Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water rescue or life protecting apparatus – Personal flotation device
Patent
1988-09-13
1990-05-15
Basinger, Sherman D.
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water rescue or life protecting apparatus
Personal flotation device
441108, 441113, 441115, B63C 916
Patent
active
049254189
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to an individual rescue apparatus intended to be arranged around the waist of a person. The invention also relates to an apparatus comprising an inflatable system capable of being inflated in case of need, either by a manual operation of the user or by an automatic process upon contact with the water.
Apparatus of the type described above seek to provide, upon inflation, a flotation volume capable of maintaining the wearer on the surface of the water. In practice, only the devices arranged around the waist combine, first, in the passive state a discrete and comfortable wearing, in order to avoid being a burden for the wearer, and in the active state, a flotation capability sufficient to offer complete safety.
The apparatus of this type are particularly described in French patents Nos. 74.10858, 74.32195, 79.24854. However, these apparatuses have a serious drawback: the flotation volume develops at the level of the waist of the wearer, i.e. below the center of gravity of the wearer. Such apparatus is incapable of keeping the person stable on the surface of the water while assuring that the person's head remains above the surface. In particular, at the time of inflation, these devices develop a force tending to up-end the user, thus immersing the top of the body of the wearer.
The present invention proposes to overcome the deficiencies of known devices discussed above and to provide an individual rescue apparatus which benefits, in the passive state, from being discrete and comfortable around the waist, and if needed, at the time of inflation, keeping the person stable with the head out of the water.
To facilitate understanding and simplify the terminology, the apparatus will be defined assuming an orientation as if worn around a standing or upright person, the terms "front," "rear," referring to this position.
The apparatus provided by the invention comprises a support belt having at its extremities attaching means, an inflating system itself to be secured to the support belt, a pressurized gas reservoir adapted to be placed in communication with the inflating system, and release means for assuring the inflation of said system by means of the reservoir; according to the present invention, the apparatus is characterized in that:
the inflating system comprises, first, a tubular portion extending along the support belt and connected to the gas reservoir; and, gas cells or balloons spaced along this portion and communicating therewith for inflating the cells by the action of release means;
the support belt comprises an upward extension, of a height adapted to be rise approximately above the center of gravity of the person when the support belt is worn around the waist, said extension being provided with an attaching zone in its upper portion;
the inflating system is maintained, in the passive position, along the support belt by releasable securing means, capable upon inflation of being released by means of the cells of the system;
flexible connecting means are provided between the support belt and the inflating system, comprising at least one flexible connection connecting the fastening zone of the extension and the inflating system, this connection having a length at least equal to the height of the extension.
Thus, in the passive state, the apparatus is worn around the waist in the manner of a simple belt, and remains discrete and comfortable. As will be understood better hereafter, upon inflation, the flotation cells are released from the support belt and a righting force is exerted upon the upward extension of the support belt, tending to direct upwardly the upper part of the body of the person and bring the person to the surface. When the inflating system is completely inflated (active state), the flotation forces maintain the person on the surface, the head emerging above the surface.
According to a first embodiment, the inflating system may be freed overall with respect to the support belt at the time of inflation. The inflating system remains connected to the support belt, by the a
REFERENCES:
patent: Re31305 (1983-07-01), Moran
patent: 1759336 (1930-05-01), Wollk
patent: 2145289 (1939-01-01), Boudreaux
patent: 2784426 (1957-03-01), Boyle et al.
patent: 3119132 (1964-01-01), Nayar
patent: 4360351 (1982-11-01), Travinski
patent: 4626221 (1986-12-01), Rocco
Basinger Sherman D.
Dutton, Jr. Harold H.
Mariotto Claude
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