Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Body supporting buoyant device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2001-04-10
Avila, Stephen (Department: 3617)
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Body supporting buoyant device
C441S080000, C441S081000, C441S088000, C441S130000, C441S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213832
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to personal flotation devices for use in water and, more particularly, to a personal flotation device designed to support a human body in a generally horizontal, equilibrium floating position in water while permitting a portion of the body to remain submerged.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For a variety of purposes including recreation, medical therapy and survival, it is desirable to provide devices for assisting humans in personal flotation. Various known personal flotation devices exist, most typically in the form of a vest or jacket-type flotation device worn like a garment or a flotation ring.
The jacket-type flotation device is worn securely around the torso of the body and, generally, causes the body to float in a substantially vertical position, whereby the head is above the surface of the water and the feet and legs are extended downward. While this design has some advantages over others because it can be securely fastened to a body, and remain securely fastened, before and after entry into water, it limits flotation to the substantially vertical position and it necessarily covers around the body. In recreational or therapeutic situations, a horizontal floating position may be desired or required. Additionally, in survival or rescue situations, it may be desirable to maintain a person's body in a horizontal situation if, for example, the person is in shock or has been traumatized. To some extent, a person's body temperature can be maintained for a longer period of time in otherwise cold waters if the body horizontally and as close to the surface as possible. In certain situations, such as when one is sun-tanning or relaxing, or when one has been injured in the torso area, it may be undesirable to wear a wrap-around flotation jacket. For these and other reasons, a vest or jacket-type flotation device has shortcomings.
Conventional flotation rings, usually made of foam or inflatable plastic, are designed to be grasped and held by a person's hand or, in the case of a child's recreation device, worn around the torso and under the arms. In either context, the flotation ring requires the person using it to be floated in a semi-horizontal position. It is difficult to sit on such a flotation ring without, due to difficulty in balance, slipping off the ring to one side and having the ring come shooting up to the surface of the water. The exception is the use of an over-sized tire inner type in which a person can sit with his seat positioned in the center of the tube. In this situation, however, the person is elevated above the water and does not experience or obtain the benefit and enjoyment of submersion in the water. Nor does the person have the ability to stretch out or moved his arms and legs, while submerged, for comfort, exercise and therapy.
The least buoyant part of the human body is the lower half, since it generally contains more dense mass than the upper half. Thus, in order to support a human body in floating equilibrium, it is necessary to compensate for this buoyancy imbalance by providing buoyant lift to the lower half of the body. Certain devices, such as conventional inflatable rafts and floating chairs provide buoyant lift to the lower half of the body.
Conventional inflatable rafts or mattresses, while permitting a person to float horizontally, do not enable submersion into the water. Other known devices, such as floating garden chairs and the like are cumbersome and restrict movement. In addition, they typically require the upper part of the body to remain out of the water, thereby eliminating the cooling effect of the water on that part of the body.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a personal flotation device and system that overcomes the shortcomings discussed above. It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal flotation device and system that enables horizontal, stable and submerged flotation of a person's body. It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal flotation device that is inexpensive, simple and durable, easily carried and stored, and quickly and easily used. These objects and others are achieved by the invention described herein. The present invention involves a generally ring-shaped flotation body having one or more radially extending flotation arms configured to add stability and buoyancy to the ring portion. Preferably, the flotation body is flexible and lightweight, made of inflatable plastic or rubber. The flotation body is designed to be placed under a person's seat to support the lower half of the body so that the body will float generally horizontally. An optional, scaled-down version of the flotation body can be provided under the back of the head of a person floating horizontally on his back in order to ensure flotation of the head and positioning of the mouth and nostrils above the water line.
Alternative modes of use for the flotation body may be implemented for various desired flotation positions. For example, the flotation body may be positioned under the arms or the seat of the user for vertical-position flotation. It may also be positioned under the chest area of the user to allow the user to float generally horizontally in a face-down orientation, while maintaining the head above water and enabling free use of the arms and legs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1184325 (1916-05-01), Coxey
patent: 1205514 (1916-11-01), Carroll
patent: 1566858 (1925-12-01), Guinzburg
patent: 4059859 (1977-11-01), Hull
patent: 4861300 (1989-08-01), Casagrande et al.
patent: 4976642 (1990-12-01), Wilkie
patent: 5324221 (1994-06-01), Kaufman et al.
patent: 5406653 (1995-04-01), Todor
patent: 5507674 (1996-04-01), Yeung
patent: 5685753 (1997-11-01), Canela et al.
Avila Stephen
McCormick Paulding & Huber LLP
Olson Lars A.
LandOfFree
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