WO2000006856A1

WO2000006856A1 - Life-saving and safety device for aquatic environment

Info

Publication number: WO2000006856A1
Application number: PCT/CH1999/000327
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claire-Lise Boujon
Original assignee: Boujon Claire Lise
Priority date: 1998-07-28
Filing date: 1999-07-16
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: AU4598599A

Abstract

The invention concerns a semirigid grille (1), allowing water to pass abundantly through its numerous openings provided with a netting (5) having filet openings (6) capable of being moved apart, said grille (1) being set at the bottom of swimming pools, water expanses, paddling pools or fountains and moored (2) to slide rails (3) provided with a non-return system (4) locking the device in a high position and ensuring its stability. The invention also includes a flexible grille (1) which becomes semirigid in its inflated version as swimming pool and free water expanse and a semirigid grille (1) in its mechanical version, rising to the surface using means suited to the medium wherein which it has to operate; its solidity and robustness enables lifeguards to provide first aid on the device itself and bathers to jump about, play, balance on the crossbeams.

Description

SAFETY RESCUE DEVICE FOR AQUATIC MEDIA

The present invention aims to create rescue devices, safety, stability and certain solidity to give first aid directly on the device, supporting several people and on which it is possible to walk, jump, run in balance above, devices that can be adapted to Olympic basins, as well as private pools, and pleasure pools, bodies of water, wading pools, fountains or open water.

Swimming pools, Olympic swimming pools, ornamental pools, bodies of water, wading pools or fountains are increasingly popular and their number is constantly increasing, unfortunately most of them have drawbacks, in particular:

The means of rescue are generally not known to the users, or are rudimentary or non-existent, so that in the event of an accident, there is often a considerable time between the moment when an accident occurred and that when the someone in difficulty can be taken out of the water, which can have serious consequences.

Outside of the hours when people bathe, the swimming pool, basin, body of water, paddling pool or fountain is not supervised and may be in the dark, in these circumstances there is a danger for children and people who do not know the area and who risk falling into the water and drowning.

Small shallow pools, such as wading pools, ornamental pools and large fountains, have no safety device in the event of a toddler, an elderly person, or a party animal having a fall. drank too much; depending on the fall, there is a risk of drowning.

The background of the technique reveals multiple covers, .mergeable or not, of modular bottoms in stages the main activity of which is not the rescue of people in difficulty. These devices, particularly in the case of submersible covers, are unreliable because they are not strong enough to support the weight of many people and moreover slow in their movements.

Few devices are oriented in the rescue of people in difficulty, the document US 4,129,905 Dec. 19. 1978 proposed to make a rescue device which is a net supported by an inflatable bladder of small caliber.

This device has the following drawbacks: - The arms and its perimeter supporting the net is 7.62cm in diameter, the central bladder 60cm in diameter, the length of the pool is 6m, this is insufficient to support the weight of a person. The diameter of the bladder, 60cm is smaller than an ordinary buoy.

Indeed, a circumference of 7.62cm in diameter over a length of 6m, even 4m which is the distance between the two arms which connect the periphery to the central bladder and which must already support the weight of a net does not fill the technical characteristics allowing to support the weight of a person which varies say between 60 and 100kg, the very design of the device does not guarantee the rescue considering its lack of solidity and robustness.

- Only 2 guide bars at the deepest part of the pool are provided, for the sole purpose of guiding the flotation. According to the description of the inventor, guide bars in the shallow part of the pool are not necessary, which represents a real danger. Indeed, given the weakness of the device, if someone were to be fished and brought to the surface, in the deepest part of the pool, the device would retract on itself.

The weakness of the circumference, arms and central bladder is such that it offers no resistance or rigidity.

A major technical point that is lacking is that nothing stabilizes the device in the high position, so that given its fragility, when the device is supposed to lift a person in difficulty, it bends under its weight, closes on the victim and leads him to the bottom, it is also not possible to put one foot on the device to go to the rescue of the person without sinking with the device.

In addition, the device to ensure safety when the pool is not in use must be covered with a tarpaulin, line 67 to 70 columns 2 and 3.

Patent application DE 32 10590 A1 23.03.82 mentions an open water device which has the following drawbacks:

- The cells of the device in certain places are provided with empty spaces 40 to 70 cm wide which have been created in order to permejtςe the passage to a person. This provision is dangerous, indeed in a rough sea, a weakened person or child, tossed by the sea are likely to pass under the device and be lost. - The constitution of the air chambers of the floats is 5 to 10cm in diameter, which is too small and in a raging sea the very structure of the device does not ensure the solidity and stability of its floats, even if those -these are attached to each other to form a large area.

The individual buoys that are generally found in the trade for bathing are of larger diameter and are intended for a calm sea.

- The fact that the floats can be connected by hooks, clips, to cover a large area could be an interesting solution, however the tensions, frictions caused by the unleashed elements can be right with the hooks and tear them off, the device is then pierced and sinks.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a rescue and safety device which can remedy these shortcomings and drawbacks.

The advantages of the present invention reside in the fact that the device is designed to withstand a load much greater than the maximum load which it must be able to support, this in order to be able to reach the desired criteria, that is to say to support the weight of all people operating on the device, to cope with the impact of the load, jumps, races, wear and tear on friction and guarantee stability, safety and speed.

Safety at many points is the objective of the device first of all the device has a system of slides with stops, which blocks the device in the high position, these stops balance tensions when several people move on the device, these stops also have the mission of preventing the device from bending under its load, which prevents the device from making a hollow between the edge of the pool and the grid and that a toddler slides between the device and the edge of the pool.

To this end, the person skilled in the art will have to know the maximum load per m2 that the device will have to bear, increased from 80 to 100% in our opinion, taking into account the weight impacts projected on the device, jumps, races, tensions. , friction undergone by the device, this in order to be able to determine the diameter of the crosspieces of the grid with respect to the dimension of the openings, the dimension the number and the solidity of the slides and stops, the criteria of solidity of the net, this adapted each times the size of the body of water, Olympic pool, or private pool for example, and increased maximum load. The canvas, tarpaulin used or the materials used to make the grid must be as light as possible but still heavy enough for the grid to descend by its own weight and offer the necessary technical guarantees in terms of resistance, wear, tearing, friction .

Another aspect of safety has been put in place, for the inflatable version by the fact that the deflated grid placed on the bottom is connected to a vacuum pump in working condition, the purpose of which is, being connected to an alarm, immediately report water infiltration into the device.

Still in the security field, the openings in the net are intended for swimming pools to be able to clean the bottom, it is then easy to reach the center of the pool to introduce the vacuum cleaner arm by walking on the device and in open water, these openings allow someone trapped under the device to rise to the surface, they are provided with a clip, clip so as to be able to lock this openwork when not in use, which avoids someone to slip by its weight into the slot. These fasteners, clips, must be made visible by bright or fluorescent colors in order to indicate their presence.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description of the embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples, with regard to the figures on which it is based.

Figure 1: shows the device consisting of the grid (1) here inflatable, placed on the bottom, moored (2) to slides (3) whose heads are provided with a non-return system (4), here pawls. We can also observe a net (5) lining each opening, some of which are provided with a removable and clipable or attachable openwork (6), this characteristic is likely to apply to any embodiment of the grid, also well in closed environments, than in open water.

Figure 2: shows the device in the high position consisting of the grid (1) here inflatable whose mooring (2) arrived at the top of the slides (3) rests on the non-return system (4), here pawls, which blocks the device in the high position, we can observe here several people moving on the device, a guardian giving care on the device, a running person, other seated, and another leaving by walking on the device. Figure 3: shows a variation of execution of the grid frame (1) which consists of a set of fabrics, waterproof sheets, joined to each other (7) and having watertight openings on their perimeters which let water pass abundantly, openings which are provided with a net with large meshes (5), the whole being inflated by air / gas (8) which circulates between the fabrics, waterproof sheets.

Figure 4: shows another variation of execution of the grid frame (1) whose meshes are joined, assembled, (9) while letting air (8) pass inside the frame, wide mesh net (5) lining the openings of the frame.

FIG. 5: also represents another variation in the execution of the grid frame (1) which forms a network, the meshes of which are intertwined like a net allowing the air (8) to pass through the frame, and the openings of which are filled with large mesh netting (5).

Figure 6: shows a variant of the grid (1) here semi-rigid, attached on the periphery of the pool with slides (3) provided with a non-return system (4) by a mooring (2) , with reinforcements (10), supported by 4 screws, (11) driven by rotating nuts (12), the grid (1) rising to the surface.

Figure 7: shows a variant of the grid (1) here semi-rigid with a single movable support (13) on the bottom of the pool, here cylinder and reinforcements (10), grid (1) which ^ st moored (2) on the perimeter of the pool with slides (3) fitted with a non-return system (4), the grid (1) rising to the surface.

Figure 8: shows a variant of the grid (1) here semi-rigid, moored ((2) on the periphery of the pool with slides (3) fitted with a non-return system (4) the grid (1) being supported by cables (14) and motors (15) rising to the surface thanks to a system of drums (16) mounted on shafts (17).

Figure 9a: shows the grid (1) here inflatable, folded back on itself with its foam / gas generator (18) launched from an airplane.

Figure 9b: shows the grid (1) here inflatable, deploying in the water.

Figure 9c: shows the grid (1) here inflated, supporting several people in difficulty. Figure 10: shows the grid (1) here inflatable raised by superimposed tubes (19), which puts the distance between people on the device and water.

FIG. 11: represents two examples of separable and clipable openings (6), here fasteners (20).

FIG. 12: represents the device, here an inflatable grid (1) moored (2) in the high position with slides (3), of the net (5) in its openings, provided with separable openings and ties (6) and with a team of bathers playing on the device.

The present device consists mainly of a semi-rigid grid, inflatable or not placed, resting on the bottom, moored to the runners provided with a non-return system, this device thus designed rises to the surface, that is to say the semi grid -rigid by mechanical means, that is to say the grid governable by air, gas propelled inside and locks in the high position.

For water bodies, such as portions of beaches for example, the slides will be firmly fixed in the bottom and thus delimit the surface of the safety zone.

It is therefore neither a submerged cover, nor a bottom which can be raised, but a security grid.

The word grid implies a certain rigidity, if this characteristic is not met we fall into the definition of the net. However, the stretched net becomes rigid and then takes the form of a grid. The device is therefore distinguished on the one hand by its solidity and by the fact that it rises to the surface anyone who is swimming in the pool.

For the semi-rigid version, the grid can be made of any material, plastic, metal, net or tensioned rope, perforated sheets or other, the main characteristics being that it lets water pass abundantly through its openings, whatever the shape of its openings, whether its stability is ensured by the non-return slide system and the mechanical means used to raise it as quickly as possible. There are countless non-return systems, such as stops, snaps, racks, ratchets, wedge rings, our choice fell on a ratchet with a slot and resting on a cleat, this choice is not limiting. The dimension, thickness, shape of the non-return systems, as well as the materials used to make them will be defined according to the diameter of the slides, their number and the load and tensions they will have to bear.

The shapes of the slides are also innumerable, to adjust their height, just cut them to the desired height or use a telescopic or interlocking system, provided with holes and pins for example, this description is not limitative, we can thus decide if 'we want the device to be positioned flush or above.

In open water air / gas, can be replaced by foam with closed cells powered which develops inside the device, this feature is particularly interesting since it makes the device puncture-proof. Those skilled in the art will have to find the foam which best adapts to this characteristic of the invention.

It should be noted that the grid in closed environments is placed on the bottom in the low position and that in open water, it is itself at a certain depth by its weight and the impact of the launch and rises to the surface. when it inflates by appropriate means.

The inflatable grid, in any execution in open water in particular, can be made fluorescent in whole or in part, it can be coated or covered with metallic products or carry metallic elements making it detectable by radars, be provided with '' radio wave transmitters, acoustic transmitters, survival kit, distress beacons, this allows it to be located, for swimming pools, bodies of water, presence detectors, distributed around the surface of the water and connected to an alarm can be installed to signal a fall and initiate the ascent.

The inflatable version, once inflated looks like a large hopscotch on which you can jump in balance from cross to cross, or run on the cross, to several people, with a light trampoline effect, whose vibrations are damped by the system of non-return of the slides.

This grid in the high position, since you can run, jump on it can serve as a playground, bathers can for example play volleyball and have fun falling back on the grid. The device has a definite advantage in that a guard can easily come to the aid of a person in difficulty and administer first aid directly to the device, which saves precious time, it is possible to lengthen the person in difficulty on the back of a cross member for example and to install it more comfortably than on a swimming pool coping, this characteristic is valid both for the semi-rigid inflatable version in swimming pool, that semi-rigid mechanical and that the version free water.

The semi-rigid mechanical version is particularly suitable for public pools or large fountains of shallow depth, the grid for example will be made of stretched rope, placed on the bottom, connected to hydraulic or pneumatic telescopic slides, presence detectors placed around the edge of the water allow the device to come into action. This arrangement is advantageous because the device is discreet, since placed on the bottom, it can be of transparent texture for example, which preserves the aesthetics of the basin.

This grid is placed on the bottom to ensure the safety of bathers, are mooring becomes effective in the high position brsque it locks in the non-return system of the slides, it ensures the rescue of people in difficulty by going back to the surface , in the high position it ensures environmental security, in open water, it allows many people to take refuge on a large surface.

For information, the Olympic pools are of the following dimensions: 50m X 25, or 1250m2. To ensure the speed of inflation and ascent, pipe pierced full length with branches is introduced into the grid frame, on the other hand for an Olympic pool it is possible to design the device in sections, connected together by links, net.

The half Olympic basins are approximately 25m X 12.50m

It is possible, especially in open water, to introduce inflation by several inlets in the grid frame.

In open water, the size of the grid can be adapted to the size of the boat and the number of people that the device must support. Taking up little space, we can consider having more than one per boat. The general inventive concept which forms the link between these inventions is a grid abundantly allowing water to pass through its multiple openings so as to offer a minimum of resistance during its passage through water to rise to the surface. It is a flexible grid which becomes semi-rigid when it is operational in its inflatable swimming pool and open water version and it is a grid which is semi-rigid in itself for its mechanical version, which placed, moored on the bottom, rises to the surface by means appropriate to the environment in which it must operate and according to the materials used for its construction.

The term semi-rigid takes on its full importance here, because when it is operational, this grid is semi-rigid and is as much in the inflatable swimming pool and open water version as in its mechanical version.

When the pool is not in use, the device can be placed in the high position and covered with a protective veil allowing water to pass, attached to the top of the slides, to prevent small impurities, dead leaves from contaminating the pool water.

Claims

RESELL

1. Rescue and safety device intended for swimming pools, ornamental ponds, bodies of water, wading pools, fountain or open water, characterized in that it comprises a grid allowing abundant water to pass through its multiple openings and extending at least over a portion of the surface of the body of water, said grid being located at a certain depth in its low position and which is associated with lifting means which allow it to rise to a high position located around the surface given that the grid is strong enough to support the weight of the many people on the device and allow them to move, walk, jump, run on it.

2. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid is inflatable by air / gas or foam with closed cells propelled inside s of the grid frame.

3. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid is made of semi-rigid materials.

4. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid is attached to adjustable slides provided with a non-return system which prevents it from going back down, mooring, stabilizes the grid in the high position around the surface, these slides with their non-return system are distributed around the edges of the water, swimming pool, pleasure pool, paddling pool or fountain.

5. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the openings of the grid are lined with large mesh net, a certain amount of which have a visible and attachable openwork.

6. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid frame consists of a set of fabrics, waterproof sheets joined edge to edge and largely openwork, the edges of the days are also joined so as to be waterproof .

7. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid frame consists of pipes, tubes, which are intertwined like net, the mesh of the frame being held by pieces or joined so that the air or gas propelled inside can circulate freely in the frame.

8. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the pipe with branches, pierced along its entire length, is introduced inside the frame and thus facilitates the distribution of inflation.

9. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the inflatable grid is mounted on superimposed tubes, also inflatable, thus creating distance between the people on the grid and the water.

10. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that in a swimming pool, pleasure basin, body of water, paddling pool or fountain, the deflated grid is connected to an empty pump in working order which keeps it deflated on the bottom which is connected to an alarm, and immediately signals infiltration of water in the event of an accident or sabotage, which in this case strengthens security.

1 1. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the inflation is effected by the opening of one or more valves, controlled by one or more 3θutons coup d & oing, push buttons or joysticks, these valves when they must operate in a manner submerged, automatically engage.

12. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the grid consists of several juxtaposed sections and connected together by net.

13. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the grid frame consists of pipes, tubes already containing air or gas, the intersections of which are joined, welded so as not to let air pass further down the grid, this in order to prevent any accident or sabotage.

14. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that in the swimming pool, pleasure basin, body of water, paddling pool or fountain the frame of the semi-rigid grid is moved upwards by one or more thrust supports hydraulic or pneumatic, arranged where necessary, distributed on the bottom, corners, on the edges, or inside the slides themselves.

15. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the grid is raised by a system of cables and drums mounted on shafts.

16. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the frame of the semi-rigid grid rises to the surface by means of inflatable floats.

1 7. Device according to claim No 1, characterized in that the lifting means are actuated in response to a control signal from a human presence detector at the surface in the high position and respectively at the bottom in the low position.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on January 05, 2000 (05.01.00); original claims 1-17 replaced by new claims 1-13 (2 Pages)]

1. Rescue and safety device for aquatic environments consisting of an inflatable grid having a multitude of openings to let water pass, said grid extending at least over a portion of the water body, being at a certain depth in its low position and which associated with lifting means allows it to go back to a high position located around the surface, characterized in that said openings are lined with net, a certain amount of which have openings capable of being separated and provided with locking and unlocking means.

2. Rescue and safety device intended for aquatic environments consisting of a semi-rigid grid, having a multitude of openings to let the water pass extending at least over a portion of the water body, characterized in that '' it is attached to slides fitted with a non-return system preventing the grid from going back down, distributed around the perimeter of the body of water, grid which is located at a certain depth in its low position and which rises to a high position located near the surface by means of hydraulic or pneumatic thrust included in the slides.

3. Device according to claim No 1, characterized by the fact that the grid of the grid consists of a set of deJoϋes, waterproof sheets joined edge to edge and largely perforated, whose edges of the days are also joined so as to be waterproof.

4. Device according to claim No 1, characterized by the fact that the grid frame consists of pipes, tubes, which are intertwined like a net, the mesh of the frame being held by pieces or joined so that the compressed air or the gas propelled inside can circulate freely in the frame.

5. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the inflatable grid is mounted on superimposed tubes, also inflatable, thus creating distance between the people on the grid and the water.

6. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the pipe with branches, pierced along its entire length, is introduced inside the frame and thus facilitates the distribution of inflation.

7. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the grid is inflatable by air / gas or foam with closed cells propelled inside the grid frame.

8. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the deflated grid is connected to a vacuum pump in working condition which keeps it deflated on the bottom, which is connected to the alarm and immediately signals an infiltration of water in the event of accident or sabotage, which in this case strengthens security.

Q. Device according to claim No 1 characterized in that the inflation of the grHie is done by the opening of one or more valves, controlled by one or more punch buttons, push buttons or levers, these valves when they must operate in a submerged fashion, automatically switch on.

10. Device according to claim No 1 or 2 characterized in that the grid is attached to adjustable slides provided with a non-return system which prevents it from descending, mooring, stabilizes the grid in the high position around the surface , these slides with their non-return system are distributed around the perimeter of the water.

he . Device according to claim No 1 or 2, characterized in that your lifting means are actuated in response to a control signal coming from a human presence detector on the surface in the high position and respectively on the bottom in the low position.

12. Device according to claim No 1 or 2 characterized in that the grid consists of several juxtaposed sections and connected together by net

13. Device according to claim No 2 characterized in that the grid frame consists of pipes, tubes already containing air or gas, the intersections of which are joined, welded so as not to let air pass further down the grid.