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All about Airbag Jacket and Airbag Vest for motorcyclists and for horse riders  - (hungarian invention)
All about Airbag Jacket and Airbag Vest for motorcyclists and for horse riders  - (hungarian invention)

Riding gear with airbags are one of the greatest safety innovations for motorcyclists ... (Wired.com)

Airbags changed automobile safety. Airbag jackets are about to do the same for motorcycles.

Motorcyclists represent 1% of traffic yet account for up to 20% of the deaths and serious injuries on the roads. Motorcyclists involved in accidents are 40 times more likely to be killed than car drivers.

Frequently asked questions about airbag jackets

How does an airbag jacket/vest for motorcycle- and horseriders work?

Airbag jackets have two anchoring cables and a CO2 cartridge. One of the anchoring cables needs to be connected to the frame of the bike (to the saddle) and remains there. In the event of an accident, when the rider falls off the bike or mount the cable will separate from the bike or mount activating the CO2 cartridge to instantly inflate the jacket in approximately 0,1 - 0,2 seconds. The jacket provides extra protection to the most vulnerable parts of the body. When you get off the bike or mount simply unhook the anchoring cable.

Why You Should Consider an Airbag Jacket?

A motorcycle rider, or even an individual that loves to frequently ride horses, is often faced with a dilemma. While on the one hand they adore riding their vehicle or steed, on the other it is a very dangerous pastime or primary means of transportation. In the past even a minor crash or hard landing could cause a major physical health issue. Severe injury and death were quite common from such an occurrence. However, with the advent of the creation of motorcycle airbag jacket technology safety for riders of motorcycles and horses has increased dramatically.
A motorcycle airbag jacket is a device that works via a lanyard and CO2 cartridges to create an incredibly fast inflatable cushion around the rider if they are jerked suddenly off of their vehicle or mount. These devices generally take around twenty-five to thirty pounds of force to deploy so they do not false deploy often. Consequently, leaping off of a stationary bike does actually provide enough force to deploy the airbag. This means that should someone fall sideways in the right manner or the bike somehow jerk out from under them because they weren't appropriately seated the airbag will most likely deploy and help them during the fall.

The motorcycle airbag jacket is not designed to be worn with anything else covering or attached to it. A backpack worn over the jacket might cause it to be unable to function properly, as an example. These types of motorcycle armor come in two general forms. These forms are vests and full leather. They are sometimes fashioned from synthetic materials but the leather armored jackets are the most common.
These devices function to protect the neck, spine, and major organs in the torso. When combined with a proper helmet they offer the greatest protection available to a rider. Most function swiftly and deploy within a half a second or less once the lanyard is pulled with sufficient force. The typical motorcycle airbag jacket will be re-inflatable. This means that after a thorough safety inspection the only thing necessary for it to function properly again if it is not damaged is another CO2 cartridge.
Anyone that is serious about riding safely will want to wear one of these types of safety gear. Due to how useful they are they might eventually become mandatory pieces of equipment in many parts of the world just like a properly approved helmet is.

Airbag jacket - draft plan 1976

Airbag jacket - nowadays

What parts of the body does the airbag jacket protect?

The airbag jacket protects the most vulnerable parts of the body, all major thoracic and upper abdominal organs (the spine, neck, ribs, coccyx, collar-bone).

If the rider forgets to remove the cable when getting off the motorcycle, will the airbag inflate?

No, it will not inflate in this case generally. These devices take around thirty to forty kg of force to activate the airbag. If you failed to unhook your airbag jacket before leaving, you would normally feel the slight pull of the cable connection when getting off to remind you to unhook your jacket.

How is my airbag activated?

“Mechanical” airbags deploy with a tethered cable anchored to the bike, the electronic ones are a combination of sophisticated hardware pieces like gyroscopes, accelerometers, and software algorithms that works precisely, effectively and quick.

If the airbag jacket is activated and inflated, can it be reused?

Yes, it can be reused over again provided that it has not been damaged. You only need to replace the CO2 cartridge each time the jacket is inflated. You must check your jacket for damage after any accident.

Can the CO2 cartridge be reused?

No, each CO2 cartridge can only be used once; then it must be replaced.

How much does an airbag jacket weigh?

Depending on product characteristics the jacket weighs 1,0kg to 2,5kg.

Can I wear my airbag jacket underneath other clothing?

The airbag jackets have been designed as outerwear. For safety, it is not recommended to put anything over the top of your airbag jacket. You could, however, wear a very loose fitting high-visibility vest over the top, as long as there is enough space for the inflation.

Is the airbag textile jacket/vest washable?

Generally yes, but before washing the jacket, the airbag system needs to be removed.

Who invented the airbag jacket?

The airbag jacket for motorcyclists (horseriders) is a long-standing Hungarian invention. It was officially registered in 1976, published in 1977. Inventor: Tom Straub. You can look at the original documents of the invention here. Copies are available from the Hungarian Patent Office anytime.

So far, we know that airbag jacket is come from Far-East. But who is the real, original inventor of this idea?

Based on the announcement and description of the invention submitted to the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office by Thomas Straub in 1976 it can be clearly stated that the now widely manufactured and used airbag jackets work the same way as described by Thomas Straub's patent application. So, more than two decades later the Japanese solution - that was announced as an "invention" - was actually a plagiarism, (Intellectual Property Theft). The Japanese Patent Office committed a serious mistake by not researching (prior art search) thoroughly before awarding the patent to a Japanese person.


Straub Tamás, inventor of the airbag jacket (2016)

All about Airbag Jacket and Airbag Vest for motorcyclists and for horse riders  - (hungarian invention)
All about Airbag Jacket and Airbag Vest for motorcyclists and for horse riders  - (hungarian invention)
References, links:
All of information on this site used freely, but the source citation is needed. - www.airbagjacket.eu
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