GB2046182A

GB2046182A - Improvements in Life Jackets

Info

Publication number: GB2046182A
Application number: GB8010858A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Lifeguard Equipment Ltd
Current assignee: Lifeguard Equipment Ltd
Priority date: 1979-04-07
Filing date: 1980-04-01
Publication date: 1980-11-12
Also published as: GB2046182B

Abstract

An inflatable life jacket of U- shaped configuration having two parallel limb portions (1, 2) which are joined by a headrest portion (6). The free ends of the limbs are interconnected by a strap (32) which, in use, extends around the torso of the wearer. In order to make the life jacket compact when uninflated and to make the life jacket comfortable to wear an inner neck region (8) of the life jacket is provided with a fabric collar (38) which serves to releasably retain the headrest portion (6) in a folded position when the life jacket is uninflated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements to Life Jackets The present invention relates to improvements in life jackets.

It is known to provide life jackets with a headrest portion for supporting the head when the jacket is inflated. For convenience, it is usual to wear the life jacket at least partially uninflated and various means have been proposed for securing various parts of the life jacket in a folded position. In one known life jacket, the headrest portion is folded and retained in position by pressstuds. In other designs of life jacket, the folded headrest section is retained by a cover having its outer periphery closed by press-studs or other closure means but such arrangements have the disadvantage that the cover may not open and the headrest sections may not deploy evenly when the jacket is inflated.

A further problem associated with inflatable life jackets is that the inner neck region usually has a sharp inner edge which is rough and abrasive to the skin.

According to the present invention there is provided an inflatable life jacket having a headrest portion with an inner neck region to which inner neck region is attached a collar adapted releasably to retain the headrest portion in a folded position when the life jacket is uninflated.

Preferably, the collar, which advantageously is of fabric construction, and at least part of an outer edge region of the headrest portion are provided with interengageable rip fasteners for retaining the headrest portion in a folded position.

Advantageously, the outer edge region is arranged, in the folded position, to overlie at least part of the inner neck region. Further attaching means may be provided in addition to the above fasteners.

The life jacket may be of U-shaped configuration having two parallel limb portions with the headrest portion joining the two limb portions, means interconnecting the free end of each limb portion and means for securing the life jacket to the torso of the wearer when in use.

Alternatively, the limb portions may be joined along one or more parts of their adjacent edges.

The present invention is further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a view of the life jacket unfolded.

Fig. 2 is a part view of the life jacket with the collar partially lifted.

Referring to Fig. 1 the life jacket comprises separate left and right limb portions 2, 4 which are connected to a headrest portion 6 so as to form a generally U-shaped configuration. The headrest portion 6 has an inner edge region 8 which is arcuate and which in use lies adjacent to the neck of the wearer. This inner edge region continues along the respective left and right limb portions 2, 4 as illustrated at 10 and 12, although in an alternative construction (not shown), the inner edges 10 and 12 may be joined along one or more parts of their length.An outer edge region 14 of the headrest portion 6 remote from the inner edge region 8 is also arcuate and continues along the respective left and right limb portions as illustrated at 1 6, 18. The inner and outer edge regions join at each of the ends 20, 22 of the respective left and right limb portions.

The left and right limb portions together with the headrest portion are inflatable by means of a tube 24 secured to the left limb portion as viewed in the drawings, which, in use, is to the wearer's right. This tube 24 has a mouth piece containing a check valve (not illustrated) and a cap 28 which fits over the end of the mouth piece. A strap 30 attached to the left limb portion retains the tube in position-when the life jacket is stowed.

A webbing belt 32 is provided which is fixedly attached to the left and right limb portions by means of a pair of tabs 34. By means of this webbing belt and the pair of tabs the left and right limb portions of the life jacket are located relative to one another. Alternatively, when the jacket is provided with a single lobe in place of the limb portions 2 and 4 corresponding tabs are located adjacent the relevant folds in that lobe. The belt is arranged, in use, to pass around the waist or torso of the wearer and is provided with a two piece buckle 36 which serves to adjust the length of the belt in addition to acting as a joining means for the ends of the belt.

The inner edge region 8 is provided with a collar 38 secured thereto which collar is conveniently made of a fabric material, for example leather cloth, such a material being durable and yet non-abrasive to the skin. As shown the collar has a polygonal free edge 40 arranged to overlie the inner edge region 8 or the life jacket. The life jacket may be folded into a relatively small size for convenience when wearing. The chain lines on Fig. 1 illustrate the main fold lines. To facilitate folding, the outer edge region 14, together with the underside of the collar 38 are provided with interengageable rip fastening means such as Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) in the region of the headrest portion 6. Four pairs of interengageable rip fasteners 42, 44, 46, 48 are provided in the illustrated arrangement.Additional fasteners 50 are provided along the inner and outer edge regions 10, 12, 16, 18 of the limbs 2, 4. These additional fasteners may be rip fasteners, press-studs or other fastening means. When the life jacket is folded the inner and outer edge regions 10, 12, 16, 18 of the respective left and right limb portions 2, 4 overlie one another and the fasteners interengage to retain the jacket in the folded position. Further interengageable rip fasteners may be provided on the underside of the collar, adjacent to the inner edge regions 10, 12 and on the outer edge region 16, 18.

The life jacket has narrow regions 52 where the fasteners 42, 44 are attached, one half of each interengageable fastener being positioned on the outer edge region and the other half on the underside of the collar 38. The life jacket has a top region 54 where one half of the fastener 46 is secured, the other half of the fastener 46 being secured to the underside of the collar 38.

Adjacent to the top region 54 on either side thereof are a pair of corner regions 56 where the two halves of the fastener 48 are secured.

The method of folding the life jacket is as follows. First the outer edge regions 1 6, 1 8 of the left and right limb portions 2, 4 are folded to overlie the inner edge regions 10, 12 and the fasteners 50 are interengaged. In the illustrated embodiment three pairs of fasteners are provided on the respective limb portions. The free edge 40 of the collar 38 is lifted to allow the outer edge regions to be tucked under in the narrow regions and the rip fasteners 42, 44 on the collar and the outer edge are engaged. Next the corners 56 are folded at approximately 45O bringing the rip fastener 48 into engagement. Finally the top region 54 of the headrest portion 6 is folded over and tucked under the collar 38, the last rip fastener 46 holding it in the folded position. The arrangement of the folded portions of the life jacket and their retention by the collar are shown in Fig. 2.

Thus the present invention is more comfortable to wear, by virtue of the provision of a fabric collar whilst the headrest portion is more easily released from the folded position. Additionally, the manner in which the corner regions 56 and top region 54 of the headrest 6 are folded and are then maintained in position by the collar acts to discourage water, for example in the form of spray, from penetrating the remainder of the folded jacket, with consequent risk of actuating an automatic inflator mechanism, where such is provided.

Claims

1. An inflatable life jacket having a headrest with an inner neck region which headrest, when the life jacket is uninflated, has a folded position in which at least a part of a collar attached to the inner neck region overlies at least a part of the folded headrest for retaining the headrest in the folded position.

2. An inflatable life jacket as claimed in Claim 1 in which the collar, which is of fabric construction, and at least part of an outer edge region of the headrest are provided with interengageable rip fasteners for retaining the headrest in the folded position.

3. An inflatable life jacket as claimed in Claim 2 in which the outer edge region is arranged, in the folded position of the headrest, to overlie at least part of the inner neck region.

4. An inflatable life jacket as claimed in any preceding claim in which the life jacket is of Ushaped configuration having two parallei limb portions with the headrest joining the two limb portions, means interconnecting the free end of each limb portion and means for securing the life jacket to the torso of the wearer, when in use.

5. An flatable life jacket as claimed in Claim 4 in which a webbing strap is secured to each limb portion and in use, extends around the torso of the wearer to serves as the limb interconnecting means and the securing means.

6. An inflatable life jacket as claimed in Claim 4 in which the life jacket is of the bib type in which the means interconnecting the free end of each limb portion is a single inflatable lobe.

7. An inflatable life jacket of U-shaped configuration provided with inflation of means and having two inflatable parallel limb portions and an inflatable headrest portion joining the two limbportionsand constituting a yoke the free end of each limb being connected by a strap which, in use, extends around the torso of the wearer, the two limb portions and the headrest portion having, when the life jacket is uninflated, a folded position in which an outer edge of a respective limb portion is folded to overlie an inner edge of the respective limb portion and the headrest portion is folded upon itself so that an outer edge region overlies the inner neck region in which position a fabric collar attached to the inner neck region overlies the outer edge region of the headrest so that rip fasteners on the collar and headrest portion interengage, further fasteners being provided on the outer and inner edges of the respective limb portions to secure them in the folded positions.

8. An inflatable life jacket constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.