AU4472899A

AU4472899A - Personal floatation device

Info

Publication number: AU4472899A
Application number: AU44728/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Phillip John Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-26
Filing date: 1999-08-26
Publication date: 2001-03-01

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICE 0 0 66 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

The invention relates to improvements in compact devices designed to provide personal floatation.

The extensive exposure of people to bodies of water throughout the world is immense.

Mostly personal floatation devices are bulky and as such are often not worn in normal circumstances.

The extensive popularity of swimming and beach going often results in people getting themselves into difficulty whereby strong currents and undertow quickly sap the swimmers strength and result in rescue situations and sometimes lead to drowning.

Recreational swimmers who value the freedom provided by modern swimming costumes rarely wear floatation devices when they feel they are not exposed to any great risk. National figures for drowning highlight that you can never become too complacent.

These problems are overcome by the present invention as it is extremely light, compact, easily inflated, and can be worn snugly on the wrist, and if correctly inflated increased buoyancy can be attained.

These problems are overcome by the present invention, which provides a floatation device comprising a light weight, resilient elongated bladder which is folded into a much smaller rectangular shape.

S The device once folded is inserted into a pocket with velcro along both ends which enables the device to fit neatly around the wrist utilizing the velcro to secure the device in place.

When folded correctly a mouth piece with a one way valve is left protruding on the outside of the retaining pocket in a position similar to a wrist watch. The mouthpiece is designed to fit in behind the teeth and clamped to allow easy inflation without necessarily having to hold onto the device.

o:eo S: By first placing the outer part of the inflation valve behind the front teeth the device can be easily and quickly pulled out of the retaining pocket allowing it to come free of the wrist as it is being inflated.

Once inflated the device can be held onto to provide extra floatation or passed around the body under the arms to provide the floatation.

This invention could be used as a back up to conventional floatation equipment or as a stand alone emergency floatation device applicable in appropriate water conditions where the wearer is able to manually inflate the device with exhaled air.

2 In one form the invention is folded and attached to the wrist in a retaining pocket with velcro fasteners.

In one form the invention is inflated manually with expired air.

In another form of the invention a device is attached which can inflate the bladder without having to use expired air.

The bladder and retaining pocket are to be made from lightweight resilient materials appropriate for providing the safety standards expected of this invention.

To assist with the understanding of this invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show one example of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows one example of a floatation device according to this invention, which is thin and flat when uninflated.

Fig.2 shows the floatation device having been folded and inserted into the retaining pocket.

Fig.3 shows the floatation device attached to the wearers wrist.

S" Fig.4 shows the floatation device inflated and formed into the preferred form able to fit around the chest and under the arms of the swimmer.

oo••i Referring to Fig. 1 it can be seen that the floatation device according to this invention comprises an elongate resilient bladder comprised of a lightweight, air tight material which when inflated forms an elongated, oval to round shape.

A one way inflation valve is moulded into the device.

Referring to Fig.2 a lightweight retaining pocket with velcro along the ends has the folded floatation device placed within.

Referring to Fig.3 the retaining pocket with floatation device placed inside is folded around the wrist and held in position by overlapping and pushing together the velcro ends of the pocket.

Referring to Fig.3 it can be seen that the mouth can be positioned to clamp the mouthpiece.

Having clamped the mouth onto the inflation valve (mouthpiece) the device is pulled out of the retaining pocket.

The device is inflated by breathing in through the nose and exhaling through the mouth into the inflation valve until proper inflation is achieved.

Referring to Fig.4 the elongated bladder can be held onto, or placed between the legs or wrapped around the body and tied into the preferred position under the arms with the cords (3) S attached to each end of the device.

By the use of the device as shown, increased floatation can be provided allowing the person to expend less energy thereby extending the time in the water before the wearer becomes S" exhausted.

It will be realized that the floatation device according to this invention is not restricted to the form of being attached to the wrist before inflation or inflated by expired air alone.