WO2007013048A1

WO2007013048A1 - Inflatable buoyancy device for human body

Info

Publication number: WO2007013048A1
Application number: PCT/IE2005/000078
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bearnárd O'MURCHÚ
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-26
Filing date: 2005-07-26
Publication date: 2007-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-26

Abstract

A buoyancy device for a human body comprises a belt (1) adapted for wearing around a person's waist with guide lines (5) attached, an inflatable buoyancy member (6) shaped to extend around a person's chest, and stored in the belt (1) while deflated, and means (8, 10-12) to inflate the inflatable member (6) which inflatable member (6), upon inflation, is adapted to move from its storage position position to a position to support the person's chest and head.

Description

INFLATABLE BUOYANCY DEVICE FOR HUMAN BODY

This invention relates to inflatable life saving devices. It is well known to provide a buoyant support for a person to assist in floating on water, for example, in cases of emergency. Supports which are inflated by air or another gas are well known and the invention provides an improved support of this type.

A known type of inflatable jacket has an inflatable yoke for placing around the neck and extending over the chest of the wearer. This known type of life jacket is cumbersome to wear because the inflatable portion is retained in position around the wearer's neck specifically at times when it may be required to be used or other known types which are worn around the wearer's waist are also cumbersome, unattractive and obviously a life saving device to be worn specifically at times when it may be required to be used. Even when automatically inflated their maximum efficiency is unlikely to be achieved without the wearer possessing all their physical and mental faculties on the occasion.

This invention, named Aquabelt, allows the wearer to wear it at any time all the time unobtrusively and ensures that on becoming immersed in water even in an unconscious or otherwise injured state the device will trigger inflation automatically and bear them to the surface face to the sky and head supported adequately clear of the water.

The invention provides a buoyancy device comprising a) a belt adapted for wearing around a person's waist with guide lines of cord or other suitable material attached b) an inflatable member, hereinafter described as buoyancy member, shaped to extend around a person's torso from the front of the chest to under the arms and back of the head when inflated and which is stored in the belt while deflated and c) means to inflate the buoyancy member.

A belt is of elongate form with an apertured tongue at one end adapted to cooperate with a buckle at the other end when the belt is positioned around the wearer's waist. The belt has flaps which are press-studded to form a pocket extending within the belt along the length thereof which are opened by pressure from within the pocket. The invention also contemplates the use of other means of closure which are opened by pressure from within the pocket. Two guide lines, of cord or other suitable material, are attached to the inside of the pocket at the front and extending over the shoulders to the nape of the neck where it is joined to a third cord the other end of which is attached to the inside of the belt at the back.

The buoyancy member may have joining means at it's extremities which should be tied together when donning the belt . The two sections of the buoyancy member from these extremities to the armpits may have twice the gas capacity of the rest of the device. Preferably before use all parts of the device except the guide lines may be stored in the pocket of the belt so as to be protected from damage and also a reasonable and inconspicuous appearance can be achieved to the belt itself.

The supply of inflating gas for the buoyancy member may be carried in two compressed gas containers attached to the inside of the belt at the front. Two narrow diameter tubular members may connect the nozzles of the gas containers to the two front sections of the buoyancy member. Thus the whole arrangement can be made in compact form and may be worn around the waist of a person at all times including personnel on or off duty.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a view of the belt;

Fig. 2 shows the whole arrangement laid out with the buoyancy member removed from it's pocket;

Fig. 3 shows the invention in use; and

Fig.4 is a sectional view of a compressed gas container.

A belt 1 of elongate form with an apertured tongue 2 which is engaged with a buckle 3 to secure the belt around a person's waist when donned. The belt has flaps 4 which are press-studded over the pocket extending along it's length and open under pressure from within the pocket. (See Fig.1) Donning the device will include arranging the guide lines 5 so that two of them extend from inside of the belt at the front to over the shoulders to the nape of the neck where they are joined to a third line which is attached at the other end to inside of the middle of the belt at the back. The buoyancy member 6 is attached to the guide lines by means of small diameter hoops 7 through which the guide lines pass. (See Fig.2)

Two conpressed gas containers 8 sealed with salt or other dissoluble substance are shown positioned on the belt. (See Fig.2) Dissolution of the sealing agent releases the gas from the containers. The gas is then transmitted from the nozzles of the containers through small-diameter hollow tubular members to inflate the buoyancy member 7 (see Fig 2) The buoyancy member 6 may be of asymetrically circular form, for example, although when inflated it encircles the upper torso it does not do so on the same horizontal plane. The greater buoyancy, at least twice that of the rest of the device, will inflate the two sections at the front of the chest. The rest of the buoyancy member curves under the arms to the back of the head. (See Figs. 2 and 3)

Tie cords 9 are provided for joining the ends of the buoyancy member at it's extremities. (See Fig.3) Non-return valves 10 are preferably positioned at the points where the tubular members are joined to the buoyancy member and prevents loss of gas from the buoyancy member if the containers or tubular members become detached after inflation. It will be appreciated that in order to prevent loss of gas from the buoyancy member if a tubular member becomes detached the non-return valves will be positioned in the buoyancy member itself at or near the points where the tubular members are joined thereto. A non-return valve may consist of a ball retained on a seat with the aid of a layer of perforated material. (See Fig.2) Gas pressure moves the ball off it's seat to fill the buoyancy member and the pressure in the buoyancy then keeps the ball on it's seat inside the buoyancy member. The gas containers may be secured within the belt in the fastened pocket. This limits the movement of the containers. (See Fig. 2)

A gas container 8 (See Fig 4) to which the invention also extends, is a container suitable for containing gas under pressure and sealed with salt or other dissoluble substance. A non-return valve is located in the side of the nozzle 11 of the container the end of which is attached to a tubular member. (See Figs 2 and 3) Two such gas containers are secured inside the pocket at the front of the belt (See Fig 2).

In use the invention is triggered automatically and functions in the following sequence:

On immersion the water enters through the open ball valves in the necks of the gas containers and dissolves the sealing agent 12. Pressure of released gas then closes the ball valve as it passes through the nozzles to the tubular and buoyant members. The rapid expansion of these members force the press-studs apart and the buoyant members away from their position on the belt. Restricted to the guide lines by the small hoops the buoyant members are moved by inflating pressure in the tubular members towards the upper torso thus greatly enhancing the buoyancy of the body. Whatever the positions of the head and feet in the water the wearer of this Aquabelt device is automatically turned head upwards and bourne to the surface with face to the sky and head adequately supported clear of the water.

The invention thus provides an inflatable device which can be conveniently worn as part of one's apparel at all times of any length prior to use without hampering the wearer and is also of reasonable appearance.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS :

1. A buoyancy device for the human body comprising a) belt adapted for wearing around a person's waist with guide lines attached, b) an inflatable member (buoyancy member) shaped to extend around a person's chest stored in the belt while deflated and c) means to inflate the inflatable member which moves from it's storage position on inflation to a position to support the person's chest and head.

2. A buoyancy device as claimed in claim 1 including guide lines connected to the belt and the inflatable member so that when the inflatable member moves from the belt it can do so only towards a position of support to the chest and head.

3. A buoyancy device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the inflatable member is stored in the pocket in the belt from which pocket it is movable on inflation.

4. A buoyancy device as claimed in claim 3 in which the pocket is retained closed by means which open under pressure from within the pocket as the member inflates.

5. A buoyancy device as claimed in any preceeding claim including a pressurized gas container connected to the inflatable member for the supply of pressurized gas.

6. A buoyancy device as claimed in any preceeding claim in which the inflatable member comprises a circular inflatable tube with means at it's end for joining together to form an asymetrically circular member.

7. A buoyancy device as claimed in any preceeding claim in which the inflatable member is stored along the length of the belt.

8. A buoyancy device for the human body substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.