Motorcyclist's air strips

Claim 1

An easily stowable protective device which can be worn over a cyclist's clothing while riding a cycle, the device being activated in the event of an accident to protect the body of the cyclist, the protective device comprising: a gas generating source of pressurized gas including at least one fluid outlet; an activator cord having first and second cord ends, the first cord end being attachable to the source of pressurized gas and the second cord end being attachable to the cycle whereby if the cyclist is thrown from the cycle, the source of pressurized gas is activated so as to release pressurized gas into the fluid outlet; a first longitudinal torso protecting inflatable air strip adapted to extend longitudinally along the cyclist's torso; at least three lateral torso protecting air strips spaced from one another and extending from the first longitudinal torso protecting air strip; said lateral torso protecting strips adapted to encircle the cyclist's torso; two longitudinal leg protecting air strips extending downward from one of the lateral torso protecting strips, each of the longitudinal leg protecting air strips adapted to extend along one of the cyclist's legs; at least two lateral leg protecting strips spaced from one another and extending from the longitudinal leg protecting strips, each of the lateral leg protecting strips adapted to encircle one of the cyclist's legs; at least two longitudinal arm protecting air strips in fluid communication with the torso protecting strips, each of the longitudinal arm protecting air strips adapted to extend along one of the cyclist's arms; at least two lateral arm protecting strips extending from each of the longitudinal arm protecting strips, the lateral arm protecting strips being spaced from one another and each of the lateral arm protecting strips adapted to encircle a portion of the cyclist's arm; all of the air strips being in unrestricted fluid communication with one another and said fluid outlet of source of pressurized gas being in fluid communication with the air strips so as to provide pressurized gas to said air strips for inflating said air strips into air tubes for protecting the cyclist; the air strips being connected to one another so that they can be worn over the cyclist's clothing and each air strip defining a substantially fluid tight air passage, each air strip being substantially flattened in its uninflated state and inflatable into said air tube shape when pressurized gas is introduced into the substantially fluid tight air passage and wherein a plurality of open spaces are provided between the air strips so that the air strips have a compact easily stowable design.