INFLATABLE BLADDER FOR AIRCREW ANTI-G GARMENT
An inflatable bladder configured to be carried by an aircrew garment worn on the body of the aircrew and to apply pressure to the body when inflated by a gas to counteract effects of high G-forces during flight. the bladder includes a gas-permeable material allowing the passage of the gas therethrough to cool the body
1 . An inflatable bladder configured to be carried by an aircrew garment worn on the body of the aircrew and to apply pressure to the body when inflated by a gas to counteract effects of high G-forces during flight, wherein the bladder includes a gas-permeable material allowing the passage of the gas therethrough to cool the body.
2 . The bladder of claim 1 , configured to control the maximum rate of passage of the gas therethrough such that the bladder remains sufficiently inflated to counteract effects of high G-forces during flight.
3 . The bladder of claim 1 , including a plurality of formations on an internal surface thereof to facilitate passage of the gas between the formations.
4 . The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes a plurality of regions, each having a different gas-permeability.
5 . An aircrew ensemble comprising a garment for covering at least a part of a body of a wearer and an inflatable counter-pressure bladder, carried by the garment, the inflatable counter-pressure bladder being formed from a gas-permeable material allowing the passage therethrough of gas to cool the wearer's body.
6 . An ensemble according to claim 5 further comprising an inflation system configured to inflate the bladder when a threshold G-force is detected acting on the wearer's body, the inflation system also being operable in the absence of said threshold G-force to cause gas to pass through the gas-permeable material of the bladder to increase the cooling of the wearer's body.
7 . An ensemble according to claim 5 wherein the garment includes at least one layer of inextensible material, inflation of the bladder causing the bladder to act against the at least one layer to apply counter-pressure to the wearer's body.
8 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the garment includes two layers, the inflatable bladder being located between said two layers.
9 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a chest compression bladder and the garment is configured to cover a torso of a wearer.
10 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a lower G bladder and the garment is configured to cover an abdomen and legs of a wearer.
11 . An ensemble according to claim 10 wherein the lower G bladder is configured to extend across the abdomen and around the legs of the wearer.
12 . An ensemble according to claim 10 wherein the lower G bladder includes a first portion configured to extend over the abdomen and thighs of a wearer and second portions configured to extend over respective shins of the wearer.
13 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the bladder comprises an elastic material so that, when the bladder is deflated, the bladder extends only partially over an associated body part of a wearer to allow evaporative cooling from the uncovered body part, inflation of the bladder causing elastic lengthening of the bladder to extend the bladder over the whole area of the associated body part.
14 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the bladder comprises an inelastic material, the bladder having an area greater than an area of an associated body part of the wearer and being confined by the garment so that, when inflated, the bladder has the area of the associated body part, so that the material of the bladder is untensioned, the tension being taken by the garment.
15 . An ensemble according to claim 13 wherein the bladder comprises a lower G bladder, and the associated body part is a leg of a wearer, and the area is the circumference of the leg.
16 . An ensemble according to claim 5 , wherein the bladder includes a plurality of regions, each having a different gas-permeability, wherein a one of the regions with a relatively low gas-permeability is located to be positioned in use at a region of the wearer's body that requires greater protection from G forces.
17 . A method of protecting aircrew, including providing an inflatable bladder configured to be carried by an aircrew garment worn on the body of the aircrew, wherein the bladder includes a gas-permeable material, and applying gas pressure to the bladder to cause the passage of the gas therethrough to cool the body of the aircrew.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying gas pressure to the bladder applies pressure to the body of the aircrew when inflated by the gas to counteract effects of high G-forces during flight.