Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water rescue or life protecting apparatus – Personal flotation device
Patent
1998-05-07
1999-07-27
Swinehart, Ed L.
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water rescue or life protecting apparatus
Personal flotation device
441 88, B63C 908
Patent
active
059280468
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a flotation or buoyancy aid.
Traditional life jackets or life preservers are often stowed away and not worn due to the fact that they are often resrictive and uncomfortable, especially in warmer climates. Life jackets may also tend to interfere with normal swimming or paddling motions, making them unsuitable for use by canoeists, life savers and the like.
Life jackets are also generally only available in a limited range of sizes, which do not extend down to infants up to 2 years, for which, to the best knowledge of the applicant no effective buoyancy aids currently exist.
It is an object of the invention to provide a primary or supplemental buoyancy aid which, whilst not necessarily conforming with minimal life jacket or life preserver buoyancy specifications, can be worn by a wide age and ability range of persons involved in water-related activities where life jackets are usually not worn due to the fact that they are not compulsory.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a buoyancy aid which is hard-wearing and which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a flotation aid comprising an elongate substantially straight strip of a flexible closed cell foam material bent into a U-configuration so as to define a pair of arm portions extending from a bight portion and securing means connected to the arm portions, whereby the bight portion is arranged to rest behind the neck of a user and the arm portions are arranged to extend downwardly over the shoulders and chest of the user, the securing means being arranged to extend around the torso of the user for holding the arm portions in position against the chest of the user.
In a preferred form of the invention, the elongate strip of foam material has a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its length.
In an alternative form of the invention, the strip of foam material has a gradually increasing cross-sectional area along its length.
Conveniently, the strip of foam material is rectangular in cross-section.
Advantageously, the securing means comprises at least one strap connected to the arm portions by passing through a corresponding strap-receiving aperture extending through each arm portion, whereby the spacing between the arm portions can be adjusted with each aperture preferably being provided with at least one reinforcing grommet.
More advantageously, each of the arm portions is formed with at least a pair of strap-receiving apertures for receiving an upper chest strap and a lower waist strap.
Preferably, the strip of foam material is provided with a covering, which more preferably comprises an integral skin.
In one form of the invention, the flotation device may include a retaining strap anchored at a fixed end to the bight portion and including fastening means at a free end thereof for fastening it detachably to an intermediate rear portion of the chest strap.
The strip of foam material is preferably pre-cut from a block of foam.
The foam material is typically a PVC foam material and the integral skin is a conformal spray-coated PVC skin.
The invention extends to a method of manufacturing a flotation aid comprising the steps of: formed from closed cell foam material; portions extending from a bight portion; and portion is arranged to rest behind the neck of a user and the arm portions are arranged to extend downwardly over the shoulders and chest of the user, with the securing strap being arranged to extend around the torso of the user for holding the arm portions in position against the chest of the user.
Preferably, the method includes the steps of forming at least two strap receiving apertures in each strip, and slidably anchoring the securing strap by passing it through the apertures.
Conveniently, the method includes the initial step of cutting a plurality of substantially straight elongate strips from a block of foam material.
Advantageously, the method includes the step of a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3193856 (1965-07-01), Coolidge
patent: 3366984 (1968-02-01), Le Blanc, Jr.
patent: 4654016 (1987-03-01), Pendleton
Browning Clifford W.
Cadelec CC
Swinehart Ed L.
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