ES2326070B1 - EXPANSIBLE BOYA FOR WATER SALVAMENT. - Google Patents

Abstract

Expandable buoy for water rescue, consisting of a flexible wall case (1) and a float (2-2 '') inflatable that is housed in the case in empty and foldable state. The case has means (3) of fastening around the user's body. The float goes related to the case through a rope (12) and houses a ampoule with gas expander, equipped with an actuator accessible from outside.

Description

Expandable buoy for water rescue.

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Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a buoy expandable for water-saving, conceived as a component support for rescue teams, such as first responders and other intervention teams in the water.

The buoy of the invention is constituted so that does not mean an obstacle for the person who is going to use it during transport, both on land and in water, and which Offer a good buoyancy and safety.

Background of the invention

Currently thousands of drowned people die every year, and the place that presents the most problems is the sea. He  waves, currents, tides etc. make this a place potentially dangerous.

Due to these risks, most beaches They have lifeguards who watch over these places. These groups of lifeguards use different support materials in rescues that increase flotation and offer security to the victim.

The auxiliary or flotation materials that are used today in water rescue are more or less rigid and with a considerable size what makes them result uncomfortable, both outside and inside the water.

These materials provide security in case of emergency, but your problem is that you have it before that the situation of help occurs, hinders the rest of Lifeguard activities. It also hinders the approach by the sand or rocks to the shore and when the rescue is done offer a lot of water resistance during swimming until victim. In addition, in wave situations tractions occur about the material that slow down and alter the rhythm of swimming developed by the lifeguard. Swim with this material conventional also has other disadvantages such as discomfort, the modification of the correct swimming technique and the danger that the current or the wave direct the material against the own one Lifeguard and hit him.

The most commonly used conventional materials in rescue situations are the lifebuoy, the rescue arm or Flopi and the torpedo buoy.

The lifebuoy is rounded; its diameter can vary considerably, but you should always allow to cover the body of a person inside. May be composed of different types of material (cork, plastic hardened, ..) provided that it is resistant, that it has buoyancy and not be too hard not to cause harm.

The rescue arm is a shape float elongated made with an expanded plastic derivative that at solidify catches air bubbles to form a material uniform, somewhat spongy, very flexible, with a high degree of Buoyancy and very low weight. This part is fixed by your inside a wide ribbon that stands out at its ends, in the which has the parts of a hitch (male and female). This tape is joins a plastic rope of approximately two meters, which at its Once, it is attached to a wide belt, which the lifeguard can place in "shoulder bag" or as braces.

The torpedo buoy is composed of material rigid (hardened plastic), lightweight, high buoyancy, oval shape, about 50 cm in length. Have some grip areas on its sides to which the person is attached rugged, if conscious, and the lifeguard in case necessary. A rope of about 2 meters is attached to the float with a wide belt that the lifeguard is placed, in the same way as in the rescue arm.

All these materials are very useful in the water rescue but depending on the biomechanics of this medium, and of different factors that affect the material as form, weight, size, buoyancy, etc. cause a series of resistances and inconveniences that make rescue difficult.

There are also other materials with some similarity as is the "Inflatable buoy" whose mechanism of Swollen is an expanding gas. These buoys are only designed to individual security and cannot be used by lifeguards for rescue due to its round and bulky shape, without any hydrodynamics so they would offer a lot of resistance water and can not adapt to the body of the victim; we can say that the "Inflatable buoy" is rather a buoy signaling and safety for people who practice Water sports and are in danger.

The lifeguard needs to have a material for help that is always by your side and the materials or floats  conventional ones do not allow it and if it is done it damages the Performing other tasks.

The best material that can have a lifeguard is one who can be at all times with the rescuer, that does not offer you an inconvenience when running and when swim, and have a buoyancy option whenever necessary to increase the safety of the victim and the life guard.

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Description of the invention

The present invention is intended to resolve the exposed problems, by means of a buoy that when it is not used can be kept in a folded position, occupying a space reduced, so that it can be easily transported, without offer resistance and obstacles, both on land and in Water.

Thanks to the possibility of maintaining it and transport it in a folded position, occupying a small space, the buoy of the invention allows the user thereof a mobility normal and at the time the buoy should be used it can Swell automatically, offering an item with great buoyancy capacity and gripping or clamping means for facilitate rescue operations.

In accordance with the present invention, the buoy It comprises a flexible wall case and an inflatable float that It is housed in the case in an empty and folded state.

The case has fastening means around the user's body, means that may consist of strips of flexible and resistant material, as a belt, which protrude from opposite points of the case and have in their free ends of connection and closing means. The case and the strips of flexible material can form a single component, of the same material, the case being formed by a widening of the belt

Preferably the case will be wall waterproof and will have an opening to remove the float, opening to be closed with a closing lid airtight.

According to another feature of the invention, the float houses a blister with gas expander equipped with a activation device that is accessible from outside the case.

The float will also be related to the case through a rope or similar unsinkable and colored alive and striking, of sufficient length so that, once extracted  of the case and completely reconstituted with the expander gas, can be separated from the person carrying the buoy a distance enough for the victim trying to help, can hold on to it keeping a safe distance with it that Try to help him.

The expanding buoy, once swollen, will have a hydrodynamic design that offers minimal water resistance. In addition the buoy will be equipped with one or more external grips for the restraint of the lifeguard or the victim.

The ampoule with the expander gas will have a button whose manual actuation causes the breakage of said ampoule, for the release of the expander gas contained in the same.

The gas container ampoule button expander will tightly pass through the wall of the case, protruding outside of it, for actuation, without need to have to open the case.

With the constitution commented, the buoy of the invention can be attached to a person's body, by way of fanny pack, being the strips or belt carrying the case adjustable length and with means of connection or hook in their extremes The opening mechanism has to be safe, you can only  open at the will of the person who carries it and never accidental.

The float will consist of a wall waterproof of small thickness, for example based on neoprene and It will be perfectly folded and compacted inside the case, containing the ampoule protected with the expander gas, whose breakage is achieved by actuating the button corresponding, causing the buoy to swell immediately, opening the case and leaving it to adopt Hydrodynamic float shape, with handles for easy grip and the subjection of the victim.

The button through which the breakage is caused of the blister containing the expander gas will be equipped with a safety device, constituted for example by a pin, which will prevent the blister from accidentally breaking.

From the body of the buoy or float they will stand out two valves, one of which will perform the emptying function, to be able to immediately remove the air from the buoy, to proceed to its folding, while the other will act as a inflation valve manual, in case the swelling did not work through the gas blister expander.

On the body of the buoy will be attached a string of approximately 2 meters that will keep it attached to the belt, a once swollen, and will make it possible to launch the buoy at a distance without need for direct contact between victim and lifeguard, at the same time that will allow the buoy to be handled by the life guard.

The buoy of the invention allows the performance of Surveillance functions on a beach: surveillance, walking,  intercom communication with stations, material transport additional (fins, binoculars, first aid kit, etc.), before you have to be used, while if necessary the buoy is swell rapidly by breaking the container blister of gas expander.

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In normal situation, the buoy of the invention can be transported attached to the waist, as a fanny pack, leaving the upper and lower limbs free to be able to Work and move freely. In addition the weight of the buoy of the invention is very small, so it is not inconvenient take it permanently, thus reducing the time of action in necessary case of rescue or emergency.

The described buoy can be completed with a signaling element, activated by an operation of relief or rescue and visible from the ground. This item can consist of a balloon that, in a folded state, is housed in the belt, together with a breakable blister, container of a gas for balloon inflation, for example nitrogen. The balloon will go related to the belt by a rope or tape that does not prevent the elevation of the swollen balloon and that can also be released by the lifeguard himself.

Brief description of the drawings

The attached drawings show an example of  realization, not limiting, of an expandable buoy for rescue, constituted according to the invention, being:

Figure 1 a side elevation of the buoy, with the sectioned wall of the case, to show the components housed inside it.

Figure 2 a buoy plant, also with the wall of the sectioned case, showing the components internal

Figure 3 a front elevation, with the wall of the sectioned case.

Figure 4 schematically shows the buoy of the invention with the case open and the float out of the same and in swollen state.

Figure 5 schematically shows a rescue operation with the buoy of the invention.

Detailed description of one embodiment

As seen in Figures 1 to 3, the buoy of the invention consists of a flexible wall case 1 and hermetic, inside which a float 2 is housed in state empty and folded compactly.

Case 1 has two strips or bands connected 3, in belt functions, which are finished off at their ends in connection hooks 4 and 5, for belt closure around a user's body, as a fanny pack.

Float 2 houses a blister 6 that contains an expandable gas and which has a button 7 by means of which drive the blister rupture is achieved, for the release of expandable gas, which will instantly fill the float 2, causing its exit from case 1. To do this the cited case will have an opening closed by a lid that opens or stops due to the internal pressure produced by swelling Float 2, all automatically and instantly.

The button 7 will have a device for security, which may consist of a pin 8 and that will prevent button 7 operation accidentally.

Push button 7 will protrude through the wall Case 1, with tight fit or closure.

Float 2 will also be equipped with a valve of emptying 9, to be able to fold the float 2, after used, for introduction in case 1, so far in which its use is necessary again.

Also the float 2 will have a valve of manual inflation 10, in case the ampoule 6 lacked of gas or its operation or breakage will not be achieved by button 7.

With the constitution commented, case 1 and strips 3 and 4 of the belt can be arranged, as shown in the Figure 4, around a user's body, by way of fanny pack

If for any circumstance it were necessary the use of float 2, would act on button 7 to cause the rupture of the blister 6, which would achieve the swelling of float 2, which would cause the lid to open 11 (Figure 4) of case 1, until its exit and swelling total, adopting a hydrodynamic configuration, for example of approximately oval shape, as indicated by reference 2 ' in figure 4. The float will be attached to case 1 by a 12 string of convenient length. In addition the float will be equipped with a handle 13 that will facilitate both its handling and the grip on it by the person whose rescue is made.

With the constitution described, the buoy of the invention serves as an auxiliary rescue element, which, in position  Inoperative with the float folded and the case closed, you can easily transported due to its small volume and the belt arrangement to adjust around the body, of so that it will not constitute any obstacle to free movement of the lifeguard or person carrying the buoy. Also favors the normal development of activities or movements in the middle aquatic, without causing resistance, due to the hydrodynamic form of the float in swollen position, in which it will acquire a volume enough to offer enough buoyancy.

As can be seen in Figure 5, the buoy of the invention may have a signaling element, constituted by a balloon 15 which in folded position is mounted on the same belt as the inflatable float, along with a blister nitrogen breakable, not shown. Balloon 15 will be related with the belt that is carried by the lifeguard 16, by means of a rope or tape 17 that allows its elevation, so that it is visible from land 18.

Claims (8)

1. Water rescue expander buoy, characterized in that it comprises a flexible wall case and an inflatable float, which is housed in the case in an empty and folded state; whose case has fastening means around a user's body; and whose float is related to the case through a rope or similar and houses a blister with expander gas equipped with an actuation device accessible from outside the case. 2. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that the inflatable float has a drain valve and a manual inflation valve. 3. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means of the case consist of two strips of flexible and resistant material that protrude from opposite points of the case and have at their ends free of connection and closing means. 4. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that the case is of waterproof wall and has an opening with a lid with a hermetic closure, the opening of which is caused by the swelling of the float, to allow its exit. 5. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that the ampoule with expander gas has a push-button, by means of which the manual actuation causes the rupture of said ampoule, for the release of the contained expander gas. 6. Buoy according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the push button of the expander gas container blister tightly passes through the wall of the case and protrudes to the outside for actuation. 7. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that the float has at least one handle externally. 8. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that includes a signal element consisting of a balloon in the folded together position and with a container ampoule inflation gas are disposed on the belt.