Buoys – rafts – and aquatic devices – Water rescue or life protecting apparatus – Personal flotation device
Patent
1992-01-10
1994-03-08
Basinger, Sherman
Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices
Water rescue or life protecting apparatus
Personal flotation device
441 42, 441 80, 441129, B63C 915
Patent
active
052922731
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to watertight containers which may be carried by the user also during swimming or other aquatic sports.
Such containers of an approximately cylindrical shape have been known to be used as possible receptacles for stowing away jewelry and other valuable objects.
However, such known containers consist of two halves to be joined by a screw joint only, in the interior of which there is one through-going cavity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The container according to the present invention consists of an upper part and a lower part and an intermediate piece creating thus two separate, watertight cavities, one of such cavities containing a folded, inflatable cushion which is adapted to the receiving cavity in shaping and dimensioning and further configuration. Such cushion may be used as a normal underlayer for usual sun bathing, its main purpose is however its application as rescue cushion in case of sports accidents etc. A variety of differing cushion shapes may be envisaged for such purpose, from simple slanting-edged cushions to cushions having a U-shaped cross section or depressions in the cushion center in order to keep the head of the person to be propped up in a defined position.
As a special embodiment, the relatively flat formed cushion may be shaped approximately in C-form with a recess in the center corresponding approximately to the size of the neck, so that such a cushion can be laid, when empty, around the neck of a swimmer and will keep his head upright and above the water surface after being inflated.
The watertight connection between the two parts and the intermediate piece is effected by means of a screwed joint or of an appropriate, watertight plug connection. Such joints are made in a manner that, after removal of the intermediate piece, selectively an upper part and a lower part may also directly be connected for obtaining a cavity of about double size. This, however, will be realized in exceptional cases only, because the normal use will be that one of said cavities houses the inflatable cushion whereas valuable goods will be stored in the other, protected against water.
The user carries said watertight container either attached to a carrying strap laid around his neck, which is threaded through an eye of the container, or attached to his bathing suit by means of a fastening clip attached to the outer wall of one of the two parts. Said container may have a circular cross section as needed for a threaded joint, either tapering from below upward, or may have its widest cross section also in the area of the intermediate piece.
In shaping the cushion, attention must be paid to arranging the feed hose attachment for inflating the cushion at an appropriate spot so that it juts out of the opening when the folded or rolled-up cushion is introduced into its respective cavity, so that this feed hose attachment will have, at the same time, the function of a handle for pulling the cushion out of the cavity. For this purpose, this feed hose attachment is to be fastened preferably to one end of the shortest edge of the cushion as the cushion will be rolled up around said shortest edge for shoving said roll into the cavity of the container.
In order to be in a position of taking said cushion out of the container in a most simple way, said feed hose attachment for blowing up the cushion will be shaped advantageously in the form of a nipple, i.e. it will be provided at one end with a flattened thickening. The intermediate piece may then show a recess adapted to said nipple shape into which the nipple is fitted in. This will have the effect that, on removing the said intermediate piece from the respective part of the container, the folded up cushion is automatically pulled out of the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, some embodiments in accordance with the invention will be shown by way of examples, taking reference to the attached drawings. In such drawings show:
FIG. 1 the closed container including the said intermediate pie
REFERENCES:
patent: 2326414 (1943-08-01), Thompson
patent: 2833398 (1958-05-01), Marshall
patent: 4094408 (1978-06-01), Ford
patent: 4235065 (1980-11-01), Freeman
LandOfFree
Watertight container does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Watertight container, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Watertight container will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-150121