AU2004245217B2 - Module used as a lifting aid for watercrafts - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a module for use as a buoyancy aid for watercraft in a maritime emergency. 5 BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART EP-B1 0 919 460 from the same applicant discloses a buoyancy aid for watercraft in a maritime emergency, having at least one floatation bag. Floatation bags are 10 arranged in the interior of the watercraft and can each be inflated by means of a gas source. The floatation bags are connected to the watercraft by means of a restraint. This is dependent on each floatation bag being connected separately to an external gas source, and this requires complex pipelines. 15 One object of the invention is to propose a module which is simple and costs little. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a module for use in a watercraft as a buoyancy aid in 20 a maritime emergency, the module including a flotation bag including an opening and a weather seal, a gas generator including an opening, arranged in the interior of the flotation bag, for inflating the flotation bag, a retaining body including a pin and a trough, a bearing foot, a screw for detachably attaching the bearing foot to the watercraft, and, a restraint for maintaining connection between the module and the 25 watercraft when the bearing foot is detached, wherein the retaining body and bearing foot are configured so as to retain the weather strip therebetween such that the flotation bag is retained by the retaining body, and, wherein the gas generator is located in the trough in an interlocking manner. 30 The arrangement of the gas generator in the floatation bag means that the physical volume of the module is smaller than in the case of separate, externally located, arrangement. In addition, it is simple to pack the floatation bag immediately adjacent to the gas generator, and this has the advantage that the gas generator inflates the floatation bag directly, without any flow losses. The gas losses resulting from flow 35 drag and cooling are thus small. 20/04/10.dh-15368 - speci - cdn.doc.I -2 In an embodiment, the floatation bag has a bag flap to simplify installation of the gas generator. The bag flap is located where the tensile stresses on the floatation bag are at their smallest. One major advantage of the invention is that the module floats 5 freely but constrained by means of the cable after it has been inflated and disconnected from the watercraft, without any risk of any functional adverse effect on the module or the vessel's own devices or other modules. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 10 One exemplary embodiment of the invention is 4 illustrated in the drawings; in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of an inflated floatation bag, and Figure 2 shows a front view of the floatation bag as 5 shown in Figure 1. 15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS A bearing foot 7 is firmly connected to the mounting plate 5 via a separating bolt 9, which can be initiated pyrotechnically, on a mounting plate 5, which is on the inner 20 wall 1 of a watercraft 3. A wound-up cable 13 is stored in a cavity 11 in the 1 bearing foot 7, alongside the separating bolt 9. The cable 13 is connected to the mounting plate 5 and to the bearing foot 7. 25 A cylindrical pin 17 of a retaining body 19 is located in a further cavity 15 in the bearing foot 7. A cylindrical gas generator 23 is mounted in a cylindrical, thin-walled trough 21 with 30 vanes 20 on the retaining body 19, over an area 53. A packaging bag 25 surrounds both a folded-up floatation bag 27, which is mounted on the gas 35 20/04/10.dh-15368 -speci - cdm.doc.2 - 3 generator 23, and the gas generator 23, which is arranged in it. The packaging bag 25 is attached to the base body 7 in a gastight and watertight manner underneath a widened section 31. 5 In the area 55 of the lowest tensile stresses, the floatation bag 27 has openings 50 which can be closed in a watertight and gastight manner by means of a flap 49 on the floatation bag 27, for mounting of the gas 10 generator 23 and of the retaining body 19. The flap 49 overlaps the base bag 47 and is connected to it at 51 in a gastight and watertight manner. A weatherstrip 35 for the floatation bag 27 is mounted 15 in a recess 33. The recess 33 is formed by appropriate channels 37, 38 on the bearing foot 7 and on the retaining body 19. A pressure-relief valve 63 is illustrated symbolically 20 by an arrow. Operating sequence: The gas generator 23 is initiated electrically in order to displace the water in the interior 2. The folded 25 floatation -bag 27, which is still located within the packaging bag 25, starts to fill with gas, with the gas emerging at an opening 41 for the gas generator 23, and entering the floatation bag 27 directly and immediately. 30 Finally, the increase in gas volume in the floatation bag 27 bursts the packaging bag 25, and the floatation bag 27 unfolds to its final size, as shown. The water is correspondingly displaced, and the buoyancy is 35 produced by the filled floatation bag 27. After about 0.2 seconds, the separating bolt 9 is initiated electrically, and releases the bearing foot 7. The floatation bag 27, together with the gas generator 23, the retaining body 19 and the bearing -4 foot 7, moves away by virtue of its buoyancy as far as the length of the cable 13 from the inner wall 1, and tries to find space for itself in the interior 2. 5 One significant factor for the attachment of the floatation bag is that, beyond the weatherstrip 35, the floatation bag 27 is guided by the outer surface 22 of the vanes 20 on the partially cylindrical trough 21 Figure 2. Fluctuations in the floatation bag 27 or 10 extreme changes in the position of the floatation bag 27 do not lead to any kinking on the floatation bag 27. There are no shear stresses on the floatation bag 27. The cylindrical gas generator - see Figure 1 - as well as the radii 43, 45 on the gas generator 23 also 15 contribute to this, on a plane offset through 900. It is also advantageous for gaps 61 which are filled with gas to be formed between the cylindrical gas generator. 23 and the floatation bag 27. These gaps 61 20 form additional buoyancy volume.

Claims (7)

1. 2. A module according to claim 1, wherein the retaining body includes two vanes projecting beyond the pin so as to form the trough. 20
2. 3. A module according to either claim I or claim 2, wherein the gas generator is substantially cylindrical.
3. 4. A module according to claim 3, wherein a part of the cylindrical 25 circumference of the gas generator is located in the trough.
4. 5. A module according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein parts of the flotation bag adjacent the weather strip rest against the vanes. 30 6. A module according to any one of claims I to 5, wherein the flotation bag is foldable. 16/04/10,dh-15368 - claims - cdm.doc,5 -6
5. 7. A module according to claim 6, wherein the gas generator opening rests directly on the folded flotation bag opening.
6. 8. A module according to any one of claims I to 7, wherein the folded flotation 5 bag is mounted directly over the gas generator and is held by a destructible shroud.
7. 9. A module according to claim 8, wherein the destructible shroud is attached to the bearing foot in a water tight and gas tight manner. 10 10. A module according to any one of claims I to 9, wherein the flotation bag includes a further opening, located in an area of lowest tensile stresses, which can be closed in a water tight and gas tight manner by means of a flap on the flotation bag, the further opening enabling mounting of the gas generator. 15 11. A module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 16/04/1O.dh-15368 - claims - cdm.doc,6