Hydraulic and earth engineering – Diving – Suit or accessory therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-30
2001-06-12
Lillis, Eileen D. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Diving
Suit or accessory therefor
C441S108000, C441S113000, C441S114000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to buoyancy compensators for scuba divers. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for the construction of a multiple air chamber buoyancy compensator which can be welded together utilizing a single side impregnated fabric.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Buoyancy compensators (BCs) of various designs and construction have been used by scuba divers for many years. The bladder of the BC can be partially filled with air to provide neutral buoyancy to compensate for the weight that the diver is carrying. The bladder can also be inflated by air carried in the diver's tank to raise the diver to the surface in an emergency.
The air chambers in the bladder of modern BCs generally have a bellows construction for compactness when collapsed and have been assembled by gluing layers of fabric together. However, over time the glue deteriorates and the seams come apart. With the development of rubber and particularly urethane coated fabrics, the fabric layers could be radio frequency (RF) or heat welded together at the seams.
The closest known prior art related to the present invention is U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,496, issued Jan. 31, 1995, to Seligman for a Buoyancy Compensator with Lateral Expansion and Method Therefor. It discloses an air chamber construction in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof which utilizes a single side impregnated fabric, but the design architecture limits the construction to a single air chamber. FIGS. 11-13 thereof disclose multiple chamber designs of fabric construction but the welding architecture requires double side impregnated fabric. It is the multiple chamber design of FIGS. 11-13 which the present invention can accomplish the single side impregnated fabric at great cost savings and longer product life.
The problems with the prior art form of construction for making a bellows type BC include the expense involved in utilizing a fabric which is impregnated on both sides. The fabric is substantially more expensive than a single side impregnated fabric and the fabrics are very expensive and constitute a substantial part of the cost of manufacture. In addition, and equally important, is the fact that an external side impregnated fabric abrades severely in use and in the underwater environment and, when exposed to sunlight, deteriorates and delaminates over time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a buoyancy compensator (BC) construction for a multiple air chamber bellows type bladder utilizing a single layer of coated fabric for its air chambers. The invention comprises at least a pair of contiguous air chamber with a multiplicity of internal gas communication passages therebetween. The BC construction is characterized by the air chambers being formed of a fabric having only the internal air chamber side thereof impregnated with a coating which is susceptible to welding to another surface of the coating. The air chambers have adjacent walls interlocked around the gas communication passages at a sufficient number of locations whereby the air chambers are tied together to form a bellows-type expandable bladder. The air chamber outer walls are welded to the expandable bladder at the peripheral edges thereof whereby all of the coated sides of the fabric comprising the BC are disposed internal to the air chambers. Only the fabric sides are disposed outward and exposed to the external environment. At least one valve means is provided for facilitating the introduction, containment, and release of gas with respect to the air chambers.
The present invention also comprises a method of construction for a BC which permits utilization of single side coated fabric for a multiple chamber inflatable buoyancy compensator (BC) which obviates the necessity of exposing any of the coated fabric surfaces to the surrounding environment. The steps of the method comprise utilizing throughout the construction of the air-containing portions of the BC a fabric having only one side thereof impregnated with a coating which is susceptible to welding to another surface of the coating. The method employs in the design architecture of the BC at least two or more contiguous air chambers with a multiplicity of internal gas communication passages formed integral thereto to permit gas to pass therethrough between said chambers. It disposes for exposure to the environment only the uncoated surfaces and edges of the fabric whereby the contiguous surfaces of the air chambers are arranged with the fabric side of the coated fabric opposed to the adjacent fabric side of the adjacent chamber and the internal surfaces of the air chambers are comprised of the coated surfaces of the fabric. The method includes welding the contiguous chambers of the BC together at the gas communication passages with aligned annular disks comprised of the one side coated fabric. The disks are disposed in each of the chambers to surround and overlap the air communication passage holes formed in the contiguous fabric layers which are aligned in the air chambers. The disks are arranged in coated surface opposed facing relation in the respective chambers whereby when the disks are welded together, the center portions of the disks are joined together through the air chamber passages forming an air passage in the centers thereof. The peripheral edges of the disk are joined to the internal surfaces of the contiguous air chambers respectively thereby interlocking the air chambers at the centers of the disks. Finally, the peripheral edges of the internal surfaces of the chambers are welded together to form an air containing BC.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a multiple chamber bellows construction for a BC bladder which utilizes a single side impregnated fabric.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel method for the construction of a BC bellows bladder.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a design architecture which provides air communication passages in a multiple chamber BC bellows bladder which are provided with a reinforced seal that fastens the multiple chambers together.
And it is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of assembly of a BC bellows bladder which permits RF welding of multiple seams and seal simultaneously.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the method and design of the present invention are considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2046335 (1936-07-01), Manson
patent: 4778425 (1988-10-01), Hattori
patent: 4810134 (1989-03-01), Eaucolner et al.
patent: 4952095 (1990-08-01), Walters
patent: 5022879 (1991-06-01), DiForte
patent: 5385496 (1995-01-01), Seligman
patent: 5522679 (1996-06-01), Eungard
patent: 5607258 (1997-03-01), Eungard
American Underwater Products Inc.
Bruce & McCoy
Lillis Eileen D.
Mayo Tara L.
McCoy Ernest H.
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