Protection device and protection method

Abstract

A protection device including: a wearable structure to be worn by an user; an airbag configured to be attached to the wearable structure in a contracted state during standby, and configured to inflate to surround a protection target portion in a spiral and cylindrical form at completion of expansion, the airbag including one end fixed to the wearable structure, and the other end located on an opposite side to the one end, the airbag being configured to inflate with the other end separated from the wearable structure when the airbag is expanded; and a fluid supplier connected to the airbag and configured to supply fluid into the airbag.

1 . A protection device, comprising:
 a wearable structure to be worn by an user;   an airbag configured to be attached to the wearable structure in a contracted state during standby, and configured to inflate to surround a protection target portion in a spiral and cylindrical form at completion of expansion, the airbag including one end fixed to the wearable structure, and the other end located on an opposite side to the one end, the airbag being configured to inflate with the other end separated from the wearable structure when the airbag is expanded; and   a fluid supplier connected to the airbag and configured to supply fluid into the airbag.   
     
     
         2 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , comprising an elastic structure to urge the airbag in a direction in which the other end of the airbag is separated from the wearable structure upon the activation of the fluid supplier, or urge the airbag in a direction in which the airbag is contracted toward the wearable structure after the airbag is expanded. 
     
     
         3 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes a neck cover to cover a neck of the user at the completion of expansion, and a head cover to cover a head of the user when the airbag is expanded. 
     
     
         4 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the airbag is connected to a helmet configured to be worn on a head of the user, and   the airbag connected to the helmet inflates to surround the head of the user at the completion of expansion thereby suppressing displacement of the helmet.   
     
     
         5 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 during standby, the airbag is folded in a spiral form, a bellows-like form, or a flat form, and attached to the wearable structure, and   the airbag surrounds a neck and a head of the user in a spiral form when the airbag is expanded.   
     
     
         6 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag includes:
 a main path configured to inflate around a center axis of the spiral form when the fluid is supplied, and expand to surround the protection target portion in the spiral form at the completion of expansion; and   a sub path through which a plurality of portions of the main path inflating in the spiral form communicate with each other in an axial direction of the center axis.   
     
     
         7 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wearable structure is an enclosure configured to accommodate the fluid supplier, and the airbag is provided outside the enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . A protection method, including:
 wearing a wearable structure on an user;   attaching an airbag to the wearable structure in a contracted state during standby such that one end thereof is fixed to the wearable structure;   supplying a fluid from a fluid supplier into the airbag, and   inflating the airbag including the other end located on an opposite side to the one end with the other end separated from the wearable structure such that the airbag surrounds a protection target portion in a spiral and cylindrical form at completion of expansion.   
     
     
         9 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a controller to control activation of the fluid supplier when a state of the user satisfies a predetermined condition.   
     
     
         10 . The protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the elastic structure is provided on an outer surface or an inner surface of the airbag along the winding direction of the airbag. 
     
     
         11 . The protection device according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 a discharge port through which the fluid inside the airbag is discharged.   
     
     
         12 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag is wound along the longitudinal direction from the other end to the one end in a spiral form in the contracted state, an interior of the airbag is filled with the fluid from the one end, and the wound spiral portion is expanded to a cylindrical form. 
     
     
         13 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag is compressed vertically and folded in a flat form, with the spirally wound portions stacked vertically on top of one another in the contracted state. 
     
     
         14 . The protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airbag is folded in a bellows-like manner, and brought into a contracted state in a longitudinal direction in the contracted state.