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
  • B63C9/13—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like attachable to body member, e.g. arm, neck, head or waist
  • B63C9/15—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like attachable to body member, e.g. arm, neck, head or waist having gas-filled compartments
  • B63C9/155—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like attachable to body member, e.g. arm, neck, head or waist having gas-filled compartments inflatable

Definitions

• the invention relates to a swimming aid with an inflatable cushion made of foldable material.
• swimming aids When swimming near the coast or in a lake, such swimming aids are often used when the swimmer wants to stay in the water longer and avoid overexertion.
• the swimming aids are also used to support children or non-swimmers.
• an air mattress In most cases an air mattress is used as a pillow, which must first be inflated on land in order to subsequently take it into the water from the beginning.
• the invention has for its object to provide a buoyancy aid that can be easily carried by the swimmer and only takes on its buoyancy function when the swimmer so wishes.
• this object is achieved in that the pillow is connected to a pocket which encloses the non-inflated pillow in the folded state and which has a belt for fastening to the body of the swimmer. It is advantageous if the cushion can be inflated by means of compressed gas using a valve.
• a swimming aid is available, the pocket of which completely takes up the folded cushion and thereby occupies a very small space, so that it can be worn comfortably on the body.
• the swimmer thus has the opportunity to stay and swim in the water without the use of the swimming aid, without being disturbed by an inflated cushion. Only when the swimmer decides to do so does he bring the pillow into the inflated state so that its buoyancy makes it easier to stay in the water.
• the valve is arranged in the pocket;
• a compressed gas cartridge can be connected to the valve, which is opened via an actuating lever, so that the outflowing compressed gas inflates the cushion quickly.
• a connecting tube is firmly connected to the cushion, on which the valve can be placed.
• the compressed gas cartridge contains carbon dioxide.
• Such compressed gas cartridges have an extremely small space and are available at low prices, for example for inflating bicycle tires.
• the bag can be made from a plastic fabric.
• the pillow is preferably made of a synthetic fabric coated with polyurethane. Such a material is very airtight, so that the pillow maintains its shape for many hours when inflated.
• the pillow it is possible for the pillow to have a band on its free side which is not connected to the pocket and which can be placed around the neck of the swimmer in order to bring about additional securing of the position.
• FIG. 1 shows the view of the swimming aid with the pocket closed
• Figure 2 shows the buoyancy aid with the bag open and inflated
• FIG. 3 shows the swimming aid attached to the body of a swimmer with a closed pocket
• FIG. 4 shows the buoyancy aid when in use
• FIG. 5 is a schematic section through the valve of the
• FIG. 6 shows a section in the plane VI - VI of FIG. 5.
• Figures 2 and 4 show that the buoyancy aid as a buoyancy body has an inflatable cushion 10 made of foldable material, for example similar to an air mattress; the inflated cushion 10 can also have other shapes, for example in the manner of a cuboid.
• a synthetic fabric coated with polyurethane is preferably used as the material for the pillow 10.
• the central part 12 of the pillow 10 is fixedly attached to the rear wall 14 of a pocket 16; the two side parts 18 can be used to fold the cushion 10 together about the two longitudinal ribs 20 be placed, which connect the side parts 18 to the central part 12.
• the uninflated, empty pillow 10 is rolled up or folded at right angles to the longitudinal ribs 20 until it has the shape of a small, approximately cuboid-shaped packet that can be completely accommodated in the pocket 16.
• the pocket 16 consists of a likewise foldable synthetic fabric and, as FIG. 2 shows, has two side flaps 22 which can be placed over the folded, packet-shaped cushion 10. With the help of Velcro fasteners 24, the superimposed side straps 22 can be easily attached to one another.
• the two front flaps 26 of the pocket 16 connected to the rear wall 14 - in FIG. 2 the second front flap is covered by inflated cushions 10 - Velcro fastener elements 24, which allow the pocket 16 to be closed and opened quickly.
• the pocket 16 is connected to a belt 28, which has a conventional quick-release fastener 30 and means for length adjustment, not shown further. With the aid of the belt 28, the pocket 16 can be quickly and easily attached to the waist 32 of the swimmer (cf. FIG. 3).
• FIG. 2 shows that the part of the belt 28 inserted through the inside of the pocket 16 carries the lower end 34 of the middle part 12 of the cushion 10.
• a valve 36 the mechanism of which is shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, is placed on this lower end 34 of the cushion 10.
• the valve 36 consists of a plastic housing 38 which has a threaded connection 40 for a compressed gas cartridge 42 on one end face. 5 and 6, the cartridge 42 is shown shortened.
• the housing 38 of the valve has one from above downward through bore with a flattened side 44, so that it can be placed in a defined manner on a correspondingly shaped connecting tube 46 which - as shown schematically in FIG. 6 - is firmly connected to a wall 48 of the cushion 10 and opens into it.
• the housing 38 On the end face opposite the cartridge 42, the housing 38 carries an actuating lever 50 which is pivotably mounted in the housing 38 about a pin 52.
• Figure 5 shows the actuating lever 50, the shape of which is adapted to the contour of the housing 38. In the idle state, the actuating lever 50 is sunk in a recess 76 in the housing 38.
• a needle 54 is slidably mounted in the longitudinal direction and can be pushed by the actuating lever 50 against the force of a compression spring 56 in the direction of the cartridge 52, so that the tip of the needle 54 has the end closed by a metal cap 58 the cartridge 42 opens.
• the lever 50 is pivoted into the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5, its short end 60 displacing the needle 54 in the longitudinal channel 62 of the housing 38.
• the compressed gas preferably CO2 flows through the longitudinal channel 62 and via a short transverse bore 64 in the connecting tube 46 in its longitudinal bore 66, as a result of which it enters the cushion 10 and inflates it.
• the end of the longitudinal bore 66 opposite the cushion 10 is closed by a screw 68, which at the same time serves to fix the valve housing 38 on the connecting pipe 46. Sealing rings 78 ensure a pressure-tight seal.
• Such a valve 36 is manufactured and sold, for example, by the Halkey-Roberts company under the name Series 840.
• a pull cord 70 with a handle 72 is attached to the free end of the actuating lever 50 and hangs out of the pocket 16 according to FIGS. 3 and 4. If the swimmer wishes to inflate the cushion 10, it is sufficient to quickly open the pocket 16 by tearing open the Velcro fastener elements 24 and then to pivot the actuating lever 50 into the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 5 so that the compressed gas flows from the cartridge 42 into the cushion 10 and brings it into the position shown in FIG.
• Figure 4 shows a dashed line 74, which can be attached as an additional holder to the free end of the pillow 10 and placed around the neck of the swimmer. As a rule, however, it is sufficient to wrap the inflated pillow 10 with the arms in order to stabilize its position under the breast and to bring about the desired buoyancy.
• the pillow 10 can be emptied and folded up again so that it is available for a new use with a new cartridge 42.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
• Bedding Items (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11385852

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

• 1995
  • 1995-11-28 IT IT1995MO000050U patent/IT237719Y1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1996
  • 1996-11-23 JP JP9520147A patent/JPH10513418A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-11-23 WO PCT/EP1996/005181 patent/WO1997019847A1/de active IP Right Grant
  • 1996-11-23 EP EP96939911A patent/EP0805764B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-11-23 ES ES96939911T patent/ES2173331T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-11-23 AU AU76971/96A patent/AU7697196A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-11-23 AT AT96939911T patent/ATE213476T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-11-23 DE DE59608760T patent/DE59608760D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (4)

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