Wearable airbag device

Abstract

A wearable airbag device includes a holding body adapted to be worn by a wearer, a gas generator held by the holding body, and an airbag that is held by the holding body and includes an inflatable portion which is inflatable with an inflation gas from the gas generator. The inflatable portion includes a lower inflatable portion for protecting the hip of the wearer, an upper inflatable portion for protecting the head of the wearer, and a communicating portion that is in gas communication with both of the lower inflatable portion and upper inflatable portion. A regulating element is disposed in the communicating portion so as to control a flow of inflation gas so that the upper inflatable portion is inflated after inflation of the lower inflatable portion. The gas generator is configured to deliver the inflation gas more toward the lower inflatable portion than toward the upper inflatable portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable airbag device comprising:
 a holding body that is adapted to be worn by a wearer;   a gas generator that is held by the holding body and is configured to discharge an inflation gas; and   an airbag that is held by the holding body and includes an inflatable portion configured to be inflated with the inflation gas fed from the gas generator,   wherein the inflatable portion of the airbag includes:   a lower inflatable portion that is disposed at a position in the holding body capable of protecting the hip of the wearer;   an upper inflatable portion that is disposed at a position in the holding body capable of protecting the head of the wearer; and   a communicating portion that is in gas communication with both of the lower inflatable portion and the upper inflatable portion;   wherein the airbag further includes, in the communicating portion, a regulating element that is configured to control a flow of the inflation gas so that the upper inflatable portion is inflated after inflation of the lower inflatable portion; and   wherein the gas generator is configured to deliver the inflation gas more toward the lower inflatable portion than toward the upper inflatable portion.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gas generator includes a gas discharge portion that is configured to discharge the inflation gas;   the gas discharge portion is disposed in the lower inflatable portion; and   the regulating element is configured to regulate the flow of the inflation gas flowing toward the upper inflatable portion from the lower inflatable portion.   
     
     
         3 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 2 , wherein the regulating element is composed of a valve that is disposed in the communicating portion and formed of a sheet material having flexibility, the valve being configured to shift from a closed state to an open state that allows the inflation gas to flow toward the upper inflatable portion when an internal pressure of the lower inflatable portion surpasses a predetermined value. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 2 , wherein the regulating element is composed of a constricted portion in the communicating portion, the constricted portion having a reduced opening area compared to regions adjoining thereto in the communicating portion. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the regulating element is composed of one or more jointed portions in which opposing portions of a circumferential wall of the communicating portion are jointed together so as to reduce an opening area of the communicating portion; and   each of the jointed portions is configured to disjoint when an internal pressure of the lower inflatable portion surpasses a predetermined value.   
     
     
         6 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gas generator includes a gas discharge portion that is configured to discharge the inflation gas;   the gas discharge portion is disposed in the communicating portion in such a manner as to deliver the inflation gas to the lower inflatable portion; and   the regulating element is composed of a valve that is disposed in the communicating portion and configured to regulate the flow of the inflation gas toward the lower inflatable portion and redirect the inflation gas toward the upper inflatable portion when an internal pressure of the lower inflatable portion surpasses a predetermined value.   
     
     
         7 . A wearable airbag device comprising:
 a holding body that is adapted to be worn by a wearer;   a gas generator that is held by the holding body and includes a gas discharge portion that is configured to discharge an inflation gas; and   an airbag that is held by the holding body, the airbag including an inner bag that includes an inflatable portion configured to be inflated with an inflation gas fed from the gas generator, and an outer bag that has a bag shape and covers an outer circumference of the inner bag,   wherein the inflatable portion of the inner bag includes:   a lower inflatable portion that is disposed at a position in the holding body capable of protecting the hip of the wearer;   an upper inflatable portion that is disposed at a position in the holding body capable of protecting the head of the wearer; and   a communicating portion that is in gas communication with both of the lower inflatable portion and the upper inflatable portion;   wherein the outer bag includes:   a connecting covering portion that is tubular in shape and covers an outer circumference of the communicating portion of the inner bag;   an upper covering portion that is continuous with an entire circumference of an upper end of the connecting covering portion and is configured to cover an outer circumference of the upper inflatable portion of the inner bag as inflated; and   a lower covering portion that is continuous with an entire circumference of a lower end of the connecting covering portion and is configured to cover an outer circumference of the lower inflatable portion as inflated;   wherein the gas discharge portion of the gas generator is disposed in the lower inflatable portion of the inner bag so as to inflate the lower inflatable portion prior to the upper inflatable portion;   wherein the lower inflatable portion of the inner bag is stored inside the lower covering portion of the outer bag; and   wherein the upper inflatable portion of the inner bag is stored in the connecting covering portion of the outer bag and is configured to move into the upper covering portion of the outer bag and be inflated at rise of an internal pressure of the lower inflatable portion caused by collision between the lower inflatable portion as fully inflated and the ground at falling of the wearer.   
     
     
         8 . The wearable airbag device of  claim 7 , wherein the airbag further includes, in the communicating portion of the inner bag, a regulating element that is configured to regulate a flow of the inflation gas flowing toward the upper inflatable portion from the lower inflatable portion.