US 12,329,224 B2
Active neck protection system
Antonio Pérez Acal, Taufkirchen (DE); Alasdair Cook, Taufkirchen (DE); and Isabel Tannert, Taufkirchen (DE)
Assigned to Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Taufkirchen (DE)
Filed by Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Taufkirchen (DE)
Filed on Mar. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/190,277.
Claims priority of application No. 22165537 (EP), filed on Mar. 30, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0309640 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. A42B 3/04 (2006.01); B60R 21/02 (2006.01); B64D 10/00 (2006.01); B60R 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC A42B 3/0473 (2013.01) [A42B 3/046 (2013.01); B60R 21/02 (2013.01); B64D 10/00 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0048 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0093 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0206 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A neck protection system for a vehicle, the neck protection system comprising:
a support structure;
a helmet;
a force transmission arrangement;
an actuator arrangement; and
a controller;
wherein the force transmission arrangement is mechanically coupled to the support structure and to the helmet and configured to apply a relative force between the support structure and the helmet;
wherein the actuator arrangement is mechanically coupled with the force transmission arrangement and configured to apply a load to the force transmission arrangement to initiate the relative force between the support structure and the helmet;
wherein the controller is communicatively connected to the actuator arrangement and configured to generate and send control commands to the actuator arrangement based on which the actuator arrangement applies the load to the force transmission arrangement;
wherein the controller is configured to receive maneuver information from a control computer of the vehicle and to generate the control commands for the actuator arrangement based on the received maneuver information; and
wherein the maneuver information includes a movement path, velocity, time, and position information of the vehicle; and
wherein the controller is configured to, based on the maneuver information, determine forces resulting from a movement of the vehicle and also when such forces are applied as external forces to the helmet.