, it may take a few seconds for the blower 24 to reinflate the inflatable top structure 14 to its inflated shape. As the inflated top structure 14 is reinflated between impacts, the air pocket 104 is also restored to its expanded state, as shown in
The inflatable base structure 16 does not exhaust air at impact. In particular, the fill volume and air pressure of the closed-cell chamber 64 of the inflatable base structure 16 remains substantially unchanged between impacts. To this end, the inflatable base structure 16 holds a volume of air at a high air pressure that acts within the closed-cell chamber 64 as support to provide a relatively firm foundation for the airbag landing device 10. Furthermore, the inflatable base structure 16 provides a backup or failsafe landing cushion in case the inflatable top structure 14 becomes inadvertently deflated before or during use of the airbag landing device 10. The inflatable base structure 16 may also be deflated, making it easier to transport and store the airbag landing device 10.
Referring now to
While the invention has been illustrated by the description of various embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Thus, the various features discussed herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept.
The present application claims the filing benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/490,863, filed Mar. 17, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63490863 | Mar 2023 | US |