Lifesaving cocoon for use during travel
View Patent ↗Apparatus provides a lifesaving, cocoon and includes a seat arranged to be mounted in a passenger transportation and a pod unit with rounded, semi-rigid walls surrounding and securely enclosing a human body on the seat. The pod unit has an outer skin of a flexible material supported on a generally helical wire interior frame which is coiled into a generally oval exterior shape with upper and lower ends which are narrower than a central area. The outer skin of the pod unit can be made of spider silk or any flexible lightweight material. The helical wire frame upon which the skin is stretched over is made of a strong and flexible material which allows the frame to flex to different locations with the skin carried thereby and remaining stretched thereon. The pod can include transport specific additions such as a parachute and/or flotation and may be separable from the vehicle in the event of a collision.
1 . An apparatus arranged to provide a lifesaving, cocoon during travel comprising:
a seat arranged to be mounted inside a passenger transportation vehicle;
a pod unit connected to the seat and including a hollow interior arranged to receive and enclose an occupant when seated on the seat;
wherein the pod unit comprises an interior frame and an outer skin of a flexible material supported on the interior frame;
wherein the interior frame takes the form of a coil coiled in a helical manner around the hollow interior;
wherein the outer skin comprises a flexible material which is stretched over the interior frame for the pod unit to flex to different locations with the outer skin carried thereby and remaining stretched thereon.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the outer skin of the pod unit is made of spider silk.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pod unit is oval in exterior shape so that the coil coiled in a helical manner around the hollow interior has a smaller diameter at each of two ends and a larger diameter at a position between the ends.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pod unit includes top and bottom sections which are movable to allow the pod unit to be opened.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the pod unit opens by sliding the top section partially across the bottom section, leaving an opening for the occupant to enter and exit.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the pod unit opens by pivoting the top section relative to a transverse hinge line at the bottom section, leaving an opening for the occupant to enter and exit.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the seat comprises a reclining seat.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the reclining seat is controlled manually or electronically.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pod unit is arranged to flex to different locations with the outer skin carried thereby and remaining stretched thereon to adapt as the occupant changes seating positions.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a parachute attached to the seat.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pod unit includes a soundproofing material as part of the outer skin.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pod unit includes an air filtration system providing filtered airflow into the hollow interior.
13 . An apparatus arranged to provide a lifesaving, cocoon during travel comprising:
a seat having a connector member for connection to a passenger transportation vehicle;
a pod unit connected to the seat and including a hollow interior arranged to receive and enclose an occupant when seated on the seat;
wherein the pod unit comprises an interior frame and an outer skin of a flexible material supported on the interior frame;
wherein the interior frame takes the form of a coil coiled in a helical manner around the hollow interior;
wherein the outer skin comprises a flexible material which is stretched over the interior frame for the pod unit to flex to different locations with the outer skin carried thereby and remaining stretched thereon;
and wherein connector member includes a release system which is designed to release the pod unit and the seat from the passenger transportation vehicle in case of impact of the passenger transportation vehicle.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the outer skin of the pod unit is made of spider silk.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the pod unit is oval in exterior shape so that the coil coiled in a helical manner around the hollow interior has a smaller diameter at each of two ends and a larger diameter at a position between the ends.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the pod unit opens by pivoting the top section relative to a transverse hinge line at the bottom section, leaving an opening for the occupant to enter and exit.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the pod unit is arranged to flex to different locations with the outer skin carried thereby and remaining stretched thereon to adapt as the occupant changes seating positions.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein there is provided a parachute attached to the seat.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the pod unit includes a soundproofing material as part of the outer skin.
20 . The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the pod unit includes an air filtration system providing filtered airflow into the hollow interior.