JP7164356B2 - airbag pants - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to airbag pants that prevent a wearer from breaking a bone by means of an airbag that inflates when the wearer falls.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of accidents in which elderly people fall and fracture their proximal femur. The proximal femur is a portion (upper end) of the femur near the pelvis. In particular, elderly people who have developed osteoporosis or sarcopenia (a symptom of a decrease in muscle mass due to aging) have reduced walking ability, so they fall even indoors such as at home, and the impact of the fall can damage their thighs. Fractures of proximal bones, pelvis, etc. may occur. For example, bone atrophy and decreased walking ability due to age-related degenerative changes, such as postmenopausal osteoporosis and osteoarthritis of the knee, can induce falls, especially when going to the bathroom at night or early in the morning. There have been many cases of fractures of proximal bones, pelvises, and the like.

Even if such fractures of the proximal femur as described above are surgically treated, it is not uncommon for elderly people, in particular, to experience a significant deterioration in postoperative quality of life. Therefore, there is a need to prevent fracture accidents due to falls, and various proposals have been made for this purpose.

For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200002 discloses a garment for preventing bone fractures due to a fall, which includes a shorts-type garment body and a shock absorbing pad attached to the garment body. The impact-absorbing pad is an elastomer pad with impact-absorbing properties, and is attached to a position facing the proximal femur including the greater trochanter.

WO2015/064528

According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the impact that is transmitted to the proximal femur when the wearer falls is reduced by the shock-absorbing pad, so an effect of preventing the fracture of the proximal femur is expected. be.

However, in Patent Literature 1, the impact-absorbing pad is arranged so as to cover only the side surface of the upper part of the thigh (or the buttocks), so there is a risk that the effect of preventing bone fracture will not be sufficiently exhibited. For example, if the wearer falls sideways, the impact-absorbing pad will intervene between the floor and the proximal part of the femur to provide the expected impact-absorbing effect. However, there is a risk that the shock absorbing pad will not intervene well between the floor and the proximal femur, and that the impact applied to the proximal femur will not be absorbed sufficiently. Also, even if a shock-absorbing pad were successfully interposed between the floor and the proximal femur, it would only mitigate the impact from the floor, so it would not be suitable for elderly people with osteoporosis or sarcopenia. , there was a possibility that sufficient fracture prevention effect could not be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide airbag pants that can sufficiently reduce the risk of fracture of the proximal femur when falling.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present application, especially for elderly people who have developed osteoporosis or sarcopenia, prevent fractures of the proximal femur by wearing pants-shaped clothing containing airbags. In other words, when the wearer falls, an airbag that instantly inflates is used to compress and protect the bones and muscles of the upper thigh all around, thereby preventing fractures of the proximal femur. did.

Specifically, the present invention includes a pants body worn on the lower body of a wearer, an airbag provided inside the pants body, and a gas supply to the airbag when the wearer falls. A thigh protection device comprising a gas supply device for inflating the airbag and an angle regulating part , wherein the airbag circumferentially surrounds the upper thighs of the wearer and radially inwardly presses the upper thighs when inflated. wherein the angle regulating portion has a flexion angle of 15 to 45°, which is a forward tilting angle of the thigh protection portion, when the airbag is inflated, and the thigh protection portion is outside in the body width direction. The flexion angle and the abduction angle are regulated so that the abduction angle, which is the tilt angle to the right, is 10 to 30° (claim 1).

In this specification, the term “upper thigh” generally refers to the upper half (half closer to the trunk) of the thigh (the portion from the base of the leg to the knee).

According to the present invention, since the airbag including the thigh protection portion that surrounds the upper thighs of the wearer in the circumferential direction is provided inside the pants body, the thigh protection portion expands when the wearer falls. In addition, the expansion force of the thigh protection part acts mainly on the inner side of the pants body (that is, in the direction in which it adheres to the wearer's upper thigh), and the inflated thigh protection part exerts sufficient pressure on the wearer's upper thigh. is pressed radially inward. As a result, since the muscles of the upper part of the thigh are in close contact with the femur, it is possible to effectively reinforce the proximal part of the femur (upper end of the femur), which is likely to fracture when falling. The synergistic effect of the reinforcing effect due to the close contact of the muscles and the cushioning effect due to the expanded thigh protection part (its internal gas) effectively protects the proximal part of the femur from fracture. can. As a result, even if the wearer is an elderly person who has developed osteoporosis or sarcopenia, the risk of fracture of the proximal femur can be sufficiently reduced.
In addition, when the airbag is inflated, the flexion angle is restricted to 15-45° and the abduction angle is restricted to 10-30°. before joining), the posture of the wearer's lower body can be controlled so that it is in a position suitable for tensing the muscles of the upper thigh, providing better protection of the proximal femur. can be planned.

Preferably, the thigh protector includes a plurality of cells that enclose a ring-shaped space along the peripheral surface of the upper thigh and are divided in a direction along the midline of the thigh, and the gas supply device includes the The airbag is inflated by supplying gas into the spaces of the plurality of cells (claim 2).

According to this configuration, for example, unlike the case where the thigh protection part is composed of a single cell, it is possible to avoid a situation where the pressing force applied from the thigh protection part varies greatly depending on the position on the thigh center line. In contrast, the pressing force due to the expansion of each cell can be efficiently applied. As a result, the muscles of the upper thigh can effectively exert a reinforcing action on the proximal femur, and the risk of fracture of the proximal femur can be further reduced.

In the above configuration, more preferably, the thigh protector includes, as one of the plurality of cells, a specific cell surrounding a vicinity of the base of the wearer's thigh in a circumferential direction, and the specific cell includes the It is obliquely arranged along the base of the thigh so as to be positioned upward toward the outer side in the width direction of the body (Claim 3).

According to this configuration, when the wearer falls, the specific cells expand, thereby pressing the muscle near the base of the femur at a height corresponding to the proximal femur radially inward. The muscle is brought into close contact with the proximal femur. As a result, the proximal femur can be efficiently reinforced, and the impact on the proximal femur caused by a fall can be sufficiently reduced by the specific cells.

In the above configuration, more preferably, the gas supply device is provided so as to initially supply gas to the specific cell when the wearer falls (claim 4).

According to this configuration, the specific cell closest to the proximal femur can be inflated the fastest, so that the effect of preventing fracture of the proximal femur can be obtained more reliably.

In the above configuration, more preferably, the thigh protection part has a partition cloth that partitions a plurality of cells including the specific cell from each other, and the partition cloth contains gas supplied from the gas supply device to the specific cell. A communication hole is formed for introducing gas to other cells (claim 5).

According to this configuration, the gas supplied first to the specific cell can be introduced into the other cells through the communication hole, and the plurality of cells can be reliably inflated using the gas supplied from the common supply source. be able to. As a result, the number of gas supply sources can be reduced to simplify the structure, and the plurality of inflatable cells can adequately protect the proximal femur.

Preferably, the airbag further has a waist cell provided at a position covering the waist of the wearer (Claim 6).

According to this configuration, the impact applied to the waist of the wearer in the event of a fall can be reduced by the waist cell, and the risk of fracture of the pelvis, for example, can be reduced.

Preferably, the airbag pants further include a pressure regulating section that regulates internal gas pressure so as not to exceed a predetermined upper limit pressure when the airbag is inflated, and the upper limit pressure is any one of 100 to 300 mmHg. (Claim 7 ).

According to this configuration, since the gas pressure in the airbag immediately after inflation is maintained at 100 to 300 mmHg, during the overturning motion of the wearer (that is, from the detection of overturning until the overturning of the wearer completely). A pressure force of 100 to 300 mmHg can be stably applied to the upper thigh. As a result, the muscles of the wearer's upper thigh can be tensed appropriately, and the effect of protecting the proximal femur by the muscles of the upper thigh can be enhanced.

Preferably, the pants main body has an outer cloth portion and an inner cloth portion provided inside thereof, and the airbag is provided between the outer cloth portion and the inner cloth portion (claim 8 ).

In this way, when the airbag is attached between the outer fabric part and the inner fabric part of the pants body, the airbag can be stably positioned at a suitable position to cover the upper thighs of the wearer. It can be attached, and the above-described effects of the airbag can be fully exhibited. In addition, by adopting a fabric with excellent design for the outer fabric and a fabric that feels good to the touch for the inner fabric, the resistance that the wearer feels when wearing the airbag pants is greatly reduced. It is possible to realize air bag pants that can be easily worn by the wearer on a daily basis.

As described above, according to the airbag pants of the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the risk of fracture of the proximal portion of the femur when falling.

1 is a front view of the airbag pants according to one embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front of the wearer. FIG. It is the back view which looked at the said airbag pants from the back of the wearer. FIG. 2 is a front view of the inside of the airbag pants as seen from the front, and is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 in which the pants body is seen through. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the inside of the airbag pants as seen from the rear, and is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 in which the pants body is seen through. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of airbag pants for explaining that an airbag is accommodated between an outer cloth portion and an inner cloth portion of the pants main body; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the airbag; It is a figure which shows the characteristic of the periphery of the upper thigh of a human body, (a) shows the skeleton of the lower body of a human body, and (b) shows the enlarged proximal part of a femur. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the shape of the airbag when inflated. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the shape of the airbag when inflated. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification (for women) of the said embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification (for men) of the said embodiment.

1 to 4 are diagrams showing the overall configuration of airbag pants according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIGS. 1 and 3 are front views of the airbag pants as seen from the front of the wearer P, and FIGS. 2 and 4 are rear views of the airbag pants as seen from the rear of the wearer P. It is a diagram. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the airbag pants include a pants body 1 worn on the lower body of the wearer P, an airbag 2 provided inside the pants body 1, and a A gas supply device 3 is provided for supplying gas to the airbag 2 to inflate the airbag 2 when the vehicle is overturned. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the pants body 1 is indicated by a solid line and the airbag 2 is indicated by a hidden line (broken line) in order to mainly describe the outer shape of the airbag pants. In FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to mainly explain the inside of the airbag pants, the pants body 1 is indicated by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line), and the airbag 2 is indicated by a solid line.

The pants main body 1 is a short pants-type garment formed so as to cover the waist of the wearer P and the left and right upper thighs (approximately upper halves of the thighs). As shown in FIG. 5, the underpants body 1 has a so-called double structure, and includes a ring-shaped belt portion 13 worn around the waist of the wearer P, and an outer ring extending downward from the periphery of the belt portion 13. It has a fabric portion 11 and an inner fabric portion 12 provided inside (closer to the wearer's body) than the outer fabric portion 11 . The outer cloth portion 11 and the inner cloth portion 12 are integrated by stitching or the like, and a gap S is formed between them. An airbag 2 is detachably attached to the gap S via fixing means (not shown) such as a hook-and-loop fastener or a wire fastener.

The airbag 2 is bag-shaped and can receive gas supplied from the gas supply device 3, and is made of durable and flexible fabric (for example, fabric woven from industrial nylon threads). The airbag 2 includes a central base portion 21 covering the abdomen and waist of the wearer P, and a left thigh protection portion 22 extending downward from the left side of the central base portion 21 and covering the upper thigh of the left leg P1 of the wearer P. , and a right thigh protector 23 extending downward from the right side of the central base 21 to cover the upper thigh of the wearer P's right leg P2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the airbag 2 together with the gas flow (see the dashed arrow) when the airbag 2 is inflated. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIGS. 3 to 5, the left thigh protector 22 has a plurality (four) of cells 221 to 224 surrounding the upper thigh of the left leg P1 in the circumferential direction, The right thigh protector 23 has a plurality (four) of cells 231 to 234 surrounding the upper thigh of the right leg P2 in the circumferential direction. Each of the cells 221 to 224 (231 to 234) of the left thigh protection portion 22 (right thigh protection portion 23) is supplied with gas from the gas supply device 3 when the wearer P falls, and is inflated. Compress P's upper thigh radially inward. Below, the uppermost cell 221 (231) is the "first cell", the lower cell 222 (232) is the "second cell", the lower cell 223 (233) is the "third cell", The cell 224 (234) on the lower side (that is, the lowermost side) is called a "fourth cell".

The first to fourth cells 221 to 224 of the left thigh protection part 22 are ring-shaped bags extending along an inclined line so as to be positioned upward toward the outer side (left side) in the body width direction. It is formed so that the angle of inclination becomes steeper (approaching a vertical posture) as the height increases. Inside the first to fourth cells 221 to 224, ring-shaped spaces X are respectively formed along the peripheral surface of the upper thigh of the left leg P1. The spaces X in the cells 221 to 224 are adjacent to each other with partition cloths 226, 226, . . . . In other words, the first to fourth cells 221 to 224 are separated from each other by the partition cloth 226 and arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction along the center line of the thigh of the left leg P1. Each partition cloth 226 is formed with a communication hole H<b>1 for passing gas supplied from the gas supply device 3 .

Similarly, the first to fourth cells 231 to 234 of the right thigh protection portion 23 are ring-shaped bags extending along an inclined line so as to be located upward toward the outer side (right side) in the body width direction, The upper cells are formed so that the angle of inclination becomes steeper (approaching a vertical attitude). Inside the first to fourth cells 231 to 234, a ring-shaped space Y is formed along the peripheral surface of the upper thigh of the right leg P2. The spaces Y in the cells 231 to 234 are adjacent to each other with partition cloths 236, 236, . In other words, the first to fourth cells 231 to 234 are separated from each other by the partition cloth 236 and arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction along the thigh midline of the right leg P2. Each partition cloth 236 is formed with a communication hole H2 for passing gas supplied from the gas supply device 3 .

FIG. 7(a) is a diagram showing the skeleton of the lower half of the human body, and FIG. 7(b) is an enlarged diagram showing the proximal portion of the femur (the upper end portion of the femur near the pelvis). Broken lines Q1 and Q2 in FIG. 7(a) represent the roots of the left and right thighs. The base of the thigh Q1 (Q2) is the uppermost part of the thigh, more specifically, at a height corresponding to the hip joint (the joint between the pelvis and the femur), upward in the body width direction. It is a part on a line that is slanted so as to be located. As can be understood from a comparison between FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 3, etc., the left thigh protector 22 has a boundary between the first and second cells 221 and 222 at the root Q1 of the left thigh. The right thigh protection part 23 is formed so that the boundaries between the first and second cells 231 and 232 substantially match the base Q2 of the right thigh.

In other words, in the airbag 2 of this embodiment, the second cell 222, which is the second cell from the top in the left thigh protection portion 22, surrounds the base Q1 of the left thigh and its lower side in the circumferential direction. A second cell 232, which is the second cell from the top of the right thigh protector 23, is formed so as to circumferentially surround the root Q2 of the right thigh and its lower vicinity. These cells surrounding the vicinity of the bases Q1 and Q2 of the thighs, that is, the second cells 222 of the left thigh protection portion 22 and the second cells 232 of the right thigh protection portion 23 are "specific cells" in the claims. corresponds to

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of restraining cloths 30 made of fabric with relatively low stretchability are attached to the left and right thigh protectors 22 and 23 . Specifically, in this embodiment, the front surface and outer side surfaces in the body width direction of the second to fourth cells 222 to 224 in the left thigh protector 22 and the second to fourth cells 232 to 234 in the right thigh protector 23 Restrictive cloths 30 are attached to the front surface and the side surface on the outside in the width direction of the body. These restraining cloths 30 correspond to the "angle regulating portion" in the claims, and play a role of regulating the shape (angle) of the left and right thigh protection portions 22, 23 when the airbag 2 is inflated. 3 and 4, for the sake of convenience, the restraint cloth 30 attached to the side surfaces of the left and right thigh protectors 22 and 23 is indicated by thick dashed lines.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the central base 21 of the airbag 2 includes a cloth-upholstered portion 25 arranged to cover the abdomen and genitals of the wearer P, and a waist region of the wearer P. and a waist cell 26 arranged to cover the body.

The waist cell 26 is a bag body having a space inside which can receive the gas supplied from the gas supply device 3. 231 and the rear surface thereof. Although not shown, the space in the waist cell 26 is partitioned from the spaces X and Y in the left and right first cells 221 and 231 by a partition cloth. A hole is formed.

The upholstered portion 25 is in the form of a sheet with no space inside. Therefore, unlike the cells (221 to 224, 231 to 234, 26) described above, the upholstered portion 25 does not expand even when gas is supplied from the gas supply device 3. FIG. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the non-expanding fabric-upholstered portion 25 is colored gray to distinguish it from other portions (cells).

As shown mainly in FIG. 3, the gas supply device 3 has a controller 31, a left inflator 32, a right inflator 33, and a cable 34 electrically connecting the left and right inflators 32, 33 and the controller 31. ing.

The controller 31 includes a sensor such as an acceleration sensor for detecting the fall of the wearer P, and a control circuit unit (not shown) that receives a detection signal from the sensor and outputs a control signal to the left and right inflators 32 and 33. have. The controller 31 is built in the belt portion 13 of the pants body 1 .

The left inflator 32 and the right inflator 33 have a gas supply source that inflates the airbag 2 and an actuator that operates when the wearer P falls and supplies gas from the gas supply source (both not shown). That is, when the sensor incorporated in the controller 31 detects the overturning of the wearer P, the control circuit section of the controller 31 outputs a control signal to the inflators 32 and 33 to activate the actuators. As a result, gas is supplied to the airbag 2 from the gas supply sources of the inflators 32, 33, and the cells 221-224, 231-234, 26 of the airbag 2 are inflated. The gas supply source for each of the inflators 32 and 33 may be a cartridge-type supply source containing a high-pressure gas such as carbon dioxide, or an ignition-type supply source that generates gas by igniting a gas generating agent. It's okay.

The left inflator 32 is provided at a position where gas can be directly supplied to the second cell 222 of the left thigh protector 22, and the right inflator 33 can directly supply gas to the second cell 232 of the right thigh protector 23. is placed in a suitable position. 6, the left inflator 32 has an outlet 32a communicating with the space X in the second cell 222, and the right inflator 33 communicates with the space Y in the second cell 232. It has an outlet portion 33a that communicates with it.

When the wearer P falls, the gas is first supplied to the second cells 222 and 232 from the outlets 32a and 33a of the inflators 32 and 33, respectively. The gas supplied to the second cells 222, 232 is introduced into other cells through communication holes H1, H2 formed in the partition cloths 226, 236 that partition the cells (see arrows in FIG. 6). As a result, gas is introduced into all the cells 221 to 224, 231 to 234, 26 of the airbag 2, and each cell is inflated.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, relief valves 41 and 42 are provided in the fourth cells 224 and 234 of the left thigh protector 22 and the right thigh protector 23, respectively. The relief valves 41 and 42 are valves that are opened when the gas pressure reaches a predetermined upper limit pressure. It plays a role in regulating exceeding the upper limit pressure. In this embodiment, the upper limit pressure at which the relief valves 41 and 42 are opened is set to any value between 100 and 300 mmHg. In addition, the relief valves 41 and 42 correspond to the "pressure regulation part" said to a claim.

The left and right inflators 32, 33 supply an amount of gas that would cause the gas pressure in the airbag 2 (cells 221-224, 231-234, 26) to exceed the upper limit pressure if the relief valves 41, 42 were not provided. supply is possible. Therefore, when the airbag 2 is inflated, the gas pressure inside the airbag 2 is maintained at the upper limit pressure at least for a predetermined period immediately after inflation. In this embodiment, the fabric forming the airbag 2 has a certain degree of air permeability. As a result, after the airbag 2 is inflated, the gas pressure is lowered with the lapse of time.

As already described, in this embodiment, the front surface and the outer side surface in the body width direction of the second to fourth cells 222 to 224 (232 to 234) in the left thigh protector 22 (right thigh protector 23) are constrained, respectively. A cloth 30 (angle regulating portion) is attached. Due to the action of the restraining cloth 30, the airbag 2 of this embodiment has the bending angle θ1 and the abduction angle θ2 of the left and right thigh protection portions 22 and 23, as shown in FIGS. also expands to fit within a predetermined angle range. Here, the flexion angle θ1 is the forward tilting angle of the left and right thigh protectors 22 and 23, and the abduction angle θ2 is the outward tilt angle of the left and right thigh protectors 22 and 23 in the body width direction. It is the tilt angle. The flexion angle θ1 corresponds to the crossing angle of the thigh center line L1 and the trunk axis L2 in side view when the wearer tilts (bends) the thigh forward about the hip joint. , and the abduction angle θ2 is the intersection of the thigh center line L1 and the trunk axis L2 in a front view when the wearer tilts (abducts) the thigh outward in the body width direction around the hip joint. corresponds to the angle.

That is, in this embodiment, the second to fourth cells 222 to 224 (232 234), the rear surface is more easily stretched than the front surface, and the inner side surface is more easily stretched than the outer side surface in the body width direction. As a result, when the airbag 2 is inflated, the left thigh protection portion 22 (right thigh protection portion 23) naturally tilts forward and outward in the body width direction while being inflated. The tilt angle at this time, that is, the bending angle θ1 and the eversion angle θ2 described above can be set by adjusting the degree of low stretchability of the restraint cloth 30 . Specifically, in this embodiment, the bending angle θ1 is 15 to 45° (more preferably about 25 to 35°), and the abduction angle θ2 is 10 to 30° (more preferably 10 to 15°). The degree of low stretchability of the restraint cloth 30 is adjusted so that

As described above, the airbag pants of this embodiment include the pants body 1 worn on the lower body of the wearer P, the airbag 2 provided inside the pants body 1, and the wearer P falling. and a gas supply device 3 for inflating the airbag 2 by supplying gas to the airbag 2 when the airbag 2 is inflated. It has a left thigh protection portion 22 and a right thigh protection portion 23 (hereinafter simply referred to as thigh protection portions 22, 23, etc.) that press the upper thighs radially inward. According to such a configuration, there is an advantage that the risk of fracture of the proximal femur when the wearer P falls can be sufficiently reduced.

That is, in the above-described embodiment, the airbag 2 including the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 surrounding the upper thighs of the wearer P in the circumferential direction is provided inside the pants body 1. Accordingly, when the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 are inflated, the expansion force of the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 acts mainly on the inner side of the pants body 1 (that is, in the direction in which it adheres to the upper thighs of the wearer P). The upper thighs of the wearer P are pressed radially inward with sufficient pressure by the inflated thigh protection portions 22 and 23 . As a result, since the muscles of the upper part of the thigh are in close contact with the femur, it is possible to effectively reinforce the proximal part of the femur (upper end of the femur), which is likely to fracture when falling. The synergistic effect of the reinforcing effect due to the close contact of the muscles and the cushioning effect of the inflated thigh protection portions 22 and 23 can effectively protect the proximal femur from fracture.

For example, in addition to osteoporosis, which causes a decrease in bone density, many elderly people develop sarcopenia, which causes a decrease in muscle mass with age. Falls on the ground increase the risk of fracture of the femur, especially the proximal femur near the pelvis. Fractures of the proximal femur most often occur in the neck and trochanteric region shown in FIG. 7(b). When such a fracture of the proximal femur occurs, for example, long-term rehabilitation is unavoidable through large-scale surgery, etc. Therefore, especially in the case of elderly people who develop sarcopenia, the prognosis is that they cannot walk on their own. It is not uncommon for the quality of life to be significantly reduced, including difficulty.

On the other hand, according to the above embodiment in which the upper thighs of the wearer P are surrounded in the circumferential direction by the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 of the airbag 2, the thigh protection portions 22 inflate when the wearer P falls. , 23 exerts a radially inward pressing force on the upper thigh muscles (for example, gluteus maximus and other gluteus muscles, adductor magnus and other adductor muscles, and biceps femoris muscles). The flexor muscles such as the flexors) can be brought into close contact with the femur integrally from the periphery thereof, and appropriate tension can be applied to the muscles of the upper part of the thigh. As a result, the proximal femur, which has a particularly high risk of fracture, is effectively reinforced, and the impact applied to the proximal femur is mitigated by the expanded femoral protection portions 22 and 23 (internal gas therein). Therefore, the proximal femur can be effectively protected. In other words, in the above-described embodiment, the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 of the airbag 2 serve as substitutes for the muscles, so if the wearer P is an elderly person who has developed sarcopenia (that is, the thigh muscles are The risk of fracture of the proximal femur when falling can be sufficiently reduced even for elderly people who have significantly declined, and the quality of life of the elderly can be improved over the long term.

In the above embodiment, the thigh protector 22 (23) includes a plurality of cells 221 that enclose a ring-shaped space X (Y) along the peripheral surface of the upper thigh and are divided in the direction along the thigh midline. ∼ 224 (231 to 234), unlike the case where the thigh protector 22 (23) is composed of a single cell, the pressing force applied from the thigh protector 22 (23) increases depending on the position on the thigh midline. It is possible to avoid such a situation as fluctuating, and to efficiently apply the pressing force due to the expansion of each cell 221 to 224 (231 to 234) to each part of the upper thigh. As a result, the muscles of the upper thigh can effectively exert a reinforcing action on the proximal femur, and the risk of fracture of the proximal femur can be further reduced.

Further, in the above embodiment, the plurality of cells 221 to 224 (231 to 234) of the thigh protector 22 (23) are arranged upward along the root Q1 (Q2) of the thigh toward the outer side in the body width direction. and has a second cell 222 (232) that surrounds the vicinity of the root Q1 (Q2) in the circumferential direction. The muscles in the vicinity of the root Q1 (Q2) of the thigh at a height corresponding to the proximal part of the bone, more specifically, the muscles located slightly below the root Q1 (Q2) are pressed radially inward. , the muscle is brought into close contact with the proximal femur. As a result, the proximal femur can be efficiently reinforced, and the second cell 222 (232) can sufficiently absorb the impact on the proximal femur caused by a fall.

Further, in the above embodiment, the inflator 32 (33) that functions as a gas supply source is attached to the second cell 222 (232) that surrounds the vicinity of the root Q1 (Q2) of the thigh. When the inflator 32 (33) is activated when the person P falls, gas is supplied first to the second cell 222 (232), so the second cell 222 (232) closest to the proximal femur is can be inflated most quickly, and the effect of preventing fracture of the proximal femur can be obtained more reliably.

Further, in the above embodiment, the plurality of cells 221 to 224 (231 to 234) of the thigh protector 22 (23) are partitioned from each other by the partition cloth 226 (236), and each partition cloth 226 (236) has a communication hole. Since H1 (H2) is formed, the gas initially supplied from the inflator 32 (33) to the second cell 222 (232) can be introduced into the other cells through the communication hole H1 (H2). The plurality of cells 221 to 224 (231 to 234) can be reliably inflated using the gas supplied from the inflator 32 (33). As a result, the number of inflators 32 (33) can be reduced to simplify the structure, and the plurality of inflatable cells 221-224 (231-234) can appropriately protect the proximal femur.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, in addition to the thigh protection portions 22 and 23 covering the upper thighs of the wearer P, the waist cell 26 covering the waist of the wearer P is provided. The impact applied to the waist of P can be reduced by the waist cell 26, and the risk of breaking a bone in the pelvis, for example, can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, when the airbag 2 is inflated, the flexion angle θ1 (tilting angle forward) and the abduction angle θ2 (tilting angle outward in the body width direction) of the thigh protection portion 22 (23) are 15 each. Since the restraining cloth 30 is attached to the thigh protection part 22 (23), the restraint cloth 30 that regulates the angle to 45°/10 to 30° is used before the wearer P completely falls (the impact on the proximal femur). before the application of force), the posture of the lower body of the wearer P can be controlled to be a posture suitable for tensing the muscles of the upper thigh, and a more appropriate posture of the proximal femur can be controlled. can be protected.

In the above embodiment, the relief valves 41 and 42 are provided in the airbag 2 and are opened when the gas pressure in the airbag 2 reaches 100 to 300 mmHg. can be held at 100 to 300 mmHg, and a pressing force of 100 to 300 mmHg is applied to the upper thigh during the fall motion of the wearer P (that is, from the time the fall is detected until the wearer completely falls) It can act stably. As a result, the muscles of the upper thigh of the wearer P can be tensed appropriately, and the effect of protecting the proximal thigh bone by the muscles of the upper thigh can be enhanced.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the pants main body 1 has a double structure having the outer cloth portion 11 and the inner cloth portion 12, and the airbag 2 is provided between the outer cloth portion 11 and the inner cloth portion 12. The airbag 2 can be stably attached to a position suitable for covering the upper thighs and the like of the wearer P, and the above-described effects of the airbag 2 can be sufficiently exhibited. In addition, by adopting a fabric with excellent design for the outer fabric part 11 and a fabric with a good texture for the inner fabric part 12, the resistance that the wearer P feels when wearing the airbag pants is improved. can be greatly reduced, and airbag pants that are easy for the wearer P to wear on a daily basis can be realized.

In the above embodiment, a total of two inflators 32, 33 for supplying gas to the left and right thigh protection parts 22, 23, respectively, are attached to the airbag 2, but the number of inflators can be changed as appropriate. is. For example, a single inflator that supplies gas to the entire airbag 2 may be provided, or three or more inflators may be provided. Alternatively, the controller and the inflator may be integrated into a belt-like exterior component, and then the exterior component may be detachably attached to the waist.

In the above embodiment, the gender of the wearer P who wears the airbag pants was not particularly mentioned, but the airbag pants may be made according to the gender of the wearer P. For example, if the structures of airbags for men and women are the same, there is a risk that the genitalia of the wearer will be excessively compressed if the wearer is a man. Therefore, for male airbags, it is desirable to take measures to prevent excessive pressure on the pubic region. For example, if the airbag cells closest to the pubic area (the first cells 221 and 231 in the above embodiment) are fitted with a relatively hard fabric for suppressing the amount of expansion in the direction toward the pubic area. good.

In the above embodiment, only the airbag 2 was prepared as the airbag provided inside the pants body 1, but an airbag separate from the airbag 2 may be additionally provided. For example, it is conceivable to provide, outside the airbag 2, an additional airbag consisting of a one-piece bag-like body which encloses the airbag 2 substantially all around. If such an additional airbag is installed, the impact applied to the proximal femur in the event of a fall will be greatly reduced, and it is expected that the risk of fracture of the proximal femur in the event of a fall will be further reduced. be done.

In the above embodiment, the pants main body 1 has a double structure having the outer cloth portion 11 and the inner cloth portion 12, but as long as the airbag 2 can be attached to the inside of the pants main body 1, The structure of can be changed as appropriate. For example, the airbag may be attached to the inner surface of the pants body (single-ply structure) without the inner cloth portion so that the airbag is in direct contact with the wearer's body.

In the above-described embodiment, as the pants main body 1, a short pants-type garment that covers the waist of the wearer P and the upper left and right thighs is adopted. , or long-pants-type clothing that covers the wearer's legs as a whole may be employed as the pants body.

Further, as the underpants main body, for example, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, those having an uneven appearance corresponding to the shape of the cells of the airbag may be adopted. FIG. 10 shows an example in which a pants body having such a shape (so to speak, like a down coat) is applied to women, and FIG. 11 shows an example in which it is applied to men. In each figure, 1' (1'') indicates a pants body, and 3' (3'') indicates a gas supply device. An airbag is provided inside the underpants body 1' (1''), and this airbag is provided at a position corresponding to at least the upper thighs of the wearer to receive gas from a gas supply device 3' (3''). It has a plurality of ring-shaped cells that expand when supplied with The plurality of ring-shaped cells are attached in association with the concave-convex shape of the underpants body 1' (1'').

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 pants body 2 airbag 3 gas supply device 11 outer cloth portion 12 inner cloth portion 22 left thigh protection portion 23 right thigh protection portion 26 waist cell 30 restraint cloth (angle control portion)
41, 42 Relief valve (pressure regulation part)
221-224 Cells (of Left Thigh Protector) 222 Second Cell (Specific Cell)
X Space (within cell) 231-234 Multiple cells (at right thigh protector) 232 Second cell (specific cell)
Y Space (within cell) 226, 236 Partition cloth H1, H2 Communication hole P Wearer Q1, Q2 Base (of thigh) θ1 Angle of flexion θ2 Angle of abduction

Claims (8)

a pants body worn on the lower body of the wearer;
an airbag provided inside the pants body;
a gas supply device that supplies gas to the airbag to inflate the airbag when the wearer falls ;
and an angle regulation part ,
The airbag has a thigh protector that circumferentially surrounds the upper thigh of the wearer and presses the upper thigh radially inward when inflated ,
When the airbag is inflated, the angle regulating portion has a flexion angle of 15 to 45 degrees, which is a forward tilting angle of the thigh protecting portion, and the tilting angle of the thigh protecting portion outward in the body width direction. Airbag pants, characterized in that the flexion angle and the abduction angle are regulated such that the abduction angle is 10 to 30° . In the airbag pants according to claim 1,
The thigh protection part has a plurality of cells that enclose a ring-shaped space along the peripheral surface of the upper thigh and are divided in a direction along the thigh center line,
The airbag pants, wherein the gas supply device inflates the airbag by supplying gas into the spaces of the plurality of cells. In the airbag pants according to claim 2,
The thigh protection part includes, as one of the plurality of cells, a specific cell that circumferentially surrounds the vicinity of the base of the thigh of the wearer,
The airbag pants according to claim 1, wherein the specific cells are arranged along the base of the thigh so as to be positioned upward toward the outer side in the width direction of the body. In the airbag pants according to claim 3,
Airbag pants, wherein the gas supply device is arranged to supply gas first to the specific cell when the wearer falls. In the airbag pants according to claim 4,
The thigh protection part has a partition cloth that partitions a plurality of cells including the specific cell from each other,
The airbag pants, wherein the partition cloth is formed with a communicating hole for introducing the gas supplied from the gas supply device to the specific cell to the other cells. In the airbag pants according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
Airbag pants, wherein the airbag further has a waist cell provided at a position covering the waist of the wearer. In the airbag pants according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
further comprising a pressure regulating unit that regulates internal gas pressure not to exceed a predetermined upper limit pressure when the airbag is inflated;
The air bag pants, wherein the upper limit pressure is set to any one of 100 to 300 mmHg. In the airbag pants according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The pants main body has an outer cloth portion and an inner cloth portion provided inside thereof, and the airbag is provided between the outer cloth portion and the inner cloth portion. Pants.

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