AU2006100910A4 - Flotation device - Google Patents

Description

JOHN HANSON

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT FLOTATION DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it know to me:- 2

O

FLOTATION DEVICE Technical Field O This invention relates to safety apparatus for use in water and in particular to a safety apparatus which may be applied to use as a person flotation device.

Background Art There have been in the past a number of occurrences of drownings in surf conditions where swimmers or bathers may be inexperienced in such conditions and/or

O

Oare swimming or bathing in an area which is not patrolled by lifeguards or lifesavers.

I Drownings also often occur as a result of boating accidents. There is thus a need for a

O

device which will assist persons including children in these situations and in particular which will support a person in the water at least temporarily.

A number of different forms of personal flotation device are currently available.

These can be in the configuration of a life jacket or vest which is worn by a user who is partaking in a pastime where water safety is a requirement. Such pastimes include water skiing, and boating including sailing. The currently available life jackets or vests however are generally bulky and restrict movement. Further life jackets or vests are not useful where a person requires a temporary floatation device when swimming or bathing.

Different devices have been proposed for use as personal flotation devices and most of these devices incorporate a gas capsule which includes compressed gas for inflating a flotation member. Gas capsules of this type are only available from specialized suppliers. To release gas into the flotation device, different mechanisms are required for piercing the capsule. These mechanisms are either difficult or awkward to operate such that a person in an emergency situation may not have sufficient presence of mind to actuate the device. The proposed devices also tend to be bulky which means that they are unsuitable for carrying or may be uncomfortable to wear. This therefore discourages persons from using these devices.

Summary Of The Invention The present invention aims to provide to provide safety apparatus in the form of personal flotation device which is relatively compact and may be simply and effectively worn or carried by a user to provide protection against drowning. The flotation device of the invention is particularly suited for use by a person swimming or engaging in watersports or similar activities but may also be used in other situations. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

IND 3 0 The present invention thus provides in one preferred aspect a flotation device comprising O an inflatable bladder; a gas container containing a compressed gas for inflating said bladder, valve means through which a gas may be charged into said container; and _actuating means for actuating said valve means to allow release of gas from said container into said bladder to inflate said bladder.

Preferably the gas container comprises a tubular member defining therein a gas Ichamber. Suitably the valve means is provided at one end of the tubular member and the one end of the tubular member projects into the bladder. Preferably the bladder has a mouth which is sealed to the tubular member. Clamp means are suitably provided for clamping and sealing the mouth of the bladder to the tubular member. The clamp means may comprise an annular clamp such as a hose-type clamp. Preferably the tubular member is provided with an annular groove at its end opposite the one end and the annular clamp clamps the mouth of the bladder within the annular groove.

Preferably the tubular member and bladder are located within an external casing.

Preferably the casing is a two part longitudinally split casing. Preferably the two parts of the casing are normally interconnected but may be released upon and by inflation of the bladder. Any form of interconnection means may be provided between the casing parts for this purpose such as a "snap" interconnection means or a complementary ribs and grooves in the respective parts.

One of the parts of the casing may allow for external actuation of the actuating means. Preferably the one part of the casing includes a flexible portion which allows for actuation of the actuating means. The flexible portion may comprise part of a flexible insert in the one part of the casing.

The tubular member may be transparent or translucent or include a transparent or translucent section whereby the presence of gas in the tubular member can be ascertained. The tubular member may be a relatively rigid tubular member such as a moulded tubular member.

The inflatable bladder may be formed of any suitable thin flexible or pliable material substantially impervious to the propellant or gas. Typically, the bladder may be formed of plastics material, such as a thin vinyl material, a latex rubber, or neoprene.

Preferably the bladder elastically expands with expansion of the gas when released from N4

O

the chamber. The bladder of course may be of any shape or configuration.

Preferably the actuating means when actuated maintains the valve means in an O open position. The valve means may comprise a valve actuating member which extends from the gas container and the valve actuating means is adapted to cooperate with the valve actuating member. Preferably the actuating means includes a lever member _associated with the valve actuating member, the lever member when moved causing movement of the valve actuating member and opening of the valve means. Preferably _the lever member is adapted to be moved by means of an actuating shaft or pin.

NPreferably the actuating shaft or pin includes or is secured to an actuating member or S 10 button which when depressed may advance the actuating shaft or pin. Preferably the actuating shaft or pin is angled relative to the lever member. The actuating pin or shaft suitably extends through an angled bore in the tubular member or an extension thereof.

Preferably the actuating member or button is actuable through the flexible portion of the one casing part.

Preferably a strap or lanyard is secured to the gas container. The strap or lanyard may be secured to the gas container by the hose-type clamp as referred to above. The strap or lanyard suitably extends into one end of the casing for connection to the gas container. Preferably the casing includes one or more slots through which the strap or lanyard pass. The strap or lanyard may be worn around the neck or as a belt around the waist of a user. The strap or lanyard may be an elastic strap or lanyard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of a personal flotation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the casing for the flotation device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the inflation unit of the flotation device; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal part-sectional view of the flotation device; Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the gas releasing mechanism of the inflation unit of the flotation device; Fig. 7 is a side view of the gas release mechanism after actuation; Fig. 8 illustrates the flotation device during actuation; and D

O

O Fig. 9 illustrates the manner in which the apparatus may be worn by a person.

O DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and firstly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a personal flotation device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention which includes an elongated casing 11 (shown also in Fig. 2) which is longitudinally split into two parts comprising an upper part 12 and a lower part 13 and which normally enclose an inflation unit 14 (see Fig. The upper and lower parts 12 and 13 of the casing 11 are adapted to be snap-fit together by cooperable couplings 15 and 16 extending around the periphery of the parts 12 and 13. The upper part 12 has a flexible insert 17 formed of rubber or similar material which has a dome-like enlargement 18 at one end of the part 12. The opposite ends of the parts 12 and 13 have part circular recesses which cooperate to define a circular opening 19 at the end of the casing 11. Each part 12 and 13 also has a curved slot 20 and 21 respectively outwardly of the opening 19 to receive respective ends of a looped lanyard or strap 22.

The inflation unit 14 shown also in Fig. 4 includes an elongated hollow tubular member 23 which is preferably formed of a transparent or translucent material such as plastics and which defines an internal gas chamber 24. The tubular member 23 may be divided into a main body part 25 and an end part 26 joined and sealed to the main body part 25 such as by sonic welding. The end part 26 carries a conventional spring loaded one-way valve 27 which enables gas to be charged into the chamber 24. The valve 27 includes an outwardly extending valve spigot member 28 which has an enlarged head 29 (see also Fig. the valve member 28 being moved outwardly to allow for charging of the chamber 24 with gas or for release of gas from the chamber 24.

An actuating mechanism 30 is provided to actuated the valve 27 and allow release of gas from the chamber 27. The actuating mechanism 30 includes a lever arm 31 which is bifurcated into two legs 32 at one end (see Fig. the legs 32 locating on opposite sides of and beneath the head 29 of the valve spigot member 28. The actuating mechanism 30 additionally includes an actuating pin 33 which is received slidably in a bore 34 which extends at acute angle from a side of the end member 26 through the end of the end member 26 to intersect the lever arm 31 and extend into an opening therein, the end of the pin 33 being of reduced diameter such that a shoulder 36 is defined therein which locates on the underside of the lever arm 31. The opposite end of I6 the pin 32 is provided with an actuating member 37 in the form of a planar push plate or button.

O An inflatable balloon-like bladder 38 which is preferably formed of a lightweight impervious material suitably vinyl or plastics is provided for inflation by the gas in the chamber 24. The mouth 39 of the bladder 38 surrounds the tubular member 23 _and is sealed thereto such that the actuating mechanism 30 is located within the bladder 38. For securing the mouth 39 of the bladder 38 to the tubular member 23, the main body 25 of the member 23 is provided with an annular recess 40 adjacent the end of the Ibody 25 opposite the actuating mechanism 30. The mouth 39 of the bladder 38 is S 10 secured by means of a hose-type clamp 41 within the recess 40. The opposite ends of the lanyard or strap 22 also extend into the recess 40 through the slots 20 and 21 on opposite sides of the casing I land are clamped in position by means of the clamp 41.

The inflation unit 14 is located with the casing 11 between the two parts 12 and 13 of the casing 11 which cooperate through the cooperable couplings 15 and 16 to retain the inflation unit 14 with in the casing 11. In this position, the actuating member 37 of the mechanism 30 is located in the domed portion 18 of the casing part 12. As the portion 18 is flexible, a force may be applied to the actuating member 37 through the flexible domed portion 18 to actuate the device Thus when it is required to inflate the bladder 38, the actuating member 37 is depressed through the flexible domed portion 18 of the insert 17 which will cause the pin 33 to be urged forwardly as shown in Fig. 7 to cause the lever arm 31 to be pivoted away from the end of the end part 26 of the tubular member 23. The will, because of the cooperation between the end 29 of the valve member 28 and arm 31, cause the valve 27 to open and release the compressed gas from the chamber 24 into the bladder 38 through the valve 27. The bladder 38 will thus inflate as shown in Fig. 8 and as the bladder 38 inflates, the two parts 12 and 13 of the casing 11 will be separated from and fall away from each other as the force of the inflating bladder 38 is sufficient to disconnect the couplings 15 and 16 between the casing parts 12 and 13. The bladder 38 will thus inflate to its maximum extent determined by the volume of gas contained within the chamber 24 and the inflated bladder 38 can then be used to support a person who may for example be in difficulties whilst swimming. The valve 27 will remain open as it cannot move back to a closed position as the lever arm 31 which is located under the head 29 of the valve spigot 38 is held in its actuating position by the angled pin 33. To ensure I7

O

however that the valve 27 does not close, the end part 26 of the tubular member 23 may be provided with a groove 42 in which the actuating member 37 locates when it is O actuated to the position in Fig. 7, the groove 42 preventing the actuating member 37 being moved rearwardly.

The lanyard 22 may be an endless loop which can be simply worn around the _neck of a user so that the flotation device 10 is suspended from the neck as shown in Fig.

9. Alternatively, the lanyard 22 may be formed of an elastic or resilient material such _that it may be worn around the waist in the nature of a belt. In this case and when the Idevice 10 is actuated, the bladder 38 will be inflated at the front of the user who may 10 with one or both hands hold the inflated bladder 38 against the body so as to receive buoyant support until rescued or he or she is able to make their own way to safety. The two parts of the lanyard or strap 22 may be joined together such as by sewing so that when worn around the waist, the device 10 will hang downwardly. The device 10 may also be positioned underneath the shorts or swimsuit of the wearer.

The tubular member 25 being transparent may be viewed by a user through the circular opening 19 in the casing 11 so that a check can be made as to whether the chamber 24 contains the gas or propellant which in the compressed state is in a liquid form.

The bladder 38 whilst being described to be of a balloon shape may be of any other shape or configuration. The gas stored in the capsule is preferably a propellant gas however other gases may be employed. Any suitable means may be provided for releasably securing the device 10 to the user. Such means may comprise buckles, clips or other fasteners. Of course, the device 10 may be simply hand carried for use in other situations for example where sailing or boating or attached to another part of the body. In this case, a quick release fastener may be provided to normally hold the bladder in the position but which when released will allow rapid bladder inflation.

The terms "comprising" or "comprises" as used throughout the specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s, integer/s, component/s or group thereof.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such variations and modifications thereto as would be apparent to persons S8 0 0 skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

0 S

Claims (3)

1. 2. A flotation device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gas container comprises a tubular member defining therein a gas chamber, said valve means being provided at one end of the tubular member, said one end of the tubular member projecting into the bladder and said tubular member being sealed to said bladder.
2. 3. A flotation device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tubular member and bladder are located within a two part casing, said parts of said casing being normally interconnected but being disconnected upon inflation of the bladder.
3. 4. A flotation device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said actuating means when actuated is adapted to maintain the valve means in an open position to allow for inflation of said bladder. A flotation device as claimed in claim 4 wherein one part of said casing includes a flexible portion which allows for actuation of the actuating means externally of said casing. Dated this twenty- fourth day of October 2006 JOHN HANSON By His Patent Attorney JH R G GARDNER