FR2878503A1 - IMPROVED SUBAQUATIC RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT AND SUBCQUATIC IMMERSION INSTALLATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to underwater breathing equipment (34) of the type comprising an assembly (36) for covering the head of a user, the assembly (36) being held on the user under the effect of antagonistic forces exerted between the user and the assembly (36), the equipment comprising at least one ballast (48) fixed on the assembly (36) by means of hooking means (52, 54, 56) releasable so as to cause the separation of the ballast (48) from the assembly (36) by the fall of the ballast (48).

Description

The present invention relates to underwater breathing equipment

  and an underwater immersion facility with advanced underwater breathing equipment.

  Underwater breathing equipment allows a person to breathe underwater. SCUBA is a well-known example of underwater breathing equipment but can be cumbersome and complicated to use for uninitiated people.

  Document FR-A-2 808 768 discloses an underwater breathing apparatus of the type comprising an assembly intended to cover the head of a user, the assembly being held on the user under the effect of forces antagonists exercised between the user and the assembly.

  This equipment is easy to use and can be used both by a beginner than by an experienced person since it is sufficient to cover the head of the user with all. The assembly is supplied with air from the surface so as to create an air bubble surrounding the user's head and allowing him to breathe underwater.

  Under normal conditions of use, the whole, once immersed, tends under the effect of its weight to descend to the bottom. However, the user, under the effect of buoyancy, tends to rise to the surface. Consequently, the weight of the assembly and the buoyancy force acting on the user constitute two opposing forces having the effect of keeping the assembly on the user. The assembly is therefore held on the user's head without fastening or sealing means.

  FR-A-2 808 768 also describes an underwater immersion installation of the type comprising: a nacelle movable between emergent and submerged positions, at least one respiratory equipment fixed to the nacelle in a removable manner, a counterweight mass of the nacelle, movable between emergent and submerged positions, and means for moving the nacelle and the counterweight between their emerged and submerged positions, comprising a cable connecting the nacelle to the counterweight so as to link the movements of the nacelle with those of the counterweight.

  The nacelle allows a transfer of users of breathing equipment from an emergent position to a submerged position at the bottom of the water. Once at the bottom, users can leave the gondola and move freely. To get to the surface, users join the basket which then ensures their transfer from the bottom to the surface.

  In the event of failure of the means of displacement, the nacelle can be immobilized in submerged position. Users must then come to the surface on their own. However, because of the heavy weight of the breathing equipment, it can be difficult for a user to go to the surface while wearing all on his head.

  The invention aims to overcome this disadvantage by providing underwater respiratory equipment of the aforementioned type ensuring a user a high level of security, including facilitating an autonomous lift to the surface in case of emergency or failure of the nacelle.

  For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an underwater respiratory equipment of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises at least one ballast fixed on the assembly by means of releasable attachment means so as to cause separation the ballast from the set by ballast drop.

  Thanks to the invention, a user can quickly release the hooking means of the ballast to cause its fall. The separation of the ballast from the assembly results in a reduction in the weight exerted by the assembly on the user. It is then easier for the user to go to the surface despite the wearing of breathing equipment.

  In particular, it is advantageous to calibrate the ballast according to the corpulence of the user so that the two following conditions are met.

  When the ballast is attached to the assembly, the resulting force of Archimedes' weight and thrust on air-filled breathing equipment is downward and its value is greater than that of the resulting force. exercising on the user who is always pointing upwards. Thus, the equipment is maintained on the shoulders of the user who can walk freely at the bottom of the water.

  When the ballast is released from the assembly, the value of the force resulting from the weight and buoyancy of the air-filled breathing apparatus is less than that of the resultant force on the air. user who is always pointing upwards. Thus, the equipment and the user return to the surface and the equipment is held on the shoulders of the user.

  A ballast weighing about two kilograms fills most of these two conditions.

  According to a particular embodiment, the attachment means are of the pin type. It is therefore sufficient for the user to pull on a pin to cause the ballast to drop.

  Underwater respiratory equipment according to the invention may also include one or more of the following features.

  The set includes a helmet and a scapular comprising a front panel for covering the chest of the user and a rear panel for covering the back of the user.

  The equipment includes an air helmet supply duct, fitted with a non-return valve. The check valve prevents water from entering the helmet through the supply line if it has been accidentally cut.

  The ballast is attached to the front of the scapular at the user's abdomen. As the ballast is disposed at the level of the abdomen of the user, the latter can access it very easily. Moreover, as the ballast is placed in the bottom of the scapular, its fall is not impeded.

  The equipment includes a plurality of weights arranged on the scapular so that the center of gravity of the equipment is under the abdomen of the user. The movements of the user are facilitated if the center of gravity of the breathing equipment is under the abdomen.

  The equipment includes side air entrapment sections extending the front and rear panels at the shoulders of the user. The side air entrapment panels allow to limit the penetration of water in the user's helmet. These side panels are particularly useful in case the user leans forward which usually has the effect of increasing the water level in the helmet.

  The set includes a multimedia device including a microphone, headphones or a camera. With this multimedia device, it becomes possible to communicate between several respiratory equipment. In particular, it is possible to broadcast an audio guide in the earphones of the equipment. The assembly comprises a butt for attachment to a support by means of complementary fastening means carried by the buttstock and the support, the fastening means being provided with articulation means around at least one substantially vertical axis. .

  The invention also relates to an underwater immersion installation of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the respiratory equipment is according to the invention previously defined.

  Optionally, the installation comprises release means to make the nacelle independent displacement of the counterweight when the nacelle is submerged position. Thus, the nacelle and the counterweight are no longer linked and it is possible to emerge them both. In this position, the underwater immersion installation no longer includes any element that could hinder its movements. We can then navigate the facility to vary the location of dives or even mount this installation on a boat.

  According to a particular embodiment, the release means comprise: two female members formed respectively in a chassis of the installation and in the nacelle so as to be facing each other when the platform is in the emergent position, a male member intended to penetrate into both female members when the nacelle is in the emergent position.

  According to another embodiment, the installation comprises a low pressure compressor for the supply of air to the equipment.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is an overall view of an immersion installation 2 is a detail view of the installation of FIG. 1 showing the submersible boat, FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the underwater breathing equipment according to the invention, carried by the nacelle of Figure 2.

  An underwater immersion installation according to the invention, designated by the general reference 10, is shown in Figure 1. This installation is intended to be used on any type of aquatic environment: sea, ocean, lake, pool or aquarium. For example, in the marine environment, it allows a user to perform an underwater dive to discover the fauna or flora by walking on the seabed.

  The installation 10 comprises a floating frame 12, hereafter called platform 12. The platform 12 comprises a bow 14 to facilitate its movements on the water.

  The platform 12 is provided with a motor (not shown) to allow it to navigate on the water autonomously.

  The installation 10 also comprises a submersible nacelle 16 movable relative to the platform 12 between emergent positions (visible in Figure 1) and submerged (not shown). The platform 16 includes seats 17 for the users of the installation 10.

  The installation 10 also comprises a mass 18 forming a counterweight to the nacelle 16, movable between emergent positions (visible in Figure 1) and immersed (not shown).

  The nacelle 16 is connected to the counterweight 18 by a set of cables 20, so as to link the movements of the nacelle 16 with those of the counterweight 18. Thus, when the nacelle 16 is in the emerged position, the counterweight 18 is in the submerged position and Conversely.

  The cables 20 are connected to a winch 22 to form displacement means of the nacelle 16 and the counterweight 18 between their emerged and submerged positions. The winch 22 advantageously replaces the winch of the installations of the state of the art since it ensures a permanent blocking of the cables 20, thus improving the safety of the installation 10.

  For safety purposes, the counterweight 18 is chosen so as to exert a force slightly greater than that exerted by the weight of the nacelle and its occupants, so as to urge the nacelle 16 in the emergent position in the event of failure of the winch 22 .

  The installation 10 comprises release means 24 to make independent the movement of the counterweight 18 when the nacelle 16 is in the emergent position. The release means 24 comprise two female members 26 and 28 respectively formed in the platform 12 and in the nacelle 16. The two female members 26 and 28 are positioned so as to be facing each other when the nacelle 16 is in emergent position. The release means 24 also comprise a pin 30 forming a male member intended to penetrate into the two female members 26 and 28 when the nacelle 16 is in the emergent position.

  Thanks to the release means 24, it is possible to maintain the platform 16 in the emergent position while releasing the tension of the cables 20.

  The installation 10 also comprises means 32 for maintaining the counterweight 18 in the emergent position, of the pin type.

  Thanks to the release means 24 and the holding means 32, it is possible to maintain both the nacelle 16 and the counterweight 18 in the emergent position. In this configuration, none of the elements carried by the platform 12 is immersed and hinders the navigation of the platform 12.

  The nacelle 16 includes a support 33 for attaching underwater breathing equipment 34 as shown in FIG. 2. A device 34 is intended to cover the head of a user to allow him to breathe underwater.

  The support 33 of the equipment 34 is movable in translation in a vertical direction relative to the nacelle 16 so as to engage or release the equipment 34 of the heads of the users when they are sitting on the seats 17 and the nacelle 16 is emerged . For this purpose, the support 33 is connected by a cable 35 to a counterweight 37 of the assembly of the support 33 and the equipment 34.

  The cable 35 and the counterweight 37 ensure the displacement of the support 33 between a high position allowing the installation of the users on the seats 17, and a low position, in which the equipment 34 is positioned so as to be flush with the shoulders of each user or to be slightly above them.

  When the support 33 is in the low position, the counterweight 37 of the support 33 abuts against the counterweight 18 of the nacelle 16. Thus, in this position, the displacement of the nacelle 16 causes a simultaneous movement of the support 33 and the equipment 34 .

  Underwater breathing equipment 34 is shown in more detail in Figure 3. The equipment 34 includes an assembly 36 for covering a user's head. The assembly 36 comprises a helmet 38 and a scapular 40. The scapular 40 comprises a front panel 42 intended to cover the chest of the user and a rear panel 44 intended to cover the back of the user.

  The scapular 40 comprises a plurality of weights 46, regularly distributed on the front panels 42 and rear 44 so that the center of gravity of the equipment 36 is located under the abdomen of the user. The weights 46 are arranged in pockets (not shown) of the scapular 40.

  The equipment 34 further comprises a releasable ballast 48 placed at the lower end of the front panel 42. The releasable ballast 48 is fixed by means of releasable attachment means 50, so as to cause the ballast to be separated. with the set by ballast drop.

  The attachment means 50 are of pin type and comprise: stirrups 52 positioned on the scapular 40, - orifices 54 formed in the releasable ballast 48, - a pin 56 adapted to penetrate the stirrups 52 when the latter have penetrated the orifices 54 of the releasable ballast 48.

  The fact of removing the pin 56 from the stirrups 52 causes the release of the attachment means 50 and the drop of the releasable ballast 48 under the effect of its weight.

  For aesthetic reasons, the scapular 40 is covered by a web 58 of preferably impermeable fabric. The fabric 58 comprises an opening 60 for the passage of the pin 58. The fabric 58 is fixed to the scapular 40 by means of fastening means such as snaps (not shown). However, care will be taken not to attach the fabric 58 to the scapular at the lower end of the front panel 42 so as to allow the fallable ballast 48 to drop downwards.

  The equipment 34 is provided with a butt 62 intended to be hooked on the support 33 of the nacelle 16 by means of complementary attachment means 66 carried by the butt 62 and the support 33.

  The attachment means 66 consist of a ring 68 disposed at the end of the butt 62 and a hook 70 integral with the support 33. The connection between the hook 70 and the support 33 is a pivot connection with a vertical axis. Therefore, the means 66 for attaching the equipment 34 to the nacelle 16 are provided with hinge means around at least one substantially vertical axis.

  These attachment means 66 are particularly suitable for the use of the installation 10 in an aquarium. Indeed, in an aquarium, the users of the equipment 34 are not allowed to leave their seats 17. The hinge means then allow them to turn their heads to increase their field of vision.

  Respiratory equipment 36 also comprises a multimedia device comprising a microphone 72 and headphones 74 integrated in the headset 38, as well as a camera 76.

  The camera 76 is mounted in a casing 78 positioned at the upper end of the butt 62. The casing 78 is closed by a cover 80, sealingly by means of a seal 82.

  In addition to the camera 76, the housing 78 also includes lighting devices 84 arranged on either side of the camera 76, intended to illuminate the seabed in which the user of the equipment 34 operates.

  The butt 62 is hollow so as to be able to pass the electrical cables of the camera 76 and lighting devices 84.

  The helmet 38 is supplied with air by means of a supply duct 86 connected to a low-pressure compressor (not shown) disposed on the platform 12 and operating for example with solar energy.

  All of the power supply cables for the microphone 72, the headphones 74, the camera 76, and the lighting devices 84, as well as the air supply duct 86 are housed inside a sheath. 88.

  The supply duct 86 of the helmet 38 in air is provided with a non-return valve (not shown).

  The lighting devices 84, the camera 76, the earphones 74 and the microphone 72 can be actuated by means of buttons 90 positioned on the front panel 42 of the scapular 40.

  Through the conduit 86 air supply, the helmet 38 is continuously supplied with air. As the user of the equipment 34 breathes, the carbon dioxide that it expels escapes from the helmet by its lowest part, that is to say by the portion of the scapular 40 located at the intersection of the front panel 42 and the rear panel 44. Therefore, the water level in the helmet substantially reaches this intersection.

  In order to lower the water level in the helmet, the assembly 36 includes side panels 92 of air imprisonment extending the front panels 42 and rear 44 at the shoulders of the user. These side panels 92 are made of impermeable fabric.

Claims (13)

  1. Underwater breathing apparatus (34) of the type comprising a set (36) for covering the head of a user, the assembly (36) being held on the user under the effect of antagonistic forces exerted between the user and the assembly (36), characterized in that it comprises at least one ballast (48) fixed on the assembly (36) by means of hooking means (52, 54, 56) releasable so as to causing the ballast (48) to separate from the assembly (36) by dropping the ballast (48).   2. Equipment (34) according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means (52, 54, 56) are of the pin type (56).   Equipment (34) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembly (36) comprises a helmet (38) and a scapular (40) having a front panel (42) for covering the chest of the user and a rear panel (44) for covering the back of the user.   4. Equipment (34) according to claim 3, comprising a conduit (86) for supplying the helmet (38) in air, provided with a non-return valve.   5. Equipment (34) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the ballast (48) is fixed on the front panel (42) of the scapular (40), in the abdomen of the user.   6. Equipment (34) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, comprising a plurality of weights (46, 48) arranged on the scapular (40) so that the center of gravity of the equipment is located under the abdomen of the user.   7. Equipment (34) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the assembly (36) comprises side panels (92) of air imprisonment extending the front panels (42) and rear (44) at the shoulders of the user.   Equipment (34) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the assembly (36) comprises a multimedia device, in particular a microphone (72), headphones (74) or a camera (76).   9. Equipment (34) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the assembly (36) comprises a butt (62) intended to be attached to a support (33) by means of complementary means (68, 70). ) fastening carried by the butt (62) and the support (33), the fastening means being provided with hinge means about at least one substantially vertical axis.   10. Underwater immersion installation (10) of the type comprising: - a nacelle (16) movable between emergent and submerged positions, - at least one breathing equipment (34) removably attached to the nacelle, a mass (18) counterweight of the nacelle (16), movable between emergent and submerged positions, means (20, 22) for moving the nacelle (16) and the counterweight (18) between their emergent and submerged positions, comprising a cable (20) ) connecting the nacelle (16) to the counterweight (20) so as to link the movements of the nacelle with those of the counterweight, characterized in that the breathing equipment (34) is according to any one of claims 1 to 9.   11. Installation (10) according to claim 10, comprising releasing means (26, 28, 30) for making the nacelle (16) independent of the movement of the counterweight (20) when the nacelle is in the emergent position.   12. Installation (10) according to claim 11, wherein the release means comprise: two female members (26, 28) respectively formed in a frame (12) of the installation and in the nacelle (16) so as to be facing each other when the platform is in the emergent position, - a male member (30) intended to enter the two female members when the platform is in the emerged position.   13. Installation (10) according to one of claims 10 to 12, comprising a low pressure compressor for the supply of air to the equipment (34).