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
  • B63C9/08—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like
  • B63C9/11—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like covering the torso, e.g. harnesses
  • B63C9/125—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like covering the torso, e.g. harnesses having gas-filled compartments
  • B63C9/1255—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like covering the torso, e.g. harnesses having gas-filled compartments inflatable

Definitions

• the invention relates to life jacket intended to protected divers while breath-hold
• Group B 63 C including Life-saving in water
• Subgroup 9/08 including Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits or the like.
• the invention also belongs to the Section A - Human Necessities; Group A 62 B - including Devices, apparatus, or methods for life-saving; Subgroup 35/00 - including Safety belts or body harnesses.
• the oxygen partial pressure in the lungs depends on the dive depth.
• the partial pressure at 10 m depth is twice larger than at the surface, at 20 m it is three times larger, etc. Therefore, the diver, who is at a certain depth, apparently has enough oxygen in the lungs and has no feeling of air hunger.
• the environmental pressure decreases and the oxygen partial pressure in the lungs suddenly falls.
• the essence of the invention is the breath-take diving life jacket, designed and built, when inflated, to keep the diver's head above the water.
• the jacket is activated and inflated automatically when it is detected that the diver is unconscious. It is activated by an electronic device that detects the beginning of the dive by detecting the increase of the outer pressure, turning itself active. When the outer pressure falls below a certain value, the electronic device detects surfacing and automatically starts countdown. At this moment, the diver is at the surface and, if conscious, he stops the countdown by pressing a button. If, after a certain period of time (about 5-10 sec), the diver did not press the button, the electronic device activates a sound alarm for a few seconds (up to 5 sec), warning the diver that he did not switch the timer off. If the diver still does not react, it is highly likely that he is unconscious, and the electronic device automatically activates the pressured gas cylinder that inflates the life jacket which, again, positions the diver's head above the water surface.
• Figure 1 shows the breath-take diving life-jacket - perspective view.
• Figure 2. shows the breath-take diving life-jacket shown in the Fig. 1, on the diver at the surface, in his normal position taken after surfacing.
• Figure 3. shows an inflated life-jacket on the diver.
• Figure 4. shows block diagram of the life-jacket electronic device.
• the critical stage of a breath-take dive is the surfacing.
• the diver's face remains immersed in the water and, when an uncontrolled inhalation occurs, the lungs are filled with water and the diver drowns.
• the purpose of the invention is to keep the diver's head above the water surface in case of unconsciousness. In such case, when the muscles are relaxed, the diver starts breathing normally. In great many cases this is sufficient to safe the life of a diver who, after a few inhalations, wakes naturally from the state of unconsciousness.
• the breath-take diving life-jacket comprises: the front and the back air bags, the front one being larger, fixed to the shoulder straps that keep the life jacket on the diver's body; the elastic belt with fastener that fixes the jacket around the diver's waist or chest; the compressed gas cylinder that, in case of drowning hazard, automatically activates and inflates the air bags, the life jacket rising the diver's head above the surface if it is detected that the diver floats unconscious; and the electronic device that controls the life jacket and comprises: the pressure sensor that detects the beginning of the dive and the surfacing, the controlling logics (micro-controller) that controls all functions of the device, the electromagnetic trigger that activates the gas cylinder, the manual switch by which the diver stops countdown of the automatic activation of the electromagnetic trigger, the sound alarm that additionally warns the diver to press the manual switch if he is conscious, and batteries that power the electronic device.
• the electronic device that controls the life jacket and comprises: the pressure sensor that detects the beginning of the dive and the surfacing, the controlling
• the inflated life jacket is to be shaped to keep the diver's mouth as higher from the surface as possible, providing free inhalation of air and preventing the diver to sink and drown.
• the breath-take diving life-jacket may be embodied as a life-jacket independent from the existing diving equipment, or as a part of the existing diving equipment.
• the appearance of the breath-take diving life-jacket 1 as shown in the Figure 1. is not compulsory but illustrates its functioning only.
• the life jacket comprises: front air-bag 2, back air-bag 3, shoulder straps 4, elastic belt 5, belt fastener 6, compressed gas cylinder 7, and electronic device 8, which again comprises: pressure sensor 9, control logics (micro-controller) 10, electromagnetic trigger 11, manual switch 12, sound alarm 13, and batteries 14.
• the life jacket is designed to keep, when inflated, the diver 15 in the wanted position (Fig. 3.).
• the life jacked is not large, because the intention is not to significantly influence the diver's buoyancy, which is always positive at the surface, and it is desirable that the jacket does not hamper the diver in his normal activity.
• the life jacket is put over the diver's shoulders and fastened on the chest.
• the air bags, the front one being larger, are located at the diver's breast and the back, as high as possible in order to keep, when inflated, the diver's head 16 above the water surface 17.
• On the right-hand shoulder strap there is the manual switch for switching the timer off, located so that the diver can switch the timer off easily and quickly, by a simple hand motion.
• Figure 2 presents the life jacket on the diver, at the surface, in his normal position upon surfacing. This is the position the diver takes also in the case of loosing the consciousness. The diver's face is immersed, and he will not, by pressing the switch, deactivate the electromagnetic trigger and, thus, prevent activation of the life jacket.
• the life jacket is provided with a pressured gas (CO 2 ) cylinder, that is perforated by a needle activated automatically by the electromagnetic trigger if the diver fails to switch the timer off manually after surfacing.
• CO 2 pressured gas
• the life jacket may also be embodied with an electronically operated valve instead of the needle and the electromagnetic trigger.
• the electronic device is constructed to prevent switching off by an accidental pressure against the switch, e.g. in contact with the sea bed, because it is activated only when the outer pressure is decreased again, i.e., upon detection of surfacing.
• the life jacket is embodied as part of the existing diving equipment.
• An option is to construct the life jacket as part of the diving weight carried on the back. Divers often use such weight in underwater fishing, in order to distribute the weight of the plumb weights more evenly all over the body.
• the jacket is placed on the diver's shoulders and fastened at the chest. On the diver's back, as a part of the life jacket, there is a plumb weight.
• the air bags are in the shoulder straps and at the chest. This enables an even better position of an unconscious diver, since now, because of the load at his back, he leans further back, wherefore his mouth and nose are even farther above the water surface.
• the electronic device and the manual switch for stopping the timer are placed on one of the shoulder straps.
• the life jacket is provided with a pressured gas (CO 2 ) cylinder, that is perforated by a needle activated automatically by the electromagnetic trigger if the diver fails to switch the timer off manually after surfacing.
• CO 2 pressured gas
• the life jacked is to be made of usual materials and by the technology that is used in manufacturing jackets presently used on board vessels and aircraft, such as life jackets, buoyancy compensators for scuba diving, etc. It is important that the life jacket is resistant to wear since possible damages could prevent the intended effect.
• the invention is produced as separate from the existing breath-take diving equipment, or as part of such equipment.
• the diver uses it in every breath-diving immersion.
• the device is never activated.
• the cylinder In case of activation of the compressed gas cylinder that inflates the jacket, the cylinder is to be replaced and the device is to be inspected before its next use.
• the battery Upon activation of the life jacket, besides replacing of the gas cylinder, the battery is to be replaced as well. The battery is to be replaced at adequate intervals in any case.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
• Outer Garments And Coats (AREA)
• Thermotherapy And Cooling Therapy Devices (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
• Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2003
  • 2003-10-13 HR HR20030827A patent/HRP20030827A2/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2004
  • 2004-10-04 DE DE602004006300T patent/DE602004006300D1/de active Active
  • 2004-10-04 EP EP04769071A patent/EP1689637B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2004-10-04 WO PCT/HR2004/000032 patent/WO2005035356A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2004-10-04 AT AT04769071T patent/ATE361231T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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