Wearable protection device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wearable protection device ( 10 ) which comprises at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) designed to move between a deflated condition and an inflated condition remaining inside a casing ( 30 ) of the wearable protection device ( 10 ). According to the invention, in the deflated condition the at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) has outer dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of available space inside the casing ( 30 ). Moreover, in the deflated condition, the at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) has at least one portion ( 22 ) folded with an accordion shape, whereby such an accordion-shaped portion ( 22 ) expands when the at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) moves from the deflated condition into the inflated condition and such an accordion-shaped portion ( 22 ) contracts when the at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) moves from the inflated condition to the deflated condition.

1 . A wearable protection device comprising at least one inflatable member designed to move between a deflated condition and an inflated condition remaining inside a casing of the wearable protection device, characterized in that, in the deflated condition the at least one inflatable member ( 20 ) has:
 (i) outer dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of available space inside the casing, and (ii) at least one portion folded with an accordion shape, whereby such an accordion-shaped portion expands when the at least one inflatable member moves from the deflated condition into the inflated condition and such an accordion-shaped portion contracts when the at least one inflatable member moves from the inflated condition to the deflated condition   
     
     
         2 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing comprises at least one accordion-shaped portion. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member and the accordion-shaped portion of the casing are shaped and sized so that the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member is housed into the accordion-shaped portion of the casing. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that an outer layer and/or an inner layer of the casing consists at least partially of an accordion-shaped portion suitable to match a facing accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable protection device according to claim  1 , characterized in that the casing is provided with an accordion-shaped portion in proximity of the accordion-shaped portion of the inflatable member. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing is delimited between an inner surface and an outer surface of the wearable protection device. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing is provided on a supporting layer of the wearable protection device. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said accordion-shaped portion of the casing is arranged at one or more of the shoulder area, the chest area, and the back area of the wearable protection device. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one end of the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member is fixed by means of fixing means to a corresponding end of the casing. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that side ends of the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member are fixed to corresponding ends of the accordion-shaped portion of the casing. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that one or more of the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member and the accordion-shaped portion of the casing are obtained by means of a thermoforming process of at least a portion of inflatable member and/or the casing. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing comprises one or more elastic inserts connecting selected points provided on an outer surface of the casing so as to create an accordion-shaped portion in the underlying outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more elastic inserts passing through holes provided at selected points in a side of the inflatable member and in an overlying surface of the casing so as to create the accordion-shaped portion of the inflatable member and an accordion shaped-portion of the casing in the portions of the inflatable member and of the casing crossed by said one or more elastic inserts. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one inflatable member comprises at least one elastic insert connecting selected points provided on a first side or on a second side of the inflatable member so as to create the accordion-shaped portion in the inflatable member. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing is made at least partially with an elastic or stretchable material. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising at least one inflator device designed to be coupled to the at least one inflatable member for inflating said at least one inflatable member;
 said inflator device ( 40 ) containing more than one inflation charge.   
     
     
         17 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing consists of a separate housing provided inside or outside with respect to the wearable protection device. 
     
     
         18 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized iu that the casing consists of a pocket provided on the inner surface or on the outer surface of the wearable protection device. 
     
     
         19 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 9 , characterized in that side ends of the accordion-shaped portion of the at least one inflatable member are fixed to corresponding ends of the accordion-shaped portion of the casing. 
     
     
         20 . The wearable protection device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the casing is provided with an elastic portion.