Horse-rider protection system comprising an airbag waistcoat connected to a sensor that senses falling of the horse

Abstract

A system for protecting a rider on his/her horse, including an airbag vest intended to be worn by the rider and including at least one inflatable sheath, a gas generator, a gas cartridge and an electronic unit connected to the gas generator and allowing triggering the inflation of the sheath, the system further includes a motion sensor intended to be installed on the horse, for example on the saddle, and configured to detect a fall of the horse, the motion sensor being connected to the electronic unit so as to trigger the inflation of the sheath in case of detection of a fall of the horse, so as to mitigate a potential crushing of the rider by the horse.

1 . A system for protecting a rider on a horse likely to of falling on him/her, comprising an airbag vest to be worn by the rider, said vest having at least one inflatable sheath, a gas generator, a gas cartridge and an electronic unit connected to the gas generator and allowing triggering the inflation of the sheath, characterised in that it comprises a motion sensor intended to be installed on the horse and configured to detect a fall thereof by detecting an overpass of a limit angle which corresponds to an abnormal orientation of the horse, and in that said motion sensor is connected to the electronic unit so as to trigger the inflation of the sheath in case of detection of a fall of the horse. 
     
     
         2 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is configured to detect a fall of the horse by measuring an angular position of said horse according to at least one axis. 
     
     
         3 . The protection system according to  claim 2 , wherein the motion sensor is configured to detect a fall of the horse when the value of an angle of lateral or longitudinal inclination is larger than a predetermined limit value. 
     
     
         4 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor comprises a gyrometer and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         5 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor-is connected to the electronic unit-via a radio-frequency wireless link. 
     
     
         6 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag vest further comprises a cable intended to be detachably connected to the horse, said cable triggering the inflation of the sheath as it detaches from the vest. 
     
     
         7 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , further comprising automatic activation means configured to activate the motion sensor ) only when the latter is installed on the horse. 
     
     
         8 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , characterised in that it further comprises a motion sensor installed on the airbag vest while being connected to the electronic unit and configured to detect a fall of the rider. 
     
     
         9 . The protection system according to  claim 8 , wherein the airbag vest does not comprise a cable intended to be connected to the horse-and to trigger the inflation of the sheath. 
     
     
         10 . The protection system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a saddle on which the motion sensor-is installed. 
     
     
         11 . The protection system according to  claim 10 , wherein the motion sensor is fastened at the rear of the saddle, in particular at the level of the cantle of said saddle.