Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water rescue or life protecting apparatus – Personal flotation device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2001-03-27
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water rescue or life protecting apparatus
Personal flotation device
C441S104000, C441S120000, C441S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206744
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Insulated flotation garments are intended to be worn by persons on boats during cold weather. They contain insulation to keep the wearer warm and they contain a flotation element that provides buoyancy to keep the wearer afloat when in the water.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Occupants of fishing boats, and others interested in surviving in cold water, have worn immersion suits to protect them if they accidentally fall in the water. The immersion suits are water-tight and serve the purpose of preventing water from reaching the clothing or body of the wearer, but they are heavy and cumbersome Heavy and cumbersome slickers are also worn by occupants of fishing boats.
Persons interested in surviving in water have also used flotation materials having a plurality of air pockets to provide buoyancy. One such flotation material is made by Uniroyal and sold under the trademark ENSOLITE. A flotation garment lined with ENSOLITE is effective in keeping a person afloat, but the ENSOLITE material has been found to be not suitable for the flotation element of this invention because it is not suitable for lamination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal components of an insulated flotation garment made in accordance with this invention are an insulation element and a flotation element.
The preferred insulation for the insulation element is sold under the trademark LAMILITE by Wiggy's, Inc., 2842 Industrial Boulevard, Grand Junction, Colo. 81505, and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,055.
The preferred flotation element comprises a flotation foam, which is a thin layer of low density polyethylene with a large number of tiny air pockets. That thin layer of low density polyethylene is laminated to a ripstop nylon shell. The complete flotation element has a thickness of one millimeter (1 mm).
The ripstop nylon shell of the flotation element is laminated to the insulation. The ripstop nylon shell material is urethane coated to male it water proof, and is laminated to the flotation foam. Perimeter stitching joins the edges of the flotation element with the edges of the insulation element.
The combined insulation and flotation elements are sewn into garments such as jackets, long pants, short pants, one piece suits, and vests. Mesh is preferably provided at the base of each garment to allow the water that gets into the garment to empty out easily when the wearer is out of the water.
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Wiggy's Inc., The Insulated Float Coat, Jun. 1998, pp. 1-14.
Sole Suppliers, Robert Maynard Ltd., Therma-Float, Jun. 1998, p. 1.
Wiggy's Inc., Wiggy's Bags, Aug. 1998, pp. 4-5.
Wiggy's Inc., Insulated Flotation Suit, Sep. 1999, pp. 1-2.
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Eagle Enterprises, Inc., Survival Safety Rescue, information from the Internet, as early as Feb. 25, 1998.
Rhodes & Mason PLLC
Swinehart Ed
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