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Method and system for preventing pole vault fall injuriesRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, For Track Or Field Sport, Jumping, Vaulting, Or HurdlingMethod and system for preventing pole vault fall injuries description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070225123, Method and system for preventing pole vault fall injuries. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to safety and accident prevention, and more particularly, to methods and systems for preventing injuries associated with pole vault falls. [0003] 2. Prior Art [0004] As shown in FIG. 1, in the sport of pole-vaulting, a jumper 10 runs to pick up speed, plants a pole 12 in a vault box 14 located just before a bar 16, gets to as great a height as possible with the aid of the pole 12, and attempts to clear the bar 16 and land on the relatively soft mat 18 positioned passed the bar 16 and its supporting posts 20. Pole-vaulting is an inherently dangerous sport since the athlete may not clear the bar 16 and may land on hard surfaces 22 around the vault box 14 and the running path. Landing on these hard surfaces 22 is most dangerous if the athlete lands on his or her head. Landing on the shoulder or side is less dangerous, but may cause serious injuries since it may be from heights of several feet. Landing on the feet is usually least dangerous, but may still cause injury due to the height of the drop. In general, once the athlete 10 clears the bar 16, he/she lands over the relatively soft and thick mats 18 (such mats are also usually provided a few feet before the bar 16 on the sides of the running and vault box area), which can protect the athlete from injury if he/she should land in that particular area unless he/she should fall on the head. [0005] In recent years, there has been a great amount of concern about injuries resulting from pole-vaulting. One suggestion has been to have the athlete wear a helmet. A helmet would provide a certain amount of protection if landing is, for example, on the back or on the side and the head is to hit a hard surface or member. However, a helmet does not provide protection from falls on or nearly on the head, which usually cause the severest types of injuries and which in some cases could be fatal. In addition, wearing of a helmet is very cumbersome and interferes with the sport itself and the athletes generally try to avoid wearing them. Also, helmets cannot be worn in the competitions and do not prevent injuries as a result of falls on the side or feet onto hard surfaces. [0006] A need therefore exists for a method and system to prevent falling injuries in general, in particular in certain types of sports, and specifically in the sport of pole-vaulting. Such a device should, obviously be designed such that it would not impede the sport itself. The objective of the method and the system disclosed in this invention is to provide such methods and systems for preventing pole vault and other sports related injuries due to falls. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The basic method of this invention for preventing fall injuries in pole vault is based on deploying a safety soft landing material such as a net over the hard surface areas once the athlete has planted the pole in the vault box and is gaining height. The deployed safety soft landing material must obviously not interfere with the action of the pole while being handled by the athlete or with the athlete him or herself. In one embodiment of the present invention, the triggering mechanism that initiates the deployment of the safety soft landing material is located in the vault box and is activated by the pole. In another embodiment of the present invention, a sensor, for example an optical based sensor located near the bar posts senses an approaching athlete and triggers the deployment mechanism. In this and the previous embodiment, a delay is built into the deployment mechanism to allow enough time for the athlete to gain a certain height before deploying the safety soft landing means. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a vision system tracks the athlete, and triggers the deployment mechanism once the athlete has gained a certain height. The vision system may also be programmed to only deploy the safety soft landing material if the athlete is about to or may fall over the hard surface areas. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a trained observer who can foresee a fall over the hard surfaces would manually trigger the deployment of the safety soft landing material. In addition, other sensors may be positioned before and/or after the bar to check for the clearing of the hard surface area, and in case of failure to clear these areas to trigger the deployment of the safety soft landing material. The preferred triggering mechanism consists of more than one of the aforementioned triggering mechanisms in order to provide redundancy and minimize the possibility of malfunction or one of the triggering mechanisms missing a dangerous landing situation. [0008] A similar safety soft landing material may be provided for deployment over the landing mats to prevent injuries during falls by the head. The preferred triggering mechanisms for deployment for such safety soft landing material are the aforementioned trained observer and/or the computer vision system. [0009] Accordingly, an apparatus for preventing serious injuries to a person participating in a physical activity at least partially over a hard surface is provided. The apparatus comprising: a material being movable between deployed and retracted positions, wherein the material substantially does not impede the physical activity while in the retracted position and cushions the person from falling onto the hard surface while in the deployed position; detection means for detecting predetermined criteria indicative of a condition which requires deployment of the material into the deployed position; and deployment means for deploying the material over the hard surfaces upon detection of the predetermined criteria. [0010] Preferably, the physical activity is pole-vaulting and the condition is a likelihood that the person will be injured by falling onto the hard surface. [0011] In a first configuration, the material is at least one safety net. The hard surfaces preferably comprises a plurality of recesses for containing the safety net while in the retracted position. [0012] Where the material is at least one safety net, the deployment means preferably comprises a plurality of elastic elements operatively connected to each of the at least one safety net, preloading means for preloading the plurality of elastic elements to retain the at least one safety net in the retracted position, and releasing means for releasing the preloading on the plurality of elastic elements to deploy the safety net into the deployed position. [0013] Where the material is at least one safety net, the deployment means alternatively comprises a movable frame for retaining the safety net and means for moving the movable frame back and forth between the retracted and deployed positions. Preferably, the movable frame is at least one of rotatable and translational between the retracted and deployed positions. [0014] In a second configuration, the material is preferably a plurality of cushioning elements. In which case, the deployment means preferably comprises a recess corresponding to each of the plurality of cushioning elements, wherein each of the plurality of cushioning elements are contained in a corresponding recess while in the retracted position, the deployment means further comprising means for extending the plurality of cushion elements from the recess and above the hard surfaces when in the deployed position. Preferably, the deployment means further comprises deploying a balloon from at least a portion of the plurality of cushion elements when the plurality of cushion elements are in the deployed position. Preferably, the deployment means further comprises means for connecting two or more the plurality of cushion elements together when in the deployed position. [0015] In a first configuration, the detection means comprises an input from a trained observer, wherein the input triggers deployment of the material from the retracted position into the deployed position. [0016] In a second configuration, the detection means comprises one or more sensors for detecting the predetermined criteria. Preferably, the one or more sensors comprises a vault box sensor operatively connected with a vault box for detecting the insertion of a pole therein for use in pole-vaulting. [0017] In a third configuration, the detection means comprises a computer recognition system for detecting the predetermined criteria. [0018] Also provided is an apparatus for preventing serious injuries to a person participating in pole-vaulting at least partially over a hard surface. The apparatus comprising: a material being movable between deployed and retracted positions, wherein the material substantially does not impede the pole-vaulting while in the retracted position and cushions the person from falling onto the hard surface while in the deployed position; and deployment means for deploying the material over the hard surfaces upon detection of the predetermined criteria. [0019] The apparatus preferably further comprises detection means for detecting predetermined criteria indicative of a condition which requires deployment of the material into the deployed position. [0020] The apparatus alternatively further comprises a sensor for inputting the deployment means. Preferably, the sensor comprises a vault box sensor operatively connected with a vault box for detecting the insertion of a pole therein for use with the pole-vaulting. [0021] Still provided is a method for preventing serious injuries to a person participating in a physical activity at least partially over a hard surface. The method comprising: detecting predetermined criteria indicative of a condition which requires deployment of the material into the deployed position; and moving a material from a retracted position to a deployed position upon detection of the predetermined criteria, wherein the material substantially does not impede the physical activity while in the retracted position and cushions the person from falling onto the hard surface while in the deployed position. [0022] Still yet provided is a vault box for use in pole-vaulting. The vault box comprising: a cavity for insertion of a pole therein; and a switch disposed in the cavity for detection of insertion of the pole in the cavity and for outputting a signal indicating the insertion of the pole. Continue reading about Method and system for preventing pole vault fall injuries... 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