WO2005095203A1

WO2005095203A1 - Safe swim suit

Info

Publication number: WO2005095203A1
Application number: PCT/PL2004/000061
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mieczyslaw Jaskowski; Stanislaw Cudzilo; Piotr Wolanski
Original assignee: Prywatna Korporacja Inwestowania Sp. Z.O.O.
Priority date: 2004-03-30
Filing date: 2004-08-06
Publication date: 2005-10-13
Also published as: PL366708A1

Abstract

The safe swim suit comprises at least one swimming chamber and at least one gas generator with a continuous operation valve and a trigger device. Swimming chambers are located along the user's trunk in at least two belts in a form of straps attached permanently to the swim suit. Preferably belts comprise an integral part of the swim suit. The gas used to fill swimming chambers is generated in a gas generator in a chemical way or is generated in a reaction of carbonates with acids stronger than carbonic acid. The swim suit, apart of its basic function, performs simultaneously a protecting and rescuing in a life-threatening situation.

Description

Safe swim suit

The invention provides a swim suit with a protecting and rescue function in a life- threatening situation. A rescue equipment in the form of life-belts, life-jackets or life-kapoks designed for persons attending water regions, practising aquatics, and also as an equipment for water crafts is known. Apart of the traditional kapoks and jackets made of unsinkable materials, there are also life-belts and jackets with gaseous chambers filled with a gas in a hazardous situation. Designs of life-belts with a flexibly deformable pneumatic compartment connected through a valve system to a compressed gas container are also known. Polish design application No 112522 discloses a life-belt with safety elements in a form of air chambers held in place by a rigid main belt and a flexible auxiliary belt. The chambers are connected to a cylinder filled with compressed air and provided with a valve. A capacity of the cylinder is about 100 cm³, and air pressure amounts to 80-100 atm, depending on the chamber sizes. The valve is assigned to be actuated by a swimming person and after opening the air fills the air chambers. The chambers are maintained in a position close to the body by belts. Polish patent application No P-346667 discloses a life-belt comprising a body and a proper belt with attached fastening slats provided with snaps. The body comprises a chamber to be filled with a gas in emergency. The life-belt according to the invention is attached to bathing-drawers with snaps. This kind of attachment of the belt protects against its lowering or raising. In a deflated state the belt is folded in two, and flexible shrinking elastics and bands protect the belt against unfolding. On filling, the belt unfolds and lengthens flexible elastics, and tightens bands connected by fastening slats with drawers. Similar solution id disclosed in a Polish patent application No P-353718. Known solutions in the field of rescue equipment can be divided into two main classes. The first one comprises kapoks and jackets of various designs, made of a rigid unsinkable material or pneumatic-based. These solutions perform their protecting and rescuing function well, but cannot be used in every case, because the freedom of movement of the user is limited. They can be satisfactorily used by persons making use of floating equipment, but are useless for persons swimming in water. The other class of solutions are life-belts, illustrated hereinabove. This kind of equipment does not constrain movements, hence it may be used by persons swimming or sailing, paddling, fishing on boat, or in each case where the freedom of movement is required. A common feature of belts is the location of gas chambers inside a belt, hence a belt after filling converts to a ring girding a person's trunk, usually at a waist level or slightly above it. Therefore there is a danger of slipping a person out of a life-belt, especially in the case of a loss of consciousness or a deep exhaustion. Additionally, life-belts must be used along with swim- suits, and thus comprise an additional part of the suit with the low aesthetic value. Swimming persons can be thus discouraged for wearing belts and endanger their security. The invention aims at providing a swim suit devoid of the above-mentioned disadvantages. The swim suit of the invention is provided with at least one swimming chamber and at least one gas generator to quickly inflate chamber(s) in a life-threatening situation. Swimming chambers are located along the user's trunk in belts in a form of straps connected permanently with a swim suit. Preferably, belts in a form of straps comprise an integral part of the swim suit. Preferably, belts in a form of straps are interconnected in a front of and/or behind the user's trunk above the waist. Preferably, lower end of straps are connected to the swim suit in a region of the waist. The gas used to fill swimming chambers may be generated in a chemical way or by the use of a low-boiling liquid, which may be contained in thin-walled aluminium containers. One example of the chemical way of gas generation is the reaction of carbonates with acids stronger than carbonic acid. One product of the reaction is carbon dioxide CO₂ - a chemically inert and non-toxic gas. Preferably the reaction of sodium bicarbonate with oxalic acid or malonic acid in aqueous media. Another method of gas generation preferably uses freons (e. g. CF₂C1₂, CHF₂C1), sulphur hexafluoride SF₆ or lower hydrocarbons e. g. propane and butane or mixtures thereof. These are gases, which in typical temperatures (10-25°C) can be condensed under moderately high pressures. On opening of the valve of the liquid gas container the liquid evaporates rapidly to quickly produce gas. The method is very convenient for filling swimming chambers, as it generates huge quantities of gas from a minute amount of liquid — the density of liquid phase is greater 2-3 times in order of magnitude than the density of gaseous phase. Preferably an equimolar mixture of Freon 12 (CF2CI2), propane and butane admixed with 1-3% by weight of silicone oil to prevent the solidification of gases at the valve outlet in case of the rapid evacuation of the container may be used. One gram of the substance gives almost 0,5 L of the gas, hence to completely inflate 9 L shell of the swimming chamber set 18 g of liquid is sufficient, with the volume of only about 30 ml. This is very advantageous feature that allows to minimise the gas generator dimensions. As gas containers 15-ml pressure packages provided with continuous operation valves are used. The valves have a relatively great cross-section and allows to evacuate the container in 5÷10 s. They also act as reflux valves, thus allowing to fill empty packages once again. A triggering device is secured to a flange of the gas container. On removal of a cotter a spring is loosened and moves a piston that pushes an outlet stub of the container valve. Expanding gas leaves the container and through the central opening in the piston passes to the swimming chambers of the rescue equipment. The swim suit of the invention does not constrain movements, and its appearance on wearing does not raise aesthetically objections (typical life-jackets do not meet these criteria). And when a person swimming in water and wearing a suit of the invention recognises a danger of drowning - e. g. as a result of a physical exhaustion, a drastic change of weather or other causes - an auto-rescuing system will provide her/him a buoyancy through rapid filling of the swimming chambers by purposeful activation of the gas generator. The localisation of swimming chambers along the trunk of a user, in belts in a form of straps, gives persons in danger of drowning a reliable and secure floating on water. The actuation of the auto-rescuing system is very easy and requires removing of the cotter or pushing an accurately marked push-button localised at the front of the swim suit at the waist or breast level. Such operation will start chemical reactions, accompanied by a release of gaseous products, or opening of a valve of compressed gas-containing container. Chemically generated or expanding gases will be distributed by channels to the swimming chambers of the swim suit to fill them. The total volume and localisation of the swimming chambers at the swimmer's body will help at least to keep one's head above water. Integration of the set with an one-part swim suit, generally sewn of elastic fabrics, provides not only a secure attachment of the set at swimmer's body, both in folded and inflated state, but also its accurate adhesion to the body. According to the invention, the upper part of the suit (ladies' suit practically without any making over and men's suit after providing it with braces or a sash) has double walls (pockets), where inflated elements of the set and the gas generator are inserted. After use, the only parts to be replaced are cartridges with compressed gas. An additional advantage of the invention is that, the auto-rescuing system in the folded form is practically invisible (slight thickenings in parts comprising a swimming chamber), therefore its wearing should not raise any aesthetical objections. The swim suit is designed for the people resting at water reservoirs and swimming in sea, rivers or lakes, diving, sailing yachts or windsurfs, or paddling on boats, canoes or water bicycles. In some of this uses (e. g. in the case of persons enjoying some floating equipment) may replace life-jackets, since it is devoid of the disadvantages of the latter (inaesthetical appearance, limited freedom of movement), and at the same time fulfils all functions thereof. It is simply irreplaceable in another situations. For example, persons diving or swimming - in particular in extreme conditions, i. e. alone, on long distances and far from the shore - can not use jackets, but they may significantly enhance their safety by using the swim suit with the auto-rescuing system. The invention is further illustrated in detail in an embodiment and on the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates an expanded view of the set with one common swimming ^■chamber at the back, Fig. 2 illustrates an expanded view of the set with swimming chambers at the breast and at the back, Fig.3 and Fig.4 show exemplary ladies' swim suit, Fig. 5 shows exemplary ladies' swim suit with chambers filled with gas, Fig. 6 shows exemplary men's swim suit, Fig. 7 shows exemplary men's swim suit with chambers filled with gas, Fig. 8 shows an exemplary gas generator, and Fig. 9 shows exemplary trigger device. Illustrative models selected for research are shown on Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The model shown on fig. 1 has two belts in a form of straps I, with one common swimming chamber at the back, and the model shown on Fig.2 comprises two belts in a form of straps I, with swimming chambers at the breast and at the back. The models were made of two sleeves each about 1 m long and with a folded width of about 90 mm. The sleeve were sewn of a gas-tight fabric. Seams were sealed with tapes applied in a hot state. The sleeves were connected with connectors at the breast and at the back and attached at the breast and at the back to the belt fastened in the waist, to establish firmly their position on the swimmer's trunk. Two gas generators were placed inside the sleeves, in their front part. Each contained about 6,0 g of equimolar blend of Freon 12, propane and butane admixed with 1% by weight of silicone oil. The trigger device was attached to the flange of the gas container. On removal of a cotter a spring was loosened and moved a piston, that pushed an outlet stub of the container valve. Expanding gas was leaving container and through the central opening in the piston was passing to the swimming chambers of the rescue equipment. After the sleeves (straps) were filled with gas, the swimming chamber formed with the shape and volume as illustrated on Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. After removing the cotters blocking the springs of the trigger device, the swimming chambers fill in about 5 s. In an exemplary ladies' swim suit shown on Fig. 3 belts in a form of straps 1 comprise an integral part of the swim suit and are connected at the breast and at the back, and in swim suits shown on Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 belts in a form of straps 1 also comprise an integral part of the swim suit, but are not connected. In an exemplary men's swim suit shown on^Fig. 6 belts in a form of straps 1 are attached to the swim suit below the waist.

Claims

1. A safe swim suit comprising at least one swimming chamber and at least one gas generator with a continuous operation valve and a trigger device, characterised in that swimming chambers are located along the user's trunk in at least two belts in a form of straps (1) attached permanently to said swim suit.

2. The swim suit of the claim 1, characterised in that belts in a form of straps comprise an integralng. part of the swim suit.

3. The swim suit of the claim 1, characterised in that belts in a form of straps are connected at the front and/or at the back of the user's trunk above the waits.

4. The swim suit of the claim 1, characterised in that the lower ends of said straps are attached to the swim suit in a region of the waist.

5. The swim suit of the claim 1, characterised in that the gas used to fill the swimming chambers is generated in a gas generator in a chemical way.

6. The swim suit of the claim 5, characterised in that said gas is generated in the reaction of carbonates with acids stronger than carbonic acid.

7. The swim suit of the claim 6, characterised in that said gas is generated in the reaction of sodium bicarbonate with oxalic acid or malonic acid in aqueous media.

8. The swim suit of the claim 1, characterised in that said gas comprises freons, sulphur hexafluoride or lower hydrocarbons, or mixtures thereof.

9. The swim suit of the claim 8, characterised in that said gas comprises an equimolar mixture of Freon 12, propane and butane with the admixture of 1-3% by weight of silicone oil.