Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/015—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches with shock-absorbing means
  • A41D13/018—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches with shock-absorbing means inflatable automatically
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
  • A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
  • A41D13/0531—Spine
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A41—WEARING APPAREL
  • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
  • A41D2600/00—Uses of garments specially adapted for specific purposes
  • A41D2600/10—Uses of garments specially adapted for specific purposes for sport activities
  • A41D2600/102—Motorcycling

Definitions

• the present invention refers to a protective garment with an airbag suitable for the personal protection of a user should the latter impact or fall from a vehicle or from an animal, such as for example should the user be using a motor-vehicle, whether a road or water motor- vehicle or doing sports, for example riding a horse or in case of hazardous jobs, such as for example a labourer on a scaffolding.
• Protective devices for users comprising airbags which can be activated should the user move away from a predetermined position for using a means, such as a vehicle, for example a motor-vehicle.
• These known devices comprise inflation means containing an activation mechanism, usually activated by a particular event indicating danger of collision or fall of the user, such as the yanking action with a chord, which opens a tank for pressurised fluid which is in fluidically connected with the chamber of the airbag for an inflation thereof in very quick times and lesser than the time required between the activation and the collision or the fall.
• an activation mechanism usually activated by a particular event indicating danger of collision or fall of the user, such as the yanking action with a chord, which opens a tank for pressurised fluid which is in fluidically connected with the chamber of the airbag for an inflation thereof in very quick times and lesser than the time required between the activation and the collision or the fall.
• document JP 2004162224 shows a jacket provided with pockets which can be opened outwards with respect to the garment and containing an airbag device provided scarf-like around the neck and then go down with two portions parallel on the thorax at the front part on the user with end portions folded upwards and a further V-shaped portion arranged on the back beneath the portion around the neck of the user.
• this airbag When activated this airbag is released from the pockets in which it is contained and it is inflated around the neck of the user particularly protecting the low front portion of the bust.
• this known solution does not prevent, during the impact between the user and an obstacle, the airbag from moving from the theoretical position thereof leaving above all the head free to flex determining considerable collisions and deformations on the neck of the user.
• document DE 20311097 shows a jacket containing an airbag.
• Document US 7,328,464 shows a jacket containing an airbag device of tubular type arranged around the neck of the user and descending with its ends on the thorax and then folding to form a belt along the hips of the user. A branch departs from this belt to form a life buoy-like element arranged on the back of the user. Though satisfactory from various points of view, also this solution does not provide a particular protection to the movements of the neck in case of collision, given that the portion of the airbag wound around the neck of the user is free to flex rotating towards the back and leaving the neck of the user free to flex.
• the solution described in document WO 95/33389 has an airbag worn above a garment received in a pocket adapted to open during the inflation of the airbag projecting it outside.
• Said airbag is made up of two portions, a first one wound around the neck of the user and extending at the front part to form two arms extended up to the waist of the user.
• At the rear part there is provided a further airbag which protrudes from a pocket to substantially cover the entire back of the user.
• This solution provides for a chamber arranged laterally to the head of the user fluidically connected with the first airbag arranged around the neck of the user.
• this solution does not prevent - during the collision - the airbag from moving from its theoretical position moving away or rotating towards the back leaving the neck of the user exposed to considerable flexures.
• a force on the airbag portion arranged around the neck of the user allows its movement towards the rear and lower part, such movement not being sufficiently countered by the airbag portion arranged on the back which ends beneath the portion around the neck and it is free to move vertically.
• Document US 4,825,469 shows a garment which entirely surrounds the bust and the arms of the user forming a protection extended from the knees up to forming a hood which covers the head of the user. Also this solution does not in any way prevent - during the collision - the airbag substantially worn outside from moving from its theoretical position allowing wide movements on the neck of the user. Furthermore, this solution proposes airbags having voluminous inflation chambers which require the use of high capacity and extremely cumbersome pressurized fluid tanks and which are practically unsuitable for daily use above all should the garment be worn for the safety of a motorcyclist during urban movements where most of the time the garment is not used on board the motor-vehicle .
• Document EP 1 323 359 shows a waistcoat provided with pockets which can be opened outwardly and containing
• an airbag arranged around the neck of the user. Also in this case, during the collision, the portion for protecting the neck of the user of the airbag is not in any way prevented from rotating moving away thus exposing the neck to deformations.
• Document US 2006/0107952 shows a further protective garment provided with an openable pocket arranged around the neck of the user and adapted to release an airbag. Though satisfactory from various points of view, also this solution is not adapted to prevent flexure movements of the neck of the user.
• An object of the present invention is that of proposing a protective garment with an airbag, for example for motorcyclists or horse riders capable of allowing overcoming the drawbacks of the known art and in particular capable of limiting - during the collision or fall of the user - sudden movements of the neck above all for protecting the cervix in case of whiplash.
• figure 1 represents a front axonometric view of a protective garment, for example for a motorcyclist in which the overall dimensions of an airbag device received in a gap of said garment are outlined with a dashed line;
• figures 2, 3 illustrate - in front and rear view - a further embodiment of a garment containing an airbag in its gap in which there are outlined the elements for fixing the airbag device inside the gap of the garment;
• figure 4 illustrates a rear view of a garment in which there is outlined an airbag contained in a gap thereof according to a further embodiment;
• figure 5 illustrates a user represented from the left side thereof in which, according to an embodiment, there are outlined the contours of the airbag device received in the gap of the garment;
• figure 6 illustrates a rear view of a user wearing the garment in which there are outlined the overall dimensions > of the airbag contained in the gap of the garment, according to the embodiment of figure 5;
• figure 7 illustrates a cross-section according to a median vertical plane to the user, which substantially divides the back and thorax portion of the garment of the airbag device into two parts so as to outline its arrangement inside the gap;
• figure 8a illustrates a detail of the portion of the neck of the solution of figure 7;
• figure 8b illustrates a rear axonometric view of a detail of the airbag device of the connection between the portion for protecting the back and the portion for protecting the neck;
• figure 9 illustrates the section of figure 8 .in which the airbag device is in its activated or inflated state
• figure 10 represents a front axonometric view of an airbag device according to a further embodiment adapted to be received in a gap of a garment;
• figure 11 represents a rear axonometric view of the airbag device of figure 10 open so as to outline further parts thereof;
• figure 12 illustrates a detail of the airbag device of figure 11 regarding the inflation and activation device
• FIGS 13, 14, 15 illustrate three different phases of a collision between a motor-vehicle and a car in side views highlighting three moments of the occurrence of the collision, particularly regarding the activation of the airbag device;
• figures 16 and 17 show - in a rear view and in a cross-section parallel to the spine - a detail of an airbag deflated according to a further embodiment, in particular in its neck portion connected to the portion for protecting the back;
• figures 18 and 19 show - in a rear view and in a cross-section parallel, to the spine - the detail of the airbag of figure 16 and 17 inflated, in particular in its neck portion connected to the portion for protecting the back.
• an activation device 11 for example, but not necessarily, a yanking device.
• a chord or mini-belt 42 to which there is fixedly connected, at the opposite end, a female fastening buckle 39.
• a male fastening buckle 40 to the female buckle 39 there can be associated, through releasable snap- fastening, a male fastening buckle 40.
• a protective garment 1 comprises an outer part 2 of the garment and an inner part 3 of the garment or lining of the garment.
• the outer part 2 of the garment is made using material adapted to resist against water and abrasions and, according to embodiments, it may have a multilayer structure, for example suitable for several functions such as imperviousness , resistance to abrasion, heat insulation or, on the contrary, a transpiring capacity.
• the inner part 3 of the garment is the part to be faced towards the user and, according to an embodiment, it may be made so as to be comfortable and easy to wear, for example guaranteeing an easy wearability thanks to its slidable and/or transpirability characteristics.
• said garment 1 has a bust 6 and neck 7 portion.
• said bust 6 of the garment has a side portion 15 of the garment and a rear or back portion 16 of the garment adapted to cover the back of the user, as well as a shoulder portion 17 of the garment and a front bust portion 19 of the garment adapted to cover the front part of the bust of a user, for example divided into a front half-portion, a left front half-portion 61 and a right front half-portion 62.
• the outer part 2 of the garment and the inner part 3 of the garment are firmly connected to form an upper edge 24 of the neck of the garment and/or a lower edge of the back of the bust or abutment element 25, as well as a lower front edge of the bust or lower edge 26 of the front half-portions 61 and 62.
• said left and right front half-portions 61, 62 define an upper edge - faced therebetween - defining the collar 27 of the garment.
• Said half-portions or left and right front half- portions 61, 62 of the garment are suitable to be mutually closed for example by means of a slide fastener or zipper, so as to open and close the garment and allow the user to wear it.
• said bust portion 6 of the garment has openings for the introduction of the arms or shoulder arm-holes 45.
• Said outer part 2 of the garment and inner part 3 of the garment mutually define a space or a chamber, hereinafter referred to as gap 4.
• said gap is defined by the edges for connecting the outer part 2 with the inner part 3 of the garment defining a partially closed chamber, or preferably substantially closed.
• the outer part 2 and the inner part 3 of the bust portion of the garment define a bust gap 71 divided into a back gap 30, defined by the outer part and by the inner part of the garment adapted to cover the back of the user, and thorax gap/s 31, defined by the outer part and inner part of the front half-portion 61, 62 of the garment.
• the base or lower edge of the back 46 of the garment is defined by a lower edge of the back of the bust, or abutment element 25, and a front lower edge of the bust, or lower edge of the front half-portions 26, and said edges define the bust gaps creating a closed chamber.
• a portion of said gap chamber 4 is defined by the neck 7 of the garment, which has an outer neck surface 28 and an inner neck surface or portion 29, firmly connected together to form an upper edge 24 of the neck of the garment and opened to be connected with the bust gap 71 forming a neck gap 10, preferably without interruptions with a bust gap 71.
• said bust gap 71 communicates without interruption with the neck gap 10 forming a single chamber.
• Said protective garment 1 comprises an airbag device
• said airbag device 5 or airbag 103 has an airbag portion for protecting the neck 13 and in particular for protecting the cervix.
• said airbag device 5 has an airbag portion for protecting the thorax 18 and preferably two airbag portions for protecting the thorax 18 arranged side-by-side and going down from the neck to the shoulders up to reaching the waist and the side areas of the garment for protecting the thorax of the user.
• said airbag device 5 has an airbag portion for protecting the back 20 or airbag portion parallel to the spine.
• said portion for protecting the back 20 of the airbag are two side-by-side portions.
• said airbag device 5 comprises an portion of the airbag for protecting the shoulders or, preferably portions of the airbag for protecting the shoulders 22.
• said airbag device 5 comprises an portion of the airbag for protecting the side areas 23 or, preferably, portions of the airbag for protecting the side areas 23 of the user.
• said airbag device 5 forms a single airbag chamber 21 distributed so as to have portions of airbag to protect the neck and the cervix 13, portions of airbag to protect the thorax 18, portions of airbag for protecting the back 20, portions of airbag to protect the shoulders 22 and portions of airbag for protecting the side areas 23.
• said airbag device 5 has portions arranged side-by-side to protect the thorax 18 extended from the portions of the garment covering the shoulders to the portions of the garment covering the waist .
• said airbag device 5 comprises an inflation chamber, preferably elastic, indicated in the figures with the reference 35.
• said inflation chamber 35 is made using elastic material, for example made of polyurethane .
• said chamber - when inflated with pressurised fluid - is dilated forming a cushion adapted to absorb the collisions the user is subjected to.
• said inflation chamber 35 has an opening adapted to be sealingly connected with an inflation device 12.
• said inflation chamber 35 has one or more further openings suitable for a gradually controlled deflation of the chamber 35 as a result of the absorption of the collision. Said openings 81 are closed by vent valves 82 specially calibrated for determining a controlled deflation time of chamber 35.
• said inner chamber 35 of the airbag is received in a sack 36 for containing the airbag.
• said sack 36 has a predetermined shape or form, which defines the dimensions of the different airbag portions in its active or inflated state.
• said containment sack 36 is made using material having a considerably lower elastic characteristic with respect to the elastic characteristic of the inner chamber 35.
• said containment sack 36 is made of nylon.
• said containment sack 36 is made using material that can be easily firmly connected with portions of the garment, for example with the edges for connecting the outer part 2 and the inner part 3 of the garment so as to position the airbag 5 as desired inside the gap 4 for covering predetermined portions of the user's body.
• said airbag device 5 has different portions separated from each other by distribution means for distributing the fluid within the device.
• said inner chamber 35 of the airbag has closure means 37 which can be opened at a predetermined pressure threshold of the fluid supplied thereinto .
• said airbag device comprises an inflation device 12 or device 100 for inflating an airbag.
• Said device 100 for inflating an airbag comprises a device body 101 fixedly connected to an airbag 103 to which there is fluidically connected pressurised vessel 104 containing a pressurised gas adapted to inflating the airbag 103.
• such device body 101 comprises an inner chamber 102 in which there is slidably received a striker 106 adapted to open the pressurised vessel 104 so as to allow the inflow of the pressurised gas into the airbag 103.
• the device 100 comprises an elastic element 108 received in the inner chamber 102 and which allows preloading the striker 106, so that it can transfer its elastic energy to the striker 106 when the activation of the airbag 103 is required and thus push the striker 106 towards the pressurised vessel 104 so as to determine its opening .
• said striker 106 comprises a stem 109 which operates as means for locking the striker 106 to hold it in a loaded position by preloading said elastic element 108.
• the stem 109 is fixedly connected to an undercut in a lever 110 which allows - in case of imminent collision - to exert traction on the stem 109.
• a lever 110 is connected to a chord fixedly connected to a vehicle, for example to a motorbike, so that, in case of a relative strong acceleration between the user of the airbag and the vehicle, the chord is pulled and in turn pulls the lever 110.
• a protective garment 1 in particular suitable for the protection of a user through a device with an airbag 5 in case of collisions and/or falls, comprises an outer part 2 of the garment and an inner part 3, or lining of the garment. Said garment 1 further comprises a gap 4 formed between said outer part 2 and said inner part 3.
• said gap 4 is - in at least some portions thereof - closed with a not substantially removable connection of the outer part 2 to the inner part 3 of the garment.
• the outer layers of the garment 2 are, for example on the edges thereof, substantially non-removably connected, for example firmly sewn to the inner part or inner layers of the garment.
• said outer part 2 and said inner part 3 of the garment are connected in a non- disconnectable manner during the inflation of the airbag 5, at least in the rear part of the garment at the base 46 of the portion of the garment that covers the user's back, so as to form an abutment element 25, at the base of the gap 4 in the bottom portion that covers the user's back.
• said garment 1 also comprises a protective device provided with an airbag 5 and comprising means for inflating the airbag 12.
• Said airbag 5 is arranged inside the gap 4 between the outer part 2 and the inner part 3 of the garment.
• said airbag 5 comprises a portion of airbag suitable for being arranged to at least partially protect the neck 13, in particular the back and/or cervix of the neck and further comprises a portion of airbag for the back 20 that is arranged substantially so as to be parallel to the spine of the user of the garment.
• said further portion parallel to the spine 20 extends from the abutment element 25, made with the connection of the outer part 2 and the inner part 3 of the garment, until it at least partially overlaps the portion of the airbag for protecting the cervix 13 of the user remaining on the outside with respect to the user, so as to leave at least one portion of the part of airbag for protecting the cervix 13 arranged between the portion arranged parallel to the spine 20 and the neck and/or cervix of the user, and so as to hold the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck 13 towards the user's neck even if pushed away from it.
• said airbag portion parallel to the spine of ' the user 20 overlaps on the neck airbag portion 13 for substantially one third and preferably half of the dimensions transversal to the neck airbag portion 13.
• said airbag portion for protecting the neck and/or cervix 13 continues around the neck with a portion thereof protecting the shoulders 22 to then go down with a portion thereof to protect the thorax 18 and fold around the side passing under an armpit of the user with a portion thereof protecting the side areas 23 of the user to then rise back up with a portion protecting the back 20 of the user to form said portion parallel to the spine.
• said airbag portion for protecting the neck and/or cervix 13 continues at both of its ends around the neck and, passing over the shoulders, goes down with two portions 18 arranged, substantially side-by-side to protect the thorax of the user.
• each portion folds back on the side areas substantially reaching the base of the gap 4 in the lower part of the garment rotating until it reaches the portion of the garment that is suitable for covering the back 16 of the user.
• each portion continues rising up along the portion protecting the back 16 of the user forming two airbag portions 20 protecting the back arranged substantially parallel to the spine.
• all of the aforementioned airbag portions form a single airbag chamber 21 and are fluidically connected together.
• the airbag portions for protecting the back 20 substantially parallel to the spine of the user are two portions arranged side-by-side and arranged with their upper ends partially covering the portion of airbag for protecting the neck or cervix 13.
• both the portions 20 when the airbag is in expanded or inflated condition rest on the surface that defines the gap, or abutment element 25, at the bottom, with the end thereof opposite to the portion for protecting the neck, and said ends at least partially overlapping the portion for protecting the neck 13 push against the abutment element 25 pressing, when the airbag is in expanded or inflated condition, against the portion for protecting the neck 13, preventing it from rotating towards the back to keep it protecting the neck avoiding the user's head suddenly jerking back.
• said airbag portion substantially parallel to the spine 20 and arranged at least partially overlapping the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck or cervix 13 has an inflation chamber 35 locally, in the partially overlapped portion, fluidically separated from the inflation chamber 51 defining the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck or cervix 13.
• said portion of the airbag for protecting the cervix 13 of the neck has a surface 52 facing the user' s neck and an opposite outer surface 53.
• Said portion of the airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20 comprises an end portion 54 that rests at a section of the opposite outer surface 53 of the portion of airbag for protecting the neck 13 and it is connected to this surface in a non-separable manner therefrom during the inflation of the airbag, so as to allow, when the airbag is in expanded or inflated condition, an effective counteraction to the rotation of the portion for protecting the neck 13 of the airbag avoiding the neck jerking back or moving away.
• said garment comprises a neck portion 7 suitable for wrapping around the user's neck, which comprises an outer neck portion 28 and an inner neck portion 29 or neck lining of the garment. Said outer neck portion 28 and inner neck portion 29 of the garment constituting a neck gap 10 between them that is connected without interruption to form a single gap chamber in communication with the gap 30 arranged on the back of the user.
• said portion of airbag for protecting the neck 13 is housed in said neck gap 10 formed in the neck portion 7 of the garment .
• said portion of airbag for protecting the neck 13, or neck portion of the airbag has an upper edge 55 opposite to the portion of airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20.
• Said upper edge 55 of the neck portion 13 of the airbag is connected to an upper edge 24 of a neck portion 7 of the garment, so as to avoid the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck 13, when deflated or inactive, moving in the gap going away from the neck portion 7 of the garment.
• said portion of the airbag for protecting the neck 13 is housed in the neck gap 10 formed by a neck portion of the garment between an outer part of the garment and an inner part or lining of the garment.
• Said neck portion 13 of the airbag when inactive or deflated, being folded like an accordion forming folds 56 so as to leave an outer edge thereof 55 that, when the airbag is opened out or inflated, is opposite to the portion of airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20, and firmly connected to an upper edge 24 of the neck portion 7 of the garment.
• said portion of airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20 of the user is firmly connected to the abutment element 25 which defines the gap 4 of the garment in the lower portion of the part of the garment that covers the back 16 of the user, so as to avoid that, during use, when the airbag is deflated or inactive, the airbag moves inside the gap 4 into a different position.
• said portion of airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20 of the user are two side-by-side portions of airbag that extend from the abutment element 25 of the gap 4 of the garment until they at least partially overlap the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck 13.
• said two side-by-side portions are connected - with their end opposite to the portion for protecting the neck - to the abutment element 25. and preferably they are connected to the abutment element through tapes or bands 57 arranged crossed over so as to keep the two portions substantially parallel to user' s spine side by side even when pushed away by the inflation of the airbag.
• said outer part 2 of the garment and said inner part 3 of the garment are connected together so as to form a gap 4 substantially closed with respect to the outside of the garment and the inside of the garment, containing the airbag device 5 both in out-of-use or inactive or deflated conditions, and when in use or active or inflated conditions.
• said airbag device 5 comprises an elastic inflation chamber 35 arranged inside a lining or containment sack 36 of the airbag, said containment sack being connected to portions of the garment, so as to keep the airbag in optimal position with respect to the garment even when it is in out-of-use or deflated condition and to be in position to activate o inflate to protect the predetermined parts of the user's body regardless of the configuration of the garment worn by the user.
• said garment comprises a gap 4 completely closed with respect to the outside of the garment and the inside of the garment in which the device with an airbag 5 is housed.
• Said device with an airbag is associated to inflation means 12 and activation means 11 which are arranged outside the gap 4 and sealingly connected through the garment to a sack 35 of the airbag that remains" inside the gap 4, so as to activate said activation means 11 from outside the garment 1 keeping the airbag 5 inside the gap 4 of the garment 1 and in predetermined position even when inflated.
• a protective garment 1 for protecting a user through a device with an airbag 5 during collisions and/or falls comprises:
• a protective device comprising an airbag 5 and comprising means for the inflation of the airbag 12.
• said airbag 5 comprises a portion of airbag suitable to be arranged for at least partially protecting the neck 13, in particular the back portion and/or cervix of the neck.
• said airbag 5 further comprises an airbag back portion 20 which is arranged substantially so as to be parallel to the spine of the user of the garment.
• said further portion parallel to . the spine 20 extends until it at least partially overlaps the portion of airbag for protecting the cervix 13 of the user.
• said portion of airbag substantially parallel to the spine 20 and arranged at least partially overlapping the portion of airbag for protecting the neck or cervix 13 has an inflation chamber 35 locally, in the partially overlapped portion, fluidically separated from the inflation chamber 51 defining the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck or cervix 13 and said further portion parallel to the spine 20 partially overlaps the portion of the airbag for protecting the cervix 13 of the user so that, when inflated, it holds the portion of the airbag for protecting the neck 13 towards the user' s neck even when pushed away therefrom.
• said portion parallel to the spine 20 is firmly connected to the portion for protecting the neck 13 in a connection portion or line which lies between the point or line, indicated with the reference A in figure 19, more proximal to the neck or cervix and the point or line, indicated with the reference B in figure 19, more proximal to the user's back.
• the portion of airbag parallel to the spine 20 with chamber locally separated from the portion for protecting the neck 13 lifts - during inflation - the part facing the back or shoulders of the user of the portion for protecting the neck 13 nearing it to the user' s neck and head blocking it during the collision and avoiding the head from rotating backwards or being subjected to a whiplash.
• Any characteristic described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be obtained independently from the other described embodiments.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)

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Publications (1)

Family

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Family Cites Families (14)

• 2010
  • 2010-05-28 IT IT000971A patent/ITMI20100971A1/it unknown
• 2011
  • 2011-05-27 EP EP11729718.4A patent/EP2575516A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-05-27 WO PCT/IB2011/052332 patent/WO2011148350A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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