Helmet airbag system

Abstract

An airbag inflation system includes a processing circuit configured to receive object data including positional data regarding an object and at least one of a relative velocity and a relative acceleration of the object relative to a first helmet and control operation of an inflation device to inflate an airbag based on the object data.

1 . A helmet airbag system, comprising:
 an inflation device configured to at least partially inflate an airbag coupled to a helmet;   a ventilation device configured to deflate the airbag; and   a retraction device configured to retract the airbag.   
     
     
         2 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing circuit configured to control operation of at least one of the inflation device, the ventilation device, and the retraction device. 
     
     
         3 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive object data regarding at least one of an actual impact and a predicted impact between the helmet and an object. 
     
     
         4 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 2 , the processing circuit is configured to control operation of at least one of the ventilation device and the inflation device to control at least one of a deflation rate and an inflation rate of the airbag. 
     
     
         5 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to control operation of at least one of inflation device and the ventilation device to selectively and actively inflate or deflate the airbag during a respective impact between the helmet and an object external to the helmet. 
     
     
         6 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 1 , further comprising the airbag. 
     
     
         7 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 6 , wherein the airbag includes a plurality of compartments, wherein each of the plurality of compartments is individually selectively inflatable. 
     
     
         8 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 6 , wherein the airbag includes a plurality of separate airbags, wherein each of the plurality of separate airbags is individually selectively inflatable. 
     
     
         9 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 6 , wherein the inflation device is configured to at least partially inflate the airbag such that the airbag deploys in a direction away from an interior of the helmet upon inflation. 
     
     
         10 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 6 , wherein the retraction device includes:
 at least one of (i) a plurality of fibers coupled to the airbag and (ii) a net disposed around the airbag; and   a spring mechanism configured to retract the at least one of the plurality of fibers and the net.   
     
     
         11 . A helmet, comprising:
 a shell defining an interior of the helmet;   an airbag at least partially disposed within the shell; and   an inflation device coupled to the airbag and configured to at least partially inflate the airbag such that that the airbag deploys in a direction away from the interior of the helmet upon inflation.   
     
     
         12 . The helmet of  claim 11 , further comprising a ventilation device coupled to the airbag and configured to deflate the airbag. 
     
     
         13 . The helmet of  claim 11 , further comprising a retraction device coupled to the airbag and configured to retract the airbag. 
     
     
         14 . The helmet of  claim 11 , further comprising a processing circuit configured to control operation of the inflation device to selectively and actively inflate the airbag during a respective impact between the shell and an object external to the shell. 
     
     
         15 . The helmet of  claim 11 , wherein the airbag includes a plurality of airbags, at least one of the plurality of airbags including a plurality of sub-compartments coupled to the inflation device, and wherein the inflation device is configured to facilitate selectively inflating each of the plurality of sub-compartments individually to control a shape of the at least one of the plurality of airbags upon inflation. 
     
     
         16 . The helmet of  claim 11 , further comprising a shape control mechanism configured to facilitate controlling a shape of the airbag upon inflation. 
     
     
         17 . A helmet airbag system, comprising:
 an airbag configured to couple to a helmet;   an inflation device configured to at least partially inflate the airbag; and   a processing circuit configured to:
 receive object data regarding an object; and 
 control operation of the inflation device to selectively inflate the airbag to laterally deflect the object. 
   
     
     
         18 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 17 , wherein the airbag has at least one of sloped sides, a conical shape, and a wedge shape. 
     
     
         19 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 17 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to control the inflation device to inflate the airbag such that the airbag is offset relative to a predicted location of a potential impact. 
     
     
         20 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 17 , wherein the airbag includes a plurality of airbags. 
     
     
         21 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 20 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to differentially inflate the plurality of airbags to laterally deflect the object. 
     
     
         22 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 20 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to inflate two or more of the plurality of airbags at different times to laterally deflect the object. 
     
     
         23 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 17 , further comprising a shape control mechanism configured to facilitate controlling a shape of the airbag upon inflation. 
     
     
         24 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 23 , wherein the shape control mechanism includes at least one of (i) a net surrounding at least a portion of the airbag and (ii) a plurality of fibers coupled to the airbag. 
     
     
         25 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 23 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to selectively control the shape control mechanism to control the shape of the airbag to laterally deflect the object. 
     
     
         26 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 17 , further comprising a retraction device configured to return the airbag to a stored position, the retraction device including at least one of (i) a pump configured to selectively apply a vacuum to the airbag to retract the airbag, (ii) a plurality of fibers coupled to the airbag and configured to be selectively pulled to retract the airbag, (iii) a net surrounding the airbag and configured to be selectively pulled to retract the airbag, and (iv) a spring mechanism configured to provide a biasing force to retract the airbag. 
     
     
         27 . A helmet airbag system for a helmet, comprising:
 an airbag;   an inflation device configured to at least partially inflate the airbag; and   a processor configured to:
 predict an impact between the airbag and an object based on controlling the inflation device to inflate the airbag according to a first mode; and 
 control operation of the inflation device to inflate the airbag according to a second mode different from the first mode based on predicting the impact. 
   
     
     
         28 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 27 , wherein controlling operation of the inflation device according to the second mode includes at least one of adjusting an inflation timing relative to the first mode, adjusting an inflation pressure relative to the first mode, adjusting an inflation rate relative to the first mode, inflating the airbag to avoid the impact between the airbag and the object, and inflating the airbag to laterally deflect the object. 
     
     
         29 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 27 , wherein the second mode includes not inflating the airbag. 
     
     
         30 . The helmet airbag system of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is configured to (i) implement the first mode in response to predicting the helmet and the object are going to impact each other and (ii) implement the second mode in response to predicting the helmet and the object are not going to impact each other, but the airbag and the object are going to impact each other if the airbag is inflated according to the first mode.