WO1999041143A1

WO1999041143A1 - Life saving apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1999041143A1
Application number: PCT/GB1999/000272
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas Christie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-02-11
Filing date: 1999-02-11
Publication date: 1999-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2000-08-11
Also published as: GB9903043D0; AU2526999A; GB2336134A

Abstract

A life saving apparatus is provided with an inflatable balloon associated with a gas canister or other means of inflating the balloon and a mechanical link such as a rope for maintaining a physical connection between the balloon and the person wearing the life saving apparatus. The apparatus is suitable for the sighting and retrieval of overboard personnel and may be provided as an attachment for or integral with a life jacket.

Description

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS

This invention relates to life saving apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for the retrieval of personnel who have fallen overboard from a marine vessel. The invention further relates to life jackets and similar apparel intended to promote buoyancy.

Life jackets are commonly worn by sailors or other personnel engaged in marine activities. The jackets have the primary purpose of improving the buoyancy of the wearer of the jacket who has been swept or fallen overboard as a result of an accident or otherwise unfortunate occurrence.

Perhaps the most serious problem facing those who have fallen overboard is that of a safe rescue from the water. This is partly due to the fact that life jackets are not fitted with any retrieval means to assist those in a rescue vessel.

Furthermore the flotation or buoyancy pads that life jackets are typically provided with are relatively bulky and can handicap the wearer by restricting movement. 2 Also, the buoyancy pads are usually effective for only a limited time before becoming water-logged, after which they can actually weigh down a wearer overboard rather than maintain the wearer afloat.

In the event that a person adorning a life jacket has been overboard for any significant length of time, the weight of the water logged jacket can be a considerable hindrance to any attempt to retrieve that person back onto a vessel. In the present invention it is recognised that the retrieval of a man overboard can be an onerous task even in good conditions. The task however in rough seas or extreme elements can be nigh impossible for one person, particularly if the man overboard is not able to co-operate.

The present invention is directed to the problem of retrieving overboard personnel onto a marine vessel and recognises that this task is often particularly demanding .

In the past, methods for retrieving overboard personnel have included the use of inflatable slides that are extended from the side of a marine vessel. The slides are used to reduce the force required to lift the overboard person up on to the boat or the like, which can be a distance of several feet. However, inflatable slides require stringent maintenance and do not satisfactorily overcome the above-mentioned problems. For example, a slide is of little assistance if the overboard personnel is unconscious or so debilitated as to be unable to hold on to the slide. 3 Similarly, boat hooks and winch systems have, at least prior to this invention, required co-operation from the person being rescued or the ability of rescuing personnel to be close enough to the person being rescued to attach the hook or otherwise tie a line to the person.

An object of the present invention is to obviate or at least mitigate these and other disadvantages associated with the state of the art.

According to the present invention there is provided life saving apparatus comprising an inflatable balloon, inflation means for inflating the balloon and a mechanical link for maintaining a physical connection between the balloon and a user when the balloon is inflated.

Typically the life saving apparatus is attached to a harness, such as a belt loop. Alternatively, the life saving apparatus can be used as an attachment for existing buoyancy aids but may also be an integral part of a buoyancy aid such as a life jacket.

The balloon would preferably be stored in a dedicated pocket or pouch attached to the harness. The pocket may be designed allow for the release of the balloon therefrom when and as the balloon is inflated.

Preferably the balloon is tetrahedral in shape providing increased visibility when in use.

The tetrahedral balloon can also act as a sail to cause the balloon to travel away from the overboard person, 4 thereby increasing the target distance or line for retrieval of overboard personnel.

Preferably the inflation means includes a gas canister and a flexible hose for conveying gas from the canister to the balloon when required.

Typically the balloon is provided with a sensor or hammer device adapted to automatically activate the inflation on immersion in water.

Any suitable gas may be used for the inflation of the balloon but typically is carbon dioxide.

The mechanical link may be a rope, preferably made of strong nylon.

More preferably the mechanical link may be a rope of two thicknesses. The thinner portion, which forms the greater length of the rope, being used to pull a man overboard to a point near the vessel and the thicker portion being used to winch said man onto the vessel.

The life saving apparatus may also comprise a guard fitted onto the mechanical link which would protect the balloon from a halyard, hook or the like engaging the link and being used to haul an overboard personnel up onto a marine vessel.

Preferably the balloon is of a relatively high visibility. Typically it is provided in a bright colour, such as yellow. However, the balloon may be concealed in the jacket when not inflated so as not to attract sharks or the like. 5 Preferably the balloon is made of a woven material that includes metal fibres, typically stainless steel, capable of radar detection.

In order to provide a better understanding of the invention, an example embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of life saving apparatus in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the embodiment of shown in Figure 1 as worn by a user;

Figure 3 is illustrative of a jacket according to the invention being used in the retrieval of a man overboard; and

Figure 4 illustrates life saving apparatus in accordance with the invention as integral part of a life jacket.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 , life saving apparatus is generally depicted at 1. The apparatus is designed with a harness 2 that can be worn over the head or round the waist of a user (not shown) . To the harness 2 is attached a dedicated pocket 3 which houses an inflatable balloon 4 and a gas canister 5. The pocket 3 is attached to the harness 2 via a cord 6. A self sealing valve 7 is provided on the balloon 4. The valve 7 communicates with a flexible hose 8 adapted to convey gas from the canister 5 to the balloon 4. The canister 5 is sewn into the pocket 3, but is readily removed if desired to enable 6 replacement. The canister 5 is filled with compressed carbon dioxide.

Activating the canister 5 causes carbon dioxide to expel under pressure from the canister 5 through the hose 8 to inflate the balloon 4. The valve 7 allows the inflation by opening under the pressure of the expelled gas. However the valve 7 prevents the gas from being released from the balloon 4. Inflation of the balloon 4 causes it to be released from the pouch 3, but notably the balloon 4 does not completely release until it is fully inflated such that the valve 7 remains in contact with the hose 8 throughout the duration of the inflation. In practice, inflation may occur in a fraction of a second.

The balloon 4 is made from a woven fabric material typical of that used in air bag applications . Although the balloon 4 is primarily made of a textile, it includes stainless steel fibres in its construction.

Figure 2 illustrates the harness 2 and pocket 3 as worn by a user 7.

Figure 3 illustrates the life saving apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in use. Clearly the balloon 4 in Figure 3 is inflated and released from the pocket 3 , while the balloon 4 is shown deflated and in the pocket 3 in Figure 1.

In Figure 3 use of the life saving apparatus 1 on a man overboard situation can be readily seen. A marine vessel or craft 10 is brought along side or as near to an overboard person 11 as is practical and safe. The balloon 4 is automatically inflated on contact with 7 water. The balloon 4 is designed such that on inflation it acts as a sail and accordingly drifts from a man overboard thus increasing the target area for recovery and making this process easier.

As the balloon 4 is inflated with carbon dioxide it tends to be weighted on the water as shown in Figure 3. The cord 6 maintains the mechanical link between the life saving apparatus 1 and balloon 4. The cord may be made of Spectra (Trade Mark) . In the example embodiment shown and now described, the balloon 4 is approximately 1 metre in height inflated and the cord 6 is 2.5 metres long.

A plastic guard 12, as illustrated in Figure 3, is provided on the cord 6 just beneath the cord 6/ balloon 4 junction.

A halyard 13 on the end of a line 14 is hooked on to the cord 6. The guard 10 prevents the halyard 13 from rising too high on the cord 6 and consequently rupturing the inflated balloon 4. The line 14 in then wound in using a conventional winch system 15 as commonly found on most marine vessels.

Figure 4 illustrates the pocket 3 and the balloon 4 as an integral part of a life jacket 16. The balloon 4 is activated in the same way as previously described.

Thus it may be seen that the invention provides a means which renders the task of retrieving an overboard personnel far easier. In fact, by the invention one person can adequately retrieve an overboard person regardless of the weight of that person. 8 Also, the inflatable balloon supplied with the jacket improves visibility and the ability to locate overboard personnel, whether alive or deceased. Lights and other visibility sources known to the art may also be employed. Yet further, a jacket in accordance with the invention does not require to be as bulky as that commonly found in the art heretofore.

In an alternative example embodiment the gas used for inflating the balloon would be lighter than air such that the inflated balloon tends to rise above water level when a man overboard wears the life jacket with the balloon inflated. For example, helium would be a suitable gas.

Further modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention herein intended.

Claims

9 CLAIMS :

1. Life saving apparatus comprising an inflatable balloon, inflation means for inflating the balloon and a mechanical link for maintaining a physical connection between the balloon and a user when the balloon is inflated.

2. Life saving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a harness, such as a belt loop.

3. Life saving apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 adapted for attachment to or forming part of a life jacket or vest.

4. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is stored in a dedicated pocket or pouch, wherein the pocket or pouch allows for the release of the balloon therefrom when and as the balloon is inflated.

5. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is tetrahedral in shape providing increased visibility when in use.

6. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is adapted to act as a sail to cause the balloon to travel away from the user, when released, thereby increasing the target distance or line for retrieval of the user when overboard.

10 7. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the inflation means includes a gas canister and a flexible hose for conveying gas from the canister to the balloon when required.

8. Life saving apparatus as claimed m any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is provided with a sensor or hammer device adapted to automatically activate the inflation on immersion m water.

9. Life saving apparatus as claimed m Claim 7, wherein the gas canister is filled with carbon dioxide.

10. Life saving apparatus as claimed m any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the mechanical link is a rope .

11. Life saving apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the mechanical link is a rope of two thicknesses, having a thinner portion, which forms the greater length of the rope, being used to pull the user overboard to a point near a vessel and a thicker portion being used to winch the user onto the vessel.

12. Life saving apparatus as claimed m any one of the preceding Claims, wherein also comprising a guard fitted onto the mechanical link which would protect the balloon from a halyard, hook or the like engaging the link and being used to haul the user up onto a marine vessel.

11 13. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is concealed when not inflated so as not to attract sharks or the like but of high visibility when inflated.

14. Life saving apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the balloon is made of a woven material that includes metal fibres, typically stainless steel, capable of radar detection.