FI124616B - Kelluntavyö - Google Patents

Description

2130545FI

Kelluntavyö

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to flotation means, and in particular to air-filled flotation means.

It is known to use inflatable flotation devices, for example in airplanes, whereby the stored flotation device occupies little space but can be quickly activated to operate.

One example of such prior art flotation means is disclosed in EP1614620. The buoyancy device has two equal sized refillable bags, a compressed air reservoir and a refill for transferring air from the compressed air reservoir to the bags, whereby the floating device will float its user in water.

The problem with the above arrangement is that the flotation device is 15 large in size and makes it difficult to move in order to be suitable for non-rescue use in an emergency. Furthermore, after use, and especially after activation, the flotation device must always be folded and set flat and back into its storage form.

Brief Description of the Invention

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a device for solving the above problems. The object of the invention is achieved by a device characterized by co as stated in the independent claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims 4 to 25.

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The invention is based on the fact that a space is arranged in a small housing

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The compressed air reservoir and the contents of the compressed air reservoir may be guided, if desired, by a guide to an expansion member, which is preferably an elastic tube, for example of silicone, which may be placed, for example, around the user's Lo 30.

The advantage of the floating belt according to the invention is the small size and the fact that the floating device does not have to be sculpted or rebuilt after activation, 2

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but when emptied, the expansion part returns to its original state by itself.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described in connection with preferred embodiments 5 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a flotation belt housing according to an embodiment with an expansion member attached thereto;

Fig. 2 shows an interior part of a flotation belt housing according to an embodiment in which a compressed air reservoir is inserted; Figure 3 shows an interior part of a flotation belt housing according to one embodiment, wherein the compressed air reservoir is connected to the expansion part;

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a flotation belt housing according to an embodiment, the ends of which have moldings for the expansion member;

Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of an expansion member 15 according to one embodiment;

Figure 6 shows a cross-section of an expansion member according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a flotation belt housing 10 according to an embodiment, seen from the side of the cover, the cover having an actuator 12 for activating the flotation belt. The housing 10 has an expansion member 20 which engages the housing on two sides. The expansion member 20 is preferably an elastic tube ≤ 2 or comprises an elastic tube comprising silicone or made entirely of ™ 25 silicone. The flotation belt is used by placing the belt around, for example, the chest S so that the housing remains on the breast and is easily controllable. When activated, the flotation belt x expands the inflating portion of the flotation belt and expands it to float. Although

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Thus, an exemplary embodiment of ^ 30 a flotation belt is described in detail herein, but the invention is not limited to a flotation device similar to a belt.

A number of alternative embodiments for various types of flotation devices, based on the same inventive idea, are also provided below and are to be understood as flotation belts, if necessary.

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In one embodiment, the expansion member may comprise rubber or a mixture of rubber and silicone. The shape of the expansion member may vary quite freely, but preferably the expansion member tube has a thicker wall on the side facing the body and a thinner wall on the side facing away from the body. In this way, the tube of the expansion member expands in a controlled and safe manner away from the user when compressed air is supplied to the expansion member. The casing is sized to fit the compressed air tank inside. Preferably, the casing is rounded at its edges and at the bottom of the casing, which is placed against the skin when using a float belt, for example, a textile surface may be used to increase comfort.

Fig. 2 shows a housing according to one embodiment without a lid, showing a compressed air tank 30 inserted in the housing guide supports 14. The figure shows a bottle-shaped compressed air tank, but other forms of compressed air tank are also possible. Compressed air generally refers to the liquids and gases available in 15 pressure packs that are safe to use in the buoyancy belt and have a lower density when released into the expansion member than water. These may be, for example, air, nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof. The figure also shows the first end 21 and the second end 22 of the expansion part 20 and a guide 16 arranged in connection with the first end 20 of the expansion part. The actuator 12 used, the guide supports 14, the guide 16 and the compressed air reservoir 30 form an assembly. Figure 3 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 2 after actuation of the actuator with the compressed air reservoir pushed against the guide 16 (right in the figure). The narrow end of the guide extends into the compressed air reservoir and opens the compressed air reservoir valve, whereby the compressed air is directed along the guide to the expansion section 20 and the expansion section 5 expands.

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The bottom and lid of the housing are preferably shaped such that when the housing lid is closed, the other end 22 of the expansion member is compressed and

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00 30 thus closes airtight. Correspondingly, the design of the opposite end of the housing causing the first end 21 of the expansion member to be pinched between the housing and the guide 16. The design of the housing at the ends 21, 22 of the expansion member is J dependent on the shape of the expansion member used. Further, the sealing of the first end 21 of the expansion member into the housing and the guide must also take into account the shape of the guide 16, which may be made to substantially conform to the shape of the inner surface of the tube.

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In the embodiment of Fig. 1, a torsion switch is shown as an example of actuator 12. Instead of a torsion switch, a water expanding actuator may also be used, whereby the actuator, when expanding, . In one embodiment, the actuator acts as a pushbutton, by means of which the compressed air reservoir moves and connects the compressed air reservoir via a guide to the expansion member. In one embodiment, the actuator moves actuator 10 while activating the compressed air reservoir while actuated. In one embodiment, actuating the actuator opens the compressed air reservoir valve, whereby the compressed air is discharged through the guide into the expansion member.

In accordance with one embodiment, Fig. 4 shows a first design 11 and a second design 12 of the housing 10. The first design 11 is adapted to seal the first end 21 of the expansion member between the housing 10 and the guide 16. The guide 16 sits in the air channel of the expansion member tube and the cover and bottom of the housing press the expansion member against the guide. The second design 12 is adapted to seal one end 22 of the expansion member between the cover and the bottom of the housing 10 and to seal the other end 22 of the expansion member airtight. The other end 22 of the expansion member may also be sealed by a plug, glue, clamp, or other known means.

Figures 5 and 6 show two examples of floating belt expansion section 20 pipes according to different embodiments. Tubes of Figures 5 and 6, the thicker side wall 24 is intended to be placed against the user kelluntavyön 25 and the thinner side wall 25 is stretched when the pipe is supplied with pressurized air. The tubes can be reshaped and resized 5 as required, for example to achieve the desired buoyancy. For example, small ones

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^ The expansion tube for the float belt for children may be short in order to keep the float belt around the chest. For use by children

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However, the tube of the expansion section of the floatation belt may be dimensioned the same as for adults, where it swells and floats very effectively. For more advanced swimmers, a * flotation belt can be made which is very flat and unobtrusive, but which, when activated, g helps the user to stay afloat, for example, when forces suddenly run out while swimming. Rescue use the expansion tube may be dimensioned by adjusting the thickness of the thinner side, for example, the abdomen and

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5 the tube at the flanks is dimensioned thinner than the tube at the back. In this case, the expansion portion expands more from the front, whereby the person who is caught in the water automatically turns his face away from the water.

In one embodiment, the silicone tubular expansion member 5 can be dimensioned small and the buoyancy belt around the chest is almost as discreet as the heart rate monitor collar. A few dreams of a belt is not a significant disadvantage in exercise such as swimming, jet skiing, surfing, boating or children's beach play. The user does not feel the need to disassemble the small and discreet 10 floating belts immediately upon leaving the water or engaging in activities, so the floating belt is more likely to be worn by life jackets when an accident occurs.

In one embodiment, the expansion member comprises a belt used around the chest, in addition to the shoulder straps, which may be of the same material as the flotation belt. The air duct of the strap-forming tube may communicate with the strap-forming air duct, whereby the straps are inflated with air or other gas at the same time as the strap is filled.

In one embodiment, the expansion member comprises flat pockets made of an elastic material that can be expanded by, for example, compressed air. The flat pockets are preferably made of silicone and are joined by a tube made of silicone so that some or all of the pockets are filled at the same time as air is introduced into one of the pockets. The pockets can also be tubular in themselves. The pockets can be in the form of a vest, T-shirt or jacket, for example, whereby the flotation belt acts as a protective garment. Due to the large surface area, pockets and tubes can be dimensioned very thin and discreet when needed.

In one embodiment, the expansion member is on a fabric or other

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a silicone printed tube on the substrate which can be expanded by supplying it with, for example, compressed air. For example, a vest, T-shirt or jacket on the inside or

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00 30 Silicone printed tube can form a buoyancy strap on the outside | an expansion member, wherein the flotation belt is continuously operable when the wearer is wearing the garment.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, “the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its 00 35 embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims (8)

A buoyancy belt arranged to receive a compressed air container (30), said buoyancy belt comprising an expansion member (20) arranged to be expanded with compressed air and made of an elastic material and a control unit (16) for conducting compressed air from the compressed air container (30). ) to the expansion part (20), characterized in that the expansion part (20) comprises a tube which is pressed onto fabric and comprises silicone. Floating belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the expansion part (20) comprises at least one tube made of silicone. Float belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the expansion part (20) has a thicker side (24) and a thinner side (25), whereby the expansion part (20) expands mainly due to the stretch of the thinner side (25). Float belt according to claim 3, characterized in that the thicker side of the expansion part (20) is arranged to be placed against the user's body when using the buoyancy belt. Float belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the shape and length of the expansion part (20) are arranged to be such that the buoyancy belt can be placed around a human chest in the way that the desired side of the expansion part (20) is against the body. Float belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the buoy belt comprises a housing (10) arranged to be provided with a compressed air container (30) and comprises an actuator (12) for connecting the compressed air container (30) to a functional connection to the expansion part (20). ) to equalize the air pressure between the compressed air container (30) and the expansion member (20). δ Float belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the buoyancy belt ives. comprises a housing (10) having a first configuration (11) for receiving the first end of the expansion member (21) and securing it to the housing (10) and the controller (16). Float belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the floating belt> - comprises a housing (10) having a second configuration (12) for receiving the second end (22) of the expansion part and securing it to the housing (10), wherein The CO 5 configuration (12) is arranged to push again the elastic C \ J 35 of the expansion member (20) in an airtight manner as the housing is closed.