Impact absorbing devices and processes of operation of the impact absorbing devices

An impact absorbing mat adapted to be placed on a surface for decelerating and absorbing an impact of a user falling thereon, the mat comprising:

• a top surface having a generally planar configuration, said top surface being supported to receive the impact of the user falling at a velocity thereon, and to deform downwardly from the generally planar configuration by one or more baffles each configured to undergo compression and to change from a respective original uncompressed shape in which the top surface supported thereon has the generally planar configuration to a respective compressed shape in response to the impact of the user in which the top surface is deformed downwardly, and to return to the original uncompressed shape when the compression from the impact or weight of the user is no longer present, so that the top surface returns to the generally planar configuration, wherein the impact absorbing device can receive and decelerate and absorb subsequent further impacts;
• wherein the one or more baffles each includes
• one or more air outlet/inlets each having an aperture that is open and allows air to flow out of the baffle at all times, said aperture being configured to restrict air displacement flowing out of each baffle when the baffle is compressed by the impact, and
• content material in each baffle that absorbs energy of the impact;
• wherein, upon compression of the one or more baffles, air flows out thereof through the aperture with pressure in the one or more baffles being increased as a result of restriction of air displacement from the air outlet/inlets and the content material in the one or more baffles upon the compression of the one or more baffles;
• and
• wherein air flows out of the one or more baffles through the aperture until pressure in the one or more baffles reaches ambient pressure around the mat;
• wherein increased pressure in the one or more baffles causes compression resistance of the one or more baffles to the deformation downward of the top layer by causing the one or more baffles to exert a force that decelerates the user;
• and
• wherein the one or more baffles includes one or more cells formed of the content material and wherein the content material is configured to compress in response to compression of the impact of the user and to expand the one or more baffles after termination of said compression.

An impact absorbing mat configured to be placed on a surface for decelerating a user falling onto the mat, said mat comprising:

• a first deformable layer;
• and
• a second deformable layer layered on the first layer;
• an upwardly disposed top surface supported on the first and second layers;
• said top surface being configured to receive an impact of a part of the user falling onto the mat at an impact velocity relative to the top surface so as to deform downward and decelerate the part of the user;
• one of the first and second layers being a damper layer and the other of the first and second layers being a linear layer;
• the damper layer and the linear layer each having a respective vertical thickness, and each of said layers undergoing deformation responsive to the impact of the part of the user on the top surface so as to reduce the vertical thickness thereof, and so as to decelerate the part of the user from the impact velocity thereof;
• wherein the damper layer and the linear layer each provides a respective counter force against the part of the user impacting the top surface so that the impact velocity of the part of the user is decelerated as the top surface deforms downwardly;
• the linear layer being configured such that the counter force against the part of the user increases as the deformation thereof increases and the velocity of the part of the user is decelerated;
• and
• said damper layer being structured so that the counter force against the part of the user decreases as the deformation thereof increases and the velocity of the part of the user is decelerated;
• and
• wherein the damper layer comprises baffles each having at least one air outlet structure, said air outlet structures each havinci an aperture that is configured to allow air to flow therethrough out of the baffle at any time that the pressure in the baffle is greater than pressure outside the baffle;
• wherein the aperture restricts the air flowing therethrough to a restrictive flow of air such that a downward compressive force applied on the baffle due to the impact of the part of the user creates an increase of air pressure in the baffle that provides a resistance force opposing the compression due to the restriction of air flow out of the baffle, and wherein said resistance force reduces as the damper layer is compressed until pressure of air in the baffle reaches pressure outside the baffle and air ceases to flow through the aperture.