CA1245914A - Ocean survival suit - Google Patents
Ocean survival suitInfo
- Publication number
- CA1245914A CA1245914A CA000546705A CA546705A CA1245914A CA 1245914 A CA1245914 A CA 1245914A CA 000546705 A CA000546705 A CA 000546705A CA 546705 A CA546705 A CA 546705A CA 1245914 A CA1245914 A CA 1245914A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- suit
- enclosure
- human body
- water
- user
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
- B63C9/06—Floatable closed containers with accommodation for one or more persons inside
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
- B63C9/06—Floatable closed containers with accommodation for one or more persons inside
- B63C9/065—Floatable closed containers with accommodation for one or more persons inside for one person
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel ocean sur-vival suit. More particularly, the invention relates to an ocean survival suit comprising a watertight floata-tion device in the general dimensions of a human body.
The floatation device is constructed from one or more closed inflatable cells which provide both buoyancy and insulation. The suit may be inflated and entered after the user is already in the water.
This invention relates to a novel ocean sur-vival suit. More particularly, the invention relates to an ocean survival suit comprising a watertight floata-tion device in the general dimensions of a human body.
The floatation device is constructed from one or more closed inflatable cells which provide both buoyancy and insulation. The suit may be inflated and entered after the user is already in the water.
Description
OCEAN SU~VIVAL SUIT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel ocean sur-vival suit. More particularly, the invention relates to an ocean survival suit comprising a watertight floatation device in the general dimensions of a human body. The floatation device is constructed from one or more closed inflatable cells which provide both buoyancy and insulation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An ocean survival suit is needed to ensure the survival of persons who are shipwrecked at sea by keeping them afloat and warm in the frigid waters long enough for them to be rescued. To keep people alive in such harsh conditions it is necessary that the survival suit provide both floatation so the person does not drown as well as insulation from the cold ocean water to prevent death due to exposure. The suit must be well insulated to keep the cold water from rapidly cooling the user of the suit and causing hypothermia and death.
The longer the user stays warm and afloat, the better are his chances of rescue.
Various prior art ocean survival suits are known. Beck, United States Patent No. 174,655 discloses an early form of water survival suit constituted of sail cloth and hoops. The suit has a circular air chamber to maintain floatation and has flexible legs protected by metal bands which allow the user to propel the suit by kicking his legs. The suit generally floats vertically in the water.
Il5~
Shafer, United States Patent No. 1,214,904 discloses a life preserver suit which has a waterproof suit with arms and legs with attached boots and gloves and an open section for the user's face with a surrounding seal. The life preserver floatation device is separate from the suit itself. The suit itself does not provide floatation and only minimal insulation.
O'Neill, United States Patent No. 3,731,319 discloses a wet suit designed for athletic use. The entire suit is inflated through an inflation valve if bouyancy is desired. The air is retained between the user and the inside of the suit and not in distinct closed inflatable cells. The suit does not cover the user's head, hands and feet, and would be difficult to put on while the user is in the water.
Potter, United States Patent No. ~,062,079 discloses an inflatable body suit in the shape of a union suit for survival in the water and has a hand pump for inflation of the suit. Air is contained between an inner and outer layer of the suit.
A problem with prior art survival suits is that the user must have donned the suit prior to entry into the water. This will often not be possible in the circumstances of a precipitous ocean disaster.
SU~MARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an ocean sur-vival suit for maintaining a human user afloat and warm in a body of water.
The ocean survival suit comprises a floatation means in the general dimensions of a human body which is constructed from at least one closed inflatable cell.
_ 3 _ ~4~9i~
The suit is capable of being entered by the user when it is either on land or floating in the water and complete-ly full with water. The closed inflatable cells provide for both buoyancy and insulation of the user.
The exterior of the ocean survival suit may be brightly coloured so that it may be easily recognized and located by a search and rescue when it is floating in a large body of water.
The ocean survival suit further comprises sleeves for receiving the user's arms that allow the user to maneuver the ocean survival suit in the water by paddling his arms. A watertight fastening means sur-rounds the face opening and suit entrance of the suitand renders the suit watertight once the user has fastened himselE inside it.
The floatation means is inflated through the use of a compressed gas cylinder. A breathing tube may be attached to the ocean survival suit in such a way as to allow the user to continue breathing should the suit become inverted in a body of water and the user's face is immersed ih the water. A signal balloon may be attached to the suit to facilitate location and identi-fication of the ocean survival suit during a rescue operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate specific embodi-ments of the ocean survival suit, but which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way:
Figure 1 illustrates a top view of the ocean survival suit of the invention with the user inside.
_ 4 ~ 5~
Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the ocean survival suit of Figure 1 shown in floating position.
Figure 3 illustrates a top view of a second embodiment of the ocean survival suit with the user inside.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A
SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illus-trates a top view of the ocean survival suit with the user inside. The suit 1 is shown to be generally in the shape of the human body with inflatable arm sleeves 2 protruding from the tubular body enclosure 3. The in-flatable cells 4 are shown to run in a longitudinal direction along the tubular body enclosure 3. The length and width of the suit may be set to accommodate a variety of sizes of people. A drainage pump 5 is shown in the midsection of the suit 1. The drainage pump 5 is used to remove excess water from the suit if, for example, the suit was entered or inflated while in the water.
A grappling belt 6 is secured around the ap-proximate centre of gravity of the occupied suit as agrappling means for removing the suit 1 from the water upon rescue. A rubber seal 7 surrounds the opening for the user's face 8 and the entrance to the suit 9. The seal 7 forms a water tight seal once the user has fastened himself inside the suit 1 and may be tightened against the face using a drawstring or adhesive. The suit entrance 9 is fastened by a zipper covered by a cover flap secured by VELCROm or the like.
Figure 1 further illustrates the pocket 11 which is affixed to the suit 1 so that it is easily ac-cessible to the user. The pocket 11 may contain a gas _ 5 _ ~ 5~
cylinder which may be used to inflate the suit. The pocket is also intended to hold a signal balloon and a distress flair not indicated in Figure 1.
A breathing tube 12 is located with the mouth-piece 18 at the face opening and extends to the bottom of the suit. The breathing tube 12 is affixed to the suit in this fashion to allow the user to breath through the breathing tube 12 should the suit 1 be overturned in the water so that instead of floating on his back, as contemplated, the user finds himself temporarily face down in the water. The breathing tube 12 will allow the user to continue to breath while he attempts to right himself with his arms. Lightweight goggles could also be provided in the storage pocket to protect the user's eyes.
The inflatable cells ~ are inflated with com-pressed air through the inflation valve 13. It is con-templated that the user will pull a cord or the like tocause the compressed air in the cylinder to inflate the suit 1. The lengthwise cells will be connected by air passages so that the entire suit is inflated from one source, or they may be grouped into two or more sections for safety purposes.
The suit also comprises non-inflatable flex-ible mitts 1~ attached to the inflatable sleeves 2 for the purpose of allowing the user to propel the suit in a desired direction by paddling with his forearms or to right himself should the suit become overturned.
Slits 15 are provided in the top surface of the mits to allow the user to extend his hands from the suit to manipulate objects. The slits are sealed by VELCRO - secured flaps or the like. The forearm portion - 6 - ~2~S~4 16 of the suit as well as the chest piece 17 will be of the same waterproof material as the rest of the suit, nylon or ru~berized canvas, but will not inflate. The suit may have a fluorescent or shiny coating for easy spotting.
Figure 2 further illustrates a signal balloon floating in the air attached to the suit by a light string 21. The signal balloon is inflated in a known manner, by the user injecting helium or other lighter-than-air gas into it through the use of a compressed gas cylinder located in the pocket 11. The deployment of the breathing tube 12 is more clearly illustrated in this figure. The hand pump 5 is indicated as well as a grappling buckle 19 which is affixed to the grappling belt 6 and used for rescue purposes to secure a cable from a helicopter.
Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention which uses inflatable cells 31 which extend generally across the width of the suit 30 rather than along the length as in Figure 1. Inflation is performed by a compressed air cylinder 32 affixed directly to the suit 30 in a known way. The grappling belt 33 is placed just underneath the sleeves 34 at approximately armpit level of the user and not at the center of gravity of the occupied suit as in Figure 1.
Straps 35 are attached to the sides of the suit to facilitate the maneuvering of the inflated suit when the user is in the water and attempting to enter the suit.
In use, the non-inflated suit is carried in a folded orientation, for example in a back-pack. In the event of emergency, such as the user being swept overboard, the suit is removed from the back-pack while the user is in the water and inflated using the gas cartridge. The user would then slide into the device, feet first, much as he would climb onto an air mattress.
~45~
Most of the water in the suit would then be displaced.
The user's arms would be inserted into the arms of the suit, and the zipper closed up tightl~ about his face.
The remaining water in the suit would be removed using the hand pump. The user would then float safely and warmly on the surface of the water.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art of survival suit making in the light of the fore-going disclosure, many alterations and modifications arepossible in the practice of this invention without de-parting from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accor-dance with the substance defined by the following claims.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel ocean sur-vival suit. More particularly, the invention relates to an ocean survival suit comprising a watertight floatation device in the general dimensions of a human body. The floatation device is constructed from one or more closed inflatable cells which provide both buoyancy and insulation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An ocean survival suit is needed to ensure the survival of persons who are shipwrecked at sea by keeping them afloat and warm in the frigid waters long enough for them to be rescued. To keep people alive in such harsh conditions it is necessary that the survival suit provide both floatation so the person does not drown as well as insulation from the cold ocean water to prevent death due to exposure. The suit must be well insulated to keep the cold water from rapidly cooling the user of the suit and causing hypothermia and death.
The longer the user stays warm and afloat, the better are his chances of rescue.
Various prior art ocean survival suits are known. Beck, United States Patent No. 174,655 discloses an early form of water survival suit constituted of sail cloth and hoops. The suit has a circular air chamber to maintain floatation and has flexible legs protected by metal bands which allow the user to propel the suit by kicking his legs. The suit generally floats vertically in the water.
Il5~
Shafer, United States Patent No. 1,214,904 discloses a life preserver suit which has a waterproof suit with arms and legs with attached boots and gloves and an open section for the user's face with a surrounding seal. The life preserver floatation device is separate from the suit itself. The suit itself does not provide floatation and only minimal insulation.
O'Neill, United States Patent No. 3,731,319 discloses a wet suit designed for athletic use. The entire suit is inflated through an inflation valve if bouyancy is desired. The air is retained between the user and the inside of the suit and not in distinct closed inflatable cells. The suit does not cover the user's head, hands and feet, and would be difficult to put on while the user is in the water.
Potter, United States Patent No. ~,062,079 discloses an inflatable body suit in the shape of a union suit for survival in the water and has a hand pump for inflation of the suit. Air is contained between an inner and outer layer of the suit.
A problem with prior art survival suits is that the user must have donned the suit prior to entry into the water. This will often not be possible in the circumstances of a precipitous ocean disaster.
SU~MARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an ocean sur-vival suit for maintaining a human user afloat and warm in a body of water.
The ocean survival suit comprises a floatation means in the general dimensions of a human body which is constructed from at least one closed inflatable cell.
_ 3 _ ~4~9i~
The suit is capable of being entered by the user when it is either on land or floating in the water and complete-ly full with water. The closed inflatable cells provide for both buoyancy and insulation of the user.
The exterior of the ocean survival suit may be brightly coloured so that it may be easily recognized and located by a search and rescue when it is floating in a large body of water.
The ocean survival suit further comprises sleeves for receiving the user's arms that allow the user to maneuver the ocean survival suit in the water by paddling his arms. A watertight fastening means sur-rounds the face opening and suit entrance of the suitand renders the suit watertight once the user has fastened himselE inside it.
The floatation means is inflated through the use of a compressed gas cylinder. A breathing tube may be attached to the ocean survival suit in such a way as to allow the user to continue breathing should the suit become inverted in a body of water and the user's face is immersed ih the water. A signal balloon may be attached to the suit to facilitate location and identi-fication of the ocean survival suit during a rescue operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate specific embodi-ments of the ocean survival suit, but which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way:
Figure 1 illustrates a top view of the ocean survival suit of the invention with the user inside.
_ 4 ~ 5~
Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the ocean survival suit of Figure 1 shown in floating position.
Figure 3 illustrates a top view of a second embodiment of the ocean survival suit with the user inside.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A
SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illus-trates a top view of the ocean survival suit with the user inside. The suit 1 is shown to be generally in the shape of the human body with inflatable arm sleeves 2 protruding from the tubular body enclosure 3. The in-flatable cells 4 are shown to run in a longitudinal direction along the tubular body enclosure 3. The length and width of the suit may be set to accommodate a variety of sizes of people. A drainage pump 5 is shown in the midsection of the suit 1. The drainage pump 5 is used to remove excess water from the suit if, for example, the suit was entered or inflated while in the water.
A grappling belt 6 is secured around the ap-proximate centre of gravity of the occupied suit as agrappling means for removing the suit 1 from the water upon rescue. A rubber seal 7 surrounds the opening for the user's face 8 and the entrance to the suit 9. The seal 7 forms a water tight seal once the user has fastened himself inside the suit 1 and may be tightened against the face using a drawstring or adhesive. The suit entrance 9 is fastened by a zipper covered by a cover flap secured by VELCROm or the like.
Figure 1 further illustrates the pocket 11 which is affixed to the suit 1 so that it is easily ac-cessible to the user. The pocket 11 may contain a gas _ 5 _ ~ 5~
cylinder which may be used to inflate the suit. The pocket is also intended to hold a signal balloon and a distress flair not indicated in Figure 1.
A breathing tube 12 is located with the mouth-piece 18 at the face opening and extends to the bottom of the suit. The breathing tube 12 is affixed to the suit in this fashion to allow the user to breath through the breathing tube 12 should the suit 1 be overturned in the water so that instead of floating on his back, as contemplated, the user finds himself temporarily face down in the water. The breathing tube 12 will allow the user to continue to breath while he attempts to right himself with his arms. Lightweight goggles could also be provided in the storage pocket to protect the user's eyes.
The inflatable cells ~ are inflated with com-pressed air through the inflation valve 13. It is con-templated that the user will pull a cord or the like tocause the compressed air in the cylinder to inflate the suit 1. The lengthwise cells will be connected by air passages so that the entire suit is inflated from one source, or they may be grouped into two or more sections for safety purposes.
The suit also comprises non-inflatable flex-ible mitts 1~ attached to the inflatable sleeves 2 for the purpose of allowing the user to propel the suit in a desired direction by paddling with his forearms or to right himself should the suit become overturned.
Slits 15 are provided in the top surface of the mits to allow the user to extend his hands from the suit to manipulate objects. The slits are sealed by VELCRO - secured flaps or the like. The forearm portion - 6 - ~2~S~4 16 of the suit as well as the chest piece 17 will be of the same waterproof material as the rest of the suit, nylon or ru~berized canvas, but will not inflate. The suit may have a fluorescent or shiny coating for easy spotting.
Figure 2 further illustrates a signal balloon floating in the air attached to the suit by a light string 21. The signal balloon is inflated in a known manner, by the user injecting helium or other lighter-than-air gas into it through the use of a compressed gas cylinder located in the pocket 11. The deployment of the breathing tube 12 is more clearly illustrated in this figure. The hand pump 5 is indicated as well as a grappling buckle 19 which is affixed to the grappling belt 6 and used for rescue purposes to secure a cable from a helicopter.
Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention which uses inflatable cells 31 which extend generally across the width of the suit 30 rather than along the length as in Figure 1. Inflation is performed by a compressed air cylinder 32 affixed directly to the suit 30 in a known way. The grappling belt 33 is placed just underneath the sleeves 34 at approximately armpit level of the user and not at the center of gravity of the occupied suit as in Figure 1.
Straps 35 are attached to the sides of the suit to facilitate the maneuvering of the inflated suit when the user is in the water and attempting to enter the suit.
In use, the non-inflated suit is carried in a folded orientation, for example in a back-pack. In the event of emergency, such as the user being swept overboard, the suit is removed from the back-pack while the user is in the water and inflated using the gas cartridge. The user would then slide into the device, feet first, much as he would climb onto an air mattress.
~45~
Most of the water in the suit would then be displaced.
The user's arms would be inserted into the arms of the suit, and the zipper closed up tightl~ about his face.
The remaining water in the suit would be removed using the hand pump. The user would then float safely and warmly on the surface of the water.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art of survival suit making in the light of the fore-going disclosure, many alterations and modifications arepossible in the practice of this invention without de-parting from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accor-dance with the substance defined by the following claims.
Claims (6)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An ocean survival suit comprising:
a) an inflatable, water-proof, mattress-like enclosure comprising at least one inflatable cell and forming a cavity sized to receive a human body, having an opening adjacent one end thereof to allow the entry of said human body, and having a water-contacting lower surface which when inflated forms a laterally and longitudinally extended planar support for said human body;
b) means for closing said opening to a size able to expose only the face or a portion of the face of said human body;
c) means for sealing said opening against the entry of water, and d) means for inflating said enclosure.
a) an inflatable, water-proof, mattress-like enclosure comprising at least one inflatable cell and forming a cavity sized to receive a human body, having an opening adjacent one end thereof to allow the entry of said human body, and having a water-contacting lower surface which when inflated forms a laterally and longitudinally extended planar support for said human body;
b) means for closing said opening to a size able to expose only the face or a portion of the face of said human body;
c) means for sealing said opening against the entry of water, and d) means for inflating said enclosure.
2. The survival suit of claim 1 further comprising two arm-like extensions communicating with the interior of said enclosure for receiving the arms of said human body.
3. The survival suit of claim 2 further comprising belt means encircling said enclosure at a point between said arm-like extensions and the end of said enclosure distant from said opening for securing a rescue line.
4. The survival suit of claims 1, 2 or 3 further comprising pump means adapted to evacuate liquid from the interior of said enclosure.
5. The survival suit of claims 1, 2 or 3 further comprising hollow tube means having a first end adjacent said face opening and a second end extending in a direc-tion away from the side of the enclosure opposite said face opening.
6. The survival suit of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said arm-like extensions comprise a removably sealable aperture to permit the extension of a hand of said human body from said enclosure.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000546705A CA1245914A (en) | 1987-09-11 | 1987-09-11 | Ocean survival suit |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000546705A CA1245914A (en) | 1987-09-11 | 1987-09-11 | Ocean survival suit |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1245914A true CA1245914A (en) | 1988-12-06 |
Family
ID=4136424
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000546705A Expired CA1245914A (en) | 1987-09-11 | 1987-09-11 | Ocean survival suit |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1245914A (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1182129A1 (en) * | 2000-08-24 | 2002-02-27 | Jack A. Fleischli | Combination lifejacket and protective body heat retaining pod |
| US6488188B2 (en) | 2001-04-02 | 2002-12-03 | Jack A. Fleischli | Combination backpack and protective body heat retaining pod |
| US20120270453A1 (en) * | 2011-04-25 | 2012-10-25 | Feng-Jung Chang | Fully shrouded self-rescue inflatable boat |
| WO2017065673A1 (en) * | 2015-10-14 | 2017-04-20 | Poseidon Diving Group Ab | Demand valve for use in a breathing equipment |
-
1987
- 1987-09-11 CA CA000546705A patent/CA1245914A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1182129A1 (en) * | 2000-08-24 | 2002-02-27 | Jack A. Fleischli | Combination lifejacket and protective body heat retaining pod |
| US6488188B2 (en) | 2001-04-02 | 2002-12-03 | Jack A. Fleischli | Combination backpack and protective body heat retaining pod |
| US20120270453A1 (en) * | 2011-04-25 | 2012-10-25 | Feng-Jung Chang | Fully shrouded self-rescue inflatable boat |
| WO2017065673A1 (en) * | 2015-10-14 | 2017-04-20 | Poseidon Diving Group Ab | Demand valve for use in a breathing equipment |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |