Personal protection device

Abstract

A personal protection device for protecting a portion of a user's body is described. The device has an inflatable element intended to protect at least partially an area of the torso of the user, which includes a first protective portion intended to protect at least a first lateral area of the torso between a right lower rear back area, or right lower-back, and a right chest area, passing on a right side below a right armpit area, and a second protective portion intended to protect at least the other lateral area of the torso of the user between a left lower rear back area, or left lower-back, and a left chest area passing on a left side below a left armpit area. The right lower rear back area and the left lower rear back area are provided with respective openings for introducing the inflation gas. The personal protection device includes one or more pressurised-gas generators. The pressurised-gas generator is adapted to introduce gas into the right lower rear back area and into the left lower rear back area.

1 . A personal protection device for protecting a body portion of a user, said device comprising
 i) an inflatable element intended to protect at least partially a torso area of the user and including a first protective portion intended to protect at least a first lateral torso area, and a second protective portion intended to protect at least the other lateral torso area of the user, wherein
 the first protective portion includes a right lower rear back area, or right lower-back, and a right chest area and a right side area arranged between the right lower rear back area and the right chest area and adapted to be positioned below a right armpit area, 
 the second protective portion includes a left lower rear back area, or left lower-back, a left chest area and a left side area arranged between the left lower rear back area and the left chest area and adapted to be positioned below a left armpit area, and 
   ii) one or more gas generators, or gas sources, in fluid communication with said right lower rear back area and said left lower rear back area so as to introduce gas into, or starting from, said right lower rear back area and said left lower rear back area.   
     
     
         2 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the right lower rear back area is in fluid communication with the right chest area through the right side area without fluid communication through a high back zone, and wherein the left lower rear back area is in communication with a left chest area through the left side area without fluid communication through a high back zone. 
     
     
         3 . The personal protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the right lower rear back area is in fluid communication with the right chest area only through the right side area, and wherein the left lower rear back area is in communication with a left chest area only through the left side area. 
     
     
         4 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first protective portion and the second protective portion each have a substantially C-shaped form and are arranged with their concavities directed towards each other to define an annular configuration or structure of the inflatable element. 
     
     
         5 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element also includes a back protection portion. 
     
     
         6 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the right lower rear back area is in fluid communication with the back protection portion through the right chest area and the right side area, and wherein the left lower rear back area is in communication with the back protection zone through a left chest area and the left side area, without direct fluid communication through a back zone. 
     
     
         7 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressurised gas generator is arranged in an intermediate zone between said right lower rear back area and said left lower rear back area. 
     
     
         8 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gas generator arranged within the right lower rear back area of the inflatable element and a gas generator arranged within the left lower rear back area of the inflatable element. 
     
     
         9 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one traction element which connecting said right lower rear back area and said left lower rear back area. 
     
     
         10 . The personal protection device according to  claim 9 , wherein the traction element is an elastic band. 
     
     
         11 . The personal protection device according to  claim 5 , wherein the inflatable element includes a right neck portion intended to be placed on the side of a right neck region and a left neck portion intended to be placed on the side of a left neck region, wherein the right neck portion is in fluid communication with the right chest area and the back protection zone, and wherein the left neck portion is in fluid communication with the left chest area and the back protection zone. 
     
     
         12 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable element includes a right neck portion intended to be placed around a right neck region and a left neck portion intended to be placed around a left neck region, wherein the right neck portion is in fluid communication with the right chest area and the left neck portion is in fluid communication with the left chest area. 
     
     
         13 . The personal protection device according to  claim 11 , wherein the right neck portion and the left neck portion are joined together in a zone behind the neck. 
     
     
         14 . The personal protection device according to  claim 11 , wherein, with respect to an area for introduction of the gas, the right neck portion is an inflation area at a greater distance than the right chest area and the left neck portion is an inflation area at a greater distance than the left chest area. 
     
     
         15 . The personal protection according to  claim 11 , further including a right shoulder portion intended to be placed on a right shoulder and a left shoulder portion intended to be placed on a left shoulder, wherein the right shoulder portion is in fluid communication with, and branches off from, the right neck portion, and the left shoulder portion is in fluid communication with, and branches off from, the left neck portion. 
     
     
         16 . The personal protection device according to  claim 15 , further comprising at least a first band connected to the right shoulder portion and forming with said right shoulder portion an annular or circular structure for receiving an arm of the user, and a second band connected to the left shoulder portion and forming with said left shoulder portion an annular or circular structure for receiving the other arm of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the left chest area and the right chest area of the inflatable element are two differently sized bags, a first bag being bigger and continuously covering the entire chest area and the second being smaller and acting as a channel for the gas flowing towards the back protection portion. 
     
     
         18 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the right chest area and the left chest area are a single bag. 
     
     
         19 . The personal protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the right chest area and the left chest area are two separate bags and wherein the personal protection device includes a connecting structure for connecting the right chest area and the left chest area. 
     
     
         20 . The personal protection device according to  claim 19 , wherein the right chest area and the left chest area are two bags overlapped in a central chest zone. 
     
     
         21 . A method for protecting a user comprising the steps of
 arranging an inflatable element at least partially on a torso area of the user, wherein a first protective portion is placed in a first lateral torso area between a right lower rear back area, or right lower-back, and a right chest area, passing on a right side below a right armpit area, and a second protective portion is placed on the other lateral torso area of the user between a left lower rear back area, or left lower-back, and a left chest area passing on a left side below a left armpit area;   connecting or associating said right lower rear back area and said left lower rear back area with one or more gas generators or gas sources; and   inflating said inflatable element starting from the right lower rear back area and starting from said left lower rear back area so as to reach the chest area passing below the armpits.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein a back protection portion of the inflatable element is placed so as to protect the back. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the first protective portion and the second protective portion each a have a substantially C-shaped form and are arranged with their concavities directed towards each other so as to define an annular configuration or structure of the inflatable element. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the gas does not pass through a high back zone to reach the right chest area and the left chest area. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the gas reaches the back protection zone passing only through the right chest area and the left chest area.